e did not return that the young man vowed:

"'I swear by James, the mighty saint of Spain,
That I will not desert thee, nor will fail
To stand my trial on the appointed day,
If God Almighty give me strength and health
And power to keep my vow. I will be there,
That I may show what bitter hate Sir John,
My cruel brother, holds against me.'"

Gamelyn Goes to the Woods

Thereupon Otho bade him go. "God shield thee from shame! Come when
thou seest it is the right time, and save us both from blame and
reproach." So Gamelyn went gaily to the merry greenwood, and found his
company of outlaws; and so much had they to tell of their work in his
absence, and so much had he to relate of his adventures, that time
slipped by, and he soon fell again into his former mode of life, and
his custom of robbing none but Churchmen, fat abbots and priors, monks
and canons, so that all others spoke good of him, and called him the
"courteous outlaw."

The Term Expires

Gamelyn stood one day looking out over the woods and fields, and it
suddenly came to his mind with a pang of self-reproach that he had
forgotten his promise to Otho, and the day of the assize was very
near. He called his young men (for he had learned not to trust
himself to the honour or loyalty of his brother the sheriff), and
bade them prepare to accompany him to the place of assize, sending
Adam on as a scout to learn tidings. Adam returned in great haste,
bringing sad news. The judge was in his place, a jury empanelled to
condemn Gamelyn to death, bribed thereto by the wicked sheriff, and
Otho was fettered in the gaol in place of his brother. The news
enraged Gamelyn, but Adam Spencer was even more infuriated; he would
gladly have held the doors of the moot-hall and slain every person
inside except Otho; but his master's sense of justice was too strong
for that. "Adam," he said, "we will not do so, but will slay the
guilty and let the innocent escape. I myself will have some
conversation with the justice in the hall; and meanwhile do ye, my
men, hold the doors fast. I will make myself justice to-day, and thou,
Adam, shalt be my clerk. We will give sentence this day, and God speed
our new work!" All his men applauded this speech and promised him
obedience, and the troop of outlaws hastened to surround the hall.

Gamelyn in the Court

Once again Gamelyn strode into the moot-hall in the midst of his
enemies, and was recognised by all.