Chapter 13 The Bishop Helps Robin and Sir Richard.
When the party reached the greenwood tree they saw Little John's men had captured the Bishop of Hereford and his attendants.
Robin saw packhorses loaded with goods.
He also saw that one horse carried a big locked wooden box.
Robin's eyes gleamed.
He knew such a box held treasure.
The bishop spotted Robin and charged toward him like a bull.
Robin smiled.
Hello, Your Holiness.
I will be with you in a moment.
Don't worry, there's not another man in all England I'd rather speak with.
The bishop's face swelled with rage.
Is this the way you and your ragtag bunch treat a man so high in the church's eye?
He shouted.
These friars and I were traveling peacefully down the road when up comes a great strapping fellow, a full seven feet high.
He's with eighty men, and they demand that we stop.
It called me a fat priest, man-eating bishop, and whatnot, as if I were no more than a beggar.
Robin said, Alas, my lord, you have truly been ill-treated by my band.
Little John, come here for a moment.
Little John came forward, pretending to be ashamed, like a child caught eating sweets.
Robin said to the bishop, Is this the man who spoke so boldly to your lordship?
Yes, it is, fumed the bishop.
He's an evil fellow.
Robin turned to Little John.
Little John, did you call his lordship a fat priest?
Yes, I did, Little John said sorrowfully.
And a man-eating bishop?
Yes, replied Little John, even more sorrowfully.
Alas, then these things must be true, concluded Robin.
Little John is an honest man, and I know he would not lie to a bishop.
The bishop's blood boiled so hotly that his face turned cherry red from his scalp to his chin, but he swallowed his words.
Now, my good bishop.
We are rough fellows, said Robin Hood, but we are not so rough as you might believe.
All are equal here in the Greenwood, and all who come to dine with us must share our merry life.
So too must you.
While some of the men ran to prepare the meal, others brought out staffs and longbows.
Soft animal pelts were laid out on the ground as seats for the guests.
Robin seated Sir Richard of the Lee next to the Bishop of Hereford.
When everyone was comfortable, some men hung a wreath of green branches from a distant tree.
The men each aimed three arrows at the wreath, Although it was just four palms wide.
Only two arrows missed the ring.
I have never seen such shooting, the bishop exclaimed.
Robin Hood, I have often heard of your skill.
Will you show me a sample?
Robin jumped lightly to his feet.
From a willow tree, he cut a slim stick and whittled one end to a point.
He walked off in the distance, stuck the sharpened stick into the ground and then returned to where the bishop sat.
Robin took up his bow and chose a very straight arrow with flawless feathers.
He placed the notched end of the arrow over the string of his bow, drew back quickly, and shot.
An instant later, a great shout arose.
Robin's arrow had split the narrow stick and lodged halfway through it.
The bishop was amazed.
The merry men raised a cheer for Robin Hood.
They were proud of his skill.
Soon great platters of savory meats appeared.
After everyone had eaten its fill, Robin called for silence.
When everyone hushed, he spoke.
I have a story to tell, so listen to what I say.
Thin Robin Hood repeated Sir Richard's sad tale.
Now Sir Richard will surely lose his castle and his lands to the prior of Emmet.
Robin said at the end
He looked at the bishop.
Is that the way for a servant of God to behave?
The bishop stared at the ground, afraid to meet anyone's eye.
You are the richest bishop in all of England, Robin cajoled.
Can you help this needy brother?
The bishop said nothing.
Robin turned to Little John.
Get the bundles that the bishop and his men carried.
Little John and Will Stutley laid the bundles out on the grass in front of everyone.
Little John handed Robin a list of goods.
Robin asked Will Scarlet to read the list aloud so everyone could hear.
Some items, such as candles for the Chapel of St.
Thomas, Robin let the bishop keep.
Other items, such as bundles of silk, would be sold for charity.
Finally, they came to the last item on the list.
Will Scarlet read, A box belonging to the Lord Bishop of Hereford.
The bishop shuddered as if he had a chill.
Do you have a key for this box? asked Robin.
The bishop shook his head.
Robin told Will Scarlet to break the lock.
Will drew his sword and brought it down heavily on the box.
Sparks flew and the front of the box cracked open.
Heavy gold coins poured out like water from a broken barrel.
Robin told Will Scarlet, Little John, and Alan Adale to count the money.
They counted for a long time while everyone waited.
Finally, Will called out, Fifteen hundred golden pounds.
My Lord Bishop, Robin declared, I will let you keep one-third of this money.
Five hundred pounds you will pay for this evening's entertainment.
Another five hundred pounds goes to the charity of my choosing.
Robin Hood beckoned to Sir Richard.
Sir Richard, you will take the five hundred pounds and pay your debt to the prior of Emmet.
It seems right that a surplus of church money should be used to aid you.
I thank you friend, for what you do for me, said Sir Richard gratefully, but I cannot take this money as a gift.
It is a loan, and I will repay it either to you or the bishop one year and one day from now.
I give my knightly word.
Truly, sir, I do not understand why you insist, but it will be as you wish, Robin replied.
Perhaps you should bring the money to me.
I believe I will make better use of it than the bishop would.
Sir Richard rose from his seat.
I cannot stay later, good friends.
My lady will be anxious if I do not return home soon, so I crave to depart.
We cannot let you go home unattended without men-at-arms, Robin said.
Little John leapt to his feet.
Good master!
Let me choose twenty men.
We will arm ourselves and accompany Sir Richard until he can get retainers of his own.
Robin Hood agreed.
So it will be done.
Will Scarlet said, We should give Sir Richard a gold chain to hang from his neck and gold spurs.
That too will be done.
Then Will stutely called out Let us give Sir Richard a bale of velvet and that roll of golden silk as a proper gift for his lady.
Everyone cheered and Robin laughed.
You have spoken well, Will Stootley.
It will be done.
Sir Richard of the Lee felt tears of gratitude rising in his eyes.
Good friends, I shall always remember your kindness.
If you are ever in trouble, you may come to the castle of the Lee.
Its walls may be battered to the ground before harm shall befall you.
The prior of Emmet was not happy when Sir Richard paid his debt.
The prior had counted on seizing the knight's castle because it was worth much more than the four hundred pounds.
Sir Richard owed.
True to his word, Sir Richard of the Lee returned to Sherwood Forest one year later.
And one day later, he counted out five hundred golden pounds to Robin Hood.
He also brought gifts for Robin and all his men, fine Spanish bows inlaid with silver.
With them came quivers of arrows embroidered in gold.
That was not the last the men would see of Sir Richard of the League.
Soon enough, he repaid his debt to Robin Hood yet again.
