stoutly and boldly, and many a hard blow resounded upon their bucklers. They aimed their strong blows above and below, from the head to the feet, but neither of them could make the other give way. Robin Hood at length gave the stranger such a mighty stroke that it made the fire fly from his eyes, and almost deprived him of his senses. "I hope to give thee a blow," said the stranger, "that shall shame all the rest, and put an end to the fray." Then presently, taking good aim with his sword, he struck Robin upon the head with such force, that the blood soon appeared and ran trickling down his cheeks. "By my faith," said Robin Hood, "I must now beg for quarter; prithee, my brave fellow, tell me who thou art, and what is thy name, for I love and respect a brave man." The stranger answered, "I was born and bred in the town of Maxfield, and my name is Gamewell; I am forced to fly from home and to hide myself for having killed my father's steward, who had falsely accused me; and I came to this forest to seek a bold uncle of mine, who goes by the name of bold Robin Hood." "Art thou then a cousin of bold Robin Hood's?" answered he; "had I known it before, our fight would have been sooner done." "On my life," said the stranger, "I am his first kin, and son to his mother's second brother, who now lives at court with the king, and for gallant deeds he performed in Palestine he is soon to be made a noble peer." When Robin heard this he embraced him with great joy, and soon let him know that he himself was his uncle Robin Hood. They then set out for the green shady bower, and met Little John by the way. CHAPTER VII. _Robin Hood and Bishop of Hereford. Robin Hood in Distress changes Clothes with an old Woman to Escape from the Bishop, whom he afterwards takes Prisoner, and obliges him to sing Mass._ Robin Hood and all his men were now outlawed, because they had broken the forest laws (which were very severe), and had killed the king's fat deer.