Evans, Old Ballads, 1777, 1784, I, 226, and Ritson, Robin Hood, 1795, II, 171, from an Aldermary garland. Gutch, II, 289, from Ritson, "compared with the York edition."
The ballad is not found in a garland of 1749.
The first twenty-three stanzas are based upon The Gest, sts 282-95. The remainder is mostly taken up with John's astute device for sending information to the sheriff. The two concluding lines are for connection with R.H. and the Valiant Knight, which follows in some garlands, as here.
According to Martin Parker's True Tale, Robin Hood shot a letter addressed to the king into Nottingham, on an arrow-head, offering to submit upon terms: sts 78-81 . Two cases of a message shot on an arrow are cited by Rochholz, Tell u. Gessler in Sage u. Geschichte, p. 28 and note.
Translated by A. Grün, p. 140.
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