32
SHAKESPEARE AND MUSIC
K. Hen. Come, your answer in broken music; for thy voice is music, and thy English broken; therefore, queen of all, Katherine, break thy mind to me in broken English: wilt thou have me?
Also see Troilus 31, 52 and ff. (quoted further on).
An entirely separate use of 'break' is in the phrase 'broken time,' which has the simple and obvious meaning that the notes do not receive their due length and proportion. In this connection we will take the passage of King Richard's speech in prison at Pontefract—when he hears music without, performed by some friendly hands.
Rich. II. 55, 41. King R. in prison.
| K. Rich. | Music do I hear? Ha, ha! keep time.—How sour sweet music is, When time is broke, and no proportion kept! So is it in the music of men's lives. And here have I the daintiness of ear To check time broke in a disorder'd string; But, for the concord of my state and time, Had not an ear to hear my true time broke. •••••• This music mads me: let it sound no more: For though it hath holp madmen to their wits, In me, it seems, it will make wise men mad. |
