Robin Hood now turned to the fair maiden, and said, “Now, my love, you are free: tell me whom you will have for your husband. Will you have this feeble and gouty old knight, or will you have one of the bold young fellows you see now before you?” “Alas!” said the young maid, and dropped her eyes on the ground as she spoke, “young Allen-a-Dale has courted me for seven long years, and he is the man I would choose.” “Then,” said Robin Hood, “you and Allen shall be married before we leave this place.” “That shall not be,” said the bishop; “the law of the land requires that they should be three times asked in the church, and a marriage cannot be huddled up in this way.” “That we will try,” said Robin Hood; and he then pulled off the bishop’s gown, and put it upon Little John. “Indeed,” said Robin Hood, “you make a grave parson.” When Little John took the book into his hand, the people began to laugh; and he asked them seven times in the church, lest three times should not be enough. Robin Hood gave away the maiden; the bishop slunk out of the church; and his brother, the old knight, hobbled after as well as he could. The whole company had a dinner upon two fat bucks in Sherwood Forest; and from this day, Allen-a-Dale was a friend to Robin Hood as long as he lived. In the time of Robin Hood, the bishops were under the orders of the pope of Rome; and they were great officers, and even soldiers. Robin Hood lived in the see of the bishop of Hereford. Now Robin had a great dislike to the popish clergy, because one of them had cheated him of his uncle’s estate; and the bishop of Hereford had quite as much dislike to Robin, because of the trick Robin had played him in the marriage of Allen-a-Dale, and because he did not think it right that such a robber should live in his see. The bishop therefore made several journeys into the Forest of Sherwood, to take Robin prisoner, and bring him to the gallows. One time, when Robin was walking alone in the Forest of Sherwood, he heard the trampling of horses; and, looking round, he saw his old enemy, the bishop of Hereford, with six servants. The bishop was very near Robin Hood before Robin looked round and saw him; and he had nothing to trust to but the swiftness of his heels, to save him from danger. As Robin ran along, he chanced to come up to a cottage where an old woman lived all by herself; so he rushed in, and begged her to save his life.--“Who are you?” said the old woman; “and what can I do for you?” “I am an outlaw,” replied he, “and my name is Robin Hood; [Illustration: Robin Hood flying for shelter from the Bishop of Hereford. _see page 16._ _London, William Darton, 58, Holborn Hill, Augˢᵗ. 29, 1821._] [Illustration: Robin Hood making the Bishop of Hereford dance. _see page 19._ _London, William Darton, 58, Holborn Hill, Augˢᵗ. 29, 1821._]