NOT long after a grateful Sir Richard had redeemed his castle and lands with Robin’s money, the outlaw ‘invited’ another guest to dine with him, on his customary terms. By coincidence, he was the cellarer at St Mary’s Abbey.

The cautious monk admitted to having twenty marks, and like Sir Richard, was promised anything more he needed if that really was all he had. So as usual, Little John rifled through the monk’s bags, and discovered that the monk had told the truth, in a way. He did have twenty marks. But he also had another eight hundred pounds.

Robin, deeply shocked, confiscated the money as a lesson in honesty. And indeed it is hard to feel much sympathy for the monk. That eight hundred pounds was on its way to London, as a bribe to persuade a judge to award Sir Richard’s castle and estates to the grasping Abbot, even though his loan had already been repaid to the last penny.