CHAPTER VI.

_Robin Hood and his Kinsman. Showing how he met and fought with a Stranger, who afterwards proved to be his Cousin Scarlet._

As Robin walked about the forest one day he met with a comely young man, dressed in a doublet of silk, with scarlet hose, travelling boldly along with a stout bow in his hand. A herd of fat deer happened to be feeding not far distant, which, when the stranger saw, he bent his bow, and shot the best of them through the heart. "Well shot, well shot," said Robin Hood, "thy aim was good and sure; I like a bold archer well; and if thou wilt be one of my comrades, and live in my bower, I will treat thee with n.o.ble entertainment, and pay thee well besides." "Go, talk with thy grandame," said the stranger, "and make no such wild offers to me, or else I shall use thee somewhat rudely." "Thou hadst better be quiet,"

said Robin, "for if thou shouldest offer to make an a.s.sault, thou wilt dearly repent of the deed; my arm is not weak, and thou mayest see that I carry a bow; besides, though I am now alone, should I blow an alarm with my loud bugle-horn, I should quickly have at my command a hundred brave men." "I defy all thy power," said the other, "and if thou offerest to touch thy horn, my good broad-sword shall cut it in two, and strike thee to the dust." Bold Robin Hood then bent his stout bow, and stood ready to shoot at his foe. The stranger also took his strong bow and as readily stood on his guard. "Prithee, let us hold our hands,"

said Robin Hood, "for if we attempt to shoot, one of us must infallibly die; let us now lay aside our bows and try each other's skill with bucklers and good broadswords." These rivals in skill then fought stoutly and boldly, and many a hard blow resounded upon their bucklers.

They aimed their strong blows above and below, from the head to the feet, but neither of them could make the other give way. Robin Hood at length gave the stranger such a mighty stroke that it made the fire fly from his eyes, and almost deprived him of his senses. "I hope to give thee a blow," said the stranger, "that shall shame all the rest, and put an end to the fray." Then presently, taking good aim with his sword, he struck Robin upon the head with such force, that the blood soon appeared and ran trickling down his cheeks. "By my faith," said Robin Hood, "I must now beg for quarter; prithee, my brave fellow, tell me who thou art, and what is thy name, for I love and respect a brave man." The stranger answered, "I was born and bred in the town of Maxfield, and my name is Gamewell; I am forced to fly from home and to hide myself for having killed my father's steward, who had falsely accused me; and I came to this forest to seek a bold uncle of mine, who goes by the name of bold Robin Hood." "Art thou then a cousin of bold Robin Hood's?"

answered he; "had I known it before, our fight would have been sooner done." "On my life," said the stranger, "I am his first kin, and son to his mother's second brother, who now lives at court with the king, and for gallant deeds he performed in Palestine he is soon to be made a n.o.ble peer." When Robin heard this he embraced him with great joy, and soon let him know that he himself was his uncle Robin Hood. They then set out for the green shady bower, and met Little John by the way.

CHAPTER VII.

_Robin Hood and Bishop of Hereford. Robin Hood in Distress changes Clothes with an old Woman to Escape from the Bishop, whom he afterwards takes Prisoner, and obliges him to sing Ma.s.s._

Robin Hood and all his men were now outlawed, because they had broken the forest laws (which were very severe), and had killed the king's fat deer.

As Robin walked out one fine summer's day, when the fields were pleasant and green, and the birds sang sweetly in the bushes, he was tempted to wander beyond the skirts of the forest, far away from his bower; and as he was thinking of going back he was espied by the proud bishop of Hereford, who was pa.s.sing along with a great company. "Oh, what shall I now do?" said Robin to himself. "If the bishop should take me I shall be hanged without mercy." Then Robin turned nimbly about and ran with full speed to the house of an old woman whom he knew. "Good woman," said Robin, "I pray you let me in, for yonder is the bishop and all his men, and if I am taken, I must die." "Why, who art thou," said the old woman, "that comest hither in such a fright?" "I am Robin Hood," he replied; "canst thou not recollect me?" "I think I now do," said the old woman, "and if thou art even Robin Hood, I will provide for thy safety and hide thee from the proud bishop and his company." "Then give me thy gown and thy female attire," said Robin, "and put thee on my livery of green: give me also thy distaff and spindle, and take my arrows and bow."

When Robin Hood was thus arrayed he went forth without fear, and returned to his men in the wood. When Little John saw him thus dressed, coming over the forest, he cried, "Behold, who is yonder, that seems approaching this way; the old woman looks like a witch, and I will send an arrow to meet her." "Hold thy hand, hold thy hand," said Robin Hood, "I am thy master in disguise, and this habit I was forced to put on to escape from a strong enemy who had me in chase."

Now, in the meantime, the bishop went to the old woman's house, and with a loud, furious voice, cried, "Bring that traitor, Robin Hood, that I may take him along with me and make him pay the forfeit of all his bad deeds." The old woman then came out dressed like Robin, and the bishop placed her upon a grey steed, while he rode along laughing for joy that he had seized upon bold Robin Hood. But as they were riding through the forest in which their road lay, the bishop espied a hundred tall men, stout and brave, coming out of the wood, with their arrows in their hands. "Oh, who are all these bowmen?" said the bishop, "and who is that man that leads them towards us so boldly?" "In good faith," said the old woman, "I think it is bold Robin Hood." "Then who art thou," said the bishop, trembling with fear. "I am only a poor old woman, proud bishop,"

said she: "hast thou any occasion for me now?" Robin Hood coming up, took the bishop by the hand, and placing him upon the stump of a tree made him tune his voice and sing a full ma.s.s to all the company; afterwards they brought him through the wood, and having set him upon his horse with his face towards the tail, they charged him for ever after to pray for Robin Hood, and putting the tail in his hand, bid him begone.

CHAPTER VIII.

_Robin Hood and the Three Yeomen. Robin delivers Three Yeomen from Nottingham Gallows, who were going to be Hanged for Killing the King's Deer._

As Robin Hood wandered about the fields one day he met a fair lady who came weeping along the road in great distress. "Oh, why do you weep so pitifully," said Robin, "and what is the cause of your great distress?"

"I weep," she replied, "for the sorrowful fate of three brothers, the bravest and dearest of men, who are all condemned to die." "What church have they robbed?" said Robin, "or what parish priest have they killed?

or have they in treason been caught against the rightful king?" "Woe is me!" said the lady, "for my brothers must die, and only for killing the king's fallow deer." "They shall not die," said bold Robin Hood; "therefore go your way quickly home, and I will hasten to Nottingham for the sake of your three hapless brothers."

Robin Hood then set out to Nottingham, and in his way met with a poor beggar man, who came walking slowly and mournfully along the highway.

"What news, my old man?" said Robin, "what news dost thou bring from the town?" "Oh! there is weeping and wailing in Nottingham town," cried the old beggar man, "for the sake of three yeomen who are condemned to die, for they are greatly beloved."

The beggar had a tattered old coat upon his back which was neither green, yellow, nor red, but some of every colour; and Robin Hood thought it would be no disgrace, for once, to be in the beggar's dress. "Come, pull off thy coat, my old beggar," said he, "and thou shalt put on mine, and thirty shillings beside I will give thee to buy bread and beer."

When Robin was thus arrayed, away he went to the town, and when he came thither he soon found the sheriff and his men, and likewise the three sorrowful yeomen who were going to die. "One favour I humbly beg," said bold Robin Hood to the sheriff, "that I may be the hangman when the three yeomen are to die." "'Tis granted with free goodwill," said the sheriff; "therefore go and prepare thyself for thine office, for they have but few hours to live."

Robin then returned to his brave band of archers, whom he brought and placed in ambush near the field where the gallows was fixed; afterwards going again to the sheriff, the three yeomen were led to the appointed spot. "Now, begin thine office, my jolly hangman," said the sheriff, "for these yeomen no longer must live; and thou shalt have all their good clothing, and all their money besides."

Then Robin mounted the gallows, with his horn in his hand, and he made it sound loud and shrill, when quickly came marching over the field a hundred and more of his faithful bowmen, all clothed in green. "Whose men are all these," said the sheriff, "that come marching so boldly this way?" "Oh, these are all Robin Hood's men," said he, "and they are come to fetch me, and likewise to take the three yeomen, who are going to die." "Oh, take them, pray take them, without more ado," said the sheriff; "for there is not a man in all Nottingham that can do the like of thee."

CHAPTER IX.

_Robin Hood and the Tinker of Banbury._

In summer time when the leaves were green and birds sang merrily upon every tree, Robin Hood set out to Nottingham in disguise, and as he went along the road he overtook a jolly tinker. Robin greeted him kindly, and after some discourse, said, "Tell me whence thou comest, my jolly fellow, and in what town thou wast bred, for I hear there is sad news in Nottingham, and when thou knowest it thou may not choose to go thither."

"I come from Banbury," said the other, "where I was born and bred, and am a tinker by trade; now tell me the news thou hast heard." "My news is only this," said Robin, "two tinkers were yesterday set in the stocks for drinking ale and strong beer." "If that be all," said the tinker, "I value not your news a farthing; for in drinking good ale and beer I am sure never to be outdone, and resolve to have my share; and if I may judge by your looks, you often take a good part." "Now," said Robin Hood, "tell me what news has come to thy ears, for, as thou travellest from town to town, thou canst never be in want of good stories." "All the news that I lately have heard," said the tinker, "relates to a bold outlaw who is called Robin Hood; the king has given out warrants to apprehend him, and I have one in my pocket to take him, whenever I can find him; and if thou canst tell me where he is, and a.s.sist me to seize him, it will make us rich men, for a hundred pounds, or more, will be our reward." "Let me see the warrant," said Robin, "that I may know if it be good, and I will do the best that I can to a.s.sist thee in taking him this very night." "My warrant I shall not let thee see," said the tinker, "for I dare not trust it out of my hand."

As soon as they came to Nottingham they went to a good inn, and calling for strong ale and wine, the tinker drank so much that he forgot what he had to do, so that at night Robin made haste away, taking the tinker's warrant, and left him in the lurch to pay all the reckoning. When the tinker awoke in the morning and found that his comrade was gone, he called for the host and said, "I had a warrant from the king that might have done me good, for it was to take a bold outlaw called Robin Hood; but now my warrant is stolen away from me, and I have not money enough to pay the score, for the man that came with me last night is fled away; therefore tell me what I have got to pay, and I will leave my tools with thee in pledge till I return."

The tinker then went his way, and soon learnt in the town that the only way to find out bold Robin Hood was to seek him in the parks, killing the king's deer. Away then he went, and made no delay till he found Robin Hood chasing the deer through the woods. "What bold knave is that," said Robin, "that comes so freely to hinder my sport." "No knave am I," cried the tinker, "and that you soon will know to your cost; which of us have done wrong my crab-tree shall decide." The tinker and Robin then fought manfully, and the fray lasted three hours, or more, but at length the tinker thrashed Robin's bones so sore, that he made him cry out for peace. "One favour I have to beg," said Robin Hood, "and I pray thee to grant it me." "The only favour I will grant," said the tinker, "is to hang thee on a tree." But while the tinker turned round, Robin blew his horn, at the sound of which Little John and Will Scarlet quickly appeared, and said, "What is the matter, dear master, that you look so forlorn?" "Here is a tinker standing by," said Robin, "that has thrashed my bones sore." When they heard this they were going to seize him by the throat, but Robin said, "Let our quarrel now cease, that henceforth we may be friends with the tinker, and he with us; and if he will consent to be one of us, I will yearly give him fifty pounds, as long as he lives, which he may spend in the way which he likes best." So at last the tinker consented, and went along with them to their bower.

CHAPTER X.

_Robin Hood's Death._

And now I must bring my stories to a close, and the unhappy death of valiant Robin Hood.

Robin fell ill, and because he required to be treated with skill, he went to Kirkley Abbey, where they sent for a monk to bleed him, and this monk being eager to get the reward that King Henry had set upon Robin Hood's head, most treacherously bled him to death.

Thus he that never feared a sword or a bow, or any man that lived, was basely killed, in letting of blood, and died without a friend to close his eyes. As soon as his men heard of his death they were filled with grief and dismay, and fled away in haste. Some of them crossed the seas and went to Flanders, some to France, and some to Spain and Rome.

Robin, Earl of Huntingdon, Lies underneath this marble stone; No archer ever was so good-- His name it was bold ROBIN HOOD.

Full thirty years, and something more, These northern parts he vexed sore.

Such outlaws as he, in any reign, May England never see again.

HISTORY OF

DR. FAUSTUS

SHOWING

His wicked Life and horrid Death, and how he sold himself to the Devil, to have power for twenty-four years to do what he pleased, also many strange things done by him with the a.s.sistance of

MEPHISTOPHELES.