HENRY the Sixth The First PART WITH THE MURDER OF HUMPHREY Duke of Glocester As it was Acted at the Dukes Theatre Written by Mr. CROWN LONDON Printed for R. Bentley and M. Magnes in Russel-Street in Covent-Garden 1681. The Prologue WIth much ado a Prologue we obtain'd From th' Author who this good old Play did mend He said a Prologue was a Painted Clout Only to tell the Shew within hung out And he no pains wou'd on the Clout bestow When very few wou'd come to see the Show The Comet that last Summer flam'd obove Has dropt his Pitch in every Dish you love Poor slighted Wit is flung among the Swine Like Grapes in France now you forbid their Wine Play-Houses like forsaken Barns are grown The lusty Threshers of both ends of Town Let the Corn rot and give their Labour o're And so the Vizards cackle here no more Or if they hither come 't is but for fear Lest zealous Constables find 'em elsewhere And their torn Coats for Romish Reliques seize And the poor Girles for Painted Images Thus all your Pleasures wither and decay You 've suck'd the Globe and flung the shell away As for our wretched selves we are forc'd still To chaw down Poetry against our will But little Pleasure it to us does give We swallow it as Sick-Men eat to live And to preserve your Stomacks we make bold To Cram you every day with New or Old To day we bring old gather'd Herbs 't is true But such as in sweet Shakespears Garden grew And all his Plants immortal you esteem Your Mouthes are never out of taste with him Howe're to make your Appetites more keen Not only oyly Words are sprinkled in But what to please you gives us better hopâ— A little Vineger against the Pope The Persons Represented in the PLAY King Henry the Sixth By Mr. Jos Williams Humphry Duke of Glocester Lord Protector of the Kingdom and Uncle to the King being Brother to King Henry the 5th By Mr. Batterton The Cardinal a Bastard Son of John of Gaunt and so Uncle to Duke Humphry By Mr. Harris Richard Plantagenet Heir of the House of York pretender to the Crown By Mr. D. Williams Duke of Buckingham Earl of Warwick Earl of Salisbury Duke of Suffolk a Lover of the Queen By Mr. Smith Queen Margaret Wife of King Henry the 6th in Love with the Duke of Suffolk By my La. Slingsby Elianor Duchess of Glocester Wife to the Lord Protector By Mrs. Batterton Sheriff of London Sir John Stanly Attendants SCENE The Court at Westminster TO Sir CHARLES SIDLEY BARONET SIR I Am afraid I shall displease you by setting your Name before so scandalous a thing as a Pamphlet of mine but when I have told you the reason I believe you will pardon me I make not use of your Name to add a lustre to mine I am not so much concerned for it Fame built on Poetry is like a Castle in the Air which the next Wind demolishes I have heard of great Armies Mustered in the Air but never of any thing they Conquered Such are the Forces of Poetry I have had my Ears torn with the noise of a Poets Drums and Trumpets of the Bellowing of his Actors and the clapping of his Audience but I never heard of one inch of firm Land he gained All he fought for was Inchanted Ground which now he seems to possess and anon it vanishes has nothing real in it but the vexation of obscene Birds which disturb him with their croaking whilst he wakes and defile him by muting upon him if ever he sleeps No wise Man can much regard what his share is in such a barren and floating Place My concernment is for some little Truth and good Sense Commodities which no one will expect to find aboard such a Paper Boat as a Play were it not convoy'd by so flourishing and great Reputation as yours I speak not my own but the opinion of some of the wisest Men of this Age this Play is no indifferent Satyre upon the most pâ—mpous fortunate and potent Folly that ever reigned over the minds of men called Popery My Lord Bacon says good Books ought to have no other Patrons but Truth and Reason Many other things ought to be that never will If Truth and Reason were things so potent how came Folly and Error to prevail over e'm in all Ages and Nations How came Wisdom to live among the Antients in Porches and Tubs and Fools to shine in Palaces whilst living and in Temples when dead How came Truth among Christians to be troden under foot for several hundreds of Years whilst Error and Folly rode on mens Shoulders and trod on Princes Necks Mens Shoulders had never been so ill us'd if their Heads had been good And when a Germane Fryar dâ—scovered Trutb by an accident as strange as another did Gunpowder how come the latter mischievous invention to have fifty times the success of the former and to pierce a hundred times as many Heads and Hearts If Truth in Schools and Churches meet so much contempt what must it expect in so wretched a thing as a Play is now esteemed The wisest Men among the Ancients indeed thought themselves scarce wise enough to judge Drammatique Poetry but ours think themselves much too Wise and throw it off as a Trifle for Women and Fools to play with and by that means it pines more and more into a Trifle For what vigour soever is necessary to please Ladies elsewhere Impotence best delights e'm upon the Stage The Poets that will hit the right Mark must aim at the Boxes and what Arrows they shoot over them are all lost nor are our Male Judges of a more Masculine Spirit I have always observed when an Actor talks Sense the Audience begins to sleep but when an unnatural passion sets him a grimacing and howling as if he were in a fit of the Stone they immediately waken listen and stare as if some rare Operator were about to Cut him In short Sense is so great a stranger to the most that it is never welcome to Company for its own sake but the sake of the Introducer For this reason I use your Name to guide that share of it is in this Play through the Press as I did Shakespear's to support it on the Stage I called it in the Prologue Shakespear's Play though he has no Title to the 40th part of it The Text I took out of his Second Part of Henry the Sixth but as most Texts are serv'd I left it as soon as I could For though Shakespear be generally very delightful h is not so always His Volumn is all up-hill and down Paradise was never more pleasant than some parts of it nor Ireland and Greenland colder and more uninhabitable then others And I have undertaken to cultivate one of the most barren Places in it The Trees are all Shrubs and the Men Pigmies nothing has any Spirit or shape the Cardinal is duller then ever
oft takes pains If any like the Ills he shews to day Let them be damn'd and let them damn the Play The Persons Represented in the Tragedy KIng Henry the Sixth Prince Edward King Henry's Son By Mr. Joseph Williams Richard Plantagenet Duke of York By Mr. David Williams Edward eldest Son of Richard Plantagenet and after his Fathers death King of England By Mr. Smith George Duke of Clarence second Son of the Duke of York By Mr. Bowman Richard the third Son called Crook-back By Mr. Gillow Rutland a Child the youngest Son The Great Earl of Warwick By Mr. Batterton Old Lord Clifford By Mr. Pearcival Young Clifford his Son By Mr. Wiltshire Queen Margaret Wife of King Henry Mrs. Leigh Lady Grey the Widow of Sir John Grey belov'd and at length married by King Edward the fourth By Mrs. Batterton Lady Elianor Butler a young Lady of great quality that was one of King Edward's Mistresses By Mrs. Currer SCENE ENGLAND THE MISERIES OF Civil-War ACT. I. SCENE I. A Noise of Fighting a Shout for Victory Enter Cade and his Rabble Cade FLing all my dead Subjects into the Thames Now say what place is this Butch 'T is London-Stone Cade Then am I Mortimer Lord of this City And here I sitting upon London-Stone Declare this is the first day of our Reign So I command the Conduits all Piss Claret And I proclaim it Treason now for any man To call me other than Lord Mortimer Enter a Souldier running Sould. Jack Cade Jack Jack Cade Knock down that sawcy Fellow A Butcher kill 's him Butch If he has wit he 'll never call thy Honour Jack Cade again Cade I think he has fair warning Enter a Cobler with a Scrivener Cob. My Lord my Lord Cade Well said a mannerly Fellow Cob. I have catch'd a Scrivener here setting Boyes Copies Cade Oh! there 's a Villain a corrupter of Youth Cob. He has a Book in 's pocket with red Letters in 't Cade Then he 's a Conjurer Cob. He can write Bills and Bonds and Obligations to bind People to undo themselves and pay Money whether they Can or no such a Rogue is enough to undo a Nation Cade I 'm sorry for it for on my honour he 's a proper fellow He shall not dye unless I find him Guilty Cob. He shall die Guilty or not Guilty I brought him to be Hang'd and I will not lose my labour I love hanging there 's Never any hanging but I leave my Stall to go see it Hanging-day is my holy-day and I will keep Coblers holy-day Cade We 'll hang him but we 'll examine him first Cob. No hang him first for now no man will confess Till after he 's hang'd Cade I will examine him Sirrah what 's thy Name Scriv. Emanuel Cob. Emanuel That 's a strange Name Friend 't will go very hard with you Cade Let me alone Friend dost thou write thy Name Or use a mark like a plain honest man Scriv. Sir I thank Heaven I have been so well bred That I can write my name All. He has confest He 's a stranger and a Villain hang him Cade Hang him with his Pen and Ink about his Neck Enter others with the Lord Say Prisoner My Lord my Lord a prize an 't like thy Hoâ—â—r 〈◊〉 Here 's the Lord Say who sold the Townes in France And made us pay one and twenty Fifteens And a shilling to the pound last Subsidy Cade I will behead him one and twenty times Come scurvy Lord what canst thou say To our Mightiness for giving up our Towns To Monsieur Basimecu the Dolphin of France Be it known unto thee Traytor by these presents Even by the presence of my self Lord Mortimer That I will sweep the world clean of such filth Thou Trayterously hast built a Grammar-School To debauch all the youth and whereas formerly Our Grandsiers us'd no Book but Score and Tally Thou hast caus'd wicked Printing to be us'd And contrary to the King his Crown and Dignity Hast built a Paper-Mill It will be prov'd That thou hast Servants talk of Nouns and Verbs And such vile Words no Christian er'e can here Thou hast appointed Justices of Peace To call poor men before 'em about matters They cou'd not answer yes and thou hast hang'd 'em Because they cou'd not read Cob. There was a Villain Cade Thou rid'st upon a foot-cloth dost thou not Say Well what of that Cade Why is it not a shame Thy Horse shou'd weare a Cloak when honest men Go in their Hose and Doublets Say Well I find You men of Kent All. What of us men of Kent Say That Kent is bona terra mala gens Cade Bold Traytor he speaks Latin in my presence Go hang him hang him Say Hear me Country-men Cade Hear Latin Villain hang him All. Hang him hang him They drag him away Butch We 'll hang up every man that can speak Latin Cade Well counsel'd Butcher counsel'd like a Butcher We will and more for they are but few Tay. We 'll hang up any man that can speak French For I 'm a Taylour and there is no man That can speak French will let me work a stitch for ' em Cob. We 'll hang up all the Lords and Gentlemen Spare none but such as go in clouted shoes For I 'm a Cobler and live by those Tayl. But by your favour Sir I am a Taylor And Sir I live by Lords and Gentlemen I only wou'd hang those that owe me money And will not pay me Cade Why thou stiching Coxcomb We will be Lords and Gentlemen our selves Tayl. Oh! that 's another thing Cade Another thing What do we fight for else you silly Rascal Cob. 'T is true my Lord we ought to be Great-men For it is said Labour in thy Vocation That is let Magistrates be labouring-men Therefore we lab'ring men ought to be Magistrates And I will be Lord Cobler and a Counsellor Carp I 'le be Lord Carpenter for 't is a shame That none of the Kings Council are good Workmen Cob. The Lords forsooth scorn to wear leather Aprons Cade We 'll make 'em glad to go in leather Aprons Butch We 'll stick 'em all and we 'll be Lords our selves Tayl. I 'll be contented to be but a Knight Cob. Shall we not spare the Lords that are our friends Such as thy Cousin Plantagenet and others Cade No Lord is our Friend you Fool they meerly chouse us Butch How meerly chouse us Cade I say meerly chouse us All the fine words and money that they give us Is nothing else but buying of Calves-heads Butch My Cleaver then shall chouse 'em of their Brains Cade When they have done with us they 'l turn us off Butch Here are brave Knaves Tayl. His Honour understands ' em Cob. I Gad my Lord 's a devilish parlous Fellow Prethee my Lord what ail's these plaguy Lords To keep this coyl when they have a power o' money Brave Lands and gallant Wenches to their Wives Cade I 'll
Ill manner'd insolence Rich. Why do you talk To this poor wretched Neapolitan She and her Husband are fit for each other He has no heart and she no heart for him Fortune loathed him as soon as e're she saw him Nor from his Cradle never wou'd endure him And her she never did think worth her care Qu. Why well said ugly Crook-back spoken like Thy hideous horrid self I will not do thee so much good to kill thee Thy Soul cannot be worse than where it is Hen. He bears about him what is more deform'd Than humane shape can be his wickedness Pl. I 've shewed my right and here are my three Sons To plead it with their Swords now I 'll produce My last and strongest Title to the Crown The sword of the victorious Earl of Warwick Call in the Earl of Warwick Enter VVarwick War I am here Pl. Inform the ignorant world who is King of England War Whom my sword pleases Hen. Thou against me Warwick What did'st thou never swear Allegiance to me War ' Cause I adored an idol once in ignorance Must I still do so now I see my error Know Duke of Lancaster for you are no more Henry your Grand Father murdered his King â—ichard the second not content with that â—e trampled on the rights of the next heirs â—our Father warlick Henry I confess â—ad in desert what he did want in Title â—ut merit makes no lawful claim to Crowns â—r if it did I wou'd be King of England But I will tell you to your face Duke Henry That you have neither Title nor Desert Qu. Most impudent of Traytours Old Cl. Most impudent of Traytours Y. Cl. Most impudent of Traytours War I 'll speak truth And value not the fury of you all Your Father Henry was a Wall of steel Through which there was no passing to the throne But you are only a soft silken Curtain Which with my hand or breath I 'll put aside And seat your self King Richard in the Throne For it is empty though the Duke be there The Duke is nothing or such poor thin soft stuff The Crown sinks down in him and is not seen Yo. Cl. What have these Traytours conquer'd us already They talk at this bold rate Thou Traytour Warwick Warwick no! when thou didst unking thy King Thou mad'st thy self a Groom by the same law Thou tramplest on thy King a sawcy Groom May set his dirty foot upon thy jaws And tell thee they were made both of one Clay War The duke of Lancaster's no King of mine Y. Cl. VVhence hast thou this from Lawyers and from Scriblers Say the King's Grand-father Murther'd his King And damn'd his Soul for it what 's that to thee Say our prosterity shou'd wrong each other VVhat must their Servants cudgel 'em to honesty Oh! But old stories censure the King's Title Are royal Robes made of such raggs as Pamphlets Yes when a beggar feign wou'd put 'em on One that wou'd beg the Kingdom from the people And such a beggar is Plantagenet Oh! but the lawyers like not the Kings Title VVhat shall the lawyers be the Kingdoms Oracles And judge their Kings who speak but as inspir'd By the Kings Image stampt upon his Gold Let the King give 'em store of golden Pictures And they will give him a substantial title And then the Noble-men must be the Bayliffs To execute the sentence of the Coyfe Damn thy pedantick Treason thou art as far From wit as honour and that 's far enough VVho stopps a River's head up drie's the stream Thou hast divided thy self from thy King The spring of honour so thou hast no honour But art a heap of dirty pesantry Fit only to manure a brave mans fortune A straying Beast with the Devil's mark upon thee Rebellion and I 'll send thee to thy owner Ed. What a fierce talker's this War I laugh at him All this loud noise and fury you have heard Is but the crackling of some burning thorns That hedge the Duke and they will soon be ashes Pl. No more Duke Henry will you yield my Crown Or shall we fall upon you Hen. Must it be so Let us not bloodily Butcher one another But fairly to the field and there in Battle Make an Appeal to Heaven Pl. With all my heart Y. Cl. Then royal Henry fixt on loyal Clifford Stand like a Cedar on a Mountain top Securely rooted and despise all storms Hen. My cause is fixt on Heav'n for it is just War Then sound to Armes All. To Armes to Armes to Armes Exit ACT II. An Alarm Enter Warwick and Souldiers chasing others over the Stage Enter Plantagenet and Old Clifford fighting Old Clifford falls P FArewell old valiant Clifford I shou'd now Be sorry for thee wer 't thou not my Enemy Ex. Old Cl. Be sorry for thy self thou art a Traytour And I for loyalty die honourably Enter Young Clifford Y. Cl. Shame and Confusion all is on the rout My men are fled or kill'd and I alone Stand like a lofty Mast shewing my head Above the Waves when all the Ship is sunk I cannot find my Father nor my King Old Cl. Son Yo. Cl. I heard a voice resembling much My Fathers very weak and faint it seemed As he were far from me or near to death Old Cl. Son Yo. Cl. Ha! again he calls Oh! there he lyes All weltring in his gore gasping for life Oh! Father Father if thou hast breath enough Leave with me but the name of him that wounded thee That I may give thee and my self revenge And I 'll prefer that glorious Legacy Before the Estate and Honour which thou leav'st me Ol. Cl. Plantagenet gave me my death Farewel Dyes Y. Cl. Plantagenet gave thee thy death Plantagenet Then gave himself and all his race destruction He kills our old men and I 'll kill his Children Henceforth I will not have to do with pitty Tears shall be to me as the dew to fire I will be famous for inhumane cruelty My Father hear's me not he 's dead he 's gone Come thou new ruin of Old Clifford's house I 'll bear thee on my shouldiers as Aeneas Did old Anchises but with this sad difference He bore a living Father mine is dead And so my burden and my grief is heavier He takes his Father on his back and going out meets the King Queen and Souldiers Q. Away away Sir what do you mean to stay All 's lost you have no safety but in flight Hen. My heart 's so heavy that I cannot flye Q. Ha! who goes there Clifford thou art I think Yo. Cl. I am Qu. What burden hast thou on thy shoulders Yo. Cl. I carry vengeance for Plantagenet Hen. Plantagenet dead Yo. Cl. A braver honester man My valiant loyal Father Hen. Clifford dead Yo. Cl. Kill'd by Plantagenet Qu. Take comfort Clifford We 'll streight to London where we have pow'r enough To revenge our selves and thee and to assist us The Parliament shall meet and raise the
the Living cannot eat Nor drink nor sleep in quiet for the Dead The Dead that can do none of e'm must plague us Thou envious Ghost get to thy own abode I know not where it is in Heaven or Hell Oh! Hell Hell Hell I am tormented Oh! 1 Mur. Oh! gallant brave Infallibility Enter the King Salisbury Warwick King How does the Cardinal 2 Mur. Sir of a sudden He 's fallen into a fit of Infallible Madness Card. Ha! who are these Stand off stand off who are you Sal. This is your King Card. What King The King of Terrors Death is it he If thou be'st Death I 'le give thee Treasure enough to purchase all this Kingdom So thou wilt let me live and feel no pain King Ah! What a sign it is of evil life When Death's approach appears so terrible War My Lord my Lord Do you know your King Car. What King what King War King Henry Car. Ha! King Henry Sir bring me to my Trial when you will I am prepar'd died he not in his Bed Can I make men live whether they will no Oh! do not torture me I will confess Oh! King Poor wretch War What think you Sir Are not these signs Of horrid Guilt King Let us not Censure him Car. Alive again do you say Ha! shew him me I 'le give a Thousand Pound to look on him Stand by and let me see him there he is He has no Eyes the dust has blinded e'm Comb down his hair look look it stands upright Like Limetwigs set to catch my flying Soul I prethee do not carry me along with thee And I 'le do cruel Pennance all my life Hunger shall tear my Entrals Whips my Flesh Thorns my bare Feet my habit shall be Hair-cloth The Rock my Bed hard Roots my only food Foul Puddle all my drink if this suffice not I 'le sell my self a Slave among the Turks What dost thou say wilt thou consent to this King Oh! thou eternal Mercy cast an eye Of pity on this Wretch Oh! drive away from him The hungry Fiend that strives to gripe his Soul Card. Ha! Wilt thou not consent and must I die Oh! let me live and be a Slave a Dog What must I die Oh! this is very cruel War See how he grins Sir with the pangs of Death Sal. Disturb him not let him pass peaceably King Peace to his Soul if it be Heavens good pleasure Lord Cardinal If you have any hopes of Heaven Hold up your hand and give a joyful signal Sal. He gives us none King Oh! Heaven have mercy on him War He gives a dreadful signal of his Guilt King Forbear to judge him we are sinners all He 's dead close up his eyes and let us all To sad and devout Meditation Exeunt The Scene is drawn The Queen weeping A Lady attending Qu. How am I robb'd of all my joys in Youth That now my doleful Years will hang on me Like a great Family on a poor Bankrupt My hope is Destiny will ne're be able With this great weight of Misery upon me To drag me to the Prison of old Age Where we lie cold and dark as in the Grave And have as great a load of Earth upon us Where melancholy thoughts about us crawl Like Toads in Dungeons about Malefactors That Prison where through gates of Horror wrinkled Fate feeds us with the Water of our Tears But enough to quench the thirst of Sorrow For the old Well is then almost dried up Lady Oh! Madam you 'l bring Age on you in Youth If you weep thus Qu. I wou'd if I cou'd bring on me The only joy of Age to be near Death But I have a long Life to travel through Barren and comfortless as any Desert And I am spoil'd of all just at the entrance Enter another Lady 2 Lady Madam there 's a Gentleman without Come from aboard a Vessel where the Duke Of Suffolk lately was Qu. Oh! bring him Enter a Gentleman Oh! saw you lately Sir the Duke of Suffolk Gent. Yes Madam Qu. Oh! How does he Gent. Well I doubt not He is at the end of an unhappy Journey Qu. In France already Gent In a better Country Madam forgive my zeal to my dear Lord. I had the honour to be once his Servant And knowing well your Majesty did bear A very great respect to his great Merit Came to entreat you to revenge his Blood Qu. His Blood Gent. His Blood See Madam this was once The beauteous manly Visage of my Lord. Shews the Duke of Suffolk 's Head 1 Lady She faints she dies Oh! help for Heaven's sake 2 Lady She stirs she 's coming to her self again Qu. Why have you wak'd me from this pleasing slumber In which I had forgotten my vast misery Where is the bloody Spectacle you shewed me 1 Lady Away with it Qu. Shew it me again I say Oh! barbarous and bloody Spectacle Is this the Noble Duke Is this the man That was the pride of Nature England's Ornament But now is England's everlasting shame Oh! my dear murder'd Duke Is this the meeting Which we at parting promised to each other Love promis'd more than Destiny cou'd pay Who did this cursed deed Gent. A cursed Pyrate Who in the Rivers Mouth clapt him aboard And took the Duke and all of us his Prisoners The Duke they knew not till they spy'd his George And then he own'd himself and for his Ransome Offer'd what sums of Gold they wou'd demand He chanc'd to be one Walter Whitmore's Prize Who lost in Fight his eye Qu. And to revenge it He wou'd put out the Sun Gent. Yes kill the Duke And he was stirr'd to greater insolence By that damn'd Villain which they call'd their Captain Who said the Duke had murder'd good Duke Humphry Begger'd the King lost France and ruined England Nay his foul Tongue did not refuse to spit Dishonour on your Sacred Majesty And said the Duke had injur'd the King's Bed Qu. Impudent Villain Gent. For all which foul Crimes He said he wou'd revenge the King and Kingdom Qu. Bold bloody Villain Gent. The brave Duke on this Calling to mind his Birth was Calculated And it was told him he shou'd die by Water He thought at first the Fiend had quibbled with him And he shou'd die by one who was call'd Water But then remembring that he was at Sea He found the Devil had two strings to his Bow So Saw himself encompast round with Destiny Then lifting up his Eyes to Heaven he smil'd As if he in his noble thoughts derided The sport Fate makes with great mens Lives and Fortunes Then looking down with scorn on his base Enemies He gave a sigh at which he nam'd Queen Margaret And with that grace he acted every thing He bowed his Head and had it stricken off Qu. Oh! execrable Villains cou'd this face Which govern'd me not strike an awe in you Who were not worthy once to look up it And thou unfortunate gallant man Thy Wit thy Valour and
take possession of my Royal Right War I plant you here now Root you up who dares Enter Edward Pl. Where 's my Son Edward ' S'wound's why loiter you War Sir why do you neglect your Father thus Ed. Reprov'd by Warwick what does Warwick cheat us Aside Give us a Crown to cheat us of our liberty Hire us to be his slaves so soon so arrogant This humour I must quell I cannot bear it Pl. Sons I here take possession of my right And will be Crown'd or kill'd if I shou'd fall Son Edward claim the Crown if you fall with me Then George the Crown is thine if both you dye Then Richard thou art King War Three goodly Pillars Pl. And last in birth but not in my Affection Here is my litle pretty darling Rutland Look to him Guard for if his brothers Perish He is your King fear not my pretty Boy We 'll be too hard for wretched timerous Henry Rut. Sir let him come and all his Souldiers with him If you will beat his Souldiers I 'll beat him Pl. Well said my boy and heark I think he comes Enter King Henry in his Robes his Crown on his head the Sword born before him Attended by Clifford Northumberland Westmorland Exeter in their Robes Hen. My Lords look where the sturdy Rebel sits War Look where your King is seated Duke of Lancaster What say you will you resign in peace the Crown To him whose right it is Richard Plantagenet Or shall we force it from you by our Swords Rich. Let 's tear the Crown from the Usurpers head Ed. Sound but the Trumpets and the King will fly Pl. Peace Sons Hen Peace all of you and hear your King Rebels I fear all danger less than you do For I am better arm'd with innocence But I confess I do fear Civil War Not for my own but for my peoples sake I am afraid to shed the blood of English men But you indeed are bold in cruelty By which oh Heaven judge whose is the Child His who desires to have it cut in peices Or mine who strive in tenderness to save it For my own part I fear no power but Heaven Rebels may be successful for a time And overturn all order right and justice But Heaven does not let the world stand long In that unnatural uneasie posture But soon put 's all things in their proper places Pl. Thy own mouth Henry has pronounc'd thy doom Successful Murder and Rebellion Swell'd for two Generations of thy race Over all right and all that durst oppose 'em But Heaven in thee has dryed up the black stream And made it such a Brook all trample over it Hen. I 've oft been told by thee my Grand-father Depos'd his King Pl. And I did tell thee truth Hen. Cannot a King adopt an Heir Pl. VVhat then Hen. Did not King Richard to my Grand-father Resign the Crown in open Parliament Pl. Did not thy Grand-father compel him to it By force of Arms and then the Parliament To their eternal shame if not Damnation Flatter'd the wicked fortunate Usurper War But say the King had done it unconstrain'd He cou'd not give away another's right Henry usurp'd the right of the next Heirs Hen. My Conscience tells me that my Title is weak Cl. How Sir will you revolt from your own self Who will stand by you then War Clifford thou dyest If thou permit'st not Henry to resign Cl. Let Henry give his Title to the Crown He shall not give my Title to revenge May the ground gape and swallow me alive When e're I kneel to him who kill'd my Father War Ho! there within Cl. I am prepar'd for you War stamps and enter Souldiers of his side Cl. does the same and enter Souldiers on his side as they are going to fight King Henry interposes Hen. Hold hold my Lords Oh! let not Blood be shed Let us not make a Shambles of this place Pray hear me all I find my Title 's weak And to defend it were to fight with Justice Besides there lyes already on my head The Blood of Richard murder'd by my Grand-father And I 'd be loth to add my peoples Blood For saving which hear this proposal from me I have been King these eight and thirty years And many Interests must grow to mine That you can never tear me from the Throne But you will set a thousand Veins a bleeding Then let me reign in quiet all my life And when I 'm dead Plantagenet be King Pl. I approve of it and on that condition Kneels and kisses Hen's hand I swear to be King Henry's faithful Vassal Hen. And not to seek the Throne by Arms or Treason Pl. Never whilst King Henry lives Hen. Then I entail The Crown to thee and to thy Heirs for ever Cl. The Devil to him and to his Heirs for ever VVhat have you done War Good to himself and England Cl. VVrong to his Son his Subjects and himself Ex. VVhy sigh you Sir King Hen. sight Hen. For my poor Son I 've wrong'd War You have not wrong'd him you have wholly freed him From all the Vengeance due to Usurpation Cl. Oh! Henry if thy Father's Soul did see Thy baseness it wou'd torture him in Heaven Plantagenet when that great Monarch liv'd Thou durst have sooner let into thy Soul Ten thousand Devils than a Traytrous Thought Farewel degenerate faint-hearted King May'st thou be beat in War and scorn'd in Peace Exit Pl. Sons head the Troops before the Palace Gate Lest furious Clifford shou'd do some rash thing Ex. Ed. and Rich. and George Enter the Queen and Prince Pl. Here comes the Queen Hen. And with her my poor Son War She appears big with Thunder and with Lightning Expect a Tempest quickly Sir but slight it Qu. Are the news true can it be possible That you have disinherited your Son And given your Crown to Trayterous Plantagenet Hen. The Crown is his I have no Title to it But what is founded on Rebellion The murder and usurpation of a King Qu. Then hast thou not the spirit of a King Nor of a Father timerous mean VVretch To let a Crew of Rebels hector thee Out of a Crown nay out of thy own Son For thou must think thou hast no Title to him Or thou'dst not disinherit him unnaturally Hen. My Love I do not disinherit him For what I give away is not his right And if I should entail another's right on him I shou'd entail Heaven's Vengeance on his head Qu. Who says the Crown 's not yours Hen. I am convinc'd By powerful Arguments Qu. By Pikes and Swords Had I been here when thou mad'st this Agreement The Souldiers shou'd have tost me on their Pikes E're I 'd have stoop'd to such unnatural baseness Oh! how came thee and I in Marriage joyn'd For I am Fire thou art weak floating Water Driven by the breath of Rebels any way Wou'd I had dy'd a Maid and never seen thee At least had never born thee such
of you I freely pardon you And yet methinks it is unequal usage A King shou'd pardon all the faults of Subjects And Subjects pardon nothing in their King When a King 's crown'd he is not deifyed When he puts on the Royal Robes he does not Therefore put of th' Infirmities of man I own I have my faults and so have you You see I have convinc'd you and I did it That you might leave your faults and pardon mine Or if you kept your faults to part with me For if my Lord of Warwick does design By all his Service only to enslave me I shall lose nothing by his leaving me I can but be a Slave when I am conquer'd And if my Brother Richard has worse ends Ric. Oh! Sir no more unless you do design I shou'd rip up my Breast to shew my heart War Sir I 'll desire no farther pardon of you Till I have writ it in your Enemies Blood And pawn'd my Life and Fortune for my Loyalty Ed. Our Friendship then is stronger for this breach Now let us bend our talk to our Affairs On the sad tidings of my Father's death Which I but lately heard I sent Commissioners To Henry to demand the Crown of him According to the Oath he made in Parliament They are here what tydings Peace or War Enter Commissioners Com. War All. War 1 Com. Th' Amazon Queen drags Henry to the Battel He fain would keep his Oath but she 'll not suffer him Ric. I 'm glad of it I would not for a Kingdom Peace shou'd chain up that Bloody Mastiff Clifford And keep him safe from the edge of our keen Swords War You wrong the Beast to give that name to Clifford An English Mastiff scorns to bite a Child Ed. Now let us march to meet the Enemy This day decides who shall be King of England The right is ours War And Justice will prevail Since Right and Merit both are in the Scale Exeunt ACT. IV. An Alarm Enter King Henry the Queen Prince Clifford Cl. DAmn your unlucky Planets pray Sir get you Out of the Battel 't is impossible For men to fight the malice of your Planets Qu. He tells you true Sir Victory will never Come where you are Hen. Victory will not come Where Perjury is you make me break my Oath Cl. You ought not to have sworn so ill an Oath Pr. Father you cannot give away my Right I 'll rather lose my life than my Inheritance Cl. Spoke like a Prince Hen. Oh! Boy if thou didst know What a Crown was thou wou'dst be more content If I shou'd leave thee no Inheritance But the Example of my vertuous deeds I wish my Father had left me no more Cl. Oh! damn all this come let us to the Battel Ex. Cl. Qu. Pr. Hen. Oh! how this Fellow curses he accuses My Stars for my misfortunes when his Curses Wound all my Men and poyson the Enemies shot Wou'd I were dead if it were Heav'ns good will Lyes down For I am very weary of this World Troublesome folly governs all this World Men live her Vassals and they dye her Martyrs Oh! happy he who in an humble state Only attends on Nature's easie business And brings white heirs down to a quiet Grave Falling to earth as gently as the Snow Alarm Enter a Son bearing his Father Here comes a wretch laden as he believes With happy Fortune 't is with bloudy folly And Heaven has carv'd Fool on his breast with wounds Son Who e're thou art thy life has cost me dear But I 'll repay my self out of thy Gold If thou hast any with the hopes of that I took such pains to kill thee And yet I Who plunder thee may be compel'd e're Night To give my life and plunder to another What 's this Oh! Heaven I have kill'd my Father Oh Father pardon me I did not know thee I was in London prest to serve the King And thou the Earl of Warwick's servant prest To fight on th' other side and so unknown We met and Fought and so unknown I kill'd thee Oh from thy Bosom I will wash away With tears the marks of this unnatural Crime Hen. Oh piteous spectacle Oh sad confusions What horrid errours and unnatural ills Our horrid and unnatural war produces Poor wretch didst thou want tears I cou'd supply thee Enter a Father bearing his Son Fath. Thou that so stoutly hast resisted me Give me thy gold if thou hast any gold For I have bought it with a hundred blows Ha! let me see is this my Enemy Ah no my Son I 've kill'd my only Son Hen. Ah woe on woe Heaven stop these bloudy mischiefs Though by the Death of me and all my Race Son Oh I have ta'ne his life who gave me mine Fath. Oh! I 've kill'd him for whom I wou'd have dyed Son How will my Mother for my Fathers death Take on with me Fath How will my mourning Wife Accuse me of the slaughter of my Son Hen. How will my people charge all this on me Son I 'll bear thee hence and weep but fight no more Ex. Fath. I 'll bear thee hence and weep but kill no more Except my self with sorrow Ex. Hen. Oh! poor men Here is a King more woful than you all For you grieve for your selves I for you all Oh you who when you suffer by your Kings Think to mend all by War and by Rebellion See here your sad mistakes how dreadfully You scourge your selves learn here the greatest Tyrant Is to be chose before the least Rebellion And Oh you Kings who let your people rule Till they have run themselves into confusion See here your gentleness is greatest Tyranny Enter Prince and Queen Pr. Fly Father fly all 's lost your Friends are fled Qu. The day is lost and with the day the Kingdom Hen. Where 's Clifford Qu. I believe he 's dead by this time I met him bleeding with a hundred wounds He all the day rowl'd like a fiery meteor About the field and burnt up men like reeds But now in lakes of blood his fire is quench'd Post you to Scotland with all haste you can I will to France to beg that Kings assistance Ex. Qu. Pr. Hen. I go but care not what becomes o' me Ex. Enter Clifford wounded Cl. Here burns my Candle out that lighted Henry Warwick and all Plantagenets three Sons And all King Henry's malicious Planets With much ado to day have kill'd one man Henry's Stars ruine me and my fall him But his soft sway made way for his destruction Oh! Henry hadst thou rul'd as Kings shou'd do Or as thy Father or his Father did These Summer flies had never sprung to sting thee Rebels you thrive and may Rebellion thrive That Rogues may cut your throats as you do ours The Ayr has got into my deadly wounds I am too faint to Fight or Fly and Mercy I deserve none and will have none from Rebels I scorn to live by them who deserve death Fate
sacrifice A Cry within Arm Arm. Treason VVarwick VVarwick Then Enter Warwick and his Souldiers and seize Edward and Lady Grey Ed. Why how now Warwick What dost mean by this War What mean'st thou Duke to put this scorn upon me Ed. Duke when we parted thou didst call me King War Then I disgrac'd the Title and I gave it To one who merit 's not the name of Friend Were I a King I 'd hang that common Fellow That shou'd abuse a Friend as thou hast me And such a friend as I have been to thee Ed. Thou dost abuse thy self in talking thus War Then it is no abuse to me to make me The scorn of every French Page and waiting Woman The Marriage is agreed on nothing wanting To compleat all but my arrival there And all my Equipage and Train are gone Now when instead of me this news arrives I shall have all my Servants hist from France My self be made a Common publick jest I shall be call'd the great Ambassador That goe's with splendour to negotiate nothing But my Embassage is but like my conquest For I have fought for thee that is for nothing I 've stole the Royal Robes to adorn nothing And help it to another nothing Woman La. Gr. I 'll tell you Sir whence all this fury spring's This haughty Lord who thinks his Sword has given Chains to our Sex as well as to the men Did strive to drag me to his marriage bed And using many threats I out of fear Made some faint yieldings but he finding now I 'm plac'd above his reach his burning envy Seek's to destroy what he cannot attain Then calls his fury his revenge of honour Ed. Is that the mystery indeed War Yes Duke Thou with a Crown hast bought a Widow from me And bought her with the Kingdom which I gave thee Ed. Com'st thou to ruin me for love of beauty And thou thy self rebel for love of it War I come to punish thy ingratitude Ed. I did not know thy Love but say I did If I commit a fault to take a Woman To whom thou hast no right then what dost thou Who plunder'st thy Kings Right thy Countreys peace War Thy glory 's mine my Sword created it My Crime is thine thy wrongs to me created it Ed. I 'm a great Criminal to wrong a Subject Thou none to ruin both the King and Kingdom Thus men like Bears devour the young of others But strive to lick their own fowl Cubs to shape War I do no wrong in ruining you all I but restore to every thing it 's own I to the Kingdom shall restore the damn'd Confusion which my Sword took away from it I shall restoâ—e this Woman to her tears I found her weeping over her dead Husband I 'll leave her weeping over thy dead fortunes I will restore thee and all thy Family To the subjection from which I advanc'd it Thy fortunes to their proper state I 'll bring Beauty shall be thy plague thy foe thy King Ex. ACT. V. Scene London Enter King Henry in a rich Robe under a Canopy The Queen and Prince followed by Warwick and Guards with their Swords drawn Shouts and Acclamations They pass over the Stage The Scene changes to the Palace Enter King Henry Queen Prince Warwick Qu. NOw Sir you are King again this valiant Lord Has left the horrid desarts of Rebellion Where he and all his glorious deeds were lost And found the Road of Honour War I confess Fortune did mislead me and I the Kingdom To give your Royal Rights to a false Prince Who has the Royal bloud no Royal Vertues So has no right to Crowns those vertues gain'd Hen. I give you thanks my Lord for your great gifts Life Freedom and a Crown I call 'em gifts ' Cause you can take 'em from me or let me keep ' em To Life and Freedom I have a clear Title Because I ne're did any ill to forfeit ' em But oh I am afraid to wear the Crown For fear I share the murder that procur'd it Qu. Oh! Spiritless Prince born for a Chain a Prison What if your Grandfather murder'd his King Must you take Physick for his sicknesses Nay must you dye for a Kings Crown and Life Go both together So King Richard found it Pr. Sir all our lives wholly depend on yours And for one fault of my dead Grandfather Which he perhaps repented will you punish Thousands You will sin to lose a Crown More than my Grandfather did do to gain one Qu. If you will doom your self to be depos'd Because the Crown was gotten by ill means By the same law You may hang half your Kingdom If men by inheriting their Fathers Fortunes Inherit the Crimes by which their Fathers gain'd 'em Where is the Nation wou'd not deserve hanging War Sir talk no more you are and shall be King All power is from Heav'n Earth or Hell Heav'n send 's you his consent in my sucess The People send you all their votes in me Hen. My Lord I have a Conscience I 'll not part with For this and many Kingdoms but you tell me That Royal Virtue first gave royal Power Now I have Royal Virtue Edward none And therefore I must Reign and he be ruin'd Oh! my Lord this is a confounding principle If Kings may lose their Rights for want of Virtue And Subjects are the Judges of that Virtue Then Kings are Subjects and all Subjects Kings And by that Law that Subjects may destroy Their Kings for want of Virtue other Subjects May think those Subjects Rogues and cut their throats Thus Babel might be builded but no Kingdom Pr. Sir if you be no King we are all Rebels And ought to dye War And you shall reign or dye If you refuse the Crown I 'll carry it back And with it both your heads to ransom mine I 'll quench your lives as Mariners wou'd do False lights that lead their Vessels to destruction Qu. Why do you pause Sir will you rather dye And let your Son dye too e're be a King Hen. Powerful Nature is too hard for me Will it not cost more bloud if I shou'd Reign War The VVar is at an end Edward's my Pris'ner Not only doom'd by Heaven unfit to Reign But by his flesh and bloud his Brother Clarence VVho has revolted from him and brought all His Troops to mine and to create between us A lasting league marries my youngest Daughter Pr. And I have given my heart Sir to her sister Oh! do not make me wretched every way Hen. Oh! Nature conquer's me Qu. Oh! happy conquest Pr. Upon my knees Sir I return you thanks Enter George War See here come's he who gallantly to serve His King and Country will forsake his Brother Geo. I thought my blood derived a Crown to us But now I find it derives only Treason To clear the taint I come to set it boyling Over a flaming zeal for the Kings service War VVhat think you now Sir do you judge
truth than e're thou didst to me Ed. Oh! killing sight La. El. VVou'd thou hadst never seen me The cold Earth had not been my Death-bed then Nor had I needed as I do two graves One for my self the other for my name Ed. Oh Heaven How have I wrong'd this beautious Creature First robb'd her of her Fame now of her Life La. El. Ah! Monarch do I merit this for Love Ed. Oh no but I deserve a thousand plagues And I have here with my own hand broke open A fair Pandora's box to let 'em out To fly about my head La. El. Indeed King Edward My injuries have already found thee out Have driven thee from thy throne how far will drive thee I cannot tell I will not curse thee now Cursing is not a language spoke in Heaven And I am very near that glorious Kingdom Therefore I 'll speak the language that is blessing May this be the last day of all thy Troubles And I be the last woman thou shalt wrong May Heaven forgive thy broken Vows as I do And quicklier forget 'em all than thou didst And this one poor request I beg of thee Since I was all the staine of my great Family And I have made thy self who wert the cause of it With thy own Sword cut out the ruined piece Oh hide it where it may no more be seen But be forgot by all as 't will by thee Dyes Ed. She 's gone She 's gone Oh! thou sweet injur'd beauty I never shall forget thee whilst I live Thy wrongs I fear will haunt my mind and fortune In this sweet spot of Earth I fear I 've planted Much mischief for my self I gather'd all The Sweets and now Thorns will spring up to tear me Enter an Officer Offi. Oh Sir the Earl of Warwick ranges o're The Field with so much fury and success Your Troops are just upon the point of flying Ed. My punishment so soon pursue my Crime This beauties wrongs steel that proud Rebels Sword And give it all the kneenness that it has Oh Heav'n hide thy eyes from this sweet Creature At least for this one hour and here I vow I will give o're robbing such spicy Isles And take an honest dwelling at my own Lest sailing to a fro a Tempest fall That shall revenge the injuries of 'em all Ex. Enter Edward and VVarwick Fighting VVar. falls Ed. Now I am King of England and I owe My Crown to my own Sword and not to thine War Insult not Edward for I am not kill'd By thee but Henries cursed Destiny I 'm crush'd under the wheels of his damn'd fortune I am ground all to pieces by his Stars My fortune sickned when I first came under 'em Truth is my Spirit led her such a dance She cou'd not keep me company but tyr'd Now sit's her down and like a poor cast Whore Is glad to be pick'd up by any body Now thou maist banish fear for I am dying Who when I liv'd cou'd frown thee into a Subject Bury thee in the wrinckle of my brow Ed. Talk not of burying Kings but rather think Of burying all thy Crimes in penitence War My greatest Crime is that I e're serv'd thee Whose base ingratitude has ruin'd me I gave thee Kingdoms and thou giv'st me death Dyes Ed. I ne're wrong'd thee nor didst thou e're serve me Thou hast been wrong'd by nothing but my ignorance And hast serv'd nothing but thy vanity And nothing else I fear will e're reward thee Enter George Richard and Guards Geo. Now Sir I hope you will forgive my errours For Beauties sake for Beauty drew me in And you have felt the mighty power of Beauty Ed Brother your errours are all buried under Heaps of my Enemies you have kill'd today I have dispatch'd my greatest Enemy Warwick will make and unmake no more Kings Ric. And the bold Amazon Queen and insolent Boy Her fierce Son Edward are both taken Prisoners I 've order'd Sir they shall attend you here And here they are Enter Queen Prince Guarded as Prisoners Ed. So Madam and young Edward What satisfaction will you make to me For all the Mischief you have done my Kingdom And all the Trouble you have given me Pr. What satisfaction wilt thou make my Father Me and the Kingdom for thy bold usurping My Fathers Crown and my inheritance Ruining us and slaughtering our people Qu. Oh! that thy Father had been so resolv'd Ric. That so your Distaff might have been our Scepter Pr. Why how now Aesop Nay mistake me not Aesop I mean in Body not in mind Ric. Brat I will crush thy brains out Ed. Hold forbear He is a Boy Ric. Why then to School with him To learn him manners Pr. If I learn thy manners The Devil must be my Tutour Ed. Hold your peace You foolish Child Geo. The Boy 's too malapert Pr. The man is too perjur'd I mean perjur'd George And you are all Traytors to me your Prince Ed. How now proud Boy take that Strikes him with his hand Ric. Nay then take that Geo. And that for twitting me with Perjury Rich. and Geo. draw and kill him Qu. Oh! they have kill'd my Son oh murderers Oh! kill me too Ric. Marry with all my heart The Qu. swoons upon the Prince Ed. Hold Brother we have done too much already Why wou'd you cruelly kill the poor Boy I struck him in my Choler but I meant him No farther harm Ric. Who cou'd forbear besides Shou'd we have let him live to cut our Throats Geo. What wou'd have grown up with him but Rebelion Why shou'd a Sprig grow up to be a Tree That wou'd breed nothing else but Caterpillars Ed. His Mother Swoon's use means for her recovery Qu. Oh my dear Son is kill'd my Son is kill'd Speak to thy Mother Son can'st thou not speak Oh murd'rers Butchers Traytors Cannibals Ric. Hence with this rayling Woman Qu. Ay hence with me Out of the world I prithee Richard kill me Murder is all the Almes thou givest the miserable Bestow thy bloudy Charity upon me Have pity on a Queen that begs it of thee Ric. We pity not those that are born to beggery If thou dost beg 't is but thy native poverty Ed. Insult not o're a miserable Woman Madam I pray go hence you shall be us'd With all respect Qu. All the respect of Murderers Is death Oh! bloudy George do thou bestow it Geo. I swear I will not do thee so much kindness Qu. Ay but thou usest to forswear thy self Ed. Madam pray go Qu. Oh! Edward Richard George Be it to you and yours as to this Prince For 't were a shame the Sons of Executioners Shou'd e're be Kings Ric. Away with her away with her The Guard lead out the Qu and carry out the Pr. Now I will to the Tower to dispatch Henry Aside Till he be kill'd our work is done by halves Ex. Geo. Sir If you please I 'll visit my young Bride Ex. Ed. I have a Beautious Bride
shame And ruine and her Duke shall quickly follow He must have share of it in spite of him Qu. Oh! my La Poole that I were now in private aside To Kiss thee for this Plot Oh! 't is a rare one Humes carry on this Plot here 's Gold for thee Thou shalt have more Humes So the Gold tumbles in On every side of me but 't is no wonder aside I serve the Master of the Mines of the Devil And how in Hell he uses Slaves I know not He is an excellent Master in this World Exit Qu. Oh! Suffolk thou didst never look so lovely In all thy Life as now nor did I ever Feel such transporting pleasure in my Soul Now I shall be a Queen Suff. A glorious one I 'm sure the fairest England ever saw Qu. Oh! Suffolk bravest loveliest of Men I 'm trebly blest by thee thou dost delight My Love and my Revenge and my Ambition Now all the Ladies that in scorn of me Flatter'd and waited on proud Gloster's Wife Shall suddenly repent their sawcy follies Suff. The Duke 's of Somerset and Buckingham With the Insolent Cardinal shall all fall too As for the Duke of York this late Complaint Will make but little for his benefit So one by one we 'l tumble e'm all down Qu. And on the Ruines of 'em all we 'l revel Suff. And England at the Queen's command shall be Qu. I 'le Govern that and thou shalt govern me ACT II. The King and Queen sat in State Duke Humphry Cardinal Buckingham York Salisbury Warwick and the Duchess attending King FOr my own part my Lords I care not whether Rules France the Duke of Somerset or York All 's one to me they are both fitting Men. York Sir if I ill demean'd my self in France Then let me be deny'd the Regentship Som. Sir if I be unworthy of the place Then give the Duke of York the Regentship War Whether your Grace my Lord be worthy or not Dispute not that the Duke of York is worthier Car. Ambitious Warwick let your betters speak War The Cardinal 's not my betters in the Field Buck. My Lord all in this Presence are your betters War In Title not in Fortune or in Courage Sal. Peace Son King Oh! peace my Lords Do not you know What little pleasure I have in my Crown And Do you strive to make me wearier of it You take it ill if I refuse you Governments Yet you deny to let me Rule in quiet I wonder what you see in this vile World Worth the contending for Heaven has entrusted me With Three Great Kingdoms England France and Ireland And I must give Account of 'em to Heaven And not throw up my Charge for my own ease Else I wou'd gladly give e'm all to buy The holy Peace any of you may have Yet you disturb your selves and me for Rule Which I account a Pennance for my sins Qu. Is this a King that speaks or some poor Pilgrim That having lost his way seates himself ignorantly Down in a Throne and does not know 't is one And falls a Preaching to the gaping Multitude Oh! What a Prince is this to sway three Kingdoms Aside And what a Husband 's this for a young Queen Yo. Most Gratious Soveraign our chief contention Is to give you that ease which you delight in To lay the burden of your Government On Men whose Loyalty and great Abilities May bear e'm up both to your ease and glory Sal. And for the Government of France my Lord Of York no Man so fitting as your self And pray my Lord of Buckingham shew reason Why you prefer the Duke of Somerset Qu. Because 't is the King's Will to have it so Glou. Madam the King is old enough himself To speak his Mind these are no Womens matters Qu. If he be old enough What needs your Grace To be Protector of His Majesty Glou. Madam I am Protector of the Kingdom And at His pleasure will resign my Place Suff. Resign it then and leave your Insolence Since you were King As who is King but you The Common-wealth has daily run to ruine The Dauphin seiz'd our Provinces in France And you our Liberties and Honors here Car. The Commons you have Rack't the Clergies Bags Are lank and lean with your Extortions Som. You spend the Publick Treasure most profusely On Sumptuous Buildings for your Luxury And costly Attire for your Wive's Vanity Elia. So so my Dress becomes a Crime of State Shortly I do believe you will Arraign My Necklaces and Bodkins of High Treason You cannot do it by the Law of England ' Cause they have not their Equals here to try 'em by Buck. We may extort the Law as oft your Husband Has done to punish beyond bounds of Law Qu. And not content to waste the Publick Treasure Both on his own and his Wive's foolish Pride He has as the Suspition's very strong Made Sale of Offices and Towns in France Which if 't were prov'd shou'd make him lose his Head Glo. How am I baited beyond Human sufferance I will go out and coole lest I be tempted To act or speak any thing Unworthy of my self and of this Presence Exit King My Lords my Lords I see and grieve to see Too much Ill-mindedness in all this Fury We oft by Lightning read in darkest Night And by your Passions I read all your Natures Though you at other times can keep e'm dark But I have Read e'm when you thought it not And I my self scarce minded what I did I like the musing Hermit in the Desert Feel the cold nipping blasts of the rough Wind And hear the Howles of Wolves and Yelpes of Foxes Though I regard e'm not nor mind at all To shun e'm or to fortifie against e'm Card. I hope the King rankes not among the Wolves One of the Shepherds of the Sacred Flock King I shou'd be glad I had no cause at all Suff. I hope there 's none of us has spoken any thing But from deep sence of Loyalty and Honor Against a Traytor to the King and Kingdom King I 'le Judge so honourably of you all To think you only eccho Publick Rumor And Ecchoes that miscall the Passenger Injure him not but they that set e'm talking Publick Report then wrongs the Duke not you For if you know him false Why don't you prove it Then you do ill to do no more then Talke Qu. Sir subtle Men don't use to act their Wickedness In Roades in Markets or on Steeple tops But closely hid so hid that oft the Devil Who did employ e'm scarce knows what they mean Elia. Come Sir all this is spoken out of envy Low crawling envy envy that is chok'd With the great Dust the Train of my Robes make Whence came this beggarly Spirit into England It never can be of the English growth The late great Conquerors of Towns and Provinces Fallen to envy a Lady's Cloaths Oh! beggarly Some poor French Pedler brought this Spirit hither
' Mongst the small Wares they sell so dear to us Qu. Oh! how she taunts me this is meant to me Aside I will take an occasion to affront her Le ts fall her Fan. Give me my Fan What Minion Can you not She gives the Duchess a Box o' th' â—â—re I cry you Mercy Madam Was it you Elia. Yes it was I proud Daughter of a Beggar Strike me thy betters many times thy betters Bating the Dignity thc King bestows on thee No mar'le thou look'st with envy on my Jewels Thy Father cou'd not give thee Gold enough Only to Guild one of the Kings Prayer-Books The King was forc'd to give him two great Provinces That so it might not shamefully be said The Father of the Queen of England starves Qu. So so King Fye Madam Fye this is too much Pray Rule your self it was against her will Elia. Against her will no! Sir 't was with her will And shortly she will do as much to you But she shall never strike me unreveng'd Exit Elia. Buck. I will follow her my Lord Cardinal And listen after the Duke how he proceeds The Duchess Fury now will need no spurs She 'l gallop fast enough to her destruction Card. And let her gallop and the Devil speed her Ex. Buck. Enter Duke Humphry Glo. My Lords I 've walk'd away from all that passion Which your false spiteful Accusations Had kindled in my breast and now I come In a cold candid temper to advise you To spare your selves for me you cannot hurt Bring any Proofs of what you have accused me And I lye open to the Law as any Man At least I will do so for if you think My Office fences me I 'le throw it down But to the matters that we have in hand I say the Duke of York's the fittest person To be your Regent Sir in France Suff. Before Election's made let me shew reason why The Duke of York is most unfit of any Man York My Lord of Suffolk I will tell you why Because I scorn to be your Flatterer Next if I be appointed for the place Such is my Lord of Somersets ambition And hate to me that he will keep me here Without Discharge Money or Furniture Till France be wonn he had rather it were lost Than any one shou'd rule it but himself Last time I danc'd Attendance on his will Till Paris was besieg'd famish'd and lost War That I can witness and a blacker Treason Was ne'r committed Suff. Peace my Lord of Warwick Here 's one shall silence you and him you plead for Enter Armorer and his Man Peter York How Silence me Suff. Yes here is a Man accused Of Treason that relates to you my Lord. York Does any one accuse me for a Traytor King What do you mean my Lord What Men are these Suff. An 't please your Majesty this is the Man That does Accuse his Master of High Treason His words were these That Richard Duke of York Was the true lawful heir to the Crown of England And that your Majesty was an Usurper King Say Man Were these thy words Arm. An 't please your Majesty I never said nor thought any such matter Heaven is my witness I am falsely accus'd Pet. By these ten bones he spoke e'm to me one night my Lord in the Garret when we were scow'ring the Duke of York's Armour York Base Villain I will have thee hang'd for this Most Trayt'rous Speech I do beseech your Majesty Let him find all the rigour of the Law Ar. Hang me my Lord if ever I spoke these words My Accuser is my Prentice and I correcting him For his Fault the other day he Vow'd on 's knees He 'd be reveng'd on me I have good witness Therefore I beseech your Majesty cast not away An Honest Man for a Rogues Accusation One that has been a Rogue Sir all his Life A most notorious Rogue Sir I beseech you King Unckle What shall we say to this in Law Glo. If I may Judge Sir let the Duke of Somerset Be Regent o'r the French because the Duke Of York lies under violent suspition And let these have a day appointed e'm For single Combate ' cause the Armourer Has Witness of his Servants Threats and Malice This is the Law and this is Sir my Sentence King Let it be so Som. I humbly thank your Majesty Armo. And I accept the Combat willingly Pet. Alass my Lord I cannot fight oh pity me Oh Heaven have mercy on me I shall never Be able to strike a blow oh Lord my heart Why the Devil must I fight Is this my Reward for Witnessing I cannot fight Glo. Sirrah you must fight or be hang'd King Away with e'm to Prison till the Combat Come my Lord Duke I will dispatch you to France All go out but the Cardinal Card. I will not rest till I 've the Blood of Glocester He must be Lord Protector of the Kingdom And Lord it over me He thinks he is A better Man ' cause he is a King's Son And I but Son of the Duke of Lancaster He is the Son of Henry the Fourth And I of Henry's Father John of Gaunt But at my making there it seems did want Some Holy Ceremonies for want of which I 'm that the Rude Ill-manar'd Law calls Bastard And ' cause the Law has thrust me from Succession To the great Temporal Glories of my Father They wrap'd me up in a Priest's Robe and lay me Out of the World and in the way of Heaven They shou'd have drest poor Henry in this Child's Coat And laid him in the Cradle of the Church And hum'd him fast asleep with Holy Stories His little Soul was fitter for those things Well I will go to Heaven but in my way I at the Lord Protectorship will bayt Or I will lye abroad in stormes of Blood My Cosins themselves Legitimate may call Their Souls compar'd with mine are Bastards all Exit Enter Elianor Humes the Scene a Room in the Conjurer's House Elia. Where are your Instruments Humes They are both ready Preparing their dire Charms and Exorcisms Elia. Call e'm Enter Bullingbrook and the Witch Humes Come in this Madam is Roger Bullingbrook A Man of wonderful and dreadful Art He has a Key to the Infernal deep And let 's abroad what Spirit he will and when And when he will he Chains him up again This Woman equals him in Power and Art Her Name is Jordan Elia. Come begin your Charmes Bull. Dare you be present Madam Elia. Dare the Devil Come in my presence for I dare meet him Bull. Madam you may for Heaven fetters him And gives us Mortal Creatures Power to do so I gain'd my Art by Prayer and profound Study Then nothing fear Elia. I ne'r knew what fear was Bull. Go Mother Jordan get the Incense ready The Witch goes out Elia. Well said my Masters come begin begin Bull. Pray Patience Madam for we know our times Our time is in the Deep and Silent Night
save your self From Whipping leap o'r this Stool and run away Simp. Alass Master I am not able to stand alone You go about to Torture me in vain Glo. Well Sirrah I must have you find your Legs Whip him till he leap o'r that same Stool Simp. Master What shall I do I cannot stand Glo. Leap Sirrah Leap Simp. Oh! oh Beadle Whips him he leaps over the Stool and runs away and they cry a Miracle follow King Do'st thou behold thir Heaven and bear thus long Glo. Bring back the Rogue and take this Drabbe away Wife Alass we did it for pure need forsooth Glo. Let e'm be Whipt through every Market Town Till they come to Berwick from whence they came Car. Heark you Are not you a Company of Damn'd Fools To employ such a Silly Rogue as this Softly to a Fryer That has shewn all your Cheats to the whole World Fry My Lord they were known to all Wise Men before And such a Fool will serve to Couzen Fools And Fools are those that we must hope to stand by Exit Enter Buckingham King What Tidings brings my Lord of Buckingham Buc. Such as my heart does temble to relate My Lord Protector 's Wife has practis'd horridly And dangerously against your Majesties Life H 'as dealt with Hellish Conjurers and Witches To raise up wicked Spirits from under Ground To acquaint her with your destiny and Councel her How she may ayd your Fate and hasten it She 's enquir'd too of the Infernal Oracle The Fates of several of your Majesties Council We apprehended e'm all in the Fact Car. Ha! Is she fallen into our Trap that 's well Aside And she shall soon pluck her Duke Humphrey after My Lord Protector your good Lady finding She governs you thinks she can rule the Devil And have th' infernal Powers at her Command Heaven be Prais'd England's Protected well Your Grace is Lord Protector of the Kingdom Your Wife rules you the Devil is her Protector And so the Devil is England's Lord Protector I hope we shall displace his Devilship Glo. And put a worse Devil in if you succeed But these good Churchmen are the heavenly comforts You give your Kinsman in affliction You may insult for sorrow has so vanquisht me The basest Groom may trample on me now King What horrid things are practis'd in this World How vile ones heap confusion on their heads Qu My Lord my Lord you see your nest is tainted Look that your self be faultless you had best Glo. Madam I will not answer for a Woman For my own self to heaven I appeal Who knowes how I have lov'd my King and Country 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 Vertue I will forget her And banish her my Bed and my Acquaintance And give her up to the just punishment Which â—he deserves for so much wickedness And so dishonouring my honest Name King I will to London with what haste I can To look into this business thoroughly And call these foul offenders to their Answers Ex. Om. prae Suff. and the Qu. Qu. My dear dear Suffolk how thou every moment Heap'st new delights on me when thou didst get for me The English Crown thou didst not please me more Then now in getting me revenge on Elianor Treading on her methinks I walk in Triumph To a second and more pleasing Coronation Suff. I told you Madam I had snares for her You were impatient and cou'd not stay Till things cou'd ripen Qu. Oh! thou art my Sun My joyes and glories ripen grow and flourish Under thy beautiful and glorious beams Come le ts go see Dame Elianor in her shame The pleasing'st sight in the whole World next thee Suff. Next sight I 'le shew you shall be Gloster's fall The good fond Husband will be loth to stay Behind his Wife though she goes to destruction Qu. Sure thou wert made o' purpose for my Love Had heaven bid me ask for some great Merit A Gift that might have shewed bounty divine I wou'd have said Let Suffolk heaven be mine Ex. ACT III. Enter York Salisbury and Warwick The SCENE the Duke of York's House long Scrowles lying on a Table York NOw my good Lords of Salisbury and Warwick You have perus'd my Title to the Crown I pray deliver me both your opinions War My Lord 't is very plain the Right is yours King Henry claimes the Crown from John of Gaunt Fourth Son of Edward the Third Your Grace claims it From Lyonell Duke of Clarence the Third Son Till Lyonell's Issue fails his shou'd not Reign It failes not yet but flourishes in you â—nd in your Sons fair Branches of your Stock My Lord of Salisbury kneel we together And in this private Room be we the first That shall Salute our Lawful Soveraign With the honor of his Birth-right to the Crown Both. Long live our Sovereign Richard King of England York My Lords I give you both my hearty thanks But I am not your King till I be Crown'd And my Sword slayn'd in the heart blood of all The House of Lancaster and that 's not suddenly Nor very easily to be perform'd We must use Counsel Secresy and Courage Do you as I do in these dangerous days Wink at the Duke of Suffolk's Insolence At Beauford's Pride at Somerset's Ambition At Buckingham and all the Crew of e'm Till they have snar'd the good and wise Duke Humphry Whose Vertues are so many Guardian Angels Both to the King and Kingdom his destruction These ill Men seek and they in seeking that Shall find their own if I can Prophesie Sal. My Lord let us break off we know your Mind War There 's something great within my breast that tells me The Day is coming when the Earl of Warwick Shall make the Duke of York the King of England Yo. And I shall live to make the Earl of Warwick The greatest Man in England but the King Exit The SCENE the Court. Enter King and Queen Duke of Suffolk Duke of Glocester Cardinal Elianor a Prisoner King Madam stand forth and hear your Sentence from me In sight of heaven and me your guilt is great A Crime to which heavens Book adjudges Death Your Fellow Criminals shall suffer Death â—nd 't is notorious false reasoning â—ou shou'd be spar'd because you are great and Noble he World is us'd to such false Reasonings â—nd that 's the cause there is so little Truth in it But I observe but few of the World's Customs Nor will I now be lead away in this Then hear my Sentence since to your great Spirit There is no pain like shame I Sentence you To bear the tort'ring shame of open Pennance And since to live depos'd of all your Honors In some remote sad desolate obscurity Is to you pain like burying alive I Sentence you to spend your days in Banishment With Sir John Stanley in the Isle of Man
Elia. Welcome my Banishment for I am sure My doleful days will not be many there Glo. Oh Wife What hast thou brought upon thy self Did not I timely warn thee of Ambition And say one day 't wou'd do some dismal deed The King has past a righteous Sentence on thee And none have reason to complain but I Who innocently suffer in thy shame My honor shares in all thy sad reproach And my love suffers in thy Banishment That I am punish'd equally with thee Though I am innocent and yet the King Does me no wrong at all no Elianor I 've reason to complain of none but thee Who woud'st not take the Counsels that I gave thee Out of dear Love to thee Elia. I see my folly Glo. Now hast thou brought dishonor on my age And shame and grief will sink me to my Grave Qu. My Lord my Lord you can be sensible Of your Wive's shame but not of the dishonor The King and I both suffer'd by her Insolence You weep ' cause she must suffer an houâ—s Pennance But she has made me suffer horrid Pennance E'er since I was her Queen both to my own And the King's shame and grief that you ne'r wept for She must walk barefoot now upon the stones Time was she trod on me I was her way Which I endur'd to the King's shame and mine And you for that had very small regret Gl. Madam if for her Crimes her too great Crimes The punishment the King has doom'd her â—o Be not enough pray Sentence her to more But let her know an end of punishment But if the Scale be full enough already As the just King who poiz'd it well conceives Do not be heaping till it grows injustice Qu. My Lord she deserves more then she shall suffer Only for the intolerable rudeness Wherewith she treated me her Queen to day To call me to my Face a Beggars Daughter Suppose I were that miserable Beggar Is it well done to tread on Poverty But when by Birth heaven made me a great Princess And the King's Love made me a great Queen her Queen For her to treat me so Was that well done Suff. Yes Madam 't was well done for his Designs Of making her your Queen your Majesty her subject That they had such Designs her present Crimes Are a sufficient proofe and they did well To bring you to subjection by degrees Car. All the reflection I shall make is this He who was Govern'd by so ill a Woman Is very unfit to be the Kingdoms Governor She was his Counsellor the Devil hers Conjecture then what his Designs must be Glo. Lord Cardinal I am sure of your good Word I see what all of you thirst for my ruine I had long since remov'd out of your way If duty to my King had not detain'd me I was afraid to trust him in your hands But I perceive my stay occasions him Perpetual trouble and the heavenly power Has an especial eye to Sacred Kings To his Protection then I 'le leave the King If the King will permit me and retire To bear the heavy burden of my griefs Qu. Pray do my Lord we 'l take you at your word I see no reason why a King of years Shou'd be Protected like a little Child Resign your Staffe and give the King his Kingdom The King by heaven's help may Govern it King Do do my Lord since they 'l all have it so I shall not want a Counsel or Protection For heaven is my hope my stay my guide And go in peace less powerful less great No less belov'd by me and all good Men. Enter York Glo. Then here most Sacred Sovereign is my Staffe As willingly do I resign it to you As e're your glorious Father made it mine As willingly I lay it at your feet As others wou'd ambitiously receive it Farewell good King may you when I am dead Never have cause to shed one tear for me When is your Royal Pleasure that my Wife Shall do her Pennance King Now immediately Glo. Come Elianor let us support our Sorrows Sorrow is natural to this Vale of Tears My fall will rather pleasure to me bring If it shall cause no sorrow to the King Exit Glocester Elianor with a Guard King Oh Lords you have made me part with a good Man I wish I may never have need of him York How Has the Duke resign'd the Government Qu. Yes Henry now is King and I am Queen And Humphry Duke of Glocester scarce himself Two of his stately Branches are lopt from him His Wife is Banish'd and his Staffe resign'd And he will shortly wither with the Mayme Yo. As I wou'd wish How have these haughty Lords asidâ— Most subtilly wrought their own destruction For now the King lies open to my Sword But they shall perish with him for their Villanies A Shout Enter Buckingham King Now What 's the News Buck. May it please your Majesty The Combate 'tween the Armourer and his Man The Appellant and Defendant has been fought According as your Majesty appointed Truth has prevail'd the Guilty Armourer Worsted by his Servant has confest the Treason King Where is the Fellow Buc. They are both without Come in Enter Armorer and his Man with a Guard King What Fellow did you speak the words Arm. Yes please your Majesty King Yet you deny'd ' em Ar. I was unwilling to be hang'd an 't please you King But not unwilling to destroy thy Soul By spilling of an innocent Fellows blood As thou hast done if right had not prevail'd Buck. Sir it was right indeed that did prevail I never saw poor Fellow so afraid As the Armorer's Servant was in all my life And yet he beate his Master by his Innocence Arm. It was my Conscience beate me and not he If my own Conscience had not fought against me I cou'd have beaten twenty such as he Pet. I do not know that for though I was afraid E're I came to it now I know what it is I do not care if I have t'other bout King There 's mischief in this Business I discern it Aside The Common People have been tamper'd with To try how they will like a change of Princes And to make way for it my right is question'd And my good Lord Protector sent away from me Oh! heaven if I be useful to my People Preserve me for their sakes from wicked Men If I be not extend thy Providence To them and let what will become of me Go lead that Traytor to the Death he merits Thou honest man whose truth and innocence Heaven has reveal'd by me shall be rewarded Exit Omnes prae Suffolk and the Queen Qu. Now it goes excellently well indeed This haughty Woman tumbled in the dirt So far beneath my feet I cannot tread upon her Duke Humphrey's charming Rod broken in pieces Wherewith he kept as in a Conjurers Circle The King and Kingdom both out of our reach Suff. Did not I promise you there shou'd be nothing
prevention of thy Enemies Till thou art fallen lower than I am now Gl. Ah! Nell forbear for now thou aim'st awry I must offend before I can be hurt And had I twenty times so many Enemies And each of e'm had twenty times their power Not all of e'm cou'd work me any damage So long as I am Loyal True and Faultless But thou wou'd'st have me rescue thee from shame I cannot do it from these Officers If I shou'd force thee I can ne're redeem thee From th' everlasting Scandal that will follow thee Thy greatest help is quiet then sweet Nell I pray thee sort thy heart with patience Enter a Herald Her I summon your Grace to his Majesties Parliament Holden at Bury the first of this next Month. Gl. And my consent ne're ask'd herein before This is close dealing Well I will be there Ex. Herald El. Lo you my Lord What think you now Gl. I think My Love as thou dost Mischief is design'd me But if my Innocence will not protect me Guilt shall not do it I will keep my Loyalty Whilst I can keep my Life El. Oh! that I fear Will not be long Gl. Well Heaven's will be done Love I must take my leave and Master Sheriff Let not her Penance exceed the King's Commission Sher. An 't please your Grace here my Commission stay 's And Sir John Stanly is appointed now To take her with him to the Isle of Man Stanly So am I given in charge an 't please your Grace Gl. Pray use her well the World may smile again And I may live to return any Kindness You do to her and so dear Love farewel El. Oh! stay and do not make our farewel short For this is the last time I e're shall see thee Gl. Do not say so my Love El. I know it is Thy Enemies are powerful and many And thy own Innocence will betray thee to e'm Gl. I hope not so I doubt not but to scape From all their Snares and if I do I 'le come And find thee out in thy poor barren Island There we 'l be all the World to one another In that most desolate mournful abode We will be happier then e're we were In the high stately building of our Greatness Whose walls were Vanity foundations Rottenness Oh! I can speak no more to thee for Tears Once more farewel Exit El. All comfort go with thee For none abides with me my Joy is death Death at whose name I oft have been afraid Because I wish't this World's eternity But now I wish the World were at an end Stanly I prethy go and take me hence I care not whether for I beg no favour I care not what becomes of wretched me My Honour is for ever sunk in shame And my Lord lost among his Enemies For I am sure they 'l murder him amongst e'm And I shall never never see him more Prethee conveigh me where thou art commanded Stan. Why Madam that is to the Isle of Man There to be us'd according to your State El. According to my State How 's that Reproachfully For now my State is vilest Infamy Stan. Like to a Duchess and Duke Humphry's Lady According to that state you shall be us'd El. Sheriff farewel I wish no harm to thee Though thou hast been conductor of my shame Sher. It is my Office Madam pardon me El. I I farewel thy Office is discharg'd Come Stanly let us go Stan. Your Penance done Now Madam if you please throw off your sheet El. My shame will not be thrown off with my sheet No it will hang upon my richest Robes All Sin will meet dishonour first or last I hope my Crown 's to come and my shame past Exit ACT IV. Enter King Queen Cardinal Suffolk York Buckingham King I Admire my Lord of Glocester is not come 'T is not his wont to be the hindmost Man What e're occasion keeps him from us now Queen Do you not see his alter'd Countenance With what a Majesty he bears himself How proud how peremptory how unlike himself We know the time when he was miâ—d and affable And if we did but glance a far-off look Immediately he was upon his Knee That all the Court admir'd his great humility But now he frowns and passes stifly by Scorning to shew us any regard at all Suff. Madam most true Has not the King observ'd This carriage in him Qu. He will see no ill in him Come Sir he is a Man exceeding dangerous He is no inconsiderable Person First he is next the Crown if you shou'd fall He is the next that Mounts that 't is ill policy To trust him with your Royal Person and Councels Whose rancorous mind is now prepar'd for mischief And whose advantage is the King's destruction Who else will gain by it We shall be sad loosers But he will compass all his heart can wish Your Kingdoms and revenge upon his Enemies Card. The two great Idols of a proud mans heart Suff. Oh! his Soul swell's with rancour as 't were poyson'd He foams with Gall and his Eyes flash with fury I saw him th' other day pass by the King And Queen as they were walking in the Garden He measur'd oft the King from Head to Foot With a disdainful eye as who shou'd say Henry Thou art too little for thy Throne Then wou'd he caâ— a down-look on the King And press him with his eye to the Earth and look on him As if he lay under his Feet already Nay under th' Earth and then he stampt and pointed Towards Paul's where his Wife lately did Penance As who shou'd say Oh! Henry very shortly My Wife shall tread on thy cold Monument With as much pride as thou hast made her tread With her bare feet you cutting Flints with shame In short all his demeanour is of late So raging haughty frantique and intolerable That I believe the Devil which his Wife Conjur'd from Hell is gotten into his Breast Card. He was a great frequenter of the Chappel No Man so constant no Man so devout The lowest bower to the Altar there The highest lifter up of eyes to Heaven The humblest kneeler on the Marble Floor But now as if he had gain'd all the Heaven He aim'd at by devotion the Kingdom He Knees no more lick up the Chappel Dust To blind the People's eyes they are blind enough He takes no more the Chappel in his way He thinks he is at his journeys end the Throne Qu. That 's the next thing Sir makes him dangerous He has by his Hypocrisie and Flattery So gull'd the credulous Commons of their hearts They 'l venture Hanging at any time to Crown him And think it Martyrdom to die for him King These things are very bad if they be true Suff. True Sir His Wive's crime prove e'm what do you think Did instigate that Bedlam brainsick Woman To her foul fault but his foul subornation Or if he were not privy to her wickedness At least high vaunts of
his Succession And letting fall some words to please her pride To shew what high designs he had near Birth Made the proud frantique Woman run immediately To fetch a cursed Midwife out of Hell King Indeed that was a very wicked Fact Suff. Oh! Sir the Duke of Glocester is a Man Unsounded yet and full of deep deceit Card. Sir he appears to you to be a Man Of great Humanity Mildness and Gentleness There 's not a greater Tyrant upon Earth If any small Offences had at any time Tript up the heels of any of his Enemies And thrown e'm in his power he tortur'd e'm Beyond all bounds either of Law or Manhood He has torn their Bodies so by horrid Deaths As if to put affronts upon that peaceful Christianity which forbids all Revenge He 'd put a cheat upon the Resurrection And tear that Article out of our Creed King Can this be true How chance I never heard of it Card. Who ever durst acquaint you this before Suff. Who ever had your Ear but he till now King The meanest poorest Subject in my Kingdom Had it and shall as much as he or any Man Card. Ay! you like Heaven Sir gave access to all But he was that eternal Persecution All suffer'd that devoutly wou'd approach you King If this this be true what a vile thing is Man Yo. Sir his insatiable Avarice Makes two great Crowns sit loosely on your Head He squeez'd the English Purses till Blood followed Upon pretence to pay your Troops in France So almost tore this Kingdom from its Loyalty Then by not sending any of that Money He starv'd your Troops and almost lost you France Buck. Oh! there are horrid Crimes lie hid in smooth Duke Humphrey which the time will bring to light King My Lords you seem to take great care of me If it be real it deserves great praise But shall I speak my Conscience freely to you No Man I 'me sure no Monarch shou'd dissemble I do not cannot think the Duke of Glocester That horrid thing you represent him to me Card. Then what are we Sir King My Lord Cardinal I 'le tell you what my Father said you were His Reason was as piercing as his Sword And he from depth of Knowledg not from Prophesie Said That if e're you were a Cardinal You 'd make your Cap vye with your Prince's Crown As for these Lords I wo'ld entreat of them To think that I have Eyes as well as they If my Lord Duke of Glocester had such Sores Break out of him as these I shou'd ha' seen e'm Some time or other sure as well as they If he had plaid such Proteus tricks as these Some time or other sure I shou'd have catch'd him But if he be the Monster they have painted him Then what a horrid villanous thing is Man Who wou'd not rather live with Wolves than Men For a Wolf shews his nature but a Man Appears a Lamb when he is most a Wolf If so then I must fly from all of you For now when you seem Lambs you may be Tygers Qu. Sir on my knees I humbly fall before you Kneels And beg with Tears do not give up your self And all of us to Death by incredulity I am a poor weak Woman and a Stranger And of a Nation for whom your Subjects By Nature have an inbred scorn and hate Which great successes greatly have improv'd And Sir my banish't Enemy the Duchess Will in the Rocks of her poor barren Island Sit brooding Vengeance and when you are dead The Eagles she has hatcht shall tear my Soul out And who in England can or will protect me Suff. And all of us are in the same condition All kneel Qu. Then if you think these Lords Sir have no Loyalty Nor I the consort of your Youth no love Yet think we have some kindness for our selves And in your preservation seek our own King Rise my dear Love rise all of you my Lords If I have injur'd you by my suspitions I pray forgive me you perhaps have seen More in the Duke of Glocester than I have I must confess I 'me of a temper fram'd Wakeful to holy thinks drowzy to earthly I 'me as unfit for Earth as some for Heaven Yet knowing I 'me the Shepherd of my Flock I rouse my self to attend upon my Duty But oft I charm my self asleep again With the Caelestial Musick of Religion And then a Wolf may steal upon my sleep And I not see him which perhaps you may That Sirs I thank you all for your kind care Card. Sir we have faithfully discharg'd our Consciences King You have done well I thank you all but pray Give me good proofs of what you have alledged 'T is not enough to say in such a Bush There lies a Thief in such a Cave a Beast But you must shew him to me e're I shoot Else I may kill one of my stragling Sheep I 'me fond of no mans Person but his Vertue Prove that the Duke and Loyalty are strangers And he and I will be as far asunder As Life and Death the Grave shall be betwixt us Suff. Oh! Sir we shall not want sufficient proofs Enter the Duke of Glocester they all start as soon as he comes in Card. See! see the Duke is here King Ha! they all start At the first sight of him I like not that Aside Gl. All happiness attend my Lord the King Pardon Royal Sir that I have stayed so long Suff. My Lord of Glocester you are come too soon Unless you were more Loyal than you are My Lord I here Arrest you of high Treason Gl. My Lord of Suffolk you shall not see me blush Nor change my Countenance at this Arrest King As they to see him did he twits e'm well Aside Gl. Innocence is not very easily daunted Who can accuse me Wherein am I guilty Yo. 'T is thought my Lord that you took Bribes from France And being Protector staid the Souldiers Pay By means whereof all France is almost lost Gl. Is it but thought so What are they that think so King Ha! Is it come but to a thought already Aside Gl. I never rob'd the Souldiers of their Pay Nor ever had one penny Bribe from France But I have rob'd my self both day and night Of all my rest to study good for England The Farthing that e're I wrested from the King Or hoarded up for my own private use I wish may canker all I can call mine But I have wrested from my own Revenues Many a Pound and given among the Garrisons Because I wou'd not Tax the needy Commons And never ask'd for Restitution Card. It serves you well my Lord to say so much Gl. I say no more than truth so help me Heaven Yo. In your Protectorship you did invent Strange and unheard of Tortures for Offenders That England was defam'd by Tyranny Gl. It is well known Pity was all my fault For I shou'd melt at an Offenders tears And humble
words were Ransom oft for Faults I never gave condign Punishment Unless the Offender were a bloody Murtherer Or ravenous Thief that fleaec'd poor Passengers Suff. My Lord these Faults are easie quickly answer'd But mightier Crimes shall be laid to your Charge From which you cannot easily purge your self I then Arrest you in his Majestie 's Name And here Commit you to my Lord Cardinal To keep you safely till your time of Trial. King So they scarce know what to accuse him of Aside And yet Arrest him now I find e'm out My Lord of Glocester 't is my special hope That you will clear your self from all Suspition My Conscience tells me you are Innocent Gl. Ah! Gracious Prince these Days are dangerous Vertue ne're saw good Times but one wou'd think If ever it shou'd find e'm 't wou'd be now Under the Reign of such a Saintlike King But now the Devil rages more than ever ' Cause from the Angel-vertues of the King He almost fears the downfal of his Kingdom Under the Reigns of wicked Kings he sleeps Because he knows they do his Business for him But now he let 's out all his fiercest Fiends And bids them do his worst or all is lost Rancour Ambition and foul Subornation Are all at work to take away my Life The Devil will not be content without it If I by Death cou'd serve my King and Country I 'de freelier give my Life than these Lords take it King My Lord my Lord I do believe you Gl. Sir I humbly thank you for your Royal Charity All these Lords know what you believe my innocence Sad were my case if there were proofs as strong Of their foul Charge as their foul Hate and rancour Their very looks are witnesses against e'm Beauford's red sparkling eyes tell his hearts malice And Sufollk's cloudy brow his stormy hate Sharp Buckingham unburden's with his Tongue The envious load that lies upon his heart And dogged York that reaches at the Moon Because I have pluck'd back his roaming Arm Endeavours to pull Vengeance on my Head Nay my Queen has with the rest conspir'd And with her best endeavour has stirr'd up My Gracious King to be my Enemy Ay all of you have laid your Heads together I had notice of your Plots and Conventicles And all to take away my guiltless Life I shall not want false Witness to condemn me Nor store of Treason to augment my Guilt Card. His railing Sir is most intolerable If those that watch to keep your Royal Person From Treason's secret Knife and Traytor 's rage Be thus upbraided chid and rated at And the Offender granted scope of speech 'T will cool Men's zeal to serve your Majesty Suff. Has he not twit our Sovereign Lady here With ignominious words though subtilly coucht As if she had suborned Villains to swear False Allegations to destroy his Life Qu. But I can give the looser leave to rail Beshrew the Winners for they play me false And well such Loosers may have leave to speak Buck. He 'l wrest the sence and hold us here all day Pray my Lord Cardinal look to your Prisoner Card. Sirs take away the Duke and guard him sure Gl. Ah! thus King Henry throws away his Crutch Before his Legs be firm to bear his Body Farewel most gracious Sovereign Heaven protect you You ne're stood more in need of his Protection For I 'me afraid if Heaven does not save you Man will not Oh! that all my fears were groundless King Stay Uncle let me embrace you e're I go I wish I speak it here before their faces I wish my Enemies had but thy innocence I in thy face behold what I ne're saw Or in their looks or any of their actions A map of Honour Truth and Loyalty Card. Oh! Sir and do you thus King Nay Sirs permit me You from my Bosom tear my best of Friends My wisest Councellor my faithful'st Servant And the great torment forces me to speak Ah! yet good Uncle is the hour yet to come That e're I found you false or fear'd your Faith But there are louring Stars envy your state For these great Lords and Margaret your Queen Do seek subversion of your harmless life And I your King want power to save you from e'm Gl. Ah gracious Sovereign send me quickly hence What ever innocence I had before I 'me growing a great Criminal my stay Does make me guilty of your Royal Sorrows King Thou need'st not beg to be sent hence thy Enemies Will quickly send thee hence in spite of me Gl. Oh! what a World is this when such a King Has little Power because he has too much Goodness Card. The Duke sure bears about him some Enchantment Wherewith he does bewitch the King Away with him Gl. I will away and from the World and you Cou'd part with greater joy than e're man left A howling Desert full of Savage Beasts Did I not leave my Sovereign behind But Oh! the joy of my escape is dash'd When I remember I have left him there Bewildred and no one to be his guid Begirt by Wolves and none to be his guard Card. What are we Wolves He does improve in railing Gl. Prove your selves otherwise I shall be glad Let all your wickedness end at my death And I 'le forgive you that with all my heart I will thank Heaven for my destiny If as the Roman Curtius stop'd the Plague By leaping down into the gaping Earth So I by being thrown into the Grave Cou'd stop the plague of your Ambition But I 'me afraid I shall do no such miracle Suff. This is intolerable My Lord Cardinal Why do you stand so tamely and permit him To wound both yours and all our Honours thus Card. I will endure no more away with him King Farewel good Man Gl. Farewel oh best of Kings Exit with a Guard King So the inhumane Souldier from the panting Breass of his trembling Mother tears an Infant And carries it away before her face Upon his bloody Spear whilst she looks on And swoons and falls and dares not call for help Even so remorseless ha' they born him hence Whilst I with as unhelpless tears bewail The good Man's injuries and with dim'd eyes Look after him and cannot do him good So mighty are his vowed Enemies Whom he I 'me sure ne're wrong'd he ne're wrong'd any Man Exit Qu. Do you see my Lords in what a case we are The King will hear nothing against the Duke The King is cold full of foolish pity And Glocester's shew beguiles his easie mind Just as a Snake roul'd in a flowry Bank Which shining checker'd slough does sting a Child That for the beauty thinks it excellent Believe me Lords were none more wise than I And I believe my self not dull in this This Glocester shou'd be quickly rid of the World To free the King from danger us from fear Card. That he shou'd die is worthy Policy But yet we want some Colour for his death And
Royal Sir the Duke of Suffolk instantly Will bring the Duke of Glocester I have lodg'd My noble Prisoner but in the next Rooms King Methinks he shou'd not be the man you make him Card. Your Majesty has your eyes always fixt On shining Heaven that when you look below The World is in a mist and dark to you Enter Suffolk King How now Why look'st thou pale why do'st thou shake Where is my Uncle What 's the matter Speak Suff. The Duke is dead Card. How Dead Suff. Dead in his Chair Qu. Oh! Heaven forbid Suff. 'T is true Card. Heaven's secret Judgments I fear'd some dreadful judgment wou'd o'retake him The King Swoons Qu. How is my Lord Help help the King is dying Suff. Rear up his Body fetch some Water quickly Qu. Oh! Help help help Suff. See he revives again Madam be comforted Qu. How does my Lord King Oh! heavenly God! Sighs deeply Suff. Take comfort Gracious Sir King Ah! Wo is me for Glocester wretched man Qu. Is all your comfort shut up in his Tomb And can you find no joy in me at all Why do you turn away and hide your Face I am no loathsome Leaper look on me Ah! wo is me more wretched than he is Did I for this expose my self to Winds And Rocks and Seas and twice was almost wrack'd And twice was driven back as if the Winds Forewarn'd me landing on this unkind Shore The vaulting Sea danc'd with me to and fro As it were loth to bring me to this Coast The Rocks cover'd in the Waves and hid themselves As shaming to owe kindred to an Island Whose cruel King wou'd thus reward my Love Ah! see if he will speak to me or look on me How hateful am I grown Ah! wretched me Card. I see the King loves this dead Traytor better Than all his living Friends Farewel I 'me sorry Sir To see you hate your Friends and love your Enemies Ex. King Where is my dead Friend I 'le see him lead me to him Suff. In the next Room Sir Ho open these doors The Scene is drawn and the Duke of Glocester is shewn dead in a Chair King Oh! thou good man And hast thou thus been us'd And is this all of thee that 's left to me Oh! to how little and how poor a pittance Are all my Comforts in this life now brought Enter Warwick War Oh! Sir Reports are spread among the People The good Duke Humphry treacherously is murder'd By Suffolk's and the Cardinal Beauford's means Suff. By mine War By yours Suff. I did expect as much War The Commons like a Hive of angry Bees That want their Leader scatter up and down And care not whom they sting in their revenge I have endeavour'd to allay their rage Until they are satisfied about his death King Ah! my Lord he is dead 't is true too true See here But how he died God knows not I. I fear foul play was plaid him for his Life Oh Heaven to whom Judgment alone belongs Forgive me if I injure any one With false suspitions War Sir as certainly As I believe that Heaven was his Maker I believe Treachery was his destroyer Suff. Do you know it that so dreadfully you swear it War I swear that I believe it Suff. What 's your reason War I see already above a thousand proofs That he was basely strangled Suff. Strangled War Strangled His Face is black and swell'd with settled Blood Which shews the passage to the Heart was stopt Whether the Blood in natural deaths descends To aid the labouring Heart in his last conflict And failing freezes with the cold of Death And ne're returns but leaves the face all pale His eyes stand gastly from his Head and almost Come out to meet us to complain of strangling His gaping nostrils are stretch'd out with striving His hands are spread abroad as one that grasp'd And tugg'd for Life but was by strength o're-master'd His well proportion'd Beard is rugged made Like Summer's Corn by furious tempest lodg'd See a blew Ring encompasses his Neck Oh! Murder here has danc'd her fairy round If the Duke was not strangled ne're was man Suff. Why who shou'd do it my Lord none but my self And Cardinal Beauford had him in protection War Who finds the Heifer dead and bleeding fresh And sees a Butcher with his Ax stand by May easily suspect who made the Slaughter Qu. The Cardinal and you my Lord are Murderers For shame my Lord of Warwick rule your arrogance War Pray Madam let me with due reverence tell you Each word you speak for him slaunders your Honour Suff. Blunt-witted Lord thy evil manners say Thy Mother took into her blameful Bed Some rough untutour'd Churl and grafted there On Nâ—vil's noble race a rugged Clown War Did not my Sovereign's presence check my fury I 'de make thee kneel for pardon for this speech And say 't was thy own Mother that thou mean'st And after this low homage I wou'd kill thee Thou treacherous murderer of sleeping men Suff. Thou shalt be waking when I shed thy blood If er'e I meet thee from this royal presence War Away or I will drag thee though I scorn thee I 'le fight with thee to appease Duke Humphry's Ghost King Forbear my Lords for shame stay I command you A Noise Enter Salisbury Sal. Great Sir the Commons humbly implore by me The Duke of Suffolk may be put to death Or Banish'd instantly for else they threaten They 'l tear him hence by violence and Torture him Free from bold contradiction to your liking But out of Loyalty they drive him from you They say If you desir'd to sleep and charg'd No one on pain of Death shou'd dare to wake you Yet if they saw a Serpent in your Bosom They with the hazard of their lives wou'd wake you And drive him from you whether you wou'd or no. They say the Duke of Suffolk is that Serpent By whose envenom'd sting your Uncle perish'd A Prince a thousand times of Suffolk's value From him they also fear your Majestie 's Death Suff. They durst not send this message to their King My noble Lord Embassador from Weavers King My Lord of Salisbury Tell e'm from me I thank e'm for their Loyal care of me That I have been awake long e're they rouz'd me And seen the dangerous Serpent I have cherish'd To my great danger and my Friends destruction For oh the slimy paths the Serpent crawl'd To sting my Friend to Death shine in my eyes Suff. Sir will you judg me e're you know my innocnece King Go tell e'm By that Heavenly Majesty Whose most unworthy Deputy I am I vow most solemnly the English Air Shall not receive three days infection more From this most wicked man for if it does The fourth shall end his wickedness and him Exit Salis. Suff. Sir this is hard to doom mâ—'re I 'me tried Qu. Oh! let me plead Sir for this injur'd Lord. King Oh fye forbear forbear your pleading
thy delicate Form Were mighty faults which the World cou'd not bear No wonder the vile envy of the base Pursued thee when the Noble cou'd not bear thee They cursed thee as the Negroes do the Sun Because thy shining Glories blackned e'm For which Oh England thus I pray for thee May'st thou ne're breed brave Man or if thou dost Oh! let him be thy Ruine or thou his May all thy Witty men be sadly Vitious Let sloth devour their Fortunes Fools their Fame Lewdness their Souls their Bodies Foul Disease May thy Wise Men be Factious and head Fools If they be honest let e'm loose their Heads Let thy Brave Men against thy self be bravest Be Men at foreign Devils at Civil War Let all thy Pious Sons with zeal run mad And make Religion thy Reproach and Curse May'st thou have all Religions to confound thee And none to save thee Here a bloody Altar Oh! cruel England hast thou made for me Therefore these bloody Prayers I make for thee 2 Lady The King is coming Madam Enter the King King Oh! my Lord I bring thee frightful News the Kentishmen Are up in Arms headed by one Jack Cade A Fellow who proclaims himself Lord Mortimer Descended from the Duke of Clarence Line He is marching towards London in the head Of a rude rugged merciless crowd of Peasants And all the way he proclaims me Usurper And vows to Crown himself at Westminster And in this great distress to comfort me The tray'trous Duke of York with a great Power Is marching hither too and he proclaims He comes but to remove the Duke of Sommerset But most believe he secretly intends To reap the benefit of Cade's Rebellion That I am like a Ship beset with danger Threatned with Wracking by the Kentish Storm Or to be Boarded by that Pyrate York Qu. So so my Curse on England springs already Aside Oh! this were Musick to me were it not Allay'd by the sad weeping of my Son Heir of these Noble Kingdoms who methinks Sighs in my Ear Ah Mother for my sake Pity the helpless King my unfortunate Father He was Crown'd King when he was nine Months old But if you do not aid him his Misfortune Will never suffer me to be a King For thy sake Princely Boy I will assist him And something for his own he 's a good Man Though a weak King and it was my ambition Made Suffolk stain his hands in innocent Blood Which Crime forgive me Heaven and let the Duke Of Suffolk's Blood be all my Punishment Enter Sommerset and Buckingham Buck. Oh! fly Sir fly the Rebels are in Southwark The Citizens through fear forsake their Houses The Rascal People all joyn with the Traytors Threatning to spoil the City and your Court. Som. Take comfort Royal Sir we 'll all stand by you King Pray let as little Blood be shed as possible I 'le send a holy Bishop to entreat e'm To spare their Souls and Bodies I will promise e'm To mend my Government for I confess England may yet Curse my unfortuate Reign Qu. Come Sir take Spirit in you Men like Buildings Fall to the Ground if never Fire burn in e'm To harden e'm King 's a Royal Building That shou'd have no soft Clay in it at all Adversity has always reign'd upon you And made you soft but yield not Sir to Rebels Royalty like great Beauty must be chaste Rogues will have all if once they get a taste Exeunt Epilogue NOw some fine things perhaps you think to bear But he who did reform this Play does swear He 'll not bestow rich Trappings on a Horse That will want Breath to run a Three-days Course And be turn'd off by Gallants of the Town For Citizens and their Wives to Hackney on Not that a Barb that 's come of Shackspears breed Can e're want Mettle Courage Shape or Speed But you have Poetry so long rides Post That your delight in Riding now is lost And there is Reason for it I must own â—'ave Foundred all the Poets in the Town Alas their Strength and Courage may abate Vnder the Critique's Spur and the Fools Weight And Destiny is playing wanton Tricks Turning the Nation round to Politiques The Romish Beast has fear'd her from her Wits And thrown her in her old Convulsion Fits The same she had many Years since 't is said Then Poetry was a miserable Jade The Pulpit then Men fiercely did bestride And Musqueteers that Wooden Horse did ride Those damn'd Diseases by time purg'd away The Nation streight grew Young again and Gay Balls assign'd as Masquerades and Plays Were all the Business of those happy Days You flock'd to Plays as if they Jubilees were Things to be seen but once in Fifty Year Boxes i' th' Morning did with Beauty shine And Citizens then in the Pit did Dine The Wife with her good Husband did prevail To bring the Sucking Bottle full of Ale Then on her Knees cold Capon-legs were seen Her Husbands Capon-legs I do not mean Then we were pretious things purchas'd t is known By Cloaths and Suppers but these Days are done Yet they will come again Times cannot hold But whilst they mend Curse on it we grow old Then we may all who once were your delight Suâ— with Duke Humphry as you have done to Night FINIS HENRY the Sixth The Second Part. OR THE MISERY OF CIVIL WAR As it was Acted at the Dukes Theatre Written by Mr. CROWN LONDON Printed for R. Bentley and M. Magnes in Russel-Street in Covent-Garden 1681. PROLOGUE REligious Broyles to such a height are grown All the sweet sound of Poetry they drown Were Orpheus here his Lute might charm our Beasts Our Mastiffs not our Rabble or our Priests Good Heaven Sirs are there no other ways To damn the Pope but damning all our Plays To our Religion 't is no Praise at all That if our Wit must stand our Faith must fall All parties in a Play-House may agree The Stage is priviledg'd from Piety 'T is pleasant Sirs to see you fight and brawl About Religion but have none at all Most fiercely for the Road to Heav'n contend But never care to reach the Journeys end Though you lose Heaven you will keep the Way The Pope sha'n't have you though the Devil may These things such business for the Criticks find They 're not at leasure Poetry to mind Well for the Poet 't is they 're so employ'd Else this poor Work of his wou'd be destroy'd For by his feeble Skill 't is built alone The Divine Shakespear did not lay one Stone Besides this Tragedy a Rod will prove To whip us for a Fault we too much Love And have for ages liv'd call'd Civil Strife The English Nation like a Russian Wife Is to a gentle Husband always curst And loves him best who uses her the worst This Poet though perhaps in Colours faint Those scurvy Joys does in all Postures Paint Fools take in pelting out each others Brains A joy for which this Nation
will you be happy And leave this Rogue or follow him and be hang'd All. I don't know what to think on 't All mutter Cade Are you muttering VVhy you damn'd fools will you believe a Lord Do they not often run into your Debts And promise payment and ne're keep their words Do they not often with fine promises Delude your Daughters and when they have enjoyed them Do they e're keep their words Then follow me All. A Cade a Cade we 'll follow thee Jack Cade Old Cl. You 'll follow Cade pray whither to the Gallows He has no other home to lead you to He knows not how to live but by the spoil But say that whilst you robb and kill your Country-men The fearful French whom you but lately vanquisht Shou'd make a start o're Seas and vanquish you Had you not better go and spoil the French And the King pay you too for your good service Than here Rebel and the King hang you all For Rogues or worse the French come make you slaves All. I don't know what to think on 't All mutter Cade Again muttering VVho'll ever trust such cursed whifling Rascals Enter young Clifford and Followers Yo. Cl. What are you doing my Lord treating with Rascals It were too vile an Office for a Scavenger To sweep such dirt into the Common shore And are you treating with ' em Nay and treating In the Kings name too very fine indeed The King must barter for his Crown with Rascals What ever price the Villains make him pay Though his Crown shou'd be dear himself is cheap I with no Tongue but this will talk to Rebels Draws all fight on the Stage Ex. The Scene a Tent. Enter King Henry Hen. Never had King less joy in Throne than I Nor more misfortune Heaven was pleas'd to set My Cradle on the top of humane Glory Where I lay helpless open to all Storms My Childish hand not able to support My Fathers Sword dropt the victorious point And let fall all the Lawrels that adorn'd it And French and English fell a scrambling for 'em So lost I France now am I threatned too By wicked Rebels with the loss of England Cade and his Rebels drive me from my City Plantagenet seek's to drive me from my Kingdom Enter the Queen and her Train Qu. Take comfort Sir I bring you happy tidings The Villain Cade is kill'd by brave young Clifford Hen. Kill'd Qu. Kill'd and all the Rebels beg your mercy Hen. Oh! Heav'n accept my vows of thanks and praise But ha here comes his gallant Father weeping Enter Old Clifford Ol. Cl. Yes Sir I weep but I weep tears of Joy For I am crush'd between two mighty Joyes Your Royal safety and my Sons success But here he is to tell you his own story Enter Young Clifford Yo. Cl. Sir I most humbly here present your Majesty The Head of the notorious Rebel Cade Hen. Oh! Gallant Clifford how shall I reward thee Yo. Cl. I fought not for rewards or if I did I ought to end my work e're I be paid I have only now pull'd down a paltry Scaffold On which Plantagenet design'd to climbe To build his Trayt'rous Projects Hen. True indeed He is approaching me with a great Army But he gives out he only does intend To drive away from me some wicked Ministers Yo. Cl. The constant vizard of Rebellion Rebellion is so foul and grim a Monster That those that mount the horrid Beast are forc'd To cover it all o're with gaudy Trappings They mark it in the Forehead with white starrs Pretences Heavenly and Innocent Qu. Sir he has told you a most excellent truth Hen. I must confess I like not to have Subjects Present their Kings Petitions upon Pikes Old Cl. Sir let the Rebels come we are prepar'd Enter an Officer Offi. A Trumpet from Plantagenet craves audience Hen. Admit him Enter the Trumpet Trum. Royal Sir the Duke my master Does beg admission to your Kingly presence To give you the true Reason of his arming And prove his Loyalty Qu. Just as we thought Hen. Go tell my Cousin since he speaks so fair He shall have free access and all kind usage Exit Trum. Old Cl. What do you mean Sir Hen. To throw far from my self The guilt of all the ill that may ensue He shall not say that I refus'd to hear Or to redress any just grievances Y. Cl. Sir you will find your self will be the grievance The Tricks of these ambitious men are first To poison all the People with disloyalty And when they have made 'em sick they tell 'em nothing Can cure 'em but some flowers out of the Crown And so they set the rabble raving for ' em Qu. Lord Clifford when the haughty rebel come's Arrest him of High-Treason Old Cl. I will do it Madam Enter Plantagenet Edward Richard George Plant. kneels and kisses the Kings Hand Hen. Welcome dear Cousin Pray acquaint me faithfully What do you mean by all the Troops you bring Pl. Only to drive some Traytours from your presence Qu. I know no greater Traytors than your self Old Cl. And therefore I arrest thee of High-Treason Pl. Arrest me ha Shall it be thus King Henry Hen. It shall not be I promis'd him safe Conduct Edw. My Lord we 'll be your Bail Pl. See I have Bail Lord Clifford in whose name do you Arrest me Old Cl. In the Kings Name Pl. Then I 'll unfold my self Know hitherto I 've been like a dark Cloud Where scorching heat has been ingendring Thunder The grumbling and the rowling you have heard But now the deadly bolt shall light among you I am your King Hen. Ha! Pl. Yes I am Your King I 'm sprung out of the Royal house of Clarence Whom three usurpers of the house of Lancaster Successively have trodden under feet Whilst they have glittered in our Royal Glory Shone like false Diamonds in our royal Robes Q. Now Sir are we convinc'd we told you truth Pl. And my next Title is the only Claim Duke Henry for I 'll call him now no otherwise Duke Henry borrows from his bloody Grand Father Henry the Fourth I 've twenty thousand men But with this difference Henry's Troops were Villains Deposers of their lawful Sov'reign Richard Mine are defenders of their true King Richard I mean my self Hen. Was ever such Ambitious Frenzy as this Y. Cl. Did not we tell you this Ed. And we will tell you more obey your King I mean my Royal Father or our Swords Shall turn the Arrest of Treason on your-selves Old Cl. Surely you think you are among your Beauties Amorous Edward there your Vigour lies Q. Let them admire thy boasts here thou art scorn'd Ed. 'T is said when the brave Duke of Suffolk liv'd Queen Margaret would not contemn a Lover I 'm young and love but yet I am not stricken So blind with beauty but I can discern Both the fair Kingdom and the fair Queen lye Sick of the impotence of a Weak King Qu.
a Son Oh! my sweet Son thou art no more a Prince Because thy Father is no more a King He has undone himself and thee and all of us Pr. I am a Prince and I will be a King Father you cannot disinherit me You may bestow your Kingdom whil'st you live But when you are dead it is not yours but mine Qu. My Son he shall not disinherit thee I have men here to guard me from these Rebels And Troops else-where to conquer 'em and punish ' em And I will make my Son a Glorious Prince Whil'st thou tame Prince shalt be a slave to Traytors Made to assist in conquering thy self And then in digging thy own Sepulchre For Rebels will not do their work by halves Though thou art but the shadow of a King Rebels will tremble at a Royal Shadow And they 'll be forc'd to kill thee if 't is possible To make thee a more dead thing than thou art Hen. Oh! my dear Love talk not so harshly to me Qu. I will be harsher in my deeds than words For from this moment I divorce my self For ever from thy Bed thou art no King And thou shalt have no Sons of me to ruine I scorn to have a Slave get on my Body Ex. Qu. and Pr. Hen. Poor Queen how love and pity for my Son Set her a-raging as they set me grieving War Add her ambition to her love and pity For that has no small share in her disturbance Pl. I know she 's raising Forces in the North My Lord of Warwick do you keep the King And stay to raise what Force you can in London VVhilst I will to the North and so between us VVe 'll wall her in and keep that fire from spreading Hen. Pray my Lords do I will assist you both Against my self I 'll do to others right Though on my self I sure destruction bring I're I 'll be wicked I will be no King Ex. omnes ACT. III. Scene a Castle Enter Plantagenet Edward Richard Pl. HOW has this Woman charm'd these men together No less than twenty thousand a vast Army All my Troops here will scarcely make five thousand Then she is gotten between me and London That I can no way join the Earl of Warwick Nor can he possibly come time enough To my assistance I am in a strait Ed. I think not Sir brave men are never in a strait When they have Arms and Liberty to fight Pl. I shou'd slight odds if the Enemy were French But now our present Enemies are English Made of the same brave stuff as we our selves Rich. But such brave stuff as we have soundly beaten And such as are conducted by a Woman And men ne're think of fighting under Petticoats Pl. I 've sent your Brother George to raise some Troops I hop'd he might have been with me er'e now But I must take my fortune now the Enemy Approaches us bring in my dear Boy Rutland Enter Rutland and a Priest his Tutor My Darling let me kiss thee e're I go I know not if I ' ere shall see thee more If I should fall under the numerous Enemy I leave thee to the care of thy three Brothers All valiant men and some of 'em I hope Will be great men be Kings I charge 'em all On my last blessing to take cares of thee My pretious Darling as of their own Souls Rut. Why do you talk thus Sir you make me weep If you must dye I hope I shall dye with you I had rather dye with you than live a King Pl. Sweet Boy farewell my Soul here take the Boy And guard him safely in the strong dark Vault And if things prove worse than I hope they will Convey him safely to our next Garrison And give his Brothers notice of his flight Ex. Pl. Ed. Rich. one way another Rutl. with a Guard An Allarm shouts of Victory the Scene continues Enter Clifford and his Souldiers Cl. Pursue pursue pursue and give no quarter charge you do not spare Man Woman or Child Ex. An Allarm Enter Rutland Rut. Oh! whither shall I fly how shall I escape Ah! Clifford comes and no one 's here to guard me Cl. Ha! have I found one of Plantagenot's Brats Rut. Oh! now I shall be murder'd hold my Lord Hear me but speak one word before I dye Cl. What canst thou say fond Boy that 's worth my hearing Rut. I 'd only beg you to regard your self You are a valiant man I am a Boy Stain not your fame by killing a poor Boy I wou'd not for your own sake you shou'd do it For I love gallant men and I love you Though you are my Enemy because you are gallant Cl. Away you insinuating flattering boy Who taught you this Hypocrisie your Priest Give o're give o're for were there in thy Voice Celestial Harmony my Father's Blood Has stop'd the passage where the sound shou'd enter Rut. I did not shed his Blood Cl. Thy Father did Rut. Then fight my Father that will get you honour Cl. Shou'd I kill thee thy Father all thy Brothers Nay shou'd I dig up thy Fore-father's Graves And hang their rotten Coffins up in Chains My rage wou'd not be quench'd Rut. That 's very strange VVhy shou'd your fury burn against the innocent Cl. I kill thee out of hatred to thy kind As I wou'd do a Toad or a young Serpent Rut. Hear me but one word more dear brave Lord Clifford You have a Son for his sake pity me Lest as you kill me for my Father's faults Just Heaven shou'd destroy your Son for yours And he be miserably kill'd as I am Then Oh! for your Son's sake give me my life And for my Father's faults keep me in Prison And kill me whensoever I offend you Cl. Thou wilt be an offence to me in living Whilst any of thy cursed Fathers race Live upon Earth I live on Earth then dye Rut. Oh! shall I have no pity at your hands Cl. Such pity as my Rapiers point affords Wounds him Rut. May'st thou ne're get more fame than by this deed Oh my poor Father Oh! my death will kill him Dyes Cl. Ho! take the body up and carry it after me I 'll make a present of it to his Father Exit Enter Plantagenet Pl. All 's lost my men by numbers are devour'd Or fly like Ships before the stormy wind My Sons have bravely fought but all in vain They only swim like Swans against the Tide And are born down by over-matching Waves And I am very faint and cannot flie But had I strength I 'm on all sides enclos'd The Sands are numbred that make up my life See! the bloody Clifford comes then here I fall Enter Clifford and Souldiers Cl. Ha! have I found thee proud Plantagenet What tumbled Phaethon from thy shining Chariot And made an Evening at thy highest Noon Oh Father from the joys above descend And share with me the pleasure of Revenge Or else by high revenge I 'll climb to thee Pl. Thou
bloody raging Clifford do thy worst I 'd scorn to ask thee mercy hadst thou any But thou hast none then come with all thy Multitudes Cl. So Cowards fight when they can fly no farther So Pigeons peck the Falcon's piercing Talons So desperate Thieves breathe curses at the Officers Pl. Hast thou the impudence to charge a Prince With cowardize who made thee basely fly Call to thy memory S. Albans Battel Cl. I do then didst thou kill my brave old Father Pl. And now wou'd thee wert thou not back't with multitudes Cl. I will try that stand of and do not touch him Unless I fall then cut him all to pieces I will not lose revenge yet I will give him So much revenge to kill me if he can Pl. I thank thee for the kindness 't is a great one They Fight Plantagenet is disarm'd and thrown Cl. Now wilt thou yield that I have fairly conquer'd thee As Cl. is lifting up his arm to kill him Enter the Queen Q. Hold valiant Clifford hold I wou'd prolong The Traytors life to scorn him trample on him Are you the man that wou'd be King of England Are you the man that revell'd in the Parliament Sat in your Sovereign's Throne and did believe Your breath cou'd blow his Crown from off his head Where are your Mess o' Sons to back you now Your wanton Edward and your lusty George Your ugly valiant Dick that crookback Prodigy And with the rest where is your darling Rutland Pl. My heart misgives me where is he indeed Qu. Ask Clifford Pl. Oh! thou hast not butcher'd Clifford The innocent Boy Cl. On that young tender morsell My greedy vengeance staid a while it 's stomach Till it cou'd dine on thee and all thy Sons Qu. See! I have stain'd a Napkin in the blood That valiant Clifford with his Rapier's point Made issue from the bosome of thy darling And bring it thee to wipe away thy tears Pl. She-wolf of France or rather cruel Tygress For woman thou art none women are soft Gentle and pitiful but thou art cruel Oh! ten times more than an Hyrcanian Tygress There is a Boy that thinks thou art his Mother But surely thou didst never bear a Child For thou woud'st something know a Parents love And have some natural touch of pitie in thee And not have drain'd the life-blood of a Child To bid his Father wipe his eyes withal Qu. I therefore did it to increase thy sorrow I know a Parent 's love and thy fond love And all the mysteries of thy haughty heart I knew that thou woud'st Barricado it Against the losses of a Crown and Life With Iron-barrs of stubborness and pride But oh this blood like Oyl will sink into it These Crimson threads will lead tormenting grief Into the inmost lodgings of thy Soul And lest this Napkin be too soft a thing I have within an Engine that shall squeeze Thy soul into thy eyes Bring Rutland's Body Now thou hast drunk the liquour take the cup. Enter some with dead Rutland Pl. Oh! my sweet Boy Qu. Ah! this is Musick to me This is the part thou mean'st I shou'd have plaid If thy accursed Treasons had succeeded But that my Tragedy must have been deeper And bloodier far thou mean'st I shoud have wept For a lost Kingdom Husband and a Son Pl. Yes and I do not doubt but my three Sons Heaven's vengeance and the curses of all England Shortly will make thee weep for loss of all ' em Qu. I 'll spoil thy prophecying give me a sword Cl. I 'll pierce him first there 's for my Fathers blood Qu. There for the horrid ills thou threatnest to me Cl. There for the ills he brought upon the Kingdome Pl. Open thy gate of mercy gratious Heaven Dyes Qu. Now take his head once fill'd with lofty thoughts And set it on a lofty pinacle Ex. Scene the Field Enter Edward Ed. No tydings of my Father I am troubled Enter Richard Ric. Brother I 've news Ed. what of our valiant Father Ric. Oh no! I cannot hear what is become of him Ed. What are your news then Ric. They are not very good A Messenger is come from the Earl of Warwick Who tell 's us he is marching to our aid But leaving a strong party with Lord Cobham To guard the King and all the Southern parts They chanc'd to meet with some of the Queen's Troops And whether the Kings Coldness numm'd his keepers Or whether terror of the Warlike Queen Whose armies and success each hour encrease Or of the inexorable cruel Clifford It is not known but my Lord Cobham's men Look'd on the shining Valour of the Enemy Like sleepy Owles on day and fell beneath it That they were all destroyed and Henry fled With the Victorious Troops to joyn the Queen That the Earl of Warwick now wants strength to fight her Ed. This is ill news indeed what shall we do Ric. Hee desires you to haste away with speed To meet ten thousand men marching from Wales Rais'd by your interest there to whom he sent To joyn his Troops if possible to morrow Which they may do if you will hasten ' em Ed. They shall not want for that I 'll go this instant Ric. Pray do not fail for all our Lives and Fortunes Are set on this one cast Ed. I 'll spur away Which way go you Ric. I 'll to the Earl of Warwick Exit Ed. My Horse my Horse I must ride for a Kingdom Enter Lady Eleanor Butler in a riding dress La. El. My Lord Ed. My Love or a fair Vision if a Vision Tell me lest I embrace thee into a Dew La. El. Yes I am that fond she who gave Lord Edward The lovelyest bravest but the most inconstant Of all mankind my hand and heart for ever Ed. Then I am that fond he will lose a Kingdom Rather than one hours pleasure with my Love And so farewell a Kingdom for an hour La. El. I heard you were surrounded by the Queens Numerous Troops and in exceeding danger And I cou'd have no quiet till I came And shar'd your destiny what e're it was Ed. Oh! it was kindly charitably done To speak the truth mine is a scurvy destiny The Enemy is in my Father's Castle And I 've no Beds of Down on Golden Bed-steads Under plum'd Canopies t' embrace my Love in My Destiny will be to lye to night On some Straw-bed under some low thatch'd Roof And thou shalt share it what if the chil wind Blow on us it will make us lye the closer Or what if we shou'd lye on the cold Earth It was our Grandsire Adam's Bridal Bed 'T was there he gave the start to all mankind La. El. Fye Fye such thoughts as these at such a time When you have a Life and Kingdom to look after Ed. A thousand Lives and Kingdoms are in thee Whilst the Enemies tall fortune stalks about In darkness like a blinded Polyphem We will creep under it into a Cottage Of some of
my own faithful Tenants here And safely steal delight like cunning Mariners Pilfring the hold out of the reach of shot La. El. Have you a mind then to be kill'd or taken The Woods are all full of the Enemy Ed. Shou'd all the Trees turn men and the Grass Pikes I will not stir from hence till I 've enjoy'd thee My crooked Brother Richard like a Hook Pull'd me away from thee the other night For which I 'll lay a double Tax on this La. El. Though I am but your Wife in hopes and promises So great an Empire have you over me My heart wou'd not refuse you any Tax Did not your self run danger in the gathering Ed. There is no danger every Cottager In all these parts will hang e're he 'll betray me Then let the loss of the last opportunity Make us so wise to use this whilst we have it La. El. Pray do not ask me Ed. Pray do not deny me La. El. You will be taken Ed. No I 'll warrant you La. El. But if you shou'd Ed. No matter if Thieves come When we have put our Money out to use La. El. You are a strange man Ed. And you are a sweet woman Come come away La. El. Well now if mischief happen Do not blame me Ed. There can no mischief happen Like losing this most blessed opportunity Then come along along La. El. Oh! that I cou'd not Ed. Away away I say La. El. Well since I must Ex. Enter Souldiers dragging Country-men Scene a Cottage 1 Soul Where is your Money Rogues confess you Rogues 1 Coun. Indeed Sir I am a very poor man I get my living by my labour Sir And I have nothing but from hand to mouth 1 Soul You lye you Rogue you lye I know the tricks Of all you Rogues when e're your King wants Money Then you are poor you cannot pay your Taxes But if the Swords of Rebels plow the Nation Then you have Bags and you can bring 'em out Like Baggs of Seed and sow 'em all for Crops To maintain Rogues that fight against your King Nay for that use can pawn your Pots and Kettels But now for us you cannot find a Farthing 2 Coun. Indeed Sir you shou'd have it if I had it VVith all my heart 2 Soul You lye you Rogue you lye I know this Rogue he is one of the damn'd Rebels Plantagenet's chief Tenants a rich Fellow You have no Money for the King's Souldiers But you had Money to fit out your Son A Trooper Sirrah to fight for Rebellion 3 Soul Oh Rogue 2 Soul I knew his Son and kill'd the Dog 2. Co. Oh! wretched me he was my only Son 1. So. Come take the Rogue and hang him on that tree Unless he presently confess his Money 2. Cou. Oh! Sir I will confess I will confess 3. Sou. Then you have money Sirrah 2 Coun. Yes a little 1 Sou. A little Oh! you Rogue just now you had none You have a little too 1 Coun. Yes Sir a little 2 So. And where 's your little Money quickly quickly 2 Cou. Mine is buried here under my Hearth 1 So. Come digg and find it 2 Co. Oh! undone 1 Soul Digg Digg 2 Countryman diggs 2 Soul Where is your Money Sirrah 1 Cou. In my Cow-house Under the Dung. 2 Soul Go Sirrah go and fetch it Exit 1 Countryman 2 Cou. Here 's all my money Sir 2 Soul Here all you Rogue Sirrah you lye you have ten times as much Do not I know you a fat Bacon Rogue That have been smoking in Plantagenet's Chimney These forty years Sirrah I know your purse Cut's a foot thick of Reechy golden fat 2 Cou. Indeed here 's every penny that I have 1 So. Do you think Sirrah we 'll be chous'd o' this fashion We have hang'd half the people in your Country For offering to put such tricks upon us And therefore have a care 2 Coun. Oh! I 'll confess I 'm an old man and my only Son is kill'd And now I care not what becomes o' me I 'll shew you all I have there it lies buried Under yon Oak 1 Soul Go Sirrah go and fetch it Enter the first Countryman 1. Cou. Here 's all I have been getting forty years Pray spare me a little for my two poor Daughters 1. So. How has he Daughters we shall have more sport All 3. So. Hay for the Daughters Hay for the Daughters Ex. 1 Co. Ah! my poor Daughters Ex. Enter the Souldiers chasing two Country Girles who cry help help their Father runns after 'em weeping they all run over the Stage After cries within Enter the Souldiers with Money baggs dragging the Countrymen Scene continues 2 Soul So now you Rogues how do you like Rebellion You were a Couple of seditious Rogues That us'd at Ale-houses to pay for all That rail'd against the King and Government Now had not you better have Plowed and Carted And pay'd your Taxes honestly and quietly Then have your Money seiz'd your Daughters ravish'd Your Sons knock'd o' the head and your selves hang'd As you shall be 1 Coun. Oh! Sir I hope not so Now you have promis'd us 1 Soul You impudent Doggs Did not you swear Allegiance to your King Yet break your Oaths to him and do you expect We shou'd keep Verbal promises with you 2. Soul This Country belongs Sirrah to your Landlord And we have orders to take all the Money Burn all the Houses and hang all the people We have obey'd our orders yet and will The Scene is drawn and there appears Houses and Towns burning Men and Women hang'd upon Trees and Children on the tops of Pikes 1 Coun. Oh Heaven have mercy on us have mercy on us 2 Coun. Oh Heaven have mercy on us have mercy on us 1 Soul Now Rogues how do you like Rebellion 2. Soul Come hang 'em whilst there is a Tree to spare They are almost all bespoke Drumb beats Enter a Scout Scout To Armes to Armes Warwick is coming All 3. Warwick Arme Arm Arm. Ex. Enter Richard Warwick Souldiers Ric. Oh horrid spectacle See here my Lord War The Queen is planting in your Fathers Lands An Orchard for the Devil Ric. I will dung this Orchard With the blood of those that planted it I have a Spirit in this crooked Trunck Stands like a keeper in a hollow Tree Ready with bended bow to shoot fat Deer And down goe's thou thy Henry all thy Race I 'll not leave killing 'till I 've built my Father A monument of Bones and Sculls of Enemies That shall o'relook th' Aegyptian Pyramids Oh that my Brother Edward now were come War Till his Troops come we cannot fight the Enemy For they are above thirty thousand strong And we scarce twelve Enter Edward a Woman Ric. What do I see I think I see him there pray look my Lord and tell me Now I am sure 't is he for there 's a Woman Oh! we are ruin'd for I will be damn'd If he has not been with her
Guards the Scaffold but she hates the Office And will e're long let Rebels have their own I 'm going All you of Plantagenets Race My comfort is in death I kill'd your Father Fall's Enter Edward George Richard Warwick Ed. Now the great cause is come to its decision Are any Troops gone to pursue the Queen On her tame Henry's fortune does depend As the Seas ebb and flow does on the Moon War Yes I took care o' that Rich My chief care was To hunt the bloudy Clifford but I cou'd not Find him among the living or the dead War I thought you set death's mark so deep upon him Death cou'd not miss him Geo. Fortune at us all Play'd him to day but when he was in danger Snatch'd him away again as who shou'd say When I have lost this card my game is gone Cl. Oh! Groans Ed. What Soul is that that takes her heavy leave See who it is and be he Friend or Enemy Use him with mercy Ric. No 't is bloody Clifford Ed. Clifford War Clifford Geo. Clifford Rich. He 's dead oh that he had but life And sense enough to see and hear and know us That we might scoff him as he did our Father Ric. Damn him he counterfeits to shun our taunts Clifford you know me ask me mercy Clifford I am the Son of your dear Friend Plantagenet I 'll pity you for you did pity Rutland Geo. No answer prithee swear as thou wast wont War He 's dead I 'm certain if he does not swear Cl. Damnation on you all Ed. He Curses he Curses War Then there is hopes of him Ed. 'T was his last Prayer Off with his Head and place it on the pinacle Where the bold bloudy Slave durst place our Fathers War Now let the Trumpets proclaim Edward King A Flourish of Trumpets Trum. Long live Edward the fourth King of England and France And Lord of Ireland a Shout War Now march to London Sir I will to France About the Marriage you so much approved of With the fair Lady Bona that Queens Sister Ed. Oh! thou hast made me much in love with her And all Relations have encreas'd my Passion War Sir She 's the fairest Creature in the Woorld And in that Marriage you will not only Have a fair bedfellow for your delight But that great King your friend for your security Ed. I cannot marry better haste away War I 'm glad of this I have secur'd my Mistress Aside Some days ago as you commanded me I did dispatch an Envoy to King Lewis To make the offer and he seem'd unwilling Not knowing what th' event of War wou'd be But now I with the Sword that conquer'd Henry Will go my self Embassador and try If a French King dare's deny any thing To an English conquering Sword Ed. Oh! thou hast given me A Crown give me this Beauty and thou art A God to me thy gifts are all divine Geo. My life too on his bounty does depend War Is it in me to give you happiness Geo. Yes if a Father can bestow a Daughter War I shall be very proud you will accept her Geo. I shall be very happy to attain her War She shall be yours if the King give consent Ed. My Brother cou'd not have oblig'd me more Than in this choice War Then she 's at his devotion Geo. Then I 'm a happy man Ed. The Earl of Warwick Is the good Angel of our Family Ric. Of what strange stuff so different from my Brothers Am I made they are all-over love I have appetite but not one grain of Love Ed. Thou art not of a mould for love to grow in Men plant not flowers in a Kitchen garden Well Brother I create you Duke of Clarence You Brother Richard I make Duke of Gloucester Ric. I do not like the Title it is ominous Ed. A foolish observation War Royal Sir I 'll take my leave Ed. Success attend thy Embassy Ex. Geo. I 'll take my leave Ed. Success attend your love Ex. Scene a Chamber Enter Lady Grey and her Woman La. Gr. King Henry beaten poor unfortunate King I and my Children are all ruin'd with him The conquerors will seize my Husbands lands War Madam the greatest Conquerour is your Friend The Earl of Warwick he 'll preserve your Fortune Yes and advance 'em if you 'l give him leave La. Gr. Name not that insolent great man I hate him Enter a Page Pa Madam the Earl of Warwick's coming up La. Gr. He coming up how knows he I am here Pa. His Servants learnt it accidentally Enter Earl of Warwick War So near fair Widow and my beating pulses And quivering flesh give me no notice of it For the kind needle never fails to tremble When it approaches it 's beloved Pole What have you paid formality her wages And turn'd off that old Governess of Women Have you yet dryed your eyes and drawn your Curtains Is the Son good enough to be admitted o you If so I hope his humble kindred may For I am near a-kin to him in heat In short you shall be mine if I can give Others a Crown I 'll give my self a wife La. Gr. If you were serious as I think you are not You give me a brave occasion to revenge My Husbands blood and your affronts to me By making you unhappy in a Wife War Were you the first of Widows that talk'd thus I must confess I think 't wou'd damp my courage But when this is the constant language spoke In the dark shady Land of Vailes and mourning Shou'd I be scar'd I were as rank a fool As the dull Heroe that shou'd leave a pleasant Country he conquer'd ' cause the people speak A strange odd Language you are a conquer'd Province And you may keep your Language and your Customs But I will have the Government and Tribute La. Gr. My Lord I have affairs of greater consequence Then this fond talk and so your humble Servant War So have not I and therefore you shall stay La. Gr. What do you mean my Lord War I mean my Lady To marry you this day enjoy you this night La. Gr. My Lord I tell you plainly I do not love you War All 's one I tell you plainly I will have you I know you are a woman of great virtue And time will file away these rugged humours But if it do not though your soul be rough Your body will be smooth your Cheeks be soft Your eyes be sparkling and your lips be tempting And more perhaps might make me mad with love Ho! call a Parson La. Gr. Now my Lord VVar. Ay! now La. Gr. What and my Husband dyed so very lately War What then what has the dead to do with us La. Gr. I 'll rather go a begging with my Children War Come leave this fooling by this kiss you shall La. Gr. I 'll dye e're suffer all this barb'rous rudeness War VVell thou art a most beauteous Creature I 'm going now Embassadour for France I
'll let thee keep thy humour one month more But then at my return be sure I find thee Divorc'd from sorrow and the dead for ever Give not one sigh or to the dead or living Sigh thou for any Man alive but me And though a King he had better be a slave Sigh for the dead I 'll tear him from his Grave Ex La. Gr. What shall I do for I abhor this man What comes into my thoughts is it not said King Edward for we now must call him so Lodges to night at his own Neighb'ring Castle Wom. Yes Madam La. Gr. I 'm inform'd he is a Prince Of a most noble Nature I 'm resolv'd To fling my self in sorrow at his Feet And beg him to have pity on my Children What e're their Father was they are not his Enemies And if I can obtain their Father's Lands Then I shall ' scape this man I so much hate Ex. Scene a Room of State Enter Edward Richard Guards Ed. The Scituation of this Castle pleases me Rich. But Sir not me for I 'm afraid it stands Too near a Beauty that once stopt your way And I 'm afraid will do it once again Ed. Women are moving Creatures and may follow us Rich. Pardon my confidence I love to serve My Friends as boldly as I fight my Enemies Ed. You say well Brother and I 'll promise you Nothing shall stay me here beyond this night Enter a Lord. Lord. A Lady Sir desires to kiss your hands Ric. A Lady Pox o' Ladies he is tinder To every Lady and will catch new fire Enter Lady Grey and her Women She kneels kisses King Edward's hand he raises her and Salutes her Rich. A very lovely woman he is ruin'd Ed. I ne're had Eyes or my eyes ne're saw beauty Till this amazing minute Ric. So he 's gone Any one may have London now that will La. Gr. Sir I present you humbly the petition Kneels again and the King gazes Of a poor Widow and her little Orphans I am the Widow of one Sir John Grey Who in S. Alban's Battel lost his life In the defence of him we thought our King If my poor Husband's Loyalty did err He dearly for that fatal error paid My humble prayer is that my poor Orphans May not be punish'd for their Fathers Faults If erring Loyalty can be a fault Ed. I am so rapt I mind not what she say Nor that she is all this while upon her knees Pray Madam rise leave us To the Attendants Ric. So she I find Must grant a thing before her thing be granted Ex. Ed. Had you a Husband Madam did you say La. Gr. Yes Sir I had one at S. Alban's Battel His Name was Sir John Grey Ed. Oh happy man What excellence had he above mankind That he shou'd be more blest than all mankind And have you Children La. Gr. Many poor young Orphans Ed. Oh! wondrous happy man t' enjoy this Woman I must inquire about her I was never Aside Never so charm'd before My Lord come hither Pray do you know this Lady Lord. Yes Sir well She is the Widow of Sir John Grey of Grooby A man of Quality and great Estate But a most vehement Lancastrian Ed. No matter of what Family is she Lord. Her quality does far exceed her Husbands And yet her Virtue does exceed her quality She is the Daughter of Sir Richard Woodvile Her Mother was sometimes Dutchesse of Bedford Ed. Dutchesse of Bedford Ha! Lord. Dutchesse of Bedford And Daughter of the Earl of S. Pool Ed. Of noble birth and by her Mothers side Related to the house of Lancaster Lord. She is by Marriage Sir that was the cause That Sir John Grey was such a fierce Lancastrian Ed. She has Beauty she has Virtue she has Birth Aside Why may not this fair Lady be a Queen But she 's a Subject England will not like it And th' English Nation like the Sea it governs Is bold and turbulent and easily mov'd And always beats against the shore that bounds it What is the people free and not the King Not free where every Slave is free his bed Yes so it is it seems and English fury Will easily with any wind be rais'd To dash the Palaces and Beds of Kings Come what come will this Lady shall be mine She shall be or my Mistress or my Wife What was it Madam you desir'd o' me La. Gr. To give poor Orphans Sir their Father's Lands Ed. Heaven forbid I shou'd retain 'em from ' em La. Gr. Then Sir with humble thanks I take my leave Ed. Hold Madam for I must have one word more I must impose a Tax upon this Land La. Gr. It shall be thankfully and gladly paid Ed. It will I 'm sure more gladly be receiv'd It is an easie Tax no more but Love La. Gr. No Loyal Subjects Sir but love their King Ed. But this is love that none but you can grant La. Gr. I do not understand your meaning Sir Ed. Truly I scarcely understand my self For I have gaz'd my self out of my Reason La. Gr. With your permission Sir I 'll take my leave Ed. Oh! you shall never never part from me La. Gr. VVhat do you mean Sir Ed. I mean all the Love E're was or can be in the heart of man La. Gr. Love Sir Ed. Ay Love La. Gr. I dare not understand you Because I dare not think ill of my Prince Ed. Can there be ill in Love there will be all The happiness to me glory to you Your heart and mine can possibly desire Why do you tremble and draw back your hand You must not shall not stir till you have granted What all this languishing and pressing means La. Gr. Oh! I shall swoon wou'd I had ne're come here Sir I thus low most humbly beg of you Let it suffice your conquering armes have seiz'd My Husbands life your laws have seiz'd his Lands Seek not to take my honour and my Vertue I never fought against you ne're oppos'd you Ed. I wrong her beauty it deserves a Crown Asidâ— â—very look claims a Kingdom as it 's due â—nd I who gain'd my right shou'd not wrong others â—adam I mean nothing but honour to you â— am resolv'd to make you Queen of England La. Gr. Now Sir you mean dishonour to your self â— am as much unworthy to be Queen â—s I'm above serving an ill design Ed. Rather the crown's unworthy of your Beauty La. Gr. It is impossible you shou'd descend â—o such mean thoughts Ed. It is impossible â— shou'd have happiness without your Love â— had rather with your Love be your dead Husband Than with your hatred be a living King La. Gr. I lately wish'd I never had come here â—or my own sake I wish it now for yours â—h think Sir what will all your Subjects say Ed. They 'l say I am in Love La. Gr. But will they not â—e much displeas'd their Prince shou'd love so low Ed. I give them leave to chuse
where they like best â—hy shou'd I be the only man impos'd on La. Gr. But I 'm a Widow and have many Children Ed. And I have Children too though I 'm a Batchelour 〈◊〉 we are tryed and shall be sure of Heirs La. Gr. But you have sent to Court a foreign Princesse â—ay bring your Kingdom great advantages Ed. Then set my Kingdom go and marry her La. Gr. Consider you may enrage the Earl of Warwick Ed. He is my Friend and Servant not my Guardian La. Gr. But Sir they say you are promis'd to another Ed. When I 'm a priest I will do penance for it La. Gr. I am afraid you 'l lose your Subjects love Ed. Why shou'd I lose their love by loving Subjects La. Gr. But you have many Subjects of more Beauty Ed. My Subjects if they please may marry ' em â— give them freedom and I 'll take my own â— take it too this minute La. Gr. At first sight â—ou'l think me Sir immodest shou'd I grant Ed. A King is above forms I 'll have it so â—â—en come away La. Gr. What in this Mourning habit Ed. I marry not your habit but your self La. Gr. The world will much condemn you Sir Ed. I care not I had rather live a minute in your Armes Than many ages in the praise of Fools Enter a Gentleman Gent. Most happy tydings Sir Henry your Enemy Wandring alone disguis'd in homely habit Was taken by the Keepers of the Forrest As he was reading in shady Covert Ed. Good news indeed where is he bring him to me Enter King Henry in a poor habit brought in by a Couple of Forresters Why how now Henry in this humble dress Hen. Insult not Edward over my misfortunes But from this garb in which thou scarce canst know me Learn thou to know thy self for in my fall Heaven humbles every King as well as me Ed. Henry I pity thee thou dost not suffer For thy own Crimes but those of thy usurping And trayterous Ancestours To London with him And keep him a close Prisoner in the Tower But let him there command all things but Liberty Ex. Hen. with a guard How all my happinesses flow together A Crown upon my Head my chiefest Enemy Under my Feet and Beauty in my Armes Ex. Enter Richard Ric. What 's this a Chaplain call'd for he is mad He 'll marry her and marry at first sight Marry a Subject nay and a mean Subject Nay the poor wretched leavings of a Subject A Widow and the Widow of a Knight I fear this Marriage will enrage the Kingdom But I fear more the furious Warwick's Rage Whose haughty temper will not bear the affront Of being sent on a mock-Embassy Now though I 'd have him fight him have him kill him Kill both my Brothers if he 'd set up me But that he cannot do for he must fight In Henry's Name and so must set up Henry He 's not far from hence I 'll after him And for my own sake I will pacify him And let the King mean while finish his marriage For I wou'd have him finish it because I 'm told he has another Wife if so The Children of this Marriage must be Bastards Then when I 've kill'd Henry and his Son And by some Arts destroy'd my Brother Clarence The King once dead I 'll Bastardize his Children Then am I King but some will say by Villany That 's Villany that by it's ill success Betray 's a man and into ruin throws When once it gains a Crown it vertue grows Ex. The Scene a Chapel Edward and Lady Grey A Priest Attendants The solemnity ended Enter Lady Elianor Butler La. El. Ha! is it so and can the news be true It cannot be I 'll not believe my Eyes I 'll know the truth King Edward Ed. Lady Elianor La. El. My heart 's so full I cannot speak to him Ha! is he shunning me Nay then he 's guilty What is the cause King Edward you wou'd shun me Am I so strangely chang'd since I last saw you You cannot bear my sight Ed. No surely Madam You are not alter'd for the worse I 'm certain And for the better 't is impossible La. El. Oh! Sir your passion 's dead and you are weaving Garlands of fine expressions for it's Funeral If my small beauty were extreamly improv'd I were a horrid sight to thee an Angel Is a most dreadful Vision to a sinner La. Gr. Who is this Ed. One your beauty Triumphs over La. El. Come to the Bar and answer me great sinner What dost thou with this wretched Woman here How far hast thou undone thy Soul and her I 'm told thou hast sinn'd with her even to Marriage Thou durst not do it sure say is it true Ed. Madam I must confess 't is very true La. El. How is it true Ed. Yes Madam it is true La. El. What after all the Oaths thou hast sworn to me Ed. Beauties like palaces have several ways Of access to 'em I believ'd those Oaths A form of speaking which did please you best What form o' damning in do you expect The lowest place in Hell Ed. Rather a place Among the Saints of the Old Testament La. El. Yes Jewish Saints but pray will Christian Saintship Admit such things Ed. Oh! yes I when I please Can have a dispensation from his Holiness La El. What then his Holiness will be your pardon A very excellent office for a Pope To be the Universal Bawd of Christendom A very excellent Shepherd that will give His sheep a dispensation to be rotten Ed. Well you shall be my fair Confessor then I 'll own my sins to you and ask your pardon La. El. And dost thou hope to have it Ed. I will give you Any other satisfaction La. El. What thy blood Do kill thy self I swear I 'll pardon thee Ed. I wou'd do much for that but I wou'd live A little while to mend and to repent La. El. Would'st thou repent oh I will pray thou mayst Oh may heaven lash thee with so many plagues May fill thee and surround thee with repentance I will not curse this most unhappy VVoman For she alas is curst enough in thee Poor VVoman he has gull'd thee horridly For he has only pick'd the name of wife Out of my Marriage sheet's to hide thy shame with As for his love in which thou think'st thee happy 'T is like a Green-land-Summer short and hot And whilst it lasts 't is day all smiling day But soon he goes to visit other provinces But oh he never like the Sun returns Farewel poor wretch pitied not envied by me Thou think'st we part with very different fortunes I go to sorrow and thou stay'st with joy Alas I leave thee but in a fools paradise Ex And very shortly we shall meet in Bedlam La. Gr. Oh Sir I like not this this is an ill Beginning o' this day Ed. VVhy so my Love That 's well begun that is begun with sacrifice She is thy
your title Good when your very Enemies proclaim it Hen. I find it's Heav'ns will that I shou'd Reign My noble Friends let me embrace you both My Lord of Warwick you are fortunate I must beg you to rule for I 'm afraid My thwarting Stars will blast this blessed Land War Your Majesty is wise to foresee evils And good that you wou'd save your people from ' em Here stands a Prince most worthy of command Geo. The world has not more worth than th' Earl of Warwick Hen. Give me your hands I joyn you both together I make you both Protectors of the Kingdom Rule you while I wait only on devotion Qu. So now my Son thy inheritance is safe Pr. May I be happy in my Mistress too Qu. Yes if the King consent Hen. With all my heart War The Marriages shall then be both this minute Hen. VVith whom is Edward trusted War With my Brother The Arch-bishop of York Geo. I 'm told he gives him liberty To hunt and let 's him go out slender guarded War I will have that reform'd in the mean while We openly will proclaim Edward a Traytour And seize his Lands Geo. Let 's guard this City well He has friends here chiefly among the Women And they rule men Scene London Enter Edward Richard disguis'd Ed. Usurping Henry and false changing Warwick Little think certain ruin is so near ' em Ric. I cannot tell what absolution The Priest of York may give his Brother Warwick For all his horrid perjury's and Treason's Warwick will give him none for your escape Ed. I shou'd be sorry if mine host th' Arch-bishop For all his civil entertainment of me Shou'd have his reck'ning paid him with an Ax. Ric. So ' shou'd I too for if instead of giving you The publick Freedom which you had to hunt He had confin'd you to Domitians chace Only to hunt flyes in a bedchamber You had not now been here to hunt his Brother Well Sir Go you to all your City Friends I 'll to the Court I have intelligence How I may easily surprize your Enemies If it be feazible I 'll venture on it Ex The Scene a Chapel Prince George their Brides and a Priest at the Altar near 'em King Henry Queen Warwick Guards Attendants A Shout Enter an Officer Off. Arm Arm Arm Lord Edward's in the City War Thou art mad Off. I wish I were I say Lord Edward Is in the City War In the Womens hearts Off. No in the head of Troops of men and Women There 's nothing that can get a Pike or Spit But cry they 'l live and dye by brave King Edward Richard is with him they are all marching hither War Oh! good Arch-bishop You are a faithful Brother We are very wise to trust our souls with priests When their own Brothers cannot trust their heads with 'em I know this Trayt'rous Priest has sold my head To Edward for th' Archbishoprick of Canterbury Hen. Do not too rashly censure an Archbishop Edward might ' scape by wiles War How cheat a Priest Then he deserves the Kingdom for his cunning Do you think it is easie to cheat priests Who by the help but of some barbarous words As Entity Vnity Verity Bonity Quiddity Quantity Quality Causality Have conjur'd all you Kings out of their Kingdoms And Edward cheat a Priest Who let a VVidow cheat him of his Kingdom Oh! but you 'll say a VVoman cheated Adam But Priests cheat women cheat 'em too of things Dear to 'em as their lives their bawdy secrets They make S. Peter's Keys Open all Italian locks enough of prating I 'll go beat Edward and then hang my Brother My Lord Draw up your Troops you Sir stay here To K. Hen. You are unfortunate I do not care To have your curs'd Stars among my men Ex. Qu. I 'll follow and do you Son leave your Bride And go with us for I 'm resolv'd to see thee Heir to the Crown or dying at my Feet Ex. Pr. Fear nothing Love I shall return victorious Your Royal blessing Kneels to the King Hen. VVhat sad divining thoughts are these within me Pr. Oh Sir why do you weep Hen. For thee my Son I 'm bound in duty to thy soul to tell thee Something from Heaven suggests our deaths are near Thou first must dye I must behold the loss Of all that 's dear to me and then must dye Pr. Oh Sir Hen. 'T is so we never in this world Must meet again Pr. Oh how shall I be able To fight when e're I see the enemy My King and Father wounds me to the heart See my Love 's weeping too I 'm shot o' both sides And in my heart the deadly Arrows meet I 'll rather run among the Enemies Swords Than here be kill'd with sorrow by my Friends Ex. Geo. So now will I go joyn my Brother Edward Aside I am secure of Warwick's beautious daughter Now let the Devil take Warwick and his Treason He made me take that brass Coin with his Daughter But I will pay him the damn'd portion back again He made me swear he 'll say but war 's a game And so is Love and Gamesters Oaths are nothing My Brothers Souldiers are got in the palace An Alarm They seek their Enemies but shall find Friends Ex. An Alarm Enter Richard George Souldiers and seize Henry and the Women Ric. How now thou Traytour thou unnatural Traytor Geo. Thou wrong'st me I am as Loyal as thy self VVhat I have done was only in design To gain this beauty and now she is mine My Loyalty is mine Ric. Can this be true Geo. Thou saw'st it true thou saw'st I fought for thee Ric. Thou didst but I believ'd it was thy Cowardize That made thee now betray thy Friend as lust Made thee betray thy Brother Geo. It is false And if I don't appear to day in Battel As valiant and as Loyal as thy self I 'll kill my self Ric. Do that and I 'll embrace thee But let 's away our Royal Brother wants us Ex. The Scene the Field Enter VVarwick Queen Prince guards Qu. Oh! cursed Traytour why wou'd you e're trust One that was always false War I was bewitch'd To trust a man who had betray'd his Brother Pr. My Fathers words now sink into my breast He said at parting we shou'd never meet On Earth again War VVell if the Villains murder him I will revenge his bloud and make you King VVhen e're I went to work to make a King I ne're yet fail'd whatever stuff I had But hark the Traytors come let us fall on Ex. Trumpets An Alarm Enter Edward Enter Lady Elianor in mans habit La. El. Turn this way Edward here 's an Enemy Thirsts for thy bloud La. El. and Ed. Fight La. El. falls Ed. VVhat bold young man is this Thou art dispatch'd I wonder who thou art La. El. Look on me well see if thou dost not know me Ed. May I believe my eyes La. El. Thou may'st King Edward They speak more
to visit too Ex. Scene a Room in the Tower Henry Sleeping Enter the Ghost of Richard the Second Gh. Wake Henry wake to weep then sleep for ever Thy Kingdom 's gone thy only son is kill'd A Dagger is preparing for thy Bosom And when thy bloud is shed my bloud will sleep I 'm that King Richard whom thy Grandfather Depos'd and murder'd and both long and loud My bloud for vengeance call'd and vengeance had First in the wounded Conscience of thy Grandfather Whom all the Royal Oyntment cou'd not heal He liv'd in trouble and he dy'd with horror And next on the short life of thy great Father Who liv'd no longer than to beget thee Who hast lost all the glories of thy Father And dost inherit nothing but the curses Due to thy Grand-father nor doe's the storm Of vengeance only fall on the Usurpers But on the Souls and miserable Race Of all the Traytors and the Fools that Flatter'd Thy Grandfather's successful Villany Who did not know Kings cannot dye alone And now their names are rotting Children dying Their Houses burnt on Earth their Souls in Hell Grin at your Grandfathers you dying wretches Cover'd all o're with shame and dust and bloud For this Estate their Villany conveigh'd you Th' ascending dirty Vapours of the Earth Breed all the storms i th' Ayr. When e're Oh! England Thou hast a mind to see thy Cities fir'd Thy people slaughter'd and thy Country desolate Send all the dirty Traytours in the Kingdom To climb the Royal Rights and Throne invade Then a high road for vast destruction's made The Ghost goes out and enters with soft Musick one clad in a white Robe Spir. Let not this frightful Vision pious Henry Disturb thy gentle Soul it is not rais'd To breed a storm now thou art near thy Haven Rather to calm the Tempest in thy mind By pointing to thee on what dismal Rock Thy Kingdom and thy life are cast away The bloudy usurpation of thy Grandfather The Crown of England is not made of Clay The Common people so can ne're be crumbled Into that dirt 't is not compos'd if it Nor made of Iron the Sword so cannot rust But of unmingled solid lasting Gold Of Antient Rights and 't is the gift of Heav'n Therefore to Heaven only can be forfeited Therefore 't is call'd Imperial and Sacred And therefore carefully rail'd in by Laws And torn will be his sacrilegious hand Who has no Right to it and yet dares reach it And dares presumptuously pretend a Right Because he stands upon the peoples heads Such was the bold Ambition of thy Grandfather And heav'n frowns upon his Sins not thee Then do not think thy self unkindly us'd Religious Henry that Heaven takes away What is not thine all that is truly thine Thou shalt not part with but for great advantages Thy Son is taken from thee here to live with thee Above for ever thou shalt lose thy life Only to exchange it for Eternity Lose humble quiet for exalted Joy A taste of which wafted in Heavenly Harmony Pure as this lower drossy air admits I bring thee down to raise thy Spirits high A SONG Sung by Spirits to King Henry as he lies asleep COme Heavenly Spirits comforts bring To the most miserable thing Can be on Earth a Ruin'd King As all the Joyes on Earth Vnite To make his prosp'rous Fortune bright So every woe to shade his Night He has but one poor Joy the Grave A thing that 's free to every Slave And that with ease he cannot have For Daggers Swords and Poyson lye To guard his Tomb and make him buy With pain the wretched ease to dye But comfort Prince thy death is near For Dead thou hast no more to fear A fallen Monarchs Hell is here To Fortune he can nothing owe For all that e're she did bestow He payes again in heavy woe They Vanish and Henry wakes Hen. What have I seen and heard Oh! come my murderers And set me forwards on my way to Heaven Whilst I 've such rich provisions for my journey Enter Richard and the Keeper Here comes my murderer less horrid to me In bringing Death than bringing to my sight The horrid Author of my sweet Son's deâ— For so in dream it was reveal'd to me My bloudy Grandfather destroy'd King Richard And now a bloudy Richard destroys me Ric. Go leave us to our selves we must confer Hen. What bloudy Scene has Roscius now to Act Ric. Do you suspect me fear haunt's guilty minds The Thief thinks every bush an Officer Hen. The Bird that sees the Bush where once it self Was lim'd and it 's sweet young lim'd caught and kill'd Cannot but hover round it with misdoubt Ric. What an aspiring Fool was he of Creet VVho taught his Son the office of a Fowl And drown'd the Boy by teaching him to fly Hen. Indeed my Boy was Icarus thy Brother Edward the Sun that did dissolve his wings And thou the gulph that swallowed up his life But many a thousand wretched Father more And many an Orphans water-standing eye And many a Widows Groan and old man's Sigh Shall rue the Hour that ever thou wast born When thou wast born nature by horrid signes Gave notice to the world of coming Mischief The Birds of night did shrieke and cry to tell That Hour there was a Child of darkness born Winds blew down Trees as hell were making gallowses Thy mother had a kind of Hellish pain As She had been in labour of a Devil Thy legs came first and thou wert born with Teeth And cam'st to bite Ric. I 'll hear no more dye Prophet Stabs Hen. For this among the rest I was ordain'd Hen. I and for much more slaughter after this Heaven forgive me my sins and thee this murder Ric. Thou didst say truth I came with my legs forward Into the World but 't was to o're take thee And all that stand between the Crown and me Enter the Lieutenant Ric. What noise is that Lieu. The King is coming Sir And all the Court with him to see the Prisoner And comfort him the King intends to keep His Court here till his Coronation Rich. Nay then I must be gone he will be angry At what I 've done Ex. Enter Edward George â—â—â—â—n Guard Ed. Where is your prisoner Lieu. He 's murder'd Ed. Murder'd Oh! thou blâ—â—dy Villain Durst thou do this when I commanded thee To give him all Princely respect and usage Lieu. Sir on my knees I do beseech you hear me Your Brother my Lord Richard came to visit him And was left with him by his own command And now he 's fled that none but he coâ—'d do this deed Geo. Sir I believe him this is like my Brother Ed. Heaven to his crooked shape has bent his soul He was design'd for mischief and thrust forward Unfinish'd in the World to lose no time And I believe if we don't watch him narrowly He 'l make no scruple to use us as rudely For crowding rudely into the world before him But I believe I 'm safe England by this time Has had enough of Rebels and Usurpers I fancy now the Sons of those poor Gentlemen Those honest foolish cheated Gentlemen Who did turn Rebels but they meant no harm Who fought their King slaughter'd their Friends and Kinsmen Destroy'd their Country but they meant no harm And for reward had all their houses burn'd Their Wives and Daughters ravished their lands seiz'd And themselves knock'd o' th' head but meant no harm I say I fancy their unhappy Off-spring Will prove exceeding honest Loyal Subjects For by their Fathers Ruine they have learnt VVit Geo. That 's all a Nation gets by Civil War Ed. Yes with the Prodigal thâ—â—â—rn 't is better Obeying their Kings the Fathers of their Country Than run and wast their Fortune and their Liberties And do the drudgeries of proud Usurpers Who will perhaps set 'em to keep their Swine And after a long beggery and slavery Return with shame and sorrow to their Loyalty Take up the Body of that unfortunate Prince I will bestow Royal interrement on it His and the Kingdom 's dreadful Ruines prove A Monarch's Right is an unshaken Rock No storms of War nor time can wear away And Wracks those Pirates that come there for prey Ex. EPILOGUE TO 〈…〉 How pall'd 〈…〉 He 〈…〉 Damn 〈…〉 So naustous 〈…〉 All the delights 〈…〉 No â—on 〈…〉 â—hen sinners â—ow devout they 〈…〉 The Nation of 〈…〉 That in vile 〈…〉 The ayd of Rascals for 〈…〉 Is in a malady 〈…〉 As the young Spark who 〈…〉 scorn'd Grown deadly sick is a Fanatick turn'd And beg in his o' Paper 〈◊〉 and down The Prayers of all the 〈…〉 Oh! we are sick at least our 〈…〉 England is ne're devout 〈…〉 Our Fathers to their cost 〈…〉 And small things will make mad men fight you know Oh! what a Bedlam o◠〈◊〉 this sweet place When graceless Rogues did â—ight about free grace And wilful Fool wou'd 〈…〉 His bloud who durst say 〈◊〉 had a free-will Of all our Civil 〈…〉 shewn To day our Nation with least 〈◊〉 may own For Subjects then for loyalty did â—ight And Princes to maintain 〈…〉 Yeâ—â—hosâ— rich Ornaments 〈…〉 From gracing that fowl 〈…〉 How ugly then 〈…〉 With 〈◊〉 before but 〈…〉 Such a poor Nation 〈…〉 Those two wou'd ride 〈…〉 Devil Learn then by what 〈…〉 To keep your wit 〈…〉 Better at Dice to throw away your 〈◊〉 Your time at 〈…〉 Than by damâ—◠〈◊〉 bloudy strife 〈◊〉 No one knows 〈…〉 by the Rent Have your 〈…〉 plunder'd and your brains bear 〈◊〉 And dye like Jâ—suites to by the 〈…〉 FINIS
shou'd I think that they love cutting Throats They cou'd not find it such a pleasant business 1. Mur. They love to cut the throat of a vile Heretick 3. Mur. How do I know Duke Humphry is a Heretick 2. Mur. The Cardinal says he is one 3. Mur. How if the Cardinal Shou'd be mistaken 1. Mur. He will answer for it 3. Mur. And so he shall for I 'me an honest Fellow And if to kill Duke Humphry be a sin I 'le either lay it at the Cardinal's door Or put it on the high dutch Lady's score Ex. Mur. Enter Cardinal and three Murderers Card. So you have all sworn at the holy Altars Now have a care don't let your Consciences Fool you to flinch with fear e're it is done Or to repent and tell it when 't is done If so you are trebly Damn'd 1. Mur. I warrant your Grace Card. Believe your Priests and not your Consciences For Priests are to direct your Consciences Your Consciences are silly false corrupt 2 Mur. Oh! hang my Conscience Sir I ne're regarded it 3 Mur. May I be bold to ask your Grace one question Card. Ay prethee do 3 Mur. Suppose a Priest an 't please you Mistake and I shou'd sin by his command Will he be damn'd for me and shall I escape Card. A Priest mistake Sirrah were you ne're catechis'd That you are ignorant of First Principles 1 Mur. Why look you now you will be asking questions Card. The Church cannot mistake the Church is infallible 3 Mur. Pray Sir an 't please you how shall I know that Card. How shall you know it Sirrah The Church tells you so 2 Mur. Prethee give over don't stand asking questions 3 Mur. How shall I know the Church tells true an 't please you Card. The Church I say Sirrah is Infallible 3 Mur. How shall I know the Church is so Infallible Card. Why I say Sirrah the Church tells you so 3 Mur. But how shall I be certain it tells true 1 Mur. What a strange man is this we must dismiss him Car. Be certain this is a damn'd Rogue a Heretick Sirrah don't you believe the Church I 'le burn you 2 Mur. So so you have brought your self into a fine pickle 3 Mur. Oh! yes Sir I believe 1 Mur. Oh! do you so 2 Mur. 'T is time you shou'd 3 Mur. I only did make bold to ask some questions To know some things that I was ignorant of Card. Why there was your mistake you are not to Know You are only to do what a Priest bids you Priests only are to know you are to know nothing Except your duty and the reward that follows it Your duty now is to destroy a Traytor Yes and a Heretick 3 Mur. I 'le do 't an 't please you 1 Mur. Your Grace may trust him he is an honest Fellow Only a little troublesome with scruples 2 Mur. Which way Sir had we best to kill the Duke Card. Which way it shall please Heaven to inspire you Stay let me see Strangling I think were best Ay strangling strangling 't will give least suspition And make the World believe Grief broke his heart For so we will give out 1 Mur. We 'l do 't an 't please you I have a Handkerchief fit for the purpose Card. Open the door go to him go go quickly The Scene is drawn the Duke of Glocester sitting and reading in his Night-Gown Card. Ha! he 's awake and up you two go hold him Softly to the Mur. And get him down whilst the other strangles him Gl. Ha! Who is that opens the door 2 Mur. The Cardinal's Servants an 't please your Grace Gl. And what 's your business 1 Mur. The Cardinal saw your Light burning so late And was afraid your Grace was indispos'd And sent to know if your Grace wanted any thing And gave us strict command to wait upon you Gl. He is grown wondrous kind I am afraid He 's ill for this is not his natural temper He guesses right of me I 'm ill indeed A heaviness like Death oppresses me I cannot get my thoughts out of a Grave I fear not Death it self why shou'd a dream And empty shadow of it then oppress me Card. So get behind him now whilst he is musing Aside Gl. If wicked men be digging now my Grave And these cold Terrors be fore-running damps Oh! Heaven prepare me for it 3 Mur. How he prays Aside 2 Mur. What if he does What are a Hereticks prayers Aside Gl. Let all my sins drop from me in these Tears 3 Mur. How penitent he is my Soul relents The Devil take this cursed want of Money Aside Gl. If e're my Person Greatness or Authority Did injure any one forgive the fault And in the bosome of the injur'd person Pour down a thousand blessings Above all things Preserve the King from all his Enemies If I by Wickedness and Falshood perish Oh! give my bloody Enemies repentance And let my Death be an occasion Of good to them but ruine to their wickedness 3 Mur. Heark how he prays for us that are his murderers Aside 1 Mur. What if he does he is a Heretick His Prayers are Curses we are the worse for e'm Aside Card. Why don't you do your work Aside 3 Mur. We will we will Aside Gl. So shall I do more good in Death than Life And by my innocent Death procure a Blessing To my good King my Country all my Enemies They lay hold on the Duke and strangle him Card. So Is he dead yet 2 Mur. Yes he does not stir Enter the Duke of Suffolk Suff. Ho! What 's the News Card. The deed is done my Lord. Suff. Have you dispatch'd the thing 1 Mur. We have done his business Suff. Thou art a gallant Rogue there 's Gold for thee And for you all Card. A Rogue my Lord you wrong him He is a Saint and so are they all 3 Mur. A Saint Aside Devil take such Saints I wou'd this deed were to be done again My Family shou'd starve e're I wou'd do it Card. I hear a noise without 3 Mur. A noise without I 'me sure I hear a cursed noise within me A bawling Conscience Card. Place the Body some way As may give least suspition and be gone And come another time for your rewards They place the Body in a Chair shut the Scene and Ex. Enter the King and Queen Attendants Qu. What brings your Majesty abroad so early You â—o not use to finish your Devotion So soon as this King Oh! Love I am not well My Uncle is always walking in my mind And shakes the melancholy Room with fear Methinks he tells me I have not done well To give him up to his too cruel Enemies To men who are not such as they shou'd be Qu. Why Sir have you so great mistrust of e'm King I wish I had no cause I 've sent Commands to e'm To bring my Uncle to me presently Enter the Cardinal Had you my message my Lord Cardinal Card. Yes