As a usurer takes each one of a bag of silver angels, feeling each coin
to find whether it be clipped or not, so the Sheriff, as all rode slowly
and sadly back toward Nottingham, took up thought after thought in turn,
feeling around the edges of each but finding in every one some flaw. At
last he thought of the daring soul of jolly Robin and how, as he the
Sheriff knew, he often came even within the walls of Nottingham.

"Now," thought the Sheriff, "could I but persuade Robin nigh to
Nottingham Town so that I could find him, I warrant I would lay hands
upon him so stoutly that he would never get away again." Then of a
sudden it came to him like a flash that were he to proclaim a great
shooting match and offer some grand prize, Robin Hood might be
overpersuaded by his spirit to come to the butts; and it was this
thought which caused him to cry "Aha!" and smite his palm upon his
thigh.

So, as soon as he had returned safely to Nottingham, he sent messengers
north and south, and east and west, to proclaim through town, hamlet,
and countryside, this grand shooting match, and everyone was bidden that
could draw a longbow, and the prize was to be an arrow of pure beaten
gold.

When Robin Hood first heard the news of this he was in Lincoln Town, and
hastening back to Sherwood Forest he soon called all his merry men about
him and spoke to them thus:

"Now hearken, my merry men all, to the news that I have brought from
Lincoln Town today. Our friend the Sheriff of Nottingham hath
proclaimed a shooting match, and hath sent messengers to tell of it
through all the countryside, and the prize is to be a bright golden
arrow. Now I fain would have one of us win it, both because of the
fairness of the prize and because our sweet friend the Sheriff hath
offered it. So we will take our bows and shafts and go there to shoot,
for I know right well that merriment will be a-going. What say ye,
lads?"

Then young David of Doncaster spoke up and said, "Now listen, I pray
thee, good master, unto what I say. I have come straight from our
friend Eadom o' the Blue Boar, and there I heard the full news of this
same match. But, master, I know from him, and he got it from the
Sheriff's man Ralph o' the Scar, that this same knavish Sheriff hath but
laid a trap for thee in this shooting match and wishes nothing so much
as to see thee there. So go not, good master, for I know right well he
doth seek to beguile thee, but stay within the green