Приключения Робин Гуда
Robin Hood Shoots Before Queen Eleanor
Thenallthepeoplearoseandshouted,sothattheirvoicessoundedlikethestormupontheCornishcoast,whenthedarkwavesrunupontheshoreandleapandbreak,surgingamidtherocks;so,amidtheroaringandthesurgingofthepeople,andthewavingofscarfsandkerchiefs,theKingandQueencametotheirplace,and,gettingdownfromtheirhorses,mountedthebroadstairsthatledtotheraisedplatform,andtheretooktheirseatsontwothronesbedeckedwithpurplesilksandclothsofsilverandofgold.
Whenallwasquietabuglesounded,andstraightwaythearcherscamemarchinginorderfromtheirtents.Fortyscoretheywereinall,asstalwartabandofyeomenascouldbefoundinallthewideworld.SotheycameinorderlyfashionandstoodinfrontofthedaiswhereKingHenryandhisQueensat.KingHenrylookedupanddowntheirranksrightproudly,forhisheartwarmedwithinhimatthesightofsuchagallantbandofyeomen.ThenhebadehisheraldSirHughdeMowbraystandforthandproclaimtherulesgoverningthegame.SoSirHughsteppedtotheedgeoftheplatformandspokeinaloudclearvoice,andthushesaid:
Thateachmanshouldshootsevenarrowsatthetargetthatbelongedtohisband,and,ofthefourscoreyeomenofeachband,thethreethatshotthebestshouldbechosen.Thesethreeshouldshootthreearrowsapiece,andtheonethatshotthebestshouldagainbechosen.