The king and/or prince who RH meet is variously named either Edward or Harry (Henry) or Richard or John. In the ballads it is usually "our comely king Edward". Richard and John are considered to only be late embellishments because they were apparently only added in 1598/1601 & 1795 & 1819.
In the records of Roger Godberd we have a match for the king and/or prince in king Henry (Harry) the 3rd (1216-1272), and/or lord/prince/king Edward the 1st (1265-1272-1307).
RH is in the reign of Edward 1 in the Polychronicon.
Winchester Round Table of Edward the 1st 1250-80 might match the Table Round mentioned in the Geste of RH?
"submitted to king at Bycarr Dyke 1265".
"1266 Calendar of Patent Rolls, Henry III 1266-1272. Admission to the king’s peace of Roger Godbert and William his brother; and pardon to them of all their trespasses and forfeitures in the time of the late disturbance on condition of their good behaviour...." "Safe conduct for eight days for Roger de Remes, Nicholas de la Hus’ and Roger Godeberd and three in their company, coming to the king to treat of peace for themselves and those in their company" "Safe conduct until Sunday after the feast of St. Andrew the Apostle for Roger Godberd, coming to the king's court."
"1269 ... Pardon, at the instance of Edward the king’s son, to Walter de Ewyas...."
"1271 Power to Richard Folyot to conduct Walter Deuyas, charged with divers trespasses to the king...."
"The king sent a message to Nottingham folk expressing his concern about the number of robberies taking place and how it wasn't safe. Such was the concern that the king supplied extra men and wooden barricades to ensure Nottingham castle wasn't overrun by Roger and his men."
"1272 The mainpernors of lord Richard Folyot, that he should come before the king...." "The king, to the sheriff of York, greetings. king, to the sheriff of York, greetings. Whereas Richard Folyot had been indicted of the harbouring of Walter de Euyas, Roger Godberd and other Wrongdoers.... ... to come before us in the quindene after the day of St Michael, or, if Edward, our first-born son, returns more swiftly to England and wishes this business to be hastened, at a certain day...." "Delivery of the Gaol of Hereford, made by command of the Lord King, of Roger Godberd... in the fourth year of the reign of King [Edward 1]"
"1273 Ancient Correspondence of the Exchequer, Roger Godberd imprisoned in Chester, regents of Edward I order an inquiry into his capture."
"1275 he (Godberd) says that he has always thereafter conducted himself well and faithfully towards the said king and his heirs...."
"1276 Godbert's defense is good enough, he is released after his trial three weeks after Easter." "... his trial, which took place at the Tower of London and at which he was pardoned upon the return of Edward I from the Eighth Crusade."
Edward 1 parliament at Parliament Oak in Sherwood in 1282.
"John Deyville member of King's household 1285".
King Edward recruit men of Sherwood in later 13th cent?
The following quote about the King's passage through Lancashire also has an interesting match with the Godberd records:
Geste: "All the (com)passe of Lancasshyre He went both ferre and nere Tyll he came to Plomton Parke He faylyd many of his dere ... The kynge was wonder wroth withall, And swore by the Trynyt ," ("... I wish I were in Plomton Parke, In chasing of the fallow deere. 'For every clowne laughs me to scorne, And they by me set nought at all; If I had them in Plomton Park, I would set as little by them all.' ")
Godberd records: "1287 Roger Godberd, Reginald de Grey and others are accused of poaching venison in Sherwood Forest in 1264. Item, Warin de Bassingburne who had died, Reginald de Grei and their men took one stag with their greyhounds in the field of Bullewell and one other stag is Beskwode on Monday next before the feast of St. Lawrence in the same year, and took the venison as far as Bassingburne. Item, the aforesaid Reginald and his men took one stag and one deer in the wood of Bullewell on Saturday next after the feast of St. Bartholomew in the aforesaid year and brought the venison to the aforesaid castle. .... ... lands in the county of Leicestershire."
In comparing these two excerpts above we see that "the passe of Lancasshyre" is vaguely similar to "as far as Bassingburne" and "the feast of St Lawrence", and the "Plomton parke" is possibly similar to "Bartholomew". (The Geste excerpt is about the king finding that deer are missing from in his royal parks due to poachers, and the Godberd excerpt is about being caught and accused of poaching stags & deer in the royal forest/field/wood. RH is also stated to have poached in Plumpton park in another ballad.) The Geste was written some time after Godberd's times and it has conflated in some events from the 1300s.