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present outlaw life。〃
〃Our life；〃 said the friar； 〃is a craft； an art； and a mystery。 How much
of it； think you； could be learned at court？〃
〃Indeed； I cannot say；〃 said the stranger knight： 〃but I should
apprehend very little。〃
〃And so should I；〃 said the friar： 〃for we should find very little of
our bold open practice； but should hear abundance of praise of our
principles。 To live in seeming fellowship and secret rivalry； to have a hand
for all； and a heart for none； to be everybody's acquaintance； and nobody's
friend； to meditate the ruin of all on whom we smile； and to dread the
secret stratagems of all who smile on us； to pilfer honours and despoil
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fortunes； not by fighting in daylight； but by sapping in darkness： these are
arts which the court can teach； but which we； by 'r Lady； have not learned。
But let your court…minstrel tune up his throat to the praise of your court…
hero； then come our principles into play： then is our practice extolled not
by the same name； for their Richard is a hero； and our Robin is a thief：
marry； your hero guts an exchequer； while your thief disembowels a
portmanteau； your hero sacks a city； while your thief sacks a cellar： your
hero marauds on a larger scale； and that is all the difference； for the
principle and the virtue are one： but two of a trade cannot agree：
therefore your hero makes laws to get rid of your thief； and gives him an
ill name that he may hang him： for might is right； and the strong make
laws for the weak； and they that make laws to serve their own turn do also
make morals to give colour to their laws。〃
〃Your comparison； friar；〃 said the stranger； 〃fails in this： that your thief
fights for profit； and your hero for honour。 I have fought under the banners
of Richard； and if； as you phrase it； he guts exchequers； and sacks cities； it
is not to win treasure for himself； but to furnish forth the means of his
greater and more glorious aim。〃
〃Misconceive me not； sir knight；〃 said the friar。 〃We all love and
honour King Richard； and here is a deep draught to his health： but I would
show you； that we foresters are miscalled by opprobrious names； and that
our virtues； though they follow at humble distance； are yet truly akin to
those of Coeur…de…Lion。 I say not that Richard is a thief； but I say that
Robin is a hero： and for honour； did ever yet man； miscalled thief； win
greater honour than Robin？ Do not all men grace him with some
honourable epithet？ The most gentle thief； the most courteous thief； the
most bountiful thief； yea； and the most honest thief？ Richard is courteous；
bountiful； honest； and valiant： but so also is Robin： it is the false word
that makes the unjust distinction。 They are twin…spirits； and should be
friends； but that fortune hath differently cast their lot： but their names
shall descend together to the latest days； as the flower of their age and of
England： for in the pure principles of freebootery have they excelled all
men； and to the principles of freebootery； diversely developed； belong all
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the qualities to which song and story concede renown。〃
〃And you may add； friar；〃 said Marian； 〃that Robin； no less than
Richard； is king in his own dominion； and that if his subjects be fewer； yet
are they more uniformly loyal。〃
〃I would； fair lady；〃 said the stranger； 〃that thy latter observation were
not so true。 But I nothing doubt； Robin； that if Richard could hear your
friar； and see you and your lady； as I now do； there is not a man in England
whom he would take by the hand more cordially than yourself。〃
〃Gramercy； sir knight；〃 said Robin But his speech was cut short by
Little John calling； 〃Hark！〃
All listened。 A distant trampling of horses was heard。 The sounds
approached rapidly； and at length a group of horsemen glittering in
holyday dresses was visible among the trees。
〃God's my life！〃 said Robin； 〃what means this？ To arms； my
merrymen all。〃
〃No arms； Robin；〃 said the foremost horseman； riding up and
springing from his saddle： 〃have you forgotten Sir William of the Lee？〃
〃No； by my fay；〃 said Robin； 〃and right welcome again to Sherwood。〃
Little John bustled to re…array the disorganised economy of the table；
and replace the dilapidations of the provender。
〃I come late； Robin；〃 said Sir William； 〃but I came by a wrestling；
where I found a good yeoman wrongfully beset by a crowd of sturdy
varlets； and I staid to do him right。〃
〃I thank thee for that； in God's name；〃 said Robin； 〃as if thy good
service had been to myself。〃
〃And here；〃 said the knight； 〃is thy four hundred pound； and my men
have brought thee an hundred bows and as many well…furnished quivers；
which I beseech thee to receive and to use as a poor token of my grateful
kindness to thee： for me and my wife and children didst thou redeem from
beggary。〃
〃Thy bows and arrows；〃 said Robin； 〃will I joyfully receive： but of thy
money； not a penny。 It is paid already。 My Lady； who was thy security；
hath sent it me for thee。〃
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Sir William pressed； but Robin was inflexible。
〃It is paid；〃 said Robin； 〃as this good knight can testify； who saw my
Lady's messenger depart but now。〃
Sir William looked round to the stranger knight； and instantly fell on
his knee； saying； 〃God save King Richard。〃
The foresters； friar and all； dropped on their knees together； and
repeated in chorus： 〃God save King Richard。〃
〃Rise； rise；〃 said Richard； smiling： 〃Robin is king here； as his lady
hath shown。 I have heard much of thee； Robin； both of thy present and
thy former state。 And this； thy fair forest…queen； is； if tales say true； the
lady Matilda Fitzwater。〃
Marian signed acknowledgment。
〃Your father；〃 said the king； 〃has approved his fidelity to me； by the
loss of his lands； which the newness of my return； and many public cares；
have not yet given me time to restore： but this justice shall be done to him；
and to thee also； Robin； if thou wilt leave thy forest…life and resume thy
earldom； and be a peer of Coeur…de…Lion： for braver heart and juster hand
I never yet found。〃
Robin looked round on his men。
〃Your followers；〃 said the king； 〃shall have free pardon； and such of
them as thou wilt part with shall have maintenance from me； and if ever I
confess to priest； it shall be to thy friar。〃
〃Gramercy to your majesty；〃 said the friar； 〃and my inflictions shall be
flasks of canary； and if the number be （as in grave cases I may；
peradventure； make it） too great for one frail mortality； I will relieve you
by vicarious penance； and pour down my own throat the redundancy of the
burden。〃
Robin and his followers embraced the king's proposal。 A joyful
meeting soon followed with the baron and Sir Guy of Gamwell： and
Richard himself honoured with his own presence a formal solemnization
of the nuptials of our lovers； whom he constantly distinguished with his
peculiar regard。
The friar could not say； Farewell to the forest； without something of a
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heavy heart： and he sang as he turned his back upon its bounds；
occasionally reverting his head：
Ye woods； that oft at sultry noon Have o'er me spread your
messy shade： Ye gushing streams； whose murmured tune Has in
my ear sweet music made； While； where the dancing pebbles show
Deep in the restless fountain…pool The gelid water's upward flow；
My se