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20 - Robin Hood by J Walker McSpadden · Robin Hood

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: How Will Stuteley was rescued fourth of the greenwood. Are
• 0:05
  Speaker 1: they gone, yea, all courageously resolving to bring Stuteley home
• 0:11
  Speaker 1: for every man to die. The next day dawned bright
• 0:14
  Speaker 1: and sunny. The whole face of nature seemed gay, as
• 0:18
  Speaker 1: if in despite of the tragedy which was soon to
• 0:20
  Speaker 1: take place in the walls of Nottingham Town. The gates
• 0:24
  Speaker 1: were not opened upon this day, for the sheriff was
• 0:26
  Speaker 1: determined to carry through the hanging of Will Stuteley undisturbed.
• 0:31
  Speaker 1: No man therefore was to be allowed entrance from without
• 0:34
  Speaker 1: all that morning and until after the fatal hour of noon,
• 0:38
  Speaker 1: when Will's soul was to be launched into eternity. Early
• 0:41
  Speaker 1: in the day, Robin had drawn his men to a
• 0:44
  Speaker 1: point as near as he dared in the wood, where
• 0:47
  Speaker 1: he could watch the road leading to the east gate.
• 0:50
  Speaker 1: He himself was clad in a bright scarlet dress, while
• 0:53
  Speaker 1: his men, a goodly array, wore their suits of sober
• 0:56
  Speaker 1: Lincoln green. They were armed with broadswords, and each each
• 1:00
  Speaker 1: man carried his bow in a full quiver of new arrows,
• 1:03
  Speaker 1: straightened and sharpened cunningly by middle of the tinker, over
• 1:07
  Speaker 1: their greenwood dress. Each man had thrown a rough mantle,
• 1:10
  Speaker 1: making him look not unlike a friar. I hold it good, comrades,
• 1:14
  Speaker 1: then said Robin Hood, to tarry here in hiding for
• 1:17
  Speaker 1: a season, while we sent some one forth to obtain tidings,
• 1:21
  Speaker 1: For in sooth twill work no good to march upon
• 1:24
  Speaker 1: the gates if they be closed. Look, master, quoth one
• 1:27
  Speaker 1: of the widow's sons, there comes a palmer along the
• 1:30
  Speaker 1: road from the town. Be like he can tell us
• 1:33
  Speaker 1: how the land ties? And if Stuteley be really in jeopardy,
• 1:37
  Speaker 1: shall I go out and engage him in speech? Go,
• 1:40
  Speaker 1: answered Robin, so stout will went out from the band,
• 1:43
  Speaker 1: while the others hid themselves and waited. When he had
• 1:46
  Speaker 1: come closer to the palmer, who seemed a slight youngish fellow,
• 1:49
  Speaker 1: he doffed his hat full courteously and said, I crave
• 1:53
  Speaker 1: your pardon, holy man, but can you tell me tidings
• 1:56
  Speaker 1: of Nottingham town? Do they intend to put an outlaw
• 1:59
  Speaker 1: to death this day? Yea, answered the palmer. Sadly, tis
• 2:04
  Speaker 1: true enough, Sorry, be the day I have passed the
• 2:07
  Speaker 1: very spot where the gallows tree is going up tis
• 2:10
  Speaker 1: out upon the roadway near the Sheriff's castle, one Will
• 2:14
  Speaker 1: Stuteley is to be hung thereon at noon, and I
• 2:17
  Speaker 1: could not bear the sight, so came away. The palmer
• 2:20
  Speaker 1: spoke in a muffled voice, and as his hood was
• 2:23
  Speaker 1: pulled well over his head, stout Will could not discern
• 2:26
  Speaker 1: what manner of man he was. Over his shoulder. He
• 2:29
  Speaker 1: carried a long staff with the fashion of a little
• 2:32
  Speaker 1: cross at one end, and he had sandled feet like
• 2:35
  Speaker 1: any monk. Stout Will noticed idly that the feet were
• 2:39
  Speaker 1: very small and white, but gave no second thought to
• 2:42
  Speaker 1: the matter. Who will shrive the poor wretch if you
• 2:44
  Speaker 1: have come away from him? He asked reproachfully. The question
• 2:48
  Speaker 1: seemed to put a new idea into the palmer's head.
• 2:51
  Speaker 1: He turned so quickly that he almost dropped his hood.
• 2:55
  Speaker 1: Do you think I should undertake this holy office by
• 2:58
  Speaker 1: Saint Peter and the blessed verse? Urgon? I do? Indeed? Else?
• 3:02
  Speaker 1: Who will do it? The Bishop and all his whining
• 3:04
  Speaker 1: clerks may be there, but not one would say a
• 3:07
  Speaker 1: prayer for his soul. But I am only a poor palmer.
• 3:10
  Speaker 1: The other began hesitatingly, Nay, the less your prayers are
• 3:14
  Speaker 1: as good as any, and better than some replied, will
• 3:17
  Speaker 1: right gladly. Will I go, then said the palmer, But
• 3:20
  Speaker 1: I fear me I cannot get into the city. You
• 3:23
  Speaker 1: may know that the gates are fast locked for this
• 3:26
  Speaker 1: morning to all who would come in, although they let
• 3:29
  Speaker 1: any pass out. Who will come with me, said Stout
• 3:33
  Speaker 1: Will and my master will see that you pass through
• 3:35
  Speaker 1: the gates. So the palmer pulled his cloak still closer
• 3:38
  Speaker 1: about him, and was brought before Robin Hood, to whom
• 3:41
  Speaker 1: he told all he knew of the situation. He ended with,
• 3:46
  Speaker 1: if I may make so bold, I would not try
• 3:48
  Speaker 1: to enter the city from this gate, as tis closely
• 3:51
  Speaker 1: guarded since yesterday. But on the far side no attack
• 3:55
  Speaker 1: is looked for. My thanks, gentle Palmer, quoth Robin. Your
• 3:59
  Speaker 1: suggestion is good, and we will deploy to the gate
• 4:02
  Speaker 1: upon the far side. So the men marched silently but quickly,
• 4:06
  Speaker 1: until they were near to the western gate. Then Arthur
• 4:09
  Speaker 1: a Bland asked leave to go ahead as a scout,
• 4:12
  Speaker 1: and quietly made his way to a point under the
• 4:14
  Speaker 1: tower by the gate. The moat was dry on this side,
• 4:18
  Speaker 1: as these were times of peace, and Arthur was further
• 4:21
  Speaker 1: favored by a stout ivy vine which grew out from
• 4:24
  Speaker 1: an upper window. Swinging himself up boldly by means of
• 4:28
  Speaker 1: this friendly vine, he crept through the window, and in
• 4:31
  Speaker 1: a moment more had sprung upon the warder from behind,
• 4:34
  Speaker 1: and grabbed him hard about the throat. The warder had
• 4:37
  Speaker 1: no chance to utter the slightest sound, and soon lay
• 4:40
  Speaker 1: bound and gagged upon the floor, while Arthur A. Bland
• 4:43
  Speaker 1: slipped himself into his uniform and got hold of his keys.
• 4:48
  Speaker 1: Twas the work of but a few moments more to
• 4:50
  Speaker 1: open the gates, let down the bridge, and admit the
• 4:52
  Speaker 1: rest of the band, and they got inside the town
• 4:55
  Speaker 1: so quietly that none knew of their coming. Fortune also
• 4:59
  Speaker 1: favored them in the fact that just at this moment
• 5:02
  Speaker 1: the prison doors had been opened for the march of
• 5:04
  Speaker 1: the condemned Man, and every soldier and idle lout in
• 5:07
  Speaker 1: the market place had trooped thither to see him pass along.
• 5:12
  Speaker 1: Presently out came will Stuteley, with firm step but dejected air.
• 5:16
  Speaker 1: He looked eagerly to the right hand and to the left,
• 5:19
  Speaker 1: but saw none of the band, And though more than
• 5:22
  Speaker 1: one curious face betrayed friendship in it, he knew there
• 5:25
  Speaker 1: could be no aid from such source. Will's hands were
• 5:29
  Speaker 1: tied behind his back. He marched between rows of soldiery,
• 5:32
  Speaker 1: and the sheriff and the Bishop brought up the rear
• 5:35
  Speaker 1: on horses, looking mightily puffed up and important. Over the
• 5:39
  Speaker 1: whole proceeding he would show these sturdy rebels, would the sheriff,
• 5:43
  Speaker 1: whose word was law? He knew that the gates were
• 5:46
  Speaker 1: tightly fastened, and further he believed that the outlaws would
• 5:49
  Speaker 1: hardly venture again within the walls even if the gates
• 5:52
  Speaker 1: were open. And as he looked around at the five
• 5:55
  Speaker 1: score archers and pikemen who lined the way to the gallows,
• 5:58
  Speaker 1: he smiled with grim satisfaction. Seeing that no help was nigh,
• 6:02
  Speaker 1: the prisoner paused at the foot of the scaffold and
• 6:05
  Speaker 1: spoke in a firm tone to the sheriff. My Lord Sheriff,
• 6:09
  Speaker 1: quoth he, since I must needs die, grant me one
• 6:12
  Speaker 1: boon for my noble master. Ne'er yet had a man
• 6:15
  Speaker 1: that was hanged on a tree. Give me a sword
• 6:18
  Speaker 1: all in my hand, and let me be unbound. And
• 6:21
  Speaker 1: with thee and thy men, will I fight till I
• 6:24
  Speaker 1: lie dead on the ground. But the Sheriff would by
• 6:27
  Speaker 1: no means listen to his request, but swore that he
• 6:30
  Speaker 1: should be hanged a shameful death, and not die by
• 6:33
  Speaker 1: the sword. Valiantly, O, no, no, no, the sheriff said,
• 6:37
  Speaker 1: thou shalt on the gallows die aye, and so shall
• 6:40
  Speaker 1: thy master too, if ever it in me lie, O
• 6:44
  Speaker 1: dastard coward, Stutley cried, faint hearted peasant slave. If ever
• 6:48
  Speaker 1: my master do thee meet, thou shalt thy payment, have
• 6:52
  Speaker 1: my noble master, thee dost gorn, and all thy cowardly crew,
• 6:57
  Speaker 1: such silly imps unable are bold Robin to subdue This
• 7:01
  Speaker 1: brave speech was not calculated to soothe the sheriff to
• 7:05
  Speaker 1: the gallows with him. He roared, giving a sign to
• 7:08
  Speaker 1: the hangman, and Stuteley was pushed into the rude cart,
• 7:11
  Speaker 1: which was to bear him under the gallows until his
• 7:14
  Speaker 1: neck was leashed. Then the cart would be drawn roughly away,
• 7:17
  Speaker 1: and the unhappy man would swing out over the tail
• 7:20
  Speaker 1: of it into another world. But at this moment came
• 7:23
  Speaker 1: a slight interruption. A boyish looking palmer stepped forward and said,
• 7:28
  Speaker 1: your excellency, let me at least strive this poor wretch's soul.
• 7:32
  Speaker 1: Ere it be hurled into eternity. No shouted the sheriff.
• 7:37
  Speaker 1: Let him die a dog's death. Then this damn nation
• 7:40
  Speaker 1: will rest upon you, said the monk firmly, You, my
• 7:43
  Speaker 1: lord Bishop, cannot stand by and see this wrong done.
• 7:47
  Speaker 1: The Bishop hesitated, like the sheriff. He wanted no delay,
• 7:51
  Speaker 1: but the people were beginning to mutter among themselves and
• 7:54
  Speaker 1: move about uneasily. He said a few words to the sheriff,
• 7:58
  Speaker 1: and the latter nodded to the monk. U greataciously perform
• 8:01
  Speaker 1: your duty, sir priest, quoth he, and be quick about it. Then,
• 8:05
  Speaker 1: turning to his soldiers, watch this palmer narrowly, he commanded, belike,
• 8:10
  Speaker 1: he is in league with those rascally outlaws. But the
• 8:13
  Speaker 1: palmer paid no heed to his last words. He began
• 8:16
  Speaker 1: to tell his beads quickly, and to speak in a
• 8:19
  Speaker 1: low voice to the condemned man, but he did not
• 8:22
  Speaker 1: touch his bonds. Then came another stir in the crowd,
• 8:25
  Speaker 1: and one came pushing through the press of people and
• 8:28
  Speaker 1: soldiery to come nearer to the scaffold. I pray you
• 8:31
  Speaker 1: will before you die, take leave of all your friends,
• 8:35
  Speaker 1: cried out the well known voice of much the Miller's son.
• 8:38
  Speaker 1: At the word, the palmer stepped back suddenly and looked
• 8:41
  Speaker 1: to one side. The sheriff also knew the speaker seize him.
• 8:45
  Speaker 1: He shouted, tis another of the crew. He is the
• 8:48
  Speaker 1: villain Cook who once did rob me of my silver plate.
• 8:51
  Speaker 1: We'll make a double hanging of this. Not so fast,
• 8:55
  Speaker 1: good master, Sheriff retorted, much, first catch your man and
• 8:59
  Speaker 1: then hang him. But meanwhile, I would like to borrow
• 9:01
  Speaker 1: my friend of you a while, And with one stroke
• 9:04
  Speaker 1: of his keen hunting knife, he cut the bonds which
• 9:07
  Speaker 1: fastened the prisoner's arms, and Stuteley leaped lightly from the cart.
• 9:10
  Speaker 1: Treason screamed the sheriff, getting black with rage, catch the
• 9:14
  Speaker 1: varlets so saying, he spurred his horse fiercely forward, and,
• 9:19
  Speaker 1: rising in his stirrups, brought down his sword with might
• 9:22
  Speaker 1: and maine at much as head. But his former cook
• 9:25
  Speaker 1: dodged nimbly underneath the horse and came up on the
• 9:27
  Speaker 1: other side, while the weapon whistled harmlessly in the air. Nay, Sir, Sheriff,
• 9:32
  Speaker 1: he cried, I must even borrow your sword for the
• 9:35
  Speaker 1: friend I have borrowed. Thereupon he snatched the weapon deftly
• 9:38
  Speaker 1: from the Sheriff's hand. Here, Stuteley said he the sheriff
• 9:42
  Speaker 1: has lent you his own sword back to back with me, man,
• 9:45
  Speaker 1: and will teach these knaves a trick or two. Meanwhile,
• 9:49
  Speaker 1: the soldiers had recovered from their momentary surprise and had
• 9:52
  Speaker 1: flung themselves into the fray. A clear bugle note had
• 9:55
  Speaker 1: also sounded. The same which the soldiers had learned to dread,
• 10:00
  Speaker 1: was the rallying note of the greenwood men. Cloth Yard
• 10:03
  Speaker 1: shafts began to hurtle through the air, and Robin and
• 10:06
  Speaker 1: his men cast aside their cloaks and sprang forward, crying, locksley, Locksley,
• 10:11
  Speaker 1: A rescue, A rescue on the instant. A terrible scene
• 10:15
  Speaker 1: of hand to hand fighting followed. The Sheriff's men, though
• 10:18
  Speaker 1: once more taken by surprise, were determined to sell this
• 10:21
  Speaker 1: rescue dearly. They packed in closely and stubbornly about the
• 10:25
  Speaker 1: condemned man and much and the palmer, and it was
• 10:28
  Speaker 1: only by desperate rushes that the foresters made an opening
• 10:31
  Speaker 1: in the square. Ugly cuts and bruises were exchanged freely,
• 10:35
  Speaker 1: and lucky was the man who escaped with only these.
• 10:38
  Speaker 1: Many of the onlookers who had long hated the sheriff
• 10:41
  Speaker 1: and felt sympathy for Robin's men also plunged into the conflict,
• 10:45
  Speaker 1: although they could not well keep out of it in
• 10:48
  Speaker 1: sooth and aided the rescuers no little. At last, with
• 10:52
  Speaker 1: a mighty onrush, Robin cleaved away through the press to
• 10:55
  Speaker 1: the scaffold itself, and not a second too soon, for
• 10:58
  Speaker 1: two men with pikes had leap upon the cart and
• 11:01
  Speaker 1: were in the act of thrusting down upon the Palmer
• 11:03
  Speaker 1: and will Stuteley. A mighty upward blow from Robin's good
• 11:07
  Speaker 1: blade sent the pike flying from the hand of one,
• 11:10
  Speaker 1: while a well directed arrow from the outskirt pierced the
• 11:13
  Speaker 1: other fellow's throat. God save you, master, cried will Stuteley joyfully.
• 11:18
  Speaker 1: I had begun to fear that I would never see
• 11:20
  Speaker 1: your face again. A rescue shouted the outlaws afresh, and
• 11:24
  Speaker 1: the soldiery became faint hearted and began to give back.
• 11:27
  Speaker 1: But the field was not yet won, for they retreated
• 11:30
  Speaker 1: in close order toward the east gate, resolved to hem
• 11:33
  Speaker 1: the attackers within the city walls. Here again, however, they
• 11:37
  Speaker 1: were in error, since the outlaws did not go out
• 11:40
  Speaker 1: by their nearest gate. They made a sally in that
• 11:43
  Speaker 1: direction in order to mislead the soldiery then abruptly turned
• 11:47
  Speaker 1: and headed for the west gate, which was still guarded
• 11:49
  Speaker 1: by Arthur a Bland. The Sheriff's men raised an exultant
• 11:53
  Speaker 1: shout at this, Thinking that they had the enemy trapped down,
• 11:57
  Speaker 1: they charged after them, but the outlaws made good their
• 11:59
  Speaker 1: leave and soon got through the gate and over the bridge,
• 12:02
  Speaker 1: which had been let down by Arthur a Bland. Close
• 12:05
  Speaker 1: upon their heels came the soldiers, so close that Arthur
• 12:09
  Speaker 1: had no time to close the gate again or raise
• 12:11
  Speaker 1: the bridge, so he threw away his key and fell
• 12:14
  Speaker 1: in with the yeoman, who now began their retreat up
• 12:17
  Speaker 1: the long hill to the woods. On this side the town.
• 12:20
  Speaker 1: The road leading to the forest was long and almost unprotected.
• 12:23
  Speaker 1: The greenwood men were therefore in some distress, for the
• 12:27
  Speaker 1: archers shot at them from loopholes in the walls, and
• 12:29
  Speaker 1: the pipe men were reinforced by a company of mounted
• 12:32
  Speaker 1: men from the castle. But the outlaws retreated stubbornly, and
• 12:36
  Speaker 1: now and again turned to hold their pursuers at bay
• 12:39
  Speaker 1: by a volley of arrows. Stuteley was in their midst
• 12:42
  Speaker 1: fighting with the energy of two and the Little Palmer
• 12:45
  Speaker 1: was there also, but took no part save to keep
• 12:48
  Speaker 1: close to Robin's side and mutter silent words as though
• 12:51
  Speaker 1: in prayer. Robin put his horn to his lips to
• 12:54
  Speaker 1: sound a rally. When a flying arrow from the enemy
• 12:57
  Speaker 1: pierced his hand. The palmer gave a little cry and
• 13:00
  Speaker 1: sprang forward. The sheriff, who followed close with the men
• 13:03
  Speaker 1: on horseback, also saw the wound and gave a great huzzah. Ha.
• 13:08
  Speaker 1: You will shoot no more bows for a season, Master outlaw,
• 13:11
  Speaker 1: he shouted, you lie, retorted Robin, fiercely, wrenching the shaft
• 13:15
  Speaker 1: from his hand, despite the streaming blood. I have saved
• 13:19
  Speaker 1: one shot for you all this day. Here take it.
• 13:22
  Speaker 1: And he fitted the same arrow which had wounded him
• 13:25
  Speaker 1: upon the string of his bow and let it fly
• 13:27
  Speaker 1: toward the sheriff's head. The sheriff fell forward upon his
• 13:31
  Speaker 1: horse in mortal terror, but not so quickly as to
• 13:34
  Speaker 1: escape unhurt. The sharp point laid a bare, deep gash
• 13:38
  Speaker 1: upon his scalp and must certainly have killed him if
• 13:40
  Speaker 1: it had come closer. The fall of the sheriff discomfited
• 13:44
  Speaker 1: his followers for the moment, and Robin's men took this
• 13:47
  Speaker 1: chance to speed on up the hill. The palmer had
• 13:50
  Speaker 1: whipped out a small white handkerchief and tried to staunch
• 13:53
  Speaker 1: Robin's wound as they went. At sight of the palmer's hand,
• 13:57
  Speaker 1: Robin turned with a start and pushed back the other
• 14:00
  Speaker 1: hood Marian, he exclaimed, you here it was indeed made Marian,
• 14:06
  Speaker 1: who had helped save Will and been in the stress
• 14:08
  Speaker 1: of Bottle from the first. Now she hung her head
• 14:11
  Speaker 1: as though caught in wrong. I had to come, Robin,
• 14:14
  Speaker 1: she said simply, and I knew you would not let
• 14:17
  Speaker 1: me come else. Their further talk was interrupted by an
• 14:20
  Speaker 1: exclamation from Will Scarlett. By the saints. We are trapped,
• 14:24
  Speaker 1: he said, and pointed to the top of the hill
• 14:26
  Speaker 1: toward which they were pressing. There, from out a gray
• 14:29
  Speaker 1: castle poured a troop of men armed with pikes and axes,
• 14:33
  Speaker 1: who shouted and came running down upon them. At the
• 14:36
  Speaker 1: same instant the sheriff's men also renewed the pursuit. Alas
• 14:40
  Speaker 1: cried poor Marian, we are undone. There is no way
• 14:44
  Speaker 1: of escape. Courage, dear heart, said Robin, drawing her close
• 14:47
  Speaker 1: to him, But his own spirit sank as he looked
• 14:50
  Speaker 1: about for some outlet. Then, oh, joyful sight, he recognized
• 14:54
  Speaker 1: among the foremost of those coming from the castle that
• 14:57
  Speaker 1: once doleful knight, Sir Richard of. He was smiling now
• 15:02
  Speaker 1: and greatly excited. A hood, a hood. He cried, a rescue,
• 15:06
  Speaker 1: a rescue. Never were there more welcome sights and sounds
• 15:10
  Speaker 1: than these. With a great cheer, the outlaws raced up
• 15:13
  Speaker 1: the hill to meet their new friends, and soon the
• 15:15
  Speaker 1: whole force had gained the shelter of the castle. Bang
• 15:19
  Speaker 1: went the bridge as it swung back with great clanking
• 15:21
  Speaker 1: of chains. Clash went one great door upon the other,
• 15:25
  Speaker 1: as they shut in the outlaw band, and shut out
• 15:28
  Speaker 1: the sheriff, who dashed up at the head of his men,
• 15:31
  Speaker 1: his bandaged face streaked with blood and inflamed with rage.
• 15:35
  Speaker 1: So ends Chapter twenty