Page 301 - the-merry-adventures-of-robin-hood

what in that way, I will strive to pleasure thee. What wilt
thou wager upon thy men?’
Then the merry King laughed again, for he dearly loved
goodly jest; so he said, amidst his laughter, ‘I will wager
thee ten tuns of Rhenish wine, ten tuns of the stoutest ale,
and tenscore bows of tempered Spanish yew, with quivers
and arrows to match.’
All that stood around smiled at this, for it seemed a mer-
ry wager for a king to give to a queen; but Queen Eleanor
bowed her head quietly. ‘I will take thy wager,’ said she, ‘for
I know right well where to place those things that thou hast
spoken of. Now, who will be on my side in this matter?’ And
she looked around upon them that stood about; but no one
spake or cared to wager upon the Queen’s side against such
archers as Tepus and Gilbert and Clifton. Then the Queen
spoke again, ‘Now, who will back me in this wager? Wilt
thou, my Lord Bishop of Hereford?’
‘Nay,’ quoth the Bishop hastily, ‘it ill befits one of my
cloth to deal in such matters. Moreover, there are no such
archers as His Majesty’s in all the world; therefore I would
but lose my money.
‘Methinks the thought of thy gold weigheth more heav-
ily with thee than the wrong to thy cloth,’ said the Queen,
smiling, and at this a ripple of laughter went around, for ev-
eryone knew how fond the Bishop was of his money. Then
the Queen turned to a knight who stood near, whose name
was Sir Robert Lee. ‘Wilt thou back me in this manner?’
said she. ‘Thou art surely rich enough to risk so much for
the sake of a lady.’

00 The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood