The Adventures of Robin Hood

News has come from Vienna!

"Leopold of Austria has seized King Richard on his return from the Crusades.

Our king is being held prisoner. Nothing further is known.

His Highness Prince John will make further public pronouncement tomorrow."

And how are the dear Saxons taking the news, Sir Guy?

They're even more worried than Longchamps, Your Highness.

They'll be more than worried when I squeeze the fat out of their pampered hides.

- You intend to act on your plans? - What better moment than this, Sir Guy?

Who would have thought my dear brother would be so considerate as to get captured...

...and leave all of England to my tender care?

He may disapprove when he returns, Your Highness.

If he returns. And I'll see to it that he doesn't.

We must drink to this moment, Sir Guy. Golden days are ahead.

I'll assign tax districts to you tomorrow.

Tomorrow, Your Highness.

- But who's gonna pay me? - Pay! Pay!

That's all you Saxons think about.

Didn't I tell you it was for Prince John, who's just come up from London?

Stop! Stop!

This man is freeborn! He's a landowner.

You can't make a slave of him!

Didn't he refuse to send his men to work in Guy of Gisbourne's field?

But I protest--!

Dickon, follow me! The rest remain here.

- What's your name, you Saxon dog? - A better one than yours.

Look to your manners! This is Sir Guy of Gisbourne.

Sir Guy or the devil! There's little to choose between them.

- What's your name? - Much, the miller's son.

- You know it's death to kill the king's deer? - And death from hunger if I don't.

Thanks to you and the rest of you Norman cutthroats at Nottingham Castle.

- Be quiet, you. - I won't be quiet!

You can kill me if you like, but not until I've had my say.

You can beat and starve us Saxons now...

...but when King Richard escapes, he'll take you by the scruff of the neck...

...and fling you into the sea!

- What the devil? - Come now, Sir Guy.

- You'd not kill a man for telling the truth? - If it amused me, yes.

Be thankful my humor's of a different sort.

By what right do you interfere with justice?

By a better right than you have to misuse it.

That goes for your master, Prince John.

I'll give him that message at the baron's meeting in Nottingham tonight.

Thank you. He does need a bit of a talking to.

- Eh, Will? - He has been getting rather out of hand.

- Fetch him along. - Hold there. What's his fault?

- He's killed a royal deer. - You're wrong. I killed that deer.

This man's my servant.

I suppose you realize the penalty for killing the king's deer is death.

- Whether for serf or noble. - Really?

Are there no exceptions?

- Thanks, good master. - Better look before you shoot next time.

From this day, I follow only you. There isn't a poor Saxon in Nottingham shire...

...that doesn't know and bless Sir Robin of Locksley.

Take me as your servant.

Why, in all the forest, there isn't a hunter as good as me.

I ask no pay. Just to follow you.

Fetch the deer, then.

While Richard is bent on adventure in foreign lands...

...it is our duty as Normans to preserve the realm...

...by giving loyal support to Prince John, the only true defender of the Norman spirit.

Hail to Prince John.

My lords, I thank you. Well, this is what we Normans like:

Good food, good company, and a beautiful woman to flatter me, eh, Lady Marian?

Was it worthwhile coming with me from London...

...to see what stout fellows our Nottingham friends are?

Take Sir Guy of Gisbourne, now. One of our most renowned defenders of the realm.

- Must I take him, Your Highness? - Why, you like him, don't you?

- Well, he's a Norman, of course. - Is that the only reason for liking him?

Isn't that reason enough for a royal ward who must obey her guardian?

Oh, nay, I'd not force you, my lady.

But he's our most powerful friend in these shires and he's already in love with you.

If I could promise him marriage to a royal ward, it might help my plans.

- Perhaps when I know him better. - Of course.

You're a very wise young woman.

Any more objections to the new tax from our Saxon friends?

Objections, Your Highness?

With a Saxon dangling from every gallows tree between here and Charnwood?

Well said, sir knight. But not too many, mind.

Else we'll have nobody left to till our land or pay the tax.

There's one exception I'd make, Your Highness.

- A certain Saxon noble. - Who is that?

- Sir Robin of Locksley. - Sir Rob-- Sir Robin of Locksley?

Why, I've heard precious little else since I've been here. What's his latest outrage?

Oh, nothing less than killing a royal deer in Sherwood Forest today.

And you didn't take him?

That would have been a problem, Your Highness.

- A Saxon a problem? - He's a notorious troublemaker, my lady.

Aye. An impudent, reckless rogue...

...who goes around the shire stirring up the Saxons against authority.

And he has the insolence to set himself up as a protector of the people.

- I could have captured him long ago, but... - But what?

Well, he's the deadliest archer in England, and...

And my brave High Sheriff of Nottingham is afraid of him.

I want him taken and hanged. At once, do you hear? I'll not tolerate--

Open the door!

Who is this, this...?

Sir Robin of Locksley, Your Highness.

Let him approach.

Greetings, Your Highness.

You should teach Gisbourne hospitality.

I no sooner enter his castle doors with a piece of meat...

...than his starving servants try to snatch it from me.

You should feed them, Gisbourne. They'll work better.

With the compliments of your royal brother, King Richard, God bless him!

By my faith, but you're a bold rascal.

Robin, I like you.

I'm gratified, Your Highness.

I don't think Gisbourne shares that sentiment, however.

He does look sour.

What's the matter, Gisbourne? Run out of hangings?

- I know a ripe subject for one. - If you'll excuse me--

Sit down! Sit down, my dear. He'll not harm you.

Sir Robin, this is the Lady Marian Fitzwalter.

I hope my lady had a pleasant journey from London?

What you hope can hardly be important.

What a pity her manners don't match her looks, Your Highness.

You hear that, gentlemen?

Here's Gisbourne so in love with Marian he daren't say "boo" to her...

...and this saucy fellow gives her better than she sends.

My lords and ladies, I would like to present to you Sir Robin of Locksley.

Sir Robin, permit me to present to you your host, Sir Guy of Gisbourne...

- ...and our noble guests. - I'm deeply honored, Your Highness.

- Have you had meat? - None but what I brought.

Well, sit down. Sit down there opposite me.

- Get up, Sir Ivor, and give him your place. - Your Highness!

Get up! Get up, sir knight!

Come, Sir Ivor. Out with you.

Bring Sir Robin food at once, do you hear?

Such impudence must support a mighty appetite.

True enough, Your Highness.

We Saxons have little to fatten on by the time your tax gatherers are through.

Be seated, gentlemen. No need to stand on ceremony on my account.

So you think you're overtaxed, eh?

Overtaxed, overworked and paid off with a knife, a club or a rope.

- Why, you speak treason. - Fluently.

I advise you to curb that wagging tongue of yours!

It's a habit I've never formed.

You know, we Saxons aren't going to put up with these oppressions much longer.

Oh, you're not? Then listen to this:

As you may know, my brother is a prisoner of Leopold of Austria.

And from Leopold, I have received a ransom demand of 150,000 gold marks.

That means that you, my friends...

...must collect in taxes not 2 gold marks in the pound, but 3!

- And the money's to be turned over to me. - Why to you, Your Highness?

- King Richard appointed Longchamps regent. - I've kicked Longchamps out.

From now on, I am regent of England.

Well, confound it, what are you goggling at?

Is it so strange that I decide to rule when my brother's a prisoner?

Who's to say I shouldn't?

- You, Sir Mortimer of Leeds? - Not I, Your Highness.

- You, Sir Boron? - Nor I, Your Highness.

- You, Sir Ralf of Durham? - My sword is yours, Your Highness.

And what about our young Saxon cockerel here?

What's the matter? Have you no stomach for honest meat?

For honest meat, yes. But I've no stomach for traitors.

- You call me traitor? - You? Yes.

And every man here who offers you allegiance.

Your Highness.

What do you call a man who takes advantage of a king's misfortune...

...to seize his power?

And now, with the help of this sweet band of cutthroats...

...you'll try to grind a ransom for him out of every helpless Saxon.

A ransom that'll be used not to release Richard, but to buy your way to the throne.

Let me ram those words down his throat, Your Highness!

Oh, no. Later. Let him spout for the moment.

And what do you propose to do?

I'll organize revolt. Exact a death for a death.

And I'll never rest until every Saxon in this shire can stand up, free men...

...and strike a blow for Richard and England.

- Have you finished? - I'm only just beginning.

From this night on, I use every means in my power to fight you.

Dickon!

Such impudence, Your Highness. If I could only reach him.

Stand back! Stand back!

Open the door!

Quick, guards, quick! There's a traitor inside trying to escape!

- Shut the door, quick! - Traitor, sir?

You infernal idiot! Which way did he go?

There, through the gate.

- After him! - Guards! Horses!

Dickon, follow Mansfield! To your troop!

Up you go, quick.

Find Crippen the arrow-maker and his friends...

...to pass the word to every man who's been beaten or tortured:

- The Gallows Oaks in Sherwood tomorrow. - Yes, master.

Off you go, and good luck.

Have it proclaimed in every village that this Saxon Locksley's an outlaw.

- Hang anybody that gives him shelter or aid. - Yes, Your Highness.

His possessions are forfeit to the crown. Seize his castle and his lands.

Everything he owns.

And just to let the people know how the wind has changed...

- ...the sooner you begin collecting the-- - The ransom, Your Highness?

Yes, yes, of course. The ransom.

There's a death sentence for your Robin of Locksley!

I'll have him dangling in a week.

- I'm tired. - What?

- After a refreshing sleep in the greenwood? - I've pulled seven acorns out of my ribs.

- Lovely fresh air. - My teeth ache with chattering.

- Nightingales singing. - An owl hooting in my ear all night.

Hooting? He was singing you to sleep.