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his brethren； and stood steadfastly watching the combat with his arms a…
kembo； the colossal emblem of an unarmed neutrality。
At length； through the midst of the internal confusion； the earl； by the
help of his good sword； the staunch valour of his men； and the blessing of
the Virgin； fought his way to the chapel…gate his bowmen closed him in
he vaulted into his saddle； clapped spurs to his horse； rallied his men on
the first eminence； and exchanged his sword for a bow and arrow； with
which he did old execution among the pursuers； who at last thought it
most expedient to desist from offensive warfare； and to retreat into the
abbey； where； in the king's name； they broached a pipe of the best wine；
and attached all the venison in the larder； having first carefully unpacked
the tuft of friars； and set the fallen abbot on his legs。
The friars； it may be well supposed； and such of the king's men as
escaped unhurt from the affray； found their spirits a cup too low； and kept
the flask moving from noon till night。 The peaceful brethren； unused to
the tumult of war； had undergone； from fear and discomposure； an
exhaustion of animal spirits that required extraordinary refection。 During
the repast； they interrogated Sir Ralph Montfaucon； the leader of the
soldiers； respecting the nature of the earl's offence。
〃A complication of offences；〃 replied Sir Ralph； 〃superinduced on the
original basis of forest…treason。 He began with hunting the king's deer； in
despite of all remonstrance； followed it up by contempt of the king's
mandates； and by armed resistance to his power； in defiance of all
authority； and combined with it the resolute withholding of payment of
certain moneys to the abbot of Doncaster； in denial of all law； and has thus
made himself the declared enemy of church and state； and all for being too
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Maid Marian
fond of venison。〃 And the knight helped himself to half a pasty。
〃A heinous offender；〃 said a little round oily friar； appropriating the
portion of pasty which Sir Ralph had left。
〃The earl is a worthy peer；〃 said the tall friar whom we have already
mentioned in the chapel scene； 〃and the best marksman in England。〃
〃Why this is flat treason； brother Michael；〃 said the little round friar；
〃to call an attainted traitor a worthy peer。〃
〃I pledge you；〃 said brother Michael。 The little friar smiled and filled
his cup。 〃He will draw the long bow；〃 pursued brother Michael； 〃with
any bold yeoman among them all。〃
〃Don't talk of the long bow；〃 said the abbot； who had the sound of the
arrow still whizzing in his ear： 〃what have we pillars of the faith to do
with the long bow？〃
〃Be that as it may；〃 said Sir Ralph； 〃he is an outlaw from this
moment。〃
〃So much the worse for the law then；〃 said brother Michael。 〃The
law will have a heavier miss of him than he will have of the law。 He will
strike as much venison as ever； and more of other game。 I know what I say：
but basta： Let us drink。〃
〃What other game？〃 said the little friar。 〃I hope he won't poach
among our partridges。〃
〃Poach！ not he；〃 said brother Michael： 〃if he wants your partridges；
he will strike them under your nose （here's to you）； and drag your trout…
stream for you on a Thursday evening。〃
〃Monstrous！ and starve us on fast…day；〃 said the little friar。
〃But that is not the game I mean；〃 said brother Michael。
〃Surely； son Michael；〃 said the abbot； 〃you do not mean to insinuate
that the noble earl will turn freebooter？〃
〃A man must live；〃 said brother Michael； 〃earl or no。 If the law takes
his rents and beeves without his consent； he must take beeves and rents
where he can get them without the consent of the law。 This is the lex
talionis。〃
〃Truly；〃 said Sir Ralph； 〃I am sorry for the damsel： she seems fond of
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Maid Marian
this wild runagate。〃
〃A mad girl； a mad girl；〃 said the little friar。
〃How a mad girl？〃 said brother Michael。 〃Has she not beauty； grace；
wit； sense； discretion； dexterity； learning； and valour？〃
〃Learning！〃 exclaimed the little friar； 〃what has a woman to do with
learning？ And valour！ who ever heard a woman commended for valour？
Meekness and mildness； and softness； and gentleness； and tenderness； and
humility； and obedience to her husband； and faith in her confessor； and
domesticity； or； as learned doctors call it； the faculty of
stayathomeitiveness； and embroidery； and music； and pickling； and
preserving； and the whole complex and multiplex detail of the noble
science of dinner； as well in preparation for the table； as in arrangement
over it； and in distribution around it to knights； and squires； and ghostly
friars；these are female virtues： but valourwhy who ever heard？〃
〃She is the all in all；〃 said brother Michael； 〃gentle as a ring…dove； yet
high…soaring as a falcon： humble below her deserving； yet deserving
beyond the estimate of panegyric： an exact economist in all superfluity；
yet a most bountiful dispenser in all liberality： the chief regulator of her
household； the fairest pillar of her hall； and the sweetest blossom of her
bower： having； in all opposite proposings； sense to understand； judgment
to weigh； discretion to choose； firmness to undertake； diligence to conduct；
perseverance to accomplish； and resolution to maintain。 For obedience to
her husband； that is not to be tried till she has one： for faith in her
confessor； she has as much as the law prescribes： for embroidery an
Arachne： for music a Siren： and for pickling and preserving； did not
one of her jars of sugared apricots give you your last surfeit at Arlingford
Castle？〃
〃Call you that preserving？〃 said the little friar； 〃I call it destroying。
Call you it pickling？ Truly it pickled me。 My life was saved by
miracle。〃
〃By canary；〃 said brother Michael。 〃Canary is the only life preserver；
the true aurum potabile； the universal panacea for all diseases； thirst； and
short life。 Your life was saved by canary。〃
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〃Indeed； reverend father；〃 said Sir Ralph； 〃if the young lady be half
what you describe； she must be a paragon： but your commending her for
valour does somewhat amaze me。〃
〃She can fence；〃 said the little friar； 〃and draw the long bow； and play
at singlestick and quarter…staff。〃
〃Yet mark you；〃 said brother Michael； 〃not like a virago or a hoyden；
or one that would crack a serving…man's head for spilling gravy on her ruff；
but with such womanly grace and temperate self…command as if those
manly exercises belonged to her only； and were become for her sake
feminine。〃
〃You incite me；〃 said Sir Ralph； 〃to view her more nearly。 That
madcap earl found me other employment than to remark her in the
chapel。〃
〃The earl is a worthy peer；〃 said brother Michael； 〃he is worth any
fourteen earls on this side Trent； and any seven on the other。〃 （The reader
will please to remember that Rubygill Abbey was north of Trent。）
〃His mettle will be tried；〃 said Sir Ralph。 〃There is many a courtier
will swear to King Henry to bring him in dead or alive。〃
〃They must look to the brambles then；〃 said brother Michael。
〃The bramble； the bramble； the bonny forest bramble； Doth
make a jest Of silken vest； That will through greenwood scramble：
The bramble； the bramble； the bonny forest bramble。〃
〃Plague on your lungs； son Michael；〃 said the abbot； 〃this is your old
coil： always roaring in your cups。〃
〃I know what I say；〃 said brother Michael； 〃there is often more sense
in an old song than in a new