The Dramatic Works of William Shakspeare

K. Hen. I pr'ythee, peace, [peers, Good queen; and whet not on these furious 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 matter,

In thine own person answer thy abuse. [Aside. Car. Ay, where thou dar'st not peep: an if thou dar'st,

This evening on the east side of the grove.

[Aside. [ly,

K. Hen. How now, my lords? Car. Believe me, cousin Gloster, Had not your man put up the fowl so suddenWe had had more sport.-Come with thy twohand sword. [Aside to GLO.

Glo. True, uncle.

Car. Are you advis'd?-the east side of the grove?

Glo. Cardinal, I am with you.

[Aside.

K. Hen. Why, how now, uncle Gloster? Glo. Talking of hawking; 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.

K. Hen. The winds grow high; so do your stomachs, lords.

How irksome is this music to my heart!
When such strings jar, what hope of harmony?
I pray, my lords, let me compound this strife.
Enter an INHABITANT of Saint Albans, crying,
A Miracle!

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; A man, that ne'er saw in his life before.

K. Hen. Now, God be prais'd! that to believing souls

Gives light in darkness, comfort in despair!

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? Simp. At Berwick in the north, an't like your grace.

K. Hen. Poor soul! God's goodness hath been great to thee:

Let never day nor night unhallow'd pass,
But still remember what the Lord hath done.
Q. Mar. Tell me, good fellow, cam'st thou
here by chance,

Or of devotion, to this holy shrine?

Simp. God knows, of pure devotion; being call'd A hundred times, and oftener, in my sleep By good Saint Alban; who said,-Simpcox,

come;

Come, offer at my shrine, and I will help thee. Wife. Most true, forsooth; and many time and oft

Myself have heard a voice to call him so.
Car. What, art thou lame?
Simp. Ay, God Almighty help me!
Suf. How cam'st thou so?
Simp. A fall off of a tree.
Wife. A plum-tree, master.

Glo. How long hast thou been blind?
Simp. O, born so, master.

Glo. What, and would'st climb a tree?
Simp. But that in all my life, when I was a
youth.

Wife. Too true; and bought his climbing very 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. Glo. But cloaks, and gowns, before this day,

And would ye not think that cunning to be
great,

That could restore this cripple to his legs?
Simp. O, master, that you could!

Glo. My masters of Saint Albans, 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
inean to save yourself from whipping, leap me
over this stool, and run away.

Simp. Alas, master, I am not able to stand alone: You go about to torture me in vain.

Re-enter ATTENDANT, with the BEADLE. Glo. Well, Sir, we must have you find your legs. Sirrah, beadle, whip him till he leap over

that same stool.

Bead. I will, my lord.-Come on, sirrah; off with your doublet quickly.

Simp. Alas, master, what shall I do? I am not able to stand.

[After the BEADLE hath hit him once, he leaps
over the Stool, and runs away; and the
People follow, and cry, A miracle!
K. Hen. O God, see'st thou this, and bear'st
so long!

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 today.

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. O God, what mischiefs work the wicked ones;

Heaping confusion on their own heads thereby! Q. Mar. Gloster, see here the tainture of thy nest;

And look thyself be faultless, thou wert best.
Glo. Madam, for myself, to heaven I do ap-
peal,

How I have lov'd my king, and commonweal:
And, for my wife, I know not how it stands;
Sorry I am to hear what I have heard:
Noble she is; but if she have forgot
Honour, and virtue, and convers'd with such
As, like to pitch, defile nobility,
I banish her, my bed, and company;
And give her, as a prey, to law, and shame,
That hath dishonour'd Gloster's honest name.
K. Hen. Well, for this night, we will repose
us here:

To-morrow, toward London, back again,
To look into this business thoroughly,
And call these foul offenders to their answers;
And poise the cause in justice' equal scales,
Whose beam stands sure, whose rightful cause
prevails.
[Flourish. Exeunt.
SCENE II.-London.-The Duke of YORK's
Garden.

Enter YORK, SALISBURY, and WARWICK.
York. Now, my good lords of Salisbury and
Warwick,

Our simple supper ended, give me leave,
In this close walk, to satisfy myself,
In craving your opinion of my title,
Which is infallible, to England's crown.
Sal. My lord, I long to hear it at full.
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 first, Edward the Black Prince, prince of
Wales;

The second, William of Hatfield; and the third,
Lionel, duke of Clarence; next to whom,
Was John of Gaunt, the duke of Lancaster:
The fifth, was Edmund Langley, duke of York;
The sixth, was Thomas of Woodstock, duke of
Gloster;

K. Hen. What tidings with our cousin Buck-William of Windsor was the seventh, and last.

ingham?

Buck. Such as my heart doth tremble to un

fold.

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!
[powers:

Sorrow and grief have vanquish'd all my
And, vanquish'd as I am, I yield to thee,
Or to the meanest groom.

Edward, the Black Prince, died before his

father;

And left behind him Richard, his only son,
Who, after Edward the Third's death, reign'd
as king;

Till Henry Bolingbroke, duke of Lancaster,
The eldest son 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

she came,

And him to Pomfret; where, as all you know,
Harmless Richard was murder'd traitorously.
War. Father, the duke hath told the truth;
Thus got the house of Lancaster the crown.
York. Which now they hold by force, and
not by right;

For Richard, the first son's heir being dead,
The issue of the next son should have reign'd.
Sal. But William of Hatfield died without

an heir.

York. The third son, duke of Clarence, (from whose line

I claim the crown,) had issue-Philippe, a daughter,

* Weigh.

Who married Edmund Mortimer, earl of
March,

Edmund had issue-Roger, earl of March:
Roger had issue-Edmund, Anne, and Elea-

nor.

Sal. This Edmund, in the reign of Boling-
broke,

As I have read, laid claim unto the crown;
And, but for Owen Glendower, had been king,
Who kept him in captivity, till he died.
But, to the rest.

was son

York. His eldest sister, Anne,
My mother being heir unto the crown,
Married Richard, earl of Cambridge; who
[son.
To Edmund Langley, Edward the Third's fifth
By her I claim the kingdom: she was heir
To Roger, earl of March; who was the son
Of Edmund Mortimer; who married Philippe,
Sole daughter unto Lionel, duke of Clarence:
So, if the issue of the elder son

Succeed before the younger, I am king.

War. What plain proceedings are more plain
than this?

Henry doth claim the crown from John of
Gaunt,

The fourth son; York claims it from the third.
Till Lionel's issue fails, his should not reign:
It fails not yet; but flourishes in thee,
And in thy sons, fair slips of such a stock.-
Then, father Salisbury, kneel we both to-
gether;

And, in this private plot, be we the first,
That shall salute our rightful sovereign
With honour of his birthright to the crown.
Both. Long live our sovereign Richard,
England's king!

York. We thank you, lords. But I am not
your king
[stain'd
Till I be crown'd; and that my sword be
With heart-blood of the house of Lancaster.
And that's not suddenly to be perform'd;
But with advice, and silent secrecy.
Do you, as I do, in these dangerous days,
Wink at the duke of Suffolk's insolence,
At Beaufort's pride, at Somerset's ambition,
At Buckingham, and all the crew of them,
Fill they have snar'd the shepherd of the flock,
That virtuous prince, the good duke Hum-
phrey :

"Tis that they seek; and they in seeking that,
Shall find their deaths, if York can prophesy.
Sal. My lord, break we off; we know your
mind at full.

War. My heart assures me, that the earl of
Warwick

Shall one day make the duke of York a king.
York. And, Nevil, this I do assure myself,-
Richard shall live to make the earl of War-
wick

The greatest man in England, but the king.
[Exeunt.

SCENE III.-The sume.-A Hall of Justice.
Trumpets sounded. Enter King HENRY, Queen
MARGARET, GLOSTER, YORK, SUFFOLK, and
SALISBURY; the Duchess of GLOSTER, MAR-
GERY JOURDAIN, SOUTHWELL, HUME, and

BOLINGBROKE, under guard.

K. Hen. Stand forth, dame Eleanor Cob-
ham, Gloster's wife:

In sight of God, and us, your guilt is great;
Receive the sentence of the law, for sins
Such as by God's book are adjudg'd to death.--

• Sequestered spot.

You four, from hence to prison back again;
[To JOURD. &c.

From thence, unto the place of execution:
The witch in Smithfield shall be burn'd to
ashes,

And you three shall be strangled on the gal-
lows.-

You, madam, for you are more nobly born,
Despoiled of your honour in your life,
Shall, after three days' open penance done,
Live in your country here, in banishment,
With Sir John Stanley, in the isle of Man.
Duch. Welcome is banishment, welcome
were my death.

Glo. Eleanor, the law, thou seest, hath
judg'd thee;

I cannot justify whom the law condemns.-
[Exeunt the DUCHESS, and the other prisoners,
guarded.

Mine eyes are full of tears, my heart of grief.
Ah, Humphrey, this dishonour in thine age
Will bring thy head with sorrow to the
ground!-

I beseech your majesty, give me leave to go
Sorrow would solace, and mine age would

ease.*

K. Hen. Stay, Humphrey duke of Gloster:
ere thou go,

Give up thy staff; Henry will to himself
Protector be: and God shall be my hope,
My stay, my guide, and lantern to my feet;
And go in peace, Humphrey; no less beloy'd,
Than when thou wert protector to thy king.

Q. Mar. I see no reason, why a king of
years

Should be to be protected like a child.—
God and king Henry govern England's helm:
Give up your staff, Sir, and the king his
realm.

Glo. My staff?-here, noble Henry, is my
staff:

As willingly do I the same resign,
As e'er thy father Henry made it mine;
And even as willingly at thy feet I leave it,
As others would ambitiously receive it.
Farewell, good king: When I am dead and
gone,

May honourable peace attend thy throne!

[Exit.

Q. Mar. Why, now is Henry king, and Margaret queen;

And Humphrey, duke of Gloster, scarce himself,

That bears so shrewd a maim; two pulls at
once,-

His lady banish'd, and a limb lopp'd off;
This staff of honour raught: There let it
stand,

Where it best fits to be, in Henry's hand.

Suf. Thus droops this lofty pine, and hangs

his sprays; Thus Eleanor's pride dies in her youngest days.

York. Lords, let him go.-Please it your

Here let them end it, and God defend the right!

York. I never saw a fellow worse bested,*

Or more afraid to fight, than is the appellant, The servant of this armourer, my lords.

Enter on one side, HORNER, and his neighbours, drinking to him so much that he is drunk; and he enters bearing his staff with a sand-bug fastened to it; a drum before him; at the other side, PETER, with a drum and a similar staff; accompanied by 'Prentices drinking to him. 1 Neigh. Here, neighbour Horner, I drink to you in a cup of sack; and fear not, neighbour, you shall do well enough.

2 Neigh. And here, neighbour, here's a cup

of charneco.t

3 Neigh. And here's a pot of good double beer, neighbour: drink, and fear not your

man.

Hor. Let it come, i'faith, and I'll pledge you all; And a fig for Peter!

1 Pren. Here, Peter, I drink to thee; and be

not afraid.

2 Pren. Be merry, Peter, and fear not thy master; fight for credit of the 'prentices.

Peter. I thank you all: drink, and pray for me, I pray you; for, I think, I have taken my last draught in this world. Here, Robin, an if I die, I give thee my apron; and, Will, thou shalt have my hammer; and here, Tom, take all the money that I have.-O Lord, bless me, I pray God! for I am never able to deal with my master, he hath learnt so much fence already.

Sal. Come, leave your drinking, and fall to blows.-Sirrah, what's thy name? Peter. Peter, forsooth.

Sal. Peter! what more?
Peter. Thump.

Sal. Thump! then see thou thump thy master well.

Hor. Masters, I am come hither, as it were, upon my man's instigation, to prove him a knave, and myself an honest man: and touching the duke of York,-will take my death, I never meant him any ill, nor the king, nor the queen: And therefore, Peter, have at thee with a downright blow, as Bevis of Southampton fell upon Ascapart.

York. Despatch:-this knave's tongue begins to double.

Sound trumpets, alarum to the combatants. [Alarum. They fight, and PETER strikes down his Master.

Hor. Hold, Peter, hold! I confess, I confess [Dies.

treason.

York. Take away his weapon:-Fellow, Thank God, and the good wine in thy master's way.

Peter. O God! have I overcome mine enemies in this presence? O Peter, thou hast prevailed in right!

K. Hen. Go, take hence that traitor from our sight;

For, by his death, we do perceive his guilt:
And God, in justice, hath reveal'd to us
The truth and innocence of this poor fellow,
Which he had thought to have murder'd wrong-
fully.-

Come, fellow, follow us for thy reward.

[Exeunt.

In a worse plight. A sort of sweet wine. The death of the vanquished person was always regarden as certain evidence of his guilt.

SCENE IV.-The same.-A Street. Enter GLOSTER and SERVANTS, in mourning Cloaks.

Glo. Thus, sometimes, hath the brightest day a cloud;

And, after summer, evermore succeeds
Barren winter, with his wrathful nipping cold:
So cares and joys abound, as seasons fleet.*
Sirs, what's o'clock?

Serv. Ten, my lord.

Glo. Ten is the hour that was appointed me To watch the coming of my punish'd duchess: Uneath may she endure the flinty streets, Sweet Nell, ill can thy noble mind abrook To tread them with her tender-feeling feet. With envious looks, still laughing at thy The abject people, gazing on thy face, That erst did follow thy proud chariot wheels, shame; When thou didst ride in triumph through the But soft! I think, she comes; and I'll prepare My tear-stain'd eyes to see her miseries.

streets.

Enter the Duchess of GLOSTER, in a white shee: with papers pinned upon her back, her feet bare und taper burning in her hand; Sir Joнs STANLEY, a SHERIFF, and Officers.

Serv. So please your grace, we'll take her from the Sheriff.

Glo. No, stir not, for your lives; let her pass by.

Duch. Come you, my lord, to see my open

shame?

Igaze! Now thou dost penance too. Look, how they See, how the giddy multitude do point, And nod their heads, and throw their eyes on

thee!

groans.

The ruthless flint doth cut my tender feet;
And, when I start, the envious people laugh,
And bid me be advised how I tread.
Ah, Humphrey, can I bear this shameful yoke?
Trow'st thou, that e'er I'll look upon the
world;

Or count them happy, that enjoy the sun?
No; dark shall be my light, and night my day;
To think upon my pomp, shall be my heil.
Sometime I'll say, I am duke Humphrey's
wife;

And he a prince, and ruler of the land:
Yet so he rul'd, and such a prince he was,
As he stood by, whilst 1, his forlorn duchess,
Was made a wonder, and a pointing-stock,
To every idle rascal follower.

But be thou mild, and blush not at my shame
Nor stir at nothing, till the axe of death
Hang over thee, as, sure, it shortly will.
For Suffolk, he that can do all in all

* Change. + Not easily. ↑ Malicious. (Curse Wrapped up in disgrace; allucing to the sheet of pen y Deep-teched

ance.

thee:

But fear not thou, until thy foot be snar'd,
Nor never seek prevention of thy foes.

Glo. Ah, Nell, forbear; thou aimest all awry;
I must offend, before I be attainted:
And had I twenty times so many foes,
And each of them had twenty times their power,
All these could not procure me any scathe,*
So long as I am loyal, true, and crimeless.
Would'st have me rescue thee from this re-
proach?

Why, yet thy scandal were not wip'd away,
But I in danger for the breach of law.
Thy greatest help is quiet, gentle Nell:
I pray thee, sort thy heart to patience;
These few days' wonder will be quickly worn.

Enter a HERALD.

Her. I summon your grace to his majesty's parliament, holden at Bury the first of this next month.

Glo. And my consent ne'er ask'd herein before!

This is close dealing.-Well, I will be there.
[Exit HERALD.
My Nell, I take my leave:-and, master she-
riff,
[sion.
Let not her penance exceed the king's commis-
Sher. An't please your grace, here my com-
mission stays:

And Sir John Stanley is appointed now
To take her with him to the isle of Man.

Glo. Must you, Sir John, protect my lady

here?

Stan. So am I given in charge, may't please

your grace.

Glo. Entreat her not the worse, in that I pray
You use her well: the world may laugh again;
And I may live to do you kindness, if
You do it her. And so, Sir John, farewell.
Duch. What gone, my lord; and bid me not
farewell?

Glo. Witness my tears, I cannot stay to speak.
[Exeunt GLOSTER and SERVANTS.
Duch. Art thou gone too? All comfort go

with thee!

For none abides with me: my joy is-death;
Death, at whose name I oft have been afeard,
Because I wish'd this world's eternity.-
Stanley, I pr'ythee, go, and take me hence;
I care not whither, for I beg no favour,
Only convey me where thou art commanded.
Stan. Why, madam, that is to the isle of

Man;

There to be used according to your state.
Duch. That's bad enough, for I am but re-
proach:

And shall I then be us'd reproachfully?
Stan. Like to a duchess, and duke Hum-

phrey's lady,

According to that state you shall be used.
Duch. Sheriff, farewell, and better than I
fare;
[shame!
Although thou hast been conduct of my
Sher. It is my office; and, madam, pardon
Duch. Ay, ay, farewell; thy office is dis-
Come, Stanley, shall we go? [charg'd.-

me.

Stan. Madam, your penance done, throw off
this sheet,

And go we to attire you for our journey,
Duch. My shame will not be shifted with my
sheet:

No, it will hang upon my richest robes,
And show itself, attire me how I can.
Go, lead the way; I long to see my prison.
[Exeunt.

ACT III.

SCENE 1.-The Abbey at Bury.

Enter to the Parliament, King HENRY, Queen MARGARET, Cardinal BEAUFORT, SUFFOLK, YORK, BUCKINGHAM, and others.

K. Hen. I muse, my lord of Gloster is not

come:

'Tis not his wont to be the hindmost man,
Whate'er occasion keeps him from us now.
Q. Mar. Can you not see? or will you not
observe

The strangeness of his alter'd countenance?
With what a majesty he bears himself;
How insolent of late he is become,
How proud, peremptory, and unlike himself?
We know the time, since he was mild and
affable;

And, if we did but glance a far-off look,
Immediately he was upon his knee,
That all the court admir'd him for submission
But, meet him now, and, be it in the morn,
When every one will give the time of day,
He knits his brow, and shows an angry eye,
And passeth by with stiff unbowed knee,
Disdaining duty that to us belongs.
Small curs are not regarded, when they grin
But great men tremble, when the lion roars;
And Humphrey is no little man in England.
First, note, that he is near you in descent;
And should you fall, he is the next will mount.
Me seemeth then, it is no policy,—

Respecting what a rancorous mind he bears,
And his advantage following your decease,-
That he should come about your royal person,
Or be admitted to your highness' council.
By flattery hath he won the commons' hearts;
And, when he please to make commotion,
'Tis to be fear'd, they all will follow him.
Now 'tis the spring, and weeds are shallow-
rooted;
[den,
Suffer them now, and they'll o'ergrow the gar
And choke the herbs for want of husbandry.
The reverent care, I bear unto my lord,
Made me collect these dangers in the duke.
If it be fond, call it a woman's fear;
Which fear, if better reasons can supplant,
will subscribe and say-I wrong'd the duke.
My lord of Suffolk, Buckingham, and
York,-

Reprove my allegation, if you can;
Or else conclude my words effectual.

Suf. Well hath your highness seen into this
duke;
And, had I first been put to speak my mind,
I think, I should have told your grace's tale.
The duchess, by his subornation,
Upon my life, began her devilish practices:
Or if he were not privy to those faults,
Yet, by reputing of his high descent,
(As next the king, he was successive heir,)
And such high vaunts of his nobility,
Did instigate the bedlam brain-sick duchess,
By wicked means to frame our sovereign's fall.
* Wonder. I. e. Assemble by observation.
↑ Foolish. I. c. Valuing himself on his high descent.

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The Dramatic Works of William Shakspeare: From the Text of Johnson, Stevens ...