Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 98 — page 5: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

ee _ — — —— 2 ——EEE But now the heralds sounded their trumpets thrice, and the two parties of knights withdrew to the opposite ends of the lists, while the mar- shal shouted with a loud voice: “Fight well, gallant knights, for ladies’ eyes behold your deeds! Let them go!” Then the trumpets sounded once more, and the red and blue parties of knights galloped to meet each other, coming together in a cloud of dust, with a loud clang of weapons, in the mid- dle of the field. Then was there brave splintering of lances in the lists of Loxley. Prince John overthrew his opponent Clifford, but several of his own party were unhorsed, and a wild, confused melée, resembling an actual battle, raged in the midst of the inclosure for some minutes, The yeomen round the lists stood up and shouted, while all the people joined in the acclamations, as the fight swayed to and fro, till the Prince’s party, composed of the best knights, forced the others back to the edge of the lists, and the marshal rode in and sounded his trumpet, de- claring with a loud voice that the victory belonged to ‘Prince John of Normandy and Acquitaine, Lord Regent of England.” Again the people cheered, but faintly, for the prin’e was no favorite; and Much the Miller observed: _ “By my faith twas no joust atall, but a mere juggier’s play. The prince is a poor lence at est, but yon Clifford is a time-serving caitiff, that lets himself be beaten.” He spoke loud enough to be heard by all, and right before him sat one of the marshals of the lists, who turne angrily round, raising his lance in air. “How now, malapert knaye!” he cried, wheel- ing his horse to run at the yeoman; ‘ wouldst revile the Lord Rewent!” Hatl Much the Miller been alone that day he might have fared ill; but as it was, his fellows, prompt to resent any insult from a Norman ord, if they could with safety, and confiding in their numbers, jumped up with one accord, and began to bend their great bows. The marshal shook his lance in the air and scolded vigorous- ly, but evidently did not care to provoke closer acquaintance with those long arrows, for he did not attempt to spear the miller; and the latter did not see fit to make any further remarks. _ Then, just as the sudden disturbance was pass- ing into quietude, a loud bugle-blast reimt the air outside the lists, and into the field rode a tall knight ona mighty dapple-gray steed, followed by a squire on a black horse, and preceded by a herald, All three of the party wore green surcoats, and the knight’s armor was of plain blue steel, while he bore a silver moon and stars in the middie of his shield, with the motto ‘‘I fly by night.” A hush of expectation succeeded the buzz of excitement which had attended the sudden and inglorious close of the tourney. Then Little John shouted exultantly: ** Now shall we have a real joust, merry men! Yon champion will not be denied.” In another moment the green herald sounded his trumpet, and shouted with a loud voice: ‘Mere stands the good knight, Sir Robin o’ the Hood, defying all here to battle, one after the other.” ‘¢ Sir Robin o’ the Hood! who be that?” growl- ed Clym o’ the Clough. ‘‘ Well, the fiend take the luck, I care not, so he fight well.” The surcoat of the strange knight, made of green velvet and bordered with ermine, was ornainented with a hood shat fell down its wearer’s back and gave him his name for the nonce, default of a better, for his face was con- cealed by the visor of his helmet. he sound of this bold defiance was succeeded by a hush of expectation, for the people knew that in the custom of the day the challenge could not be declined. Then Prince John’s herald rode out to reply and announced that his master would accept the challenge, when he had rested and taken a fresh horse and lance. The green stranger bowed his head and rode off to the other extremity of the lists. passing as he did so under the throne of the Queen of Love and Beauty. He made a dead halt here, and lowered his lance to the earth in salutation, when Marian, whose’ color had been rising ever since his first appearance in the lists, rose suddenly and im- petuously to her feet, and cast her bouquet of flowers tothe strange knight, a gift which Sir grace, and acknowledged by a still deeper salu- tation, Tite ladies’ gallery was all ina flutter of ex- re ee _ a — kobin Hood. ; a —— ee o citement instantly at this unprecedented act of | Castile wefe coming up to avenge the sudden as- the Lady Marian. ‘*Marry, is the gir! mad?’ indignantly ex- claimed the Dowager Lady Fitz Walter, her aunt, as she turned her angry face on her imprudent relative. ‘‘ Know ye not that the crown is only given to the victor, after the battle is over?’ ‘Tis over already, fair aunt,” returned Ma- rian, aapyan = ‘*"Pwill be no fi rhting after this, for yonder knight of the green hood will stretch these puny gallants on the plain like corn in a storm.” ‘* Fie on thee, minion, to say it,” retorted the old lady. ‘‘ How know’st thou yon knight with- his visor down? This is not maidenly.” ‘Said I that [I knew him?’ asked Marian, mockingly. ‘* lt needs no skill in arms to know that yonder is the prettiest man in the lists. Look at his shoulders and the way he clasps his horse. He will win, of a surety.’ While this angry colloquy disturbed the ladies’ gallery, Sir Robin o’ the Hood tranquilly pursued his way to the end of the lists, and wheeling his horse, sat like a statue, lance erect, watching for Prince John. The Lord Regent did not seem anxious to be- gin the fray, though for the honor of his knight- hood he could not decline the contest. He drank off three cups of wine to raise his courage, chose a fresh horse and looked to every partof its har- ness himself with the most assiduous care, be- fore he could be induced to take a lance and mount, Then atlast he was ready, and the trumpets sounded for the onset. Sir Robin o the Hood came on like a thunder- bolt, his dapple gray steed leaping as if it meant to throw its rider in its tremendous energy. He met the prince in full career and caught him full in the midst of the shield before the waver- ing lance of the Lord Regent had touched him, hurling Jobn from his saddle over his horse’s tail, and sending him rolling over and over in the dust, till he lay still and senseless. Then arose a tremendous shout of joy from all the common people in the lists, in the midst of which a burly figure, dressed in the robes of a bishop, arose in the midst of the benches re- served for the nobility, and cried out: “Tis the outlawed Earl of Huntington, and he hath slain the prince! Up, my lords, and seize the traitor!” Instantly everything was incommotion, The Norman lords, by no means displeased to have an opportunity to avenge the defeat of one of their own number, rose up and shouted to their retainers to ‘‘seize the outlaw.” The news spread like wildfire throughout the lists, and then came the counter-feeling for the earl, who sat on his horse in the middle of the lists, looking coolly round him, defiant of the clamor. ‘‘Help the people’s friend! Bows and bills! Bows and bills!” shouted Much the Miller, leap- ing into the lists, followed by his triends; and instantly the old English arming cry, ‘‘ Bows and bills!” echoed from every quarter of the lists, as a hundred stout fellows came leaping down and ran to surround the peopie’s idol. “Plantagenet! Plantagenet! Down with the outlaw!” shouted the Norman retainers, brand- ishing swords but hesitating to advance, **Robin Hood! Robin Hood!” shouted the yeomen in answer, and forthwith they sent a volley of long arrows flying at their enémies. The battle of noble and peasant was begun. CHAPTER V. THE ESCAPE, THE outlawed Earl of Huntington had earned the name which he ever after bears in English annals, for the ery of ‘‘ Robin Hood” seemed to spread like wildfire, and the people roared it aloud as they advanced on the Norman nobles, the yeomen sending their long arrows whistling into the midst of the retainers, till the latter broke and fled in confusion, following their masters, scrambling over benches and palings to escape. But this did not last long, for the yeomen though all big lusty fellows, full of brawn and sinew, were only about a hundred strong, and the crowd of Norman retainers and sturdy townsmen of Nottingham was several thousand in number. Therefore, although they quickly cleared the benches of the nobles and the lists | themselves of enemies, they could not and a a ; x ; 2 SUU whici huge crowd of armed men from gathering in | Robin o’ the Hood caught with distinguished their rear, till one or two crossbow belts began to whistle among them, while the thundering of | 77 horse over the meadows announced that all the men-at-arms of the Prince’s train and Loxley sault. The outlawed earl, who had been directing the battle of his volunteer allies, turned his horse to meet the new danger, and observed: “Merry men all, we must to the greenwood, Who will follow the outlaw Robin Hood and share his fate.” ‘That will we all, master,” shouted Little John, enthusiastically. ‘To the greenwood, the greenwood, the merry greenwood!” The ery was echoed by all there, and forth- with the whole body of outlaws broke from the lists, led by Robin Hood on horseback, followed by his squire, who was none other than Scathe- lock, and by the unknown herald in green, a young man of slender figure who bore no wea- ons, but carried a lute at his back, proclaiming im a minstrel, No sooner did the crowd observe their retreat than a great yell was set up, and the townsmen began to run in pursuit, making a tremendous noise, but taking care to keep out of bowshot, The men-at-arms, hardy, resolute mercenaries confiding in their armor and led by several Norman knights, while the angry bishop of Hereford exhorted them from his mule to fight valiantly for the king and mother church, were not so timid. As soon as the outlaws were fairly in the broad meadows that lay between the Trent and the forest of Sherwood, the horse- men started after them on a trot. The little body of yeomen ran on toward the woods, but would scon have been overtaken by the horsemen, had not a broad hedge and ditch offered them a means of refuge. Robin and his mounted followers scrambled through a gap in the hedge, but the yeomen halted on the further side and began to draw out their arrows 4s the men-at-arms came heedlessly on. Presently the horsemen arrived at the unex- pected obstacle and fell into confusion. Some halted in front of the ditch, others swerved away, While others again rode boldly in and tried to scramble through the gap. T fate awaited all, for they were unable to cross anywhere, while the archers, perfectly secure from harm, plied them with arrows from their great bows, transfixing man and horse, the shafts going through common chain armor almost as if it had been paper. It was one of those occasions when the English archery of old times was shown at its best and perfectly triumphant, for all the obstinacy of the men-at- arms could not protect taem from those terrible arrows; and, after a short essay of useless slaughter, they broke in dire confusion and fled, leaving the ditch full of bodies. Thenceforth Robia Hood and his men were not molested in their retreat, and ere another hour had passed they were safe from pursuit in the depths of the forest of Sherwood, Meanwhile, we must return to the lists, where. Prince Jobn had been lying senseless ever gince his defeat by Robin Hood. The battle with the Norman retainers raged above his body, As the stout yeomen tramped over him, only the excellence of his cuirass of Milan steel saved him from being crushed to death like a common man, When the outlaws fled from the lists, John turned over groaning, and tried to rise, and was soon assisted to his feet by the meee townsmen who rushed his elp. Trey carried him off the field when he was unarmed and taken to Loxley Castle. A few : ; he same. - hours later, comfortable in body but ere Jak iL — ly angry aud mortified in mind, the prince on his couch and sent for the Bishop of Here- ford and the Sheriff of Nottingham. , The portly bishop soon made his appearance in the prince’s chamber, full of sympathy and con- dolence, but he was cut short at once by the ex- asperated prince who angrily exclaimed: ‘So, my lord bishop, all the honors L have heaped on thee and Warman have not rid me of this outlawed caitiff. Where is the sheriff_ that was to have killed him? Where is he, I say?” . if Sir Roger Warman hath not returned, my great liege,” answered the bishop, with a low reverence. ‘‘ Please your grace, I feel confident that all these little trials are as nothing now. The caitiff earl hath fled to the forest, and hence- forth we can hunt him as men hunt a wolt. must be taken.” ‘‘He shall be taken, if it cost half the king- dom,” said John, with a savage grinding’ of his teeth:. ‘*’Fore Mary! my lord bishop, bad I known ’twere he, I would never have ventured the eood body of Plantagenet against his oubl- lawed carcass. Heshould have been seized then, 1b Genounce bim sooner ?”’ liege, 1 could not bi i +, ’ es uj i yA iJ te =P ‘% BRAY BASU 1 ' = ~ rtoin tilt \ | | Gomicbooks . He » (E(0) ' ‘