"Let us hear what may be thy desires." "O good my Lord and Sovereign," spake the Sheriff, "in Sherwood Forest in our own good shire of Nottingham, liveth a bold outlaw whose name is Robin Hood." "In good sooth," said the King, "his doings have reached even our own royal ears.

He is a saucy, rebellious varlet, yet, I am fain to own, a right merry soul withal." "But hearken, O my most gracious Sovereign," said the Sheriff.

"I sent a warrant to him with thine own royal seal attached, by a right lusty knave, but he beat the messenger and stole the warrant.

And he killeth thy deer and robbeth thine own liege subjects even upon the great highways." "Why, how now," quoth the King wrathfully.

"What wouldst thou have me do?
Comest thou not to me with a great array of men-at-arms and retainers, and yet art not able to take a single band of lusty knaves without armor on breast, in thine own county! What wouldst thou have me do?
Art thou not my Sheriff?
Are not my laws in force in Nottinghamshire?
Canst thou not take thine own course against those that break the laws or do any injury to thee or thine?
Go, get thee gone, and think well; devise some plan of thine own, but trouble me no further.
But look well to it, Master Sheriff, for I will have my laws obeyed by all men within my kingdom, and if thou art not able to enforce them thou art no sheriff for me.