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13 - Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle · Merry Adventures of Robin Hood

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  Speaker 1: Pyle, Chapter thirteen, Robin Hood compasses a marriage. And now
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  Speaker 1: had come the morning when fair Ellen was to be married,
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  Speaker 1: and on which Mary Robin had sworn that allan a
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  Speaker 1: dale should, as it were, eat out of the platter
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  Speaker 1: that had been filled for Sir Stephen of Trent Uprose,
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  Speaker 1: Robin Hood blithe and gay, upros is, merry men one
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  Speaker 1: and all, and up Rows last of all, stout friar tuck,
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  Speaker 1: winking the smartest sleep from out his eyes. Then, while
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  Speaker 1: the air seemed to brim over with the song of
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  Speaker 1: many birds, all blended together, and all joying in the
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  Speaker 1: misty morn, each man raved face and hands in the
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  Speaker 1: leaping brook. And so the day began. Now quoth Robin,
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  Speaker 1: when they had broken their fast, and each man had
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  Speaker 1: eaten his fill. It is time for us to set
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  Speaker 1: forth upon the undertaking that we have in hand. For
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  Speaker 1: to day I will choose me one score of my
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  Speaker 1: good men to go with me, for I may need aid,
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  Speaker 1: and thou wilt scarlet, wilt abide here and be the
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  Speaker 1: chief while I am gone. Then, searching through all the band,
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  Speaker 1: each man of whom crowded forward eager to be chosen,
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  Speaker 1: Robin called such as he wished by name, until he
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  Speaker 1: had a score of stout fellows the very flower of
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  Speaker 1: his yeomanry. Besides Little John and will Stuteley, were nigh
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  Speaker 1: all those famous lads of whom I have already told you. Then,
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  Speaker 1: while those so chosen ran leaping full of joy to
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  Speaker 1: arm themselves with bow shaft and broad sword, Robin Hood
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  Speaker 1: stepped aside into the covert, and there donned a gay
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  Speaker 1: berry boned coat such as might have been worn by
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  Speaker 1: some strolling minstrel, and slung a harp across his shoulder,
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  Speaker 1: the better to carry out that part. All the bands stared,
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  Speaker 1: and many laughed, for never had they seen their master
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  Speaker 1: in such a fantastic guys before, truly, quoth Robin, holding
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  Speaker 1: up his arms and looking down at himself. I do
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  Speaker 1: think it to be somewhat of a gay, gaudy grasshopper dress,
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  Speaker 1: but it is a pretty thing for all that, and
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  Speaker 1: doth not ill befit the turn of my looks, albeit
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  Speaker 1: I wear it but for the nonce. But stay, little John.
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  Speaker 1: Here are two bags that I would have thee carry
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  Speaker 1: in thy pouch for the sake of safe keeping. I
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  Speaker 1: can ill care for them myself. Beneath this motley, Why master,
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  Speaker 1: quoth little John, taking the bags and weighing them in
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  Speaker 1: his hand. Here is the chink of gold. Well what
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  Speaker 1: an there be? Said Robin. It is mine own coin,
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  Speaker 1: and the band is none the worse for what is there?
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  Speaker 1: Come busk ye lads, And he turned quickly away, get
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  Speaker 1: ye ready straightway. Then, gathering the score together in a
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  Speaker 1: close rank, in the midst of which were Allan and
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  Speaker 1: Dale and Friar Tuck, he led them forth upon their
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  Speaker 1: way from the forest shades. So they walked on for
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  Speaker 1: a long time till they had come out of sherwood
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  Speaker 1: and to the vale of Rotherstream. Here were different sights
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  Speaker 1: from what one saw in the forest. Hedgerows, broad fields
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  Speaker 1: of barley corn, passed your lands, rolling upward till they
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  Speaker 1: met the sky, and all dotted over with flocks of
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  Speaker 1: white sheep hayfield. Whence came the odor of new mown
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  Speaker 1: hay that lay in smooth swatches, over which skimmed the
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  Speaker 1: swifts in rapid flight. Such they saw, and different was it?
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  Speaker 1: I WoT from the tangled depths of the sweet woodlands.
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  Speaker 1: But full is fair. Thus Robin let his band, walking
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  Speaker 1: blithely with chest thrown out and head thrown back, snuffing
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  Speaker 1: the odors of the gentle breeze that came drifting from
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  Speaker 1: over the hay fields. Truly, quoth he, the dear world
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  Speaker 1: is as fair here as in the woodland shades. Who
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  Speaker 1: calls it a veil of tears, methinks it is but
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  Speaker 1: the darkness in our minds that bringeth gloom to the world.
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  Speaker 1: For what sayeth that merry song thou singest, little John?
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  Speaker 1: Is it not thus? For when my love's eyes do thine,
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  Speaker 1: do thine? And when her lips smiles so rare the
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  Speaker 1: day it is jocand and fine, so fine, though let
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  Speaker 1: it be wet or be fair, And when the stout
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  Speaker 1: ale is all flowing so fast, our sorrows and troubles
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  Speaker 1: are things of the past, Nay, said Friar Tuck, Ye
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  Speaker 1: do think of profane things and of naught else. Yet,
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  Speaker 1: truly there be better safeguards against care and woe than ale,
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  Speaker 1: drinking and bright eyes to wit, fasting in meditation. Look
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  Speaker 1: upon me, have I the likeness of a sorrowful man.
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  Speaker 1: At this a great shadow of laughter went up from
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  Speaker 1: all around. For the night before the stout Friar had
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  Speaker 1: emptied twice as many cannikins of ale as any one
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  Speaker 1: of all the merry men. Truly, quoth Robin, when he
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  Speaker 1: could speak for laughter, I should say that thy sorrows
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  Speaker 1: were about equal to thy goodliness. So they stepped along, talking, singing,
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  Speaker 1: jesting and laughing until they had come to a certain
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  Speaker 1: little church that belonged to the great estates, owned by
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  Speaker 1: the rich Priory of Emmett. Here it was that fair
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  Speaker 1: Ellen was to be married on that morn, And here
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  Speaker 1: was the spot toward which the yeomen had pointed their toes.
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  Speaker 1: On the other side of the road, from where the
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  Speaker 1: church stood, with waving fields of barley around, ran a
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  Speaker 1: stone wall along the roadside. Over the wall from the
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  Speaker 1: highway was a fringe of young to trees and bushes,
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  Speaker 1: And here and there the wall itself was covered by
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  Speaker 1: a mass of blossoming woodbine that filled all the warm
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  Speaker 1: air far and near with its sweet summer odor. Then
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  Speaker 1: straightway the yeoman leaped over the wall, alighting on the
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  Speaker 1: tall soft grass upon the other side, frightening a flock
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  Speaker 1: of sheep that lay there in the shade, so that
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  Speaker 1: they scampered away in all directions. Here was a sweet,
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  Speaker 1: cool shadow, both from the wall and from the fair
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  Speaker 1: young trees and bushes. And here sat the yeomen down
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  Speaker 1: and glad enough that they were to rest after their
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  Speaker 1: long tramp of the morning. Now quoth Robin, I would
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  Speaker 1: have one of you watch and tell me when he
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  Speaker 1: sees anyone coming to the church, And the one I
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  Speaker 1: choose shall be Young David of Doncaster. So get thee
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  Speaker 1: upon the wall, David, and hide beneath the woodbine, so
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  Speaker 1: as to keep watch. Accordingly, young David did as he
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  Speaker 1: was bidden, The others stretching themselves at length upon the grass,
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  Speaker 1: some talking together and others sleeping. Then all was quiet,
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  Speaker 1: save only for the low voices of those that talked together,
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  Speaker 1: and for Allan's restless footsteps pacing up and down, for
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  Speaker 1: his soul was so full of disturbance that he could
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  Speaker 1: not stand still, And saving also for the mellow snoring
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  Speaker 1: of Friar Tuck, who enjoyed his sleep with a noise
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  Speaker 1: as of one sawing soft wood. Very slowly, Robin lay
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  Speaker 1: upon his back and gazed aloft into the leaves of
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  Speaker 1: the tree, his thought leagues away, And so a long
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  Speaker 1: time passed. Then up spoke Robin. Now tell us Young
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  Speaker 1: David of Doncaster, what dost thou see? Then David answered,
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  Speaker 1: I see the white clouds floating, and I feel the
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  Speaker 1: wind a blowing, and three black crows are flying over
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  Speaker 1: the wold, But not else do I see, Good Master.
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  Speaker 1: So silence fell again, and another time passed, broken only
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  Speaker 1: as I have said, till Robin, growing impatient, spake again.
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  Speaker 1: Now tell me, young David, what dost thou see by this?
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  Speaker 1: And David answered, I see the windmill swinging, and three
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  Speaker 1: tall poplar trees swaying against the sky, and a flock
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  Speaker 1: of fieldfare are flying over the hill. But nought else
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  Speaker 1: do I see, Good Master. So another time passed till
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  Speaker 1: at last Robin asking Young David once more what he saw,
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  Speaker 1: and David said, I hear the cuckoo singing, and I
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  Speaker 1: see how the wind makes waves in the barley field.
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  Speaker 1: And now over the hill to the church cometh an
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  Speaker 1: old friar, And in his hands he carries a great
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  Speaker 1: bunch of keys. And lo, now he cometh to the
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  Speaker 1: church door. Then up rose Robin Hood and shook Friar
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  Speaker 1: tuck by the shoulder. Come rouse thee holy man, cried he, whereupon,
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  Speaker 1: with much grunting the stout Tuck got to his feet.
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  Speaker 1: Marry bestir thyself, quoth Robin. For yonder in the church
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  Speaker 1: door is one of thy cloth. Go thou and talk
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  Speaker 1: to him, and so get thyself into the church, that
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  Speaker 1: thou mayest be there when thou art wanted. Meantime, little
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  Speaker 1: John will stuteley, and I will follow thee anon. So
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  Speaker 1: Friar Tuck clambered over the wall, crossed the road and
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  Speaker 1: came to the church where the old friar was still
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  Speaker 1: laboring with the great key, the lock being somewhat rusted,
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  Speaker 1: and he somewhat old and feeble. Hulloa brother, quoth Tuck,
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  Speaker 1: let me, aid thee so saying, he took the key
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  Speaker 1: from the other's hand and quickly opened the door with
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  Speaker 1: a turn of it. Who art thou, good brother, asked
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  Speaker 1: the old friar in a high wheezing voice. What's comest
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  Speaker 1: thou and whither art thou going? And he winked and
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  Speaker 1: blinked at stout Friar Tuck like an owl at the sun.
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  Speaker 1: Thus do I answer thy questions, brother, said the other.
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  Speaker 1: My name is Tuck, and I go no farther than
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  Speaker 1: the spot. If thou wilt happily, But let me stay
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  Speaker 1: while the same wedding is going forward. I come from Fountaindale,
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  Speaker 1: and in truth am a certain poor hermit, as one
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  Speaker 1: may say, for I live in a cell beside the fountain,
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  Speaker 1: blessed by that holy Saint deathel Rata. But if I
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  Speaker 1: understand aught, there is to be a gay wedding here
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  Speaker 1: to day. So if thou mindest not, I would fain
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  Speaker 1: rest me in the cool shade within, for I would
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  Speaker 1: like to see this fine sight. Truly, thou art welcome, brother,
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  Speaker 1: said the old man leading the way. Within meantime, Robin
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  Speaker 1: Hood and his guise of Harper, together with Little John
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  Speaker 1: and will Stuteley, had come to the church. Robin sat
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  Speaker 1: him down on a bench beside the door, But Little John,
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  Speaker 1: carrying the two bags of gold, went within, as did
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  Speaker 1: will Stuteley. So Robin sat by the door, looking up
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  Speaker 1: the road and down the road to see who might come.
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  Speaker 1: Till after a time he saw six horsemen come, riding
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  Speaker 1: sedately and slowly as became them, for they were churchmen
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  Speaker 1: in high orders. Then when they had come nearer, Robin
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  Speaker 1: saw who they were and knew them. The first was
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  Speaker 1: the Bishop of Hereford, and a fine figure he cut
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  Speaker 1: I WoT. His vestments were of the richest silk, and
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  Speaker 1: around his neck was a fair chain of beaten gold.
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  Speaker 1: The cap that his his tonsure was of black velvet,
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  Speaker 1: and around the edges of it were rows of jewels
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  Speaker 1: that flashed in the sunlight, each stone being set in gold.
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  Speaker 1: His hose were of flame colored silk, and his shoes
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  Speaker 1: of black velvet, the long pointed toes being turned and
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  Speaker 1: up and fastened to his knees, and on either instept
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  Speaker 1: was embroidered a cross an gold thread. Beside the bishop
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  Speaker 1: rode the Prior of Emmet upon a mincing palfrey. Rich
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  Speaker 1: were his clothes also, but not so gay as the
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  Speaker 1: stout bishops. Behind these were two of the higher brethren
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  Speaker 1: of Emmet, and behind these again two retainers belonging to
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  Speaker 1: the bishop. For the Lord Bishop of Hereford strove to
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  Speaker 1: be as like the great barons as was in the
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  Speaker 1: power of one in holy orders. When Robin saw this
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  Speaker 1: train drawing near, with flash of jewels and silken jingle
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  Speaker 1: of silver bells on the trappings of the nags, he
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  Speaker 1: looked sourly upon them, quoth he to himself, Yon Bishop
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  Speaker 1: is over gaudy for a holy man. I do wonder
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  Speaker 1: whether his patron, whom he thinks was Saint Thomas, was
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  Speaker 1: given to wearing golden chains about his neck, silk clothing
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  Speaker 1: upon his body, and pointed shoes upon his feet. The
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  Speaker 1: money for all of which God WoT hath been wrung
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  Speaker 1: from the sweat of poor tenants. Bishop, Bishop, I pride
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  Speaker 1: may have a fall ere thou wottest of it? The
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  Speaker 1: Bishop and the prior jesting and laughing between themselves about
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  Speaker 1: certain fair dames, their words more of befitting the lips
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  Speaker 1: of layman, methinks than holy clerks. Then they dismounted, and
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  Speaker 1: the Bishop, looking around, presently caught sight of Robin standing
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  Speaker 1: in the doorway. Hello, a good fellow, quoth he, in
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  Speaker 1: a jovial voice. Who art thou that struttest in such
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  Speaker 1: gay feathers? A harper am I from the north country,
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  Speaker 1: quoth Robin, And I can touch the strings, I WoT
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  Speaker 1: as never another man in all merry England can do, truly,
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  Speaker 1: Good Lord Bishop, many a knight and burgher, clerk and
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  Speaker 1: layman have danced to my music willy nilly, and most
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  Speaker 1: times greatly against their will. Such is the magic of
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  Speaker 1: my harping. Now this day, my lord Bishop, if I
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  Speaker 1: may play at this wedding, I do promise that I
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  Speaker 1: will cause the fair bride to love the man she marries,
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  Speaker 1: with a love that shall last as long as that
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  Speaker 1: twain shall live together. Ha is it? So? Cried the Bishop,
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  Speaker 1: meanest thou this in sooth, And he looked keenly at Robin,
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  Speaker 1: who gazed boldly back again into his eyes. Now, if
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  Speaker 1: thou wilt cause this maiden, who hath verily bewitched my
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  Speaker 1: poor cousin, Stephen, thus to love the man she is
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  Speaker 1: to marry, as thou sayest thou canst, I will give
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  Speaker 1: thee whatsoever thou wilt ask me in due measure. Let
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  Speaker 1: me have a taste of thy skill. Fellow. Nay, quoth Robin,
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  Speaker 1: My music cometh not without I choose, even at a
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  Speaker 1: lord bishop's bidding. In sooth, I will not play until
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  Speaker 1: the bride and bridegroom come. Now, Thou art a saucy
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  Speaker 1: Varlet to speak so to my crest, quoth the Bishop,
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  Speaker 1: frowning on Robin. Yet I must needs bear with thee.
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  Speaker 1: Look prior hither cometh our cousin, Sir Stephen, and his
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  Speaker 1: lady Love. And now around the bend of the high
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  Speaker 1: road came others riding upon horses. The first of all
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  Speaker 1: was a tall, thin man of knightly bearing, dressed all
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  Speaker 1: in black silk, with a black velvet cap upon his
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  Speaker 1: head turned up with scarlet. Robin looked and had no
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  Speaker 1: doubt that this was Sir Stephen, both because of his
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  Speaker 1: knightly carriage and of his gray hairs. Beside him rode
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  Speaker 1: a stout saxon, Franklin Ellen's father, Edward of Durwald. Behind
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  Speaker 1: those two came a litter born by two horses, and
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  Speaker 1: therein was a maiden whom Robin knew must be Ellen.
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  Speaker 1: Behind this litter rode six men at arms, the sunlight
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  Speaker 1: flashing on their steel caps as they came jingling up
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  Speaker 1: the dusty road. So these also came to the church,
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  Speaker 1: and there Sir Stephen leaped from his horse, and, coming
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  Speaker 1: to the litter, handed fair Ellen out therefrom. Then Robin
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  Speaker 1: Hood looked at her and could wonder no longer how
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  Speaker 1: it came about that so proud a knight as Sir
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  Speaker 1: Stephen of Trent wished to marry a common Franklin's daughter.
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  Speaker 1: Nor did he wonder that no ado was made about
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  Speaker 1: the matter, for she was the fairest maiden that ever
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  Speaker 1: he had beheld. Now whoever, she was, all pale and
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  Speaker 1: drooping like a fair white lily snapped at the stem.
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  Speaker 1: And so with bent head and sorrowful look, she went
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  Speaker 1: within the church, Stephen leading her by the hand. Why
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  Speaker 1: dost thou not play, fellow, quoth the Bishop, looking sternly
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  Speaker 1: at Robin. Mary said Robin, calmly, I will play in
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  Speaker 1: greater wise than your lordship thinks. But not till the
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  Speaker 1: right time hath come, said the bishop to himself, while
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  Speaker 1: he looked grimly at Robin. When this wedding is gone by,
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  Speaker 1: I will have this fellow well whipped for his saucy
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  Speaker 1: tongue in bold speech. And now Fair Ellen and Sir
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  Speaker 1: Stephen stood before the altar, and the bishop himself came
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  Speaker 1: in his robes and opened his book. Whereat Fair Ellen
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  Speaker 1: looked up and about her in bitter despair, like the
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  Speaker 1: fawn that finds the hounds on her haunch. Then, in
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  Speaker 1: all his fluttering tags and ribbons of red and yellow,
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  Speaker 1: Robin Hood strode forward three steps he took from the pillar,
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  Speaker 1: whereby he leaned and stood between the bride and bridegroom.
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  Speaker 1: Let me look upon this lass, he said, in a
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  Speaker 1: loud voice. Why how now what have we here? Here
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  Speaker 1: be lilies in the cheeks and not roses, such as
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  Speaker 1: befit a bony bride. This is no fit wedding. Thou,
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  Speaker 1: sir Knight, so old and she so young? An thou
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  Speaker 1: thinkest to make her thy wife? I tell thee it
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  Speaker 1: may not be, for thou art not her own true love.
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  Speaker 1: At this all stood amazed and knew not where to
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  Speaker 1: look nor what to think or say, for they were
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  Speaker 1: all bewildered with the happening. So while every one looked
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  Speaker 1: at Robin as though they had been changed to stone,
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  Speaker 1: he clapped his bugil horn to his lips and blew
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  Speaker 1: three blasts so loud and clear they echoed from flora
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  Speaker 1: to rafter, as though they were sounded by the trump
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  Speaker 1: of doom. Then straightway, little John and will Stuteley came
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  Speaker 1: leaping and stood upon either side of robin Hood and
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  Speaker 1: quickly drew their broadswords. The while a mighty voice rolled
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  Speaker 1: over the heads of all. Here be, I, good master,
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  Speaker 1: when thou wantest me where it was friar tuck that
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  Speaker 1: so called from the organ loft, and now all was
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  Speaker 1: hubbub and noise stout. Edwards strode forward, raging, and would
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  Speaker 1: have seized his daughter to drag her away, but little
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  Speaker 1: John stepped between and thrust him back. Stand back. Old
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  Speaker 1: man said he thou art a hobbled horse this day
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  Speaker 1: down with the villains, cried Sir Stephen, and felt for
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  Speaker 1: his sword, but it hung not beside him on his
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  Speaker 1: wedding day. Then the men at arms drew their swords,
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  Speaker 1: and it seemed like that blood would wet the stones.
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  Speaker 1: But suddenly came a bustle at the door, and loud voices,
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  Speaker 1: steel flashed in the light, and the crash of blows sounded.
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  Speaker 1: The men at arms fell back, and up the aisle
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  Speaker 1: came leaping eighteen stout yeomen, all clad in Lincoln green,
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  Speaker 1: with allan Adale at their head. In his hand he
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  Speaker 1: bore Robin Hood's good stout trusty bow of yew, and
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  Speaker 1: this he gave to him, kneeling the while upon one knee.
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  Speaker 1: Then up spake Edward of Derwald, in a deep voice
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  Speaker 1: of anger. Is it thou, allan Adale, that hath bred
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  Speaker 1: all this coil in a church? Nay quoth Mary Robin,
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  Speaker 1: that have I done? And care not who knoweth it?
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  Speaker 1: For my name is Robin Hood. At this name a
• 16:56
  Speaker 1: sudden silence fell the prior of emmett In. Those that
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  Speaker 1: belonged to him gather together like a flock of frightened
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  Speaker 1: sheep when the scent of the wolf is nigh. While
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  Speaker 1: the Bishop of Hereford, lying aside his book, crossed himself devoutly. Now,
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  Speaker 1: Heaven keep us this day, said he from that evil man. Nay,
• 17:13
  Speaker 1: quoth Robin, I mean you no harm. But here is
• 17:15
  Speaker 1: fair Ellen's betrothed husband, and she shall marry him, or
• 17:18
  Speaker 1: pain will be bred to some of you. Then up
• 17:21
  Speaker 1: spake stout Edward in a loud and angry voice. Now
• 17:24
  Speaker 1: I say nay, I am her father, and she shall
• 17:27
  Speaker 1: marry Sir Stephen and none other. Now, all this time,
• 17:30
  Speaker 1: while everything was in a turmoil about him, Sir Stephen
• 17:33
  Speaker 1: had been standing in proud and scornful silence. Nay Fellow
• 17:38
  Speaker 1: said he coldly, thou mayest take thy daughter back again.
• 17:42
  Speaker 1: I would not marry her after this day's doings. Could
• 17:44
  Speaker 1: I gain all merry England? Thereby I tell thee plainly
• 17:48
  Speaker 1: I loved thy daughter old as I am and would
• 17:50
  Speaker 1: have taken her up like a jewel from the stye.
• 17:53
  Speaker 1: Yet truly I knew not she did love this fellow,
• 17:56
  Speaker 1: and was beloved by him. Maiden, if thou dost rather
• 17:59
  Speaker 1: chow he was a beggarly minstrel than a high born knight,
• 18:02
  Speaker 1: take thy choice. I do feel it shame that I
• 18:04
  Speaker 1: should thus stand talking amid this herd, And so I
• 18:07
  Speaker 1: will leave you, thus saying, he turned, and, gathering his
• 18:11
  Speaker 1: men about him, walked proudly down the aisle. Then all
• 18:14
  Speaker 1: the yeomen were silenced by the scorn of his words.
• 18:17
  Speaker 1: Only Friar Tuck leaned over the edge of the choir
• 18:19
  Speaker 1: loft and called out to him ere he had gone.
• 18:22
  Speaker 1: Good den, Sir Knight, thou wottest old bones must always
• 18:25
  Speaker 1: make room for young blood. Sir Stephen neither answered nor
• 18:29
  Speaker 1: looked up, but passed out from the church as though
• 18:31
  Speaker 1: he had heard not, his men following him. Then the
• 18:36
  Speaker 1: Bishop of Harford spoke hastily, I too have no business here,
• 18:40
  Speaker 1: and so will depart. And he made as though he
• 18:44
  Speaker 1: would go, But Robin Hood laid hold of his clothes
• 18:46
  Speaker 1: and held him stay. My Lord Bishop said he I
• 18:50
  Speaker 1: have yet somewhat to say to thee. The bishop's face fell,
• 18:53
  Speaker 1: but he stayed as Robin bed him, for he saw
• 18:55
  Speaker 1: he could not go. Then Robin Hood turned to stout
• 18:59
  Speaker 1: atw of Derwold and said, he give thy blessing on
• 19:02
  Speaker 1: thy daughter's marriage to this yeoman, and all will be well.
• 19:06
  Speaker 1: Little John, give me the bags of gold. Look, farmer,
• 19:09
  Speaker 1: here are two hundred bright golden angels. Give thy blessing
• 19:12
  Speaker 1: as I say, and I will count them out to
• 19:14
  Speaker 1: thee as thy daughter's dower. Give not thy blessing, and
• 19:17
  Speaker 1: she shall be married all the same, but not so
• 19:19
  Speaker 1: much as a cracked farthing shall cross thy palm choose.
• 19:23
  Speaker 1: Then Edward looked upon the ground with bent brows, turning
• 19:26
  Speaker 1: the matter over and over in his mind. But he
• 19:29
  Speaker 1: was a shrewd man, and one withal that made the
• 19:31
  Speaker 1: best use of a cracked pipkin. So at last he
• 19:35
  Speaker 1: looked up and said, but in no joyous tone, if
• 19:39
  Speaker 1: the wench will go her own gait, let her go.
• 19:42
  Speaker 1: I thought to make a lady of her. Yet if
• 19:44
  Speaker 1: she chooses to be what she is like to be,
• 19:46
  Speaker 1: I have naught to do with her. Henceforth, Nevertheless, I
• 19:49
  Speaker 1: will give her my blessing. When she is duly wedded,
• 19:52
  Speaker 1: it may not be spake up one of those emmet.
• 19:56
  Speaker 1: The bands have not been duly published. Neither is there
• 19:58
  Speaker 1: any priest here to marry them. How sayest thou roared
• 20:02
  Speaker 1: tuck from the choir loft. No priest marry here stands
• 20:05
  Speaker 1: as holy a man as thou art any day of
• 20:07
  Speaker 1: the week. A clerk in orders, I would have thee know.
• 20:11
  Speaker 1: As for the question of bands, stumble not over the straw, brother,
• 20:14
  Speaker 1: for I will publish them. So saying he called the bands,
• 20:17
  Speaker 1: and says the old ballad lest three times should not
• 20:20
  Speaker 1: be enough. He published them nine times over. Then straightway
• 20:24
  Speaker 1: he came down from the loft, and forthwith performed the
• 20:27
  Speaker 1: marriage service. And so Allan and Ellen were duly wedded.
• 20:31
  Speaker 1: And now Robin counted out two hundred golden angels to
• 20:34
  Speaker 1: Edward of Drwold, and he, upon his part, gave his blessing.
• 20:38
  Speaker 1: Yet not I WoT as though he meant it with
• 20:40
  Speaker 1: over much good will. Then the stout yeoman crowded around
• 20:44
  Speaker 1: and grasped Allan's palm, and he, holding Ellen's hand within
• 20:47
  Speaker 1: his own, looked about him, all dizzy with his happiness.
• 20:51
  Speaker 1: Then at last Jolly Robin turned to the Bishop of Hereford,
• 20:54
  Speaker 1: who had been looking on at all that passed with
• 20:56
  Speaker 1: a grim look. My Lord Bishop, quoth he thou mayst
• 21:00
  Speaker 1: bring to thy mind that thou didst promise that did
• 21:03
  Speaker 1: I play in such wise as to cause this fair
• 21:05
  Speaker 1: last to love her husband? Thou wouldest give me whatsoever
• 21:08
  Speaker 1: I asked in reason I have played my play and
• 21:11
  Speaker 1: she loveth her husband, which she would not have done
• 21:14
  Speaker 1: but for me. So now fulfill thy promise. Thou hast
• 21:18
  Speaker 1: upon thee that which methinks thou wouldest be the better without.
• 21:21
  Speaker 1: Therefore I prithee give me that golden chain that hangeth
• 21:25
  Speaker 1: about thy neck as a wedding present for this fair bride.
• 21:29
  Speaker 1: Then the Bishop's cheeks grew red with rage, and his
• 21:32
  Speaker 1: eyes flashed. He looked at Robin with a fell look,
• 21:35
  Speaker 1: but saw that in the yeoman's face which bade him pause.
• 21:39
  Speaker 1: Then slowly he took the chain from about his neck
• 21:41
  Speaker 1: and handed it to Robin, who flung it over Ellen's
• 21:44
  Speaker 1: head so that it hung glittering around her shoulders. Then
• 21:47
  Speaker 1: said Mary, Robin, I thank THEE on the bride's part
• 21:51
  Speaker 1: for thy handsome gift, And truly thou thyself art more
• 21:53
  Speaker 1: seemly without it. Now, shouldst thou ever come nigh to Sherwood,
• 21:58
  Speaker 1: I much hope that I shall give thee there such
• 22:00
  Speaker 1: a feast as thou hast never had in all thy
• 22:02
  Speaker 1: life before may Heaven. Forfend, cried the bishop earnestly, for
• 22:07
  Speaker 1: he knew right well what manner of feast it was
• 22:10
  Speaker 1: that robin Hood gave his guests in Sherwood forest. But
• 22:13
  Speaker 1: now robin Hood gathered his men together, and with Allan
• 22:16
  Speaker 1: and his young bride in their midst, they all turned
• 22:19
  Speaker 1: their footsteps towards the woodlands. On the way thither, Friar
• 22:23
  Speaker 1: Tuck came close to Robin and plucked him by the sleeve.
• 22:26
  Speaker 1: Thou dost lead a merry life, good master, quoth he.
• 22:29
  Speaker 1: But dost thou not think that it would be for
• 22:32
  Speaker 1: the welfare of all your souls to have a good
• 22:34
  Speaker 1: stout chaplain such as I to oversee holy matters. Truly,
• 22:38
  Speaker 1: I do love this life mightily. At this Mary, robin
• 22:41
  Speaker 1: Hood laughed to Maine and bade him to stay and
• 22:43
  Speaker 1: become one of their band if he wished. That night
• 22:47
  Speaker 1: there was such a feast held in the Greenwood as
• 22:49
  Speaker 1: Nottinghamshire never saw before to that feast, you and I
• 22:52
  Speaker 1: were not bidden, And pity it is that we were
• 22:54
  Speaker 1: not so, lest we should both feel the matter the
• 22:57
  Speaker 1: more keenly. I will say no more about it, end
• 23:02
  Speaker 1: of Chapter thirteen. This recording is in the public domain.