As thou knowest, my lord though easy and well-disposed to all, and not fond of harassing and driving the people as are many of his neighbors, is yet to the full as fanatical anent his forest privileges as the worst of them.
They tell me that when the news came in of the poor figure that his foresters cut with broken bows and draggled plumes--for the varlets had soused them in a pond of not over savory water--he swore a great oath that he would clear the forest of the bands.

It may be, indeed, that this gathering is for the purpose of falling in force upon that evil-disposed and most treacherous baron, Sir John of Wortham, who has already begun to harry some of the outlying lands, and has driven off, I hear, many heads of cattle.

It is a quarrel which will have to be fought out sooner or later, and the sooner the better, say I.Although I am no man of war, and love looking after my falcons or giving food to my dogs far more than exchanging hard blows, yet would I gladly don the buff and steel coat to aid in leveling the keep of that robber and tyrant, Sir John of Wortham." "Thanks, good Hubert," said the lad.

"I must not stand gossiping here.
The news you have told me, as you know, touches me closely, for I would not that harm should come to the forest men." "Let it not out, I beseech thee, Cuthbert, that the news came from me, for temperate as Sir Walter is at most times, he would, methinks, give me short shift did he know that the wagging of my tongue might have given warning through which the outlaws of the Chase should slip through his fingers." "Fear not, Hubert; I can be mum when the occasion needs.

Can you tell me further, when the bands now gathering are likely to set forth ?" "In brief breathing space," the falconer replied.