In the latter part of this extract, honest Richard evidently alludes to “A pleasant conceyted comedie of George a Greene, the pinner of Wakefield; as it was sundry times acted by the servants of the right honourable the earle of Sussex,” 1599, 4to, which has been erroneously ascribed to Heywood the epigrammatist, and is reprinted, with other trash, in the late edition of Dodsley’s Old Plays; only it unluckily happens that Robin Hood is almost the only person who has no difference with the souter (or shoemaker) of Bradford. The play, in short (or at least that part of it which we have any concern with), is founded on the ballad of Robin Hood and the Pinder of Wakefield (see part ii. song 3), which it directly quotes, and is, in fact, a most despicable performance.[18] King Edward (the Fourth) having taken King James of Scotland prisoner, after a most bloody battle near Middleham Castle, from which of 30,000 Scots not 5000 had escaped, comes with his royal captive in disguise to Bradford, where they {xxix} meet Robin Hood and George a Green, who have just had a stout affray: and after having read this, and a great deal more such nonsensical stuff, Captain Grose sagaciously “supposes that this play has little or no foundation in history;” and very gravely sits down and debates his opinion in form. “The history of George a Green, pindar of the town of Wakefield,” 4to, no date,[19] is a modern production, chiefly founded on the old play just mentioned, of neither authority nor merit. Our gallant pinder is thus facetiously commemorated by Drunken Barnaby: “Hinc diverso cursu, sero Quod audissem de pindero Wakefeeldensi; gloria mundi, Ubi socii sunt jucundi, Mecum statui peragrare Georgii fustem visitare.” “Turning thence, none could me hinder To salute the Wakefield pindar; Who indeed is the world’s glory, With his comrades never sorry. This was the cause, lest you should miss it, George’s club I meant to visit.” “Veni Wakefield peramænum, Ubi quærens Georgium Greenum, Non inveni, sed in lignum Fixum reperi Georgii signum, Ubi allam bibi feram Donec Georgio fortior eram.” “Strait at Wakefield I was seen a, Where I sought for George a Green a; But could find not such a creature, Yet on a sign I saw his feature, Where strength of ale had so much stir’d me, That I grew stouter far than Jordie.” Besides the companions of our hero enumerated in the text, and whose names are most celebrated and familiar, we find those of William of Goldsbrough (mentioned by Grafton), Right-hitting Brand (by Mundy), and Gilbert with the white {xxx} hand, who is thrice named in the Lyttell Geste of Robyn Hode (i. 52, 71), and is likewise noticed by Bishop Gawin Douglas in his Palice of Honour, printed at Edinburgh in 1579, but written before 1518: “Thair saw I Maitlaind upon auld Beird Gray, Robene Hude, and Gilbert with the quhite hand, How Hay of Nauchton slew, in Madin land.”[20]