being made a jest of; so he said: "Our gracious lord and sovereign King
himself shall know of this, and how his laws are perverted and despised
by this band of rebel outlaws. As for yon traitor Tinker, him will
I hang, if I catch him, upon the very highest gallows tree in all
Nottinghamshire."

Then he bade all his servants and retainers to make ready to go to
London Town, to see and speak with the King.

At this there was bustling at the Sheriff's castle, and men ran hither
and thither upon this business and upon that, while the forge fires of
Nottingham glowed red far into the night like twinkling stars, for
all the smiths of the town were busy making or mending armor for the
Sheriff's troop of escort. For two days this labor lasted, then, on
the third, all was ready for the journey. So forth they started in the
bright sunlight, from Nottingham Town to Fosse Way and thence to Watling
Street; and so they journeyed for two days, until they saw at last the
spires and towers of great London Town; and many folks stopped, as
they journeyed along, and gazed at the show they made riding along the
highways with their flashing armor and gay plumes and trappings.

In London King Henry and his fair Queen Eleanor held their court, gay
with ladies in silks and satins and velvets and cloth of gold, and also
brave knights and gallant courtiers.

Thither came the Sheriff and was shown into the King's presence.

"A boon, a boon," quoth he, as he knelt upon the ground.

"Now what wouldst thou have?" said the King. "Let us hear what may be