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How Sir Richard of the Lea Paid His Debts
ButnowthePrior’shandsdroppedathissidesandthePrior’sheadhunguponhisshoulder,fornotonlyhadhelostallhopesoftheland,buthehadforgiventheKnightonehundredpoundsofhisdebtandhadneedlesslypaidthemanoflawfourscoreangels.Tohimheturned,andquothhe,"Givemebackmymoneythatthouhast."
"Nay,"criedtheothershrilly,"itisbutmyfeethatthoudidstpayme,andthougettestitnotbackagain."Andhehuggedhisgownabouthim.
"Now,SirPrior,"quothSirRichard,"Ihaveheldmydayandpaidalltheduesdemandedofme;so,asthereisnomorebetwixtus,Ileavethisvileplacestraightway."Sosaying,heturneduponhisheelandstrodeaway.
AllthistimetheSheriffhadbeenstaringwithwide-openeyesandmouthagapeatthetallman-at-arms,whostoodasthoughcarvedoutofstone.Atlasthegaspedout,"ReynoldGreenleaf!"
Atthis,thetallman-at-arms,whowasnootherthanLittleJohn,turned,grinning,totheSheriff."Igivetheegoodden,fairgossip,"quothhe."Iwouldsay,sweetSheriff,thatIhaveheardallthyprettytalkthisday,anditshallbedulytolduntoRobinHood.So,farewellforthenonce,tillwemeetagaininSherwoodForest."Thenhe,also,turnedandfollowedSirRicharddownthehall,leavingtheSheriff,allpaleandamazed,shrunktogetheruponhischair.
