Page:Celebrated history of the renowned Robin Hood (2).pdf/11

 "but I cannot be certain, for I am only a poor old woman, who changed clothes with him.” The Bishop, after bestowing a hearty male- diction on the old woman, was turning to ride off; but Robin brought him down irom his horse, and forced him to go and partake of their good cheer. After dinner he made the Bishop dance a hornpipe, to the no small diversion of the bowmen; and having eased him of five hundred pounds, as payment of his reckoning, they led him and his fol- lowers to the high road, where the bowmen gave three cheers, and then returned to the Forest.

One fine summer day, when the merry bowmen were enjoying their sports, and trying each other’s prowess, Robin, elated with his own superiority, said, "My friends, do you know any man that can match me at wrestling, playing the quarter-staff, or killing a deer?” Will Scarlet, who bore Robin a kind of grudge, replied, "I have heard of a friar in Fountain Abbey, who will draw a bow, wrestle, or handle a quarter- staff’ with any man alive.” "Say you so,” said Robin, "I shall soon have proof of that; "and taking his-bow and quarter- staff with him, went to the neighbourhood of the Abbey, where he saw a tall brawny friar walking by the river side, and in- stantly knew him to be the man he wanted.