151: The King's Disguise, and Friendship with Robin Hood

No versions of this ballad have been found that are older than the mid-eighteenth century when it appeared in garlands and on broadsides. Ritson’s very plausible pronouncement backed by Child is, ‘seems to have been written by some miserable retainer to the press, merely to eke out the book; being, in fact, a most contemptible performance:’ Child also applies this to 152 and 153. Child states, ‘The story is a loose paraphrase, with omissions, of the seventh and eighth fits of the Gest (117).

Not known in oral tradition and Bronson treats it with the contempt it deserves by making no mention.