ilver bells on the trappings of the nags, he looked
sourly upon them. Quoth he to himself, "Yon Bishop is overgaudy for
a holy man. I do wonder whether his patron, who, methinks, was Saint
Thomas, was given to wearing golden chains about his neck, silk clothing
upon his body, and pointed shoes upon his feet; the money for all of
which, God wot, hath been wrung from the sweat of poor tenants. Bishop,
Bishop, thy pride may have a fall ere thou wottest of it."

So the holy men came to the church; the Bishop and the Prior jesting and
laughing between themselves about certain fair dames, their words more
befitting the lips of laymen, methinks, than holy clerks. Then they
dismounted, and the Bishop, looking around, presently caught sight of
Robin standing in the doorway. "Hilloa, good fellow," quoth he in a
jovial voice, "who art thou that struttest in such gay feathers?"

"A harper am I from the north country," quoth Robin, "and I can touch
the strings, I wot, as never another man in all merry England can do.
Truly, good Lord Bishop, many a knight and burgher, clerk and layman,
have danced to my music, willy-nilly, and most times greatly against
their will; such is the magic of my harping. Now this day, my Lord
Bishop, if I may play at this wedding, I do promise that I will cause
the fair bride to love the man she marries with a love that shall last
as long as that twain shall live together."

"Ha! is it so?" cried the Bishop. "Meanest thou this in sooth?" And he
looked keenly at Robin, who gazed boldly back again into his eyes. "Now,
if thou wilt cause this maiden (who hath verily bewitched my poor cousin
Stephen) thus to love the man she is to marry, as thou sayst thou canst,
I will give thee whatsoever thou wilt ask me in due measure. Let me have
a taste of thy skill, fellow."

"Nay," quoth Robin, "my music cometh not without I choose, even at a
lord bishop's bidding. In sooth, I will not play until the bride and
bridegroom come."

"Now, thou art a saucy varlet to speak so to my crest," quoth the
Bishop, frowning on Robin. "Yet, I must needs bear with thee. Look,
Prior, hither cometh our cousin Sir Stephen, and his ladylove."

And now, around the bend of the highroad, came others, riding upon
horses. The first of all was a tall, thin man, of knightly bearing,
dressed all in black silk, with a black velvet cap upon his head,
turned up with scarlet. Robin looked, and had no doubt that this was Sir
Stephen, both becaus