Count. What means he now?-Go ask him whither he goes? Mess. Stay, my lord Talbot; for my lady craves To know the cause of your abrupt departure. Tal. Marry, for that she's in a wrong belief, I go to certify her, Talbot's here. Re-enter Porter, with keys. Count. If thou be he, then art thou prisoner. Count. But now the substance shall endure the like; Count. Laughest thou, wretch? thy mirth shall turn to moan. Tal. I laugh to see your ladyship so fond,1 To think that you have aught but Talbot's shadow, Whereon to practise your severity. Count. Why, art not thou the man? Tal. I am indeed. Count. Then have I substance too. Tal. No, no, I am but shadow of myself: I tell you, madam, were the whole frame here, Your roof were not sufficient to contain it. Count. This is a riddling merchant for the nonce;2 He will be here, and yet he is not here: (1) Foolish. (2) For a purpose. How can these contrarieties agree? Tal. That will I show you presently. He winds a horn. Drums heard; then a peal of These are his substance, sinews, arms, and strength, Count. Victorious Talbot! pardon my abuse: I did not entertain thee as thou art. Tal. Be not dismay'd, fair lady; nor misconstrue The mind of Talbot, as you did mistake The outward composition of his body. But only (with your patience,) that we may Count. With all my heart: and think me honoured To feast so great a warrior in my house. [Exeunt. SCENE IV-London. The Temple Garden. Enter the Earls of Somerset, Suffolk, and Warwick; Richard Plantagenet, Vernon, and another Lawyer. Plan. Great lords, and gentlemen, what means this silence? Dare no man answer in a case of truth? Suff. Within the Temple hall we were too loud; The garden here is more convenient. Plan. Then say at once, if I maintain'd the truth; Or else was wrangling Somerset in the error? (1) Announced loudly. Suff. 'Faith, I have been a truant in the law; And never yet could frame my will to it; And, therefore, frame the law unto my will. Som. Judge you, my lord of Warwick, then between us. War. Between two hawks, which flies the higher pitch; Between two dogs, which hath the deeper mouth; Plan. Tut, tut, here is a mannerly forbearance : Som. And on my side it is so well apparell'd, So clear, so shining, and so evident, That it will glimmer through a blind man's eye. Plan. Since you are tongue-ty'd, and so loath to speak, In dumb significants proclaim your thoughts: But dare maintain the party of the truth, I pluck this white rose, with Plantagenet. Suff. I pluck this red rose, with young Somerset ; And say withal, I think he held the right. Ver. Stay, lords and gentlemen: and pluck no more, (1) i. e. Regulate his motions most adroitly. (2) Tints and deceits: a play on the word, Till you conclude that he, upon whose side Som. Good master Vernon, it is well objected ;1 If I have fewest, I subscribe in silence. Plan. And I. Ver. Then, for the truth and plainness of the case, pluck this pale, and maiden blossom here, Giving my verdict on the white rose side. Som. Prick not your finger as you pluck it off; Lest, bleeding, you do paint the white rose red And fall on my side so against your will. Ver. If I, my lord, for my opinion bleed, Opinion shall be surgeon to my hurt, And keep me on the side where still I am. Som. Well, well, come on: Who else? Law. Unless my study and my books be false, The argument you held, was wrong in you; [To Som. In sign whereof, I pluck a white rose too. Plan. Now, Somerset, where is your argument? Som. Here, in my scabbard; meditating that, Shall die your white rose in a bloody red. Plan. Mean time, your cheeks do counterfeit our roses; For pale they look with fear, as witnessing Som. Whiles thy consuming canker eats his falsehood. Som. Well, I'll find friends to wear my bleeding roses, That shall maintain what I have said is true, (1) Justly proposed. Where false Plantagenet dare not be seen. Suff. Turn not thy scorns this way, Plantagenet. Plan. Proud Poole, I will; and scorn both him and thee. Suff. I'll turn my part thereof into thy throat. Som. Away, away, good William De-la-Poole ! We grace the yeoman, by conversing with him. War. Now, by God's will, thou wrong'st him, Somerset ; His grandfather was Lionel, duke of Clarence, Third son to the third Edward king of England; Spring crestless yeomen1 from so deep a root? Plan. He bears him on the place's privilege,2 On any plot of ground in Christendom: 1 (1) i. e. Those who have no right to arms. (2) The Temple, being a religious house, was a sanctuary. (3) Excluded. (4) Confederate. (5) Opinion. |