Alen. Doubtless he shrives this woman to her smock, Else ne'er could he so long protract his speech. Reig. Shall we disturb him, since he keeps no mean? Alen. He may mean more than we poor men do know: These women are shrewd tempters with their tongues. Reig. My, lord, where are you? what devise you on? [To him.1 Shall we give over Orleans, or no? Puc. Why, no, I say: distrustful recreants! Fight till the last gasp; I will be your guard. Char. What she says, I'll confirm: we 'll fight it out. Puc. Assign'd am I to be the English scourge. This night the siege assuredly I'll raise: Expect Saint Martin's summer, halcyon days, Till by broad spreading it disperse to nought. Now am I like that proud insulting ship, Char. Was Mahomet inspired with a dove? Alen. Leave off delays, and let us raise the siege. SCENE III.-London. Tower Hill. [Exeunt. Enter at the Gates, the Duke of GLOSTER, with his Serving-men. Glo. I am come to survey the Tower this day; Since Henry's death, I fear, there is conveyance.2 Where be these warders, that they wait not here? Open the gates! 'Tis Gloster that now calls. 1 Not in f. e. 2 Fraud, theft. [Servants knock. 1 Ward. [Within.] Who's there, that knocks so imperiously? 1 Serv. It is the noble duke of Gloster. 2 Ward. [Within.] Whoe'er he be, you may not be let in. 1 Serv. Villains, answer you so the lord protector? 1 Ward. [Within.] The Lord protect him! so we answer him: We do no otherwise than we are will'd. Glo. Who will'd you so? or whose will stands but mine ? There's none protector of the realm but I. Break up the gates, I'll be your warrantize. Wood. [Within.] What noise is this? what traitors have we here? Glo. Lieutenant, is it you whose voice I hear? Open the gates! here's Gloster that would enter. Wood. [Within.] Have patience, noble duke; I may not open; The cardinal of Winchester forbids: From him I have express commandment, Glo. Faint-hearted Woodville, prizest him 'fore me? 1 Serv. Open the gates unto the lord protector : We'll burst them open, if you come not quickly. Enter WINCHESTER, and Servants in tawney coats.1 Win. How now, ambitious Humphrey ! what means this. Glo. Pill'd' priest, dost thou command me be shut out? Win. I do, thou most usurping proditor, And not protector, of the king or realm. Glo. Stand back, thou manifest conspirator, Thou that contriv'dst to murder our dead lord; Thou that giv'st whores indulgences to sin,3 1This, according to Stow, was the dress of a bishop's attendants. 2 Shorn. 3 The stews in Southwark were under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Winchester, whose palace stood near by. I'll canvass thee in thy broad cardinal's hat, Win. Nay, stand thou back; I will not budge a foot: This be Damascus,' be thou cursed Cain, To slay thy brother Abel, if thou wilt. Glo. I will not slay thee, but I'll drive thee back. Thy scarlet robes, as a child's bearing-cloth I'll use to carry thee out of this place. Win. Do what thou dar'st; I'll beard thee to thy face. Glo. What am I dar'd, and bearded to my face ?— Draw, men, for all this is a privileg'd place; Blue coats2 to tawney coats. Priest, beware your beard! [GLOSTER and his Men attack the Bishop. I mean to tug it, and to cuff you soundly. Under my feet I stamp thy cardinal's hat, In spite of pope or dignities of church; Here by the cheeks I'll drag thee up and down. Win. Gloster, thou 'lt answer this before the pope. Glo. Winchester goose! I cry-a rope! a rope!— Now beat them hence; why do you let them stay? Thee I'll chase hence, thou wolf in sheep's array.Out, tawney coats!-out, scarlet hypocrite! Here GLOSTER'S Men beat out the Cardinal's Men, and enter, in the hurly-burly, the Mayor of London and his Officers. May. Fie, lords! that you, being supreme magistrates, Thus contumeliously should break the peace! Glo. Peace, mayor! thou knowest little of my wrongs. Here's Beaufort, that regards nor God nor king, Hath here distrain'd the Tower to his use. Win. Here's Gloster too, a foe to citizens; Because he is protector of the realm; 1 It was the old popular belief, that the site of Damascus was the place where Cain killed Abel. 2 This was the usual livery of servants. 3 A title applied to those who had contracted a malady to which frequenters of the stews are liable But to make open proclamation.— Glo. Cardinal, I'll be no breaker of the law; -- May. I'll call for clubs' if you will not away.- Win. Abominable Gloster! guard thy head: [Exeunt. SCENE IV.-France. [Exeunt. Before Orleans. Enter on the Walls, the Master-Gunner and his Son. M. Gun. Sirrah, thou know'st how Orleans is besieg'd, And how the English have the suburbs won. Son. Father, I know; and oft have shot at them, Howe'er unfortunate I miss'd my aim. M. Gun. But now thou shalt not. Be thou rul'd by me: Chief master-gunner am I of this town; Something I must do to procure me grace. The prince's espials have informed me, How the English, in the suburbs close entrench'd, In yonder tower, to overpeer the city; And thence discover, how, with most advantage, A piece of ordnance 'gainst it I have plac'd; 1 The usual city cry in times of tumult. 2 these in folio. 3 went in folio. 1 If thou spy'st any, run and bring me word, [Exit. Son. Father, I warrant you; take you no care: I'll never trouble you, if I may spy them. Enter, in an upper Chamber of a Tower, the Lords Sal. Talbot, my life, my joy! again return'd? Tal. The duke of Bedford had a prisoner, Once, in contempt, they would have barter'd me: But, O! the treacherous Fastolfe wounds my heart: If I now had him brought into my power. Sal. Yet tell'st thou not, how thou wert entertain'd. Tal. With scoffs, and scorns, and contumelious taunts. In open market-place produc'd they me, To be a public spectacle to all: Here, said they, is the terror of the French, The scare-crow that affrights our children so. And with my nails digg'd stones out of the ground, My grisly countenance made others fly; None durst come near for fear of sudden death. In iron walls they deem'd me not secure; So great fear of my name 'mongst them was spread, Ready they were to shoot me to the heart. Sal. I grieve to hear what torments you endur'd, But we will be reveng'd sufficiently. 1 pil'd: in folio. |