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misdoings of a holy friar； that he would summon aCHAPTER 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
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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 think they are
as well in my hands as the king's； quite as well。〃
〃You know； father；〃 said Matilda； 〃the condition of keeping me at
home： I get out if I can； and not on parole。〃
〃Ay！ ay！〃 said the baron； 〃if you can； very true： watch and ward；
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Mawd； watch and ward is my word： if you can； is yours。 The mark is
set； and so start fair。〃
The baron would have gone on in this way for an hour； but the friar
made his appearance with a long oak staff in his hand； singing；
Drink and sing； and eat and laugh； And so go forth to battle：
For the top of a skull and the end of a staff Do make a ghostly
rattle。
〃Ho！ ho！ friar！〃 said the baron〃singing friar； laughing friar； roaring
friar； fighting friar； hacking friar； thwacking friar； cracking； cracking；
cracking friar； joke…cracking； bottle…cracking； skull…cracking friar！〃
〃And ho！ ho！〃 said the friar；〃bold baron； old baron； sturdy baron；
wordy baron； long baron； strong baron； mighty baron； flighty baron；
mazed baron； crazed baron； hacked baron； thwacked baron； cracked；
cracked； cracked baron； bone…cracked； sconce…cracked； brain…cracked
baron！〃
〃What do you mean；〃 said the baron； 〃bully friar； by calling me hacked
and thwacked？〃
〃Were you not in the wars？〃 said the friar； 〃where he who escapes
untracked does more credit to his heels than his arms。 I pay tribute to your
valour in calling you hacked and thwacked。〃
〃I never was thwacked in my life；〃 said the baron； 〃I stood my ground
manfully； and covered my body with my sword。 If I had had the luck to
meet with a fighting friar indeed； I might have been thwacked； and
soundly too； but I hold myself a match for any two laymen； it takes nine
fighting laymen to make a fighting friar。〃
〃Whence come you now； holy father？〃 asked Matilda。
〃From Rubygill Abbey；〃 said the friar； 〃whither I never return：
For I must seek some hermit cell； Where I alone my beads may tell；
And on the wight who that way fares Levy a toll for my ghostly pray'rs；
Levy a toll； levy a toll； Levy a toll for my ghostly pray'rs。〃
〃What is the matter then； father？〃 said Matilda。
〃This is the matter；〃 said the friar： 〃my holy brethren have held
aCHAPTER on me； and sentenced me to seven years' privation of wine。 I
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therefore deemed it fitting to take my departure； which they would fain
have prohibited。 I was enforced to clear the way with my staff。 I have
grievously beaten my dearly beloved brethren： I grieve thereat； but they
enforced me thereto。 I have beaten them much； I mowed them down to
the right and to the left； and left them like an ill…reaped field of wheat； ear
and straw pointing all ways； scattered in singleness and jumbled in masses；
and so bade them farewell； saying； Peace be with you。 But I must not tarry；
lest danger be in my rear： therefore； farewell； sweet Matilda； and
farewell； noble baron； and farewell； sweet Matilda again； the alpha and
omega of father Michael； the first and the last。〃
〃Farewell； father；〃 said the baron； a little softened； 〃and God send you
be never assailed by more than fifty men at a time。〃
〃Amen；〃 said the friar； 〃to that good wish。〃
〃And we shall meet again； father； I trust；〃 said Matilda。
〃When the storm is blown over；〃 said the baron。
〃Doubt it not；〃 said the friar； 〃though flooded Trent were between us；
and fifty devils guarded the bridge。〃
He kissed Matilda's forehead； and walked away without a song。
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CHAPTER VIII
Let gallows gape for dog： let man go free。 Henry V。
A page had been brought up in Gamwell…Hall； who； while he was
little； had been called Little John； and continued to be so called after he
had grown to be a foot taller than any other man in the house。 He was full
seven feet high。 His latitude was worthy of his longitude； and his
strength was worthy of both； and though an honest man by profession； he
had practiced archery on the king's deer for the benefit of his master's
household； and for the improvement of his own eye and hand； till his aim
had become infallible within the range of two miles。 He had fought
manfully in defence of his young master； took his captivity exceedingly to
heart； and fell into bitter grief and boundless rage when he heard that he
had been tried in Nottingham and sentenced to die。 Alice Gamwell； at
Little John's request； wrote three letters of one tenour； and Little John；
having attached them to three blunt arrows； saddled the fleetest steed in
old Sir Guy of Gamwell's stables； mounted； and rode first to Arlingford
Castle； where he shot one of the three arrows over the battlements； then to
Rubygill Abbey； where he shot the second into the abbey…garden； then
back past