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four or five in number. Immediately he rode up to one of the bishop's servants, whom he pretended to know; “Ah, Tom," said he, “I am glad, with all my heart, that I am come up with you, for there's nothing but robbing, go where one will; I have n great charge of money about me myself, but since I have the good inek to get up with these honest gentlemen, I am not in fear of losing it."
This discourse which Robin Hood had with the man, made his lordship and his retinue think him to be an honest man, and they held a great deal of chat with him on the road, till at last an opportunity favouring his intention, says he to the bishop's attendants, “I am very dry; and since you are pleased to give me protection from danger as far as I shall go your way, I'll ride before, and see if I can get any good liquor to trent you for your civility.” Robin Hood set spurs to his horse, and rode away; when, being out of sight, he quickly tied his horse to a tree in a thick wood, which was on one side of the road, through which the bishop was to pass; then returning back to the company, says, "O gentlemen! I am ruined and undone; for in yonder lane, meeting with two rogues, they have taken about forty marks from me: but the villains being but in differently mounted, I don't doubt but that if you were to pursue them, you'd soon take them.” The bishop, pitying Robin Hood's loss, said to his servants, "Let the poor fellow show you which way the rogues took, and go all of you, and take thein if possible. They set off, taking Robin Hood along with them: and when they came into a narrow lane, he gave them the neeessary directions for pursuing the highwaymen.
But Robin Hood's business was with the Bishop, and back he goes, and says to him. "Sir, my time is but short, therefore you must deliver what money you have, or expect the worst of usage." The bishop, not knowing how to help himself, was forced to give him two hundred and fifty marks, and then Robin Hood retired to the wood, there mounted his horse, and rode off with his prize. Soon after, the bishop, being met by his servants, they told him they could not hear of the rogues, high nor low. "Ah!" answered the bishop, “the greatest rogue has been with me, for he that pretended to be robbed of forty marks, hath just now made up the loss by robbing me of sixty times the money.
It was customary for our adventurer to go frequently in disguise: at one time he pulled off his fine clothes, and dressed himself like an old shoemaker, and put an old leather apron about him, the better to colour his being one of the craft. In this disguise he set out to travel, and being pretty
