25 ‘Come hither to mee, Sir Richard Lee, Thou art a knight full good; For I do know by thy pedigree Thou springst from Goweres blood. 26 ‘Come hither to me, thou Bishop of Herefordshire’— For a noble priest was he— ‘By my silver miter,’ said the bishop then, ‘I’le not bet one peny. 27 ‘The king hath archers of his own, Full ready and full light, And these be strangers every one, No man knows what they height.’ 28 ‘What wilt thou bet,’ said Robin Hood, ‘Thou seest our game the worse?’ ‘By my silver miter,’ said the bishop then, ‘All the mony within my purse.’ 29 ‘What is in thy purse?’ said Robin Hood, ‘Throw it down on the ground;’ ‘Fifteen score nobles,’ said the bishop then, ‘It’s neer an hundred pound.’ 30 Robin Hood took his bagge from his side, And threw it down on the green; William Scadlocke went smiling away, ‘I know who this mony must win.’ 31 With that the queens archers led about, While it was three and three; With that the ladies gave a shout, ‘Woodcock, beware thyn ee!’ 32 ‘It is three and three, now,’ said the king, ‘The next three pays for all;’ Robin Hood went and whispered to the queen, ‘The kings part shall be but small.’ 33 Robin Hood he led about, He shot it under hand, And Clifton, with a bearing arrow, He clave the willow wand. 34 And little Midge, the Miller’s son, Hee shot not much the worse; He shot within a finger of the prick; ‘Now, bishop, beware thy purse!’ 35 ‘A boon, a boon,’ Queen Katherine cries, ‘I crave on my bare knee,— That you will angry be with none That is of my party.’ 36 ‘They shall have forty days to come, And forty days to go, And three times forty to sport and play; Then welcome friend or fo.’ 37 ‘Then thou art welcome, Robin Hood,’ said the queen, ‘And so is Little John, So is Midge, the Miller’s son; Thrice welcome every one.’ 38 ‘Is this Robin Hood?’ the king now said; ‘For it was told to mee That he was slain in the pallace-gate, So far in the North Country.’ 39 ‘Is this Robin Hood,’ said the bishop then, ‘As I see well to be? Had I knowne that had been that bold outlaw, I would not have bet one peny. 40 ‘Hee took me late one Saturday at night, And bound mee fast to a tree, And made mee sing a mass, God wot, To him and his yeomendree.’ 41 ‘What and if I did?’ says Robin Hood, ‘Of that mass I was full fain; For recompense to thee,’ he says, ‘Here’s half thy gold again.’ 42 ‘Now nay, now nay,’ saies Little John, ‘Master, that shall not be; We must give gifts to the kings officers; That gold will serve thee and mee.’ C The Garland of 1663, No 1.