Page:Life and adventures of Robin Hood.pdf/8

 8.

daring, and resolute temper; and being endowed with a great deal of love and charity for the poor, insomuch that he would relieve any poor families in distress, was, on the contrary, a mortal enemy to misers and the engrossers of corn: for he would often take from these to relieve the necessitous. One time being at Wantage, a great market for corn, he happened to fall into a person's company at an inn there, whom he knew to be a great engrosser of corn, and who had bought as much corn in the market as cost fourseore marks, which Robin bought of him again, and paid him one hundred marks ready money for it.

The corn he sent immediately to be distributed among the poor of the country. Robin understanding which way his corn merehant went, was soon at his lieels, and demanded his money again, and what he had besides. The countryman was in great surprise, shaking and trembling very much, asking him whether he thought it was justice to take from him his money and his gools too? Says Robin, "Why, have not I, you villain, paid you for your corn honestly, and can you assume the impudenee to talk of justice when there is none in the world acts more unjustly than an engrosser of corn? Sirrah, there is no vermin in the land like you, who slander both heaven and earth with pretended dearths, when there is no scarcity at all; so talk no more of your justice and honesty, but immediately deliver your money, or I shall crack vour crown for you." Upon which he delivered him a bag, in which Robin found his own money, and as much more; so away he went with a great deal of satisfaction.

One fine summer day, when the merry bowmen were enjoying their sports, and trying each other's prowess, Robin, clated with his own superiority, said, "My friends, do you know any man that can match me at wrestling, playing the quarter-staff, or killing a deer?" Will Scarlet, who bore Robin a kind of grudge, replied, "I have heard of a friar in Fountain Abbey, who will draw a bow, wrestle, or handle a quarter-staff, with any man alive." "Say you so," said Robin, "I shall soon have proof of that;" and taking his bow and quarter-staff with him, went to the neighbourhood of the Abbey, where he saw a tall brawny friar walking by the river-side, and instantly knew him to be the man he wanted. Robin tied his horse to a tree, and coming up to the friar, said, "Carry me over this river, thou brawny friar, or I will crack thy crown." The friar returned no answer, but immediately took Robin upon his back, and carried him to the other side without speaking a single word. Robin leaped of the triar's back and pretended to be going away; but the