When the outlaws saw how boldly he behaved, they changed their tone, and said calmly: “Come to our master, and tell him of your trouble.”

“Who is your master?” asked Gamelyn. “He is the crowned king of the outlaws,” said they; and the two strangers were led away to the chief.

The master-outlaw, sitting on a wooden throne, with a crown of oak-leaves on his head, asked them their business, and Gamelyn replied: “He must walk in the wood who may not walk in the town. We are hungry and tired, and will only shoot the deer for food, for we are in great danger.”

The outlaw leader had pity on their distress, and gave them food; and as they ate ravenously the outlaws whispered one to another: “This is Gamelyn!” “This is Gamelyn!” Understanding all the evils that had befallen him, their leader soon made Gamelyn his second in command; and when, after three weeks, the outlaw king was pardoned and allowed to return home, Gamelyn was chosen to succeed him and was crowned king of the outlaws. So he lived merrily in the forest, and cared not about the world outside.

Meanwhile, the treacherous Sir John had recovered, and became a sheriff. He accused his brother of felony as soon as he could. As Gamelyn did not appear to answer to that accusation, he was proclaimed an outlaw, and a price was set for his life. His yeomen and vassals were grieved at this, for they feared the cruelty of the wicked sheriff; and therefore they sent messengers to Gamelyn to tell him the bad news. The youth was as furious as they had expected, and he promised to come and teach Sir John in his hall and protect his own tenants.

It was certainly very daring to go into the county where his brother was sheriff, but he rode boldly into the hall, with his hood thrown back, so that all might recognise him, and cried aloud: “God save all you here present! But, your broken-backed sheriff, evil he may be! Why has he done me such wrong and disgrace as to accuse me and proclaim me an outlaw?”

Sir John did not hesitate to use his legal powers. Seeing that his brother was quite alone, he imediately had him arrested and cast into prison, where, as was his intention, only death could release him.

All these years the second brother, Otho, had been living quietly on his own lands and taken care of the quarrels of the two others; but now, when news came to him of Sir John’s deadly hatred to their youngest brother, and Gamelyn’s trouble, he was deeply grieved, roused himself from his peaceful life, and rode to see if he could help his brother. First he asked Sir John’s mercy for the prisoner, for the sake of brotherhood and family love; but the latter only replied that Gamelyn must stay imprisoned till the justice decides otherwise. Then Otho offered to be bail,[29] if only his young brother might be released from his bonds and brought from the dismal cell where he lay. To this Sir John finally agreed, warning Otho that if the accused failed to appear before the justice he himself must suffer the penalty for the breach of bail.

“I agree,” said Otho. “Have him released at once, and deliver him to me.”

Then Gamelyn was set free on his brother’s surety, and the two rode home to Otho’s house, talking sadly of all that had befallen, and how Gamelyn had become the king of the outlaws. The next morning Gamelyn asked Otho’s permission to go to the greenwood and see how his young men were doing without him, but Otho pointed out very clearly how dreadful would be the consequences to him if he did not return. The young man then vowed: