“We be but poore wayfayrers halting on our way to cook our store of
victuals, and dyd but mene to peep into the caves, to see if aney manne
dyd dwell therein this winter of the yeare.”
Then dyd ye manne, with a gret oathe, declare that never dyd he see
a poore traveller wend his waye through the forest with such goodlie
retinue and beastes, and that he must firste enquire into my state,
before I went thitherfrom.
With that he tooke his bugle and dyd blowe a lusty blast upon hys
curled horne, and anon came a reply from far awaye in ye foreste.
Then ye bold robber, for we dyd guess it was Robyn himself, dyd set
him on ye gnarléd root of a gret tree and waited patiently; and soe
perforce dyd we, being afeard of ye man. Nevertheless, I dyd gaze
my fyll upon ye bolde outlawe before me, and marry, he was a right
sturdy fellow, tall, and of a proportionate bignesse of lymbe, comely
of feature, and with a swarthy visage, hys hair and beard of ye sloes
colour, and eke had he the eyen of ye falcon; a very proper manne was
he and in hys pryme.
Anon as we dyd gaze upon him, and he at us, he dyd put to us sundrie
questions, which we dyd answer him very civilly. As he dyd thus
question us, and no man dyd come to the sounde of the robber’s bugle,
my other yeoman, Robert Baldrow, dyd rise up and saye to Robyn--
“Fellow, why doste thou stop peaceful travellers? Thou arte but one
manne and I another, and a staffe in my hande is as goode as one in
thine. Have at thee, knave!” and straightway he dyd springe before
Robyn, quarter-staffe in hande. Whereat Robyn set an arrow to his bowe,
makyng as if he would shoote, at the which Baldrow dyd cry out, “A
knave! a coward knave!!”
Then dyd Robyn droppe his bow and to it they went right merrile.
My manne Baldrow’s bloode was uppe, and eke was it downe, for Robyn
dyd give him such sounding thwacks, that the bloode did run adoune his
cheekes and drippe from his chin. Robyn, too, got manie a knock which
was harde, and his blacke bearde was rede with blode alsoe.
Bothe dyd swat greatlie, and blowe them like unto oxen, till Robyn by a
swingyne blowe, did bring Baldrow downe upon the grounde, where he did
crye lustelie for mercie.
While thys fighte dyd last, many great and lyttle men dyd hedge us
arounde, till there were quite a score and a halfe of them, and he who
appeared to be their leader was in stature ye largest man my eyen dyd
ever lite upon. When he stode besyde Robyn, his shoulder was a fulle
ynch taller than Robyn hys head; nor was he a thin wastreyl of a manne,
but proper and strong withall, and of about ye same age as Robyn Hode,
who dyd say he had y’seen thirty and fyve summers.
While the fighte dyd last, my four serving men, who be doubtless arrant
knaves, dyd steal away with four of ye mules layden with sundrie
goodes, which Robyn percevyng, he dyd secretly send hys men in searche
of them, and in goode time they dyd bring them backe, and deliver them
bound to Robyn.
Then Robyn swore a gret othe, that he had never met such scurvy knaves,
and did cause them to be bound with cordes to the trunks of fallen
trees, with their faces downwards. Then did foure of hys men belabour
their breeches with pliable saplings of ye ashe tree, till their
strength gave out, when the gret giant, whose name I did afterward find
to be Lytell John, did tell the whipped varlets to begone. But so sore
were their hams that they dyd but stir at the snail hys pace, makynge
y’while loud and sundry bemoanings, and walking in muche variety of
postures for they were sore hurte.
My mules were meantyme kindly treated, for their burdeyns were released
from them, at which I dyd not much joie, for I dyd knowe right well ye
character of myne hoste. The food stuffe for our sustenance was taken
by ye robber band, and putte in gret yron potts, beneath which fires
were lighted, and in but smalle tyme a goode meale was spred before us
alle.
They were a motley crew, and many of them dyd looke like unto beggars
(for tatters and dyrt) their clothes being very ragged and olde. Many
wore gret bands of hay round their legges to keepe them warme, and to
fend off ye wet from ye bracken and underwode.
They were not dressed as I had heard tell, alle in Lincolne greene,
although a few of the head menne among them dyd dress their lymbs in
that cloth, namely, Lytell John, George à Greene, Raynolde Greenleafe
and a lyttel man y’clept Muche who was sonne of a miller. Some sayd he
was y’clept Muche because he was so lyttel, but he was a jolly manne
withal and was foole or jester of ye party, and dyd keep them all in
goode humour lyke unto ye jester in ye Kyng hys court.
Another pretty manne was y’named Will Scadlocke, but as he dyd dress
hym in scarlet doublet, his comrades did name him Scarlett, from the
colour of hys dress. Many dyd weare buff leather jerkins and brown
hose, as it was ye tyme of winter when alle is browne and bare, but
quoth Robyn, “In the spring we do don our green raiment like to the
leaves of the forest, so that ye dere with their glittering eyen cannot
so readilie see us.”
Dere were not in plentye, but these bold foresters did make nomble pies
of their entrails, which they did salt in gret tubs during the summer.
It was a humble, but alsoe a toothesome dysh, when seasoned with sweete
herbes.
Robyn hys menne dyd attend to my two wounded menne, and dyd place them
on softe couches of bracken, which dyd lie hid in the caves. Me they
dyd lodge in a gret barne of wattle and clay, which dyd afford me good
shelter. Thys in ye summer was the resorte of cowherds, who dyd here
keep their store and eke slumber, driving in their cattel in stormy
weather.
In this shed or barne dyd stande much store of victuals for keepe of
ye robbers who dyd remain with their leader through the inclemency
of wintertyde. Floure and porke in barrels, pickled herryngs from
Yaremouthe; beanes, onions, and carrotes; beere and cyder in fayre
casks were in gret plentie, all of which store was sent in by ye
farmers for many myles around that Robyn might exempt their cattel,
menne, and goodes from hys seizure.
Robyn, goode man, dyd place alle my goodes and chattels in one of his
caves, that they might be safe from hys comrades, and that no manne
might take from them.
Next daye it dyd snow, and everything was covered from sight, and alle
assembled in the barne where they had buylt a woode fire, round which
they dyd sitte and laye as they liste. Some dyd sing songs, and Muche,
the lytell miller, dyd play them many tunes on hys pype, while another
merry fellow dyd beat lustily on a tabour or drumme, and thus dyd they
beguile the time away right joyouslie, whyle harmony dyd prevail; but
ye said harmonie dyd not laste longe, for one gret quarrelsome rascal
dyd grumble that the ale was too bittere with horehound, and some sayd
it was a righte goode brew, whereupon they fell to jangling, and the
manne who was of gret stature dyd challenge any one to crack his sconce
with a bout at quarter-staffe. Another manne, who was of the brede of
the greyhond, did thereupon rise uppe and tackle him, and atte it they
dyd goe for the full space of an hour; by which tyme he who was of
slender form, had lent his foe soe many and sounding thwacks that the
bigge man was fain to crie, “A goe!” and soe ye battel ended amyd muche
laughter.
Then goode Robyn dyd saye let us to some more songes and then early to
couche; for to-morrow is Christmas Daye. Then was a gret cup brought in
and filled to the brim with meade, which being a noble drinke, was but
for Robyn and me, Aylmer, his guest.
It was goode liquor, and we dyd sup it deeplie, when Robyn thinkynge
to fleer at my priestly garb, dyd aske me, “Coulde I wrastle,” and I
being a lytell in my cups, dyd reply that I could wrastle any outlawe
that was ever borne, though it was manie yeares since I had played a
boute.
Then dyd we wrastle before alle assembled, and they present dyd laugh
heartily to see the figure I dyd cut, being of great girth. Howbeit
I dyd styk to Robyn, and by a lucky chance dyd roll him over and dyd
sit on his backe, to make mirth for those present; but Robyn dyd not
laugh atte alle, being angered that a priest should thus him overthrow;
soe when I dyd let him uppe he dyd run at me with gret vengeance in
hys eyen, and he soe smote me on the stommick that I dyd pante right
mightilie.
Then was I also an angered manne, and having a strong arme dyd requite
Robyn with a gret blow of the nose, which dyd blede an it were a runlet
of goode rede claret.
To make peace, “Long John,” as I dyd hear Lytell John sometime called,
dyd com betwixt and dyd part us, and we ware carried off, each to hys
bed in a separate cave. So ended the Vigil of Noel.
The morne of Christmas Daye was one which dyd smile over the erthe wyth
gret brightness, and alle were astir betimes, and many went divers ways
into the woodes to seek for dere. They took but their bows and speares
in their handes, leaving the frieze covers of their bowes at home, as
there was no damp in the frosty air which might shorten their strings.
Robyn was very surlie, for he had gotten two blacke eyen, and his nose
was swollen and red like to ye haws which are sent for birdes food in
winter. I was much afeared of the manne, thinkynge he might doe me
some mischief for a revenge for ye blowe I had placed upon hys nose,
but we dyd shake hands and were friendly, and being Christmas Morne, he
woulde have me goe into his cave chambre and pray for him, which I dyd.
Althoughe an outlawe hys menne doe say he is of pious mind, praying to
ye Blessed Virgin at alle seasons, especially in tyme of gret peril.
When we had our prayers sayd, Lytell John dyd roar out with gret pain,
saying that his tooth dyd ache sore, and so it dyd prove, for no manne
dare go near him, so greatly dyd he rage. Then he cryd for some one to
pull it from his jawe for hym, but no manne dyd offer, tyll home came
Wayland, who had of olde tyme been a smyth, and used to the handling of
implements.
Lytell John dyd throw himself upon ye plancher in ye barne, and foure
of the strongest men dyd houlde him dowen.
Then dyd Wayland bring forthe hys tools, which he kept in a leathern
poke, for many a jobbe dyd he for the companie. Lytell John’s eyen dyd
roule muche when he dyd see the iron pincers, which Wayland dyd bring
forthe from the poke, but they being made for horse shoeing were too
large for his mouthe, and woulde not worke therein, although it was a
large one.
Then Wayland founde him a smaller pair, and with them went to worke
agen, upon which Lytell John dyd roar and struggle mightilie, but they
who held him being strong men he coulde not get free. Wayland dyd again
try, but being used to rough work dyd not set to worke skilfullie,
whereupon Will Scadlocke, who had now returned with two hares whych he
had shotte, dyd attempt to get out the aching tooth, and with such
address dyd he set to worke, that in but a few minutes he dyd drawe it
forth triumphantlie.
Then they dyd waken Lytell John, who had fallen into a kind of trance
(in whych he did groan), by rubbinge his face with snow and putting ice
on ye nape of hys necke.
Soone came home ye merrie menne, some with doe meat and some with a
gret dere they had slain; while Peter the falconer dyd add toe the
store, two ducks and a fine guse, at which there was great rejoicynge.
Three menne still were to come home, and their comrades dyd look for
them anxiously, fearing they had been taken by ye menne of Murdach,
Sheriff of Nottingham, but in tyme they came back bringing three gret
pikes, which they had snared in the river, beside gret store of perch,
which they had netted without asking leve of anney manne.
Guards were sette to the right and left of the campe, and fires y’made,
at which were dressed gret diversitie of dishes, and atte duske the
feaste was spread in ye barne. It was a feaste that woulde have graced
the Refectory of Crowlande Abbey, albeit it was served uppe in a
somewhat rough manner.
Fish, fleshe, and fowle of all kinds were there, and cyder and ale in
plentie, so that each manne dyd eat and quaff and sing and laugh, till
he coulde no more.
Then dyd they sitte and laye around the bigge fire and tell stories of
their deeds, which dyd shock mine ears exceedinglie.
By the fyrelight they dyd look a very desperate sett of menne, ye more
so when they had drunken of the goode rede wine, which Robyn had caused
to be broached.
Robyns nose grew redder as he dranke, and hys eyen being black he dyd
look most curious. Lytell John dyd have hys jawes in a slyng, as hys
cheeke was some deal painful after his toothe hauling. My yeoman,
Robert Baldrow, whose cheekes hade been shot through, was a silent
manne, for his mouth was bounden in a clothe through a hole in which he
dyd suck up some brothe through a hollow bunke.
Howbeit, for these lytell drawbacks, each man dyd enjoy himself
greatly, and dyd sing or daunce according as he was him capable, and
ye merriment was kept up for a gret many houres till many dyd drink
themselves to sleep, and their comrades dyd cover them with deer skins
and bracken, for fear they might be freesed, so colde was ye night.
“Not oft,” sayd Allan-a-dale to me, “do we have these galas, onlie now
and again, else myght the crewel Sheriff of Nottingham worke us some
ill.”
For several dayes more dyd Robyn keep me hys prisoner, and on onne day
I dyd see some of their famous archerie.
On New Yeres Day, Robyn, Lytell John and Scadlocke, had matched
themselves to strike as many arrows into a marke as any six of their
comrades. Thys wager was accepted by Much, Greneleafe, Allan-a-dale, my
man Thomas à Boston, Reginauld Foxe, and one they called “Humpy” from
his crooked backe.
A hare skin was stretched on a hoope of wode and placed as a pryke for
them to shote at, at a distance of eighte score yardes, and each manne
was to shote a score of arrowes at ye marke.
Robyn, Lytell John, and Scadlocke dyd shote first, and of their three
score arrows, a score and seventeen dyd stryke the marke, though Robyn
dyd not schote well, hys nose being as bigge as two, and was in hys way
when he dyd schote, so that but ten of his arrowes of the full score
dyd strike ye mark.
Then dyd Much and his menne in turn shote at ye marke, and of alle
their six score arrowes, two score and three dyd pierce ye skyn,
whereat there was much shoutynge and laughing by those who dyd behold,
and Robyn dyd look him ruefully to see ye prize, which was a flagon of
yelow wine, drunk by lytell Much and hys men.
On the 2nd of January, my yeoman being recovered of his woundes, Robyn
dyd give me leve for to goe on my waye. Whereon I dyd thanke hym and
ask for my gear, at whych he dyd laugh him outrighte in my face.
“Nay, Master Monk,” sayd he, “ye traveller must paye for hys fayre.
Have I not kept you and two menne and alle your mules these ten days?
Come quit thee hence, and thy gear I will keep in payment for thy
victuals and bedde.
“Come, begone! and a right pleasaunt journey to you!”
But I woulde not thus be putten offe, and dyd trye with my menne to
bringe forth the bayles of clothe from the caves, but the robbers tooke
them from us, giving us many cuffes and kickes for oure pains. Anon I
demanded my mules, but Robyn dyd say:
“Nay, brother, I have keeped ye mules for ten days for thee, and now I
will keepe them longer for mine owne use. Dere meate may become scarce,
then will mule meate be plentie.”
Then I dyd try and seize ye rascal by his ears, to give him som
chastisement, for we monkes be manie of us strong menne, being used to
much huntinge and hawkinge arounde our monasteries.
Thereupon dyd the giant Lytell John seize me and my men, and bynde us
face downwardes on our mules, and with many stripes of their bowes and
quarter-staves, they dyd beat us on ye uppermoste parts till we dyd
fairlie crye oute for mercie.