The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Part 197

YORK. And, Nevil, this I do a.s.sure myself, Richard shall live to make the Earl of Warwick The greatest man in England but the King. Exeunt

SCENE III.

London. A hall of justice

Sound trumpets. Enter the KING and State: the QUEEN, GLOUCESTER, YORK, SUFFOLK, and SALISBURY, with guard, to banish the d.u.c.h.eSS. Enter, guarded, the d.u.c.h.eSS OF GLOUCESTER, MARGERY JOURDAIN, HUME, SOUTHWELL, and BOLINGBROKE

KING HENRY. Stand forth, Dame Eleanor Cobham, Gloucester's wife: In sight of G.o.d and us, your guilt is great; Receive the sentence of the law for sins Such as by G.o.d's book are adjudg'd to death.

You four, from hence to prison back again; From thence unto the place of execution: The witch in Smithfield shall be burnt to ashes, And you three shall be strangled on the gallows.

You, madam, for you are more n.o.bly born, Despoiled of your honour in your life, Shall, after three days' open penance done, Live in your country here in banishment With Sir John Stanley in the Isle of Man.

d.u.c.h.eSS. Welcome is banishment; welcome were my death.

GLOUCESTER. Eleanor, the law, thou seest, hath judged thee.

I cannot justify whom the law condemns.

Exeunt the d.u.c.h.eSS and the other prisoners, guarded Mine eyes are full of tears, my heart of grief.

Ah, Humphrey, this dishonour in thine age Will bring thy head with sorrow to the ground!

I beseech your Majesty give me leave to go; Sorrow would solace, and mine age would ease.

KING HENRY. Stay, Humphrey Duke of Gloucester; ere thou go, Give up thy staff; Henry will to himself Protector be; and G.o.d shall be my hope, My stay, my guide, and lantern to my feet.

And go in peace, Humphrey, no less belov'd Than when thou wert Protector to thy King.

QUEEN. I see no reason why a king of years Should be to be protected like a child.

G.o.d and King Henry govern England's realm!

Give up your staff, sir, and the King his realm.

GLOUCESTER. My staff! Here, n.o.ble Henry, is my staff.

As willingly do I the same resign As ere thy father Henry made it mine; And even as willingly at thy feet I leave it As others would ambitiously receive it.

Farewell, good King; when I am dead and gone, May honourable peace attend thy throne! Exit QUEEN. Why, now is Henry King, and Margaret Queen, And Humphrey Duke of Gloucester scarce himself, That bears so shrewd a maim: two pulls at once- His lady banish'd and a limb lopp'd off.

This staff of honour raught, there let it stand Where it best fits to be, in Henry's hand.

SUFFOLK. Thus droops this lofty pine and hangs his sprays; Thus Eleanor's pride dies in her youngest days.

YORK. Lords, let him go. Please it your Majesty, This is the day appointed for the combat; And ready are the appellant and defendant, The armourer and his man, to enter the lists, So please your Highness to behold the fight.

QUEEN. Ay, good my lord; for purposely therefore Left I the court, to see this quarrel tried.

KING HENRY. A G.o.d's name, see the lists and all things fit; Here let them end it, and G.o.d defend the right!

YORK. I never saw a fellow worse bested, Or more afraid to fight, than is the appellant, The servant of his armourer, my lords.

Enter at one door, HORNER, the Armourer, and his NEIGHBOURS, drinking to him so much that he is drunk; and he enters with a drum before him and his staff with a sand-bag fastened to it; and at the other door PETER, his man, with a drum and sandbag, and PRENTICES drinking to him

FIRST NEIGHBOUR. Here, neighbour Horner, I drink to you in a cup of sack; and fear not, neighbour, you shall do well enough.

SECOND NEIGHBOUR. And here, neighbour, here's a cup of charneco.

THIRD NEIGHBOUR. And here's a pot of good double beer, neighbour; drink, and fear not your man.

HORNER. Let it come, i' faith, and I'll pledge you all; and a fig for Peter!

FIRST PRENTICE. Here, Peter, I drink to thee; and be not afraid.

SECOND PRENTICE. Be merry, Peter, and fear not thy master: fight for credit of the prentices.

PETER. I thank you all. Drink, and pray for me, I pray you; for I think I have taken my last draught in this world. Here, Robin, an if I die, I give thee my ap.r.o.n; and, Will, thou shalt have my hammer; and here, Tom, take all the money that I have. O Lord bless me, I pray G.o.d! for I am never able to deal with my master, he hath learnt so much fence already.

SALISBURY. Come, leave your drinking and fall to blows.

Sirrah, what's thy name?

PETER. Peter, forsooth.

SALISBURY. Peter? What more?

PETER. Thump.

SALISBURY. Thump? Then see thou thump thy master well.

HORNER. Masters, I am come hither, as it were, upon my man's instigation, to prove him a knave and myself an honest man; and touching the Duke of York, I will take my death I never meant him any ill, nor the King, nor the Queen; and therefore, Peter, have at thee with a down right blow!

YORK. Dispatch- this knave's tongue begins to double.

Sound, trumpets, alarum to the combatants!

[Alarum. They fight and PETER strikes him down]

HORNER. Hold, Peter, hold! I confess, I confess treason.

[Dies]

YORK. Take away his weapon. Fellow, thank G.o.d, and the good wine in thy master's way.

PETER. O G.o.d, have I overcome mine enemies in this presence? O Peter, thou hast prevail'd in right!

KING HENRY. Go, take hence that traitor from our sight, For by his death we do perceive his guilt; And G.o.d in justice hath reveal'd to us The truth and innocence of this poor fellow, Which he had thought to have murder'd wrongfully.

Come, fellow, follow us for thy reward.

Sound a flourish. Exeunt

SCENE IV.

London. A street

Enter DUKE HUMPHREY and his men, in mourning cloaks

GLOUCESTER. Thus sometimes hath the brightest day a cloud, And after summer evermore succeeds Barren winter, with his wrathful nipping cold; So cares and joys abound, as seasons fleet.

Sirs, what's o'clock?

SERVING-MAN. Ten, my lord.

GLOUCESTER. Ten is the hour that was appointed me To watch the coming of my punish'd d.u.c.h.ess.

Uneath may she endure the flinty streets To tread them with her tender-feeling feet.

Sweet Nell, ill can thy n.o.ble mind abrook The abject people gazing on thy face, With envious looks, laughing at thy shame, That erst did follow thy proud chariot wheels When thou didst ride in triumph through the streets.

But, soft! I think she comes, and I'll prepare My tear-stain'd eyes to see her miseries.

Enter the d.u.c.h.eSS OF GLOUCESTER in a white sheet, and a taper burning in her hand, with SIR JOHN STANLEY, the SHERIFF, and OFFICERS

SERVING-MAN. So please your Grace, we'll take her from the sheriff.

GLOUCESTER. No, stir not for your lives; let her pa.s.s by.

d.u.c.h.eSS. Come you, my lord, to see my open shame?

Now thou dost penance too. Look how they gaze!

See how the giddy mult.i.tude do point And nod their heads and throw their eyes on thee; Ah, Gloucester, hide thee from their hateful looks, And, in thy closet pent up, rue my shame And ban thine enemies, both mine and thine!

GLOUCESTER. Be patient, gentle Nell; forget this grief.

d.u.c.h.eSS. Ah, Gloucester, teach me to forget myself!

For whilst I think I am thy married wife And thou a prince, Protector of this land, Methinks I should not thus be led along, Mail'd up in shame, with papers on my back, And follow'd with a rabble that rejoice To see my tears and hear my deep-fet groans.

The ruthless flint doth cut my tender feet, And when I start, the envious people laugh And bid me be advised how I tread.

Ah, Humphrey, can I bear this shameful yoke?

Trowest thou that e'er I'll look upon the world Or count them happy that enjoy the sun?

No; dark shall be my light and night my day; To think upon my pomp shall be my h.e.l.l.

Sometimes I'll say I am Duke Humphrey's wife, And he a prince, and ruler of the land; Yet so he rul'd, and such a prince he was, As he stood by whilst I, his forlorn d.u.c.h.ess, Was made a wonder and a pointing-stock To every idle rascal follower.

But be thou mild, and blush not at my shame, Nor stir at nothing till the axe of death Hang over thee, as sure it shortly will.

For Suffolk- he that can do all in all With her that hateth thee and hates us all- And York, and impious Beaufort, that false priest, Have all lim'd bushes to betray thy wings, And, fly thou how thou canst, they'll tangle thee.

But fear not thou until thy foot be snar'd, Nor never seek prevention of thy foes.

GLOUCESTER. Ah, Nell, forbear! Thou aimest all awry.

I must offend before I be attainted; And had I twenty times so many foes, And each of them had twenty times their power, All these could not procure me any scathe So long as I am loyal, true, and crimeless.

Wouldst have me rescue thee from this reproach?

Why, yet thy scandal were not wip'd away, But I in danger for the breach of law.

Thy greatest help is quiet, gentle Nell.