Even so do we. Mass, we take all at once. What then?
It is tax by redemption and tithe by commutation.
Your William and Richard can cut and come again, but our Robin
deals 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."
"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.
Pages:
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97