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〃And Little John； the page；〃 said the third； 〃in Little John the outlaw。〃
〃And Father Michael； of Rubygill Abbey；〃 said the friar； 〃in Friar Tuck；
of Sherwood forest。 Truly； I have a chapel here hard by； in the shape of a
hollow tree； where I put up my prayers for travellers； and Little John holds
the plate at the door； for good praying deserves good paying。〃
〃I am in fine company；〃 said the baron。
〃In the very best of company；〃 said the friar； 〃in the high court of
Nature； and in the midst of her own nobility。 Is it not so？ This goodly
grove is our palace： the oak and the beech are its colonnade and its canopy：
the sun and the moon and the stars are its everlasting lamps： the grass； and
the daisy； and the primrose； and the violet； are its many…coloured floor of
green； white； yellow； and blue； the may…flower； and the woodbine； and the
eglantine； and the ivy； are its decorations； its curtains； and its tapestry：
the lark； and the thrush； and the linnet； and the nightingale； are its unhired
minstrels and musicians。 Robin Hood is king of the forest both by
dignity of birth and by virtue of his standing army： to say nothing of the
free choice of his people； which he has indeed； but I pass it by as an
illegitimate basis of power。 He holds his dominion over the forest； and its
horned multitude of citizen…deer； and its swinish multitude or peasantry of
wild boars； by right of conquest and force of arms。 He levies contributions
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among them by the free consent of his archers； their virtual representatives。
If they should find a voice to complain that we are 'tyrants and usurpers to
kill and cook them up in their assigned and native dwelling…place；' we
should most convincingly admonish them； with point of arrow； that they
have nothing to do with our laws but to obey them。 Is it not written that
the fat ribs of the herd shall be fed upon by the mighty in the land？ And
have not they withal my blessing？ my orthodox； canonical； and
archiepiscopal blessing？ Do I not give thanks for them when they are well
roasted and smoking under my nose？ What title had William of
Normandy to England； that Robin of Locksley has not to merry Sherwood？
William fought for his claim。 So does Robin。 With whom； both？
With any that would or will dispute it。 William raised contributions。 So
does Robin。 From whom； both？ From all that they could or can make
pay them。 Why did any pay them to William？ Why do any pay them to
Robin？ For the same reason to both： because they could not or cannot
help it。 They differ indeed； in this； that William took from the poor and
gave to the rich； and Robin takes from the rich and gives to the poor： and
therein is Robin illegitimate； though in all else he is true prince。 Scarlet
and John； are they not peers of the forest？ lords temporal of Sherwood？
And am not I lord spiritual？ Am I not archbishop？ Am I not pope？ Do
I not consecrate their banner and absolve their sins？ Are not they state；
and am not I church？ Are not they state monarchical； and am not I church
militant？ Do I not excommunicate our enemies from venison and brawn；
and by 'r Lady； when need calls； beat them down under my feet？ The state
levies tax； and the church levies tithe。 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。〃
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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