Wife. His wife, an't like your worship. Glo. Hadst thou been his mother, thou couldst have better told. K. Hen. Where wert thou born? Simp. At Berwick in the north, an't like your grace. 'K. Hen. Poor soul! God's goodness hath been great to thee. 'Let never day nor night unhallowed pass, But still remember what the Lord hath done. * Q. Mar. Tell me, good fellow, cam'st thou here by chance, * Or of devotion, to this holy shrine? Simp. God knows, of pure devotion; being called A hundred times, and oftener, in my sleep By good saint Alban; who said,-Simpcox, come; * Wife. Most true, forsooth; and many time and oft *Myself have heard a voice to call him so. What, and wouldst climb a tree? Simp. O, born so, master. dear. * Glo. 'Mass, thou lov'dst plums well, that wouldst venture so. Simp. Alas, good master, my wife desired some damsons, And made me climb, with danger of my life. * Glo. 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. 6 Simp. Yes, master, clear as day; I thank God and saint Alban. Glo. Say'st thou me so? What color is this cloak of? Simp. Red, master; red as blood. Glo. Why, that's well said. What color is my gown of? Simp. Black, forsooth; coal-black, as jet. K. Hen. Why, then, thou know'st what color jet is of? Suff. And yet, I think, jet did he never see. Glo. But cloaks, and gowns, before this day, a many. Wife. Never, before this day, in all his life. Glo. Tell me, sirrah, what's my name? Simp. Alas, master, I know not. Glo. What's his name? Simp. I know not. Glo. Nor his ? Simp. No, indeed, master. Glo. What's thine own name? Simp. Saunder Simpcox, an if it please you, master. Glo. Then, Saunder, sit thou there, the lyingest knave In Christendom. If thou hadst been born blind, My lords, Saint Alban here hath done a miracle ; Glo. My masters of Saint Albans, have you not 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. Bead. I will, my lord.-Come on, sirrah; off with your doublet quickly. Simp. Alas, master, what shall I do? I am not able to stand. [After the Beadle hath hit him once, he leaps over the stool, and runs away; and the people follow, and cry, A miracle! *K. Hen. O God, seest thou this, and bear'st so long! *Q. Mar. It made me laugh to see the villain run. * Glo. Follow the knave; and take this drab away. Wife. Alas, sir, we did it for pure need. * Glo. Let them be whipped through every market town, Till they come to Berwick, whence they came. [Exeunt Mayor, Beadle, Wife, &c. 'Car. Duke Humphrey has done a miracle to-day. Suff. True; made the lame to leap, and fly away. Glo. But you have done more miracles than I; 'You made, in a day, my lord, whole towns to fly. Enter BUCKINGHAM. K. Hen. What tidings with our cousin Buckingham? Buck. Such as my heart doth tremble to unfold. · Of lady Eleanor, the protector's wife, 1 A sort is a company. 2 i. e. wickedly, knavishly. ' Dealing with witches, and with conjurers ; • Car. And so, my lord protector, by this means 'Your lady is forthcoming yet at London. This news, I think, hath turned your weapon's edge. 'Tis like, my lord, you will not keep your hour. [Aside to GLOster. 'Glo. Ambitious churchman, leave to afflict my heart! * Sorrow and grief have vanquished all my powers; * And, vanquished as I am, I yield to thee, *Or to the meanest groom. *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 loved my king, and common-weal: And, for my wife, I know not how it stands; Sorry I am to hear what I have heard: Noble she is; but if she have forgot 'Honor and virtue, and conversed with such 'As, like to pitch, defile nobility, I banish her my bed and company; And give her, as a prey, to law and shame, That hath dishonored Gloster's honest name. K. Hen. Well, for this night, we will repose us here. To-morrow, toward London, back again, To look into this business thoroughly, And call these foul offenders to their answers; And poise the cause in justice' equal scales, "Whose beam stands sure, whose rightful cause pre vails. [Flourish. Exeunt. SCENE II. London. The Duke of York's Garden. Enter YORK, SALISBURY, and WARWICK. 'York. Now, my good lords of Salisbury and Warwick, Our simple supper ended, give me leave, * Sal. My lord, I long to hear it at full. War. Sweet York, begin; and if thy claim be good, The Nevils are thy subjects to command. York. Then thus: Edward the Third, my lords, had seven sons : The first, Edward, the Black Prince, prince of Wales; The second, William of Hatfield; and the third, 'Lionel, duke of Clarence; next to whom, Was John of Gaunt, the duke of Lancaster; 6 The fifth was Edmond Langley, duke of York; The sixth was Thomas of Woodstock, duke of Gloster; • 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, reigned as king; Till Henry Bolingbroke, duke of Lancaster, 'The eldest son and heir of John of Gaunt, 'Crowned by the name of Henry the Fourth, • Seized on the realm; deposed the rightful king; 'Sent his poor queen to France, from whence she came, And him to Pomfret; where, as you all know, 'Harmless Richard was murdered traitorously. * War. Father, the duke hath told the truth; *Thus got the house of Lancaster the crown. * * York. Which now they hold by force, and not by right; For Richard, the first son's heir being dead, *The issue of the next son should have reigned. |