ROBERT HOOD

Do so: Hermit devout and reverend, If drowsy age keep not thy stiffened joints, On thy unrestful bed, or if the hours Of holy Orisons detain thee not, Come forth. Father, I come not now to know my fate, Important business urges Princely Richard, Deliver letters. In these terms to salute thy reverent age. Read and be brief, I know some cause of trust, Made him employ me for his messenger. Good morrow Father, see you fail him not, For though the villain did a horrible deed, Yet hath the young King Richard, and Earl John, Sworn to defend him from his greatest foes. A Due good father, holla there, my horse? Exit. I have, and Skinke is come, here is his bill, Fair Madam, what reply you to my suit, The prince excepts smiles, welcomes, loving looks, And why for gods sake? why by mine honour, and Prince Richard's faith, Your brother Gloucester shall have liberty, Upon condition you release a prisoner That you have long held in captivity. In earnest I must be and earnest suitor To you for love, yet you must be my tuter. I dearly love Prince Richard. I Like this well. Better and better still. I'll tell his excellence what you report, No doubt he will be very thankful, for't, What have you more in Richard's praise to say? Unchastity holy heavens forfend it, That he or I, or you should once intend it, Lupus in fabulam my Noble Lord, See the old fox Sir Richard Faukenbridge. Nay but gracious Lord, do not so much forget your Princely worth, As to attempt virtue to unchastity. Let not the Ladies dead grief for her brother, Give life to shameless and detested sin. Wife to the noblest Knight that ever breathed. And would you then first stain your Princely stock, Wrong beauty, virtue, honour, chastity, And blemish Faukenbridges untainted arms? Madam as a Lidger to solicit for your absent love And honourable wag, and wagish Earl. Even what you will sweet Lady I must bear, Hoping of patience, profit will ensue. That you will bear the Prince as I bear you. But will you promise me to bring no maids, To set upon my little manship there? You threatened whipping, and I am in fear, You see I am weapned, do not I beseech you, I'll stab them come there twenty ere they breech me. Exit. My Lord will miss me. Turn woman, Oh it is intolerable! Except you promise me to play the Page: Do that, try one night, and you'll laugh for ever, To hear the Orisons that Lovers use; Their ceremonious sighs, their idle oaths, To hear how you are praised and prayed unto. For you are Richard's Saint, they talk of Marry The blessed Virgin, but upon his beads He only prays to Marian Faukenbridge. When is't? Wherefore is't? I'll once put on a scarlet countenance. Best paint me then, be sure I shall not blush. But if she steal and Jelious eyes espy: She will be sure condemned of Burglary, Nay, if Robin fail ye, let him have never favour of fair Lady. Oh for this Lady, was never poor Gentleman troubled with Gentlewoman as I am with my self, my Lady Fauken bridge hath fitted me a turn, here I am visited with sleeve less errands and with asking for this thing Madam and that thing Madam, that they make me almost mad in earnest, whoop here's another Client. I pray you bid her Lordship's Page come into my Ladyship: well Robin Hood, partly with these pettycoates, And cast these lose devices from thy back, I'll never go more untrust, never be kercheft. Never have this ado, with what do you lack? It is a lewd fellow, pray bid him come in youth, I'll give him his welcome at the door: commend me to your Lady, I pray you heartily. Exit Page Humphrey, I marvel where sir Richard is so late? truly, truly he does not as beseems a gentleman of his calling, pray let some go forth to meet him on the green, and send in that blockehead Block. Exit Humphrey. Now what's the matter there I pray you? what come pany have you there a gods name? where spend you the day I pray? I am so fellow. Well firra, leave your mocking you were best, I'll bob your beetle head and if you mock him. Away you saucy fool, go wait within. Art thou the Porters son, that was condemned a bout my brother Gloucester? Well, drink that fellow, if thou find my brother be not too violent, and I'll reward thee. You'll never leave your knavery, whose there more? Comest thou from Gloucester? thou art welcome friend Will you make sport and see who knocks again? Will you be gone sir? honest friend I am glad My brother Gloucester God thy liberty, Whose flight was cause of thy captivity: Nor shall there be in us such negligence, Though thou have lost thy Office and thy house, But we will see thee better far provided, Than when thou Wertenberg porter in the Fleet. Prince Richard come so late? lights to his chamber, Sirrah, in any case say I am sick. Your excellence forgets your Princely worth, If I may humbly crave it at your hands, Let me desire this music be dismissed. Fie on loves blasphemy and forgery, To call that in, thats only misery, I that am wedded to suspicious age, Solicited by your lascivious youth, I that have one poor comfort living, Gloucester my brother, my High hearted brother, He flies for fear, least he should faint and fallen Into the hands of hate Tyrannical. I would full feign, my brother Gloucester had his peace again. I will. I was bold to send young Robin Hood your noble ward Upon some business of import for me. Well, here's my hand, Prince Richard that same night Which secondeth the day of your return, I'll be your bedfellow, and from that hour Forswear the loathed bed of Faukenbridge: Be speedy therefore, as you hope to speed. Why so: I am rid of him by this devise, He would else have tired me with his sighs and songs, But now I shall have ease, here comes the Saint, To whom such suit was made. Please you to walk sir? wherefore mumble you? He went away but now; I have been loved & wood too simply, God rid me of the woman once again, I'll not be tempted so for all the world, Come, will you to your chamber and uncase? What should I not believe? what do you mean? How now Sir Richard, what's the matter there? What's the matter? I pray you sir Richard tell me? And what of this? Deal with her simply, o ho; what kind of dealing? Can you not deal with her and I be by? How now what aylst thou? It is sir Richard's. I that he is, and can spend pound for pound With thee i'faith, Wertenberg richer then thou art, I know the gentleman. Ther's a hight youth. Away sirs, get in. Now sir, what say you now? I, we must bear with you; you'll be excused, When women undeserved are abused. I, I, you swear, who's that that will believe you? I, he did wink, the blind man had and eye. I have, you see sir I must unto Black heath, In quest of Richard, whom I sent to seek Earl Gloucester out, I know he's at the Hermit's; Lend me your Coach; I'll shift me as I ride, Farewell sir Richard. Exit. Clashing of weapons at my welcome hither? Bickering upon Black-heath, well said old man, I'll take thy side, the younger hath the odds. Stay, end your quarrel, or I promise you I'll take the old men partly. Pardon gracious Prince I knew you not. I have some power, I can raise two thousand Soldiers in and hour, A Due Gloucester, Take heed, its a high oath my Lord. I tell you true, it I in her attire that promised you, She was gone unto the vizard at Black heath, And there had suitors more then a good many. I faith my Lord she's honorably resolved, For shame no more, importune her no more. Oh 'twill allay his heat, make dead his fire. This is the word, ever at spendthrifts feasts, They are gulled themselves, and scoffed at by their guests. Exit. How fast Earl John would from Prince Richard fly Thou meet a Lion in field? poor mouse, All thy Careers are in a Brothel house. Oh that I were a man to see these fights, To spend my blood amongst these worthy Knights. Father I am his ward, his Chamberlain & bedfellow. So far as honour will I will persuade, I'll lay loves battery to her modest ears, Second my mild assault, you may chance win, Fare parley at the least, may hap pass in. Exit. Block by the antiqiuity of your ancestry, I have given your Lady not so much as the least cause of dislike, if she be despleased at any news I bring, it's more then I must blab. Yes a world of eyes, your beauty in a willing bondage ties Consider that she is of high decent. What weeping Lady? Then I perceive you have forgotten Black-heath. Till Monday Madam I must take my leave. Away you knave, tell him, in the morning I'll humbly wait upon his excellence. Hence, or else isle set you hence: go in good friend. Come Lady Faukenbridge, it's time to come, Robin can hold out no longer I see, Hight wooers will be tempters presently. Exit Well leave us sir; you're welcome gentlewoman. My Ladyship hath done my partly, my task, Line all alone for lack of company, I might have had Prince Richard, What Leacher, no she is and honest woman, Her husband's well known, all the household knows. Had I done such a trick, what then? what then? For which I thank noble Faukenbridge. To save your soul, I do not love to have my friends forsworn, She never promised that you urge her with. What am I? Madam, we have twenty thousand at our call, The most, young Henry dares, is but to braule. I am much indepted to her honour, the and angel for you to drink; set them up till after supper. Humphery, pray look about for Block. Humphery? trust me I think the fool be lost. Go, walk the horses, wait me on the hill, This is the Hermit's Cell, go out of sighed: My business with him must not be revealed, To any mortal creature but himself. Ah old coal, now look about, you are catched,