: "If you will not take these I
have no earthly surety to offer; and in Heaven there is only our dear
Lady. I have served her truly, and she has never failed me till now,
when her servant, the abbot, is playing me so cruel a trick." "Do you
give Our Lady as your surety?" said Robin Hood. "I would take her bond
for any sum, for throughout all England you could find no better
surety than our dear Lady, who has always been gracious to me. She is
enough security. Go, Little John, to my treasury and bring me four
hundred pounds, well counted, with no false or clipped coin therein."

Robin Hood's Gifts

Little John, accompanied by Much, the careful treasurer of the band,
went quickly to the secret place where the master-outlaw kept his
gold. Very carefully they counted out the coins, testing each, to see
that it was of full weight and value. Then, on the suggestion of
Little John, they provided the knight with new clothing, even to boots
and spurs, and finally supplied him with two splendid horses, one for
riding and one to carry his baggage and the coffer of gold.

The guest watched all these preparations with bewildered eyes, and
turned to Robin, crying, "Why have you done all this for me, a perfect
stranger?" "You are no stranger, but Our Lady's messenger. She sent
you to me, and Heaven grant you may prove true."

The Bond of Repayment

"God grant it," echoed the knight. "But, Robin, when shall I repay
this loan, and where? Set me a day, and I will keep it." "Here,"
replied the outlaw, "under this greenwood tree, and in a twelvemonth's
time; so will you have time to regain your friends and gather your
rents from your redeemed lands. Now farewell, Sir Knight; and since it
is not meet for a worthy knight to journey unattended, I will lend you
also my comrade, Little John, to be your squire, and to do you yeoman
service, if need be." The knight bade farewell to Robin and his
generous followers, and was turning to ride away, when he suddenly
stopped and addressed the master-outlaw: "In faith, good Robin, I had
forgotten one thing. You know not my name. I am Sir Richard of the
Lea, and my land lies in Uterysdale." "As for that," said Robin Hood,
"I trouble not myself. You are Our Lady's messenger; that is enough
for me." So Sir Richard rode gladly away, blessing the generous outlaw
who lent him money to redeem his land, and a stout yeoman to defend
the loan.

Sir Richard's Journey

As the knight and his new serva