d off blindly down the road the beggar following them a little way to give them a few parting love taps fare you well my masters he said finally turn in the other way and when next I come along the barnsdale road I hope you will be able to tell gold from meal dust with this he departed an easy victor and again went whistling on his way while the three outlaws rubbed the meal out of their eyes and began to catch their breath again as soon as they could look around them clearly they beheld robin hood leaning against a tree trunk and surveying them smilingly he had recovered his own spirits in full measure on seeing their plight God save you gossips he said you must in soothe have gone the wrong way and been to the mill from the looks of your clothes then when they looked shame faced and answered never a word he went on in a soft voice did you see ought of that bold beggar I sent you for lately in soothe master responded much the miller's son we heard more of him than we saw him he filled us so full of meal that I shall sweat meal for a week I was born in a mill and had the smell of meal in my nostrils from my very birth you might say and yet never before did I see such a quantity of this stuff in so small space and he sneezed violently how was that asked robin demirly why we laid hold of the beggar as you did order when he offered to pay for his release out of the bag he carried upon his back the same I coveted both robin as if to himself so we agreed to this went on much and spread a cloak down and he opened his bag and shook it there on instantly a great cloud of meal filled the air whereby we could neither see nor breathe and in the midst of this cloud he vanished like a wizard but not before he left certain black and blue spots to be remembered by I see commented robin he was in league with the evil one said one of the widow's sons rubbing himself ruefully then robin laughed outright and sat him down upon the gnarled root of a tree to finish his merriment four bold outlaws put to route by a sorry beggar cried he I can laugh at ye my men for I am in the same boat with ye but would never do to have this tail get abroad even in the greenwood how that we could not hold our own with the odds in our favor so let us have this little laugh all to ourselves and no one else need be the wiser the other saw the point of this and felt better directly despite their itching desire to get hold of the beggar again and none of the four ever told of the adventure but the beggar must have boasted of it at the next tavern or a little bird perched among the branches of a neighboring oak must have sung of it for it got abroad as such tales will and was put into a right droll ballad which I warn you the four outlaws did not like to hear so ends chapter 10 chapter 11 of robin hood by jay walker mcspaden this LibriVox recording is in the public domain how robin hood fought guy of gizborn I dwell by dale and down quote he and robin to take I'm sworn and when I am called by my right name I am guy of good gizborn some weeks passed after the rescue of the widows three sons weeks spent by the sheriff in the vain effort to entrap robin hood and his men for robin's name and deeds had come to the king's ears in london town and he sent word to the sheriff to capture the outlaw captured the outlaw under penalty of losing his office so the sheriff tried every manner of means to surprise robin hood in the forest but always without success and he increased the price put upon robin's head in the hope that the best men in the kingdom could be induced to try their skill at a capture now there was a certain guy of gizborn a hireling knight of the king's army who heard of robin and of the price upon his head sir guy was one of the best men at the bow and the sword in all the king's service but his heart was black and treacherous he obtained the king's leave forthwith to seek out the forester and armed with the king's scroll he came before the sheriff at knotting him I have come to capture robin hood quote he and mean to have him dead or alive right gladly would I aid you answered the sheriff even if the king's seal were not sufficient warrant how many men need you none replied sir guy for I am convinced that forces of men can never come at the bold robber I must needs go alone but do you hold your men in readiness at barnsdale and when you hear a blast from this silver bugle come quickly for I shall have the sly robin within my clutches very good said the sheriff Mary it shall be done and he set about giving orders while guy of gizborn sally forth disguised now as luck would have it will scarlet and little john had gone to barnsdale that very day to buy suits of lincoln green for certain of the yeoman who had come out at the knees and elbows but not deeming it best for both of them to run their necks into a noose together they parted just outside the town and will went within the gates while john tarried and watched at the brow of the hill on the outside presently whom should he see but this same will fly madly forth from the gateskin closely pursued by the sheriff and three score men over the moat will sprang through the bushes and briars across the swamp over stocks and stones up the woodland roads in long leaps like a scared jackrabbit and after him puffed the sheriff and his men their force scattering out in the flight as one man would tumble headfirst into a ditch another mire up in the swamp another trip over a rolling stone and still others sit down on the roadside and gasp for wind like fish out of water little john could not forebear laughing heartily at the scene though he knew that would be anything but a laughing matter if will should stumble and in truth one man was like to come upon him it was william atrent the best runner among the sheriff's men he had come within 20 feet of scarlet and was leaping upon him with long bounds like a greyhound when john rose up quickly drew his bow and let fly one of his fatal shafts it would have been better for william atrent to have been a bed with sorrow says the ballad then to be that day in the greenwood slade to meet with little john's arrow he had run his last race the others halted a moment in consternation when the shaft came hurtling down from the hill but looking up they beheld none save little john and with a cry of fierce joy they turned upon him meanwhile will scarlet had reached the brow of the hill and sped down the other side i'll just send one more little message of regret to the sheriff said little john before i join will but this fool hearty deed was his undoing for just as the arrow left the string a good you bow that had never before failed him snapped in twain woe worth woe worth thee wicked wood that air thou grew on a tree cursed little john and planted his feet resolutely in the earth resolved to sell the path dearly for the soldiers were now so close upon him that he dared not turn and a good right account of himself he gave that day dealing with each man as he came up according to his merit and so winded were the pursuers when they reached the top of the hill that he laid out the first ten of them right and left with huge blows of his brunny fist but if five men could do no more than three a score can overcome one a body of archers stood off at a prudent distance and covered little john with their arrows now yield you panted the sheriff yield you little john or ryan old green leaf or whatever else name you carry this day yield you or some few of these shafts will reach your heart mary my heart has been touched by your words air now said little john and i yield me so the sheriff's men laid hold of little john and bound him fast with many cords so fearful were they least he should escape and the sheriff laughed aloud and glee and thought of how he should avenge his stolen plate and determined to make a good day's work of it by the saints he said you shall be drawn by dale and down and hanged high on a hill in barnsdale this very day hang and be hanged retorted to prisoner you may fail of your purpose if it be heavens will back down the hill and across the moor went the company speedily for they feared a rescue and as they went the stragglers joined them here a man got up feebly out of the ditch and rubbed his plate and fell in like a chicken with the pip going for its dinner yonder came hobbling a man with a lame ankle or another with his shins torn by the briars or another with his jacket all muddy from the marsh so in truth it was a tattered demalian crew that limped and straggled and wandered back into barnsdale that day yet all were mary for the sheriff had promised them flagans of wine and moreover they were to hang speedily the boldest outlaw in england next to robin hood himself the gallows was quickly put up and a new rope provided now up with you commanded the sheriff and let us see if your greenwood tricks will avail you tomorrow i would that i had bold robin's horn muttered poor john me thinks is all up with me even as the sheriff has spoken in good sooth the time was dire and pressing the rope was placed around the prisoner's neck and the men prepared to haul away are you ready called the sheriff one two but before the three left his lips the faint sound of a silver bugle came floating over the hill by my trough that is sir guy of gizborn's horn quote the sheriff and he bade me not to delay answering its summons he has caught robin hood pardon excellency said one of his men but if he has caught robin hood this is a merry day indeed and let us save this fellow and build another gallows and hang them both together that's a brave thought said the sheriff slapping his knee take the rascal down and bind him fast to the gallows tree against our return so little john was made fast to the gallows tree while the sheriff and all his men who could march or hobble went out to get robin hood and bring him in for the double hanging let us leave talking of little john and the sheriff and see what has become of robin hood in the first place he and little john had come near having a quarrel that self same morning because both had seen a curious looking yeoman and each wanted to challenge him singly but robin would not give way to his lieutenant and that is why john in a huff had gone with will to barnsdale meanwhile robin approached the curious looking stranger he seemed to be a three-legged creature at first sight but on coming nearer you would have seen that was really not but a poorly clad man who for a freak had covered up his rags with a capel hide nothing more nor less than the sun-dried skin of a horse complete with head tail and mane the skin of the head made a helmet while the tail gave the curious three-legged appearance good morrow good fellow said robin cheerily me thinks by the bow you bear in your hand that you should be a good archer indifferent good said the other returning his greeting but is not of archery that i am thinking this morning for i have lost my way and would feign find it again by my faith i could have believed was your wits you'd lost thought robin smiling then allowed i'll lead you through the wood quote he and you will tell me your business for be like your speech is much gentler than your attire who are you to ask me my business ask the other roughly i am one of the king's rangers replied robin set here to guard his deer against curious looking strollers curious looking i may be return the other but no stroller harky since you are a ranger i must even demand your service i am on the king's business and seek an outlaw men call him robin hood are you one of his men i him keenly nay god forbid said robin but what want you with him that is another tale but i'd rather meet with that proud outlaw than 40 good pounds of the king's money robin now saw how the land lay come with me good yeoman said he and be like a little later in the day i can show you robin's haunts when he is at home meanwhile let us have some pastime under the greenwood tree let us first try the mastery at shooting arrows the other agreed and they cut down two willow wands of a summer's growth that grew beneath a briar and set them up at a distance of three score yards lead on good fellow quote robin the first shot to you nay by my faith said the other i will follow your lead so robin stepped forth and bent his bow carelessly and sent his shaft whizzing toward the wand missing it by a scant inch he of the horse hide followed with more care yet was a good three fingers bred the way on the second round the stranger led off and landed cleverly within the small garland at the top of the wand but robin shot far better and claved the wand itself clean at the middle a blessing on your heart shouted capital hide never saw i such shooting as that be like you are better than robin hood himself but you have not yet told me your name nay by my faith quote robin i must keep it secret till you have told me your own i do not disdain to tell it said the other i dwell by dale and down and to take bold robin am i sworn this would i tell him to his face were he not so great a craven when i am called by my right name i am guy of gizborn this he said with a great show of pride and he strutted back and forth forgetful that he had just been beaten at archery robin eyed him quietly me thinks i have heard of you elsewhere do you not bring men to the gallows for a living i but only outlaws such as robin hood but pray what harm has robin hood done you he is a highway robber said sir guy evading the question has he ever taken from the rich that he did not give again to the poor does he not protect the women and children and side with weak and helpless is not his greatest crime the shooting of a few kings dear have done with your sophistry said sir guy impatiently i am more than ever of opinion that you are one of robin's men yourself i have told you i am not quote robin briefly but if i am to help you catch him what is your plan do you see this silver bugle said the other a long blast upon it will summon the sheriff and all his men when once i have robin within my grasp and if you show him to me i'll give you the half of my 40 pounds reward i would not help hang a man for 10 times 40 pounds said the outlaw yet while i point out robin to you for the reward i find at my sword's point i myself and robin hood of surewood and barnsdale then have at you cried the other springing swiftly into action his sword leaped forth from beneath the horse's hide with the speed born of long practice and before robin had come to guard the other had smitten at him full and fall robin eluded the lunge and drew his own weapon a scurvy trick quote he grimly to strike at a man unprepared then neither spoke more but fell sternly to work lunge and thrust and ward and parry for two full hours the weapons smoked together sullenly and neither robin hood nor sir guy would yield an inch i promise you that if you could have looked forth on the fight from behind the trunk of some friendly tree you would have seen deadly sport such as few men be held in surewood forest for the fighters glared sullenly at each other the fires of hatred burning in their eyes one was fighting for his life the other for a reward and the king's favor still circled the bright blade swiftly in the air now gleaming in the peaceful sunlight again hissing like maddened serpents neither had yet touched the other until robin in an unlucky moment stumbled over the projecting root of a tree when sir guy instead of giving him the chance to recover himself as any courteous night would have done struck quickly at the falling man and wounded him in the left side ah dear lady in heaven gassed robin uttering his favorite prayer shield me now it was never a man's destiny to die before his day and adroitly he sprang up again and came straight at the other with an awkward but unexpected stroke the night had raised his weapon high to give a final blow when robin reached beneath and across his guard one swift lunge and sir guy of gizborn staggered backward with a deep groan robin soared through his throat robin looked at the slain man regretfully you did bring it upon yourself said he and traitor and hire lean though you were i would not willingly have killed you he looked to his own wound it was not serious and he soon staunched the blood and bound up the cut then he dragged the dead body into the bushes and took off the horse's hide and put it upon himself he placed his own cloak upon sir guy and marked his face so none might tell who had been slain robin's own figure and face were not unlike the others pulling the capital hide well over himself so that the helmet hid most of his face robin sees the silver bugle and blew a long blast it was the blast that saved the life of little john over in barnsdale for you and i have already seen how it caused the fond sheriff to prick up his ears and stay the hanging and go scurrying up over the hill and into the wood with his men in search of another victim in five and twenty minutes up came running a score of the sheriff's best archers did you signal us lording they asked approaching robin i said he going to meet the puffing sheriff what news what news sir guy said the officer robin hood and guy of gizborn had a fight and he that wears robin's cloak lies under the covert yonder the best news i have heard in all my life exclaimed the sheriff rubbing his hands i would that we could have saved him for the hanging though i cannot now complain the hanging repeated robin yes this is our lucky day on the calendar after you left me we narrowly missed running one of the fellows i believed was will scarlett to earth and another who came to his relief we were just about to hang when your horn blew who was the other asked the disguised outlaw whom do you suppose laughed the sheriff the best man in the greenwood next to robin hood himself little john ryan old greenleaf for the sheriff could not forget the name little john had borne under his rope at nottingham little john thought robin were the start barely that was a lucky blast of the bugle but i see you have not escaped without a scratch continued the sheriff becoming talkative through pure glee here one of you men give sir guy of gizborn your horse while others of you bury that dog on outlaw where he lies and let us hasten back to barnsdale and finish hanging the other so they put spurs to their horses and as they rode robin forced himself to talk merrily while all the time he was planning the best way to suker little john a boon sheriff he said as they reached the gates of the town what is it worthy sir you have but to speak i do not want any of your gold for i have had a brave fight but now that i have slain the master let me put an end to the man so it shall be said that guy of gizborn dispatched the two greatest outlaws of england in one day have it as you will said the sheriff but you should have asked a knight's fee and double your reward and it would have been yours it isn't every man that can take robin hood no excellency answered robin i say it without boasting that no man took robin hood yesterday and none shall take him tomorrow then he approached little john who was still tied to the gallows tree and he said to the sheriff's men now stand you back here till i see if the prisoner has been stripped and he stoop swiftly and cut little john's bonds and thrust into his hands sir guys bow and arrows which he had been careful to take his eye robin he whispered but in truth little john knew it already and had decided there was to be no hanging that day then robin blew three loud blasts upon his own horn and drew forth his own bow and before the astonished sheriff and his men could come to arms the arrows were whistling in their midst in no uncertain fashion and look through the gates and over the walls came pouring another flight of arrows will scarlet and will stutley had watched and planned a rescue ever since the sheriff and robin rode back down the hill now in good time they came and the sheriff's demoralized force turned tail and ran while robin and little john stood under the harmless gallows and sped swift arrows after them and laughed to see them go then they joined their comrades and hasted back to the good greenwood and there rested they had got enough sport for one day so ends chapter 11 chapter 12 of robin hood by jay walker mick spaden this libre vox recording is in the public domain how made marion came back to surewood forest also how robin hood came before queen elinor but robin hood he himself had disguised and marion was strangely attired that they proved foes and so fell to blows whose valor bold robin admired and when he came at london's court he fell down on his knee thou art welcome loxley said the queen and all thy good yomen tree now it fell out that one day not long thereafter robin was minded to try his skill at hunting and not knowing whom he might meet in his rambles he stained his face and put on a sorry-looking jacket and a long cloak before he sallied forth as he walked the peacefulness of the morning came upon him and brought back to his memory the early days so long ago when he had roamed these same glades with marion how sweet they seemed to him now and how far away marion too the dainty friend of his youth would he ever see her again he had thought of her very often of late and each time with increasing desire to hear her clear voice and musical laugh and see her eyes light up at his coming perhaps the happiness of alana dale and his lady had caused robin's heartstrings to vibrate more strongly perhaps to the coming of wil scarlett but certis robin was anything but a hunter this bright morning as he walked along with head drooping in a most love-lorn way presently a heart entered the glade in full view of him gazing peacefully and instantly the man of action awoke his bow was drawn in a shaft all but loosed when the beast fell suddenly pierced by a clever arrow from the far side of the glade then a handsome little page sprang gleefully from the covert and ran toward the dine animal this was plainly the archer for he flourished his bow aloft and likewise bore a sword at his side though for all that he looked a mere lad robin approached the heart from the other side how dare you shoot the king's beast stripling he asked severely i have as much right to shoot them as the king himself answered the page heartily how dare you question me the voice stirred robin strongly it seemed to chime into his memories of the old days he looked at the page sharply and the other returned to glance straight and unafraid who are you my lad robin said more civilly no lad of yours and my name's my own retorted the other with spirit softly bear and softly sweet page or we of the forest will have to teach you manners said robin not if you stand for the forest cried the page whipping out a sword come draw and defend yourself he swung his blade valiantly and robin saw nothing for it but to draw likewise the page thereupon engaged him quite fiercely and robin found that he had many pretty little tricks at fencing nevertheless robin contented himself with parrying and was loath to exert all his superior strength upon the lad so the fight lasted for above a quarter of an hour at the end of which time the page was almost spent and the hot blood flushed his cheeks in a most charming manner the outlaw saw his distress and to end the fight allowed himself to be pricked slightly on the wrist are you satisfied fellow asked the page wincing a little at sight of the blood i honestly replied robin and now perhaps you will grant me the honor of knowing to whom i owe this scratch i am richard partington page to her majesty queen elinor answered the lad with dignity and again the sound of his voice troubled robin sorely why come you to the greenwood alone master partington the lad considered his answer while wiping his sword with a small ace kerchief the action brought a dim confused memory to robin the lad finally looked him again in the eye forester whether or no you be a king's man know that i seek one robin hood an outlaw to whom i bring amnesty from the queen can you tell me ought of him and while awaiting his answer he replaced the kerchief in his shirt as he did so the gleam of a golden trophy caught the outlaw's eye robin started forward with a joyful cry i i know you now by the sight of yon golden arrow one at the sheriff's attorney you are she on whom i bestowed it and none other than made marion you are gassed marion for it was she not robin robin's self said he gaily and forthwith clad as he was in rags and stained a face he clasped the dainty page close to his breast and she forsooth yielded right willingly but robin she exclaimed presently i knew you not and was rude and wounded you it was nothing he replied laughingly so long as it brought me you but she made more adieu over the sore wrist than robin had received for all his former hurts put together and she bound it with the little kerchief and said not we'll get well and robin was convinced she spoke the truth or he never felt better in all his life the whole woods seemed tinged with a rosette hue since marion had come again but she while happy also was ill at ease and robin with a man's slow discernment at last saw that it was because of her boy's attire he thought bluntly that there was not to be ashamed of but smilingly handed her his tattered long cloak which she blushingly put on and forthwith recovered her spirits directly then they began to talk of each other's varied fortunes and of the many things which had parted them and so much did they find to tell that the sun had begun to decline well into the afternoon before they realized how the hours sped but i am a sorry host exclaimed robin springing to his feet i have not once invited you to my wild rough and i am but a sorry page replied marion for i had clean forgot that i was richard partington and really did bring you a message from queen elinor tell me on our way home and there you shall be entrusted to mr. stale while the first of my men we meet will i send back for your dear so she told him as they walked back through the glade how that the fame of his prowess had reached queen elinor's ears in london town and the queen had said fame would i see this bold yeoman and behold his skill at the longbow and the queen had promised him amnesty if he and four of his archers would repair to london against the next tournament the week following there to shoot against king henry's picked men of whom the king was right vain all this marion told in detail and added when i heard her majesty say she desired to see you i asked leave to go in search of you saying i had known you once and the queen was right glad and bade me go and sent this gold ring to you from off her finger in token of her faith then robin took the ring and bowed his head and kissed it loyally by this token while i go to london town quote he an air eye part with the queen's pledge may the hand that bears it be stricken off at the wrist by this time they were come to the grove before the cave and robin presented main marion to the band who treated her with the greatest respect will scarlet was especially delighted to greet again his old time friend while alan adale and his good wife also about to make her welcome in their tiny thatched cottage that evening after they had sucked royally upon the very heart that marion had slain alan sang sweet songs of northern minstrel sea to the fair guest as she sat by robin's side the golden arrow gleaming in her dark hair the others all joined in the chorus from will scarlett's barotone to fryer tux heavy base even little john essayed to sing although looked at threateningly by much the miller's son then robin bade marion repeat her message from the queen which marion did in a way befitting the dignity of her royal mistress after which the yeoman gave three cheers for the queen and three more for her page and drank toast to them both rising to their feet ye have heard quote robin standing forth how that her majesty whom god preserve wishes but four men to go with me wherefore i choose little john and will stley my two lieutenants will scarlet my cousin and alana dale my minstrel mistress dale also can go with her husband and be company for the queen's page we will depart with early morning decked in our finest so stir ye my lads and see that not only your tunics are fresh but your swords bright and your bows and arrows fit for we must be a credit to the queen as well as the good greenwood you much and stout will lester and john the widow's three sons shall have command of the band while we are away and fryer tuck shall preside over the needs of your souls and stomachs the orders were received with shouts of approval and toast all around were drunk again in not brown ale air the company dispersed to rest after making ready for the journey the next morning was as fine a summer's day as ever you want to see and the green leaves of the forest made a pleasing background for the gay picture of the yeoman setting forth says the old ballad it was a seemly sight to see how robin hood himself had dressed and all his yeomanry he clothed his men in lincoln green and himself in scarlet red with hats of black and feathers white to bravely deck each head nor were the two ladies behind hand i weaned at the beddecking thus the chosen party of seven sallied forth being accompanied to the edge of the wood by the whole band who gave them a merry party and godspeed the journey to london town was made without incident the party proceeded boldly along the king's high road and no man met them who was disposed to say them nay besides the good queens warrant and ring would have answered for them as indeed it did at the gates of london so on they sped and in due course came to the palace itself and awaited audience with the queen now the king had gone that day to finsbury field where the turning was soon to be held in order to look over the lists and see some of his picked men whom he expected to win against all comers so much had he boasted of these men that the queen had secretly resolved to win a wager of him she had heard of the fame of robin hood and his yeoman as marion had said and marion on her part had been overjoyed to be able to add a word in their favor and to set out in search of them today the queen sat in her private audience room chatting pleasantly with her ladies when in came mistress marion fits walter attired again as befitted her rank of lady in waiting she curtsy low to the queen and awaited permission to speak how now said the queen smiling is this my lady marion or the page richard partington both in it please your majesty richard found the man you sought while marion brought him to you where is he asked queen elinor eagerly awaiting your audience he and four of his men likewise a lady of whose wooing and wedding i can tell you a pretty story at another time have them admitted so marion gave orders to a herald and presently robin hood and his little party entered the room now the queen had half expected the men to be rude and uncouth in appearance because of their wildlife in the forest but she was delightfully disappointed indeed she started back in surprise and almost clapped her hands for soothed to say the omen made a brave sight and in all the court no more gallant men could be found marion felt her cheeks glow with pride at sight of the half-hidden looks of admiration sent forth by the other ladies in waiting robin had not forgot the gentle arts taught by his mother and he wore his fine red velvet tunic and britches with the grace of a courtier we have seen before what a dandified gentleman will scarlet was and allana dale the minstrel was scarcely less good lead to look upon while the giant little john and broad-shouldered will stutley made up in stature what little they lacked in outward polish mistress dale on her part looked even more charming if possible than on the momentous day when she went to plimpton church to marry one man and found another thus came the people of the greenwood before queen elinor in her own private audience room and robin advanced and knelt down before her and said here i am robin hood i and my chosen men at your majesty's bidding am i come bearing the ring of amnesty which i will protect as i would protect your majesty's honor with my life thou art welcome loxley said the queen smiling graciously thou art come in good time thou and all i brave yeomanry then robin presented each of his men in turn and each fell on his knee and was greeted with most kindly words and the queen kissed fair mistress dale upon the cheek and bade her remain in the palace with her ladies while she was in the city and she made all the party be seated to rest themselves after their long journey vine wines were brought and cake and rich food for their refreshment and as they ate and drank the queen told them further of the tourney to be held at finsbury field and of how she desired them to wear her colors and shoot for her meantime she concluded they were to lie by quietly and be known of no man to do all this robin and his men pledged themselves full heartily then at the queen's request they related to her and her lady some of their merry adventures where at the listeners were vastly entertained and laughed heartily then marion who had heard of the wedding at plimpton church told it so droly that tear stood in the queen's eyes from merriment my lord bishop of herford she said was indeed a comical business for him i shall keep that to twit his bones i promise you so this is our minstrel she added presently turning to alan adale me thinks i have already heard of him will he not harp a while for us today alan bow low and took a harp which was brought to him and he thrummed the strings and sang full sweetly the border songs of the north country and the queen and all her ladies listened in rap silence till all the songs were ended so ends chapter 12 chapter 13 of robin hood by jay walker mc spaden this leber vox recording is in the public domain how the outlaws shot in king harry's tourney the king is into finsbury field marching in battle ray and after follows bold robin hood and all his yeoman gay the morning of the great archery contest dawn fair and bright bringing with it a fever of impatience to every citizen of london town from the proudest courtier to the lowest kitchen winch i and all the surrounding country was early awake too and began to win their way defends berry field a fine broad stretch of practice ground near more fields around three sides of the field were erected tier upon tier of seats for the spectators with the royal boxes and booze for the nobility and gentry in the center down along one end were pitched gaily colored tents for the different bands of king's archers there were 10 of these bands each containing a score of men headed by a captain of great renown so today there were 10 of the pavilions each bearing aloft the royal arms and very colored pennants which fluttered lightly in the fresh morning breeze each captain's flag was of peculiar color and device first came the royal purple streamer of teppas own bowbearer to the king and esteemed the finest archer in all the land then came the yellow of clifton of buckingham shire and the blue of gilbert of the white hand he who was renowned in nottingham shire and the green of elwin the welshman and the white of robert of cloudsdale and after them five other captains of bands each a man of proved prowess as the queen had said a four time the king was mightily proud of his archers and now held this tourney to show their skill and may have to recruit their forces the uprising tears of seats filled early upon this summer morning and the merry chatter of the people went abroad like the home of bees in a hive the royal party had not yet put in an appearance nor were any of the king's archers visible so the crowd was content to hide it some patients by laughing jives passed from one section to another and crying the colors of their favorite archers in and out among the seats went hawkers their arms laden with small penance to correspond with the rival tents other vendors of pie and small cakes and cider also did a thrifty business for so eager had some of the people been to get good seats that they had rushed away from home without their breakfast suddenly the gates at the far end next to the tents opened wide and a courier in scarlet and gold mounted upon a white horse rode in blowing lustily upon the trumpet at his lips and behind him came six standard bears riding abreast the populace arose with a mighty cheer king harry had entered the arena he best rowed a fine white charger and was clad in a rich dark suit of slashed velvet with satin and gold facings his hat or a long curling ostrich plume of pure white and he dofted graciously in answer to the shouts of the people by his side rode queen elinor looking regal and charming in her long brocade riding habit while immediately behind them came prince richard and prince john each attired in nightly coats of mail and helmets lords and ladies of the realm followed and finally the 10 companies of archers whose progress around the field was greeted with hardly less applause than that given the king himself the king and queen dismounted from their steeds ascended the steps of the royal box and seated themselves upon two thrones decked with purple and gold trapping upon a dais sheltered by striped canvas in the booths at each end the members of the court took their places while come we pages ran hither and thither bearing the royal commands was a lordly sight eyewin these shifting of proud courtiers flashing of jeweled fans and co mingling of bright colors with costly gems now the herald arose to command peace and soon the clear note of his bugle rose above the roar of the crowd and hushed it to silence the 10 score archers ranged themselves in two long rows on each side of the lists a gallant array while their captains as a special mark of favor stood near the royal box come hither teppas said the king to his bullbearer come measure me out this line how long our mark must be what is the reward then asked the queen that will the herald presently proclaim answered the king for first prize we have offered a purse containing two score golden pounds for second a purse containing two score silver pennies and for third a silver bugle inlaid with gold moreover if the king's companies keep these prizes the winning companies shall have first two tons of runnish wine second two tons of english beer and third five of the fattest hearts that run on dalem lee me thinks that is a princely wager added king harry laughingley up spag bold clifton secure in the king's favor measure no marks for us most sovereign liege quote he for such largesse as that will shoot at the sun and the moon will not be so far as that said the king but get a line of good length teppas and set up the targets at 10 score paces forthwith teppas bowed low and set up 10 targets each bearing the pendant of a different company while the herald stood forth again and proclaimed the rules and prizes the entries were open to all comers each man also of the king's archers should shoot three arrows at the target bearing the colors of his band until the best bowman in each band should be chosen these 10 chosen archers should then enter a contest for an open target three shots apiece and here any other bowman whatsoever was asked to try his skill the result at the open targets should decide the turning then all the people shouted again in token that the terms of the contest pleased them and the archers waved their bows aloft and wheeled into position facing their respective targets the shooting now began upon all the targets at once and the multitude had so much adieu to watch them that they forgot to shout besides silence was commanded during the shooting of all the fine shooting that morning i have not now space to tell you the full score of men shot three times at each target and then three times again to decide a tie for more than once the arrow shot by one man would be split wide open by his successor each man shaft bore his number to ease the counting and so close would they stick at the end of a round that the target look like a big bristle hairbrush then must the spectators relieve their tense spirits by great cheering while the king looked mighty proud of his skilled bowman at last the company targets were decided and teppas as was expected led the score having made six exact centers in succession gilbert of the white hand followed with five and clifton with four two other captains had touched their center four times but not roundly while in the other companies it's so chance that the captains had been outshot by some of the men under them the winners then saluted the king and queen and withdrew for a space to rest and renew their bow strings for the keenest contest of all while the lists were cleared and a new target the open one was set up at 12 score paces at the bidding of the king the herald announced that the open target was to be shot at to decide the title of the best archer in all england and any man their present was privileged to try for it but so keen had been the previous shooting that many women who had come to enter the list now would not do so and only a dozen men stepped forth to give in their names by my halodom said the king these must be hearty men to pit themselves against my archers think you that your 10 chosen fellows are the best bowman in all england asked the queen i and in all the world beside answered the king and there on to i was steak 500 pounds i am minded to take your wager said the queen musingly and will even do so if you grant me a boom what is it asked the king if i produce five archers who can out shoot your 10 will you grant my men full grace and amnesty assuredly quote the king in right good humor naveless i tell you now your wager is in jeopardy for there never were such bowlmen as teppas and clifton and gilbert hmm said the queen puckering her brow still as though lost in thought i must see if there being none present to aid me in my wager boy call hither sir richard of the lay and my lord bishop of herford the two summoned ones who had been witnessing the sport came forward sir richard said she thou art a full night and good wouldst advise me to meet a wager of the kings that i can produce other archers as good as teppas and gilbert and clifton nay your majesty he said bending his knee there be none present that can match them how be it he added dropping his voice i have heard of some who lie hidden sure would forest who could show them strange targets the queen smiled and dismissed him come hither my lord bishop of herford quote she what's thou advance a sum to support my wager against the king nay your majesty said the fat bishop and you pardon me i'd not lay down a penny on such a bet for by my silver mitre the king's archers are men who have no peers but suppose i found men whom thou knewest to be masters at the bow she insisted roguishly what's thou not back them be like i have heard that there be men round about knottingham and plimpton who carry such matters with a high hand the bishop glanced nervously around as if half expecting to see robin hoods men standing near then turned to find the queen looking at him with much amusement lurking in her eyes odds bodkins the story of my misadventure must have preceded me he thought roofily allowed he said resolved to face it out your majesty such tales are idle and exaggerated and you pardon me i would add to the king's wager that his men are invincible as it pleases thee reply the queen imperturbably how much here is my purse said the bishop uneasily it contains fifteen score nobles and near a hundred pounds i'll take it at even money she said dismissing him and your majesty turning to the king who had been conversing with the two princes and certain of the nobles i accept your wager of five hundred pounds very good said the king laughing as though it were a great jest but what had minded you to take such interest in the sport of a sudden it is as i have said i have found five men whom i will pit against any you may produce then we will try their skill speedily quote the king how say you if first we decide this open target and then match the five best they're at against your unknown champions agreed said the queen thereupon she signed to made maryon to step forward from a nearby booth where she sat with other ladies in waiting and whispered something in her ear maryon curtsied and withdrew now the ten chosen archers from the king's bands came forth again and took their stand and with them stood forth the twelve untried men from the open lists again the crowd was stilled and every eye hung upon the speeding of the shafts slowly but skillfully each man shot and as his shaft struck within the inner ring a deep breath broke from the multitude like the sound of the wind upon the seashore and now gilbert of the white hand led the shooting and was only by the space of a hare's breath upon the line that teppas tied his score stout elwin the welshman took third place one of the private archers named jeffrey came forth while clifton must needs content himself with fifth the men from the open list shot fairly true but nervousness and fear of ridicule wrought their undoing then the herald came forward again and instead of announcing the prize winners proclaimed that there was to be a final contest two men had tied for first place declared his majesty the king and three others were entitled to honors now all these five were to shoot again and they were to be pitted against five other of the queen's choosing men who had not yet shot upon that day a thrill of astonishment and excitement swept through the arena who were these men of the queen's choosing was upon every lip the hubbub of eager voices grew intense and in the midst of it all the gate at the far end of the field opened and five men entered and escorted the lady upon horseback across the arena to the royal box the lady was instantly recognized as mistress marion of the queen's household but no one seemed to know the faces of her escort four were clad in lincoln green while the fifth who seemed to be the leader was dressed in a brave suit of scarlet red each man wore a close fitting cap of black decked with a curling white feather for arms they carried simply a stout bow a sheaf of new arrows and a short hunting night when the little party came before the dais upon which the king and queen sat the yeoman off their caps humbly while maid marion was assisted to dismount your gracious majesty she said addressing the queen these be the men for whom you sent me and who are now come to wear your colors and service you in the turning the queen leaned forward and handed them each a scarf of green and gold loxley she said in a clear voice i thank thee and my men for this service know that i have laid a wager with the king that ye can out shoot the five best whom he has found in all his bowmen the five men pressed the scarves to their lips in token of fealty the king turned to the queen inquiringly who are these men you have brought before us asked he up came the worthy bishop of herford growing red and pale by turns your pardon my leech lord cried he but i must announce these fellows as outlaws yon man in scarlet is none other than robin hood himself the others are little john and will stully and will scarlet and alana dale all famous in the north country for their deeds of violence as my lord bishop personally knows added the queen significantly the king's brows grew dark the name of robin hood was well known to him as to every man there present is this true he demanded sternly i my lord responded the queen to merely but be thank you i have your royal promise of grace and amnesty that will i keep said the king holding and check his ire by a mighty effort but look you only 40 days do i grant a respite when this time has elapsed let these bold outlaws look to their safety then turning to his five victorious archers who had drawn near he added ye have heard my men how that i have a wager with the queen upon your prowess now here be men of her choosing certain free shafts of sure would and barnsdale wherefore look well to it gilbert and teppas and jeffrey and elwin and clifton if ye out shoot these naves i will fill your caps with silver pennies i and knight the man who stands first but if ye lose i give the prizes for which ye have just driven to robin hood and his men according to my royal word robin hood and his men the same flew around the arena with the speed of wildfire and every neck crane forward to see the famous fellows who had dared to brave the king's anger because of the queen another target was now set up at the same distance as the last and it was decided that the ten archers should shoot three arrows in turn gilbert and robin tossed up a penny for the lead and it fell to the king's men so clifton was bitten to shoot first fourth he stood planting his feet firmly and wetting his fingers before plucking the string for he was resolved to better his losing score of that day and in truth he did so for the shaft he loosed sped true and landed on the black bull's eye though not in the exact center again he shot and again he hit the black on the opposite rim the third shaft swerved downward and came within the second ring some two fingers breaths away naveless a general cry went up as this was the best shooting clifton had done that day will scarlet was chosen to follow him and now took his place and carefully chose three around in full feathered arrows careful my sweet cuz both robin and low tone the nave has left wide space at the center for all of your darts but robin gave will the wrong caution for over much care spoiled his aim his first shaft flew wide and lodged in the second ring even farther away than the worst shot of clifton your pardon cuz quote robin hastily bid care go to the bottom of the sea and do you loose your string before it sticks to your fingers and will profited by this hint and loosed his next two shafts as freely as though they flew along a sure would glade each struck upon the bull's eye and one even nearer the center than his rival's mark yet the total score was ab judged in favor of clifton at this will scarlet bit his lip but said no word while the crowd shouted and waved yellow flags for very joy that the king's man had overcome the outlaw they knew also that this demonstration would please the king the target was now cleared for the next two contestants jeffrey and allen adale where at it was noticed that many ladies in the queen's booze boldly flaunted allen's colors much to the honest pride which glowed in the cheeks of one who sat in their midst in good truth said more than one lady to mr. stale if thy husband can handle the longbow as skillfully as the harp his rival has little show of winning the same augured well jeffrey had shot many good shafts that day and indeed had risen from the ranks by virtue of them but now each of his three shots though well placed in triangular fashion around the rim of the bull's eye yet allowed an easy space for allen to graze within his shooting more over was so prettily done that he was right heartily applauded the ladies and their gallants leading in the hand clapping now you must know that there had long been a friendly rivalry in robin hoods band as to who was the best shot next after robin himself he and will stutley had lately decided their markmanship and will had found that robin skill was now so great as to place the leader at the head of all good bowmen in the forest but the second place lay between little john and stutley and neither wish to yield to the other so today they looked narrowly at their leader to see who would shoot third robin read their faces at a glance and laughing merrily broke off two straws and held them out the long straw goes next he decided and it fell to stutley elwin the welsh man was to proceed him and his score was no wit better than jeffreys but stutley failed to profit by it his besetting sin and archery had ever been an undue haste and carelessness today these were increased by a certain moodiness that little john had outranked him so his first two shafts flew swiftly one after the other to lodging places outside the welshman's mark man man tried robin entreatingly you do forget the honor of the queen and the credit of sure would i ask your pardon master quote will humbly enough and lucine as he spoke his last shaft it whistled down the course unerringly and struck in the exact center the best shot yet made now some shouted for stutley and some shouted for elwin but elwin's total mark was declared the better whereupon the king turned to the queen what say you now quote he in some triumph two out of the three first rounds have gone to my men your outlaws will have to shoot better than that in order to save your wager the queen smiled gently yay my lord she said but the twain who are left are able to do the shooting you forget that i still have little john and robin hood and you forget my lady that i still have teppas and gilbert so each turned again through the list and awaited the next rounds in silent eagerness i weaned that king harry had never watched the invasion of an enemy with more anxiety than he now felt teppas was chosen to go next and he fell into the same error with will scarlett he held the string a moment too long and both his first and second arrows came to grief one of them however came within the black rim and he followed it up by placing his third in the full center just as stutley had done in his last these two centers were the fairest shots that had been made that day and loud was the applause which greeted this second one but the shouting was as nothing to the uproar which filed a little john shooting that good nature giant seemed determined to outdo teppas by a tiny margin in each separate shot for the first and the second shafts grazed his rivals on the inner side while the third little john did the old trick of the forest he shot his own arrow in a graceful curve which descended from above teppas's final center shaft with a glancing blow that drove the other out and left the outlaws in its place the king could scarce believe his eyes why my halodom quote he that fellow deserves either a duke them or a hanging he must be in league with satan himself never saw eye such shooting the score is tied my lord said the queen we have still to see gilbert and robin hood gilbert now took his stand and slowly shot his arrows one after another into the bullseye it was the best shooting he had done yet but there was still the smallest of spaces left if you looked closely at the very center well done gilbert spoke up robin hood you are a fulmin worthy of being shot against he took his own place as he spoke now if you had placed one of your shafts there losing one of his own and another there outsped the second and another there the third was launched may have the king would have declared you the best bowman in all england but the last part of his merry speech was drowned in the wild torment of applause which followed his exploit his first two shafts had packed themselves into the small space left at the bullseye while his third had split down between them taking half of each and making all three appear from a distance as one immense arrow up rose the king in amazement and anger gilbert is not yet beaten he cried did he not shoot within the mark thrice and that is allowed a best in all the rules of archery robin bowed low as it please your majesty quote he but may i be allowed to place the mark for the second shooting the king waved his hand sullenly there upon robin prepared another old trick of the greenwood and got him a light peeled willow wand which he set in the ground in place of the target there friend gilbert cried he gaily be like you can hit that i can scarce see it from here said gilbert much less hit it naveless for the king's honor i will try but this final shot proved his undoing and his shaft flew harmlessly by the thin white streak then came robin to his stand again and picked his arrow with exceeding care and tried his string amid a breathless pause he drew the good you bow back to his ear glanced along the shaft and let the feathered missile fly straight at sped singing a keen note of triumph as it went the willow wand was split in twain as though it had met a hunter's knife verily i think your bow is armed with witchcraft cried gilbert for i did not believe such shooting possible you should come to see our merry lads in the greenwood retorted robin lightly for willow wands do not grow upon the cobblestones of london town meanwhile the king in great wrath had risen to depart first signing the judges to distribute the prizes never a word said he of good or ill to the queen but mounted his horse and followed by his sons and knights rode off the field the archers dropped upon one knee as he passed but he gave them a single baleful look and was gone then the queen beckoned the outlaws to approach and they did so and knelt at her feet right well have you served me she said and sorry am i that the king's anger is aroused thereby but fear ye not his word and grace hold true as to these prizes ye have gained i add others of my own the wagers i have won from his majesty the king and from the lord bishop of herford by with some of these monies the best sword she can find in london for all your band and call them the swords of the queen and swear with them to protect all the poor and the helpless and the women kind who come your way we swear said the five yeoman solemnly then the queen gave each of them her hand to kiss and arose and departed with all her ladies and after they were gone the king's archers came crowding around robin and his men eager to get a glimpse of the fellows about whom they had heard so much and back of them came a great crowd of the spectators pushing and jostling in their efforts to come nearer barely laughed little john they must take us for a merry andrew show now the judges came up and announced each man his prize according to the king's command to robin was give the purse containing two score golden pounds to little john the two score silver pennies and to allen adale the fine inlaid bugle much to his delight for he was skilled at blowing sweet tunes upon the horn hardly less than handling the harp strings but when the renish wine and the english beer and hearts of dalem lee were spoken of robin said nay what need we of wine or beer so far from the greenwood and would be like carrying coals to newcastle to drive those hearts to sherwood now gilbert and teppas and their men have shot passing well wherefore the meat and drink must go to them and they will accept it of us right gladly replied gilbert grasping his hand ye are good men all and we will toast you everyone in memory of the greatest day at archery that england has ever seen or ever will see thus said all the king's archers and the hand of good fellowship was given amid much shouting and clapping on the shoulder blades and so ended king harry's turny whose story has been handed down from sire to son even unto the present day so ends chapter 13 chapter 14 of robin hood by jay walker mc spaden this libra vox recording is in the public domain how robin hood was sought of the tinker and while the tinker fell asleep robin made haste away and left the tinker in the lurch for the great shot to pay king henry was as good as his word robin hood and his party were suffered to depart from london the parting bringing king sorrow to maryon and for 40 days no hand was raised against them but at the end of that time the royal word was sent to the worthy sheriff at nottingham that he must lay hold upon the outlaws without further delay as he valued his office indeed the exploits of robin and his band ending with the great turning in finsbury field had made a mighty stir through all england and many there were to laugh boldly at the nottingham official for his failures to capture the outlaws the sheriff thereupon planned three new expeditions into the greenwood and was even brave enough to lead them since he had 15 score men at his beck and call each time but never the shadow of an outlaw did he see for robin's men lay close and the sheriff's men knew not how to come at their chief hiding place in the cove before the cavern now the sheriff's daughter had hated robin hood bitterly in her heart ever since the day he refused to bestow upon her the golden arrow and shamed her before all the company his tricks also upon her father were not calculated to lessen her hatred and so she sought about for means to aid the sheriff in catching the enemy there is no need to go against this man with force of arms she said we must meet his tricks with other tricks of our own would that we could roam the sheriff the fellow is becoming a nightmare unto me let me plan a while she replied be like i can cook up some scheme for his undoing agreed said the sheriff and if anything comes of your planning i will even give you and hundred silver pennies for a new gown and a double reward to the man who catches the outlaws now upon that same day while the sheriff's daughter was racking her brains for a scheme there came to the mansion house a strolling tinker named middle a great gossip and braggart and as he pounded away upon some pots and pans in the scullery he talked loudly about what he would do if he once came within reach of that rascal robin hood it might be that this simple fellow could do something through his very simplicity muse the sheriff's daughter overhearing his prattle odds bodkins will do no harm to try his service while i rethink myself of some better plan and she called him to her and looked him over a big brawny fellow enough with an honest look about the eye and a continent so open that when he smiled his mouth seemed the only country on the map i am minded to try your skill at outlaw catching she said and will add goodly measure to the stated reward if you succeed do you wish to make good your posted prowess the tinker grinned broadly yes your ladyship he said then here is a warrant made out this morning by the sheriff himself see that you keep it safely and use it to good advantage and she dismissed him middle the partner from the house mightily pleased with himself and proud of his commission he swung his crab tree staff recklessly in his glee so recklessly that he imperiled the shins of more than one angry passerby and vowed he'd crack the ribs of robin hood with it though he was surrounded by every outlaw in the whole greenwood spurred on by the thoughts of his own coming bravery he left the town and proceeded toward barnsdale the day was hot and dusty and at noontime he paused at a wayside in to refresh himself he began by eating and drinking and dosing in turn then sought to do all at once mine host of the seven does stood by discussing the eternal robin with a drover folk do say that my lord sheriff has sent into lincoln for more men at arms and horses and that when he has these behind him he'll soon rid the forest of these fellows of whom speak you as the tinker sitting up of robin hood and his men said the host but go to sleep again you will never get the reward and why not as the tinker rising with great show of dignity where our sheriff has failed and the stout guy of gizborn and many more beside it behoves not a mere tinker to succeed the tinker laid a heavy hand upon the innkeeper's fat shoulder and tried to look impressive this is your reckoning host upon the table i must even go upon my way because i have more important business than to stand here gossiping with you but be not surprised if the next time you see me i shall have with me no less person than robin hood himself and he strode loftily out the door and walked up the hot white road towards barnsdale he had not gone above a quarter of a mile when he met a young man with curling brown hair and merry eyes the young man carried his light cloak over his arm because of the heat and was unarmed save for a light sword at his side the newcomer eyed the perspiring tinker in a friendly way and seen he was a stout fellow accosted him good day to you said he good day to you said the tinker and a marrow less heating i laughed the other once come you and know you the news what is the news said the gossipy tinker waking up his ear i am a tinker by trade middle by name and come over against banbury why as for the news laughed the stranger i hear that two tinkers were set in the stocks for drinking too much ale and beer if that be all your news retorted i can beat you clear to the end of the lane what news have you seen that you go from town to town i mean you can outdo a poor country yokel at tidings all i have to tell said the other is that i am especially commissioned he felt mightily proud of these big words especially commissioned to seek a bold outlaw which they call robin hood so said the other arching his how especially commissioned i have a warrant from the sheriff sealed with the king's own seal to take him where i can and if you can tell me where he is i will even make a man of you let me see the warrant said the other to satisfy myself if it be right and i would do the best i can to bring him to you that will i not replied the tinker i will trust none with it and if you'll not help me to come at him i must force soothe catch him by myself and he made his crab tree staff whistle shrill circles in the air the other smiled at the tinker simplicity and said the middle of the road on a hot july day is not a good place to talk things over now if you're the man for me and i'm the man for you let's go back to the end just be on the bend of road and quench our thirst and cool our heads for thinking mary come up quote the tinker that i will for though i've just come from there my thirst rises mightily at the sound of your voice so back he turned with a stranger and proceeded to the seven does the landlord arched his eyebrow silently when he saw the two come in but serve them willingly the tinker asked for wine and robin for ale the wine was not the most cooling drink in the cellar nor the clearest headed nath less the tinker asked for it since it was expensive and the other man had invited him to drink they lingered long over their cups master middle emptying one after another while the stranger expounded at great length on the best plans for coming at and capturing robin hood in the end the tinker fell sound asleep while in the act of trying to get a tankard to his lips then the stranger definitely opened the snoring man's pouch took out the warrant read it and put it in his own wallet calling mine host to him he winked at him with a half smile and told him the tinker would pay the whole score when he awoke thus was master middle left in the lurch for the great shot to pay nath less the stranger seemed in no great hurry he had the whim to stay a while and see what the droll tinker might do when he awoke so he hid behind a window shutter on the outside and awaited events presently the tinker came to himself with a prodigious you on and reached at once for another drink what were you saying friend about the best plan for catching this fellow hello where's the man gone he had looked around and saw no one with him at the table host host he shouted where is that fellow who was to pay my reckoning i know not answered the landlord sharply may have he left the money in your purse no he didn't for admittal looking therein help help i've been robbed look you host you are liable to arrest for high treason i am here upon the king's business as i told you earlier in the day and yet while i did rest under your roof thinking you were an honest man and one loving of the king my pouch has been opened in many matters of state taken from it cease your bellowing said the landlord what did you lose oh many weighty matters i do assure you i had with me item a warrant granted under the hand of my lord high sheriff of nottingham and sealed with the king's own seal for the capture and arrest and overcoming of the notorious rascal one robin hood of barnsdale item one crust of bread item one lump of solder item three pieces of twine item six single keys useful with all item 12 silver pennies the which i earned this week in fair labor item have done with your items said the host and i marvel greatly to hear you speak in such fashion of your friend robin hood of barnsdale for was he not with you an all good fellowship what that robin hood gas middle with staring eyes why did you not tell me faith i saw no need of telling you did you not tell me the first time you were here today that i need not be surprised if you came back with no less person than robin hood himself yezu give me pardon moan the tinker i see it all now he got me to drinking and then took my warrant and my pennies and my crust yes yes interrupted the host i know all about that but pay me the score for both of you but i have no money gossip let me go after that vile bag of bones and i'll soon get it out of him not so replied the other if i waited for you to collect from robin hood i would soon close up shop what is the account asked middle 10 shillings just then take care of my working bag and my good hammer too and if i light upon that nave i will soon come back after them give me your leather and coat as well said mine host the hammer and bag of tools are as not to me gray mercy cried master middle losing what was left of his temper it seems that i have escaped one thief only to fall into the hands of another if you will but walk with me out into the middle of the road i will give you such a crack as shall dry some honesty into your thick skull you are wasting your breath and my time retorted the landlord give me your things and get you gone after your man speedily middle thought this to be good advice so he strode forth from the seven does in a black mood ere he had gone half a mile he saw robin hood walking to merely among the trees a little in front of him oh there you villain roared the tinker stay your steps i am desperately in need of you this day robin turned about with a surprised face what nave is this he asked gently who comes shouting after me no nave no nave at all panted the other rushing up but an honest man who would have that warrant and the money for drink why as i live it is our honest tinker who was seeking robin hood did you find him gossip mary that did i and i'm now going to pay him my respects and he plunged at him making a sweeping stroke with his crab tree cudgel robin tried to draw his sword but could not do it for a moment through dodging the other's furious blows when he did get it in hand the tinker had reached him thrice with resounding thwacks then the tables were turned for he dashed in right manfully with his shining blade and made the tinker give back again the green wood rang with the noise of the fray was steel against wood and they made a terrible clattering when they came together robin thought at first that he could hack the cudgel to pieces for his blade was one of Toledo finely tempered steel which the queen had given him but the crab tree staff had been fired and hardened and seasoned by the tinker's arts until it was like a bar of iron no pleasant neighbor for one's ribs robin presently found this out to his sorrow the long reach and long stick got to him when twas impossible for him to touch his antagonist so his sides began to ache sorely hold your hand tinker he said at length i cry a boon of you before i do it said the tinker i'd hang you on this tree but even as he spoke robin found the moment's grace for which he longed and immediately grasped his horn and blew the three well-known blasts of the green wood a marine sees you roared the tinker commencing afresh up to your old tricks again are you well i'll have time to finish my job if i hurry but robin was quite able to hold his own at a pinch and they had not exchanged many lunges and passes when up came little john and will scarlett and a score of yeoman at their heels middle was seized without ceremony while robin sat himself down to breathe what is the matter quote little john that you should sit so weirdly upon the highway side faith that rascally tinker yonder has paid his score well upon my hide answered robin roofily that tinker then said little john must be itching for more work feign would i try if he can do as much for me or me said well scarlett who like little john was always willing to swing a cudgel nay laughed robin be like i could have done better and he had given me time to pull a young tree up by the roots but i hated to spoil the queen's blade upon his tough stick or no less tough hide he had a warrant for my arrest which i stole from him also item 12 silver pennies interposed the tinker unsubdued item one crust of bread against my supper item one lump of solder item three pieces of twine item six single keys item yes i know quote the mary robin i stood outside the landlord's window and heard you count over your losses here they are again and the silver pennies are turned by magic into gold here also if you will is my hand i take it heartily with the pence cried middle by my leather coat and tools which i shall presently have out of that sly host i swear that i never yet met a man i liked as well as you and you and your men here will take me i swear i'll serve you honestly do you want a tinker nay but verily you must who else can mend and grind your swords and patch your panikins and fight too when occasions serve mend your pots mend your pans and he ended his speech with the soreness cry of his craft by this time the whole band was laughing uproariously at the tinker's talk what say you fellows asked robin would not this tinker be a good recruit that he would answered will scarlet clapping the new man on the back he will keep fryer tuck and much the miller's son from having the blues so amid great merriment and right good fellowship the outlaw shook middle by the hand and he took oath of fealty and thought no more of the sheriff's daughter so ends chapter 14 chapter 15 of robin hood by jay walker mix bait this lever vox recording is in the public domain how robin hood was tanned of the tanner in nodding hand there lived a jolly tanner with a hey down down a down down his name was arthur bland there never was a squire in nodding ham shire dare bid bold arthur stand and as he went forth in a summer's morning with a hey down down a down down to the forest of mary surewood to view the red deer that range here and there there he met with bold robin hood the sheriff's daughter bided for several days in the faint hope that she might hear tidings of the prattling tinker but never a word heard she and she was forced to the conclusion that her messenger had not so much as laid eyes upon the outlaw little wrecked she that he was even then grinding sword points and sharpening arrows out in the good greenwood while whistling blithely or chatting merrily with the good fryer tuck then she be thought herself of another good man one arthur abland a tanner who dwelt in nodding ham town and was far famed in the turnies round about he had done some pretty tricks at archery but was strongest at wrestling and the quarter staff for three years he had cast all comers to the earth in wrestling until the famous eric a lincoln broke a rib for him in a mighty tussle how so ever at quarter staff he had never yet met his match so that there was never a squire in nodding ham shire air bid bold arthur stand with a long pike staff on his shoulder so well he could clear his way that by two or three he made men flee and none of them could stay thus at least runs the old song which tells of his might this is just the man from me thought the sheriff's daughter to herself and she forthwith summoned him to the mansion house and commissioned him to seek out robin hood the warrant was quite the arthur's liking for he was happiest when he was out in the forest taking a sly peep at the king's deer and now he reckoned that he could look at them boldly instead of by the rays of the moon he could say to any king's forester who made bold to stop him i am here on the king's business gray mercy no more oak bark and ditch water and the smell of half kind hides today quote he gaily i shall even see what the free air of heaven tastes like when it sweeps through the open wood so the tanner departed joyfully upon his errand but much more interested in the done deer of the forest than in any two-legged rovers therein this interest had in fact caused the foresters to keep a shrewd eye upon him in the past for his tannery was apt to have plenty of meat in it that was more like venison than the law allowed as for the outlaws arthur bore them no ill will indeed he had felt a secret envy in his heart of their free life but he was not afraid to meet any two men who might come against him naith less the sheriff's daughter did not choose a very good messenger as you shall presently see away sped the tanner a piece of bread and some wine in his wallet a good longbow and arrows slung across his shoulder his stout quarter staff in his hand and on his head a cap of troubled rawhide so tough that it would turn the edge of a broad sword he lost no time in getting out of the hot sun and into the welcome shade of the forest where he stalked cautiously about seeking some sign of the done deer now it's so chance that upon that very morning robin hood had sent little john to a neighboring village to buy some cloth of lincoln green for new suits for all the band some of the money recently one of the king was being spent in this fashion against the approach of winter will scarlet had been sent on a similar errand to barnsdale sometime before if you remember only to be chased up the hill without his purchase so today little john was chosen and for sweet company's sake robin went with him a part of the way until they came to the seven does the in where robin had recently played his prank upon middle the tinker here they drank a glass of ale to refresh themselves with all and for good luck and robin carried a bit while little john went on his errand presently robin entered the edge of the wood when whom should he see but arthur abland busily creeping after a graceful deer that browsed alone down the glade now by saint george and the dragon with robin to himself i much fear that yon same fellow is a rascally poacher come after our own and the king's meat for you must know by a curious process of reasoning robin and his men had hunted in the royal preserve so long that they had come to consider themselves joint owners to every animal which roamed there in nay he added this must be looked into that cowskin cap ensued must hide a scurvy varlet and forthwith he crept behind a tree and thence to another stalking our friend arthur as busily as arthur was stalking the deer this went on for quite a space until the tanner began to come upon the deer and draw his bow in order to tickle the victim's ribs with a cloth yard shaft but just at this moment robin unluckily trod upon a twig which snapped and caused the tanner to turn suddenly robin saw that he was discovered so he determined to put a bold face on the matter and went forward with some smart show of authority hold he cried stay your hand why who are you bold fellow terrain so boldly here ensued to be brief ye look like a thief that has come to steal the king's deer mary it is scant concern of yours what i look like retorted arthur abland who are you who speak so bravely you shall soon find out who i am quote robin determining to find some sport in the matter i am a keeper of this forest the king knows that i am looking after his deer for him and therefore we must stay you have you any assistance friend ask the tanner calmly for it is not one man alone who can stop me nay truly gossip replied robin i have a good you bow also a right sharp blade at my side nay the less i need no better assistant than a good old graph like unto yours give me a baker's dozen of minutes with it and it shall pleasure me to crack that pate of yours for your sauciness softly my man fair and softly big words never killed so much as a mouse least of all yandere which has got away while you were filling all the woods with your noisy breath so choose your own play things for your sword and your bow i care not a straw nor for all your arrows to boot if i get but a knock at you will be as much as you'll need now by our lady will you listen to the braggart cried robin in a fine rage mary but i'll teach jid to be more mannerly so saying he unbuckled his belt and flinging his bow upon the ground he seized hold of a young sapling that was growing nearby his hunting knife soon had it severed and lopped into shape now come fellow said arthur bland seeing that he was ready and if i do not tan your hide for you in better shape than ever calfskin was turned into top boots may a moraine sees me stay said robin me thinks my cudgel is half a foot longer than yours i would have them of equal length before you begin your tanning i pass not for length old arthur replied my staff is long enough as you will shortly find out eight foot and a half and will knock down a calf here he made a whistle in the air and i hope it will knock down you forthwith the two men spat on their hands laid firm hold upon their cudgels and began slowly circling around each other looking for an opening now it's so chance that little john had fared expeditiously with his errand he had met the merchant from whom he was want to buy lincoln green coming along the road and had made known his wants in few words the merchant readily undertook to deliver the suits by a certain day in the following month so little john glad to get back to the cool shelter of the greenwood hasted along the road lately taken by robin presently he heard the sound of angry voices one of which he recognized as his captains now heaven for fend quote he that robin has fallen into the clutches of a king's man i must take a peep at this fray so he cautiously made his way from tree to tree as robin had done till he came to the little open space where robin and arthur were circling each other with angry looks like two dogs at bay ha this looks interesting mother little john to himself for he loved a good quarter staff bout above anything else in the world and was the best man at it in all the greenwood and he crawled quietly underneath a friendly bush much as he had done when robin undertook to teach wil scarlett a lesson and chuckled softly to himself and slapped his thigh and prepared to watch the fight at his ease indeed it was both exciting and laughable you would have chuckled one moment and caught your breath the next to see those two stout fellows swinging their sticks each half as long again as the men were and thick as their arm and edging along sideways neither wishing to strike the first blow at last robin could no longer for bear and his good right arm swung round like a flash ping went the stick on the back of the other's head raising such a wealth that the blood came but the tanner did not seem to mind it at all for bing went off his own staff in return giving robin as good as he had sent then the little battle was on and furiously it waged fast fell the blows but few saved the first ones landed being met in mid-air by a counter blow till the thwacking sticks sounded like the steady roll of a kettle drum and the oak bark flew as fine as it had ever done in arthur ablan's tannery round and round they fought digging their heels into the ground to keep from slipping so that you would have vowed there had been a yoke of oxen plowing a potato patch round and round up and down in and out their arms working like threshing machines went the yeoman and the tanner for a full hour each becoming more astonished every minute that the other was such a good fellow while little john from underneath his bushy covert had much adieu to keep from roaring allowed in pure joy finally robin saw his chance and brought a full arm blow straight down upon the other's head with a force that would have felled a bullock but arthur's troubled cow skin cap here stood him in good stead the blow glanced off without doing much more than stunning him naveless he reeled and had much adieu to keep from falling seeing which robin stayed his hand to his own sorrow for the tanner recovered his wits in a marvelous quick space and sent back a side long blow which fairly lifted robin off his feet and sent him tumbling onto the grass hold your hand hold your hand roared robin with what little breath he had left hold i say and i will give you the freedom of the greenwood well god of mercy said arthur i may thank my staff for that not you well gossip let it be as it may but prithee tell me your name and trade i like to know fellows who can hit a blow like that same last i am a tanner replied arthur abland in knottingham long have i wrought and if you'll come to me i swear i'll tan your hides for knot odds bodkins quote robin roofily my known hide is tan enough for the present how so ever there be others in this wood i would feign see you tackle parkie if you will leave your tan pots and come with me as sure as my name is robin hood ye shaint want gold or fee by the breath of my body said arthur that will i do and he gripped him gladly by the hand but i am minded that i clean forgot the errand that brought me to sure would i was commissioned by some under the sheriff's roof to capture you so was a certain tinker now in our service said robin smilingly barely tis a new way to recruit forces said the tanner laughing loudly but tell me good robin hood where is little john i feign would see him for he is a kinsman on my mother's side here i am good arthur abland said a voice and little john literally rolled out from under the bush to the sword his eyes were full of tears from much laughter which had well nigh left him powerless to get on his feet as soon as the astonish tanner saw who it was he gave little john a mighty hug around the neck and lifted him up on his feet and the two pounded each other on the back soundly so glad were they to meet again oh man man said little john as soon as he had got his breath never saw i so find a sight in all my born days you did knock him over like as he were a nine pin and you do joy to see me thwacked about on the ribs asked robin with some collar nay not that master said little john but tis the second time i have had special tickets to a show from beneath the bushes and i cannot forbear my delight how so ever take no shame unto yourself for this same arthur abland is the best man at the quarter staff in all nottingham shire it commonly takes two or three men to hold him unless it be ericka lincoln said arthur modestly and i well know how you paid him out at the fair say no more said robin springing to his feet for well i know that i have done good business this day and a few bruises are easy payment for the stout cudgel i am getting into the band your hand again good arthur abland come let us after the deer of which i spoiled your stalking righty gladly quote arthur come cousin little john away with vats and tan bark and vile smelling cow hides i'll follow you too in the sweet open air to the very ends of earth so ends chapter 15 chapter 16 of robin hood by jay walker mix spaden this lever box recording is in the public domain our robin hood met sir richard of the lair then answered him the gentle knight with words both fair and thee god save thee my good robin and all thy company now you must know that some months passed by the winner dragged its weary length through surewood forest and robin hood and his merry men found what sure they could in the big crackling fires before their woodland cave fire tuck had built him a little hermitage not far away where he lived comfortably with his numerous dogs the winter i say reached an end at last and the blessed spring came and went another summer passed on a pace and still neither king nor sheriff nor bishop could catch the outlaws who meanwhile thrived and prospered mightily in their outlawry the band had been increased from time to time by picked men such as arthur abland and david of doncaster he who was the jolliest cobbler for miles around until it now numbered a full seven score of men seven companies each with its stout lieutenant serving under robin hood and still they relieved the purses of the rich and aided the poor and feasted upon king's deer until the length sheriff of nottingham was well nigh distracted indeed that official would probable have lost his office entirely had it not been for the fact of the king's death henry passed away as all kings will in common with ordinary men and richard of the lionheart was proclaimed as his successor then robin and his men after earnest debate resolved to throw themselves upon the mercy of the new king swear allegiance and asked to be organized into royal foresters so will scarlet and will stutley and little john were sent to london with this message which they were first to entrust privately to made marion but they soon returned with bad tidings the new king had formally set forth upon a crusade to the holy land and prince john his brother was impossible to deal with being crafty cruel and treacherous he was laying his hands upon all the property which could easily be seized among other estates that of the earl of huntington robin's old enemy and marion's father who had lately died marion herself was in sore straits not only had her estates been taken away and the maid been deprived of the former protection of the queen but the evil prince john had persecuted her with his attentions he thought that since the maid was defenseless he could carry her away to one of his castles and none would gain say him no word of this peril reached robin's ears although his men brought him word of the seizure of the huntington lands naveless he was greatly alarmed for the safety of maid marion and his heart cried out for her strongly she had been continually in his thoughts ever since the memorable shooting at london town one morning in early autumn when the leaves were beginning to turn gold at the edges the chestnut pods to swell with promise of fatness and the whole wide woodland was redolent with the ripe fragrance of fruit and flour robin was walking along the edge of a small open glade busy with his thoughts the peace of the woods was upon him despite his broodings of marion and he paid little heed to a group of does quietly feeding among the trees at the far edge of the glade but presently this sylvan picture was rudely disturbed for him a stag wild and furious dashed suddenly forth from among the trees scattering the does and swift alarm the vicious beast eyed the green and gold tunic of robin and lowering its head charged at him impetuously so sudden was its attack that robin had no time to bend his bow he sprang behind a tree while he seized his weapon a moment later the wild stag crashed blindly into the tree trunk with a shock which sent the beast reeling backward while the dislodging leaves from the shivering tree fell in a small shower over robin's head by my halodom i am glad it was not me you struck my gentle friend quote robin fixing an arrow upon the string sorry indeed would be anyone's plight who should encounter you in this black humor scarcely had he spoken when he saw the stag veer about and fix its glances rigidly on the bushes to the left side of the glade these were parted by a delicate hand and through the opening appeared the slight figure of a page it was made marion come back again to the greenwood she advanced unconscious alike of robin's horrified gaze and the evil fury of the stag she was directly in line with the animal so robin dared not launch an arrow her own bow was slung across her shoulder and her small sword would be useless against the beast's charge but now as she caught sight of the stag she pursed her lips as though she would whistle to it for the love of god dear lady cried robin and then the words died in his throat with a savage snort of rage the beast rushed at this new and inviting target rushed so swiftly and from so short a distance that she could not defend herself she sprang to one side as it charged down upon her but a side blow from its antlers stretched her upon the ground the stag stopped turned and lowered its head preparing to gore her to death already its cruel horns were coming straight for her while she white a face and bewildered by the sudden attack was struggling to rise and draw her sword a moment more and the end would come but the sharp voice of robin had already spoken down when marion he cried and the girl instinctively obeyed just as the shaft from robin's bow went whizzing close above her head and struck with terrific force full in the center of the stag's forehead the beast stumbled in its charge and fell dead across the body of the fainting maid robin was quickly by her side and dragged the beast from off the girl picking her up in his strong arms he bore her swiftly to the side of one of the many brooks which watered the veil he dashed cool water upon her face roughly almost in his agony of fear that she was already dead and he could have shed tears of joy to see those poor closed eyelids tremble he redoubled his efforts and presently she gave a little gasp where where am i what is it you are insured would dear maid though i faith we gave you a rude reception she opened her eyes and sat up me thinks you have rescued me from sudden danger sir she said then she recognized robin for the first time an irradiant smile came over her face together with the rare blush of return vitality and her head sank upon his shoulder with a little tremble and sigh of relief oh robin it is you she murmured i his eye thank heaven i was at hand to do you service robin's tones were deep and full of feeling i swear dear maryon that i will not let you from my care henceforth not another word was spoken for some moments while her head still rested confidingly upon his breast then recollecting he suddenly cried gray mercy but i make a poor nurse i have not even asked if any of your bones were broken no not any she answered springing lightly to her feet to show him that foolish dizziness or came me for the knots what we can now proceed on our way nay i meant not that he protested why should we haste first tell me of the news in london town and of yourself so she told him how that the prince had seized upon her father's lands and had promised to restore them to her if she would listen to his suit and how that she knew he meant her no good for he was even then suing for a princess's hand that is all robin she ended simply and that is why i donned again my page's costume and came to you in the greenwood robin's brow had grown fiercely black at the recital of her rom and he had lanes turned hand upon the hilt of his sword by this sword which queen elinor gave me he said impetuously and which was devoted to the service of all womankind i take oath that prince john and all his army shall not harm you so that is how made marion came to take up her abode in the greenwood where the whole band of yeoman welcomed her gladly and swore fealty and where the sweet lady of allana dale made her fully at home but this was a day of deeds in surewood forest and we gained to tell you another happening which led to later events while robin and marion were having their encounter with the stag little john much the miller's son and will scarlett had sallied forth to watch the high road leading to barnsdale if perchance they might find some haughty knight or fat priest whose wallet needed lightning they had scarcely watched the great road known as wotling street which runs from dover in kent to chester town for many minutes when they aspired a knight riding by in a very forlorn and careless manner all dreary was his semblance and little was his pride his one foot in the stirrup stood his other waved beside his visor hung down or his eyes he rode in single array a sorrier man than he was one rode never in summer's day little john came up to the night and made him stay for who can judge of a man's wealth by his looks the outlaw bent his knee in all courtesy and prayed him to accept the hospitality of the forest my master expects you to dine with him today quote he and indeed has been fasting while awaiting your coming these three hours who is your master asked the knight none other than robin hood replied little john laying his hand upon the night's bridle seeing the other two outlaws approaching the knight shrugged his shoulders and replied indifferently it is clear that your invitation is too urgent to admit a refusal quote he and i go with you right willingly my friends my purpose was to have dined today at blithe or don caster but nothing matters greatly so in the same lackadaisical fashion which had marked all his actions that day the knight suffered his horse to be led to the rendezvous of the band in the greenwood maryon had not yet had time to change her pages attire when the three escorts of the night hove in sight she recognized their captive as sir richard of the leah whom she had often seen at court and fearing least he might recognize her she would have fled but robin asked her with a twinkle if she would not like to play page that day and she in roguish mood consented to do so welcome sir night said robin courteously you are come in good time for we were just preparing to sit down to meet god save and thank you good master robin returned the night and all your company it likes me well to break the fast with you so while his horse was cared for the night laid aside his own heavy gear and laid his face and hands and sat down with robin and all his men to a most plentiful repast of venison swans pheasants various small birds cake and ale and maryon stood behind robin and filled his cup and that of the guest after eating right heartily of the good cheer the night brightened up greatly and vowed that he had not enjoyed so good a dinner for nigh three weeks he also said that if ever robin and his fellow should come to his domains he would strive to set them down to as good a dinner on his own behalf but this was not exactly the sort of payment which robin had expected to receive he thanked the night therefore in set phrase but reminded him that a yeoman like himself might hardly offer such a dinner to a night as a gift of charity i have no money master robin answered the night frankly i have so little of the world's goods ensued that i should be ashamed to offer you the whole of it money however little always jingles merrily in our pockets said robin smiling pray you tell me what you deem a little sum i have of my own 10 silver pennies said the night here they are and i wish they were 10 times as many he handed little john his pouch and robin nodded carelessly what say you to the total little john he asked as though ingest it is true enough as the worthy knight heth said responded the big fellow gravely emptying the contents on his cloak robin signed to marion who filled a bumper of wine for himself and his guest pledge me sir night cried the marial law and pledge me heartily for these sorry times i see that your armor is bent and that your clothes are torn yet me thinks i saw you at court once upon a day and in more prosperous guys tell me now were you a yeoman and made a night by force or have you been a bad steward to yourself and wasted your property and lawsuits and the like be not bashful with us we shall not betray your secrets i am a saxon knight in my own right and i have always lived a sober and quiet life the sorrowful guest replied tis true you have seen me at court may have for i was an excited witness of your shooting before king harry god rest his bones my name is sir richard of the laia and i dwell in a castle not a league from one of the gates of nottingham which has belonged to my father and his father and his father's father before him within two or three years ago my neighbors might have told you that a matter of four hundred pounds one way or the other was as not to me but now i have only these ten pennies of silver and my wife and son in what manner have you lost your riches asked robin through folly and kindness said the night sign i went with king richard upon a crusade from which i am but lately returned in time to find my son a goodly youth grown up he was but 20 yet he had achieved a squire's training and could play prettily in jousts and tournaments and other nightly games but about this time he had the ill luck to push his sport too far and did accidentally kill a knight in the open lists to save the boy i had to sell my lands and mortgage my ancestral castle and this not being enough in the end i have had to borrow money at a ruinous interest from my lord of herford a most worthy bishop said robin ironically what is the sum of your debt 400 pounds said sir richard and the bishop swears he will fore close the mortgage if they are not paid promptly have you any friends who would become surety for you not one if good king richard were here the tale might be otherwise fill your goblet again sir knight said robin and he turned to whisper a word in marion's ear she nodded and drew little john and will scarlet aside and talked earnestly with them in a low tone here is health and prosperity to you gallant robin said sir richard tilting his goblet i hope i may pay your cheer more worthily the next time i ride by will scarlet and little john had meanwhile fallen in with marion's idea for they consulted the other outlaws who nodded their heads thereupon little john and will scarlet went into the cave nearby and presently returned bearing a bag of gold this they counted out before the astonished knight and there were four times 100 gold pieces in it take this loan from us sir knight and pay your debt to the bishop then said robin nay no thanks you are but exchanging creditors may have we shall not be so hard upon you as the christian bishop yet again we may be harder who can tell there were actual tears in sir richard's eyes as he essayed to thank the foresters but at this juncture much the miller's son came from the cave dragging a bale of cloth the knight should have a suit worthy of his rank master think you not so measure him 20 l's of it ordered robin give him a good horse also whispered marion tis a gift which will come back four fold for this is a worthy man i know him well so the horse was given also and robin bade arthur ablan ride with the night as far as his castle as esquire the night was sorrowful no longer yet he could hardly voice his thanks through his broken utterance and having spent the night in rest and listening to alana dale singing he mounted his new steed the following morning and altogether different man god save you comrades and keep you all said he with deep feeling in his tones and god give me a grateful heart we shall wait for you 12 months from today here in this place said robin shaking him by the hand and then you will repay us the loan if you have been prospered i shall return it to you within the year upon my honor as sir richard of the lay and for all time pray count on me as a steadfast friend so sane the night in his esquire rode down the forest glade till they were lost to view so ends chapter 16 chapter 17 of robin hood by jay walker mc spaden this libre vox recording is in the public domain how the bishop was dying oh what is the matter then said the bishop or for whom do you make this adieu or why do you kill the king's venison when your company is so few we are shepherds quote bold robin hood and we keep sheep all the year and we are disposed to be merry this day and to kill of the king's fat deer not many days after sir richard of the leah came to sherwood forest word reached robin hoods ears that my lord bishop of herford would be riding that way but times on that morning to his arthur abland the night's quantum esquire who brought the tidings and robin's face brightened as he heard it now by our lady quote he i have long desired to entertain my lord in the greenwood and this is too fair a chance to let slip come my men kill me a venison kill me a good fat deer the bishop of herford is to dine with me today and he shall pay well for his cheer shall we dress it here as usual asked much the miller's son nay we play a droll game on the church man we will dress it by the highway side and watch for the bishop narrowly least he should ride some other way so robin gave his orders and the main body of his men dispersed to different parts of the forest under will stutley and little john to watch other roads while robin hood himself took six of his men including will scarlett and much and posted himself in full view of the main road this little company appeared funny enough i assure you for they had disguised themselves as shepherds robin had an old wool cap with a tail to it hanging over his ear and a shock of hair stood straight up through a hole at the top besides there was so much dirt on his face that you would never have known him an old tattered cloak over his hunter's garb completed his makeup the others were no less ragged and unkempt even the foppish will scarlett being so badly run down at the heel that the court ladies would hardly have had speech with him they quickly provided themselves with a deer and made great preparations to cook it over a small fire when a little dust was seen blowing along the highway and out of it came the portly bishop cantering along with ten men and arms at his heels as soon as he saw the fancied shepherds he spurred up his horse and came straight toward them who are ye fellows who make so free with the king's deer he asked sharply we are shepherds answered robin hood pulling at his forelock awkwardly heaven have mercy ye seem a sorry lot of shepherds but who gave you leave to cease eating mutton tis one of our feast days lording and we were disposed to be merry this day and make free with a deer out here where there are so many by me faith the king shall hear of this who killed yon beast give me first your name excellence so that i may speak where tis fitting replied robin stubbornly tis my lord bishop of herford fowl interposed one of the guards fiercely see that you keep a civil tongue in your head if tis a church man retorted will scarlet he would do better to mind his own flocks rather than concern himself with ours ye are saucy fellows ensouce cried the bishop and we will see if your heads will pay for your manners come quit your stolen roast and march along with me for you shall be brought before the sheriff of nonningham forthwith pardon excellence said robin dropping on his knees pardon i pray you it becomes not your lordship's coat to take so many lives away faith i'll pardon you said the bishop i'll pardon you when i see you hanged seize upon them my men but robin had already sprung away with his back against a tree and from underneath his ragged cloak he drew his trusty horn and winded the piercing notes which were want to summon the band the bishop no sooner saw this action than he knew his man and that there was a trap set and being an errant coward he wheeled his horse sharply and would have made off down the road but his own men spurred on the charge blocked his way at almost the same instant the bush's roundabouts seemed literally to come alive without laws little john's men came from one side and will stutley's from the other in less time than it takes to tell it the worthy bishop found himself a prisoner and began to crave mercy from the men he had so lately been ready to sentence oh pardon oh pardon said the bishop oh pardon i you pray for if i had known it had been you i'd have gone some other way i owe you no pardon retorted robin but i will even treat you better than you would have treated me come make haste and go along with me i have already planned that you shall dine with me this day so the unwilling prelate was dragged away cheek by jowl with the half-cooked venison upon the back of his own horse and robin and his band took charge of the whole company and led them through the forest glades till they came to an open space near barnsdale here they rested and robin gave the bishop a seat full courteously much the miller's son fell to roasting the deer afresh while another and fatter beast was set to frizzle on the other side of the fire presently the appetizing odor of the cooking reached the bishop's nostrils and he sniffed it eagerly the morning's ride had made him hungry and he was nothing loath when they bade him come to the dinner robin gave him the best place beside himself and the bishop prepared to fall to name my lord craving your pardon but we are accustomed to have grace before meat said robin decorously and as our own chaplain is not with us today will you be good enough to say it for us the bishop reddened but pronounced grace in the latin tongue hastily and then settled himself to make the best of his lot red wines and ale were brought forth and poured out each man having a horn tankered from which to drink laughter bubbled among the diners and the bishop caught himself smiling at more than one jest but who in sooth could resist a freshly broiled venison steak eaten out in the open air to the tune of jest and good fellowship stutley filled the bishop's beaker with wine each time he emptied it and the bishop got mellower and mellower as the afternoon shades lengthened on towards sunset then the approaching dusk warned him of his position i wish mine host quote he gravely to robin who had soberly drunk but one cup of ale that you would now call a reckoning his late and i fear the cost of this entertainment may be more than my poor purse can stand for he be thought himself of his friend the sheriff's former experience verily your lordship said robin scratching his head i have enjoyed your company so much that i scarce know how to charge for it lend me your purse my lord said little john interposing and i'll give you the reckoning by and by the bishop shuttered he had collected sir richard's debt only that morning and was even then carrying it home i have but a few silver pennies of my own he wind and as for the gold in my saddlebags just for the church he surely would not levy upon the church good friends but little john was already gone to the saddlebags and returning he laid the bishop's cloak upon the ground and poured out of the portmanteau a matter of 400 glittering gold pieces was the identical money which robin had lent sir richard a short while before i said robin as though an idea had but just then come to him the church is always willing to aid in charity and seeing this goodly sum reminds me that i have a friend who is indebted to a church man for this exact amount now we shall charge you nothing by our own account but suffer us to make use of this in aiding my good friend nay nay began the bishop with a rye face this is requiting me ill indeed was this not the king's meat after all that we feasted upon furthermore i am a poor man poor forsooth answered robin and scorn you are the bishop of herford and does not the whole countryside speak of your oppression who does not know of your cruelty to the poor and ignorant you who should use your great office to aid them instead of a press have you not been guilty of far greater robbery than this even though less open of myself and how you have pursued me i say nothing nor of your unjust enmity against my father but on account of those you have despoiled and oppressed i take this money and we use it far more worthily than you would god be my witness in this there is an end of the matter unless you will lead us in a song or dance to show that your body had a better spirit than your mind come strike up the heart ballon neither the one nor the other will i do snarled the bishop faith then we must help you said little john and he and arthur ablan sees the fat struggling churchman and commenced to hop up and down the bishop being shorter must perforce accompany them in their gyrations while the whole company sat and rolled about over the ground and roared to see my lord of herford's queer capers at last he sank in a heap followed with wine and quite exhausted little john picked him up as though he were a log of wood and carrying him to his horse set him astride facing the animal's tail and thus fastened him leading the animal toward the high road and starting the bishop more dead than alive toward nuttingham so ends chapter 17 chapter 18 of robin hood by jay walker mixbaiden this labor vox recording is in the public domain how the bishop went outlaw hunting then the bishop he came to the old woman's house and called with furious mood come let me soon see and bring on to me that trader robin hood the easy success with which they had got the better of the good bishop led robin to be a little careless he thought that his guest was too great a coward to venture back into the greenwood for many a long day and so after laying quiet for one day the outlaw ventured boldly upon the highway the morning of the second but he had gone only half a mile when turning a sharp bend in the road he plunged full upon the prelate himself my lord of herford had been so deeply smitten in his pride that he had lost no time in summoning a considerable body of the sheriff's men offering to double the reward if robin hood could become upon this company was now at his heels and after the first shock of mutual surprise the bishop gave an exultant shout and spurred upon the outlaw it was too late for robin to retreat by the way he had come but quick as a flash he sprang to one side of the road dodged under some bushes and disappeared so suddenly that his pursuers thought he had truly been swallowed up by magic after him yelled the bishop some of you beat up the woods around him while the rest of us will keep on the main road and head him off on the other side for truth to tell the bishop did not care to trust his bones away from the high road about a mile away on the other side of this neck of woods wherein robin had been trapped was a little tumbledown cottage was where the widow lived whose three sons had been rescued robin remembered the cottage and saw his one chance to escape doubling in and out among the underbrush and heather with the agility of a hair he soon came out of the wood in the rear of the cottage and thrust his head through a tiny window the widow who had been at her spinning wheel rose up with a cry of alarm quiet good mother his eye robin hood where are your three sons they should be with you robin well do you know that do they not owe their lives to you if that be so i come to seek payment of the debt said robin in a breath the bishop is on my heels with many of his men i'll cheat the bishop at all cried the woman quickly here robin change your raiment with me and we will see if my lord knows an old woman when he sees her good said robin pass your gray cloak out the window and also your spindle and twine and i will give you my green mantle and everything else down to my bow and arrows while they were talking robin had been nimbly changing clothes with the old woman through the window and in a jiffy he stood forthwith complete even to the spindle and twine presently up dashed the bishop with his men and at sight of the cottage and the old woman gave pause the crone was hobbling along with difficulty leaning heavily upon a gnarled stick and bearing the spindle on her other arm she would have gone by the bishop's company while muttering to herself but the bishop ordered one of his men to question her the soldier laid his hand upon her shoulder mind your business broke the woman or i'll curse you come come my good woman said the soldier who really was afraid of her curses i'll not molest you but my lord bishop of herford wants to know if you have seen ought of the outlaw robin hood and why shouldn't i see him she wind where's the king or law to prevent good robin from coming to see me and bring me food and raiment that's more than my lord bishop will do i warrant ye peace woman said the bishop partially we want none of your opinions but we'll take you to barnsdale and burn you for a witch if you do not instantly tell us when you last saw robin hood mercy good my lord chattered the crone falling on her knees robin is there in my cottage now but you'll never take him alive we'll see about that cried the bishop triumphantly enter the cottage my men fire it if need be but i'll give a purse of gold pieces above the reward to the man who captures the outlaw alive the old woman being released went on her way slowly but it might have been noticed that the farther she got away from the company and the nearer to the edge of the woods the swifter and straighter grew her pace once inside the shelter of the forest she broke into a run of surprising swiftness gad zooks exclaimed little john who presently spider who comes here never saw i which or woman run so fast he thinks i'll send an arrow close over her head to see which it is oh hold your hand hold your hand handed this opposed woman his eye robin hood summon the yeoman and return with me speedily we have still another score to settle with my lord of herford when little john could catch his breath from laughing he winded his horn now mr s robin quote he grinning lead on will be close to your heels meanwhile back at the widow's cottage the bishop was growing more furious every moment for all his bold words he dared not fire the house and the sturdy door had thus far resisted all his men's efforts break it down break it down he shouted and let me soon see who will fetch out that trader robin hood at last the door crashed in and the men stood guard on the threshold but not one dare enter for fear a sharp arrow should meet him halfway here he is cried one keen eyed fellow peering in i see him in the corner by the cupboard shall we slay him with our pikes nay said the bishop take him alive if you can we'll make the biggest public hanging of this at the shire ever beheld but the joy of the bishop over his capture was short-lived down the road came striding the shabby figure of the old woman who had helped him set the trap and very wrathy was she when she saw that the cottage door had been battered in stand by you lazy rascals she called to the soldiers may all the devil is catchy for hurting an old woman's hut stand by i say hold your tongue ordered the bishop these are my men and carrying out my orders god mercy swore the bell dame harshly things have come to a pretty pass when our homes may be treated like common goals couldn't all your men catch one poor forester without this ado come clear out you and your robber on the instant or i'll curse every mother's son of ye eating and drinking sleeping sees on the hag shouted the bishop as soon as he could get in a word we'll see about a witch's cursing back to town she shall go alongside of robin hood not so fast your worship she retorted clapping her hands and at the signal a goodly array of greenwood men sprang forth from all sides of the cottage with bows drawn back threateningly the bishop saw that his men were trapped again for they dared not stir naveless he determined to make a fight for it if one of you but budge an inch toward me you rascals he cried it shall sound the death of your master robin hood my men have him here under their pikes and i shall command them to kill him without mercy faith i should like to see the robin you have caught said a clear voice from under the widow's cape and the outlaw chief stood forth with bared head smiling here am i my lord in no wise imperiled by your men's fierce pikes so let us see whom you have been guarding so well the old woman who in the garb of robin hood had been lying quiet in the cottage through all the uproar jumped up nimbly at this in the bald absurdity of her disguise she came to the doorway and bowed to the bishop give you good then my lord bishop she piped in a shrill voice and what does your grace at my humble door do you come to bless me and give me alms i that does he answered robin we shall see if his saddlebag contained enough to pay you for that battered door now by all the saints began the bishop take care they are all watching you interrupted robin so name them not upon your unchurchly lips but i will trouble you to hand over that purse of gold you had saved to pay for my head i'll see you hang first raged the bishop stating no more than what would have been so if he could do the ordering of things have at them my men and hue them down in their tracks hold retorted robin see how we have you at our mercy and aiming a sudden shaft he shot so close to the bishop's head that it carried away both his hat and the skull cap which he always wore leaving him quite bald the prelate turned as white as his shiny head and clutched wildly at his ears he thought himself dead almost help murder he gasped do not shoot again here's your purse of gold and without waiting for further parlay he fairly bolted down the road his men being left leaderless had nothing for it but to retreat after him which they did in sullen order covered by the bows of the omen and thus ended the bishop of herford's great outlaw hunt in the forest so ends chapter 18 chapter 19 of robin hood by jay walker mick spaden this lever box recording is in the public domain how the sheriff held another shooting match to tell the truth i'm well informed yon match it is a while the sheriff i know devises this us archers to be guile now the sheriff was so greatly troubled in heart over the growing power of robin hood that he did a very foolish thing he went to london town to lay his troubles before the king and get another force of troops to cope with the outlaws king richard was not yet returned from the holy land but prince john heard him was scorn who said he shrugging his shoulders what have i to do with all this art thou not sheriff for me the law is enforced to take thy course of them that injure thee go get thee gone and by thyself devise some tricking game to trap these rubbles and never let me see thy face at court again until thou hast a better tale to tell so away went the sheriff in sorrow your past than ever and cuddled his brain on the way home for some plan of action his daughter met him on his return and saw at once that he had been on a poor mission she was minded to up braid him when she learned what he had told the prince but the words of the latter started her to thinking afresh i i have it she exclaimed at length why should we not hold another shooting match his fair year as you know and another turni will be expected now we will proclaim a general amnesty as did king harry himself and say that the field is open and unmolested to all comers be like robin hoods men will be tempted to twang the bow and then and then said the sheriff jumping up with alacrity we shall see on which side of the gate they stop overnight so the sheriff lost no time in proclaiming attorney to be held that same fall at the fair it was open to all comers said the proclamation and none should be molested in their going and coming furthermore an arrow with a golden head and shaft of silver white should be given to the winner who would be heralded abroad as the finest archer in all the north country also many rich prizes were to be given to other clever archers these tidings came in due course to robin hood under the greenwood tree and fired his impetuous spirit come prepare ye my merry men all quote he and will go to the fair and take some part in this sport with that stepped forth the merry cobbler david of doncaster master quote he be ruled by me and stir not from the greenwood to tell the truth i'm well informed young match is not but a trap i know the sheriff has devised it to be guile us archers into some treachery that word savers of the coward replied robin and pleases me not let come what will i'll try my skill at that same archery then up spoke little john and said come listen to me how it shall be that we will not be discovered our mantles all of linkin green behind us we will leave will dress us all so several they shall not us perceive one shall wear white another red one yellow another blue thus in disguise to the exercise will go whatever ensue this advice met with general favor from the adventurous fellows and they lost no time in putting it into practice made maryon and mistress dale assisted by fryer tuck prepared some very colored costumes and against the fair day had fitted out the seven score men till you would never have taken them for other than villagers decked for the holiday and fourth went they from the greenwood with hearts all firm and stout resolved to meet the sheriff's men and have a merry bout along the highway they fell in with many other bold fellows from the countryside going with their ruddy cheek lasses toward the wide open gates of nottingham so in through the gates troop the whole gay company robin's men behaving as awkwardly and laughing and talking as noisily as the rest while the sheriff's scowling men at arms stood round about and sought to find one who looked like a forester but without avail the herald now set forth the terms of the contest as on former occasions and the shooting presently began robin had chosen five of his men to shoot with him and the rest were to mingle with the crowd and also watch the gates these five were little john will scarlet will stutley much and alan adale the other competitors made a brave showing on the first round especially gilbert of the white hand who was present and never shot better the contest later narrowed down between gilbert and robin but at the first lead when the butts were struck so truly by various well-known archers the sheriff was in doubt whether to feel glad or sorry he was glad to see such skill but sorry that the outlaws were not in it some said if robin hood were here and all his men to boot sure none of them could pass these men so bravely do they shoot i quote the sheriff and scratched his head i thought he would be here i thought he would but though he's bold he durst not now appear this word was privately brought to robin by david of donkester and the saying vexed him sorely but he bit his lip in silence air long he thought to himself we shall see whether robin hood be here or not meantime the shooting had been going forward and robin's men had done so well that the air was filled with shouts one cried blue jacket another cried brown and a third cried brave yellow but the fourth man said young man in red in this place has no fellow for that was robin hood himself for he was clothed in red at every shot the prize he got for he was both sure and dead thus went the second round of the shooting and thus the third and last till even gilbert of the white hand was fairly beaten during all this shooting robin exchanged no word with his men each treating the other as a perfect stranger naveless such great shooting could not pass without revealing the archers the sheriff thought he discovered in the winter of the golden arrow the person of robin hood without pair adventure