SCENE THE TWENTY-EIGHTH.
Enter PRINCE RICHARD, with music.
P. RICH. Kind friends, we have troubled Lady Fauconbridge,
And either she's not willing to be seen,
Or else not well, or with our boldness griev'd,
To ease these, I have brought you to this window,
Knowing you are in music excellent.
I have penn'd a ditty here, and I desire
You would sing it for her love and my content.
MUS. With all my heart, my lord.
Enter ROBIN HOOD, like the LADY [FAUCONBRIDGE].
ROB. Your excellence forgets your princely worth;
If I may humbly crave it at your hands,
Let me desire this music be dismiss'd.
RICH. Forbear, I pray, and withdraw yourselves;
Be not offended, gracious Marian. [Exeunt music.
Under the upper heaven nine goodly spheres
Turn with a motion ever, musical;
In palaces of kings melodious sounds
Offer pleasures to their sovereigns ears.
In temples, milk-white-clothed quiristers
Sing sacred anthems, bowing to the shrine;
And in the fields whole quires of winged clerks
Salute the[518] morning bright and crystalline.
Then blame not me; you are my heaven, my queen:
My saint, my comfort, brighter than the morn.
To you all music and all praise is due;
For your delight, for you,[519] delight was born.
The world would have no mirth, no joy, no day,
If from the world your beauty were away.
ROB. Fie on love's blasphemy and forgery,
To call that joy[520] that's only misery!
I, that am wedded to suspicious age,
Solicited by your lascivious youth;
I, that have [only] one poor comfort living—
Gloster my brother, my high-hearted brother—
He flies for fear, lest he should faint, and fall
Into the hands of hate tyrannical.
RICH. What would you I should do?
ROB. I would full fain
My brother Gloster had his peace again.