within easy distance of the black。 At this no sound of shouting was heard；
for； although it was the best shooting that had been done that day；
the folk of London Town did not like to see the stout Tepus overcome
by a fellow from the countryside； even were he as famous as Little John。
And now stout Gilbert of the White Hand took his place and shot
with the greatest care； and again； for the third time in one day；
he struck all three shafts into the clout。
〃Well done； Gilbert！〃 quoth Robin Hood； smiting him upon the shoulder。
〃I make my vow； thou art one of the best archers that ever mine eyes beheld。
Thou shouldst be a free and merry ranger like us； lad； for thou art
better fitted for the greenwood than for the cobblestones and gray
walls of London Town。〃 So saying； he took his place； and drew a fair；
round arrow from his quiver； which he turned over and over ere he fitted
it to his bowstring。
Then the King muttered in his beard； 〃Now； blessed Saint Hubert； if thou wilt
but jog that rogue's elbow so as to make him smite even the second ring；
I will give eightscore waxen candles three fingers'…breadth in thickness
to thy chapel nigh Matching。〃 But it may be Saint Hubert's ears were stuffed
with tow； for he seemed not to hear the King's prayer this day。
Having gotten three shafts to his liking； merry Robin looked
carefully to his bowstring ere he shot。 〃Yea；〃 quoth he to Gilbert；
who stood nigh him to watch his shooting； 〃thou shouldst pay us
a visit at merry Sherwood。〃 Here he drew the bowstring to his ear。
〃In London〃here he loosed his shaft〃thou canst find nought
to shoot at but rooks and daws； there one can tickle the ribs
of the noblest stags in England。〃 So he shot even while he talked；
yet the shaft lodged not more than half an inch from the very center。
〃By my soul！〃 cried Gilbert。 〃Art thou the devil in blue；
to shoot in that wise？〃
〃Nay；〃 quoth Robin； laughing； 〃not quite so ill as that； I trust。〃
And he took up another shaft and fitted it to the string。
Again he shot； and again he smote his arrow close beside
the center； a third time he loosed his bowstring and dropped
his arrow just betwixt the other two and into the very center；
so that the feathers of all three were ruffled together；
seeming from a distance to be one thick shaft。
And now a low murmur ran all among that great crowd；
for never before had London seen such shooting as this；
and never again would it see it after Robin Hood's day had gone。
All saw that the King's archers were fairly beaten； and stout Gilbert
clapped his palm to Robin's； owning that he could never hope to draw
such a bowstring as Robin Hood or Little John。 But the King；
full of wrath； would not have it so； though he knew in his
mind that his men could not stand against those fellows。
〃Nay！〃 cried he； clenching his hands upon the arms of his seat；
〃Gilbert is not yet beaten！ Did he not strike the clout thrice？
Although I have lost my wager； he hath not yet lost the first prize。
They shall shoot again； and still again； till either he or that knave
Robin Hood cometh off the best。 Go thou； Sir Hugh； and bid them shoot
another round； and another； until one or the other is overcome。〃
Then Sir Hugh； seeing how wroth the King was； said never a word；
but went straightway to do his bidding； so he came to where Robin Hood
and the other stood； and told them what the King had said。
〃With all my heart；〃 quoth merry Robin； 〃I will shoot from this
time till tomorrow day if it can pleasure my most gracious lord
and King。 Take thy place； Gilbert lad； and shoot。〃
So Gilbert took his place once more； but this time he failed； for；
a sudden little wind arising； his shaft missed the center ring；
but by not more than the breadth of a barley straw。
〃Thy eggs are cracked； Gilbert；〃 quoth Robin； laughing； and straightway
he loosed a shaft； and once more smote the white circle of the center。
Then the King arose from his place； and not a word said he；
but he looked around with a baleful look； and it would have been an ill
day for anyone that he saw with a joyous or a merry look upon his face。
Then he and his Queen and all the court left the place； but the King's
heart was brimming full of wrath。
After the King had gone； all the yeomen of the archer guard came
crowding around Robin； and Little John； and Will； and Allan；
to snatch a look at these famous fellows from the mid…country；
and with them came many that had been onlookers at the sport；
for the same purpose。 Thus it happened presently that the yeomen；
to whom Gilbert stood talking； were all surrounded by a crowd
of people that formed a ring about them。
After a while the three judges that had the giving away of the prizes
came forward； and the chief of them all spake to Robin and said；
〃According to agreement； the first prize belongeth rightly to thee；
so here I give thee the silver bugle； here the quiver of ten golden arrows；
and here a purse of twoscore and ten golden pounds。〃 And as he spake
he handed those things to Robin； and then turned to Little John。 〃To thee；〃
he said； 〃belongeth the second prize； to wit； fivescore of the finest harts
that run on Dallen Lea。 Thou mayest shoot them whensoever thou dost list。〃
Last of all he turned to stout Hubert。 〃Thou；〃 said he； 〃hast held
thine own against the yeomen with whom thou didst shoot； and so thou
hast kept the prize duly thine； to wit； two tuns of good Rhenish wine。
These shall be delivered to thee whensoever thou dost list。〃
Then he called upon the other seven of the King's archers who had last shot；
and gave each fourscore silver pennies。
Then up spake Robin； and quoth he； 〃This silver bugle I keep in honor
of this shooting match； but thou； Gilbert； art the best archer of all
the King's guard； and to thee I freely give this purse of gold。
Take it； man； and would it were ten times as much； for thou art
a right yeoman； good and true。 Furthermore； to each of the ten
that last shot I give one of these golden shafts apiece。
Keep them always by you； so that ye may tell your grandchildren；
an ye are ever blessed with them； that ye are the very stoutest
yeomen in all the wide world。〃
At this all shouted aloud； for it pleased them to hear Robin
speak so of them。
Then up spake Little John。 〃Good friend Tepus；〃 said he； 〃I want
not those harts of Dallen Lea that yon stout judge spoke of but now；
for in truth we have enow and more than enow in our own country。
Twoscore and ten I give to thee for thine own shooting； and five
I give to each band for their pleasure。
At this another great shout went up； and many tossed their caps aloft；
and swore among themselves that no better fellows ever walked the sod
than Robin Hood and his stout yeomen。
While they so shouted with loud voices； a tall burly yeoman
of the King's guard came forward and plucked Robin by the sleeve。
〃Good master；〃 quoth he； 〃I have somewhat to tell thee in thine ear；
a silly thing； God wot； for one stout yeoman to tell another；
but a young peacock of a page； one Richard Partington； was seeking thee
without avail in the crowd； and； not being able to find thee； told me
that he bore a message to thee from a certain lady that thou wottest of。
This message he bade me tell thee privily； word for word； and thus it was。
Let me seeI trust I have forgot it notyea； thus it was：
‘The lion growls。 Beware thy head。' 〃
〃Is it so？〃 quoth Robin； starting； for he knew right well that it was
the Queen sent the message； and that she spake of the King's wrath。
〃Now； I thank thee； good fellow； for thou hast done me greater service
than thou knowest of this day。〃 Then he called his three yeomen together
and told them privately that they had best be jogging； as it was like to
be ill for them so nigh merry London Town。 So； without tarrying longer；
they made their way through the crowd until they had come out from the press。
Then； without stopping； they left London Town and started away northward。
The Chase of Robin Hood
SO ROBIN HOOD and the others left the archery range at Finsbury Fields；
and； tarrying not； set forth straightway upon their homeward journey。
It was well for them that they did so； for they had not gone more
than three or four miles upon their way when six of the yeomen of
the King's guard came bustling among the crowd that still lingered；
seeking for Robin and his men； to seize upon them and make them prisoners。
Truly； it was an ill…done thing in the King to break his promise；
but it all came about through the Bishop of Hereford's doing；
for thus it happened：
After the King left the archery ground； he went straightway to his cabinet；
and with him went the Bishop of Hereford and Sir Robert Lee；
but the King said never a word to these two； but sat gnawing his
nether lip； for his heart was galled within him by what had happened。
At last the Bishop of Hereford spoke； in a low； sorrowful voice：
〃It is a sad thing； Your Majesty； that this knavish outlaw should be let
to escape in this wise； for； let him but get back to Sherwood Forest
safe and sound； and he may snap his fingers at king and king's men。〃
At these words the King raised his eyes and looked grimly upon
the Bishop。 〃Sayst thou so？〃 quoth he。 〃Now； I will show thee；
in good time； how much thou dost err； for； when the forty days
are past and gone； I will seize upon this thieving outlaw；
if I have to tear down all of Sherwood to find him。
Thinkest thou that the laws of the King of England are to be
so evaded by one poor knave without friends or money？〃
Then the Bishop spoke again； in his soft； smooth voice：
〃Forgive my boldness； Your Majesty； and believe that I have nought
but the good of England and Your Majesty's desirings at heart；
but what would it boot though my gracious lord did root up every tree
of Sherwood？ Are there not other places for Robin Hood's hiding？
Cannock Chase is not far from Sherwood； and the great Forest of Arden
is not far from Cannock Chase。 Beside these are many other woodlands
in Nottingham and Derby； Lincoln and York； amid any of which
Your Majesty might as well think to seize upon Robin Hood as to lay
finger upon a rat among the dust and broken things of a garret。