York. Lord Buckingham, methinks, youwatch'd
her well:

A pretty plot, well chose to build upon!
Now, pray, my lord, let's see the devil's writ.
What have we here?

Come, come, my lords:
These oracles are hardily attain'd,
And hardly understood.

The king is now in progress towards Saint Albans;
[Reads. 5 With him the husband of this lovely lady: [them;
Thither go these news, as fast as horse can carry
A sorry breakfast for my lord protector. [York,
Buck. Your grace shall give me leave, my lord of
To be the post, in hope of his reward.
10 York. At your pleasure, my good lord.
Who's within there, ho!

The duke yet lives, that Henry shall depose;
But him out-live, and die a violent death. [posse.
Why, this is just, Aio te, Æacida, Romanosvincere
Well, to the rest:

Tell me what fate awaits the duke of Suffolk?
By water shall he die, and take his end.
What shall betide the duke of Somerset ?
Let him shun castles ;

Safer shall he be on the sandy plains,
Than where castles mounted stand.

Enter a Serving-man.
Invite my lords of Salisbury, and Warwick,
To sup with me to-morrow night.--Away!

[Exeunt.

SCENE I.

At Saint Albans.

ACT

Enter King Henry, Queen, Gloster, Cardinal, and
Suffolk, with Falconers hallooing.

2. Mar. BELIEVE me, lords, for flying at
the brook',

I saw not better sport these seven years' day:
Yet, by your leave, the wind was very high;
And, ten to one, old Joan had not gone out2.
K.Henry. But what a point, my lord, your falcon

made,

/

And what a pitch she flew above the rest!-
To see how God in all his creatures works!
Yea, man and birds are fain of climbing high.

Suf. No marvel, an it like your majesty,
My lord protector's hawks do tower so well;
They know, their master loves to be aloft,
And bears his thoughts above his falcon's pitch.
Glo. My lord, 'tis but a base ignoble mind
That mounts no higher than a bird can soar.
Car. I thought as much; he'd be above the
clouds.

II.

Suf. Nomalice, sir; no more than well becomes

So good a quarrel, and so bad a peer.

25 Glo. As who, my lord?

Suf. Why, as yourself, my lord;
An't like your lordly lord-protectorship. [lence.
Glo. Why, Suffolk, England En knows thine inso-
2. Mar. And thy ambition, Gioster.
30 K. Henry. I pr'ythee, peace, good queen;
And whet not on these too too furious peers,
For blessed are the peace-makers on earth.
Car. Let me be blessed for the peace I make,
Against this proud protector, with my sword!

35 Glo. Faith, holy uncle, 'would 'twere
come to that!

Car. Marry, when thou dar'st.
Glo. Make upno factious numbers for

the matter,

40 In thine own person answer thy abuse.
Car. Ay, where thou dar'st not peep:

an if thou dar'st,

This evening, on the east side of thegrove.
K. Henry. How now, my lords?
[that? 45 Car. Believe me, cousin Gloster,

Glo. Ay, my lord cardinal; How think you by Were it not good, your grace could fly to heaven? K. Henry. The treasury of everlasting joy! Car. Thy heaven is on earth; thine eyes and thoughts

Aside.

Had not your man put up the fowl so suddenly,
We'd had more sport. - Come with thy two-hand
sword.
[Aside to Gloster.

Glo. True, uncle.

50 Are you advis'd?-the east side of the grove? Cardinal, I am with you.

[Aside.

K. Henry. Why, how now, uncle Gloster? Glo. Talking of hawking; nothing else, my [for this, [peremptory? 55 Now,by God'smother, priest, I'll shaveyourcrown

Beat on a crown, the treasure of thy heart;
Pernicious protector, dangerous peer,
That smooth'st it so with king and commonweal!
Glo. What, cardinal, is your priesthood grown so
Tantæne nimis cœlestibusira?
Churchmen so hot? good uncle, hide such malice;
With such holiness can you do it?

This is the falconer's term for hawking at water-fowl. son, is, that the wind being high, it was ten to one that the old hawk had flown quite away; a trick which hawks often play their masters in windy weather; while Dr. Percy says, that the passare signifies, that the wind was so high, it was ten to one that old Joan would not have taken her flight at the game. Utrwm horum maris, accipe.i.e.glad. To bait or beat (bathe) is a term intacoury. Fence is the art of defence.

Protector,

How irksome is this music to my heart!
When such strings jar, what hopes of harmony? 5
I pray, my lords, let me compound this strife.
Enter one, crying, A miracle!

Glo. What means this noise?
Fellow, what miracle dost thou proclaim?
One. A miracle! a miracle!

and saint Alban.

Simp. Yes, master, clear as day; I thank God,
[cloak of?
Glo. Say'st thou me so? What colour is this
Simp. Red, master; red as blood. [gown of?
Glo. Why, that's well said; what colour is my
Simp. Black, forsooth; coal-black, as jet.

K. Henry. Why then, thou know'st what co-
lour jet is of?

Suf. And yet, I think, jet did he never see.

10 Glo. But cloaks, and gowns, before this day, a

many.

Suf. Come to the king, and tell him what miracle.
One. Forsooth, a blindman at saint Alban's shrine,
Within this half-hour, hath receiv'd his sight;
A man, that ne'er saw in his life before. [souls
K.Henry. Now, God be prais'd! that to believing 15 Glo. What's his name?

Gives light in darkness, comfort in despair!

Enter the Mayor of Saint Albans, and his brethren,

bearing Simpcox between two in a chair, Simp

cor's wife following.

Wife. Never, before this day, in all his life.
Glo. Tell me, sirrah, what's my name?
Simp. Alas, master, I know not.

Simp. I know not.

Glo. Nor his?

Simp. No, indeed, master.

Glo. What's thine own name?

Car. Here come the townsmen on procession, 20 Simp. Saunder Simpcox, an if it please you, To present your highness with the man.

K.Heary. Great is his comfort in this earthlyvale,
Though by his sight his sin be multiply'd. [king.
Glo. Stand by, my masters, bring him near the
His highness' pleasure is to talk with him. [stance, 25
K. Henry. Good fellow, tell us here the circum-

That we for thee may glorify the Lord.
What, hast thou been long blind, and now restor'd
Simp. Born blind, an't please your grace.
Wife. Ay, indeed was he.

Suf. What woman is this?

Wife. His wife, an't like your worship.

Glo. Had'st thou been his mother, thou could'st

have better told.

master.

Glo. Then, Saunder, sit there, the lyingest knave In Christendom. If thou hadst been born blind, Thou might'st as well have known all our names,

as thus

To name the several colours we do wear.
Sight may distinguish colours; but suddenly
To nominate them all, it is impossible.-
My lords, saint Alban here hath done a miracle;

30 Would ye not think that cunning to be great,

That could restore this cripple to his legs again?
Simp. O, master, that you could!
Glo. My masters of saint Alban's,

Have you not beadles in your town, and things

K. Henry. Where wert thou born? [grace. 35 Call'd whips?
Simp. At Berwick in the north, an't like your
K.Henry. Poor soul! God's goodness hath been

great to thee:

Mayor. Yes, my lord, if it please your grace.
Glo. Then send for one presently.
Mayor. Sirrah, go fetch thebeadlehitherstraight.
[Exit Messenger.

40 Glo. Now fetch me a stool hither by-and-by.
Now, sirrah, if you mean to save yourself from
whipping, leap me over this stool, and run away.
Simp. Alas, master, I am not able to stand alone;
You go about to torture me in vain.

Let never day nor night unhallow'd pass,
But still remember what the Lord hath done.
Queen. Tell me, good fellow, cam'st thou here
Or of devotion, to this holy shrine? [by chance,
Simp. God knows, of pure devotion; being call'd
A hundred times, and oftener, in my sleep
By good saint Alban; who said, -Saunder, come; 45
Come, offer at my shrine, and I will help thee.
Wife. Most true, forsooth; and many time and oft
Myself have heard a voice to call him so.
Car. What, art thou lame?

Simp. Ay God Almighty help me!
Suf. How cam'st thou so?
Simp. A fall off of a tree.

Wife. A plum-tree, master.
Glo. How long hast thou been blind?
Simp. O, born so, master.

Glo. What, and would'st climb a tree?
Simp. But that in all my life, when I was a youth.
Wife.Tootrue;andboughthisclimbingverydear.
Glo. Mass, thou lov'dst plums well, that would'st

venture so.

Enter a Beadle, with whips.

Glo. Well, sir, we must have you find your legs. Sirrah, beadle, whip him 'till he leap over that same

stool,

[After the Beadle hath hit him once, he leaps
over the stool, and runs away; and the
people follow and cry, A Miracle!

K. Henry. O God, seest thou this, and bear'st
so long?
Queen. It made me laugh, to see the villain run.
Glo. Follow the knave; and take this drab away.

[damsons, 60 Wife, Alas, sir, we did it for pure need. [town
Glo. Let them be whipt through every market
Until they come to Berwick, whence they came.
[Exit Beadle, with the woman, &e.
Car. Duke Humphrey has done a miracleto-day.

Simp. Alas, good master, my wife desir'd some And made me climb, with danger of my life. Glo. A subtle knave! but yet it shall not serve. Let me see thine eyes:-wink now;-now open In my opinion, yet thou see'st not well. [them: 65 Suf. True; made the lame to leap, and fly away.

Glo. But you have done more miracles than I; You made, in a day, my lord, whole towns to fly.

Enter Buckingham.

K. Henry. What tidings with our cousin Buck-
ingham?

Buck. Such as my heart doth tremble to unfold.
A sort of naughty persons, lewdly bent,-
Under the countenance and confederacy
Of lady Eleanor, the protector's wife,
The ring-leader and head of all this rout,
Have practis'd dangerously against your state,
Dealing with witches, and with conjurers:
Whom we have apprehended in the fact;
Raising up wicked spirits from under ground,
Demanding of king Henry's life and death,
And other of your highness' privy council,
As more at large your grace shali understand.

William of Windsor was the seventh, and last. 10 Edward, the Black Prince, dy'd before his father; And left behind hint Richard, his only son, Who, after Edward the third's death, reign'd king; 'Till Henry Bolingbroke, duke of Lancaster, The eldest son and heir of John of Gaunt, 15 Crown'd by the name of Henry the fourth, Seiz'd on the realm; depos'd the rightful king; Sent his poor queen to France, from whence she

came,

Car. And so, my lord protector, by this means Your lady is forth-coming yet at London2. Thisnews, I think, hath turn'd your weapon'sedge; 20 Harmless Richard was murder'd traitorously. 'Tis like, my lord, you will not keep your hour. [Aside to Gloster. Glo. Ambitious churchman, Icave to afflict my

And him to Pomfret; where, as both you know,

heart!

War. Father, the duke hath told the truth;
Thus got the house of Lancaster the crown.
York. Which now they hold by force, and not
by right;

Sorrow and grief have vanquish'd all my powers; 25 For Richard, the first son's heir, being dead,

And, vanquish'd as I am, I yield to thee,
Or to the meanest groom.

The issue of the next son should have reign'd. [ed ones; Sal. But William of Hatfield died without an K.Henry. O God, what mischiefs work the wickheir. [whose line Heaping confusion on their own heads thereby! York. The third son, duke of Clarence, (from Queen. Gloster, see here the tainture of thy nest; 30 I claim the crown) had issue-Philippe, a daughter,

And, lock, thyself be faultless, thou wert best.

Glo. Madam, for myself, to heaven I do appeal,
How I have lov'd my king, and common-weal:
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
Honour and virtue, and convers'd with such
As, like to pitch, defile nobility,
I banish her my bed and company;
And give her, as a prey, to law, and shame,
That hath dishonour'd Gloster's honest name.

K. Henry. Well, for this night, we will repose
us here:
To-morrow, toward London, back again,
To look into this business thoroughly,
And call these foul offenders to their answers;
And poise the cause in justice' equal scales,
Whose beam stands sure, whose rightful cause
[Flourish. Exeunt.
II.
The Duke of York's Garden.

prevails.

SCENE

Enter York, Salisbury, and Warwick.

Who married Edmund Mortimer, earl of March.
Edmund had issue-Roger, earl of March:
Roger had issue-Edmund, Anne, and Eleanor.

Sal. This Edmund, in the reign of Bolingbroke,

35 As I have read, laid claim unto the crown;
And, but for Owen Glendower, had been king,
Who kept him in captivity, 'till he dy'd.
But, to the rest.

York, His eldest sister, Anne,
40 My mother, being heir unto the crown,

Married Richard earl of Cambridge; who was son
To Edmund Langley, Edward the third's fifth son.
By her I claim the kingdom: She then was heir
To Roger, earl of March; who was the son
45 Of Edmund Mortimer; who married Philippe,
Sole daughter unto Lionel, duke of Clarence:
So, if the issue of the elder son
Succeed before the younger, I am king.
War. What płain proceeding is more plain than
50 Henry doth claim the crown from John of Gaunt,
The fourth son; York claimeth it from the third.
"Till Lionel's issue fails, his should not reign :

York. Now, my good lords of Salisbury and It fails not yet; but flourishes in thee,

Warwick,

Our simple supper ended, give me leave,

In this close walk, to satisfy myself,

In craving your opinion of my title,

Which is intallible, to England's crown.

[this?

And in thy sons, fair slips of such a stock. 55 Then, father Salisbury, kneel we both together; And, in this private plot, be we the first, That shall salute our rightful sovereign With honour of his birth-right to the crown. Both. Longlive oursovereign Richard, England's [king

Sal. My lord, I long to hear it at full. [good,
War. Sweet York, begin: and if thy claim be 60

The Nevils are thy subjects to cominand.

York. Then thus:

Edward the third, my lords, had seven sons:

king!

York. We thank you, lords. But I am not your 'Till I be crown'd; and that my sword be stain'd With heart-blood of the house of Lancaster:

1i. e. wickedly.

That is, your lady is in custody.

And

In sight of God, and us, your guilt is great;
Receive the sentence of the law, for sins
Such as by God's book are adjudg'd to death.- 30 York. I never saw a fellow worse bested,

You four, from hence to prison back again;
[To the other prisoners.

And you three shall be strangled on the gallows.- 35 enters with a drum before him, and his staff with

1 Neigh. Here, neighbour Horner, I drink to 40 you in a cup of sack; And, fear not, neighbour, you shall do well enough.

Elean. Welcome is banishment, welcome were
[thee;
Glo. Eleanor, the law, thou seest, hath judged
I cannot justify whom the law condemns.-
[Exeunt Eleanor, and the others, guarded. 45 neighbour: drink, and fear not your man.

2 Neigh. And here, neighbour, here's a cup of
charneco.
3 Neigh. And here's a pot of good double beer,

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. 50 2 Pren. Be merry, Peter, and fear not thy mas

That is, sorrow requires solace, and age requires ease. * Raught is the ancient preterite of the verb reach. 'i. e. let him pass out of your thoughts. 4 i. e. in a worse plight, perhaps worse betyd. As, according to the old laws of duels, knights were to fight with the lance and sword; those of inferior rank fought with an ebon staff or battoon, to the farther end of which was fixed a bag cramm'd hard with sand. A name for a sort of sweet wine, probably much in use in our author's time.

well.

Now thou dost penance too. Look, how they gaze!
See, how the giddy multitude do point,
And nod their heads, and throw their eyes on thee!
Ah, Gloster, hide thee from their hateful looks;
5 And, in thy closet pent up, rue my shame,
And ban thine enemies, both mine and thine.
Glo. Be patient, gentle Nell; forget this grief.
Elean. Ah, Gloster, teach me to forget myself;

For, whilst I think I am thy marry'd wife,

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

Arm. 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 10 And thou a prince, protector of this land,

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 downright
blow, as Bevis of Southampton fell upon Ascapart'.
York. Dispatch:-this knave's tongue begins to 15 The ruthless flint doth cut my tender feet;

double.

Sound, trumpets, alarum to the combatants.

[They fight, and Peter strikes him down. Arm. Hold, Peter, hold! I confess, I confess

treason.

York. Take away his weapon:-Fellow, thank God, and the good wine in thy master's way. Peter. O God! have I overcome mine enemy

in this presence?

O Peter, thou hast prevailed in right!

To see my tears, and hear my deep-fet groans.

And, when I start, the envious people laugh,
And bid me be advised how I tread.
Ah, Humphrey, can I bear this shameful yoke?
Trow'st thou, that e'er I'll look upon the world;

[Dies. 20 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 hell.
Sometime I'll say, I am duke Humphrey's wife;
And he a prince, and ruler of the land:
[sight; 25 Yet so he rul'd, and such a prince he was,
That he stood by, whilst I, his forlorn dutchess,
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,

K. Henry. Go, take hence that traitor from our
For, by his death, we do perceive his guilt2:
And God, in justice, hath reveal'd to us
The truth and innocence of this poor fellow,
Which he had thought to have murder'd wrong-30

fully.

Come, fellow, follow us for thy reward. [Exeunt.
SCENE IV.
The Street.

Enter Duke Humphrey, and his men, in mourning 35 Have all linm'd bushes to betray thy wings,

cloaks,

Glo. Thus, sometimes, hath the brightest day a And, after summer, evermore succeeds [cloud; Barren winter, with his wrathful nipping cold: So cares and joys abound, as seasons fleet'.Sirs, what's o'clock?

Sero. Ten, my lord.

Glo. Ten is the hour that was appointed me,
To watch the coming of my punish'd dutchess :
Uneath may she endure the flinty streets,
To tread them with her tender-feeling feet!
Sweet Nell, ill can thy noble mind abrook

The abject people, gazing on thy face,

With envious looks still laughing at thy shame;

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.

Glo. Ah, Nell, forbear; thou aimest all awry;

40 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.

45 Would'st 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:
I pray thee, sort thy heart to patience;

That erst did follow thy proud chariot-wheels, 50 These few-days' wonder will be quickly worn.

a taper burning in her hand, with Sir John Stan-55 ley, a Sheriff, and Officers.

Serv. So please your grace, we'll take her from

the sheriff.

Glo. No, stir not for your lives; let her pass by.
Elean. Come you, my lord, to seeni yopenshamer|60|

Enter a Herald.

Her. I summon your grace to his majesty's parliament, holden at Bury the first of this next month. Glo. And my consent ne'er ask'd herein before! This is close dealing.-Well, I will be there.

[Exit Herald. My Nell, I take my leave:-and, master sheriff, Let not her penance exceed the king's commission, Sher. An't please your grace, here my commission stays:

Ascapart the giant of the story-was a name familiar to our ancestors. The figures of these combatants are still preserved on the gates of Southampton. * According to the ancient usage of the duel, the vanquished person not only lost his life but his reputation, and his death was always regarded as a certain evidence of his guilt. To fleet is to change. Eath is the ancient word for ease. Uneath, therefore, implies uneasily or painfully. i. e. wrapped up in disgrace; alluding to the sheet of penance. Think st, Scathe is harm or mischief.

And