30 10 my death. son Sent his poor queen to France, from whence sho came, SCENE III.- The Same. A llall of Justice. And him to Pomfret ; where, as all you know, Harmless Richard was murder'd traitorously. Sound trumpets. Enter King HENRY, Queen Iar. Father, the duke hath told the truth ; MARGARET, GLOUCESTER, YORK, SUFFOLK, and SALISBURY ; the Duchess of GLOUThus got the house of Lancaster the crown. York. Which now they hold by force and not CESTER, MARGERY JOURDAIN, SOUTHWELL, by right; HUME, and BOLINGBROKE, under guard. For Richard, the first son's heir, being dead, K. Hen. Stand forth, Dame Eleanor Cobham, The issue of the next son should have reign'd. Gloucester's wife. Sul. But William of Hatfield died without an In sight of God and us, your guilt is great : heir. Receive the sentence of the law for sins York. The third son, Duke of Clarence, from Such as by God's book are adjudg'd to death. whose line You four, from hence to prison back again ; I claim the crown, had issue Philippe, a danghter, From thence unto the place of execution : Who married Edmund Mortimer, Earl of March ; The witch in Smithfield shall be burn'd to Edmund had issue, Roger, Earl of March ; ashes, Rover had issue, Edmund, Anne, and Eleanor. And you three shall be strangled on the gallows. Sal. This Edmund, in the reign of Boling broke, You, madam, for you are more nobly born, As I have read, laid claim unto the crown; 40 Despoiled of your honour in your life, And, but for Owen Glendower, had been king, Shall, after three days' open penance done, Who kopt him in captivity till he died. Live in your country here in banishment, But to the rest. With Sir John Stanley, in the Isle of Man. York. His eldest sister, Anne, Duch, Welcome is banishment; welcome were My mother, being heir unto the crown, Married Richard, Earl of Cambridge, who was Glou. Eleanor, the law, thou seest, hath judged thee: To Edmund Langley, Edward the Third's fifthson. I cannot justify whom the law condemns. By her I claim the kingrlom: she was heir Eceunt the DUCHESS anul the other To Roger, Earl of March, who was the son Prisoners, guaridel. Of Edmund Mortimer, who married Philippe, Mine eyes are full of tears, my heart of grief, Sole daughter unto Lionel Duke of Clarence : 50 Ah! Humphrey, this dishonour in thine age So, if the issue of the elder son Will bring thy head with sorrow to the ground. Succeed before the younger, I am king. I beseech your majesty, give me leave to go; 20 War. What plain proceeding is more plain Sorrow would solace and mine age would ease. than this? K. IIen. Stay, Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester: llenry doth claim the crown from John of Gaunt, ere thou go, The fourth son ; York claims it from the third. Give up thy staff : Henry will to himself Till Lionel's issue fails, his should not reign : Protector be; and God shall be my hope, It fails not yet, but flourishes in thee, My stay, my guide, and lantern to my feet. Anil in thy sons, fair slips of such a stock. And go in peace, Humphrey, no less belov'd Then, father Salisbury, kneel we together, Than when thou wert protector to thy king. And in this private plot be we the first Q. Mar. I see no reason why a king of years That shall salute our rightful sovereign Should be to be protected like a child. With honour of his birthright to the crown. God and King Henry govern England's realm! Both. Long live our sovereign Richard, Evg. Give up your staff, sir, and the king his realm. land's king! Glou. My staff ? here, noble Henry, is my York. We thank you, lords! But I am not staff : your king As willingly do I the same resign Till I be crown'd and that my sword be stain'd As e'er thy father Henry made it mine; With heart-blood of the house of Lancaster; And even as willingly at thy feet I leave it And that's not suddenly to be perform’d, As others would ambitiously receive it. Bat with advice and silent secrecy. Farewell, good king! when I am dead and gone, Do you as I do in these dangerous days, May honourable peace attend thy throne. Ecit. Wink at the Duke of Suffolk's insolence, 2. Mar. Why, now is Henry king, and Mar. At Beaufort's pride, at Somerset's ambition, garet queen ; At Buckingham and all the crew of them, And Humphrey Duke of Gloucester scarce line Till they have snar'd the shepberd of the flock, self, That virtuous prince, the good Duke Humphrey: That bears so shrewd a maim: two pulls at ouce; "Tis that they seek; and they in seeking that His lady banislı'd, and a limb lopp'd off ; Shall find their deaths, if York can prophesy. This staff of honour raught : there let it stand, Sal. My lord, break we off; we know your Where it best fits to be, in Henry's hand. mind at full. Suf. Thus droops this lofty pine and hangs War. My heart assures me that the Earl of Warwick Thus Eleanor's pride dies in her youngest days. Shall one day make the Duke of York a king. York. Lords, let bim go. Please it your majesty York. And, Nevil, this I do assure myself: 89 This is the day appointed for the combat ; Richard shall live to make the Earl of Warwick And ready are the appellant and defendant, The greatest man in England but the king. The armourer and his man, to enter the lists, 5) Eccunt. I So please your highness to behold the light. 60 70 40 his sprays; Q. Mar. Ay, good my lord; for purposely | Which he had thought to have murder'd wrong therefore fully. Hor. Let it come, i' faith, and I'll pledge you all; and a fig for Peter! First Pren. Here, Peter, I drink to thee; and be not afraid. 70 Second 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. 80 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, I 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. 94 York. Dispatch: 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 treason. Dies. York. Take away his weapon. Fellow, thank God, and the good wine in thy master's 102 Peter. O God! have I overcome mine enemies in this presence? O Peter! thou hast prevailed in right. way. K. Hen. Go, take hence that traitor from our sight; For by his death we do perceive his guilt: 110 Come, fellow, follow us for thy reward. shame? Now thou dost penance too. Look how they 20 gaze. See how the giddy multitude do point, And, in thy closet pent up, rue my shame, Glou. Be patient, gentle Nell; forget this grief. Duch. Ah! Gloucester, teach me to forget myself; For whilst I think I am thy married wife, 41 But be thou mild and blush not at my shame; Nor stir at nothing till the axe of death Glou. Ah! Nell, forbear: thou aimest all awry; 50 60 Iler. I summon your grace to his majesty's parliament, holden at Bury the first of this next month. 72 Glou. 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 sheriff, Let not her penance exceed the king's commission. Sher. An't please your grace, here my commission stays, And Sir John Stanley is appointed now Glou. Must you, Sir John, protect my lady here? 80 Stan. So am I given in charge, may 't please your grace. Glou. 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. Glou. Witness my tears, I cannot stay to speak. For none abides with me: my joy is death; 100 And shall I then be us'd reproachfully? How proud, how peremptory, and unlike himself? Upon my life, began her devilish practices : 10 20 30 Suffer them now and they 'll o'ergrow the garden, Suf. Well hath your highness seen into this duke; And had I first been put to speak my mind, 40 50 And, being protector, stay'd the soldiers' pay; that think it? And such high vaunts of his nobility, Car. Did he not, contrary to form of law, Devise strange deaths for small 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 unknown, Which time will bring to light in smooth Duke Humphrey. K. Hen. My lords, at once: the care you have of us, To mow down thorns that would annoy our foot, Is worthy praise; but shall I speak my consci ace, I never robb'd the soldiers of their pay, Car. It serves you well, my lord, to say so much. Glou. I say no more than truth, so help me God! York. In your protectorship you did devise ma Strange tortures for offenders, never heard of, That England was defam'd by tyranny. Glou. Why, 'tis well known that, whiles I was protector, Pity was all the fault that was in me; And lowly words were ransom for their fault. I never gave them condign punishment: 101 Suf. My lord, these faults are easy, quickly answer'd; But mightier crimes are laid unto your charge, K. lien. My Lord of Gloucester, 'tis my special hope That you will clear yourself from all suspect: 10 And if my death might make this island happy, 230 a 180 210 190 250 I shall not want false witness to condemn me, Or as the snake, roll'd in a flowering bank, Believe me, lords, were none more wise than I, Car. That he should die is worthy policy ; And the offender granted scope of speech, But yet we want a colour for his death. "Twill make them cool in zeal unto your grace. 'Tis meet he be condemn'd by course of law. Suf. Hath he not twit our sovereign lady here Suf. But in my mind that were no policy : With ignominious words, though clerkly couchd, The king will labour still to save his life ; As if she had suborned some to swear The commons haply rise to save his life; False allegations to o'erthrow his state? And yet we have but trivial argument, Q. Mar. But I can give the loser leave to chide. More than mistrust, that shows him worthy death. Glou. Far truer spoke than meant: I lose, York. So that, by this, you would not have indeed ; him die. Beshrew the winners, for they play'd me false ! Suf. Ah! York, no man alive so fain as I. And well such losers may have leave to speak. York. 'Tis York that hath more reason for his Buck. He'll wrest the sense and hold us here death. all day. But, my lord cardinal, and you, my Lord of Lord cardinal, he is your prisoner, Suffolk, Car. Sirs, take away the duke, and guard him Say as you think, and speak it from your souls, sure. Were 't not all one an empty eagle were set Glou. Ah! thus King Henry throws away his To guard the chicken from a hungry kite, crutch As place Duke Humphrey for the king's proBefore his legs be firm to bear his body: tector? Thus is the shepherd beaten from thy side, Q. Mar. So the poor chicken should be sure And wolves aregnarling who shall guaw thee first. of death. Ah! that my fear were false ; ah! that it were ; Suf. Madam, 'tis true; and were't not mad. For, good King Henry, thy decay I fear. ness then Exeunt Attendants with GLOUCESTER. To make the fox surveyor of the fold ? K. Hen. My lords, what to your wisdoms Who, being accus d a crafty murderer, seemeth best, His guilt should be but idly posted over Do or updo, as if ourself were here. Because his purpose is not executed. Q. Mar. What! will your highness leave the No; let him die, in that he is a fox, parliament ! By nature prov'd an enemy to the flock, K. llen. Ay, Margaret; my heart is drown's Before his chaps be staind with crimson blood, with grief, As Humphrey, prov'd by reasons, to my liege. Whose flood begins to flow within mine eyes, And do not stand on quillets how to slay himn : My body round engirt with misery, Be it by gins, by snares, by subtilty, For what's more miserable than discontent? Sleeping or waking, 'tis no matter how, Ah! uncle Humphrey, in thy face I see So lie be dead; for that is good deceit The map of honour, truth, and loyalty ; Which mates him first that first intends deceit. And yet, good Humphrey, is the hour to come Q. Mar. Thrice noble Suffolk, 'tis resolutely That e'er I prov'd thee false, or fear'd thy faith. spoke. What low'ring star now envies thy estate, Suf. Not resolute, except so much were done ; That these great lords, and Margaret our queen, For things are often spoke and seldom meant : Ito seek subversion of thy harmless life? But that my heart accordeth with my tongue, Thou never didst them wrong, nor no man wrong; Seeing the deed is meritorious, And as the butcher takes away the calf, 210 And to preserve my sovereiyn from his foe, Andi binds the wretch, and beats it when it strays, Say but the word and I will be liis priest. Bearing it to the bloody slaughter-house ; Car. But I would have him deal, my Lord of Even so, remorseless, have they borne him hence; Suffolk, And as the dam runs lowing up and down, Ere you can take due orders for a priest : Looking the way her harmless young one went, Say you consent and censure well the deed, And can do nought but wail her darling's loss; And I 'll provide his executioner; Even so myself bewails good Gloucester’s case I tender so the safety of my liege. With sad unhelpful tears, and with dimm's eyes Suf. Here is my hand, the deed is worthy doing. Look after him, and cannot do him good ; Q. Mar. And so say I. So mighty are his vowed enemies. York. And I: and now we three have spoke it, His fortunes I will weep; and 'twixt each groan It skills not greatly who impugns our doom. 281 Say "Who's a traitor ? Gloucester he is none.' Exit. Enter a Messenger. Q. Mar. Fair lords, cold snow melts with the Mess. Great lords, from Ireland am I come sun's hot beams. amain, Henry my lord is cold in great affairs, To signify that rebels there are up, Send succours, lords, and stop the rage betime, With sorrow snares relenting passengers ; Before the wonnd do grow incurable ; 200 263 270 220 |
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