And would ye not think that cunning to be great, That could restore this cripple to his legs? 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. fold. A sort of naughty persons, lewdly+ bent,- 'Tis like, my lord, you will not keep your hour. Sorrow and grief have vanquish'd all my 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: To-morrow, toward London, back again, SCENE 11.-London.-The Duke of YORK'S Garden. Enter YORK, SALISBURY, and WARWICK. The Nevils are thy subjects to command. Edward the Third, my lords, had seven sons: William of Windsor was the seventh, and last. 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. Thus got the house of Lancaster the crown. War. Father, the duke hath told the truth; York. Which now they hold by force, and 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 Bolingbroke, As I have read, laid claim unto the crown; 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 The fourth son; York claims it from the third. And, in this private plot, be we the first, York. We thank you, lords. But I am not "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 Shall one day make the duke of York a king. The greatest man in England, but the king. [Exeunt. 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 Cob- In sight of God, and us, your guilt is great; ⚫ Sequestered spot. You four, from hence to prison back again; [To JOURD. &e. 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, 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 Q. Mar. I see no reason, why a king of Should be to be protected like a child. Glo. My staff?-here, noble Henry, is my As willingly do I the same resign, 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 This is the day appointed for the combat; majesty, And ready are the appellant 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 all things fit; * I. e. Sorrow requires solace, and age requires cas?, + Reached. 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, 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. Sul. Come, leave your drinking, and fall to blows.-Sirrah, what's thy name? Peter. Peter, forsooth. Sal. Peter! what more? 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. 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 th The abject people, gazing on thy face, That erst did follow thy proud chariot wheels, streets. Enter the Duchess of GLOSTER, in a white sheet with papers pinned upon her back, her feet bart and a taper burning in her hand; Sir Jo 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. Čome 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; Or count them happy, that enjoy the sun? And he a prince, and ruler of the land: But be thou mild, and blush not at my shame * Change. + Not easily. + Malicious. ance. With her, that hateth thee, and hates us all,And York, and impious Beaufort, that false priest, Have all lim'd bushes to betray thy wings, And, fly thou how thou canst, they'll tangle thee: But fear not thou, until thy foot be snar'd, Glo. Ah, Nell, forbear; thou aimest all awry; Why, yet thy scandal were not wip'd away, 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. And Sir John Stanley is appointed now 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;t 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! Stan. Madam, your penance done, throw off this sheet, And go we to attire you for our journey. No, it will hang upon my richest robes, ACT III. SCENE I.-The Abbey at Bury. Enter to the Parliament, King HENRY, Queen MARGARET, Cardinal BEAUFORT, SUFFOLK, YORK, BUCKINGHAM, and others. come: K. Hen. I muse, my lord of Gloster is not '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, Reprove my allegation, if you can; Suf. Well hath your highness seen into this duke; And, had I first been put to speak my mind, Smooth runs the water, where the brook is deep; | I never robb'd the soldiers of their pay, No, no, my sovereign; Gloster is a man Buck. Tut! these are petty faults to faults Which time will bring to light in smooth duke K. Hen. My lords, at once: The care you To mow down thorns that would annoy our To dream on evil, or to work my downfall. Som. All health unto my gracious sovereign! Nor ever had one penny bribe from France. That doit that e'er I wrested from the king, Car. It serves you well, my lord, to say so Glo. I say no more than truth, so help me York. In your protectorship, you did devise Glo. Why, 'tis well known, that whiles I Pity was all the fault that was in me; Suf. My lord, these faults are easy,* quickly answer'd: But mightier crimes are laid unto your charge, K. Hen. My lord of Gloster, 'tis my special That you will clear yourself from all suspects; My conscience tells me, you are innocent. Glo. Ah, gracious lord, these days are dan Virtue is chok'd with foul ambition, [gerous! Som. That all your interest in those terri- And charity chas'd hence by rancour's hand; tories news from France? Glo. All happiness unto my lord the king! Pardon, my liege, that I have staid so long. Suf. Nay, Gloster, know, that thou art come too soon, Unless thou wert more loyal than thou art : I do arrest thee of high treason here. Glo. Well, Suffolk, yet thou shalt not see Nor change my countenance for this arrest; And, being protector, stayed the soldiers' pay; Glo. Is it but thougnt so? What are they #Gear was a general word for things or matters. Foul subornation is predominant, And Suffolk's cloudy brow, his stormy hate; Car. My liege, his railing is intolerable: |