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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
merry greenwood： At his bugle's shrill singing the echoes are ringing；
The wild deer are springing for many a rood： Its summons we follow；
through brake； over hollow； The thrice…blown shrill summons of bold
Robin Hood。
And what eye hath e'er seen such a sweet Maiden Queen； As
Marian； the pride of the forester's green？ A sweet garden…flower； she
blooms in the bower； Where alone to this hour the wild rose has been：
We hail her in duty the queen of all beauty： We will live； we will die； by
our sweet Maiden queen。
And here's a grey friar； good as heart can desire； To absolve all our
sins as the case may require： Who with courage so stout； lays his oak…
plant about； And puts to the rout all the foes of his choir： For we are
his choristers； we merry foresters； Chorussing thus with our militant friar