'This is the law, and this duke Humphrey's doom. Pet. Alas, my lord, I cannot fight; * for God's sake, pity my case! the spite of man prevaileth * against me. O, Lord have mercy upon me! I * shall never be able to fight a blow: O Lord, my * heart! Glo. Sirrah, or you must fight, or else be hang'd. 'K. Hen. Away with them to prison: and the day 'Of combat shall be the last of the next month.Come, Somerset, we'll see thee sent away. [Exeunt. SCENE IV. THE SAME. THE DUKE OF GLO'STER'S GARDEN. Enter Margery Jourdain, Hume, Southwell, and Bolingbroke. * Hume. Come, my masters; the dutchess, I tell you, expects performance of your promises. Boling. Master Hume, we are therefore provided: * Will her ladyship behold and hear our exorcisms? * Hume. Ay; What else? fear you not her cou rage. *Boling. I have heard her reported to be a woman of an invincible spirit: But it shall be con * venient, master Hume, that you be by her aloft, while we be busy below; and so, I pray you, go * in God's name, and leave us. [Exit Hume.] 'Mo'ther Jourdain, be you prostrate, and grovel on the earth: John Southwell, read you; and let us * to our work. - Enter Dutchess, above. * Dutch. Well said, my masters; and welcome * all. To this geer; the sooner the better. * Boling. Patience, good lady; wizards know their times: Deep night, dark night, the silent of the night, The time of night when Troy was set on fire; The time when scritch-owls cry, and bandogs howl, And spirits walk, and ghosts break up their graves, 'That time best fits the work we have in hand. 'Madam, sit you, and fear not; whom we raise, 'We will make fast within a hallow'd verge. [Here they perform the ceremonies appertaining, and make the circle; Bolingbroke, or Southwell, reads, Conjuro te, &c. It thunders and lightens terribly; then the spirit riseth. * Spir. Adsum. *M. Jourd. Asmath, * By the eternal God, whose name and power *Thou tremblest at, answer that I shall ask; For, till thou speak, thou shalt not pass from hence. *Spir. Ask what thou wilt:-That I had said and done! Boling. First, of the king. What shall of him be[Reading out of a paper. come? Spir. The duke yet lives, that Henry shall de pose; But him outlive, and die a violent death. [As the Spirit speaks, Southwell writes the answer. Boling. What fate awaits the duke of Suffolk? Spir. By Water shall he die, and take his end. Boling. What shall befall the duke of Somerset? Spir. Let him shun castles; Safer shall he be upon the sandy plains, Than where castles mounted stand. 'Have done, for more I hardly can endure. 'Boling. Descend to darkness, and the burning lake: 'False fiend, avoid! [Thunder and lightning. Spirit descends. Enter York and Buckingham, hastily, with their guards, and others. 'York. Lay hands upon these traitors, and their trash. 'Beldame, I think, we watch'd you at an inch.'What, madam, are you there? the king and commonweal 'Are deeply indebted for this piece of pains; 'My lord protector will, I doubt it not, 'See * you well guerdon'd for these good deserts. *Dutch. Not half so bad as thine to England's king, Injurious duke; that threat'st where is no cause. * Buck. True, madam, none at all. What call [Showing her the papers. you this? Away with them; let them be clapp'd up close, And kept asunder:-You, madam, shall with us:'Stafford, take her to thee.— [Exit Dutchess from above. 'We'll see your trinkets here all forthcoming; · All.-Away! [Exeunt guards, with South. Boling. &c. * York. Lord Buckingham, methinks, you watch'd her well: *A pretty plot, well chosen to build upon! The duke yet lives, that Henry shall depose; *Aio te, Eacida, Romanos vincere posse. Tell me, what fate awaits the duke of Suffolk? Safer shall he be upon the sandy plains, Than where castles mounted stand. * Come, come, my lords; * These oracles are hardily attain'd, * And hardly understood. [Reads. 'The king is now in progress towards saint Albans, With him, the husband of this lovely lady: Thither go these news, as fast as horse can carry them; "A sorry breakfast for my lord protector. |