Poor, ill-used knaves, to lie in dungeon pent,
Rogues sin-less quite, and eke so innocent,
What though your looks another tale do tell,
Since I'm your fellow, fellows let us dwell,
For if ye're rogues that thus in bonds do lie,
So I'm a rogue since here in bonds am I,
Thus I, a rogue, do hail ye each a brother,
Like brethren, then, we 'll comfort one another."
Thus spake Jocelyn, whereafter these "saintly rogues" all three grew
mightily peevish and, withal, gloomy, while Robin laughed and laughed at
them, nodding head and wagging finger.
"Prithee, good Motley," he questioned, "what should bring so rare a Fool
to lie in dungeon fettered and gyved along of innocent rogues and roguish
robber?"
Whereto Duke Jocelyn answered on this wise:
"Hast heard, belike, of Gui the Red?"
(Here went there up a howl)
"A mighty lord of whom't is said,
That few do love and many dread."
(Here went there up a growl)
"This potent lord I chanced to view,
Behaving as no lord should do,
And thereupon, this lord I threw
In pretty, plashing pool!
"Whereon this dreadful lord did get
Exceeding wroth and very wet;
Wherefore in dungeon here I'm set,
For fierce and froward Fool.
Pages:
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107