When is thy wine-pitcher and thy purse better empty than full ?” "Why, never, I think," replied the Knight. "Thou never deservest to have a full one in thy hand, for so simple an answer! Thou hadst best empty thy pitcher ere thou pass it to a Saxon, and leave thy money at home ere thou walk in the greenwood." "You hold our friends for robbers, then ?" said the Knight of the Fetterlock. "You hear me not say so, fair sir," said Wamba;" it may relieve a man's steed to take off his mail when he hath a long journey to make; and certes it may do good to his soul to ease him of that which is the root of evil; therefore will I give no hard names to those who do such services. Only I would wish my mail at home, and my purse in my chamber, when I meet with these good fellows, because it might save them some trouble." "We are bound to pray for them, my friend, notwithstanding the fair character thou dost afford them." 66 Pray for them with all my heart," said Wamba; but in the town, not in the green-wood, like the Abbot of Saint Bees, whom they caused to say mass with an old hollow oak-tree for his stall." "Say as thou list, Wamba," replied the Knight, "these yeomen did thy master Cedric yeomanly service at Torquilstone." Ay, truly," answered Wamba; "but that was in the fashion of their trade with Heaven." "Their trade, Wamba! how mean you by that?" replied his companion. "Marry, thus," said the Jester. "They make up a balanced account with Heaven, as our old cellarer used to call his cyphering, as fair as Isaac the Jew keeps with his debtors, and, like him, give out a very little, and take large credit for doing so; reckoning, doubtless, on their own behalf the seven-fold usury which the blessed text hath promised to charitable loans." "Give me an example of your meaning, Wamba, I know nothing of cyphers or rates of usage," answered the Knight. 66 66 valour be so dull, you will please to learn that those honest fellows balance a good deed with one not quite so laudable; as a crown given to a begging friar with an hundred byzants taken from a fat abbot, or a wench kissed in the green-wood with the relief of a poor widow." Why," said Wamba, an your "Which of these was the good deed, which was the felony?" interrupted the Knight. "A good gibe! a good gibe!" said Wamba; "keeping witty company sharpeneth the apprehension. You said nothing so well, Sir Knight, I will be sworn, when you held drunken vespers with the bluff Hermit. But to go on. The merry men of the forest set off the building of a cottage with the burning of a castle,-the thatching of a choir against the robbing of a church,-the setting free a poor prisoner against the murther of a proud sheriff; or, to come nearer to our point, the deliverance of a Saxon franklin against the burning alive of a Norman baron. Gentle thieves they are, in short, and courteous robbers; but it is ever the luckiest to meet with them when they are at the worst." "How so, Wamba ?" said the Knight. "Why, then they have some compunction, and are for making up matters with Heaven. But when they have struck an even balance, Heaven help them with whom they next open the accompt! The travellers who first met them after their good service at Torquilstone would have a woeful flaying. -And yet," said Wamba, coming close up to the Knight's side," there be companions who are far more dangerous for travellers to meet than yonder outlaws." "And who may they be, for you have neither bears nor wolves, I trow ?" said the Knight. 66 Marry, sir, but we have Malvoisin's men-atarms," said Wamba; "and let me tell you, that, in time of civil war, a halfscore of these is worth a band of wolves at any time. They are now expecting their harvest, and are reinforced with the soldiers that escaped from Torquilstone. So that, should we meet with a band of them, we are like to pay for our feats of arms.-Now, I pray you, Sir Knight, what would you do if we met two of them?" "Pin the villains to the earth with my lance, Wamba, if they offered us any impediment." "But what if there were four of them ?" "They should drink of the same cup," answered the Knight. "What if six," continued Wamba, " and we as we now are, barely two-would you not remember Locksley's horn ?" 66 "What! sound for aid," exclaimed the Knight, against a score of such rascaille as these, whom one good knight could drive before him, as the wind drives the withered leaves ?" 66 Nay, then," said Wamba, " I will pray you for a close sight of that same horn that hath so powerful a breath." The Knight undid the clasp of the baldric, and indulged his fellow-traveller, who immediately hung the bugle round his own neck. 66 "Tra-lira-la," said he, whistling the notes; nay, I know my gamut as well as another." "How mean you, knave?" said the Knight; "restore me the bugle." "Content you, Sir Knight, it is in safe keeping. When Valour and Folly travel, Folly should bear the horn, because she can blow the best." 66 Nay but, rogue," said the Black Knight, "this exceed eth thy license-Beware ye tamper not with my patience." 66 Urge me not with violence, Sir Knight,” said the Jester, keeping at a distance from the impatient champion," or Folly will shew a clean pair of heels, and leave Valour to find out his way through the wood as best he may." 66 Nay, thou hast hit me there," said the Knight; "and, sooth to say, I have little time to jangle with thee. Keep the horn an thou wilt, but let us proceed on our journey." "You will not harm me, then ?" said Wamba. "I tell thee no, thou knave!" 66 Ay, but pledge me your knightly word for it," continued Wamba, as he approached with great caution. 66 'My knightly word I pledge; only come on with thy foolish self." 66 66 Nay, then, Valour and Folly are once more boon companions," said the Jester, coming up frankly to the Knight's side; " but, in truth, I love not such buffets as that you bestowed on the burley Friar, when his holiness rolled on the green like a king of the nine-pins. And, now that Folly wears the horn, let Valour rouse himself, and shake his mane; for, if I mistake not, there are company in yonder brake that are on the look-out for us." 66 What makes thee judge so?" said the Knight. "Because I have twice or thrice noticed the glance of a morrion from amongst the green leaves. Had they been honest men, they had kept the path, |