Acr II.] In craving your opinion of my title, Which is infallible, to England's crown. Sal. My lord, I long to hear it at full. The fourth son; York claims it from the third. War. Sweet York, begin: and if thy claim be And in thy sons, fair slips of such a stock. good, The Nevils are thy subjects to command. York. Then thus: Edward the Third, my lords, had seven sons: The second, William of Hatfield; and the third, William of Windsor was the seventh and last. Till Henry Bolingbroke, duke of Lancaster, came, And him to Pomfret; where, as all you know, War. Father, the duke hath told the truth; For Richard, the first son's heir being dead, York. The third son, duke of Clarence, (from I claim the crown,) had issue-Philippe, a daugh- Who married Edmund Mortimer, earl of March: York. His eldest sister, Anne, son. By her I claim the kingdom: she was heir Succeed before the younger, I am king. War. What plain proceedings are more plain Henry doth claim the crown from John of Gaunt, Then, father Salisbury, kneel we both together; York. We thank you, lords. But I am not Till I be crown'd; and that my sword be stain'd Do you, as I do, in these dangerous days, War. My heart assures me, that the earl of Shall one day make the duke of York a king. York. And, Nevil, this I do assure myself,Richard shall live to make the earl of Warwick [Exeunt. The greatest man in England, but the king. SCENE III.-The same. A hall of justice. Trumpets sounded. Enter King HENRY, Queen K. Hen. Stand forth, dame Eleanor Cobham, In sight of God, and us, your guilt is great; From thence, unto the place of execution : Glo. Eleanor, the law, thou seest, hath judged thee; I cannot justify whom the law condemns.- Mine eyes are full of tears, my heart of grief. Give up thy staff; Henry will to himself jesty, This is the day appointed for the combat; 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. Here let them end it, and God defend the right! 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. 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. Sal. Come, leave your drinking, and fall to blows.-Sirrah, what's thy name? Peter. Peter, forsooth. 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. Hor. Hold, Peter, hold! I confess, I confess [Dies. treason. 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; For, by his death, we do perceive his guilt: Come, fellow, follow us for thy reward. [Exeunt. 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, ever more succeeds 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 pinn'd 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. 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, And nod their heads, and throw their eyes on thee! Ah, Gloster, hide thee from their hateful looks; Glo. Be patient, gentle Nell; forget this grief. wife; But be thou mild, and blush not at my shame; Have all lim'd bushes to betray thy wings, Glo. Ah, Nell, forbear; thou aimest all awry ; I must offend, before I be attainted: And had I twenty times so many foes, And each of them had twenty times their power, All these could not procure me any scathe, So long as I am loyal, true, and crimeless. Would'st have me rescue thee from this reproach? Why, yet thy scandal were not wip'd away, But I in danger for the breach of law. Thy greatest help is quiet, gentle Nell: I pray thee, sort thy heart to patience; These few days' wonder will be quickly worn. Glo. 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 your grace. Glo. 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? Glo. Witness my tears, I cannot stay to speak. [Exeunt Gloster and Servants. Duch. Art thou gone too? All comfort go with thee! For none abides with me; my joy is death; And shall I then be used reproachfully? lady, According to that state you shall be used. Duch. Sheriff, farewell, and better than I fare; Although thou hast been conduct of my shame! Sher. It is my office; and, madam, pardon me. Duch. Ay, ay, farewell; thy office is discharg'd. Come, Stanley, shall we go? Stan. Madam, your penance done, throw off this sheet, And go we to attire you for our journey. Duch. My shame will not be shifted with my | And show itself, attire me how I can. sheet: Go, lead the way; I long to see my prison. No, it will hang upon my richest robes, [Exeunt. ACT III. 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 The strangeness of his alter'd countenance? And, if we did but glance a far-off look, That all the court admir'd him for submission: Small curs are not regarded when they grin ; ed; Or else conclude my words effectual. Suf. Well hath your highness seen into this duke; 4 And, had I first been put to speak my mind, 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 conscience? Our kinsman Gloster is as innocent Q. Mar. Ah, what's more dangerous than this fond affiance! Seems he a dove? his feathers are but borrow'd, York. Cold news for me; for I had hope of | And here commit you to my lord cardinal Unless thou wert more loyal than thou art: Glo. Well, Suffolk, yet thou shalt not see me blush, Nor change my countenance for this arrest; And, being protector, staied the soldiers' pay; I never robb'd the soldiers of their pay, That doit, that e'er I wrested from the king, Be brought against me at my trial day! Car. It serves you well, my lord, to say so much. Glo. I say no more than truth, so help me God! York. In your protectorship, you did devise Strange tortures for offenders, never heard of, That England was defam'd by tyranny. Glo. Why, 'tis well known, that, whiles I was protector, Pity was all the fault that was in me; Or foul felonious thief, that fleec'd poor passen Virtue is chok'd with foul ambition, And equity exil'd your highness' land. And Suffolk's cloudy brow his stormy hate; I shall not want false witness to condemn me, Car. My liege, his railing is intolerable: Suf. Hath he not twit our sovereign lady here With ignominious words, though clerkly couch'd, As if she had suborned some to swear False allegations, to o'erthrow his state? Q. Mar. But I can give the loser leave to chide. Glo. Far truer spoke, than meant: I lose, indeed; Beshrew the winners, for they play'd me false ! And well such losers may have leave to speak. Buck. He'll wrest the sense, and hold us here all day : Lord cardinal, he is your prisoner. Car. Sirs, take away the duke, and guard him |