Sir Richard looked keenly at the tall friar, who, drawing himself up to his full height, looked fixedly back at the knight.  Then of a sudden Sir Richard’s cheeks grew pale, for he knew who it was that he looked upon.  Quickly he leaped from off his horse’s back and flung himself upon his knees before the other.  At this, the King, seeing that Sir Richard knew him, threw back his cowl, and all the yeomen saw his face and knew him also, for there was not one of them but had been in the crowd in the good town of Nottingham, and had seen him riding side by side with the Sheriff.  Down they fell upon their knees, nor could they say a word.  Then the King looked all around right grimly, and, last of all, his glance came back and rested again upon Sir Richard of the Lea.

“How is this, Sir Richard?” said he sternly.  “How darest thou step between me and these fellows?  And how darest thou offer thy knightly Castle of the Lea for a refuge to them?  Wilt thou make it a hiding place for the most renowned outlaws in England?”

Then Sir Richard of the Lea raised his eyes to the King’s face.  “Far be it from me,” said he, “to do aught that could bring Your Majesty’s anger upon me.  Yet, sooner would I face Your Majesty’s wrath than suffer aught of harm that I could stay to fall upon Robin Hood and his band; for to them I owe life, honor, everything.  Should I, then, desert him in his hour of need?”

Ere the knight had done speaking, one of the mock friars that stood near the King came forward and knelt beside Sir Richard, and throwing back his cowl showed the face of young Sir Henry of the Lea.  Then Sir Henry grasped his father’s hand and said, “Here kneels one who hath served thee well, King Richard, and, as thou knowest, hath stepped between thee and death in Palestine; yet do I abide by my dear father, and here I say also, that I would freely give shelter to this noble outlaw, Robin Hood, even though it brought thy wrath upon me, for my father’s honor and my father’s welfare are as dear to me as mine own.”

King Richard looked from one to the other of the kneeling knights, and at last the frown faded from his brow and a smile twitched at the corners of his lips.  “Marry, Sir Richard,” quoth the King, “thou art a bold-spoken knight, and thy freedom of speech weigheth not heavily against thee with me.  This young son of thine taketh after his sire both in boldness of speech and of deed, for, as he sayeth, he stepped one time betwixt me and death; wherefore I would pardon thee for his sake even if thou hadst done more than thou hast.  Rise all of you, for ye shall suffer no harm through me this day, for it were pity that a merry time should end in a manner as to mar its joyousness.”

Then all arose and the King beckoned Robin Hood to come to him.  “How now,” quoth he, “is thine ear still too deaf to hear me speak?”

“Mine ears would be deafened in death ere they would cease to hear Your Majesty’s voice,” said Robin.  “As for the blow that Your Majesty struck me, I would say that though my sins are haply many, methinks they have been paid up in full thereby.”