prologue-第4章

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runs　hard　on　sacrilege！　　For　the　king's　good　pleasure；　or　the　lord

of　the　manor　…　well！　　But　that　every　run…the…hedge　in　a　green

jerkin　should　fasten　papers　to　the　chancel　door　…　nay；　it　runs　hard

on　sacrilege；　hard；　and　men　have　burned　for　matters　of　less　weight。

But　what　have　we　here？　　The　light　falls　apace。　　Good　Master

Richard；　y'　have　young　eyes。　　Read　me；　I　pray；　this　libel。〃



Dick　Shelton　took　the　paper　in　his　hand　and　read　it　aloud。　　It

contained　some　lines　of　very　rugged　doggerel；　hardly　even　rhyming；

written　in　a　gross　character；　and　most　uncouthly　spelt。　　With　the

spelling　somewhat　bettered；　this　is　how　they　ran：





〃I　had　four　blak　arrows　under　my　belt；

Four　for　the　greefs　that　I　have　felt；

Four　for　the　nomber　of　ill　menne

That　have　opressid　me　now　and　then。



One　is　gone；　one　is　wele　sped；

Old　Apulyaird　is　ded。



One　is　for　Maister　Bennet　Hatch；

That　burned　Grimstone；　walls　and　thatch。



One　for　Sir　Oliver　Oates；

That　cut　Sir　Harry　Shelton's　throat。



Sir　Daniel；　ye　shull　have　the　fourt；

We　shall　think　it　fair　sport。



Ye　shull　each　have　your　own　part；

A　blak　arrow　in　each　blak　heart。

Get　ye　to　your　knees　for　to　pray：

Ye　are　ded　theeves；　by　yea　and　nay！



〃JON　AMEND…ALL

of　the　Green　Wood；

And　his　jolly　fellaweship。



〃Item；　we　have　mo　arrowes　and　goode　hempen　cord　for　otheres　of　your

following。〃





〃Now；　well…a…day　for　charity　and　the　Christian　graces！〃　cried　Sir

Oliver；　lamentably。　　〃Sirs；　this　is　an　ill　world；　and　groweth　daily

worse。　　I　will　swear　upon　the　cross　of　Holywood　I　am　as　innocent　of

that　good　knight's　hurt；　whether　in　act　or　purpose；　as　the　babe

unchristened。　　Neither　was　his　throat　cut；　for　therein　they　are

again　in　error；　as　there　still　live　credible　witnesses　to　show。〃



〃It　boots　not；　sir　parson；〃　said　Bennet。　　〃Here　is　unseasonable

talk。〃



〃Nay；　Master　Bennet；　not　so。　　Keep　ye　in　your　due　place；　good

Bennet；〃　answered　the　priest。　　〃I　shall　make　mine　innocence　appear。

I　will；　upon　no　consideration；　lose　my　poor　life　in　error。　　I　take

all　men　to　witness　that　I　am　clear　of　this　matter。　　I　was　not　even

in　the　Moat　House。　　I　was　sent　of　an　errand　before　nine　upon　the

clock〃　…



〃Sir　Oliver；〃　said　Hatch；　interrupting；　〃since　it　please　you　not　to

stop　this　sermon；　I　will　take　other　means。　　Goffe；　sound　to　horse。〃



And　while　the　tucket　was　sounding；　Bennet　moved　close　to　the

bewildered　parson；　and　whispered　violently　in　his　ear。



Dick　Shelton　saw　the　priest's　eye　turned　upon　him　for　an　instant　in

a　startled　glance。　　He　had　some　cause　for　thought；　for　this　Sir

Harry　Shelton　was　his　own　natural　father。　　But　he　said　never　a

word；　and　kept　his　countenance　unmoved。



Hatch　and　Sir　Oliver　discussed　together　for　a　while　their　altered

situation；　ten　men；　it　was　decided　between　them；　should　be

reserved；　not　only　to　garrison　the　Moat　House；　but　to　escort　the

priest　across　the　wood。　　In　the　meantime；　as　Bennet　was　to　remain

behind；　the　command　of　the　reinforcement　was　given　to　Master

Shelton。　　Indeed；　there　was　no　choice；　the　men　were　loutish

fellows；　dull　and　unskilled　in　war；　while　Dick　was　not　only

popular；　but　resolute　and　grave　beyond　his　age。　　Although　his　youth

had　been　spent　in　these　rough；　country　places；　the　lad　had　been

well　taught　in　letters　by　Sir　Oliver；　and　Hatch　himself　had　shown

him　the　management　of　arms　and　the　first　principles　of　command。

Bennet　had　always　been　kind　and　helpful；　he　was　one　of　those　who

are　cruel　as　the　grave　to　those　they　call　their　enemies；　but

ruggedly　faithful　and　well　willing　to　their　friends；　and　now；　while

Sir　Oliver　entered　the　next　house　to　write；　in　his　swift；　exquisite

penmanship；　a　memorandum　of　the　last　occurrences　to　his　master；　Sir

Daniel　Brackley；　Bennet　came　up　to　his　pupil　to　wish　him　God…speed

upon　his　enterprise。



〃Ye　must　go　the　long　way　about；　Master　Shelton；〃　he　said；　〃round　by

the　bridge；　for　your　life！　　Keep　a　sure　man　fifty　paces　afore　you；

to　draw　shots；　and　go　softly　till　y'　are　past　the　wood。　　If　the

rogues　fall　upon　you；　ride　for　't；　ye　will　do　naught　by　standing。

And　keep　ever　forward；　Master　Shelton；　turn　me　not　back　again；　an

ye　love　your　life；　there　is　no　help　in　Tunstall；　mind　ye　that。　　And

now；　since　ye　go　to　the　great　wars　about　the　king；　and　I　continue

to　dwell　here　in　extreme　jeopardy　of　my　life；　and　the　saints　alone

can　certify　if　we　shall　meet　again　below；　I　give　you　my　last

counsels　now　at　your　riding。　　Keep　an　eye　on　Sir　Daniel；　he　is

unsure。　　Put　not　your　trust　in　the　jack…priest；　he　intendeth　not

amiss；　but　doth　the　will　of　others；　it　is　a　hand…gun　for　Sir

Daniel！　　Get　your　good　lordship　where　ye　go；　make　you　strong

friends；　look　to　it。　　And　think　ever　a　pater…noster…while　on　Bennet

Hatch。　　There　are　worse　rogues　afoot　than　Bennet。　　So；　God…speed！〃



〃And　Heaven　be　with　you；　Bennet！〃　returned　Dick。　　〃Ye　were　a　good

friend　to　me…ward；　and　so　I　shall　say　ever。〃



〃And；　look　ye；　master；〃　added　Hatch；　with　a　certain　embarrassment；

〃if　this　Amend…All　should　get　a　shaft　into　me；　ye　might；　mayhap；

lay　out　a　gold　mark　or　mayhap　a　pound　for　my　poor　soul；　for　it　is

like　to　go　stiff　with　me　in　purgatory。〃



〃Ye　shall　have　your　will　of　it；　Bennet；〃　answered　Dick。　　〃But；　what

cheer；　man！　we　shall　meet　again；　where　ye　shall　have　more　need　of

ale　than　masses。〃



〃The　saints　so　grant　it；　Master　Dick！〃　returned　the　other。　　〃But

here　comes　Sir　Oliver。　　An　he　were　as　quick　with　the　long…bow　as

with　the　pen；　he　would　be　a　brave　man…at…arms。〃



Sir　Oliver　gave　Dick　a　sealed　packet；　with　this　superscription：

〃To　my　ryght　worchypful　master；　Sir　Daniel　Brackley；　knyght；　be

thys　delyvered　in　haste。〃



And　Dick；　putting　it　in　the　bosom　of　his　jacket；　gave　the　word　and

set　forth　westward　up　the　village。