HOW WILL STUTELY WAS RESCUED
Forth of the greenwood are they gone,
Yea, all courageously,
Resolving to bring Stutely home,
Or every man to die.
The next day dawned bright and sunny. The whole face of nature seemed gay as if in despite of the tragedy which was soon to take place in the walls of Nottingham town. The gates were not opened upon this day, for the Sheriff was determined to carry through the hanging of Will Stutely undisturbed. No man, therefore, was to be allowed entrance from without, all that morning and until after the fatal hour of noon, when Will’s soul was to be launched into eternity.
Early in the day Robin had drawn his men to a point, as near as he dared, in the wood where he could watch the road leading to the East gate. He himself was clad in a bright scarlet dress, while his men, a goodly array, wore their suits of sober Lincoln green. They were armed with broadswords, and ‘each man carried his bow and a full quiver of new arrows, straightened and sharpened cunningly by Middle, the tinker. Over their greenwood dress, each man had thrown a rough mantle, making him look not unlike a friar.
“I hold it good, comrades,” then said Robin Hood, “to tarry here in hiding for a season while we sent some one forth to obtain tidings. For, in sooth, ‘twill work no good to march upon the gates if they be closed.”
“Look, master,” quoth one of the widow’s sons. “There comes a palmer along the road from the town. Belike he can tell us how the land ties, and if Stutely be really in jeopardy. Shall I go out and engage him in speech?”
“Go,” answered Robin.
So Stout Will went out from the band while the others hid themselves and waited. When he had come close to the palmer, who seemed a slight, youngish man, he doffed his hat full courteously and said,
“I crave your pardon, holy man, but can you tell me tidings of Nottingham town? Do they intend to put an outlaw to death this day?”
“Yea,” answered the palmer sadly. “‘Tis true enough, sorry be the day. I have passed the very spot where the gallows-tree is going up. ‘Tis out upon the roadway near the Sheriff’s castle. One, Will Stutely, is to be hung thereon at noon, and I could not bear the sight, so came away.”