So all turned their steps to the forest depths, where the Tinker was to live henceforth.  For many a day he sang ballads to the band, until the famous Allan a Dale joined them, before whose sweet voice all others seemed as harsh as a raven’s; but of him we will learn hereafter.

The Shooting Match at Nottingham Town

Then the sheriff was very wroth because of this failure to take jolly Robin, for it came to his ears, as ill news always does, that the people laughed at him and made a jest of his thinking to serve a warrant upon such a one as the bold outlaw.  And a man hates nothing so much as being made a jest of; so he said:  “Our gracious lord and sovereign King himself shall know of this, and how his laws are perverted and despised by this band of rebel outlaws.  As for yon traitor Tinker, him will I hang, if I catch him, upon the very highest gallows tree in all Nottinghamshire.”

Then he bade all his servants and retainers to make ready to go to London Town, to see and speak with the King.

At this there was bustling at the Sheriff’s castle, and men ran hither and thither upon this business and upon that, while the forge fires of Nottingham glowed red far into the night like twinkling stars, for all the smiths of the town were busy making or mending armor for the Sheriff’s troop of escort.  For two days this labor lasted, then, on the third, all was ready for the journey.  So forth they started in the bright sunlight, from Nottingham Town to Fosse Way and thence to Watling Street; and so they journeyed for two days, until they saw at last the spires and towers of great London Town; and many folks stopped, as they journeyed along, and gazed at the show they made riding along the highways with their flashing armor and gay plumes and trappings.

In London King Henry and his fair Queen Eleanor held their court, gay with ladies in silks and satins and velvets and cloth of gold, and also brave knights and gallant courtiers.

Thither came the Sheriff and was shown into the King’s presence.

“A boon, a boon,” quoth he, as he knelt upon the ground.

“Now what wouldst thou have?” said the King.  “Let us hear what may be thy desires.”

“O good my Lord and Sovereign,” spake the Sheriff, “in Sherwood Forest in our own good shire of Nottingham, liveth a bold outlaw whose name is Robin Hood.”

“In good sooth,” said the King, “his doings have reached even our own royal ears.  He is a saucy, rebellious varlet, yet, I am fain to own, a right merry soul withal.”

“But hearken, O my most gracious Sovereign,” said the Sheriff.  “I sent a warrant to him with thine own royal seal attached, by a right lusty knave, but he beat the messenger and stole the warrant.  And he killeth thy deer and robbeth thine own liege subjects even upon the great highways.”