They presently fetch’d him a brace of fat does, With humming strong liquor likewise ; They lov’d what was good ; so, in the green wood, This pretty sweet babe they baptize. He was, I must tell you, but seven foot high, And, may be, an ell in the waste ; A sweet pretty lad : much feasting they had ; Bold Robin the christ’ning grac’d, {296} With all his bowmen, which stood in a ring, And were of the Nottingham breed ; Brave Stutely came then, with seven yeomèn, And did in this manner proceed : This infant was called John Little, quoth he ; Which name shall be changed anon : The words we’ll transpose ; so whereever he goes, His name shall be call’d Little John. They all with a shout made the elements ring ; So soon as the office was ore, To feasting they went, with true merriment, And tippl’d strong liquor gillore. Then Robin he took the pretty sweet babe, And cloath’d him from top to the toe, In garments of green, most gay to be seen, And gave him a curious long bow. “Thou shalt be an archer, as well as the best, And range in the green wood with us ; Where we’ll not want gold nor silver, behold, While bishops have ought in their purse. We live here like ‘squires, or lords of renown, Without ere a foot of free land ; We feast on good cheer, with wine, ale, and beer, And ev’ry thing at our command.” {297} Then musick and dancing did finish the day ; At length, when the sun waxed low, Then all the whole train the grove did refrain, And unto their caves they did go. And so, ever after, as long as he liv’d, Altho’ he was proper and tall, Yet, nevertheless, the truth to express, Still Little John they did him call. [Illustration] {298} [Illustration] XXII. ROBIN HOOD AND THE BISHOP OF HEREFORD. This excellent ballad, given from the common edition of Aldermary-church-yard (compared with the York copy), is supposed to be modern; the story, however, seems alluded to in the ballad of “Renowned Robin Hood.” The full title is “The Bishop of Hereford’s entertainment by Robin Hood and Little John, &c. in merry Barnsdale.” The tune is added from an engraved sheet. Some they will talk of bold Robin Hood, And some of barons bold ; But I’ll tell you how he serv’d the bishop of Herefòrd, When he robb’d him of his gold. {299} As it befel, in merry Barnsdale, ‘All’ under the green-wood-tree, The bishop of Hereford was to come by, With all his company. Come, kill [me] a ven’son, said bold Robin Hood, Come, kill me a good fat deer, The bishop of Hereford is to dine with me to-day, And he shall pay well for his cheer. We’ll kill a fat ven’son, said bold Robin Hood, And dress it by the highway side ; And we will watch the bishop narrowly, Lest some other way he should ride. Robin Hood dress’d himself in shepherd’s attire, With six of his men also ; And, when the bishop of Hereford came by, They about the fire did go.