# Maiden's choice/Robin Hood & the Bishop of Hartford

Robin Hood and the Bishop of Harford.
GO kill me some venison, said Robin Hood, go kill me a good fat deer, For the Bishop of Hartford is to dine with me, and he shall pay well for his share, and he shall pay well for his share.
Go kill me some venison, said Robin Hood, and dress it by the highway side, And mark ye the Bishop narrowly, in case some other way he should ride, etc.
Robin dress'd himself in shepherd's array, and six of his merry men also, And when that the Bishop was riding by, all round the fire they did go,all, etc.
Whose men are you? the Bishop he said, or how make you thus ado? Or how do you kill the King's fallow deer, your number being so few?your, etc.
We are poor shepherds, said bold Robin Hood, we keep sheep round all the year, We had a mind to be merry this day, and to eat of the King's fallow deer,and, etc.
​You are bold fellows, the Bishop, he said, and of it you surely shall know; Therefore make haste and come along with me, for before the King you shall go.for, etc.
O pardon, O pardon, says bold Robin Hood, O pardon me, I do pray, For it does not become your Lordship's Grace, for to take our sweet lives away, for, etc.
No pardon, no pardon, the Bishop said, no pardon to you I owe: Therefore make haste and come along with me, for before the King you must go.for, etc.
Robin Hood put his back against an oak, and his foot against a thorn, And out from below his shepherd's cloak, he pull'd a long bugle-horn.he, etc.
He put the small end to his mouth, he blew a blast or twain, Till threescore and ten of Robin's yeomen, came all marching over the plain.came, etc.
Making obedience to bold Robin Hood, and marching so merrily, What is the matter, says Little John, that you call so hastily?that you, etc.
Here is the brave Bishop of Hartford, no pardon to us he will give; We will cut off his head then, says Little John, and we will throw him into his grave,etc.
O pardon, O pardon, the Bishop he cry'd, O pardon me, I do pray, For if I had known it had been you, I would have rode some other way.etc.
​No pardon, no pardon, says bold Robin Hood, no pardon to you I owe; Therefore make haste and come along with me, for to merry Barnsdale you must go.etc.
Robin Hood took the Bishop by the hand, and he led him to merry Barnsdale, There he made him to drink of the blood red wine, the cherry, beer, and brown ale. the, etc.
A reck'ning, a reck'ning, the Bishop he cry'd, for I am sure it will come high, Lend me your purse then, says Little John, and I will tell you by and by,and I, etc.
He took the cloak from the proud Bishop, and he spread it on the ground, And out from the Bishop's portmanteau, he told five hundred pound,he told, etc.
Here is money enough then, says Little John, and it is a comely sight to see, It makes, me in favour with the Bishop, though in his heart he loves not me.etc.
Robin Hood took the Bishop by the hand, and he made the music to play: He made the Bishop dance in his boots till he swate, and was glad to get so away.and was, etc.
This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
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