Hi Art
I agree with Liz the "beer" phrase doesn't negate any part of the song or story, it's just that I couldn't sing it that way, it's just my personnal taste, which God knows at time can be quite poor.
The "beer" phase does date back quite a ways, it seems that Child has 3 versions from the Englisk Archer(Paisley 1786) that closely resembles what I have in 'Old English Ballads & Folk Songs' (Ames 1910) titled "Robin Hood's Death & Burial" & that has the beer phrase included. I can only find the "beer" in modern text though, as mentioned above, in old english (if that's the correct term) I find only the mention of Robin offering up gold to the Prioress & she offers nothing in the welcoming of him in.   
Anyway here's what I've pieced together, that's very close to what I use to sing many yrs ago & what I'll use as a text from now on. I've tried to keep it as short as possible & still keep as much of the main ballad's telling intack without losing any of it's gut's but did stay away from his birth place, his father, the 2 children & the old women & her ramblings, his fight with Red Roger all of which was never part of the version I originally sung anyway & which would have had me singing one of the longer versions well over a 100 verses long. Not with my memory & there would be absoultly no one to sing it to.

          Robin Hood's Death (2)

1.    Robin Hood and Little John
      Went by yon bank of broom.
      Said Robin Hood unto Little John
      We've shot for manys a pound.

2.    I am not able to shoot one shot
      My arrows will not flee.
      I've a cousin lives down below;
      Please God, she will bleed me."

3.    So Robin is to fair Kirkly gone,
      He knock'd all at the ring
      There was none so ready as his cousin dear
      To let bold Robin in.

4.    She took him be the lily-white hand
      And led him to a private room,
      And there she's blooded bold Robin Hood
      Until the next at noon.

5.    And thinking then of his bugle horn
      That hung down low by his knee
      He set his horn unto his mouth
      He blows sweet blasts three

6.    Little John was standing by,
      Underneath a tree
      "I fear my master is now near dead,
      He blows so wearily."

7.    So Little John is to Kirkly gone
      As fast as he could dree
      When he came to fair Kirkly Hall,
      He broke locks two & three

8.    "A boon, a boon," cried Little John.
      "Master, I ask of thee
      It is to burn down fair Kirkly Hall
      And all their nunnery!"

9.    "No nay, no, nay," quoth bold Robin Hood.
      That boon I'll never grant thee.
      I never hurt a woman, not in all my life,
      Nor men in woman's company.

10.   "But place my bent bow all in my hands,
      And an arrow I'll let flee,
      And where arrow has taken up
      There let my gravestone be.

11.   And place my sword beneath my hands
      And my arrows beneath my feet;
      Place my bent bow all in my arms,
      It was my music sweet.

12.   These words so readily were promised him
      That Robin Hood did seek
      And there they buried bravest outlaw
      Near to he fair Kirkly

Thanks to everyone for all the input & links in helping me put this back together again

Barry