GLOU. As who, my lord? SUF. Why, as you, my lord, An't like your lordly lord-protectorship. GLOU. Why, Suffolk, England knows thine in solence. QUEEN. And thy ambition, Gloucester. KING. I prithee, peace, good queen, CAR. Let me be blessed for the peace I make, CAR. [Aside to GLOU.] Marry, when thou darest. GLOU. [Aside to CAR.] Make up no factious numbers for the matter; In thine own person answer thy abuse. CAR. [Aside to GLOU.] Ay, where thou darest not peep: an if thou darest, This evening, on the east side of the grove. KING. How now, my lords! CAR. Believe me, cousin Gloucester, Had not your man put up the fowl so suddenly, We had had more sport. [Aside to GLOU.] Come with thy two-hand sword. GLOU. True, uncle. CAR. [Aside to GLOU.] Are ye advised? the east GLOU. [Aside to CAR.] Cardinal, I am with you. 1 [Aside to CAR.] Now, by God's mother, priest, I'll CAR. [Aside to GLOU.] Medice, teipsum— Protector, see to 't well, protect yourself. KING. The winds grow high; so do your stomachs, lords. How irksome is this music to my heart! crying A miracle! GLOU. What means this noise? Fellow, what miracle dost thou proclaim? TOWNS. A miracle! a miracle ! SUF. Come to the king and tell him what miracle. Towns. Forsooth, a blind man at Saint Alban's shrine, Within this half-hour, hath received his sight; KING. NOW, God be praised, that to believing souls CAR. Here comes the townsmen on procession, To present your highness with the man. KING. Great is his comfort in this earthly vale, Although by his sight his sin be multiplied. GLOU. Stand by, my masters: bring him near the king; C His highness' pleasure is to talk with him. KING. Good fellow, tell us here the circumstance, That we for thee may glorify the Lord. What, hast thou been long blind and now restored? SIMP. Born blind, an't please your grace. WIFE. Ay, indeed, was he. SUF. What woman is this? WIFE. His wife, an 't like your worship. GLOU. Hadst thou been his mother, thou couldst have better told. KING. Where wert thou born? SIMP. At Berwick in the north, an't like your grace. KING. Poor soul, God's goodness hath been great to thee: Let never day nor night unhallow'd pass, But still remember what the Lord hath done. QUEEN. Tell me, good fellow, camest thou here by chance, Or of devotion, to this holy shrine? SIMP. God knows, of pure devotion; being call'd A hundred times and oftener, in my sleep, By good Saint Alban; who said, Simpcox, come, Come, offer at my shrine, and I will help thee. WIFE. Most true, forsooth; and many time and oft Myself have heard a voice to call him so. CAR. What, art thou lame? SIMP. Ay, God Almighty help me! SUF. How camest thou so? A fall off of a tree. WIFE. A plum-tree, master. GLOU. How long hast thou been blind? SIMP. O, born so, master. GLOU. What, and wouldst climb a tree? SIMP. But that in all my life, when I was a youth. WIFE. Too true; and bought his climbing very dear. GLOU. Mass, thou lovedst plums well, that wouldst venture so. SIMP. Alas, good master, my wife desired some damsons, And made me climb, with danger of my life. GLOU. A subtle knave! but yet it shall not serve. 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. GLOU. Say'st thou me so? cloak of? What colour is this SIMP. Red master; red as blood. GLOU. Why, that's well said. What colour is my gown of? SIMP. Black, forsooth: coal-black as jet. KING. Why, then, thou know'st what colour jet is of? SUF. And yet, I think, jet did he never see. GLOU. But cloaks and gowns, before this day, a many. WIFE. Never, before this day, in all his life. GLOU. Tell me, sirrah, what's my name? SIMP. Alas, master, I know not. GLOU. What's his name? SIMP. I know not. GLOU. Nor his? SIMP. No, indeed, master. GLOU. What's thine own name? SIMP. Saunder Simpcox, an if it please you, master. GLOU. Then, Saunder, sit there, the lyingest knave in Christendom. If thou hadst been born blind, thou mightst as well have known all our names as thus to name the several colours we do wear. Sight may distinguish of colours, but suddenly to nominate them all, it is impossible. My lords, Saint Alban here hath done a miracle; and would ye not think his cunning to be great, that could restore this cripple to his legs again? SIMP. O master, that you could! GLOU. My masters of Saint Alban's, have you not beadles in your town, and things called whips? MAY. Yes, my lord, if it please your grace. GLOU. Then send for one presently. MAY. Sirrah, go fetch the beadle hither straight. [Exit an Attendant. GLOU. Now fetch me a stool hither by and by. 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. |