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? Suff. 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 Albans, 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. 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? 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 (1) Fence is the art of defence. In my opinion yet thou see'st not well. Simp. Yes, master, clear as day; I thank God, and Saint Alban. Glo. Sav'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. Suff. And yet, I think, jet did he never see. To name the several colours we do wear. 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 mean 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 SCENE II.-London. The Duke of York's gar den. Enter York, Salisbury, and Warwick." "York. Now, my good lords of Salisbury und Warwick, Our simple supper ended, give me leave, The Nevils are thy subjects to command. *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 [Exeunt Mayor, Beadle, Wife, &c.The 'Car. Duke Humphrey has done a miracle to-day. Suff. True; made the lame to leap, and fly came. 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 ingham? Edward the Third, my lords, had seven sons: The second, William of Hatfield; and the third, Buck-William of Windsor was the seventh, and last. 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, 'Tis like, my lord, you will not keep your hour. Sorrow and grief have vanquish'd all my powers: K. Hen. O God, what mischiefs work the *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 appeal, 'To-morrow, toward London, back again, 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, *For Richard, the first son's heir, being dead, His eldest sister, Anne, 'My mother being heir unto the crown, 'Married Richard, earl of Cambridge; who was son 'To Edmund Langley, Edward the Third's fifth son. By her I claim the kingdom: she was heir · To Roger, earl of March; who was the son 6 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 'Henry doth claim the crown from John of Gaunt, Whose beam stands sure, whose rightful causeIt fails not yet; but flourishes in thee, prevails. · And in thy sons, fair slips of such a stock. (3) i. e. Your lady is in custody. (4) Weigh. VOL. II. Then, father Salisbury, kneel we both together; 'And, in this private plot,' be we the first, "Thai 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 'Till I be crown'd; and that my sword be stain'd * Do you, as I do, in these dangerous days, * Sal. My lord, break we off; we know your 'War. My heart assures me, that the earl of Warwick 'Shall one day make the duke of York a king. York. And, Nevil, this do I assure myself,'Richard shall live to make the earl of Warwick 'The greatest man in England but the king. [Exe. SCENE III.-The same. A hall of justice. Trumpets sounded. Enter King Henry, Queen Margaret, Gloster, York, Suffolk, and Salisbury; the Duchess of Gloster, Margery Jourdain, Southwell, Hume, and Bolingbroke, under guard. K. Hen. Stand forth, dame Eleanor Cobham, 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.— [To Jourd. &c. *Should be to be protected like a child.- Q. Mar. Why, now is Henry king, and Mar jesty, 'This is the day appointed for the combat; And ready are the apellant, and defendant, 'The armourer and his man, to enter the lists, So please your highness to behold the fight. Q. Mar. Ay, good my lord; for purposely therefore *Left I the court, to see this quarrel tried. 'K. Hen. O' God's name, see the lists and al things fit: 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-bag 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, 2 Neigh. And here, neighbour, here's a cup of charneco. *From thence, unto the place of execution: * Glo. Eleanor, the law, thou seest, hath judged I cannot justify whom the law condemns.— 'Mine eyes are full of tears, my heart of grief. 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 Will bring thy head with sorrow to the ground!-my hammer :-and here, Tom, take all the money 'I beseech your majesty, give me leave to go; thou go, * Q. Mar. I see no reason, why a king of years 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? and myself an honest man: * and touching the * And follow'd with a rabble, that rejoice York. Despatch:-this knave's tongue begins Sound trumpets, alarum to the combatants. treason. Hor. Hold, Peter, hold! I confess, I confess [Dies. 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; [Exeunt. Come, fellow, follow us for thy reward. * And, after summer, evermore succeeds To see my tears, and hear my deep-fet" groans. With her, that hateth thee, and hates us all,- * Barren winter, with his wrathful nipping cold; So cares and joys abound, as seasons fleet.2 Sirs, what's o'clock ? 4 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, 'To tread them with her tender-feeling feet. Sweet Nell, ill can thy noble mind abrook The abject people, gazing on thy face, With envious looks, still laughing at thy shame; That erst did follow thy proud chariot-wheels, When thou didst ride in triumph through the streets. But, soft! I think, she comes; and I'll prepare * My tear-stain'd eyes to see her miseries." Enter the Duchess of Gloster, in a white sheet, with papers pinned upon her back, her feet bare, and a taper burning in her hand; Sir John 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. Now thou dost penance too. Look, how they gaze! Glo. Be patient, gentle Nell; forget this grief. (1) The death of the vanquished person was *Stan. Like to a duchess and duke Humphrey's lady, According to that state you shall be used. I "Suff. Well hath your highness seen into thi duke; And, had I first been put to speak my mind, Upon my life, began her devilish practices. Duch. Sheriff, farewell, and better than I fare: 'Although thou hast been conduct of thy shame! Sher. It is my office; and, madam, pardon me. 'Duch. Ay, ay, farewell; thy office is dis-* Yet, by reputing of his high descent charg'd. 'Come, Stanley, shall we go? Stan. Madam, your penance, done throw this sheet, 'And go we to attire you for our journey. *(As next the king, he was successive heir,) off* Did instigate the bedlam brain-sick duchess, 'Duch. My shame will not be shifted with my And in his simple show he harbours treason. 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. ACT III. [Exeunt. SCENE I.-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: Respecting what a rancorous mind he bears, (1) For conductor. (3) i. e. Assemble by observation. (4) Foolish. The fox barks not, when he would steal the lamb. No, no, my sovereign; Gloster is a man Unsounded yet, and full of deep deceit. * Car. Did he not, contrary to form of law, De 'ise strange deaths for sinal offences done? York. And did he not, in his protectorship, Levy great sums of money through the realm, For soldiers' pay in France, and never sent it; By means whereof, the towns each day revolted? *Buck. Tut! these are petty faults to faults have of us, To mow down thorns that would annoy our foot, Is worthy praise: But shall I speak my conscience? *Our kinsman Gloster is as innocent From meaning treason to our royal person, *As is the sucking lamb, or harmless dove:" The duke is virtuous, mild; and too well given, *To dream on evil, or to work my downfall. *Q. Mar. Ah, what's more dangerous than this fond affiance? Seems he a dove? his feathers are but borrow'd *For he's disposed as the hateful raven. *Is he a lamb? his skin is surely lent him, *For he's inclin'd as are the ravenous wolves. *Who cannot steal a shape, that means deceit ? Take heed, my lord; the welfare of us all Hangs on the cutting short that fraudful man. |