Chapter 12
narrator read by christine g robin hood read by max scherlinger little john read by hugh gillis the roll of midge read by sarah holtz will scarlet read by chris marcellus the abbot the sad knight the prior the lord chief justice lady leah christine g robin hood and the sad knight persons in the play robin hood little john midge will scarlet the abbot the knight the prior the lord chief justice the lady scene i in the greenwood robin hood and his men making arrows this feather is too short give me another little john ah this is a better one making arrows is not a simple thing is it my master gregory indeed no if the feathers be too short the arrows will not keep true to their course and if the feathers be too long the arrows will not fly swiftly
if all men knew how to make arrows their skill in shooting would seem greater look to your arrows say i before you shoot gregory we should thank the gray goose for the even growth of her feathers which carries our arrows straight to the mark first the strong bow that bends to our hand then the straight arrow tough and trim and the feathers that wing it to its mark but best of all the steady hand and keen eye that direct our winged shaft but you worked well this morning my men and now we may rest awhile sing us a song will scarlet while we lie beneath the friendly oak sings the hunt is up the hunt is up and it is well-nigh day and harry our king is gone hunting to bring his deer to bay the east is bright with morning light and darkness it is fled and the merry horns wake up the morn to leave his idle bed awake all men i say again be merry as you may
for harry our king is gone hunting to bring the deer to bay this song is well enough in its way but for me i should much prefer a good dinner the morning's work has given me a fine appetite and i long for food it is good to eat but not before we find some rich traveller to pay the bill ride out my man and find us a host willing or unwilling bid him come with right good will my master and may i soon meet with him remember well no farmer shall you bring he works for what he gets and shall live in peace and the laborer who toils for wife and child you must not harm only those who oppress the poor and weak those who are selfish and unkind who play while others weep these shall you bring to me but look my master what sorrowing knight rides there his garments are rich and his horse gaily decked but his countenance is sad and he rides slowly careless of the way
hail gentle knight my master awaits you and fain would have your company at dinner at dinner in the wood who is your master robin hood is he and here he is to bid you welcome welcome sir knight thrice welcome art thou for i have fasted beyond the dinner hour pray you dismount god save you and all your company the dinner is served my master will you join us sir knight here are phaessons and swans and meat of the deer such a good dinner with so many brave men i have not eaten for many a day if i come again to this country i will make thee a good dinner but heaven knows when that will be thanks for your kind offer but in the greenwood our guests must pay for their food a yeoman does not pay for a rich knight sorry am i that you must call me poor i would that i could pay you but in my saddle-bags are no more than ten shillings mrs h'm is that indeed the truth sir knight look carefully little john if the knight speaks truly he shall keep the ten shillings but if not
indeed my master the knight speaks truly for this is all the money i can find sir how come said noble knight that thou art so poor come tell me the story mayhap i can help thee i am sir richard of leia and my ancestors have been knights for a hundred years a year ago i had plenty of money to spend as i would but now i have nothing for my wife and my children who weep for my absence from them but how did you lose all your money perhaps you will think i lost it in a foolish way my son whom i dearly love is a manly youth well can he shoot and joust fairly in the field but once in a quarrel he slew a youth and to save him i pledged all my lands unless i redeem them by all saints day i shall lose them all what is the sum you are bound to pay four hundred pounds the day is near and i have nothing but what canst thou do if thou losest thy land what wilt thou do i will sail far away over the seas i cannot remain in england it is a small sum hast thou no friends to help thee in thy need
many friends had i when i had money and lands now when i need their help they turn away and know me not by my faith gentle knight thou shalt not want for a friend little john go to the chest and count out four hundred pounds shall he not have cloth for a coat gentle master he is thinly clad well said will scarlet go get three measures of every kind that he may be warmly and gaily clad here is the money robin hood and good measure and what will you give little john who are so generous with my money a pair of golden spurs that he may ride fast to his castle and redeem his lands many thanks little john and to you my good friend tell me robin hood when shall i come to return the money you so kindly lend me robin hood this day twelvemonth and a happy year may it be we will meet under this trysting tree till then be merry i shall be with you a year from to-day farewell the abbot the prior
this day a year ago sir richard lee borrowed four hundred pounds from me he promised to pay in a year or lose his land if he does not return to-day the land will be mine the day is now far spent perhaps he will come yet g i'm sure i hope he will not i trust he has left england the land is worth much more than four hundred pounds it were a pity if he did not redeem it thou art ever crossing me speak no more about it where is the lord justice justice here i am i have just come from london to do justice on that night where is he the night has failed to come with the money and this is the day when the land falls to me i dare swear he will not come and thou shalt have his lands i now declare that the knight sir richard leyer has failed to keep his promise and his lands are entering and kneeling before the abbot rejoice with me sir abbot i am come to keep my day what dost thou say hast brought the money to try the abbot not a penny but
what dost thou here without the money to ask your kindness and patience sir abbot for a longer time the day has come thou losest thy land sir knight since thou canst not pay good lord justice help me against my foes i will surely pay but must have more time lord i am sorry for thee sir richard but the law is plain either pay your debt or lose your land sir abbot i pray thee have pity get the land when thou canst thou gettest no pity from me lord by my faith then if i get not my land again thou shalt pay dearly for it get thee gone false knight darest thou threaten me false knight i am not for i have fought well for my king sir abbot the day is not yet gone what wilt thou give the knight to hold his peace a hundred pounds make it two hundred no nor nine hundred ye shall not have my land here sir abbot are the four hundred pounds had you been less covetous i would have given interest
now get you gone all of you and learn to deal more justly and kindly with those in need they go out entering oh my dear husband how glad i am to hear your voice again happy am i to see you and to be home again i must tell you how kind robin hood has been to me robin hood your friend is he not the outlaw of the forest yes but he is kind to all who are unhappy or oppressed he saved me from leaving england and gave me money to redeem my land how i long to thank him for his goodness to you in a year we will go to him and repay the four hundred pounds i shall be glad to see him and his merry men and try to thank them all robin hood and the sad night
