This he stripped away and, weighing it in his hands, bethought
himself that it was mighty heavy. "It were a sweet thing," said he to
himself, "if this were filled with gold instead of copper pence." Then,
sitting down upon the grass, he opened the pocket and looked into it.
There he found four round rolls wrapped up in dressed sheepskin; one of
these rolls he opened; then his mouth gaped and his eyes stared, I wot,
as though they would never close again, for what did he see but fifty
pounds of bright golden money? He opened the other pockets and found in
each one the same, fifty bright new-stamped golden pounds. Quoth Robin,
"I have oft heard that the Beggars' Guild was over-rich, but never did I
think that they sent such sums as this to their treasury. I shall take
it with me, for it will be better used for charity and the good of my
merry band than in the enriching of such knaves as these." So saying, he
rolled up the money in the sheepskin again, and putting it back in the
purse, he thrust the pouch into his own bosom. Then taking up the flask
of Malmsey, he held it toward the two fellows lying on the grass, and
quoth he, "Sweet friends, I drink your health and thank you dearly for
what ye have so kindly given me this day, and so I wish you good den.
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