a And, for a minister of my intent, Q. Mar. Run, go, help, help!-0, Henry, ope thine I have seduc'd a headstrong Kentishman, eyes ! John Cade of Ashford, Suf. He doth revive again; ----Madam, be patient. To make commotion, as full well he can, K. Hen. O heavenly God! Under the title of John Mortimer. Q. Mar. How fares my gracious lord ? In Ireland have I seen this stubborn Cade Suf.Comfort,my sovereign! gracious Henry, comfort! K. IIen. What, doth my lord of Suffolk comfort me? Whose dismal tune bereft my vital powers; By crying comfort from a hollow breast, Shaking the bloody darts, as he his bells. Can chase away the first-conceived sound? Full often, like a shag-hair'd crafty Kerne, Hide not thy poison with such sugard words. Hath he conversed with the enemy; Lay not thy hands on me; forbear, I say; And undiscover'd come to me again, Their touch allrights me, as a serpent's sting. And given me notice of their villainies. Thou baleful messenger, out of my sight! Upon thy eye-balls murd’rous tyranny For in the shade of death I shall find joy; , And Henry put apart, the next for me. (Exit. Or blood-consuming sighs recall his life, SCENE II. Bury. A room in the palace. I would be blind with weeping, sick with groans, Enter certain Murderers hastily. Look pale as primrose, with blood-drinking sighs, 1 Mur, Run to my lord of Suffolk; let him know, And all to have the noble duke alive. We have despatch'd the duke, as he commanded. What know I how the world may deem of me? 2 Mur. O, that it were to do!- What have we done? For it is known, we were but hollow friends ; It may be judg’d, I made the duke away: So shall my naine with slander's tongue be wounded, 1 Mur. Here comes my lord. And princes' courts be fill’d with my reproach. Suf. Now, sirs, have you This get I by his death. Ah me, unhappy! Despatch'd this thing? To be a queen, and crown'd with infamy! 1 Mur. Ay, my good lord, he's dead. K. Hen. Ah, woe is me for Gloster, wretched man! Suf. Why, that's well said.' Go, get you to my house; 0. Mar. Be woe for me, more wretched than he is. I will reward you for this venturous deed. What, dost thou turn away, and hide thy face? gave Be poisonous too, and kill thy forlorn queen. Is all thy comfort shut in Glòster's tomb? Suf. Away, be gone! [Exeunt Murderers. Why, then dame Margaret was ne'er thy joy: Enier King Henry, Queen MARGARET, Cardinal Beau- Erect his statue then, and worship it, FORT, SOMERSET, Lords, and Others. And make my image but an alehouse sign. K. Ilen. Go, call our uncle to our presence straight: Was I, for this, nigh wreck'd upon the sea; Say, we intend to try his grace to-day, And twice by aukward wind from England's bank If he be guilty, as 'tis published. Drove back again unto my native clime? K. Hen.Lords, take your places;—and I pray you all, Did seem to say,- Seek not a scorpion's nest, What did I then, but curs'd the gentle gusts, And he that loos’d them from their brazen caves ; Q. Mar. God forbid any malice should prevail, And bid them blow towards England's blessed shores, That faultless may condemn a nobleman! Or turn our stern upon a dreadful rock? The pretty vaulting sea refus'd to drown me; Knowing, that thou would'st have me drown'd on The splitting rocks cow'rd in the sinking sands, Q. Mar. Marry, God forefend! And would not dash me with their ragged sides : car. God's secret judgment:-I did dream to-night, Because thy flinty heart, more hard than they, The duke was dumb, and could not speak a word. Might in thy palace perish Margaret. {The King swoons. As far as I could keu thy chalky cliffs, Q. Mar. How fares my lord ?--Help, lords ? the king When from the shore the tempest beat us back, is dead. I stood upon the hatches in the storm : Som. Rear up his body; wring him by the nose. And when the dusky sky began to rob My earnest-gaping sight of thy land's view, Blit, see, his face is black, and full of blood; His eye-balls farther out than when he liv'd, Staring full ghastly like a strangled man: gling; His well-proportion'd beard made rough and rugged, Like to the summer's corn by tempest lodg'd. (The agent of thy foul inconstancy,) It cannot be, but he was murder'd here; The least of all these signs were probable. Suf. Why, Warwick, who should do the duke to death? And we, I hope, sir, are no morderers. And you, 'forsooth, had the good dake to keop: 'Tis like, you would not least him like a friend; As guilty of duke Humphrey's timeless death. Who finds the partridge in the puttock’s nest, Although the kite soar with unbloodied beak? knife? Suf. I wear no knife, to slaughter sleeping men; [Warwick goes into an inner room, and But here's a vengeful sword, rusted with ease, Salisbury retires. That shall be scoured in his rancorous heart, K. Hen. O thou, that judgest all things, stay my That slanders me with murder's crimson badge: thoughts; Say, if thou ciar’st, proud lord of Warwickshire, My thonghts, that labour to persuade my soul, 'That I am faulty in duke Humphrey's death. Some violent hands were laid on Humphrey's life! Exeunt Cardinal, Šom, and Others. If my suspect be false, forgive me, God; War. What. dares not Warwick, if false Suffolk For judgment only doth belong to thee! dare him? Fain would I go to chafe his paly lips Q. Mar. He dares not calm his contumelious spirit, Nor cease to be au arrogant controller, Though SusTolk dare him twenty thousand times.. War. Madam, be still ; with reverence may I say; Is slander to your royal dignity. Suf. Blunt-witted lord, ignoble in demeanour! open, and Gloster is discovered dead in his Some stern untutor'd churl, and noble stock War. But that the guilt of murder bucklers thee, And that my sovereign's presence makes me mild, That thou thyself wast born in bastardy: And, after all this fearful homage done, War, See, how the blood is settled in his face! Suf. Thou shalt be waking, while I shed thy blood, If from this presence thou dar'st go with me. (Exeunt Suffolk and Warwick. Which with the heart therecools, and ne'er returneth K. Hen. What stronger breast-plate than a heart To blush and beautify the cheek again. untainted? pons drawn. Thrice is he arm'd, that hath his quarrel just; The world shall not be ransom for thy life. - And And he but naked, though lock'd up in steel, Come, Warwick, come, good Warwick, go with me; Ica Whose conscience with injustice is corrupted. I have great matters to impart to thee. (A noise within. [Exeunt K. Henry, Warwick, Lords, etc. Q. Mar. What noise is this? Q. Mar. Mischance, and sorrow, go along with you! TO K. Hen. Why, how now, lords? your wrathful There's two of you ; the devil make a third, Th weapons drawn And threefold vengeance tend upon your steps! For Here in our presence? dare you be so bold ?-- Suf. Cease, gentle queen, these execrations, Th Why, what tumultuous clamour have we here? And let thy Suffolk take his heavy leave. BLE Suf. The traitorous Warwick, with the men of Bury, Q. Mar. Fyc, coward woman, and soft-hearted So Set all upon me, mighty sovereign. wretch! WV Noise of a crowd within. Re-enter SALISBURY, Hast thou not spirit to curse thine enemies? An Sul. Sirs, stand apart; the king shall know your Suf. A plague upon them! wherefore should I curse Th mind. [Speaking to those within. them? An Dread lord, the commons send you word by me, Would curses kill, as doth the mandrake's groan, Th Unless false Suffolk straight be done to death, I would invent as bitter-searching terms, QOr banished fair England's territories, As curst, as harsh, and horrible to hear, They will by violence tear him from your palace, Deliver'd strongly through my fixed teeth, Ah And torture him with grievous ling’ring death. With full as many signs of deadly hate, But They say, by him the good duke Humphrey died; As lean-fac'd Envy in her loathsome cave: On They say, in him they fear your highness' death: My tongue should stumble in mine earnest words ; 10 And mere instinct of love, and loyalty, — Mine An Th As being thought to contradict your liking, - Ay, every joint should seem to curse and ban : Makes them thus forward in his banishment. And even now my burden'd heart would break, They say, in care of your most royal person, Should I not curse them. Poison be their drink! If That, if your highness should intend to sleep, Gall, worse than gall, the daintiest that they taste! And charge - that no man should disturb your rest, Their sweetest shade, a grove of cypress trees! A In pain of your dislike, or pain of death; Their chiefesť prospects, murdering basilisks! B Yet notwithstanding such a strait edict, Their softest touch, as smart as lizards' stings! Were there a serpent seen, with forked tongue, Their music, frightful as the serpent's hiss; That slily glided towards your majesty, And boding screech-owls make the concert fall! All the foul terrors in dark-seated hell And these dread curses like the sun 'gainst glass, Suf. You bade me ban, and will you bid me leave? Well could I curse away a winter's night, Commons. (Within.) An answer from the king, Though standing naked on a mountain top, my lord of Salisbury! Where biting cold would never let grass grow, Suf. 'Tis like, the commons, rude anpolislı’d hinds, And think it but a minute spent in sport. Could send such message to their sovereign: Q. Mar. 0, let me entreat thee, cease! Give me But you, my lord, were glad to be employ’d, thy hand, To show how quaint an orator you are: That I may dew it with my mournful tears; But all the honour Salisbury hath won, Nor let the rain of heaven wet this place, Is — that he was the lord ambassador, To wash away my woeful monuments. 0, could this kiss be printed in thy hand; That thou might'st think upon these by the seal, K. Hen. Go, Salisbury, and tell them all from me, Through whom a thousand sighs are breath'd for thee! I thank them for their tender loving care: So, get thee gone, that I may know my grief; And had I not been cited so by them, l'Tis but surmis'd whilst thou art standing by, Yet did I purpose as they do entreat; As one that surseits thinking on a want. Aud banished I am, if but from thee. Go, speak not to me; even now be gone. 0, go‘not yet! - Even thus two friends, condemo’d, But three days longer, on the pain of death. Embrace, and kiss, and take ten thousand leaves, [Exit Salisbury. Loather a hundred times to part than die. So Suffolk had thy heavenly company; , With every several pleasure in the world; (Kisses his hand. up And where thou art not, desolation. I'll give a thousand pound to look upon him. -I can no more:- live thou to joy thy life; He hath no eyes, the dust hath blinded them.Myself no joy in nonght, but that thou liv’st. Comb down his hair; look! look! it stands upright, Enter Vaux. Like lime-twigs set to catch my winged soul!Q. Mar. Whither goes Vaux so fast? what news, I Give me some drink; and bid the apothecary pr’ythee? Bring the strong poison that I bought of him. K. Hen. O thou eternal Mover of the heavens, K. Hen. Peace to his soul, if God's good pleasure be! The secrets of his overcharged soul: Lord cardinal, if thou think'st on heaven's bliss, And I am sent to tell his majesty, Hold up thy hand, make signal of thy hope. That even now he cries aloud for him. He dies, and makes no sign; O God, forgive him! Q. Mar. Go, te' his heavy message to the king. War. So bad a death argues a monstrous life. [Exit Vaux. K. Hen. Forbear to judge, for we are sinners all.Ah me! what is this world? what news are these? Close his eyes, and draw the curtain close; But wherefore grieve I at an hour's poor loss, And let us all to meditation. [Exeunt. Omitting Suffolk's exile, my soul's treasure? Why only, Suffolk, mourn I not for thee, And with the southern clouds contend in tears; A CT IV. Theirs for the earth's increase, mine for my sorrows? SCENE I. - Kent. The sea-shore near Dover. Now, get thee hence: the king, thou know'st, is com- Firing heard at sea. Then enter from a boat, a ing! Captain, a Master, a Master's-Mate, WALTER If thou be found by me, thou art but dead. WHITmore, and Others; with them SUFFOLK, and Suf. If I depart from thee, I cannot live: other Gentlemen, prisoners. 'And in thy sight to die, what were it else, Cap. The gaudy, blabbing, and remorseful day But like a pleasant slumber in thy lap ? Is crept into the bosom of the sea; Here could I breathe my soul into the air, And now loud-howling wolves arouse the jades, As mild and gentle as the cradle-babe, That drag the tragic melancholy night; Dying with mother's dugs between his lips : Who with their drowsy, slow, and flagging wings, Where, from thy sight, I should be raging mad, Clip dead men's graves, and from their misty jaws And cry out for thee to close up mine eyes, Breath foul contagious darkness in the air. To have thee with thy lips to stop my mouth; Therefore, bring forth the soldiers of our prize; So should'st thou either turn my flying soul, For, whilst our pinnace anchors in the Downs, Or I should breathe it so into thy body, Here shall they make their ransome on the sand, And then it liv'd in sweet Elysium. Or with their blood stain this discolour'd shere. To die by thee, were but to die in ; est; Master, this prisoner freely give I thee; From thee to die, were torture more than death: And thou that art his mate, make boot of this ; — 0, let me stay, befall what may befall! The other, (Pointing to Suffolk.] Walter WhitB. Mar. Away! though parting be a fretful corrosive, more, is thy share. It is applied to a deathful wound. I Gent. What is my ransome, master; let me know. To France, sweet Suffolk! Let me hear from thee; Mast. A thousand crowns,or else lay down your head. For wheresoe'er thou art in this world's globe, Mate. And so much shall you give, or off goes yours. I'll have an Iris that shall find thee out. Cap. What, think you much to pay two thousand Suf. I go. crowns, P. Mar. And take my heart with thee. And bear the name and port of gentlemen? Suf. A jewel, lock'd into the woeful'st cask Cut both the villains' throats ; for die you shall; That ever did contain a thing of worth. The lives of those, which we have lost in fight, Even as a splitted bark, so sunder we; Cannot be counterpois'd with such a petty sum. This way fall I to death. 1 Gent. I'll give it, sir; and therefore spare my life. Q. Mar. This way for me. [Exeunt, severally. 2 Gent. And so will I, and write home for it straight. SCENE III. - London. Cardinal Beaufort's bed- Whit. I lost mine eye in laying the prize aboard, chamber. And therefore, to revenge it, shalt thou die; Enter King Henry, SALISBURY, WARWICK, and [To Sufolk. Others. T'he Cardinal in bed; Attendants with him. And so should these, if I might have my will. K. Hen. How fares my lord ? speak, Beaufort, to Cap. Be not so rash; take ransome, let him live. thy sovereign. Suf. Look on my George, I am a gentleman; Car. If thou be’st death, I'll give thee England's Rate me at what thou wilt, thou shalt be paid. treasure, Whit. And so am I; my name is-Walter Whitmore. Enough to purchase such another island, How now? why start’st thou? what, doth death afSo thou wilt let me live, and feel no pain. fright? K. Hen. Ah, what a sign it is of evil life, Suf. Thy name affrights me, in whose sound is death. When death's approach is seen so terrible! A cunning man did calculate my birth, Car. Bring me unto my trial when you will. Yet let not this make thee be bloody minded; ? Whit. Gualtier, or Walter, which it is, I care not; 0! torture me no more, I will confess! Ne'er yet did base dishonour blur our name, Alive again? then show me where he is; But with our sword we wip'd away the blot; quit Therefore, when merchant-like I sell revenge, Drones suck not eagles' blood, but rob bee-hives. Ge Jol (Lays hold on Suffolk. Thy words muve rage, and not remorse, in me: Ge Suf. Stay, Whitmore; for thy prisoner is a prince, I go of message from the queen to France; Jol The duke of Sulfolk, William de la Poole. I charge thee, waft me safely cross the channel. Dru Whit. The duke of Suffolk, mufiled lip in rags ! Cap. Walter, Suf. Ay, but these rags are no part of the duke; It hit. Come, Suffolk, I must waft thee to thy death. Ca Jove sometime went disguis'd, and why not I? Suf. Gelidus timor occupat artus: -- 'tis thee I fear. fath Cup. Buî Jove was never slain, as thou shalt be. I'hit. Thou shalt have cause to fear, before I leave D. Suf: Obscure and lowly swain, kiug Henry's blood, thee. co The honourable blood of Lancaster, What, are ye daunted now? now will ye stoop? wit Must not be shed by such a jaded groom. 1 Gent. My gracious lord, entreat him,speak him fair! Cor Hast thou not hiss’d thy hand, and held my stirrup? | Suff. Suffolk's imperial tongue is stern and rough, D. Bare-headed plodded by my foot-cloth mule, Usu to command, untaught to plead for favour. Ca And thouglıt thee happy when I shook my head? Far be it, we should honour such as these DHow often hast tholl waited at my cup, With humble suit: no, rather let my head Fed from my trencher, kneel'd down at the board, Stoop to the block, than these knees bow to any, Ca When I have feasted with queen Margaret ? Save to the God of heaven, and to my king; Di Remember it, and let it make thee crest-fall’n; And sooner dance upon a bloody pole, Ca Ay, and allay this thy abortive pride: Than stand uncover'd to the vulgar groom. Di How in our voiding lobby hast thou stood, True nobility is exempt from fear:: solc And duly waited for my coming forth? More can I bear, than you dare execute. Sir This hand of mine hath wiit in thy behalf, Cap. Hale him away, and let him talk no more. fure And therefore shall it charm thy riotous tongue. Suf. Come, soldiers, show what cruelty ye can, C2 Whit. Speak, captain, shall I stab the forlorn swain? That this my death may never be forgot! Cap. First let my words stab liim, as he hath me. Great men oft die by vile bezonians : Suf. Base slave! thy words are blunt, and so art thou. A Roman sworder and banditto slave, Cap. Convey him hence, and on our lovg-boat's side Murder'd sweet Tully; Brutus' bastard hand Strike off his head. Stabb’d Julius Caesar; savage islanders, Suf. Thou dar'st not for thy own. Pompey the Great: and Sulolk dies by pirates, Cap. Yes, Poole. [Exit Suf: with Whit. and Others. I Suf. Poole? Cap. And as for these whose ransom we have set, It is our pleasure, one of them depart:- [Excunt all but the first Gentleman. Now will I dam up this thy yawning mouth, Re-enter Wurmore, with SUFFOLK's body. For swallowing the treasure of the realm ; Whit. There let his head and lifeless body lie, Thy lips, that kiss'd the queen,shall sweep the ground; Until the queen his mistress bury it. [Exit And thou, that smil'dst at good duke Humphrey's 1 Gent. O barbarous and bloody spectacle! death, His body will į bear unto the king : he Against the senseless winds shalt grin in vain, If he revenge it not, yet will his friends; PE Who, in contempt, shall hiss at thee again : So will the queen, that living held him dear.' And wedded be thou to the hags of hell, [Exit, with the body. For daring to ally a mighty lord Unto the daughter of a worthless king, SCENE II.- Blackheath. Having neither subject, wealth, nor diadem, Enter George Bevis and Joux HopLand. By devilish policy art thou grown grcat, Geo. Come, and get thee a sword, though made of a lath; they have been up these two days. uap upon it. handycrafts-men. And now the house of York-thrust from the crown, John. The nobility think scorn to go in leather By shameful murder of a guiltless king, aprons. And losty proud encroaching tyranny, Geo. Nay more, the king's council are no good workBurns with revenging fire; whose hopeful colours Advance our half-fac'd sun, striving to shine, John. True; and yet it is said, -Labour in thy voUnder the which is writ- Invitis nubibus, cation : which is as much to say, as,-let the magistraThe commons here in Kent are up in arms: tes be labouring men; and therefore should we be maAnd, to conclude, reproach, and beggary, gistrates. Is crept into the palace of our king, Geo. Thou hast hit it; for there's no better sign of And all by thee. — Away! convey him hence. a brave mind than a hard hand. Suf. O that I were a god, to shoot forth thunder John. I see them! I see them! There's Best's son, John. And Dick the butcher, men. |