hyard probably detained the lively bridegroom rather longer than
had been calculated upon.

"Oh! by my fey," said the music-loving bishop, "here comes a harper in
the nick of time, and now I care not how long they tarry. Ho! honest
friend, are you come to play at the wedding?"

"I am come to play anywhere," answered Robin, "where I can get a cup of
sack; for which I will sing the praise of the donor in lofty verse, and
emblazon him with any virtue which he may wish to have the credit of
possessing, without the trouble of practising.

"A most courtly harper," said the bishop; "I will fill thee with sack; I
will make thee a walking butt of sack, if thou wilt delight my ears with
thy melodies."

"That will I," said Robin; "in what branch of my art shall I exert my
faculty? I am passing well in all, from the anthem to the glee, and from
the dirge to the coranto."

"It would be idle," said the bishop, "to give thee sack for playing me
anthems, seeing that I myself do receive sack for hearing them sung.
Therefore, as the occasion is festive, thou shalt play me a coranto."

Robin struck up and played away merrily, the bishop all the while in
great delight, noddling his head, and beating time with his foot, till
the bride and bridegroom appeared. The bridegroom was richly apparelled,
and came slowly and painfully forward, hobbling and leering, and pursing
up his mouth into a smile of resolute defiance to the gout, and of
tender complacency towards his lady love, who, shining like gold at the
old knight's expense, followed slowly between her father and mother,
her cheeks pale, her head drooping, her steps faltering, and her eyes
reddened with tears.

Robin stopped his minstrelsy, and said to the bishop, "This seems to me
an unfit match."

"What do you say, rascal?" said the old knight, hobbling up to him.

"I say," said Robin, "this seems to me an unfit match. What, in the
devil's name, can you want with a young wife, who have one foot in
flannels and the other in the grave?"

"What is that to thee, sirrah varlet?" said the old knight; "stand away
from the porch, or I will fracture thy sconce with my cane."

"I will not stand away from the porch," said Robin, "unless the bride
bid me, and tell me that you are her own true love."

"Speak," said the bride's father, in a severe tone, and with a look of
significant menace. The girl looked alternately at her father and Robin.
She attempted to speak, but her voice failed