Along the road a youth came riding upon a fair milk-white barb, and the
folk that he passed stopped and turned and looked after him, for never
had so lovely a lad or one so gaily clad been seen in Nottingham before.
He could not have been more than sixteen years of age, and was as fair
as any maiden. His long yellow hair flowed behind him as he rode along,
all clad in silk and velvet, with jewels flashing and dagger jingling
against the pommel of the saddle. Thus came the Queen's Page, young
Richard Partington, from famous London Town down into Nottinghamshire,
upon Her Majesty's bidding, to seek Robin Hood in Sherwood Forest.
The road was hot and dusty and his journey had been long, for that day
he had come all the way from Leicester Town, a good twenty miles and
more; wherefore young Partington was right glad when he saw before him a
sweet little inn, all shady and cool beneath the trees, in front of the
door of which a sign hung pendant, bearing the picture of a blue boar.
Here he drew rein and called loudly for a pottle of Rhenish wine to be
brought him, for stout country ale was too coarse a drink for this young
gentleman.
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