Page 43 - the-merry-adventures-of-robin-hood

and peering down a shaft to see that it was not warped, but
straight and true, for neither bow nor shaft should fail at
such a time and for such a prize. And never was such a com-
pany of yeomen as were gathered at Nottingham Town that
day, for the very best archers of merry England had come
to this shooting match. There was Gill o’ the Red Cap, the
Sheriff’s own head archer, and Diccon Cruikshank of Lin-
coln Town, and Adam o’ the Dell, a man of Tamworth, of
threescore years and more, yet hale and lusty still, who in
his time had shot in the famous match at Woodstock, and
had there beaten that renowned archer, Clym o’ the Clough.
And many more famous men of the longbow were there,
whose names have been handed down to us in goodly bal-
lads of the olden time.
But now all the benches were filled with guests, lord and
lady, burgher and dame, when at last the Sheriff himself
came with his lady, he riding with stately mien upon his
milk-white horse and she upon her brown filly. Upon his
head he wore a purple velvet cap, and purple velvet was his
robe, all trimmed about with rich ermine; his jerkin and
hose were of sea-green silk, and his shoes of black velvet,
the pointed toes fastened to his garters with golden chains.
A golden chain hung about his neck, and at his collar was
a great carbuncle set in red gold. His lady was dressed in
blue velvet, all trimmed with swan’s down. So they made
a gallant sight as they rode along side by side, and all the
people shouted from where they crowded across the space
from the gentlefolk; so the Sheriff and his lady came to their
place, where men-at-arms, with hauberk and spear, stood

The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood