Enter the Mayor of St. Alban's, and his brethren, bearing Simpcox between two in a chair, Simpsox's wife following.

Car. Here come the townfinen on proceffion, Before your Highness to prefent the man.

K. Henry. Great is his comfort in this earthly vale, Though by his fight his fin be multiply'd.

Glo. Stand by my mafters, bring him near the King, His Highness' pleasure is to talk with him.

K. Henry. Good fellow, teil us here the circumftance, That we for thee may glorify the Lord.

What, haft thou been long blind, and now restor’d? Simp. Born blind, an't please your Grace.

Wife. Ay, indeed, was he.

Suf. What woman is this?

Wife. His wife, an't like your Worship.

Glo. Had'st thou been his mother, thou couldst have better told.

K. Henry. Where wert thou born?

Simp. At Berwick in the north, an't like your Grace. K. Henry. Poor foul! God's goodness hath been great to thee:

Let never day or night unhallowed pafs.

But ftill remember what the Lord hath done.

Queen. Tell me, good fellow, cam'ft thou here by Or of devotion, to this holy fhrine?

[chance,

Simp. God knows, of pure devotion; being call'd A hundred times and oft'ner, in my fleep

By good Saint Alban; who faid, Simpcox, come;
Come, offer at my fhrine, and I will help thee.

Wife. Most true, forfooth; and many a time and oft Myfelf have heard a voice to call him fo.

Gar. What, art thou lame?

Simp. Ay, God Almighty help me?

Suf. How cam'ft thou fo?

Simp. A fall off a tree.

Wife. A plum-tree, mafter.

Glo. How long haft thou been blind?

Simp. O born fo, Master.

Glo. What, and wouldft climb a tree?

Simp. But once in all my life, when I was a youth.

2

Wife.

Wife. Too true, and bought his climbing very dear. Glo. Mafs, thou lov'dit plums well that wouldft venture fo.

Simp. Alas, good Sir, my wife defir'd some damfons, And made me climb with danger of my life.

Glo. A fubtle knave! but yet it fhall not ferve: Let's fee thine eyes; wink now, now open them; In my opinion, yet, thou feeft not well.

Simp. Yes, Mafter, clear as day; I thank God and Saint Alban.

Glo. Say'st thou me fo? what colour is this cloak of? Simp. Red, Mafter, red as blood.

Glo. Why, that's well faid. What colour is my

gown of

Simp. Black, forfooth, coal-black, as jet.

K. Henry. Why then thou know't what colour jet is of?

Suf. And

yet I think jet did he never fee. Glo. But cloaks and gowns, before this day, a many. Wife. Never before this day in all his life. Glo. Tell me, firrah, what's my name? Simp. Alas, Master, I know not. Glo. What's his name?

Simp. I know not.

-Glo. Nor his?

Simp. No, indeed, Mafter.

Glo. What's thine own name?

Simp. Saunder Simpcox, an' if it please you, Master. Glo. Saunder, fit there, the lying't knave in Chriftendom.

If thou hadft been born blind,

Thou might'ft as well know all our names, as thus To name the feveral colours we do wear.

Sight may diftinguish colours:

But fuddenly to nominate them all,

It is impoffible.

My Lords, Saint Alban here hath done a miracle?
Would ye not think that cunning to be great,
That could restore this cripple to his legs?

Simp. O mafter, that you could!

Glo. My mafters of St. Albans,

Have you not beadles in your town,

VOL. V.

C

And

And things call'd whips?

Mayor. Yes, my Lord, if it pleafe your Grace.
Gle. Then fend for one prefently.

Mayor. Sirrah, go fetch the beadle hither ftraight. [Exit Mefenger. Glo. Now fetch me a tool hither. Now, firrah, if you mean to fave yourself from whipping, leap me over this fool, and run away.

- Simp. Alas, Mafter, I am not able to ftand alone : you go about to torture me in vain.

Enter a Beadle with whips.

Gb. Well, Sir, we must have you find your legs. Sirrah, beadle, whip him till he leap over that fame ftool.

Bead. I will, my Lord. Come on, firrah, off with your doublet quickly.

Simp. Alas, Mafter, what fhall I do? I am not able to ftand.

After the beadle bath hit him once, he leaps over the ftool, and runs away; and they follow, and cry, A miracle!

K. Henry. O God, feeft thou this, and bear'ft fo long! Queen. It made me laugh to fee the villain run. Glo. Follow the knave, and take this drab away. Wife. Alas, Sir, we did it for pure need.

came.

Glo. Let them be whipp'd through every markettown, till they come to Berwick, from whence they [Exit Beadle with the woman. Car. Duke Humphry has done a miracle to-day. Saf. True; made the lame to leap, and fly away. Glo. But you have done more miracles than I; You made in a day, my Lord, whole towns to fly.

SCENE III. Enter Buckingham.

K.Henry. What tidings with our coufin Buckingham? Buck. Such as my heart doth tremble to unfold.: A fort of naughty perfons, lewdly bent, Under the countenance and confederacy Of Lady Eleanor, the Protector's wife, (The ring-leader and head of all this rout),

Have practis'd dangerously against your state;
Dealing with witches and with conjurers,
Whom we have apprehended in the fact,
Railing up wicked fpirits from under ground;
Demanding of King Henry's life and death,
And other of your Highness' privy council,
As more at large your grace fhall understand.
Car. And fo, my Lord Protector, by this means
Your lady is forthcoming, yet at London.
This news I think hath turn'd your weapon's edge.
'Tis like, my Lord, you will not keep your hour.
[Afide to Gloucester.
Glo. Ambitious churchman ? leave to afflict my heart!
Sorrow and grief have vanquifh'd all my powers;
And vanquish'd as I am, I yield to thee,

Or to the meanest groom.

K. Henry. O God, what mifchiefs work the wicked Heaping confufion on their own heads thereby! [ones, Queen. Glo'fter, fee here the tainture of thy neft, And look thyself be faultless, thou wert best.

Glo. Madam, for myself.to Heav'n I do appeal,
How I have loy'd my King and common-weal:
And for my wife, I know not how it stands.
Sorry am I to hear what I have heard;
Noble fhe is; but if the have forgot
Honour and virtue, and convers'd with fuch
As, like to pitch, defile nobility;

I banifh her my bed and company,

And give her as a prey to law and shame,

That hath difhonour'd Glo'fter's honeft name.

K. Henry, Well, for this night we will repofe us here; To-morrow toward London back again,

To look into this bufinefs thoroughly.

And call these foul offenders to their anfwers;
And poife the caufe in Juftice' equal fcales,

Whofe beam ftands fure, whofe rightful caufe prevails.

[Flourish. Excunt.

SCENE IV. Changes to the Duke of York's palace.

Enter York, Salisbury, and Warwick.

York. Now, my good Lords of Salisbury and War-
Our fimple fupper ended, give me leave,
In this clofe walk to fatisfy myself,

In craving your opinion of my title,
Which is infallible, to England's crown.

Ewick,

Sal. My Lord I long to hear it thus at full. War. Sweet York begin; and if thy claim be good, The Nevils are thy fubjects to command.

Tork. Then, thus:

Edward the Third, my Lords, had feven fons:
The first, Edward the Black Prince, Prince of Wales;
The fecond, William of Hatfield; and the third,
Lionel Duke of Clarence; next to whom
Was John of Gaunt, the Duke of Lancaster;
The fifth was Edmond Langley, Duke of York;
The fixth, was Thomas of Woodstock, Duke of Glo'fter;
William of Windfor was the feventh and last.
Edward the Black Prince dy'd before his father,
And left behind him Richard, his only fon,
Who, after Edward the Third's death, reign'd King;
Till Henry Bolingbroke, Duke of Lancaster,
The eldest fon and heir of John of Gaunt,
Crown'd by the name of Henry the Fourth,
Seiz'd on the realm; depos'd the rightful King;
Sent his poor Queen to France from whence fhe came,
And him to Pomfret; where, as all you know,
Harmless King Richard trait`roufly was murther'd.
War. Father the Duke hath told the truth.
Thus got the house of Lancafter the crown.
York. Which now they hold by force, and not by
For Richard the firft fon's heir being dead, [right;
The iffue of the next fon fhould have reign'd.

Sal. But William of Hatfield dy'd without an heir.
York. The third fon, Duke of Clarence, from whose
I claim the crown, had iffue Philippe, a daughter, [linė
Who married Edmond Mortimer, Earl of March.
Edmond had iffue; Roger earl of March :
Roger had iffue; Edmond, Anne, and Eleanor.

Sal