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with slippery subjects that come not twice to his exchequer。 What need we
then to constitute a court； except a fool and a laureate？ For the fool； his
only use is to make false knaves merry by art； and we are true men and are
merry by nature。 For the laureate； his only office is to find virtues in
those who have none； and to drink sack for his pains。 We have quite
virtue enough to need him not； and can drink our sack for ourselves。〃
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〃Well preached； friar；〃 said Robin Hood： 〃yet there is one thing wanting
to constitute a court； and that is a queen。 And now； lovely Matilda； look
round upon these sylvan shades where we have so often roused the stag
from his ferny covert。 The rising sun smiles upon us through the stems of
that beechen knoll。 Shall I take your hand； Matilda； in the presence of this
my court？ Shall I crown you with our wild…wood coronal； and hail you
queen of the forest？ Will you be the queen Matilda of your own true
king Robin？〃
Matilda smiled assent。
〃Not Matilda；〃 said the friar： 〃the rules of our holy alliance require
new birth。 We have excepted in favour of Little John； because he is great
John； and his name is a misnomer。 I sprinkle； not thy forehead with water；
but thy lips with wine； and baptize thee MARIAN。〃
〃Here is a pretty conspiracy；〃 exclaimed the baron。 〃Why； you
villanous friar； think you to nickname and marry my daughter before my
face with impunity？〃
〃Even so； bold baron；〃 said the friar； 〃we are strongest here。 Say you；
might overcomes right？ I say no。 There is no right but might： and to
say that might overcomes right is to say that right overcomes itself： an
absurdity most palpable。 Your right was the stronger in Arlingford； and
ours is the stronger in Sherwood。 Your right was right as long as you
could maintain it； so is ours。 So is King Richard's； with all deference be
it spoken； and so is King Saladin's； and their two mights are now
committed in bloody fray； and that which overcomes will be right； just as
long as it lasts； and as far as it reaches。 And now if any of you know any
just impediment〃
〃Fire and fury；〃 said the baron。
〃Fire and fury；〃 said the friar； 〃are modes of that might which
constitutes right； and are just impediments to any thing against which they
can be brought to bear。 They are our good allies upon occasion； and
would declare for us now if you should put them to the test。〃
〃Father；〃 said Matilda； 〃you know the terms of our compact： from the
moment you restrained my liberty； you renounced your claim to all but
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compulsory obedience。 The friar argues well。 Right ends with might。
Thick walls； dreary galleries； and tapestried chambers； were indifferent to
me while I could leave them at pleasure； but have ever been hateful to me
since they held me by force。 May I never again have roof but the blue
sky； nor canopy but the green leaves； nor barrier but the forest…bounds；
with the foresters to my train； Little John to my page； Friar Tuck to my
ghostly adviser； and Robin Hood to my liege lord。 I am no longer lady
Matilda Fitzwater； of Arlingford Castle； but plain Maid Marian； of
Sherwood Forest。〃
〃Long live Maid Marian！〃 re…echoed the foresters。
〃Oh false girl！〃 said the baron； 〃do you renounce your name and
parentage？〃
〃Not my parentage；〃 said Marian； 〃but my name indeed： do not all
maids renounce it at the altar？〃
〃The altar！〃 said the baron： 〃grant me patience！ what do you mean
by the altar？〃
〃Pile green turf；〃 said the friar； 〃wreathe it with flowers； and crown it
with fruit； and we will show the noble baron what we mean by the altar。〃
The foresters did as the friar directed。
〃Now； Little John；〃 said the friar； 〃on with the cloak of the abbot of
Doubleflask。 I appoint thee my clerk： thou art here duly elected in full
mote。〃
〃I wish you were all in full moat together；〃 said the baron； 〃and
smooth wall on both sides。〃
〃Punnest thou？〃 said the friar。 〃A heinous anti…christian offence。
Why anti…christian？ Because anti…catholic？ Why anti…catholic？ Because
anti…roman。 Why anti…roman？ Because Carthaginian。 Is not pun from
Punic？ punica fides： the very quint…essential quiddity of bad faith：
double…visaged： double…tongued。 He that will make a pun will I say no
more。 Fie on it。 Stand forth； clerk。 Who is the bride's father？〃
〃There is no bride's father；〃 said the baron。 〃I am the father of
Matilda Fitzwater。〃
〃There is none such；〃 said the friar。 〃This is the fair Maid Marian。
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Will you make a virtue of necessity； or will you give laws to the flowing
tide？ Will you give her； or shall Robin take her？ Will you be her true
natural father； or shall I commute paternity？ Stand forth； Scarlet。〃
〃Stand back； sirrah Scarlet；〃 said the baron。 〃My daughter shall have
no father but me。 Needs must when the devil drives。〃
〃No matter who drives；〃 said the friar； 〃so that； like a well…disposed
subject； you yield cheerful obedience to those who can enforce it。〃
〃Mawd； sweet Mawd；〃 said the baron； 〃will you then forsake your
poor old father in his distress； with his castle in ashes； and his enemy in
power？〃
〃Not so； father；〃 said Marian； 〃I will always be your true daughter： I
will always love； and serve； and watch； and defend you： but neither will
I forsake my plighted love； and my own liege lord； who was your choice
before he was mine； for you made him my associate in infancy； and that
he continued to be mine when he ceased to be yours； does not in any way
show remissness in my duties or falling off in my affections。 And though I
here plight my troth at the altar to Robin； in the presence of this holy priest
and pious clerk； yet。。。。 Father； when Richard returns from Palestine； he
will restore you to your barony； and perhaps； for your sake； your
daughter's husband to the earldom of Huntingdon： should that never be；
should it be the will of fate that we must live and die in the greenwood； I
will live and die MAID MARIAN。〃＇4＇
＇4＇ And therefore is she called Maid Marian Because she leads a
spotless maiden life And shall till Robin's outlaw life have end。
Old Play。
〃A pretty resolution；〃 said the baron； 〃if Robin will let you keep it。〃
〃I have sworn it；〃 said Robin。 〃Should I expose her tenderness to the
perils of maternity； when life and death may hang on shifting at a
moment's notice from Sherwood to Barnsdale； and from Barnsdale to the
sea…shore？ And why should I banquet when my merry men starve？
Chastity is our forest law； and even the friar has kept it since he has been
here。〃
〃Truly so；〃 said the friar： 〃for temptation dwells with ease and
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luxury： but the hunter is Hippolytus； and the huntress is Dian。 And now；
dearly beloved〃
The friar went through the ceremony with great unction； and Little
John was most clerical in the intonation of his responses。 After which； the
friar sang； and Little John fiddled； and the foresters danced； Robin with
Marian； and Scarlet with the baron； and the venison smoked； and the ale
frothed； and the wine sparkled； and the sun went down on their unwearied
festivity： which they wound up with the following song； the friar leading
and the foresters joining chorus：
Oh！ bold Robin Hood is a forester good； As ever drew bow in the
mer