Thus it came that, on the morning of the fourth day, he called Little John to him, and told him that he could not shake the fever from him, and that he would go to his cousin, the prioress of the nunnery near Kirklees, in Yorkshire, who was a skillful leech, and he would have her open a vein in his arm and take a little blood from him, for the bettering of his health.

Then he bade Little John make ready to go also, for he might perchance need aid in his journeying.

So Little John and he took their leave of the others, and Robin Hood bade Will Stutely be the captain of the band until they should come back.

Thus they came by easy stages and slow journeying until they reached the Nunnery of Kirklees.
Now Robin had done much to aid this cousin of his; for it was through King Richard's love of him that she had been made prioress of the place.
But there is nought in the world so easily forgot as gratitude; so, when the Prioress of Kirklees had heard how her cousin, the Earl of Huntingdon, had thrown away his earldom and gone back again to Sherwood, she was vexed to the soul, and feared lest her cousinship with him should bring the King's wrath upon her also.

Thus it happened that when Robin came to her and told her how he wished her services as leech, she began plotting ill against him in her mind, thinking that by doing evil to him she might find favor with his enemies.