rved there were the three customary Masses to hear, and their leader
gave no sign of being ready for Mass. Robin always heard three Masses
before his dinner, one of the Father, one of the Holy Spirit, and the
last of Our Lady, who was his patron saint and protector. As the three
yeomen were growing hungry, Little John ventured to address him.
"Master, it would do you good if you would dine early to-day, for you
have fasted long." Robin aroused himself and smiled. "Ah, Little John,
methinks care for thine own appetite hath a share in that speech, as
well as care for me. But in sooth I care not to dine alone. I would
have a stranger guest, some abbot or bishop or baron, who would pay us
for our hospitality. I will not dine till a guest be found, and I
leave it to you three to find him." Robin turned away, laughing at the
crestfallen faces of his followers, who had not counted on such a
vague commission; but Little John, quickly recovering himself, called
to him: "Master, tell us, before we leave you, where we shall meet,
and what sort of people we are to capture and bring to you in the
greenwood."

The Outlaws' Rules

"You know that already," said their master. "You are to do no harm to
women, nor to any company in which a woman is travelling; this is in
honour of our dear Lady. You are to be kind and gentle to husbandmen
and toilers of all degrees, to worthy knights and yeomen, to gallant
squires, and to all children and helpless people; but sheriffs
(especially him of Nottingham), bishops, and prelates of all kinds,
and usurers in Church and State, you may regard as your enemies, and
may rob, beat, and despoil in any way. Meet me with your guest at our
great trysting oak in the forest, and be speedy, for dinner must wait
until the visitor has arrived." "Now may God send us a suitable
traveller soon," said Little John, "for I am hungry for dinner now."
"So am I," said each of the others, and Robin laughed again. "Go ye
all three, with bows and arrows in hand, and I will stay alone at the
trysting tree and await your coming. As no man passes this way, you
can walk up to the willow plantation and take your stand on Watling
Street; there you will soon meet with likely travellers, and I will
accept the first who appears. I will find means to have dinner ready
against your return, and we will hope that our visitor's generosity
will compensate us for the trouble of cooking his dinner."

Robin Hood's Guest

The three y