Robin then applied the horn to his mouth, and blew twice and thrice with it, at the sound of which his fifty stout bowmen came leaping over the churchyard, and the first man was Allen Adale, who gave bold Robin his bow. "This is thy true lover," said Robin; "come, take her, and be married before we depart." "That never shall be," said the bishop; "thy speech is too bold, and the law of our country requires that they be three times asked in the church." Robin Hood then pulled off the bishop's rich apparel, and put it upon Little John, and made him appear like a priest. "By my faith," said Robin, laughing, "that clothing becomes thee well; thou now lookest like a man and a bishop; therefore begin thy office." When Little John went to the desk the people began to laugh and seemed to enjoy the joke; he asked them full seven times over to make the banns sure, lest three times should not be enough. "Who gives this fair maid to Allen Adale for a wife?" said Little John. "I give her to him with all my heart," said Robin Hood, "and he that dare to oppose, or take her away from her spouse, shall buy her dearly." Thus ended this merry wedding, and the new married pair returned with Robin Hood to Sherwood bower. CHAPTER VI. _Robin Hood and his Kinsman. Showing how he met and fought with a Stranger, who afterwards proved to be his Cousin Scarlet._ As Robin walked about the forest one day he met with a comely young man, dressed in a doublet of silk, with scarlet hose, travelling boldly along with a stout bow in his hand. A herd of fat deer happened to be feeding not far distant, which, when the stranger saw, he bent his bow, and shot the best of them through the heart. "Well shot, well shot," said Robin Hood, "thy aim was good and sure; I like a bold archer well; and if thou wilt be one of my comrades, and live in my bower, I will treat thee with noble entertainment, and pay thee well besides." "Go, talk with thy grandame," said the stranger, "and make no such wild offers to me, or else I shall use thee somewhat rudely." "Thou hadst better be quiet," said Robin, "for if thou shouldest offer to make an assault, thou wilt dearly repent of the deed; my arm is not weak, and thou mayest see that I carry a bow; besides, though I am now alone, should I blow an alarm with my loud bugle-horn, I should quickly have at my command a hundred brave men." "I defy all thy power," said the other, "and if thou offerest to touch thy horn, my good broad-sword shall cut it in two, and strike thee to the dust." Bold Robin Hood then bent his stout bow, and stood ready to shoot at his foe. The stranger also took his strong bow and as readily stood on his guard. "Prithee, let us hold our hands," said Robin Hood, "for if we attempt to shoot, one of us must infallibly die; let us now lay aside our bows and try each other's skill with bucklers and good broadswords." These rivals in skill then fought