young Gamwell； cousin Robin； and about half…a…dozen foresters。 The knight pointed out the earl to the sheriff； who exclaimed； 〃Here； then； we have him an easy prey；〃 and they rode on manfully towards the bridge； on which the other party made halt。
〃Who be these；〃 said the friar； 〃that come riding so fast this way？ Now； as God shall judge me； it is that false knight Sir Ralph Montfaucon； and the sheriff of Nottingham； with a posse of men。 We must make good our post； and let them dislodge us if they may。〃
The two parties were now near enough to parley； and the sheriff and the knight； advancing in the front of the cavalcade； called on the lady； the friar； young Gamwell； and the foresters； to deliver up that false…traitor； Robert； formerly Earl of Huntingdon。 Robert himself made answer by letting fly an arrow that struck the ground between the fore feet of the sheriff's horse。 The horse reared up from the whizzing； and lodged the sheriff in the dust； and； at the same time； the fair Matilda favoured the knight with an arrow in his right arm； that compelled him to withdraw from the affray。 His men lifted the sheriff carefully up； and replaced him on his horse； whom he immediately with great rage and zeal urged on to the assault with his fifty men at his heels； some of whom were intercepted in their advance by the arrows of the foresters and Matilda； while the friar； with an eight…foot staff； dislodged the sheriff a second time； and laid on him with all the vigour of the church militant on earth； in spite of his ejaculations of 〃Hey； friar Michael！ What means this； honest friar？ Hold； ghostly friar！ Hold； holy friar！〃till Matilda interposed； and delivered the battered sheriff to the care of the foresters。 The friar continued flourishing his staff among the sheriff's men； knocking down one； breaking the ribs of another； dislocating the shoulder of a third； flattening the nose of a fourth； cracking the skull of a fifth； and pitching a sixth into the river； till the few； who were lucky enough to escape with whole bones； clapped spurs to their horses and fled for their lives； under a farewell volley of arrows。
Sir Ralph's squire； meanwhile； was glad of the excuse of attending his master's wound to absent himself from the battle； and put the poor knight to a great deal of unnecessary pain by making as long a business as possible of extracting the arrow； which he had not accomplished when Matilda； approaching； extracted it with great facility； and bound up the wound with her scarf； saying； 〃I reclaim my arrow； sir knight； which struck where I aimed it； to admonish you to desist from your enterprise。 I could as easily have lodged it in your heart。〃
〃It did not need；〃 said the knight； with rueful gallantry； 〃you have lodged one there already。〃
〃If you mean to say that you love me；〃 said Matilda； 〃it is more than I ever shall you： but if you will show your love by no further interfering with mine； you will at least merit my gratitude。〃
The knight made a wry face under the double pain of heart and body caused at the same moment by the material or martial； and the metaphorical or erotic arrow； of which the latter was thus barbed by a declaration more candid than flattering； but he did not choose to put in any such claim to the lady's gratitude as would bar all hopes of her love： he therefore remained silent； and the lady and her escort； leaving him and the sheriff to the care of the squire； rode on till they came in sight of Arlingford Castle； when they parted in several directions。 The friar rode off alone； and after the foresters had lost sight of him they heard his voice through the twilight； singing；
A staff； a staff； of a young oak graff； That is both stoure and stiff； Is all a good friar can needs desire To shrive a proud sheriffe。 And thou； fine fellowe； who hast tasted so Of the forester's greenwood game； Wilt be in no haste thy time to waste In seeking more taste of the same： Or this can I read thee； and riddle thee well； Thou hadst better by far be the devil in hell； Than the sheriff of Nottinghame。
CHAPTER VII
Now； master sheriff； what's your will with me？ Henry IV。
Matilda had carried her point with the baron of ranging at liberty whithersoever she would； under her positive promise to return home； she was a sort of prisoner on parole： she had obtained this indulgence by means of an obsolete habit of always telling the truth and keeping her word； which our enlightened age has discarded with other barbarisms； but which had the effect of giving her father so much confidence in her； that he could not help considering her word a better security than locks and bars。
The baron had been one of the last to hear of the rumours of the new outlaws of Sherwood； as Matilda had taken all possible precautions to keep those rumours from his knowledge； fearing that they might cause the interruption of her greenwood liberty； and it was only during her absence at Gamwell feast； that the butler； being thrown off his guard by liquor； forgot her injunctions； and regaled the baron with a long story of the right merry adventure of Robin Hood and the abbot of Doubleflask。
The baron was one morning； as usual； cutting his way valorously through a rampart of cold provision； when his ears were suddenly assailed by a tremendous alarum； and sallying forth； and looking from his castle wall； he perceived a large party of armed men on the other side of the moat； who were calling on the warder in the king's name to lower the drawbridge and raise the portcullis； which had both been secured by Matilda's order。 The baron walked along the battlement till he came opposite to these unexpected visitors； who； as soon as they saw him； called out； 〃Lower the drawbridge； in the king's name。〃
〃For what； in the devil's name？〃 said the baron。
〃The sheriff of Nottingham；〃 said one； 〃lies in bed grievously bruised； and many of his men are wounded； and several of them slain； and Sir Ralph Montfaucon； knight； is sore wounded in the arm； and we are charged to apprehend William Gamwell the younger； of Gamwell Hall； and father Michael of Rubygill Abbey； and Matilda Fitzwater of Arlingford Castle； as agents and accomplices in the said breach of the king's peace。〃
〃Breach of the king's fiddlestick！〃 answered the baron。 〃What do you mean by coming here with your cock and bull； stories of my daughter grievously bruising the sheriff of Nottingham？ You are a set of vagabond rascals in disguise； and I hear； by the bye； there is a gang of thieves that has just set up business in Sherwood Forest： a pretty presence； indeed； to get into my castle with force and arms； and make a famine in my buttery； and a drought in my cellar； and a void in my strong box； and a vacuum in my silver scullery。〃
〃Lord Fitzwater；〃 cried one； 〃take heed how you resist lawful authority： we will prove ourselves〃
〃You will prove yourselves arrant knaves； I doubt not；〃 answered the baron； 〃but； villains； you shall be more grievously bruised by me than ever was the sheriff by my daughter （a pretty tale truly！）； if you do not forthwith avoid my territory。〃
By this time the baron's men had flocked to the battlements； with long…bows and cross…bows； slings and stones； and Matilda with her bow and quiver at their head。 The assailants； finding the castle so well defended； deemed it expedient to withdraw till they could return in greater force； and rode off to Rubygill Abbey； where they made known their errand to the father abbot； who； having satisfied himself of their legitimacy； and conned over the allegations； said that doubtless brother Michael had heinously offended； but it was not for the civil law to take cognizance of the misdoings of a holy friar； that he would summon a chapter of monks； and pass on the offender a sentence proportionate to his offence。 The ministers of civil justice said that would not do。 The abbot said it would do and should； and bade them not provoke the meekness of his catholic charity to lay them under the curse of Rome。 This threat had its effect； and the party rode off to Gamwell…Hall； where they found the Gamwells and their men just sitting down to dinner； which they saved them the trouble of eating by consuming it in the king's name themselves； having first seized and bound young Gamwell； all which they accomplished by dint of superior numbers； in despite of a most vigorous stand made by the Gamwellites in defence of their young master and their provisions。
The baron； meanwhile； after the ministers of justice had departed； interrogated Matilda concerning the alleged fact of the grievous bruising of the sheriff of Nottingham。 Matilda told him the whole history of Gamwell feast； and of their battle on the bridge； which had its origin in a design of the sheriff of Nottingham to take one of the foresters into custody。
〃Ay！ ay！〃 said the baron； 〃and I guess who that forester was； but truly this friar is a desperate fellow。 I did not think there could have been so much valour under a grey frock。 And so you wounded the knight in the arm。 You are a wild girl； Mawd；a chip of the old block； Mawd。 A wild girl； and a wild friar； and three or four foresters； wild lads all； to keep a bridge against a tame knight； and a tame sheriff； and fifty tame varlets； by this light； the like was never heard！ But do you know； Mawd； you must not go about so any more； sweet Mawd： you must stay at home； you must ensconce； for there is your tame sheriff on the one hand； that will take you perforce； and there is your wild forester on the other hand； that will take you without any force at all； Mawd： your wild forester； Robin； cousin Robin； Robin Hood of Sherwood Forest； that beats and binds bishops； spreads nets for archbishops； and hunts a fat abbot as if he were a buck： excellent game； no doubt； but you must hunt no more in such company。 I see it now： truly I might have guessed before that the bold outlaw Robin； the most courteous Robin； the new thief of Sherwood Forest； was your lover； the earl that has been： I might have guessed it before； and what led you so much to the woods； but you hunt no more in such company。 No more May games and Gamwell feasts。 My lands and castle would be the forfeit of a few more such pranks； and I