The Capture of the Black Monk

The three outlaws stepped out into the road from the shelter of the wood; they bent their bows and held their arrows on the string, and Little John cried aloud: “Stay, churlish monk, or thou goest to thy death, and it will be on thine own head! Evil on thee for keeping our master fasting so long.” “Who is your master?” asked the bewildered monk; and Little John replied: “Robin Hood.” The monk tossed his head. “He is a foul thief,” cried he, “and will come to a bad end. I have heard no good of him all my days.” So speaking, he tried to ride forward and trample down the three yeomen; but Little John cried: “Thou liest, churlish monk, and thou shalt rue the lie. He is a good yeoman of this forest, and has bidden thee to dine with him this day”; and Much, drawing his bow, shot the monk to the heart, so that he fell to the ground dead. The other black monk was taken, but all his followers fled, except a little page, and a groom who tended the sumpter-mules; and thus, with Little John’s help and guidance, the panic-stricken cleric and his train of baggage were brought to Robin under the trysting tree.

“Much shot the monk to the heart”