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to you in a cup of sack: and fear not, neigh- 60 bor, you shall do well enough.

Sec. Neigh. And here, neighbor, here's a cup

of charneco.

Third Neigh. And here's a pot of good double beer, neighbor: drink, and fear not your

man.

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.

Sec. "Pren. Be merry, Peter, and fear not thy 70 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.

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,

80

upon my man's instigation, to prove him a knave and myself an honest man: and 90

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!

York. Dispatch: this knave's tongue begins to
double. Sound, trumpets, alarum to the
combatants!

[Alarum. They fight, and Peter strikes him

down.

Hor. Hold, Peter, hold! I confess, I confess treason.

[Dies.

York. Take away his weapon. Fellow, thank 100 God, and the good wine in the master's way. Peter. O God, have I overcome mine enemy in this presence? O Peter, thou hast prevailed in right!

King. Go, take hence that traitor from our sight;

94. "blow"; Warburton adds, from Qq., "as Bevis of Southampton fell upon Ascapart.”—I. G.

99. This odd affair of Peter and Horner is founded on an incident told by Holinshed. It will be seen that Shakespeare innovated upon the story, in making Horner "confess treason." "In the same yeare also," (1446) "a certaine armourer was appeached of treason by a servant of his owne. For proofe whereof a daie was given them to fight in Smithfield, insomuch that in conflict the said armourer was overcome and slaine; but yet by misgoverning of himselfe. For on the morrow, when he should come to the field fresh and fasting, his neighbours came to him, and gave him wine and strong drink in such excessive sort, that he was therewith distempered, and reeled as he went, and so was slaine without guilt. As for the false servant, he lived not long unpunished; for being convict of felonie in court of assise, he was judged to be hanged, and so was, at Tiburne."-H. N. H.

105. "Go, take hence that traitor from our sight"; Hanmer, "Go, and take hence," &c.; perhaps "traitor" should be read as a trisyllable.-I. G.

For by his death we do perceive his guilt:
And God in justice hath reveal❜d to us
The truth and innocence of this poor fellow,
Which he had thought to have murder'd wrong-
fully.

Come, fellow, follow us for thy reward.

110

[Sound a flourish. Exeunt.

SCENE IV

A street.

Enter Gloucester and his Serving-men, in mourning cloaks.

Glou. Thus sometimes hath the brightest day a cloud;

And after summer evermore succeeds

Barren winter, with his wrathful nipping cold:

106. The real names of the combatants were John Daveys and William Catour. The names of the sheriffs were Godfrey Bologne and Robert Horne; the latter, which occurs in the pages of Fabian's Chronicle, may have suggested the name of Horner. The precept to the sheriffs, commanding them to prepare the barriers in Smithfield, with the account of expenses incurred, is among the records of the exchequer, and has been printed in Mr. Nicholls's Illustrations of the Manners and Expenses of Antient Times in England, quarto, 1797. It appears that the erection of the barriers, the combat itself, and the subsequent execution of the armourer, occupied the space of six or seven days; that a large quantity of sand and gravel was consumed on the occasion, and that the place of battle was strewed with rushes.-H. N. H.

3. "Barren winter, with his wrathful nipping cold"; Pope, “The barren winter, with his nipping cold"; Capell, “Bare winter with his wrathful nipping cold"; Mitford, "The barren winter with his wrathful cold."-I. G.

So cares and joys abound, as seasons fleet.
Sirs, what's o'clock?

Serv.

Ten, my lord. Glou. 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 laughing at thy shame, That erst did follow thy proud chariot-wheels, When thou didst ride in triumph through the

streets.

10

But, soft! I think she comes; and I'll prepare
My tear-stain'd eyes to see her miseries.

Enter the Duchess of Gloucester in a white sheet, and a taper burning in her hand; with Sir John Stanley, the Sheriff, and Officers.

Serv. So please your grace, we'll take her from the sheriff.

Glou. No, stir not, for your lives; let her pass by. Duch. Come you, my lord, to see my open shame? Now thou dost penance too. Look how they gaze!

See how the giddy multitude do point,

20

And nod their heads, and throw their eyes on thee!

5. "ten"; Steevens, ""Tis ten o'clock"; Lettsom, from Qq., "'Tis almost ten."-I. G.

12. "laughing"; so F. 1; Ff. 2, 3, 4, “still laughing"; Hudson (Lettsom conj.) "and laughing."-I. G.

Ah, Gloucester, hide thee from their hateful looks,

And, in thy closet pent up, rue my shame,

30

And ban thine enemies, both mine and thine!
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,
And thou a prince, protector of this land,
Methinks I should not thus be led along,
Mail'd up in shame, with papers on my back,
And follow'd with a rabble that rejoice
To see my tears and hear my deep-fet groans.
The ruthless flint doth cut my tender feet,
And when I start, the envious people laugh,
And bid me be advised how I tread.

Ah, Humphrey, can I bear this shameful yoke?
Trow'st thou that e'er I 'll look upon the world,
Or count them happy that enjoy the sun?
No; dark shall be my light and night my day; 40
To think upon my pomp shall be my hell.
Sometime I'll say, I am Duke Humphrey's
wife,

And he a prince and ruler of the land:

25. "thine enemies”; F. 4, “their enemies"; Rowe, "our enemies.” -I. G.

31. "Mail'd up in shame," that is wrapped or bundled up in disgrace, referring, of course, to the sheet of penance. Thus Randell Holme: "Mail a hawk is to wrap her up in a handkerchief or other cloath, that she may not be able to stir her wings or struggle." And in Drayton's Epistle of Eleanor Cobham to Duke Humphrey:

"Should after see me mayld up in a sheet,

Doe shameful penance three times in the street.”—H. N. H. 31. "with papers on my back"; "criminals undergoing punishment usually wore papers on their backs containing their offence.”—I. G.

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