On the way he passed an open space near a bridge where there was a wrestling, and the knight stopped and looked, for he himself had taken many a prize in that sport.  Here the prizes were such as to fill any man with envy; a fine horse, saddled and bridled, a great white bull, a pair of gloves, and a ring of bright red gold.  There was not a yeoman present who did not hope to win one of them.  But when the wrestling was over, the yeoman who had beaten them all was a man who kept apart from his fellows, and was said to think much of himself.  Therefore the men grudged him his skill, and set upon him with blows, and would have killed him, had not the knight, for love of Robin Hood, taken pity on him, while his followers fought with the crowd, and would not suffer them to touch the prizes a better man had won.

When the wrestling was finished the knight rode on, and there under the greenwood tree, in the place appointed, he found Robin Hood and his merry men waiting for him, according to the tryst that they had fixed last year: 

   “God save thee, Robin Hood,
     And all this company.” 
    “Welcome be thou, gentle knight,
     And right welcome to me.”

   “Hast thou thy land again?” said Robin,
    “Truth then thou tell me.” 
    “Yea, for God,” said the knight,
    “And that thank I God and thee.”

   “Have here four hundred pounds,” said the knight,
    “The which you lent to me;
    And here are also twenty marks
    For your courtesie.”

But Robin would not take the money.  Then he noticed the bows and arrows which the knight had brought, and asked what they were.  “A poor present to you,” answered the knight, and Robin, who would not be outdone, sent Little John once more to his treasury, and bade him bring forth four hundred pounds, which was given to the knight.  After that they parted, in much love, and Robin prayed the knight if he were in any strait “to let him know at the greenwood tree, and while there was any gold there he should have it.”

Now the King had no mind that Robin Hood should do as he willed, and called his knights to follow him to Nottingham, where they would lay plans how best to take captive the felon.  Here they heard sad tales of Robin’s misdoings, and how of the many herds of wild deer that had been wont to roam the forest in some places scarce one remained.  This was the work of Robin Hood and his merry men, on whom the king swore vengeance with a great oath.

“I would I had this Robin Hood in my hands,” cried he, “and an end should soon be put to his doings.”  So spake the King; but an old knight, full of days and wisdom, answered him and warned him that the task of taking Robin Hood would be a sore one, and best let alone.  The King, who had seen the vanity of his hot words the moment that he had uttered them, listened to the old man, and resolved to bide his time, if perchance some day Robin should fall into his power.