Forest Days (Volume 2); A Romance of Old Times (Paperback)

Book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1843. Excerpt: ... " He is gone to Derby, as I hear," replied the yeoman, " to put down some rough-handed clowns amongst the mountains there, who will not believe that the great Earl of Leicester is dead." " These are bad tidings, indeed," said Robin Hood; " we cannot storm Nottingham Castle, I fear, and set him free." " Bad tidings, indeed," repeated the Earl; " and I know not well whether to go at once to the King's court and justify poor Hugh, or " " Nay, nay, my lord," cried Robin Hood, " that will not do. I have always found it best when one of sound discretion, whom we love, beseeches us for his sake to do this or that, not to aim at more than he requires, thinking that we can better his advice, but simply to perform his bidding if we can. Otherwise, not knowing all the secret causes of his desire, we often break his purpose while we seek to mend it. He asks you to go, my lord; 'twere better to do so far.' I will remain: nay, go nearer still to Nottingham, this very night; and the castle walls will be thicker and stronger than they ever have been yet, if I hear not all that takes place within them. Nay, more--should danger threaten the good young lord, we will find means to give him help. Although, as the old song goes, ' The castle walls are strong and high, ' yet there are means of leaping over them, if one have but a good will.--Fear not, my lord--fear not All that your nephew asks is to be enabled, by your absence in some place of safety, to acknowledge whom it was he met in the forest here, without danger to yourself. Was it not so, Tom ?" " Exactly so," replied the yeoman, " and he seemed no way cast down. But the King's people are eager enough after him, that is clear, for I found that they dogged me nearly to Lambley Haggard, which made me so long, otherwise I should have been down two h...