Two stern-faced men set out from Lynn,
    Through the cold and heavy mist;
  And Eugene Aram walked between
    With gyves upon his wrist.

Aram was brought up for trial, and made a fine speech in defending himself; but it was of no avail, for Houseman turned “King’s Evidence” against him, telling all he knew on condition that he himself was pardoned.  The verdict was “Guilty,” and Aram was hanged at York in the year 1759.

[Illustration:  ST. ROBERTS CHAPEL.]

Fountains Abbey in its prime must have been one of the noblest and stateliest sanctuaries in the kingdom.  The great tower was 167 feet high, and the nave about 400 feet long, while the cloisters—­still almost complete, for we walked under their superb arches several times from one end to the other—­were marvellous to see.  One of the wells at Fountains Abbey was named Robin Hood’s Well, for in the time of that famous outlaw the approach to the Abbey was defended by a very powerful and brave monk who kept quite a number of dogs, on which account he was named the Cur-tail Friar.  Robin Hood and Little John were trying their skill and strength in archery on the deer in the forest when, in the words of the old ballad: 

  Little John killed a Hart of Greece
    Five hundred feet him fro,

and Robin was so proud of his friend that he said he would ride a hundred miles to find such another, a remark—­

  That caused Will Shadlocke to laugh. 
    He laughed full heartily;
  There lives a curtail fryer in Fountains Abbey
    Will beate bothe him and thee.

  The curtell fryer, in Fountains Abbey,
    Well can a strong bow draw;
  He will beate you and your yeomen. 
    Set them all in a row.

[Illustration:  ROBIN HOOD’S WELL, FOUNTAINS ABBEY.]

So Robin, taking up his weapons and putting on his armour, went to seek the friar, and found him near the River Skell which skirted the abbey.  Robin arranged with the friar that as a trial of strength they should carry each other across the river.  After this had been accomplished successfully Robin asked to be carried over a second time.  But the friar only carried him part way and then threw him into the deepest part of the river, or, in the words of the ballad: 

  And coming to the middle streame
    There he threw Robin in;
  “And chuse thee, chuse thee, fine fellow,
    Whether thou wilt sink or swim.”

Robin evidently did not care to sink, so he swam to a willow bush and, gaining dry land, took one of his best arrows and shot at the friar.  The arrow glanced off the monk’s steel armour, and he invited Robin to shoot on, which he did, but with no greater success.  Then they took their swords and “fought with might and maine”: 

  From ten o’ th’ clock that very day
    Till four i’ th’ afternoon. 
  Then Robin came to his knee
    Of the fryer to beg a boone.