20 - Robin Hood by J. Walker McSpadden: Chapter 20

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Episode Transcript

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Chapter twenty of Robin Hood by J. Walker mc spaden. This LibriVox recording
is in the public domain. HowWill Stuteley was rescued fourth of the greenwood?
Are they gone? Yea all courageouslyresolving to bring Stuteley home or every
man to die? The next daydawned bright and sunny. The whole face

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of nature seemed gay, as ifin despite of the tragedy which was soon
to take place in the walls ofNottingham Town. The gates were not opened
upon this day, for the sheriffwas determined to carry through the hanging of
Will Stuteley undisturbed. No man thereforewas to be allowed entrance from without all
that morning and until after the fatalhour of noon, when Will's soul was

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to be launched into eternity. Earlyin the day, Robin had drawn his
men to a point as near ashe dared in the wood, where he
could watch the road leading to theeast gate. He himself was clad in
a bright scarlet dress, while hismen, a gooley array, wore their
suits of sober Lincoln green. Theywere armed with broadswords, and each man

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carried his bow and a full quiverof new arrows straightened and sharpened cunningly.
By middle of the tinker over theirgreenwood dress. Each man had thrown a
rough mantle, making him look notunlike a friar. I hold it good,
comrades, then said Robin Hood,to tarry here in hiding for a
season, while we sent some oneforth to obtain tidings, For in sooth

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twill work no good to march uponthe gates if they be closed. Look,
master, quoth one of the widow'ssons. There comes a palmer along
the road from the town. Belikehe can tell us how the land ties.
And if Stuteley be really in jeopardy, shall I go out and engage
him in speech? Go, answeredRobin, so stout will went out from
the band, while the others hidthemselves and waited. When he had come

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closer to the palmer, who seemeda slight youngish fellow, he doffed his
hat full courteously and set I craveyour pardon, holy man, But can
you tell me tidings of Nottingham town? Do they intend to put an outlaw
to death this day? Yea,answered the palmer. Sadly tis true enough,
Sorry be the day I have passedthe very spot where the gallows tree

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is going up tis out upon theroadway near the Sheriff's castle. One Will
Stuteley is to be hung thereon atnoon, And I could not bear the
sight, so came away. Thepalmer spoke in a muffled voice, and
as his hood was pulled well overhis head, stout Will could not discern
what manner of man he was.Over his shoulder. He carried a long

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staff with the fashion of a littlecross at one end, and he had
saddled feet like any monk. StoutWill noticed idly that the feet were very
small and white, but gave nosecond thought to the matter. Who will
shrive the poor wretch if you havecome away from him? He asked reproachfully.
The question seemed to put a newidea into the palmer's head. He

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turns so quickly that he almost droppedhis hood. Do you think I should
undertake this holy office by Saint Peterand the blessed Virgin? I do indeed
else who will do it? TheBishop and all his whining clerks may be
there, but not one would saya prayer for his soul. But I
am only a poor palmer the otherbegan hesitatingly, nay, less, your

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prayers are as good as any,and better than some, replied Will right
gladly. Will I go, then, said the palmer, But I fear
me I cannot get into the city. You may know that the gates are
fast locked for this morning to allwho would come in, although they let
any pass out. Who will comewith me, said stout Will and my
master will see that you pass throughthe gates. So the palmer pulled his

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cloak still closer about him, andwas brought before Robin Hood, to whom
he told all he knew of thesituation. He ended with, if I
may make so bold, I wouldnot try to enter the city from this
gate, as tis closely guarded sinceyesterday. But on the far side no
attack is looked for My thanks,gentle Palmer, quoth Robin. Your suggestion

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is good, and we will deployto the gate upon the far side.
So the men marched silently but quickly, until they were near to the western
gate. Then Arthur A. Blandasked leave to go ahead as a scout,
and quietly made his way to apoint under the tower by the gate.
The moat was dry on this side, as these were times of peace,

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and Arthur was further favored by astout, ivy vine which grew out
from an upper window. Swinging himselfup boldly. By means of this friendly
vine, he crept through the window, and in a moment more had sprung
upon the warder from behind, andgrabbed him hard about the throat. The
warder had no chance to utter theslightest sound, and soon lay bound and
gagged upon the floor, while Arthura bland slipped himself into his uniform and

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got hold of his keys. Twasthe work of but a few moments more
to open the gates, let downthe bridge, admit the rest of the
band, and they got inside thetown so quietly that none knew of their
coming. Fortune also favored them inthe fact that just at this moment the
prison doors had been opened for themarch of the condemned demand, and every

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soldier and idle out in the marketplace had trooped thither to see him pass
along. Presently out came will Stuteley, with firm step but dejected air.
He looked eagerly to the right handand to the left, but saw none
of the band, and though morethan one curious face betrayed friendship in it
he knew there could be no aidfrom such source. Will's hands were tied

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behind his back. He marched betweenrows of soldiery, and the sheriff and
the Bishop brought up the rear onhorses, looking mightily puffed up and important.
Over the whole proceeding, he wouldshow these sturdy rebels, would the
sheriff whose word was law? Heknew that the gates were tightly fastened,
and further he believed that the outlawswould hardly venture again within the walls,

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even if the gates were open.And as he looked around at the five
score archers and pikemen who lined theway to the gallows, he smiled with
grim satisfaction. Seeing that no helpwas nigh, the prisoner paused at the
foot of the scaffold and spoke ina firm tone to the sheriff. My
lord Sheriff, quoth he, sinceI must needs die, grant me one
boon for my noble master. Ne'eryet had a man that was hanged on

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a tree. Give me a swordall in my hand, and let me
be unbound. And with thee andthy men, will I fight till I
lie dead on the ground. Butthe sheriff would by no means listen to
his request, but swore that heshould be hanged a shameful death, and
not die by the sword. Valiantly, Oh no, no, no,
the sheriff said, thou't shalt onthe gallows die aye, and so shall

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thy master too. If ever itin me lie o dastard cowards, Duteley
cried, faint hearted peasant's slave.If ever my master do thee meet thout,
shalt thy payment have my noble masterthee thus scorn, and all thy
cowardly crew such silly imps unable arebold Robin to subdue. This brave speech

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was not calculated to soothe the sheriffto the gallows with him. He roared,
giving a sign to the hangman,and Stuteley was pushed into the rude
cart, which was to bear himunder the gallows until his neck was leashed.
Then the cart would be drawn roughlyaway and the unhappy man would swing
out over the tail of it intoanother world. But at this moment came

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a slight interruption. A boyish lookingpalmer stepped forth and said, your excellency,
let me at least strive this poorwretch's soul. Ere it be hurled
into eternity, No, shouted thesheriff. Let him die a dog's death.
Then this damnation will rest upon you, said the monk. Firmly,
You, my lord Bishop, cannotstand by and see this wrong done.

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The bishop hesitated, like the sheriff. He wanted no delay, but the
people were getting to mutter among themselvesand move about uneasily. He said a
few words to the sheriff, andthe latter nodded to the monk. Ungraciously.
Perform your duty, sir priest,quoth he, and be quick about
it. Then, turning to hissoldiers, watch this palmer narrowly, he

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commanded, be like he is inleague with those rascally outlaws. But the
palmer paid no heed to his lastwords. He began to tell his beads
quickly, and to speak in alow voice to the condemned man, but
he did not touch his bonds.Then came another stir in the crowd,
and one came pushing through the pressof people and soldiery to come near to

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the scaffold. I pray you will, before you die, take leave of
all your friends, cried out thewell known voice of much the miller's son.
At the word, the palmer steppedback suddenly and looked to one side.
The sheriff also knew the speaker,seize him. He shouted, tis
another of the crew. He isthe villain cook who once did rob me
of my silver plate. Will makea double hanging of this Not so fast,

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good master, sheriff retorted much,first catch your man and then hang
him. But meanwhile, I wouldlike to borrow my friend of you.
Awhile, And with one stroke ofhis keen hunting knife, he cut the
bonds which fastened the prisoner's arms,and stuteley leaped lightly from the cart.
Treason, screamed the sheriff, gettingblack with rage, catch the varlets,

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so saying, he spurred his horsefiercely forward, and, rising in his
stirrups, brought down his sword withmight and maine at much as head.
But his former cook dodged nimbly underneaththe horse and came up on the other
side, while the weapon whistled harmlesslyin the air. Nay, Sir,
Sheriff, he cried, I musteven borrow your sword for the friend I

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have borrowed. Thereupon he snatched theweapon deftly from the Sheriff's hand. Here
Stuteley said he, the Sheriff haslent you his own sword back to back
with me, man, and willteach these knaves a trick or two.
Meanwhile, the soldiers had recovered fromtheir momentary surprise and had flung themselves into
the fray. A clear bugle notehad also sounded, the same which the

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soldiers had learned to dread. Twasthe rallying note of the Greenwood men,
cloth yard shafts began to hurtle throughthe air, and Robin and his men
cast aside their cloaks and sprang forward, crying, Locksley, Locksley, Arrescue,
arrescue. On the instant. Aterrible scene of hand to hand fighting
followed. The Sheriff's men, thoughonce more taken by surprise, were determined

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to sell this rescue dearly. Theypacked in closely and stubbornly about the condemned
man, and much and the palmer, and it was only by desperate rushes
that the foresters made an opening inthe square. Ugly cuts and bruises were
exchanged freely, and lucky was theman who escaped with only these. Many
of the onlookers who had long hatedthe sheriff and felt sympathy for Robin's men,

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also plunged into the conflict, althoughthey could not well keep out of
it. In sooth and aided therescuers no little. At last, with
a rush, Robin cleaved away throughthe press to the scaffold itself, and
not a second too soon, fortwo men with pikes had leaped upon the
cart and were in the act ofthrusting down upon the Palmer and will Stuteley.

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A mighty upward blow from Robin's goodblade sent the pike flying from the
hand of one, while a welldirected arrow from the outskirt pierced the other
fellow's throat. God save you,master, cried will Stutley joyfully. I
had begun to fear that I wouldnever see your face again. A rescue
shouted the outlaws afresh, and thesoldiery became fainthearted and began to give back.

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But the field was not yet one, for they retreated in close order
toward the east gate, resolved tohim the attackers within the city walls.
Here again, however, they werein error, since the outlaws did not
go out by their nearest gate.They made a sally in that direction in
order to mislead the soldiery, thenabruptly turned and headed for the west gate,

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which was still guarded by Arthur ABland. The Sheriff's menaced an exultant
shout at this, Thinking that theyhad the enemy trapped down, they charged
after them, but the outlaws madegood their lead and soon got through the
gate and over the bridge, whichhad been let down by Arthur a Bland.
Close upon their heels came the soldiers, so close that Arthur had no
time to close the gate again orraise the bridge, so he threw away

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his key and fell in with theyeoman, who now began their retreat up
the long hill to the woods.On this side the town. The road
leading to the forest was long andalmost unprotected. The greenwood men were therefore
in some distress, for the archersshot at them from loopholes in the walls,
and the pipe men were reinforced bya company of mounted men from the
castle. But the outlaws retreated stubbornly, and now and again turned to hold

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their pursuers at bay by a volleyof arrows. Stuntley was in their midst
fighting with the energy of two,and the little palmer was there also,
but took no part save to keepclose to Robin's side and mutter silent words
as though in prayer. Rob andput his horn to his lips to sound
a rally. When a flying arrowfrom the enemy pierced his hand, the
palmer gave a little cry and sprangforward. The sheriff, who followed close

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with the men on horseback, alsosaw the wound and gave a great huzzah
hah. You will shoot no morebows for a season, Master outlaw,
he shouted. You lie, retortedRobin, fiercely, wrenching the shaft from
his hand, despite the streaming blood. I have saved one shot for you
all this day. Here take it. And he fitted the same arrow which

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had wounded him upon the string ofhis bow and let it fly toward the
Sheriff's head. The sheriff fell forwardupon his horse in mortal terror, but
not so quickly as to escape unhurt. The sharp point laid a bare,
deep gash upon his scalp and mustcertainly have killed him if it had come
closer. The fall of the sheriffdiscomfited his followers for the moment, and

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Robin's men took this chance to speedon up the hill. The palmer had
whipped out a small white handkerchief andtried to staunch Robin's wound as they went.
At sight of the palmer's hand,Robin turned with a start and pushed
back the other's hood. Marian,he exclaimed, you here, it was
indeed made Marian, who had helpedsave Will and been in the stress of

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battle from the first. Now shehung her head as though caught in wrong.
I had to come, Robin,she said simply, and I knew
you would not let me come else. Their further talk was interrupted by an
exclamation from Will, scarlet by thesaints. We are trapped, he said,
and pointed to the top of thehill toward which they were pressing.
There, from out a gray castlepoured a troop of men armed with pikes

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and axes, who shouted and camerunning down upon them. At the same
instant, the sheriff's men also renewedthe pursuit. Alas cried poor Marian,
we are undone. There is noway of escape. Courage, dear heart,
said Robin, drawing her close tohim, But his own spirit sank
as he looked about for some outlet. Then, oh, joyful sight,

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he recognized among the foremost of thosecoming from the castle that once doleful knight,
Sir Richard of the Lea. Hewas smiling now and greatly excited.
A hood, a hood. Hecried, a rescue, a rescue.
Never were there more welcome sights andsounds than these. With a great cheer,
the outlaws raced up the hill tomeet their new friends, and soon

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the whole force had gained the shelterof the castle. Bang went the bridge
as it swung back with great clankingof chains. Clash went one great door
upon the other, as they shutin the outlaw band and shut out the
sheriff, who dashed up at thehead of his men, his bandaged face
streaked with blood and inflamed with rage. So ends Chapter twenty