ter, Thomas Horner, for saying, That the duke of | For I am bold to counse. you in this. York was rightful heir to the crown. Q. Mar. What say'st thou? Did the duke of York say, he was rightful heir to the crown? Peter. That my master was? No, forsooth: my master said, That he was; and that the king was an usurper. Suf. Who is there? [Enter Servants.]- Take His champions are - the prophets and apostles; Would choose him pope, and carry him to Rome. Suf. Madam, be patient: as I was cause Q. Mar. Beside the haught protector, have we The imperious churchman; Somerset, Buckingham, Suf. And he of these, that can do most of all, Cannot do more in England than the Nevils: Salisbury, and Warwick, are no simple peers. Q. Mar. Not all these lords do vex me half so As that proud dame, the lord protector's wife. Although we fancy not the cardinal, Yet must we join with him, and with the lords, K. Hen. For my part, noble lords, I care not which ; Or Somerset, or York, all's one to me, York. If York have ill demean'd himself in France, Then let him be denay'd the regentship. Som. If Somerset be unworthy of the place, Let York be regent, I will yield to him. War. Whether your grace be worthy, yea, or no, Dispute not that: York is the worthier. Car. Ambitious Warwick, let thy betters speak. War. The cardinal's not my better in the field. Buck. All in this presence are thy betters, War wick. War. Warwick may live to be the best of all. Why Somerset should be preferr'd in this. Q. Mar. Because the king, forsooth, will have it so. Glo. Madam, the king is old enough himself To give his censure; these are no women's matters. Q. Mar. If he be old enough, what needs your grace To be protector of his excellence? Glo. Madam, I am protector of the realm; And, at bis pleasure, will resign my place. Suf. Resign it then, and leave thine insolence. Since thou wert king, (as who is king, but thou?) The commonwealth hath daily run to wreck : The Dauphin hath prevail'd beyond the scas; And all the peers and nobles of the realm Have been as bondmen to thy sovereignty, Car. The commons hast thou rack'd; the clergy's bags Are lank and lean with thy extortions. Som. Thy sumptuous buildings, and thy wife's attire, Have cost a mass of publick treasury. Buck. Thy cruelty in execution, Upon offenders, hath exceeded law, And left thee to the mercy of the law. Could I come near your beauty with my nails, K. Hen. Sweet aunt, be quiet; 'twas against her will. Duch. Against her will! Good king, look to't in time; She'll hamper thee, and dandle thee like a baby. Though in this place most master wear no breeches, Re-enter GLOster. Glo. Now, lords, my choler being over-blown, Suf. Before we make election, give me leave York. I'll tell thee, Suffolk, why I am unmeet. War. That I can witness; and a fouler fact Did never traitor in the land commit. Suf. Peace, head-strong Warwick! War. Image of pride, why should I hold my peace? Enter Servants of SUFFOLK, bringing in HORNER and PETER. Suf. Because here is a man accus'd of treason: Pray God, the duke of York excuse himself! York. Doth any one accuse York for a traitor? K. Hen. What mean'st thou, Suffolk? tell me : What are these? Suf. Please it your majesty, this is the man That doth accuse his master of high treason: His words were these;-that Richard, duke of York, Was rightful heir unto the English crown; And that your majesty was an usurper. K. Hen. Say, man, were these thy words? Hor. An't shall please your majesty, I never said nor thought any such matter: God my witness, I am falsely accused by the villain. Pet. By these ten bones, my lords, [holding up his hands.] he did speak them to me in the garret one night, as we were scouring my lord of York's armour. York. Base dunghill villain, and mechanical, Hor. Alas, my lord, hang me, if ever I spake the words. My accuser is my prentice; and when I did correct him for his fault the other day, he did vow upon his knees he would be even with me: I have good witness of this; therefore, I beseech your majesty, do not cast away an honest man for a villain's accusation. K. Hen. Uncle, what shall we say to this in law? Glo. This doom, my lord, if I may judge. Let Somerset be regent o'er the French, Pet. Alas, my lord, I cannot fight; for God's sake, pity my case! the spite of man prevaileth against me. O Lord, have mercy upon me! I shall never be able to fight a blow: O Lord, my heart! Glo. Sirrah, or you must fight, or else be hang'd. K. Hen. Away with them to prison: and the day Of combat shall be the last of the next month. Come, Somerset, we'll see thee sent away. [Exeunt. SCENE IV. -The same. Garden. The Duke of Gloster's Enter MARGERY JOURDAIN, HUME, SOUTHWELL, and BOLINGBROKE. Hume. Come, my masters; the duchess, I tell you, expects performance of your promises. Boling. Master Hume, we are therefore provided: Will her ladyship behold and hear our exorcisms? Hume. Ay; What else? fear you not her courage. Boling. I have heard her reported to be a woman of an invincible spirit: But it shall be convenient, master Hume, that you be by her aloft, while we be busy below; and so, I pray you, go in God's name, and leave us. [Exit HUME.] Mother Jourdain, be you prostrate, and grovel on the earth : John Southwell, read you; and let us to our work. Enter DUCHESS, above. Duch. Well said, my masters; and welcome all. To this geer; the sooner the better. Boling. Patience, good lady; wizards know their times: Deep night, dark night, the silent of the night, M. Jourd. Asmath, By the eternal God, whose name and power Boling. First, of the king. What shall of him become? [Reading out of a paper. Spir. The duke yet lives, that Henry shall depose; But him outlive, and die a violent death. [As the Spirit speaks, SOUTHWELL writes the answer. Boling. What fait awaits the duke of Suffolk? Spir. By water shall be die, and take his end. Boling. What shall befall the duke of Somerset ? Safer shall he be upon the sandy plains, Boling. Descend to darkness, and the burning lake: False fiend, avoid! [Thunder and lightning. Spirit descends. Enter YORK and BUCKINGHAM, hastily with their Guards, and others. York. Lay hands upon these traitors, and their trash. Beldame, I think, we watch'd you at an inch. What, madam, are you there? the king and commonweal Are deeply indebted for this piece of pains; [Exit DUCHESS from above. We'll see your trinkets here all forth-coming; All. Away! [Exeunt Guards, with SOUTH. BOLING. &c. York. Lord Buckingham, methinks, you watch'd her well: ACT II. Enter KING HENRY, QUEEN MARGARET, Gloster, CARDINAL, and SUFFOLK, with Falconers hollaing. Q. Mar. Believe me, lords, for flying at the brook, I saw not better sport these seven years' day: Yet, by your leave, the wind was very high; And, ten to one, old Joan had not gone out. K. Hen. But what a point, my lord, your falcon made, And what a pitch she flew above the rest! Car. I thought as much; he'd be above the clouds. Glo. Ay, my lord cardinal; How think you by that? Were it not good, your grace could fly to heaven? Beat on a crown, the treasure of thy heart; Tantæne animis cœlestibus iræ? Churchmen so hot? good uncle, hide such malice; With such holiness can you do it? Suf. No malice, sir; no more than well becomes So good a quarrel, and so bad a peer. Glo. As who, my lord? Suf Why, as you, my lord; An't like your lordly lord-protectorship. Glo. Why, Suffolk, England knows thine insolence. Q. Mar. And thy ambition, Gloster. K. Hen. I pr'ythee, peace, Good queen; and whet not on these furious peers, For blessed are the peacemakers on earth. Car. Let me be blessed for the peace I make, Against this proud protector, with my sword! Glo. 'Faith, holy uncle, 'would 'twere come to that! [Aside to the CARDINAL. Car. Marry, when thou dar'st. [Aside. Glo. Make up no factious numbers for the inatter, In thine own person answer thy abuse. [Aside. Car. Ay, where thou dar'st not peep: an if thou dar'st, Simp. But that in all my life, when I was a youth Wife. Too true; and bought his climbing verv Glo. Talking of nawking; nothing else, my lord.Now, by God's mother, priest, I'll shave your crown for this, Or all my fence shall fail. Car. Medice teipsum; [Aside. Protector, see to't well, protect yourself. } [Aside. K. Hen. The winds grow high; so do your stomachs, lords. How irksome is this musick to my heart! Enter an Inhabitant of Saint Alban's, crying, Glo. What means this noise? Fellow, what miracle dost thou proclaim? Inhab. A miracle! a miracle! Suf. Come to the king, and tell him what miracle. Inhab. Forsooth, a blind man at Saint Alban's shrine, Within this half hour, hath receiv'd his sight; K. Hen. Now, God be prais'd! that to believing souls Gives light in darkness, comfort in despair! Enter the Mayor of Saint Alban's, and his brethren ; and SIMPCOX, borne between two persons in a chair; his wife and a great multitude following. Car. Here come the townsmen on procession, To present your highness with the man. K. Hen. Great is his comfort in this earthly vale, Although by his sight his sin be multiplied. Glo. Stand by, my masters, bring him near the king, His highness' pleasure is to talk with him. K. Hen. Good fellow, tell us here the circumstance, That we for thee may glorify the Lord. Suf. What woman is this? Wife. His wife, an't like your worship. Glo. Had'st thou been his mother, thou could'st have better told. K. Hen. Where wert thou born? dear. Glo. 'Mass, thou lov'dst plums well, that would st venture so. Simp. Alas, good master, my wife desir'd some damsons, And made me climb, with danger of my life. Glo. A subtle knave! but yet it shall not serve.Let me see thine eyes: wink now; now open them : In my opinion, yet thou see'st not well. Simp. Yes, master, clear as day; I thank God, and Saint Alban. Glo. Say'st thou me so? What colour is this cloak of! Simp. Red, master; red as blood. Glo. Why, that's well said: What colour is my gown of? Simp. Black, forsooth; coal-black, as jet. K. Hen. Why then, thou know'st what colour jet is of? Suf. And yet, I think, jet did he never see. many. Wife. Never, before this day, in all his life. Glo. What's his name? Simp. I know not. Simp. No, indeed, master. Glo. What's thine own name? Simp. Saunder Simpcox,an if it please you, master. In Christendom. If thou hadst been born blind, Glo. My masters of Saint Alban's, have you not beadles in your town, and things called whips? May. Yes, my lord, if it please your grace. Glo. Then send for one presently. May. Sirrah, go fetch the beadle hither straight. [Exit an Attendant Glo. Now fetch me a stool hither by and by. [A stool brought out.] Now, sirrah, if you mean to save yourself from whipping, leap me over this stool, and Q. Mar. It made me laugh, to see the villain run. Glo. Follow the knave; and take this drab away. Wife. Alas, sir, we did it for pure need. Glo. Let them be whipped through every market town, till they come to Berwick, whence they came. [Exeunt Mayor, Beadle, Wife, &c. Car. Duke Humphrey has done a miracle to-day. Suf. 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. Enter BUCKINGHAM. K. Hen. What tidings with our cousin Buckingham ? - Buck. Such as my heart doth tremble to unfold. A sort of naughty persons, lewdly bent, Under the countenance and confederacy Of lady Eleanor, the protector's wife, The ringleader 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; Raising up wicked spirits from under ground, Demanding of king Henry's life and death, And other of your highness' privy council, As more at large your grace shall understand. Car. And so, 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. [Aside to GLOster. Glo. Ambitious churchman, leave to afflict my heart! Sorrow and grief have vanquish'd all my powers: And, vanquish'd as I am, I yield to thee, Or to the meanest groom. K. Hen. O God, what mischiefs work the wicked ones; Heaping confusion on their own heads thereby! Glo. Madam, for myself, to heaven I do appeal, I banish her my bed, and company; War. Sweet York, begin: and if thy claim be good, The Nevils are thy subjects to command. York. Then thus Edward the Third, my lords, had seven sons: The second, William of Hatfield; and the third, William of Windsor was the seventh, and last. Till Henry Bolingbroke, duke of Lancaster, Henry doth claim the crown from John of Gaunt, York. We thank you, lords. king |