I have fought under the banners of Richard, and if, as you phrase it, he guts exchequers, and sacks cities, it is not to win treasure for himself, but to furnish forth the means of his greater and more glorious aim." "Misconceive me not, sir knight," said the friar.

"We all love and honour King Richard, and here is a deep draught to his health: but I would show you, that we foresters are miscalled by opprobrious names, and that our virtues, though they follow at humble distance, are yet truly akin to those of Coeur-de-Lion.

I say not that Richard is a thief, but I say that Robin is a hero: and for honour, did ever yet man, miscalled thief, win greater honour than Robin?
Do not all men grace him with some honourable epithet?
The most gentle thief, the most courteous thief, the most bountiful thief, yea, and the most honest thief?
Richard is courteous, bountiful, honest, and valiant: but so also is Robin: it is the false word that makes the unjust distinction.

They are twin-spirits, and should be friends, but that fortune hath differently cast their lot: but their names shall descend together to the latest days, as the flower of their age and of England: for in the pure principles of freebootery have they excelled all men; and to the principles of freebootery, diversely developed, belong all the qualities to which song and story concede renown." "And you may add, friar," said Marian, "that Robin, no less than Richard, is king in his own dominion; and that if his subjects be fewer, yet are they more uniformly loyal." "I would, fair lady," said the stranger, "that thy latter observation were not so true.

But I nothing doubt, Robin, that if Richard could hear your friar, and see you and your lady, as I now do, there is not a man in England whom he would take by the hand more cordially than yourself." "Gramercy, sir knight," said Robin---- But his speech was cut short by Little John calling, "Hark!" All listened.