The appearance of the knight, however, cheered him up with a semblance
of protection, and gave him just sufficient courage to demolish a cygnet
and a rumble-pie, which he diluted with the contents of two flasks
of canary sack.
But wine, which sometimes creates and often increases joy, doth also,
upon occasion, heighten sorrow: and so it fared now with our portly monk,
who had no sooner explained away his portion of provender, than he began
to weep and bewail himself bitterly.
"Why dost thou weep, man?" said Robin Hood. "Thou hast done
thine embassy justly, and shalt have thy Lady's grace."
"Alack! alack!" said the monk: "no embassy had I, luckless sinner,
as well thou wottest, but to take to my abbey in safety the treasure
whereof thou hast despoiled me."
"Propound me his case," said Friar Tuck, "and I will give
him ghostly counsel."
"You well remember," said Robin Hood, "the sorrowful knight who dined
with us here twelve months and a day gone by."
"Well do I," said Friar Tuck. "His lands were in jeopardy with a
certain abbot, who would allow him no longer day for their redemption.
Whereupon you lent to him the four hundred pounds which he needed,
and which he was to repay this day, though he had no better security
to give than our Lady the Virgin."
"I never desired better," said Robin, "for she never yet failed
to send me my pay; and here is one of her own flock, this faithful and
well-favoured monk of St.
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