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the Queen sent the message, and that she spake of the King's wrath.
"Now, I thank thee, good fellow, for thou hast done me greater service
than thou knowest of this day." Then he called his three yeomen together
and told them privately that they had best be jogging, as it was like to
be ill for them so nigh merry London Town. So, without tarrying longer,
they made their way through the crowd until they had come out from the press.
Then, without stopping, they left London Town and started away northward.
The Chase of Robin Hood
SO ROBIN HOOD and the others left the archery range at Finsbury Fields,
and, tarrying not, set forth straightway upon their homeward journey.
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It was well for them that they did so, for they had not gone more
than three or four miles upon their way when six of the yeomen of
the King's guard came bustling among the crowd that still lingered,
seeking for Robin and his men, to seize upon them and make them prisoners.
Truly, it was an ill-done thing in the King to break his promise,
but it all came about through the Bishop of Hereford's doing,
for thus it happened:
After the King left the archery ground, he went straightway to his cabinet,
and with him went the Bishop of Hereford and Sir Robert Lee;
but the King said never a word to these two, but sat gnawing his
nether lip, for his heart was galled within him by what had happened.
At last the Bishop of Hereford spoke, in a low, sorrowful voice:
"It is a sad thing, Your Majesty, that this knavish outlaw should be let
to escape in this wise; for, let him but get back to Sherwood Forest
safe and sound, and he may snap his fingers at king and king's men."
At these words the King raised his eyes and looked grimly upon
the Bishop. "Sayst thou so?" quoth he. "Now, I will show thee,
in good time, how much thou dost err, for, when the forty days
are past and gone, I will seize upon this thieving outlaw,
if I have to tear down all of Sherwood to find him.
Thinkest thou that the laws of the King of England are to be
so evaded by one poor knave without friends or money?"
Then the Bishop spoke again, in his soft, smooth voice:
"Forgive my boldness, Your Majesty, and believe that I have nought
but the good of England and Your Majesty's desirings at heart;
but what would it boot though my gracious lord did root up every tree
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of Sherwood? Are there not other places for Robin Hood's hiding?
Cannock Chase is not far from Sherwood, and the great Forest of Arden
is not far from Cannock Chase. Beside these are many other woodlands
in Nottingham and Derby, Lincoln and York, amid any of which
Your Majesty might as well think to seize upon Robin Hood as to lay
finger upon a rat among the dust and broken things of a garret.
Nay, my gracious lord, if he doth once plant foot in the woodland,
he is lost to the law forever."
At these words the King tapped his fingertips upon the table beside
him with vexation. "What wouldst thou have me do, Bishop?" quoth he.
"Didst thou not hear me pledge my word to the Queen? Thy talk is
as barren as the wind from the bellows upon dead coals."
"Far be it from me," said the cunning Bishop, "to point the way
to one so clear-sighted as Your Majesty; but, were I the King
of England, I should look upon the matter in this wise:
I have promised my Queen, let us say, that for forty days
the cunningest rogue in all England shall have freedom
to come and go; but, lo! I find this outlaw in my grasp;
shall I, then, foolishly cling to a promise so hastily given?
Suppose that I had promised to do Her Majesty's bidding,
whereupon she bade me to slay myself; should I, then, shut mine
eyes and run blindly upon my sword? Thus would I argue
within myself. Moreover, I would say unto myself, a woman knoweth
nought of the great things appertaining to state government;
and, likewise, I know a woman is ever prone to take up a fancy,
even as she would pluck a daisy from the roadside, and then throw
it away when the savor is gone; therefore, though she hath taken
a fancy to this outlaw, it will soon wane away and be forgotten.
Page 320
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the Queen sent the message, and that she spake of the King's wrath.
"Now, I thank thee, good fellow, for thou hast done me greater service
than thou knowest of this day." Then he called his three yeomen together
and told them privately that they had best be jogging, as it was like to
be ill for them so nigh merry London Town. So, without tarrying longer,
they made their way through the crowd until they had come out from the press.
Then, without stopping, they left London Town and started away northward.
The Chase of Robin Hood
SO ROBIN HOOD and the others left the archery range at Finsbury Fields,
and, tarrying not, set forth straightway upon their homeward journey.
Page 318
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
It was well for them that they did so, for they had not gone more
than three or four miles upon their way when six of the yeomen of
the King's guard came bustling among the crowd that still lingered,
seeking for Robin and his men, to seize upon them and make them prisoners.
Truly, it was an ill-done thing in the King to break his promise,
but it all came about through the Bishop of Hereford's doing,
for thus it happened:
After the King left the archery ground, he went straightway to his cabinet,
and with him went the Bishop of Hereford and Sir Robert Lee;
but the King said never a word to these two, but sat gnawing his
nether lip, for his heart was galled within him by what had happened.
At last the Bishop of Hereford spoke, in a low, sorrowful voice:
"It is a sad thing, Your Majesty, that this knavish outlaw should be let
to escape in this wise; for, let him but get back to Sherwood Forest
safe and sound, and he may snap his fingers at king and king's men."
At these words the King raised his eyes and looked grimly upon
the Bishop. "Sayst thou so?" quoth he. "Now, I will show thee,
in good time, how much thou dost err, for, when the forty days
are past and gone, I will seize upon this thieving outlaw,
if I have to tear down all of Sherwood to find him.
Thinkest thou that the laws of the King of England are to be
so evaded by one poor knave without friends or money?"
Then the Bishop spoke again, in his soft, smooth voice:
"Forgive my boldness, Your Majesty, and believe that I have nought
but the good of England and Your Majesty's desirings at heart;
but what would it boot though my gracious lord did root up every tree
Page 319
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
of Sherwood? Are there not other places for Robin Hood's hiding?
Cannock Chase is not far from Sherwood, and the great Forest of Arden
is not far from Cannock Chase. Beside these are many other woodlands
in Nottingham and Derby, Lincoln and York, amid any of which
Your Majesty might as well think to seize upon Robin Hood as to lay
finger upon a rat among the dust and broken things of a garret.
Nay, my gracious lord, if he doth once plant foot in the woodland,
he is lost to the law forever."
At these words the King tapped his fingertips upon the table beside
him with vexation. "What wouldst thou have me do, Bishop?" quoth he.
"Didst thou not hear me pledge my word to the Queen? Thy talk is
as barren as the wind from the bellows upon dead coals."
"Far be it from me," said the cunning Bishop, "to point the way
to one so clear-sighted as Your Majesty; but, were I the King
of England, I should look upon the matter in this wise:
I have promised my Queen, let us say, that for forty days
the cunningest rogue in all England shall have freedom
to come and go; but, lo! I find this outlaw in my grasp;
shall I, then, foolishly cling to a promise so hastily given?
Suppose that I had promised to do Her Majesty's bidding,
whereupon she bade me to slay myself; should I, then, shut mine
eyes and run blindly upon my sword? Thus would I argue
within myself. Moreover, I would say unto myself, a woman knoweth
nought of the great things appertaining to state government;
and, likewise, I know a woman is ever prone to take up a fancy,
even as she would pluck a daisy from the roadside, and then throw
it away when the savor is gone; therefore, though she hath taken
a fancy to this outlaw, it will soon wane away and be forgotten.
Page 320
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]