my maiden sonne And giue him leaue to doe what must be done Rob. First I bequeath my soule to all soules sauer And will my bodie to be buried At Wakefield vnderneath the Abbey wall And in this order make my funerall When I am dead stretch me vpon this Beere My beades and Primer shall my pillowe bee On this side lay my bowe my good shafts here Upon my brest the crosse and vnderneath My trustie sworde thus fastned in the sheath Let Warmans bodie at my feete be laid Poore Warman that in my defence did die For holy dirges sing me wodmens songs As ye to Wakefield walke with voices shrill This for my selfe my goods and plate I giue Among my yeomen them I doe bestowe Upon my Soueraigne Richard This is all My liege farewell my loue farewell farewell Farewell faire Queene Prince Iohn and noble Lords Father Fitzwater heartily adieu Adieu my yeomen tall Matilda close mine eyes Frier farewell farewell to all Mat. O must my hands with enuious death conspire To shut the morning gates of my liues light Fitz. It is a duetie and thy loues desire I le helpe thee girle to close vp Robins sight King Laments are bootelesse teares cannot restore Lost life Matilda therefore weepe no more And since our mirth is turned into mone Our merry sport to tragick funerall Wee will prepare our power for Austria After earle Roberts timelesse buriall Fall to your mad-songs therefore yeomen bold And deck his herse with flowers that lou'd you deare Dispose his goods as hee hath them dispos'd Fitzwater and Matilda bide you here See you the bodie vnto Wakefield borne A little wee will beare yee company But all of vs at London point to meete Thither Fitzwater bring earle Robins men And Frier see you come along with them Fri. Ah my liege Lord the Frier faints And hath no words to make complaints But since he must forsake this place He will awaite and thanks your Grace Song Weepe weepe ye wod-men waile Your hands with sorrow wring Your master Robin Hood lies deade Therefore sigh as you sing Here lies his Primer and his beades His bent bowe and his arrowes keene His good sworde and his holy crosse Now cast on flowers fresh and greene And as they fall shed teares and say Wella wella day wella wella day Thus cast yee flowers and sing And on to Wakefield take your way Exeunt Fri. Here dothe the Frier leaue with grieuance Robin is deade that grac't his entrance And being dead he craues his audience With this short play they would haue patience ¶ Enter Chester Chest. Nay Fryer at request of thy kinde friend Let not thy Play so soone be at an end Though Robin Hoode be deade his yeomen gone And that thou thinkst there now remaines not one To act an other Sceane or two for thee Yet knowe full well to please this company We meane to end Matildaes Tragedie Fri. Off then I wish you with your Kendall greene Let not sad griefe in fresh aray be seene Matildaes storie is repleat with teares Wrongs desolations ruins deadly feares In and attire yee though I tired be Yet will I tell my mistresse Tragedie Apolloes master doone I inuocate To whome henceforth my deedes I dedicate That of his Godhead 'boue all Gods diuine With his rich spirit he would lighten mine That I may sing true layes of trothlesse deedes Which to conceiue my heart through sorrow bleeds Cheere thee sad soule and in a loftie line Thunder out wrong compast in clowdy teares Enter in blacke Shewe to the eyes fill the beholders eares With all the liuely acts of lustfull rage Restraind by modest teares and chastities intreats And let king Iohn that ill part personage By sutes deuices practices and threats And when he sees all serueth to no end Of chaste Matilda let him make an end Cho. We are all fitted Frier shall we beginne Fri. Well art thou suted would my order would Permit me habit equall to my heart Cho. If you remember Iohn did take an oath Neuer againe to seeke Matildaes loue Fri. O what is he that 's sworne affections slaue That will not violate all lawes all oathes And being mightie what will he omit To compasse his intents though nere so ill You must suppose king Richard now is deade And Iohn resistlesse is faire Englands Lord Who striuing to forget Matildaes loue Takes to his wife the beautious Isabell Betroth'd to Hugh de Briu Earle of North March And picking quarrels vnder shewe of kinne Wholly diuorces his first Queene away But yet Matilda still still trobles him And being in the Court so oft he courts her That by her noble father old Fitzwater She is remou'd from his lust-tempting eye But tides restraind oreswell their bounds with rage Her absence addes more fuell to his fire In sleepe he sees her and his waking thoughts Studie by day to compasse his desire Cho. Frier since now you speake of visions It was receiued by tradition From those that were right neere vnto king Iohn Of three strange visions that to him appeard And as I guesse I tould you what they were Fri, With them I will begin draw but that vaile And there king Iohn sits sleeping in his chaire ¶ Drawe the curten the king sits sleeping his sworde by his side Enter Austria before whome commeth Ambition and bringing him before the chaire king Iohn in sleepe maketh signes to auoid and holdeth his owne crowne fast with both his hands Fri. Ambition that had euer waited on king Iohn Now brings him Austria easie to be tane Being wholly tam'd by Richards warlike hand And bids him adde that Dukedome to his crowne But he puts by Ambition and contemnes All other kingdomes but the English crowne Which he holds fast as if hee would not loose ¶ Enter Constance leading young Arthur both offer to take the crowne but with his foote he ouerturneth them to them commeth Insurrection ledde by the F. K. and L. menacing him and lead the childe againe to the chaire but he only layeth hand on his sworde and with his foote ouerthroweth the childe whome they take vp as deade and Insurrection flying they mournefully beare in the bodie Fr. The Ladie and the childe that did ascend Striuing in vaine to take the crowne from Iohn Were Constance and her sonne the Duke of Britaine Heire to the elder brother of the king Yet hee sleepes on and with a little spurne The mother and the Prince doth ouerturne Againe when Insurrection them assists Stird by the French king and the wronged Earle Whose troth-plight wife king Iohn had tane to wife He only claps his hand vpon his sword Mocketh their threatnings and in their attempts The harmelesse Prince receiues recurelesse death Whome they too late with bootelesse teares lament ¶ Enter Queene with two children borne after her she ascends and seeing no motion she fetcheth her children one by one but seeing yet no motion she descēdeth wringing her hands and departeth Enter Matilda in
hed-geere stands awry Giue me the flowers Goe in for shame And quickly see you mend the same Exit linny Marian strewing flowers Enter sir Doncaster Prior Don. How busie mistresse Marian is She thinkes this is her day of blisse Pri. But it shall be the wofull'st day That euer chaunst her if I may Mar. Why are you two thus in the ayre Your wounds are greene Good cuz haue care Pri. Thanks for your kindnesse gentle maid My cosin Robert vs hath praid To helpe him in this businesse ¶ Enter Frier Fri. Sir Doncaster sir Doncaster Don. Holla Fri. I pray you did you see the Prior Pri. Why here I am What wouldst thou Frier Fri. The king is heated in the chace And posteth hitherward apace He told my master he was dry And hee desires ye presently To send the drinke whereof ye spake Hornes blowe Pri. Come it is here haste let vs make Exeunt Prior and Frier ¶ Enter King Iohn Queene Scarlet Scathlocke Ely Fitz. water Salsbury Chester Marian kneeles downe Mar. Most gratious Soueraigne welcome once againe Welcome to you and all your princely traine King Thanks louely hostesse we are homely guests Where 's Robin Hood He promised me some drinke Mar. Your hand maid Robin will not then be long The Frier indeede came running to his vnkle Who with sir Doncaster were here with mee And altogether went for such a drinke Kin. Well in a better time it could not come For I am very hot and passing dry ¶ Enter Robin Hoode a cuppe a towell leading Doncaster Tuck and Much pulling the Prior Rob. Traitor I le draw thee out before the king Fri. Come murderous Prior Much Come yee dogges face Ki Why how now Robin where 's the drink you bring Rob. Lay holde on these Farre be it I should bring your Maiestie The drinke these two prepared for your taste King Why Robin Hoode be briefe and answere mee I am amazed at thy troubled lookes Rob. Long will not my ill lookes amaze your Grace I shortly looke neuer to looke againe Mar. Neuer to looke What will it still be night If thou looke neuer day can neuer be What ailes my Robin Wherfore dost thou faint Rob. Because I cannot stand yet now I can Thanks to my king and thanks to Marian King Robin be briefe and tell vs what hath chanst Rob. I must be briefe for I am sure of death Before a long tale can be halfe way tolde Fitz. Of death my sonne bright sunne of all my ioy Death cannot haue the power of vertuous life Rob. Not of the vertues but the life it can King What dost thou speak of death how shouldst thou die Rob. By poison and the Priors treachery Qu. Why take this soueraigne pouder at my hāds Take it and liue in spite of poysons power Don. I set him forward Powders quoth ye nah I am a foole then if a little dust The shauing of a horne a Bezars stone Or any Antidote haue power to stay The execution of my hearts resolue Tut tut you labour louely Queene in vaine And on a thanklesse groome your toyle bestowe Now hath your foe reueng'd you of your foe Robin shall die if all the world sayd no Mar. How the Wolfe howles Fly like a tender Rid Into thy sheepeheards bosome Shield mee loue Canst thou not Robin Where shall I be hid O God these Rauens will seaze vpon thy Doue Rob. They cannot hurt thee pray thee doe not feare Base curres will couch the Lyon being neare Qu. How workes my powder Rob. Uery well faire Queene King Dost thou feele any ease Rob. I shall I trust anone Sleepe fals vpon mine eyes O I must sleepe they that loue me do not waken me Mar. Sleepe in my lap and I will sing to thee Ioh. He should not sleepe Rob. I must for I must die While I liue therfore let me haue some rest Fitz. I let him rest the poyson vrges sleepe When he awakes there is no hope of life Don. Of life now by the little time I haue to liue He cannot liue one hower for your liues King Uillaine what art thou Don. Why I am a knight Chest. Thou wert indeede If it so please your Grace I will describe my knowledge of this wretch Kin. Doe Chester Chest. This Doncaster for so the fellon hight Was by the king your father made a knight And well in armes he did himselfe behaue Many a bitter storme the winde of rage Blasted this Realme with in those woful daies When the vnnaturall fights continued Betweene your kingly father and his sonnes This cut-throat knighted in that time of woe Seaz'd on a beautious Nunne at Barkhamsted As wee were marching toward Winchester After proud Lincolne was compeld to yield Hee tooke this virgine straying in the field For all the Nunnes and euery Couent fled The daungers that attended on our troopes For those sad times too oft did testifie Wars rage hath no regard of pietie She humbly praid him for the loue of heauen To guid her to her fathers two miles thence He swore he would and very well he might For to the campe he was a Forager Upon the way they came into a wood Wherein in briefe he stript this tender maid Whose lust when she in vaine had long withstood Being by strength and torments ouerlaid He did a sacrilegious deede of rape And left her bath'd in her owne teares and blood When she reuiu'd she to her fathers got And got her father to make iust complaint Unto your mother being then in campe Qu. Is this the villaine Chester that defilde Sir Eustace Stutuiles chast and beautious childe Don. I Madam this is hee That made a wench daunce naked in a wood And for shee did denie what I desirde I scourg'd her for her pride till her faire skinne With stripes was checkred like a vinters grate And what was this A mighty matter sure I haue a thousand more than she defilde And cut the squeaking throats of some of them I grieue I did not hirs Qu. Punish him Richard A fairer virgine neuer sawe the sunne A chaster maid was neuer sworne a Nunne King How scap't the villaine punishment that time Fitz. I rent his spurres off and disgraded him Chest. And then he raild vpon the Queene and mee Being committed he his keeper slue And to your father fled who pardond him Rich. God giue his soule a pardon for that sinne Sals. O had I heard his name or seene his face I had defended Robin from this chance Ah villaine shut those gloomy lights of thine Remembrest thou a little sonne of mine Whose nurse at Wilton first thou rauishedst And slew'st two maids that did attend on them Don. I grant I dasht the braines out of a brat Thine if he were I care not had he bin The first borne comfort of a royall king And should haue yald when Doncaster cried peace I would haue done by him as then I did King Soone shall the world be rid of such a
wretch Let him be hangd aliue in the high way that ioyneth to the power Don. Aliue or deade I reck not how I die You them and these I desperately defie Ely Repent or neuer looke to be absolu'd But die accurst as thou deseruest well Don. Then giue me my desert curse one by one Ely First I accurse thee and if thou persist Unto damnation leaue thee wretched man Don. What doe I care for your damnation Am I not doom'd to death what more damnation Can there insue your loud and yelling cryes Pri. Yes diuell heare thy fellowe spirit speake Who would repent O faine he would repent After this bodies bitter punishment There is an euer-during endlesse woe A quenchlesse fire an vnconsuming paine Which desperate soules and bodies must indure Don. Can you preach this yet set me on sir Prior To runne into this endlesse quenchlesse fier Pri. High heauens shewe mercie to my many ils Neuer had this bene done but like a fiend Thou temptedst me with ceaselesse diuelish thoughts Therefore I curse with bitternesse of soule The hower wherein I saw thy balefull eyes My eyes I curse for looking on those eyes My eares I curse for harkning to thy tongue I curse thy tongue for tempting of myne eares Each part I curse that wee call thine or mine Thine for enticing mine mine following thine Don. A holy prayer what Collect haue we next This time Robin stirres Fitz. My Marian wanteth words such is her woe But old Fitzwater for his girle and him Begs nothing but worlds plague for such a foe Which causelesse harmd a vertuous noble man A pitier of his griefes when he felt griefe Therefore be thee of thy hatefull deede Thou faithlesse Prior and thou this ruthlesse theefe Pri. Will no man curse me giuing so much cause Then Doncaster our selues our selues accurse And let no good betide to thee or mee All the yeomen Frier Much Iinny cry All Amen amen accursed may ye bee For murdring Robin flower of curtesie Robin sits vp Rob. O ring not such a peale for Robins death Let sweete forgiuenesse be my passing bell Art thou there Marian then fly forth my breath To die with in thy armes contents me well Pri. Keepe in keepe in a little while thy soule Till I haue powr'd my soule forth at thy feete Rob. I slept not vnkle I your griefe did heare Let him forgiue your soule that bought it deare Your bodies deede I in my death forgiue And humbly begge the king that you may liue Stand to your Cleargie vnkle saue your life And lead a better life than you haue done Pri. O gentle Nephew ah my brothers sonne Thou dying glory of old Huntington Wishest thou life to such a murdrous foe I will not liue sith thou must life for goe Oh happie Warman blessed in thy end Now too too late thy truth I doe commend O Nephew Nephew Doncaster and I Murdred poore Warman for he did denie To ioyne with vs in this blacke tragedy Rob. Alas poore Warman Frier little Iohn I told ye both where Warmans bodie lay And of his buriall I le dispose anone King Is there no lawe Lord Ely to conuict This Prior that confesseth murders thus Ely He is a hallowed man and must be tried Aud punisht by the censure of the Church Pri. The Church therein doth erre God doth allowe No Canon to preserue a murderers life Richard king Richard in thy Grandsires daies A law was made the Cleargie sworne thereto That whatsoeuer Church-man did commit Treason or murder or false felonie Should like a seculer be punished Treason we did for sure we did intend King Richards poisoning Soueraigne of this land Murder we did in working Warmans end And my deare Nephewes by this fatall hand And theft we did for we haue robd the king The State the Nobles Commons and his men Of a true Peere firme Piller liberall Lord Fitzwater we haue robd of a kinde sonne And Marians loue-ioyes we haue quite vndoone Don. Whoppe what a coyle is here with your confession Pri. I aske but iudgement for my foule transgression King Thy own mouth hath condemned thee Hence with him Hang this man dead then see him buried But let the other hang aliue in chaines Don. I thanke you sir Exeunt yeomen Frier prisoners Much Ioh. My selfe will goe my Lord And see sharpe Iustice done vpon these slaues Rob. O goe not hence Prince Iohn a word or two Before I die I faine would say to you King Robin wee see what we are sad to see Death like a champion treading downe thy life Yet in thy end somwhat to comfort thee Wee freely giue to thy betrothed wife Beautious and chast Matilda all those lands Falne by thy folly to the Priors hands And by his fault now forfetted to mee Earle Huntington she shall thy Countesse bee And thy wight yeomen they shall wend with mee Against the faithlesse enemies of Christ Rob. Bring forth a Beere and couer if with greene A Beere is brought in That on my death-bed I may here sit downe Beere brought he sits At Robins buriall let no blacke be seene Let no hand giue for him a mourning gowne For in his death his king hath giuen him life By this large gift giuen to his maiden wife Chaist maid Matilda Countesse of account Chase with thy bright eyes all these clouds of woe From these faire cheekes I pray thee sweete do so Thinke it is bootelesse folly to complaine For that which neuer can be had againe Queene Elianor you once were Matilds foe Prince Iohn you long sought her vnlawfull loue Let dying Robin Hood intreat you both To change those passions Madame turne your hate To princely loue Prince Iohn conuert your loue To vertuous passions chast and moderate O that your gratious right hands would infolde Matildas right hand prisoned in my palme And sweare to doe what Robin Hood desires Qu. I sweare I will I will a mother be To faire Matildas life and chastitie Ioh. When Iohn solicites chast Matildaes eares With lawlesse sutes as he hath often done Or offers to the altars of her eyes Lasciuious Poems stuft with vanities He craues to see but short and sower daies His death be like to Robins he desires His periur'd body proue a poysoned prey For cowled Monkes and barefoote begging Friers Rob. Inough inough Fitzwater take your child My dying frost which no sunnes heat can thawe Closes the powers of all my outward parts My freezing blood runnes backe vnto my heart Where it assists death which it would resist Only my loue a little hinders death For he beholds her eyes and cannot smite Then goe not yet Matilda stay a while Frier make speede and lift my latest will Mat. O let mee looke for euer in thy eyes And lay my warme breath to thy bloodlesse lips If my sight can restraine deaths tyrannies Or keepe liues breath within thy bosome lockt Rob. Away away Forbeare my loue all this is but delay Fitz. Come maiden daughter from
far more wrongd than I takes it not wel Ki. Yes but I doe I thinke not Isabell Lord The worse for any writing of Brunes Sa. Will you ha the troth my Lord I thinke so too And though I be an old man by my sword My arme shall iustifie my constant word Qu. After a long storme in a troublous sea The Pilot is no gladder of a calme Than Isabell to see the vexed lookes Of her lou'd Lord chang'd into sweete aspects Kin. I will not tell thee what a world of foes For thy loue deare loue rise against my life To himselfe Matildaes loue fewe swords will fight for thee I will not number vp the many woes That shall be multiplied strife vpon strife Will follow But to shunne insuing ils I le take shuch pledges as shall please me aske Of each proud Baron dwelling in the Realme Bruse kinsman and the deputie to March Hath a high-minded Lady to his wife An able sonne for armes and a lesse body That is the comfort of his fathers life Madame I know you loue the Lady well And of her wealth you may be bold to build By sending you foure hundred white milch kine And ten like coloured bulles to serue that heard So faire that euery cow did Iö seeme And euery bull Europaes rauisher To friend my selfe with such a subiects truth Thus I commaund You and Earle Salsbury Shall with what speede conueniently ye may Hye ye to Gilford there the Ladie lies And her sonnes too as I am told by spies All that she hath I knowe she calleth yours All that she hath I gladly would call mine If she abuse yee if she vse yee well For euer be what she retaines her owne Only goe by as Queenes in progresse doe And send me word how she receiueth you Qu. Well I auouch she will before I goe Farre be it Iohn should prooue Lord Bruses foe Come noble Oxford I long to be at Gilford Sals. In such a businesse Madam so doe I Exeunt King Goe on good stales now Gilford is mine owne Hubert I charge you take an hundred horse And followe vnto Gilford Castle gates The Queene pretend you come to tend vpon Sent carefully from vs when you are in Boldly demaund the Lady for her sonnes For pledges of her husbands faith and hers Whome when yee haue vpon the Castle seize And keepe it to our vse vntill we come Meane while let me alone with Hugh your sonne To worke a wonder if no prodigie But whatsoere it shall attempted be Hub. Euen that which to your Maiestie May seeme contentfull thereto I agree King Goe then to Gilford and a victor be Exit Hub. Moubray our maske are you and Chester ready Mow. We will before your Grace I warrant you King How thinkst of it Mowbray Hu. As on a maske but for our torch-bearers Hell cannot rake so mad a crewe as I King Faith who is chiefe Hu. Will Brand my Lord But then your Grace must curbe his cruelty The raigne once got he 's apt for villanie Kin. I knowe the villaine is both rough and grim But as a ty-dogge I will muzzle him I le bring him vp to fawne vpon my friends And worry dead my foes But to our maske I meane this night to reuell at the feast Where faire Matilda graceth euery guest And if my hidden curtesie she grace Old Bainards Castle good Fitzwaters place Iohn will make rich with royall Englands wealth But if she do uot not those scattred bands Dropping from Austria and the Holy land That boast so much of glorious victories Shall stoppe the inundations of those woes That like a deluge I will bring on them I knowe the crue is there banish all feares If wrongd they shall be ours if welcome theirs Exeūt ¶ Enter Fitzwater and his sonne Bruse and call forth his daughter Fitz. Why how now votary still at your booke Euer in mourning weedes For shame for shame With better entertainement cheere our friends Now by the blest crosse you are much too blame To crosse our mirth thus you are much too blame I say Good Lord hath neuer woe inough of well ada Indeed indeede Some sorrow fits but this is more than neede Mat. Good father pardon me You saw I sate the supper and the banquet You knowe I cannot dance discourse I shunne By reason that my wit but small before Comes farre behinde the ripe wits of our age Young B. You l be too ripe for mariage If you delay by day and day thus long There is the noble Wigmore lord of the March That lyes on Wye Lug and the Seuerne streames His sonne is like the sunnes syres Ganimede And for your loue hath sent a Lord to plead His absence I did purpose to excuse ¶ Enter Lester Richmond But Lester to the man for him that sues F. My cousin Bruse hath bene your Broker Lester At least hath broke the matter to my girle Lest. O for a barber at the time of neede Or one of these that dresses periwigs To decke my gray head with a youthfull haire But I must too 't Matilda thus it is Say can ye loue mee I am Wigmors sonne Ma. My cousin said he look't like Ganimede But you but you Ley. But I but I you say Am rather like old Chremes in a play But that 's a nice obiection I am hee But by atturney shippe made deputie Mat. He 's neuer like to speede well all his life That by atturney sues to winne a wife But graunt you are whome you seeme nothing like Young Wigmore the heire to this noble Lord He for his sonne hath yet sent vs nere a word Old Br. If you grant loue when his sonne doth wooe Then in your ioynture hee le send say and doe Y. Br. And for a dooer cosin take my word Looke for a good egge he was a good bird Cocke a the game ifaith neuer feare Ma. I but I feare the match will fall out ill Because he saies his sonne is named Will Fitz. And why good daughter Hath some Palmister Some Augur or some dreaming Calculator For such I know you often hearken to Bene prating gainst the name Go too go too Doe not beleeue them Lester fall to wooe Ma. I must beleeue my father and t is you That if I ought misdid reproou'd me still And chiding said you 'r wedded to your will Fitz. God for thy mercy haue yee catcht me there Wigmore is William woman Lester speake Thou art the simplest wooer in the world Lest. You haue put me out she hath tooke me down You with your talke she with her ready tongue You told me I should find her milde and still And scarce a worde come from her in an hower Then did I thinke I should haue all the talke Unhindred by your willingnesse to helpe Unanswerd till I had no more to say And then Y. B. What then she with a courtly curtsie saying nay Ma. Your friends atturney might haue gone his way With as
Nay then Fitzwater tels your Maiestie You doe him wrong and well will let you wit He will defende his honour to the death King And Bruse you are no otherwise dispos'd You will not giue your sons to me for pledge Br. I haue but one being my lesser boy Who is at Gilford for my other sonne Ki. He braues me with the rest Well it is night and there 's no sunne to sweare by But by Gods sonne and by him I here protest A miserable storme this night to raise That shall not cease while England giueth rest To such vile traitors Bruse I le begin with you I will ifaith as true as God is true Exeunt king cum suis Lest. Then shal a storme be rais'd against a storme And tempest be with tempest beaten backe Fitz. But this firme Iland like the sea will tosse And many goodly buildings goe to wracke Many a widowe weepe her dying sonne And many a mother to her helplesse babes Cry out vncomfortably children peace Your crying vnto me is all in vaine Dead is my husband your poore father slaine Yong Br. We can not helpe it vnkle Ri. No you see intreats humble sutes haue now no power But lust and wrath the kingdome doth deuour Br. Me he did menace first and much I feare He will to Gilford and besiege my wife Fitz. O hye to saue her Richmond ride with him Rich. Let vs away Bruse least we come to late And with vs take some score of men well armde Exeunt Richmond Fitz. Doe Lester and my selfe will keepe the citie Til we are furnisht with an able armie Your Nephew Bruse shal take an hundred armed men And poast to Hartford Castle with your sister Sith wrong will wake vs we will keepe such watch As for his life he shall not hurt vs bring Exeunt omnes ¶ Enter Queene Bruses Ladie Hubert Salsbury Qu. Be comforted good Madame doe not feare But giue your sonne as pledge vnto the king Your selfe at Court may keepe him company Wif. I am betraid alas I am betraid And little thought your Highnesse had bene bent So much against me for my many loues As to prepare an entrance for my foe Qu. As I shall liue in heauen I did not knowe Of Huberts comming but lament not this Your sonne you say is gone what feare you then Wi. O madame murder mischiefe wrongs of men I feare I feare what i st I doe not feare Sith hope is so farre of despaire so neare Ox. Answere mee good Hubert I pray the Hubert doe What thinke you of this matter may I on your word Perswade the woman that all things are well Hu. You may perswade her if you can my Lord For I protest I knowe no other thing But that the king would haue him for a pledge of the Lord Bruses faith Sals. And reason too Now by my Honour Hubert I protest it is good reason Bruse I tell you plaine Is no sound cloake to keepe Iohn from the raine I will goe to her Hu. Doe good simple Earle If not by threats nor my intreats she yield Thy braine is barren of inuention Dried vp with care neuer will shee yield her sonne to thee that hauing power wantst wit Br. Wife I ouerheare thee Hubert Ox. So do I dame Bruse But stir no coles the man is well belou'd And merits more than so Bru. W. But I will answere Hubert thou fatall keeper of poore babes That are appointed hostages for Iohn Had I a sonne here as I haue not one For yesterday I sent him into Wales Thinkst thou I would be so degenerate So farre from kinde to giue him vnto thee I would not I protest thou knowest my minde Ox. Ladie you feare more than you neede to doe Indeede you doe in very deede you doe Hubert is wrongd about the thing you meane About young Arthur O I thought t was so Indeede the honest good kinde gentleman Did all he might for safegard of the childe Qu. Beleeue me Madame Bruse the man is wrongd B. W. But he wrongs me to keepe my Castle thus Disarming my true seruants arming his Now more of outrage comes what shall I doe ¶ Enter the king Mowbray Winchester Chester King O this is well Hubert where 's Bruses sonne Wi. Where thou shalt neuer see him Iohn K. Ladie we shall haue talke with you anone Where is he Hubert Hu. Hid or fled my Lord we can by no means get her to confesse Sa. Welcome to Gilford Oxfords liefest Lord K. You scarce giue welcome ere I bid you goe For you my Lord the Queene and Winchester Shall march to Harford Sweete Isabell And if thou loue me play the Amazon Matilda that hath long bewitcht mine eye Is as I heare by spials now in Harford Castle Besiege her there for now her hauty father Ruffians it vp and downe and all the brood Of viperous traitors whet their poysoned teeth That they may feed on vs that foster them Goe forward and goe with you victorie Which to assure my powers shall followe you Sals. Did I not tell you this then trust me next Nay he is chang'd and cares no more for her Than I doe Madame King Be gone I say be gone Your speede rich victory attendeth on But your delay May giue your foes the happie glorious day Qu. One boone my Liege and part Kin. Be briefe Qu. Shew that poore Ladie pittie I beseech Exeunt Kin. I will indeede Come Ladie let vs in You haue a sonne goe in and bring him mee And for the Queenes sake I will fauour yee B. W. I haue no son come come come in and search And if you finde him wretched may I bee Exit Ki. Chester and Hubert see you keepe good watch Not farre of doe I heare a warlike sound Bruse on my life looke too 't while I goe in To seeke this boy for needs we must haue him Come with vs Mowbray Exeunt ¶ Enter Bruse Richmoud Souldiers Rich. The Castle gates are shut what ho what ho You that are seruants to the Lady Bruse Arise make entrance for your Lord and friends Enter or aboue Hugh Winchester HU. We will make issue ere yee enter here Who haue we there Richmond and Bruse I st you What vp so soone are yee so earely here In you yfaith the Prouerb 's verified Y' are earely vp and yet are nere the neare Rich. The worse our fortune Bruse let vs goe hence We haue no power to fight nor make defence Ch. What Richmond will you proue a Runaway Rich. From thee good Winchester Now the Lord defend Bruse we will stay and fight Br. T is to no end we haue but twentie men they be tyr'd But ere we doe retire tell me Lord Hubert Where are my wife and sonne Hu. Your wife is here your sonne we cannot finde Br. Let son wife high heauens your comfort finde Exeunt ¶ Enter King Mowbray Ladie Bruse Chest. Bruse hath beene here my Lord Ki. I let him
goe we haue good pledges though wee see but one The other we are sure will come anone Mow. I doe aduise you for your owne discharge Deliuer vp your sonne vnto the king King Nay let her chuse Come hither Mowbray The king and Mowbray whisper HU. The king is angry Ladie Bruse aduise you L. Br. What be aduis'd by thee to haue my louing kinde and prettie boy giuen to an vnkinde killer of sweete boyes Ch. Madame go too take counsell of your friends I warrant you the king will vse him well L. B. I as he vs'd his Nephewe Arthur Chester God blesse my childe from being vsed so MOW. Sir Hubert what are all the people voided The horses and the cattle turned forth Hu. Mowbray they be Mow. Then will I doe the kings commaundement L. B. What will he doe good lord what will he doe Mowbray I pray you what i st you will doe MO. Why fire the Castle L. B. The Castle Mowbray tarry tarry man Hold me not Chester gentle Mowbray stay Good Hubert let me goe To lead a many able men to fight And modest looking maid I see you too And vnfit sight to viewe virginitie Guarded with other souldiers than good praiers But you will say the king occasions it Say what you will no king but would take cause Of iust offence yield you young Bruse your mother is in holde Yield you young maid your father is in holde Ma. Will the Queene keepe me from the lustfull king Then will I yield Qu. A plague vpon this counterfaiting queane Mat. Gods blessed mercy will you still be mad And wrong a noble virgine with vile speach Ox. Let me alone Matilda maiden faire Thou virgine spouse true Huntingtons iust heire Wilt thou come hither and I doe protest The Queene and I to mitigate this warre Will doe what thou wouldest haue Ma. I come Br. You shall not goe sound drums to warre Ox. Alack alack for woe well God for vs sith it will needes be so Alarum fight stay Ox. What stay you for Br. Matildaes cryes doe stay vs Mat. Oxford I come in hope of thy defence Br. First will I die ere you shall yield your selfe To any coward Lord that serues the King Ox. Coward proud boy thou findest me no such beast And thou shalt rue in earnest this rude iest Fight againe Matilda taken led by the haire by two Souldiers Ox. Rude hands how hale you vertuous honour forth You doe not well away now by my faith Yee doe not well I say Take her faire Queene vse her as she deserues Shee s faire shee s noble chast and debonaire I must according to due course of warre See that our souldiers scatter not too fare Least what care wonne our negligence mray loose Exit Qu. Is this the Helen this the Paragon That makes the English Ilinnus flame so fast Mat. I am not she you see I am not shee I am not rauisht yet as Helen was I know not what will come of Iohns desire That rages like the sea that burnes like fire Qu. Plaine Iohn proud Ione I le teare your painted face thus thus I le vse you Enter Oxford Ma. Doe doe what you will Ox. How goes this geere ha foule fall so foule a deed Poore chast childe of Fitzwater dost thou bleede By Gods blest mother this is more than neede And more I tell you true than I would beare Were not the danger of the campe so neere Enter a messenger Mess. My Lord the foes haue gathered head Lord Bruse the father ioyneth with the sonne Ox. Why here 's the matter we must spend our time To keepe your nailes from scratching innocence Which should haue beene bestowed for our defence What shall we now doe helpe me holy God The foe is come and we are out of ranke Skirmish Queene taken Matilda rescued Enter olde Bruse wounded led by his sonne and Lester Br. Is the field ours Young B. I thanks to noble Lester Br. Giue God thanks sonne be carefull to thy mother Commend me to Fitzwater loue thy brother If either armes or praiers may him recouer Fals down Lest. How cheeres old Bruse Br. His soule to ioy is fled His griefe is in my bosome buried Lest. His life was dearely bought For my eyes sawe A shambles of dead men about his feete Sent by his sword vnto eternall shade With honour bury him cease teares good Bruse Br. Teares helpe not I confesse yet must I weepe Souldiers your helpe to beare him to my tent Exeunt cum Bruse Ma. Be comforted great Queene forget my wrongs It was my fortune and no fault of yours Qu. Is she thus milde or doth she mock my chance Lest. Queene Elianor are you a prisoner See what it is to be a souldier But what foule hand hath harm'd Matildaes faire Speake honourable maid who tore thy haire Did Oxford or the Queene this violence Ma. Ungentle groomes first tooke and sore me thus From whom old Oxford chastising their wrong Mest kindly brought mee to this gentle Queene Who laid her soft hand on my bleeding cheekes Gaue kisses to my lips wept for my woe And was deuising how to send me backe Euen when your last alarum frighted vs And by her kindnesse fell into your hands Lest. Which kindnesse we returne Madame be free Souldiers conduct the Queene whether she please Qu. Farewell Matilda if I liue beleeue I will remember this O how I grieue That I should wrong so innocent a maid Come Ladie old Fitzwater is not farre He le weepe to see these scarres full well I knowe Ma Would I were from this wofull world of warre Sure I will scape and to some Nunry goe Exeunt Enter king Oxford Hubert K. Had you her then had you her in your power Ox. I marry had we we had taken her K. O had she beene in mine Not all earths power from my power should haue freed her Ox. You are a king and high are Princes thoughts It may be with your sight you could haue chac't An host of armed men it may be so But we your subiects did the best we could Yet Bruse the father backing Bruse the sonne Scattred our troopes brought rescue to Matilda And tooke your peerelesse Queene their prisoner K. On all the race of Bruses for this wrong I will haue vengeance Hubert call in Brand Exit Hu. My Lord of Oxford giue vs leaue a while to be alone Ox. I will my liege but be you comforted The Queene will be recouer'd doe not feare As well as ere she was K. Oxford for beare I pray Ox. Yet for the wrong she did vnto Matilda I feare I feare Exit K. The father and the sonne did rescue her The mother and the sonne shall rue the deede So it shall be I am resolu'd thereon Matilda my soules foode those haue bereft And these of bodies foode I will bereaue Enter Hubert Brand K. Will Brand Brand Your Maiestie Make legs K. Lesse of your curtsie Hubert stand aside Poast spedily
Oxford Queene Abbesse attendants Ox And say you Ladie Abbesse that there came One from the King vnto her what was hee Ab. Yonder he stands I know not what he is Still he stands staring Q. Iesus haue mercy Oxford come not nigh him Ox. Not nigh him Madame yes keepe you away Ab. Come in good Queene I doe not mean to stay Exit Ab. Nor I to stirre before I see the end Ox. Why starest thou thus speake fellow answer me Who art thou Bra. A bloodie villaine and a murderer A hundred haue I slaine with mine owne hands T was I that staru'd the Ladie Bruse to death And her young sonne at Windsor Castle late T is I haue slaine Matilda blessed maid And now will hurry to damnations mouth Forst by the gnawing worme of conscience Runs in Ox. Hold him for gods sake stay the desperate wretch Ma. O some good pittying man compassionate That wretched man so woefull desperate Saue him for gods sake he hath set me free From much worlds woe much wrong much miserie Qu. I heare thy tongue true perfect charitie Chaste maide faire maide looke vp and speake to mee Ma. Whos 's here my gracious soueraigne Isabell I will take strength and kneele Qu. Matilda sit I le kneele to thee Forgiue me gētle girle My most vngentle wrongs Ma. Faire beautious Queene I giue god thankes I doe not thinke on wrongs Ox. How now Fitzwaters childe how dost thou girle Ma. Well my good Lord of Oxford prettie well A little trauell more and I shall rest For I am almost at my iorneyes end O that my head were rais'd a little vp My drousie head whose dim decaying lights Assure me it is almost time to sleep Raise her heade I thanke your Hignesse I haue now some ease Be witnesse I beseeth your Maiestie That I forgiue the King with all my heart With all the little of my liuing heart That giues me leaue to say I can forgiue And I beseech high heauen he long may liue A happie King a king beloou'd and feard Oxford for gods sake to my father write The latest commendations of his childe And say Matilda kept his Honours charge Dying a spotlesse maiden vndefilde Bid him be glad for I am gone to ioy I that did turne his weale to bitter woe The king and he will quickly now growe friends And by their friendshippe much content will growe Sinke earth to earth fade flower ordaind to fade But passe forth soule vnto the shrine of peace Beg there attonement may be quickly made Faire Queene kinde Oxford all good you attend Fly forth my soule heauens king be there thy friend Ox. O pittie mourning sight age pittilesse Are these the messages king Iohn doth send Keepe in my teares for shame your conduits keepe Sad woe beholding eyes no will ye not Why then a Gods name weepe Sit. Qu. I cannot weepe for wrath here here take in The blessed bodie of this noble maid In milke white cloathing let the same be laid Exeunt with the bodie Upon an open biere that all may see King Iohns vnkingly lust and crueltie Ox. I be it so Your selfe if so you please Will I attend vpon and both vs waite On chast Matildaes bodie which with speede To Windsor Castle we will hence conuey There is another spectacle of ruth Old Bruses famisht Ladie and her sonne Qu. There is the king besieging of young Bruse His Lords are there who when they see this sight I know will haue small heart for Iohn to fight Ox. But where 's the murderer ha is not he staid Ser. Borne with a violent rage he clim'd a tree And none of vs could hinder his intent But getting to the top boughes fast he tied His garters to his necke and a weake branch Which being vnable to sustaine his weight Downe to the ground he fell where bones and flesh Lie pasht together in a poole of bloode Ox. Alas for woe but this is iust heauens doome On those that liue by bloode in bloode they die May an example of it honest friends Doe well take paines beware of crueltie Come Madam come to Windsor let vs goe And there to Bruses griefe adde greater woe Exeunt Enter Bruse vpon the walles Bru. Will not my bitter bannings and sad plaints My iust and execrable execrations My teares my prayers my pittie-mouing mones Preuaile thou glorious bright Lampe of the day To cause thee keepe an obit for their soules And dwell one month with the Antipodes Bright sunne retire gylde not this vault of death With thy illustrate raies retyre retyre And yield black night thy Empery a while A little while till as my teares be spent My bloode be likewise shed in raining drops By the tempestuous rage of tyrant Iohn Learne of thy loue the morning she hath wept Shower vpon shower of siluer deawie teares High trees lowe plants and prettie little flowers Witnesse her woe on them her griefe appeares And as shee dreepes on them they doe not let By droppe and droppe their mother earth to wet See these hard stones how fast small rouelets Issue from them though they seeme issuelesse And wet eyed woe on euery thing is viewde Saue in thy face that smil'st at my distresse O doe not drinke their teares thus greedily Yet let the mornings mourning garment dwell Upon the sad earth Wilt thou not thou churle Then surfet with thy exhalations speedily For all earths venemous infecting wormes Haue belcht their seuerall poysons on the fields Mixing their simples in thy compound draught Well Phoebus well drinke on I say drinke on But when thou dost vngorge thee grant me this Thou power those poysons on the head of Iohn Drum Enter Chester Mowbray Souldiers Lester Richmond at an other Souldiers Bru. How now my Lords were ye last night so pleasd With the beholding of that propertie Which Iohn and other murderers haue wrought Upon my starued mother and her sonne That you are come againe Shall I againe Set open shop shew my dead ware deare bought Of a relentlesse merchant that doth trade On the red sea swolne mightie with the bloud Of noble vertuous harmelesse innocents Whose cole black vessell is of Ebonie Their shrouds tackle wrought wou'n by wrong Stretcht with no other gale of winde but griefe Whose sighes with full blasts beateth on her shrouds The Master murder is the Pilot shame The Mariners rape theft and periury The burden tyrannous oppression Which howerly he in England doth vnlade Say shall I open shop and shewe my wares Lest. No good Lord Bruse we haue enough of that Drum Enter king Hubert Souldiers Ki. To Windsor welcome Hubert Soft me thinks Bruse and our Lords are at a parly now Br. Chester and Mowbray you are Iohns sworn friends Will you see more Speake answere me my Lords I am no niggard you shall haue your fill Both We haue too much and surfet with the woe Br. Are you all full Here comes a rauening kite That both at quick at deade
at all will smite He shall he must I and bi r Lady may Commaund me to giue ouer holy day And set wide open what you would not see Ki. Why stand ye Lords and see this traitour pearcht Upon our Castles battlements so proude Come downe young Bruse set ope the castle gates Unto thy soueraigne let thy knee be bow'd And mercie shall be giuen to thee and thine Br. O miserable thing Comes mercie from the mouth of Iohn our king Why then belike hell will be pittifull I will not ope the gates the gate I will The gate where thy shame and my sorrowe fits See my dead mother and her famisht sonne Open thy tyrants eyes for to the world I will lay open thy fell cruelties K. We heard indeed thy mother and her sonne In prison dyed by wilfull famishment Br. Sinne doubled vpon sin Slaunderst thou the dead Unwilling willingnesse it shall appeare By then I haue produc't as I will doe The iust presumptions gainst your vniust act K. Assaile the castle Lords Alarum drums And drown this scrietchowls cryes with your deep sounds Lest. I tell thée drummer if thy drum thou smite By heauen I le send thy soule to hels darke night Hence with thy drum gods passion get thee hence Be gone I say moue not my patience Exit drum K. Are you aduised Lester what you doe Lest. I am aduised for my Soueraigne knowe Ther 's not a Lord here will lift vp his arme Against the person of you noble youth Till you haue heard the circumstantiall truth By good presumptions touching this foule deede Therefore goe on young Bruse proceede retell The allegation that puts in this doubt Whether thy mother through her wilfulnesse Famisht her selfe and her sweete sonne or no Br. Unlikely supposition nature first denies That any mother when her young ling cryes If she haue meanes is so vnnaturall To let it faint and starue But we will prooue She had no meanes except this monefull meane This torture of her selfe Come forth come forth Sir William Blunt whome slaunder saies I slewe Come tell the king and Lords what you know true King Thou hast betraid our Castle Blunt No God can tell it was surpriz'd by politicke report And affirmation that your Grace was slaine Rich. Good sir William Blunt Passe briefely to the Ladies famishment Bl. About some ten daies since there came one Brand Bringing a signet from my Lord the king And this commission signed with his hand Lords looke and reade the thing Commaunding me as the contents expresse That I should presently deliuer vp The Ladie Bruse and her young sonne to him Mow. What time a day was this Bl. It was Lord Mowbray somewhat past eleauen For we were euen then sitting downe to dine Lest. But did yee dine Bl. The Ladie and her sonne did not Brand would not stay Bru. No Lester no for here is no such signe Of any meats digesture Rich. But by the way Tell vs I pray you Blunt While she remained with you was she distraught With griefe or any other passions violent Blu. She now and then would weepe often pray For reconcilement twixt the king and Lords Chest. How to her sonne did she affected stand Blu. Affection could not any more affect Nor might a mother shewe more mothers loue Mowb. How to my Lord the king Bl. O my Lord God! I neuer knewe a subiect loue king more She neuer would blin telling how his Grace Sau'd her young sonne from souldiers from fire How faire he spake gaue her her sonne to keepe And then poore Ladie she would kisse her boy Pray for the king so hearty earnestly That in pure zeale she wept most bitterly K. I weepe for her and doe by heauen protest I honour'd Bruses wife How ere that slaue Rudely effected what I rashly wild Yet when he came againe and I bethought What bitter pennance I had put them to For my conceiu'd displeasure gainst old Bruse I had the villaine poste and beare them meat Which he excus'd protesting pittie mou'd him To leaue wine bread and other poudred meate More than they twaine could in a fortnight eate Blu. Indeede this can I witnesse with the king Which argues in that point his innocence Brand did beare in a months prouision But lockt it like a villaine farre from them And lockt them in a place where no mans eare Might heare their lamentable wofull moues For all the issue both of vent and light Came from a loouer at the towers toppe Till now Lord Bruse made open this wide gappe Br. Had I not reason thinke you to make wide The windowe that should let so much woe forth Where sits my mother martyrde by her selfe Hoping to saue her childe from martyrdome Where stands my brother martyrd by himselfe Because he would not taste his mothers bloud For thus I gather this my mothers teeth and chin Are bloudy with the sauage cookery Which her soft heart through pittie of her sonne Respectlesse made her practise on her selfe And her right hand with offring it the child Is with her owne pure bloud staind and defilde My little brothers lips and chin alone Are tainted with the bloud but his eauen teeth Like orient pearle or snowe-white yuory Haue not one touch of bloud one little spot Which is an argument the boy would not Once stir his lips to taste that bloudy foode Our cruell gentle mother ministred But as it seem'd for see his prettie Palme is bloody too he cast it on the ground For on this side these blessed reliques lye By famines rage diuided from this shrine Sad wofull mother in Ierusalem Who when thy sonne and thou didst faint for foode Buryed his sweete flesh in thy hungry wombe How mercilesse wert thou if we compare Thy fact and this For my poore Ladie mother Did kill her selfe to saue my dying brother And thou vngentle sonne of Miriam Why didst thou beg life when thy mother lackt My little brother George did nobly act A more couragious part he would not eat Nor beg to liue it seem'd he did not cry Fewe teares stand on his cheeke smooth is each eye But when he sawe my mother bent to die He dyed with her O childish valiancie Kin. Good Bruse haue done my heart can not containe The griefe it holds my eyes must shoure down raine Lest. Which showers are euen as good As raine in haruest or a swelling floode When neighbouring medowes lack the mowers sithe ¶ A march for buriall with drum and fife Enter Oxford Matilda borne with Nuns one carrying a white pendant These words writ in golde Amoris Castitatis Honoris honos The Queene following the Biere carrying a Garland of flowers set it in the midst of the Stage Rich. List Lester hearst thou not a mournfull march Lest. Yes Richmond and it seemeth old de Vere Ox. Lords by your leaue is not our soueraign here K. Yes good old Awbury Ox. Ah my gratious Lord That you so much your high