〃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。　　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　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
  And　Scarlet　cloth　bring　his　good　yew…bough　and　　string；　　Prime　minister　is　he　of　Robin　our　king：　　No　mark　is　too　narrow　for　little　John's　arrow；　　That　hits　a　cock　sparrow　a　mile　on　the　wing；　　Robin　and　Marion；　Scarlet；　and　Little　John；　　Long　with　their　glory　old　Sherwood　shall　ring。
  Each　a　good　liver；　for　well…feathered　quiver　　Doth　furnish　brawn；　venison；　and　fowl　of　the　river：　　But　the　best　game　we　dish　up；　it　is　a　fat　bishop：　　When　his　angels　we　fish　up；　he　proves　a　free　giver：　　For　a　prelate　so　lowly　has　angels　more　holy；　　And　should　this　world's　false　angels　to　sinners　deliver。
  Robin　and　Marion；　Scarlet　and　Little　John；　　Drink　to　them　one　by　one；　drink　as　ye　sing：　　Robin　and　Marion；　Scarlet　and　Little　John；　　Echo　to　echo　through　Sherwood　shall　fling：　　Robin　and　Marion；　Scarlet　and　Little　John；　　Long　with　their　glory　old　Sherwood　shall　ring。
  CHAPTER　XII
  A　single　volume　paramount：　a　code：　　A　master　spirit：　a　determined　road。　　WORDSWORTH。
  The　next　morning　Robin　Hood　convened　his　foresters；　and　desired　Little　John；　for　the　baron's　edification；　to　read　over　the　laws　of　their　forest　society。　Little　John　read　aloud　with　a　stentorophonic　voice。
  〃At　a　high　court　of　foresters；　held　under　the　greenwood　tree；　an　hour　after　sun…rise；　Robin　Hood　President；　William　Scarlet　Vice…President；　Little　John　Secretary：　　the　following　articles；　moved　by　Friar　Tuck　in　his　capacity　of　Peer　Spiritual；　and　seconded　by　Much　the　Miller；　were　unanimously　agreed　to。
  〃The　principles　of　our　society　are　six：　Legitimacy；　Equity；　Hospitality；　Chivalry；　Chastity；　and　Courtesy。
  〃The　articles　of　Legitimacy　are　four：
  〃I。　Our　government　is　legitimate；　and　our　society　is　founded　on　the　one　golden　rule　of　right；　consecrated　by　the　universal　consent　of　mankind；　and　by　the　practice　of　all　ages；　individuals；　and　nations：　　namely；　To　keep　what　we　have；　and　to　catch　what　we　can。
  〃II。　　Our　government　being　legitimate；　all　our　proceedings　shall　be　legitimate：　　wherefore　we　declare　war　against　the　whole　world；　and　every　forester　is　by　this　legitimate　declaration　legitimately　invested　with　a　roving　commission；　to　make　lawful　prize　of　every　thing　that　comes　in　his　way。
  〃III。　　All　forest　laws　but　our　own　we　declare　to　be　null　and　void。
  〃IV。　　All　such　of　the　old　laws　of　England　as　do　not　in　any　way　interfere　with；　or　militate　against；　the　views　of　this　honourable　assembly；　we　will　loyally　adhere　to　and　maintain。　The　rest　we　declare　null　and　void　as　far　as　relates　to　ourselves；　in　all　cases　wherein　a　vigour　beyond　the　law　may　be　conducive　to　our　own　interest　and　preservation。〃
  〃The　articles　of　Equity　are　three：
  〃I。　The　balance　of　power　among　the　people　being　very　much　deranged；　by　one　having　too　much　and　another　nothing；　we　hereby　resolve　ourselves　into　a　congress　or　court　of　equity；　to　restore　as　far　as　in　us　lies　the　said　natural　balance　of　power；　by　taking　from　all　who　have　too　much　as　much　of　the　said　too　much　as　we　can　lay　our　hands　on；　and　giving　to　those　who　have　nothing　such　a　portion　thereof　as　it　may　seem　to　us　expedient　to　part　with。
  〃II。　　In　all　cases　a　quorum　of　foresters　shall　constitute　a　court　of　equity；　and　as　many　as　may　be　strong　enough　to　manage　the　matter　in　hand　shall　constitute　a　quorum。
  〃III。　　All　usurers；　monks；　courtiers；　and　other　drones　of　the　great　hive　of　society；　who　shall　be　found　laden　with　any　portion　of　the　honey　whereof　they　have　wrongfully　despoiled　the　industrious　bee；　shall　be　rightfully　despoiled　thereof　in　turn；　and　all　bishops　and　abbots　shall　be　bound　and　beaten；＇5＇　especially　the　abbot　of　Doncaster；　as　shall　also　all　sheriffs；　especially　the　sheriff　of　Nottingham。
  ＇5＇　〃These　byshoppes　and　these　archbyshoppes　Ye　shall　them　bete　and　bynde；〃
  says　Robin　Hood；　in　an　old　ballad。　　Perhaps；　however；　thus　is　to　be　taken　not　in　a　literal；　but　in　a　figurative　sense　from　the　binding　and　beating　of　wheat：　　for　as　all　rich　men　were　Robin's　harvest；　the　bishops　and　archbishops　must　have　been　the　finest　and　fattest　ears　among　them；　from　which　Robin　merely　proposes　to　thresh　the　grain　when　he　directs　them　to　be　bound　and　beaten：　and　as　Pharaoh's　fat　kine　were　typical　of　fat　ears　of　wheat；　so　may　fat　ears　of　wheat；　mutatis　mutandis；　be　typical　of　fat　kine。
  〃The　articles　of　Hospitality　are　two：
  〃I。　Postmen；　carriers　and　market…folk；　peasants　and　mechanics；　farmers　and　millers；　shall　pass　through　our　forest　dominions　without　let　or　molestation。
  〃II。　　All　other　travellers　through　the　forest　shall　be　graciously　invited　to　partake　of　Robin's　hospitality；　and　if　they　come　not　willingly　they　shall　be　compelled；　and　the　rich　man　shall　pay　well　for　his　fare；　and　the　poor　man　shall　feast　scot　free；　and　peradventure　receive　bounty　in　proportion　to　his　desert　and　necessity。
  〃The　article　of　Chivalry　is　one：
  〃I。　Every　forester　shall；　to　the　extent　of　his　power；　aid　and　protect　maids；　widows；　and　orphans；　and　all　weak　and　distressed　persons　whomsoever：　and　no　woman　shall　be　impeded