Stairs in the Keep of Conisbrough Castle near Doncaster, Yorkshire. © Richard Croft, Geograph. Licence: CC-BY-SA 2.0.
Part 1 of 3
IT was Robin Hood’s custom to waylay a knight on the road, and invite him to dinner. As they finished their wine, Robin would ask his guest how much money he was carrying, and if he perjured himself, a scandalised Robin confiscated it.
One such guest said he had just ten shillings which, after a thorough search by Little John, turned out to be true. The knight, whose name was Sir Richard of the Lee, explained that his son had killed someone, and that, to pay compensation to the family, he had borrowed four hundred pounds from the Abbot of St Mary’s Abbey. Now he was broke, the deadline was midnight, and in a few hours his castle and lands would be forfeit.
Robin at once sent Little John to his coffers, and handed the astonished knight four hundred pounds. Our Lady, Robin assured him, would see the loan repaid. And so, with minutes to spare, the knight redeemed his lands and castle from a bitterly disappointed Abbot.
Précis
Robin Hood found that the knight whom he expected to pay for his dinner could not afford to, because his castle and lands were being held by St Mary’s Abbey, as security for a debt incurred on his son’s behalf. Robin immediately offered to loan him the money to redeem his property, and the grateful knight accepted. (57 / 60 words)
Part Two
The ruins of St Mary’s Abbey near York.
NOT long after a grateful Sir Richard had redeemed his castle and lands with Robin’s money, the outlaw ‘invited’ another guest to dine with him, on his customary terms. By coincidence, he was the cellarer at St Mary’s Abbey.
The cautious monk admitted to having twenty marks, and like Sir Richard, was promised anything more he needed if that really was all he had. So as usual, Little John rifled through the monk’s bags, and discovered that the monk had told the truth, in a way. He did have twenty marks. But he also had another eight hundred pounds.
Robin, deeply shocked, confiscated the money as a lesson in honesty. And indeed it is hard to feel much sympathy for the monk. That eight hundred pounds was on its way to London, as a bribe to persuade a judge to award Sir Richard’s castle and estates to the grasping Abbot, even though his loan had already been repaid to the last penny.
Approximately thirteen pounds, or about £10,000 today. The larger sum carried by the monk would be equivalent to over £600,000 now. See Measuring Worth.
Précis
Robin Hood challenged a monk to tell him honestly how much money the monk was carrying. When the monk lied, Robin felt entitled to take the difference. As it turned out, the money was to have been a bribe, to defraud a knight of his castle and lands, so Robin felt doubly justified. (53 / 60 words)
Part Three
A mannequin in Warwick Castle showing a knight on horseback, in full armour. © Jitka Erbenová, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC-BY-SA 2.0.
AT last, deadline day for repaying Robin’s generous loan came round. Sir Richard set off with a hundred men, carrying the gold and, as an extra thank-you, a hundred Welsh longbows.
However, they found their way over a bridge barred by an angry crowd. It seemed a young man from a distant village had unexpectedly won a wrestling match, and the locals were refusing to pay up. Sir Richard and his well-armed bodyguard sorted it out, but it took time, and when he finally reached Barnsdale Robin was waxing impatient.
But when the outlaw heard what the knight had done for the young man, he waved away Sir Richard’s apologies, and his money. After all, he said, Our Lady had kindly sent a monk from her Abbey, and repaid him twice over already.
Indeed, he gave Sir Richard another four hundred pounds, to buy himself a new horse and a suit of armour.
And they say there’s no honour among thieves!
Précis
A knight who had borrowed money from Robin went to pay back his loan. On the way, he saved a young man from being killed by a mob. Robin was so impressed, that he forgave the knight his debt, and even gave him a handsome present. (46 / 60 words)
