'Duch. Was't I? yea, I it was, proud French-'I do beseech your majesty, Glo. Now, lords, my choler being over-blown, *With walking once about the quadrangle, * I come to talk of commonwealth affairs. As for your spiteful false objections, Prove them, and I lie open to the law: But God in mercy so deal with my soul, * As I in duty love my king and country! But, to the matter that we have in hand:I say, my sovereign, York is meetest man To be your regent in the realm of France. Suff. Before we make election, give me leave To show some reason, of no little force, That York is most unmeet of any man. 'York. I'll tell thee, Suffolk, why I am unmeet. First, for I cannot flatter thee in pride; *Next, if I be appointed for the place, *My lord of Somerset will keep me here, *Without discharge, money, or furniture, Till France be won into the dauphin's hands. Last time, I danc'd attendance on his will, *Till Paris was besieg'd, famish'd, and lost. *War. That I can witness; and a fouler fact Did never traitor in the land commit. Suff. Peace, headstrong Warwick! Let him have all the rigour of the law. Hor. Alas, my lord, hang me if I ever 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 villain's accusation. a K. Hen. Uncle, what shall we say to this in law? 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! * Hume. Come, my masters; the duchess, I tell you, expects performance of your promises. Boling. Master Hume, we are therefore pro*vided: Will her ladyship behold and hear our * exorcisms ?2 * 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, War. Image of pride, why should I hold my while we be busy below; and so, I pray you, go peace? 'Was rightful heir unto the English crown; And that your majesty was an usurper. in God's name, and leave us. [Exit Hume.] the earth :-* John Southwell, read you; and let Mother Jourdain, be you prostrate, and grovel on us to our work. And spirits walk, and ghosts break up their graves, 'K. Hen. Say, man, were these thy words? 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, I'll have thy head for this thy traitor's speech: (1) The marks of her fingers and thumbs. (2) By exorcise Shakspeare invariably means to raise spirits, and not to lay them, [Here they perform the ceremonics appertaining, and make the circle; Bolingbroke, or Southwell, reads, Conjuro te, &c. It thunders and lightens terribly; then the Spirit riseth. * Spir. Adsum. *M. Jourd. Asmath, By the eternal God, whose name and power *Thou tremblest at, answer that I shall ask; (3) Matter or business, (4) Village-dogs, Boling. First, of the king. What shall of him Safer shall he be upon the sandy plains, 'Have done, for more I hardly can endure. Boling. Descend to darkness, and the burning lake: 'False fiend, avoid! Enter a Servant. Invite my lords of Salisbury, and Warwick, ACT II. SCENE I-Saint Albans. Enter King Henry, Queen Margaret, Gloster, Cardinal, and Suffolk, with Falconers hollaing. 'Q. Mar. Believe me, lords, for flying at the brook,2 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![Thunder and lightning. Spirit descends.To see how God in all his creatures works! *Yea, man and birds, are fain3 of climbing high. Enter York and Buckingham, hastily, with their Suff. No marvel, an it like your majesty, guards, and others. My lord protector's hawks do tower so well; They know their master loves to be aloft, 'York. Lay hands upon these traitors, and their trash. And bears his thoughts above his falcon's pitch. Glos. My lord, 'tis but a base ignoble mind com-That mounts no higher than a bird can soar. 'Car. I thought as much; he'd be above the clouds. Beldame, I think, we watch'd you at an inch."What, madam, are you there?" the king and monweal Are deeply indebted for this piece of pains; 'My lord protector will, I doubt it not, 'See you well guerdon'd' for these good deserts. Duch. Not half so bad as thine to England's king, Injurious duke; that threat'st where is no cause. *Buck. True, madam, none at all. What call you this? [Showing her the papers. 'Away with them; let them be clapp'd up close, And kept asunder:-You, madam, shall with us:'Stafford, take her to thee. [Ex. Duch. 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: * A pretty plot, well chosen to build upon! The duke yet lives, that Henry shall depose; * Aio te, Eacida, Romanos vincere posse. [Reads. Tell me, what fate awaits the duke of Suffolk? Let him shun castles ; Safer shall he be upon the sandy plains, Than where castles mounted stand. * Come, come, my lords; These oracles are hardily attain'd, * And hardly understood. The king is now in progress toward Saint Albans, "With him, the husband of this lovely lady; "Thither go these news, as fast as horse can carry them; 'A sorry breakfast for my lord protector. Buck. Your grace shall give me leave, my lord of York, "To be the post, in hope of his reward. "York. At your pleasure, my good lord.-Who's "within there, ho! Q. Mar. And thy ambition, Gloster. K. Hen. Car. Let me be blessed for the peace I make, (3) Fond. *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 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 circum '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. Suff. And yet, I think, jet did he never sec. Glo. Then, Saunder, sit thou there, the lyingest knave In Christendom. If thou hadst been born blind, Thou might'st as well have known our names, as thus 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 Bead. I will, my lord.-Come on, sirrah; off SCENE II.-London. The Duke of York's gar with your doublet quickly. den. Enter York, Salisbury, and Warwick." 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, seest thou this, and bear'st so long? * Q. Mar. It made me laugh to see the villain run. away. *Glo. Follow the knave; and take this drab *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. 'Car. Duke Humphrey has done a miracle to-day. 'Suff. True; made the lame to leap, and fly came. "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, Glo. But you have done more miracles than I;Was John of Gaunt, the Duke of Lancaster: 'You made, in a day, my lord, whole towns to fly. The fifth, was Edmund Langley, duke of York; Enter Buckingham. The sixth, was Thomas of Woodstock, duke of Gloster; away, 'K. Hen. What tidings with our cousin ingham? Buck-William of Windsor was the seventh, and last. 'Buck. Such as my heart doth tremble to unfold. 'A sort of naughty persons, lewdly2 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 conjurors: '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! '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 *Sorrow and grief have vanquish'd all my powers:*I *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! * 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, 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. (2) Wickedly. (1) A company, claim the crown,) had issue-Philippe, a daughter, *Who married Edmund Mortimer, earl of March: Edmund had issue-Roger, earl of March: Roger had issue-Edmund, Anne, and Eleanor. 'Sal. This Edmund, in the reign of Bolingbroke, 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. "York. 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 '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. |(3) i. e. Your lady is in custody. (4) Weigh, S "Then, father Salisbury, kneel we both together; 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, 'Till I be crown'd; and that my sword be stain'd "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, *Till they have snar'd the shepherd of the flock, That virtuous prince, the good duke Humphrey : "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 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.-| *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 gallows. 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 judged 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 *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 ere 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. *Suff. 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 ma 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 thein end it, and God defend the right! *York. I never saw a fellow worse bested,4 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 rum 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.s 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; 'Sorrow would solace, and mine age would ease.2 '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 belov'd, "Than when thou wert protector to thy king. * 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? |