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

Glou. What's his name?

Simp. I know not.

Glou. Nor his ?

Simp. No, indeed, master.

Glou. What's thine own name?

Simp. Saunder Simpcox, an if it please you,

master.

120

Glou. Then, Saunder, sit there, the lyingest knave in Christendom. If thou hadst been born blind, thou mightst as well have known all our names as thus to name the several colours we do wear. Sight may distinguish of colours, but suddenly to nominate them all, it is impossible. My 130 lords, Saint Alban here hath done a miracle; and would ye not think his cunning to be great, that could restore this cripple to his legs again?

Simp. O master, that you could!

Glou. My masters of Saint Alban's, have you not beadles in your town, and things called whips?

May. Yes, my lord, if it please your grace.

Glou. Then send for one presently.

May. Sirrah, go fetch the beadle hither straight. [Exit an Attendant.

Glou. 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.

Enter a Beadle with whips.

Glou. Well, sir, we must have you find your 139. presently, forthwith. 142. by and by, at once.

140

legs. Sirrah beadle, whip him till he leap over that same stool.

Bead. I will, my lord. Come on, sirrah; off 150 with your doublet quickly.

Simp. Alas, master, what shall I do? not able to stand.

I am

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

King. O God, seest Thou this, and bearest so long?

Queen. It made me laugh to see the villain

run.

Glou. Follow the knave; and take this drab away.

Wife. Alas, sir, we did it for pure need.

Glou. Let them be whipped through every market-town, till they come to Berwick, from whence they came.

[Exeunt Wife, Beadle, Mayor, etc. Car. Duke Humphrey has done a miracle to-day.

Suf. True; made the lame to leap and fly away.

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

ว

Enter BUCKINGHAM.

King. What tidings with our cousin Buckingham ?

Buck. Such as my heart doth tremble to unfold.

A sort of naughty persons, lewdly bent,

Under the countenance and confederacy

160

167. sort, company.

167. lewdly, evilly.

Of Lady Eleanor, the protector's wife,

The ringleader and head of all this rout,
Have practised 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 shall understand.
Car. [Aside to Glou.] And so, my lord pro-
tector, by this means

Your lady is forthcoming yet at London.

This news, I think, hath turn'd your weapon's

edge;

'Tis like, my lord, you will not keep your hour.
Glou. Ambitious churchman, leave to afflict
my heart:

Sorrow and grief have vanquish'd all my powers;
And, vanquish'd as I am, I yield to thee,

Or to the meanest groom.

King. O God, what mischiefs work the wicked

ones,

Heaping confusion on their own heads thereby! Queen. Gloucester, see here the tainture of thy nest,

And look thyself be faultless, thou wert best.

Glou. Madam, for myself, to heaven I do
appeal,

How I have loved my king and commonweal :
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 conversed with such

171. practised, plotted. 173. fact, act.

170

180

190

175. Demanding of, inquiring

about.

179. forthcoming, in custody.

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 Gloucester's honest name.
King. 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
prevails.

[Flourish. Exeunt.

SCENE II. London.

The DUKE OF YORK's

garden.

Enter YORK, SALISBURY, and WARWICK.

York. Now, my good Lords of Salisbury and

Warwick,

Our simple supper ended, give me leave

In this close walk to satisfy myself,

In craving your opinion of my title,

Which is infallible, to England's crown.

Sal. My lord, I long to hear it at full.

War. Sweet York, begin: and if thy claim be

good,

The Nevils are thy subjects to command.

York. Then thus:

Edward the Third, my lords, had seven sons :

The first, Edward the Black Prince, Prince of

Wales;

The second, William of Hatfield, and the third,
Lionel Duke of Clarence; next to whom

Was John of Gaunt, the Duke of Lancaster;

3. close, secret, private.

5. Which, i.e. 'your opinion.'

200

10

The fifth was Edmund Langley, Duke of York; The sixth was Thomas of Woodstock, Duke of

Gloucester;

William of Windsor was the seventh and last.
Edward the Black Prince died before his father
And left behind him Richard, his only son,
Who after Edward the Third's death reign'd as

king;

Till Henry Bolingbroke, Duke of Lancaster,

The eldest son and heir of John of Gaunt,
Crown'd by the name of Henry the Fourth,
Seized on the realm, deposed the rightful king,
Sent his poor queen to France, from whence she

came,

And him to Pomfret; where, as all you know,
Harmless Richard was murder'd traitorously.

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;

For Richard, the first son's heir, being dead,
The issue of the next son should have reign'd.

Sal. But William of Hatfield died without an
heir.

York. The third son, Duke of Clarence, from
whose line

I claim the crown, had issue, Philippe, a daughter,
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. Philippe: Hanmer's emendation for Ff Phillip, Philip.

39. This Edmund, i.e. the fifth Earl of March, according to the pedigree. He is here

20

30

confused (as in Holinshed) with Sir Edmund Mortimer, brother of Roger the fourth earl, who after being defeated by Glendower, became his ally and sonin-law. The same confusion