Page 197 - the-merry-adventures-of-robin-hood

ere thou wottest of it.’
So the holy men came to the church; the Bishop and
the Prior jesting and laughing between themselves about
certain fair dames, their words more befitting the lips of
laymen, methinks, than holy clerks. Then they dismounted,
and the Bishop, looking around, presently caught sight of
Robin standing in the doorway. ‘Hilloa, good fellow,’ quoth
he in a jovial voice, ‘who art thou that struttest in such gay
feathers?’
‘A harper am I from the north country,’ quoth Robin,
‘and I can touch the strings, I wot, as never another man in
all merry England can do. Truly, good Lord Bishop, many
a knight and burgher, clerk and layman, have danced to my
music, willy-nilly, and most times greatly against their will;
such is the magic of my harping. Now this day, my Lord
Bishop, if I may play at this wedding, I do promise that I will
cause the fair bride to love the man she marries with a love
that shall last as long as that twain shall live together.’
‘Ha! is it so?’ cried the Bishop. ‘Meanest thou this in
sooth?’ And he looked keenly at Robin, who gazed boldly
back again into his eyes. ‘Now, if thou wilt cause this maiden
(who hath verily bewitched my poor cousin Stephen) thus
to love the man she is to marry, as thou sayst thou canst, I
will give thee whatsoever thou wilt ask me in due measure.
Let me have a taste of thy skill, fellow.’
‘Nay,’ quoth Robin, ‘my music cometh not without I
choose, even at a lord bishop’s bidding. In sooth, I will not
play until the bride and bridegroom come.’
‘Now, thou art a saucy varlet to speak so to my crest,’

1 The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood