Enter the Mayor of St. Alban's, and his brethren, bearing Simpcox between two in a chair, Simpcox's wife following.

Car. Here come the townfinen on proceffion,

Before your Highness to present the man.
K. Henry. Great is his comfort in this earthly vale,
Though by his fight his fin be multiply'd.

Glo. Stand by my masters, bring him wear the King, His Highness' pleasure is to talk with him.

K. Henry. Good fellow, tell us here the circumstance, That we for thee may glorify the Lord. What, haft thou been long blind, and now restor'd? Simp. Born blind, an't please your Grace.

1

Wife. Ay, indeed, was he.

Suf. What woman is this?

Wife. His wife, an't like your Worship.

Glo. Had'st thou been his mother, thou couldst have

better told.

K. Henry. Where wert thou born?

Simp. At Berwick in the north, an't like your Grace. K. Henry. Poor foul! God's goodness hath been

great to thee :

Let never day or night unhallowed pass.

But still remember what the Lord hath done.

Queen. Tell me, good fellow, cam'st thou here by Or of devotion, to this holy shrine?

[chance,

Simp. God knows, of pure devotion; being call'd A hundred times and oft'ner, in my fleep By good Saint Alban; who faid, Simpcox, come; Come, offer at my fhrine, and I will help thee.

Wife. Most true, forsooth; and many a time and oft
Myself have heard a voice to call him fo.
Car. What, art thou lame?

Simp. Ay, God Almighty help me?
Suf. How cam'st thou so?
Simp. A fall off a tree.

Wife. A plum-tree, mafter.
Glo. How long hast thou been blind?

Simp. O born fo, Master.

Glo. What, and wouldft climb a tree?

Simp. But once in all my life, when I was a youth.

Wife. Too true, and bought his climbing very dear. Glo. Mass, thou lov'dit plums well that wouldst

venture fo.

Simp. Alas, good Sir, my wife defir'd fome damfons, And made me climb with danger of my life.

Glo. A fubtle knave! but yet it shall not serve: Let's fee thine eyes; wink now, now open them; In my opinion, yet, thou feeft not well.

Simp. Yes, Master, clear as day; I thank God and Saint Alban.

Glo. Say'st thou me fo? what colour is this cloak of? Simp. Red, Master, red as blood.

Glo. Why, that's well faid. What colour is my

gown of

Simp. Black, forsooth, coal-black, as jet.

K. Henry. Why then thou know'ist what colour jet is of?

Suf. And yet I think jet did he never fee.

Glo. But cloaks and gowns, before this day, a many.
Wife. Never before this day in all his life.
Glo. Tell me, firrah, 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. Saunder, fit there, the lying'it knave in Christendom.

If thou hadst been born blind,

Thou might'st as well know all our names, as thus To name the several colours we do wear.

Sight may distinguish colours:

But fuddenly to nominate them all,

It is impossible.

My Lords, Saint Alban here hath done a miracle: Would ye not think that cunning to be great, That could restore this cripple to his legs ?

Simp. O master, that you could !

Glo. My masters of St. Albans, Have you not beadles in your town, VOL. V.

C

And

1

And things call'd whips ?
Mayor. Yes, my Lord, if it please your Grace.

Glo. Then fend for one presently.
Mayor. Sirrah, go fetch the beadle hither straight.
[Exit Meffenger.

Glo. Now fetch me a sftool hither. Now, firrah, if you mean to fave yourself from whipping, leap me over this ftool, and run away.

Simp. Alas, Master, I am not able to stand alone : you go about to torture me in vain.

Enter a Beadle with whips.

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, firrah, off with your doublet quickly.

Simp. Alas, Master, what shall I do? I am not able to stand.

[After the beadle bath hit him once, he leaps over the stool, and runs away; and they follow, and cry, A miracle!

K. Henry. O God, seest thou this, and bear'st so long! Queen. It made me laugh to fee 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 whipp'd through every markettown, till they come to Berwick, from whence they [Exit Beadle with the woman.

came.

Car. Duke Humphry has done a miracle to-day. Saf. 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.

SCENE III. Enter Buckingham.

K. Henry. What tidings with our coufin Buckingham
Buck. Such as my heart doth tremble to unfold.:

A fort of naughty perfons, lewdly bent,
Under the countenance and confederacy
Of Lady Eleanor, the Protector's wife,
(The ring-leader and head of all this rout),

Have practis'd dangerously against your state;
Dealing with witches and with conjurers,
Whom we have apprehended in the fact,
Railing up wicked spirits from under ground;
Demanding of King Henry's life and death,
And other of your Highness' privy council,
As more at large your grace shall understand.

Car. And fo, my Lord Protector, by this means
Your lady is forthcoming, yet at London.
This news I think hath turn'd your weapon's edge.
'Tis like, my Lord, you will not keep your hour.

[Afide to Gloucefter. Glo. Ambitious churchman? leave to afflict my heart! Sorrow and grief have vanquish'd all my powers; And vanquish'd as I am, I yield to thee, Or to the meanest groom.

K. Henry. O God, what mischiefs work the wicked Heaping confufion on their own heads thereby! [ones, Queen. Glo'ster, see here the tainture of thy neft, And look thyself be faultless, thou wert best.

Glo. Madam, for myself to Heav'n I do appeal,
How I have lov'd my King and common-weal:
And for my wife, I know not how it stands.
Sorry am I to hear what I have heard;
Noble she is; but if the have forgot
Honour and virtue, and convers'd 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 dishonour'd Glo'ster's honest name.

K. Henry. 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 anfwers;
And poise the cause in Justice' equal scales,

Whose beam stands fure, whose rightful cause prevails.

[Flourish. Excunt.

SCENE IV. Changes to the Duke of York's palace.

Enter York, Salisbury, and Warwick.

York. Now, my good Lords of Salisbury and War

Our fimple fupper ended, give me leave,
In this close walk to fatisfy myself,
In craving your opinion of my title,

Which is infallible, to England's crown.

[wick,

Sal. My Lord I long to hear it thus at full.
War. Sweet York begin; and if thy claim be good,

The Nevils are thy fubjects to command.

York. Then, thus:

Edward the Third, my Lords, had seven fons:
The first, Edward the Black Prince, Prince of Wales;
The fecond, William of Hatfield; and the third,
Lionel Duke of Clarence; next to whom
Was John of Gaunt, the Duke of Lancaster;
The fifth was Edmond Langley, Duke of York;
The fixth, was Thomas of Woodstock, Duke of Glo'ster;
William of Windfor was the seventh and last.
Edward the Black Prince dy'd before his father,
And left behind him Richard, his only fon,
Who, after Edward the Third's death, reign'd King;
Till Henry Bolingbroke, Duke of Lancaster,
The eldest fon, and heir of John of Gaunt,
Crown'd by the name of Henry the Fourth,
Seiz'd on the realm; depos'd the rightful King;
Sent his poor Queen to France from whenceshe came,
And him to Pomfret; where, as all you know,
Harmless King Richard trait'roufly was murther'd.
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 For Richard the first fon's heir being dead, [right; The issue of the next fon should have reign'd.

Sal. But William of Hatfield dy'd without an heir. York. The third fon, Duke of Clarence, from whose I claim the crown, had issue Philippe, a daughter, [line Who married Edmond Mortimer, Earl of March.

Edmond had issue; Roger earl of March :

Roger had iffue; Edmond, Anne, and Eleanor.

Sal.