He met two priests upon the way, And forced them with him to pray. For gold they prayed, and gold they had, Enough to make bold Robin glad. His share came to four hundred pound, That then was told upon the ground; Now mark, and you shall hear the jest; You never heard the like exprest. Tune is, Robin Hood was a tall young man. London, Printed for F. Grove on Snow-hill. Entred according to order. Finis, L. P. F. Grove’s _date, according to Mr Chappell, is 1620–55. Ritson says that the ballad was entered in the Stationers’ book by_ Francis Grove, 2d June, 1656. #b.# Robin Hoods Golden Prize: Shewing how he robbed two priests of five hundred pound. The tune is, Robin Hood was a tall young man. 4^1. gone past. 6^1. all the. 7^1. holy dame: priest. 9^2. Then _wanting_. 10^1. hold on. 13^1. with a. 15^4. fellow. 17^4. he _for_ was. 18^4. For praying so. 19^1. pounds. 19^3. not to. 23^1. it _wanting_. #c.# _Title the same_: _except_, Tune is. 2^4. he is. 4^1. gone past. 7^1. holy dame. 9^2. Then _wanting_. 10^1. holt of. 13^1. with a. 15^1. now _wanting_. 15^4. fellow. 17^1. pain: both _wanting_. 18^3. each one shall. 19^1. pounds. 24^1. upon _wanting_. #d.# Title as in #c#. Printed for William Thackeray at the Angel in Duck-lane. (1689.) 1^1. bold _wanting_. 2^2. think was never known. 4^1. gone past. 7^1. holy dame. 8^3. before you do go. 9^1. so say. 10^1. hold on. 11^1. you’d: quoth Robin Hood. 12^2. kneel. 13^1. with a. 14^3. let us. 15^1. now _wanting_. 15^2. the _wanting_. 15^4. fellow. 16^2. could. 17^1. pain: both _wanting_. 17^4. he _for_ was. 18^3. each one shall. 19^1. pounds. 19^2. doth _for_ did. 20^1. up _wanting_. 22^3. unto sin. 23^3. with _wanting_. 24^1. on _for_ upon. 148 THE NOBLE FISHERMAN, OR, ROBIN HOOD’S PREFERMENT #a.# Wood, 402, p. 18. #b.# Wood, 401, leaf 25 b. #c.# Garland of 1663, No 12. #d.# Garland of 1670, No 11. #e.# Rawlinson, 566. #f.# Pepys, II, 108, No 95. #g.# Pepys, II, 123, No 108. Also Roxburghe, II, 370, III, 524; The Noble Fisherman’s Garland, 1686; Bagford, 643. m. 10, 22. ‘The Noble Ffisherman, or, Robin Hoods great Prize’ is receipted for to Francis Coules in the Stationers’ Registers, June 13, 1631: Arber, IV, 254. Ritson, Robin Hood, II, 110, 1795, “from three old black-letter copies, one in the collection of Anthony a Wood, another in the British Museum, and the third in a private collection.” Evans, Old Ballads, 1777, 1784, I, 171, from an Aldermary garland.