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. “Marry,” quoth Little John to Will Scarlet, “one would think that these poor fellows had never seen a stout yeoman ranger in all their lives before, or that we were some curious spectacle, like the Cumberland Giant, or the Welsh Dwarf, that we saw last month at the fair at Norwich.”

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 yeoman 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 them each fourscore silver pennies.

Robin Hood and Little John divide their prizes amongst the stout archers of the King’s guard.

Then up spake Robin, and quoth he, “This silver bulge 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.

One bringeth warning to Robin Hood of the King’s wrath.

Whilst 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 see—I trust I have forgot it not—yea, thus it was: ‘The lion growls. Beware thy head.’ ”

Robin Hood and his three merry men leave London Town.

“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.

Thus ended the famous shooting match before Queen Eleanor. And now we will hear how ill King Harry kept his promise to