"Now, welcome, fair youth, and tell me, I prythee, what bringeth
one of so fair a presence and clad in such noble garb to our poor forest
of Sherwood?"
Then young Partington said, "If I err not, thou art the famous Robin
Hood, and these thy stout band of outlawed yeomen. To thee I bring
greetings from our noble Queen Eleanor. Oft hath she heard thee spoken
of and thy merry doings hereabouts, and fain would she behold thy face;
therefore she bids me tell thee that if thou wilt presently come to
London Town, she will do all in her power to guard thee against harm,
and will send thee back safe to Sherwood Forest again. Four days hence,
in Finsbury Fields, our good King Henry, of great renown, holdeth a
grand shooting match, and all the most famous archers of merry England
will be thereat. Our Queen would fain see thee strive with these,
knowing that if thou wilt come thou wilt, with little doubt, carry off
the prize. Therefore she hath sent me with this greeting, and
furthermore sends thee, as a sign of great good will, this golden ring
from off her own fair thumb, which I give herewith into thy hands.
Pages:
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379