But I doubt not that
thou hast a fat purse to pay thy score at our inn since thou offerest
freely so much for a poor draught of wine. Show me thy purse, reverend
brother, or I may perchance have to strip thy robes from thee to search
for it myself."
"Nay, use no force," said the King sternly. "Here is my purse, but lay
not thy lawless hands upon our person."
"Hut, tut," quoth merry Robin, "what proud words are these? Art thou the
King of England, to talk so to me? Here, Will, take this purse and see
what there is within."
Will Scarlet took the purse and counted out the money. Then Robin bade
him keep fifty pounds for themselves, and put fifty back into the purse.
This he handed to the King. "Here, brother," quoth he, "take this half
of thy money, and thank Saint Martin, on whom thou didst call before,
that thou hast fallen into the hands of such gentle rogues that they
will not strip thee bare, as they might do. But wilt thou not put back
thy cowl? For I would fain see thy face."
"Nay," said the King, drawing back, "I may not put back my cowl, for we
seven have vowed that we will not show our faces for four and twenty
hours.
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