to his Designs forbear to draw such Dangers on your Head King Be Heav'n our judge we mean him nothing fowl But shortly will with interest restore The Loan our sudden streights make necessary Weep not my Love nor drown with boding Tears Our springing Conquest bear our absence well Nor think that I have joy to part with Thee Tho never vacant Swain in silent Bowers Cou'd boast a passion so sincere as mine Yet where the int'rest of the Subject calls We wave the dearest Transports of our Love Flying from Beauty ' Arms to rugged War Conscience our first and Thou our second Care Exeunt Manent Morthumberland Piercy Ross Willoughby North. Well Lords the Duke of Lancaster is dead Will. And living too if Justice had her right For Herford then were more than a bare Name Who now succeeds departed Gaunt in nothing But in his mind 's rich Virtues the Kings pleas'd To have occasion for his temporal wealth O my heart swells but let it burst with silence Ere it be disburden'd with a liberal tongue Perc. Now rot the tongue that scants a Subjects freedom Loosers at least are priviledgd to talk And who accounts not Herfords looss his own Deserves not the esteem of Herford's friend There 's none of us here present but did weep At parting and if there be any one Whose tears are not converted now to sire He is a Crocadile North. The fate of Bullingbrook will soon be ours We hear the Tempest sing yet seek no shelter We see our wreck and yet securely perish A sure but willful Fate for had ye Spirits But worthy to receive it I cou'd say How near the tidings of our comfort is Pierc Give us thy thoughts and rate 'em as thou wilt Here 's Blood for 'em but point us to the veins That hold the richest we will empty those To purchase ' em North. Hold generous Youth This gallantry unlocks my inmost Brest Seizing a secret dearer than my heart Attend me Lords I have from Port le Blanc This very day receiv'd intelligence That our wrong'd Herford with Lord Rainold Cobham Sir Thomas Arpingham bold Sir John Rainston Sir Robert Waterton Quaint Norbery With eight tall Ships three thousand men in Arms Design with speed to touch our Northern shore If then you have a spark of British glory To imp our drooping Countries broken Wing Joyn hands with me and post to Ravenspurg Ross Now business stirs and life is worth our while Will. Nature her self of late hath broke her Order Then why should we continue our dull Round Rivers themselves refuse their wonted course Start wide or turn on their own Fountain heads Our Lawrels all are blasted rambling Meteors Affright the fixst inhabitants of Heav'n The pale fac't Moon looks bloody on the Earth And lean-lookt Prophets whisper dreadful change Pierc Away let 's post to th' North and see for once A Sun rise there the glorious Bulling-brook For our Return will not pass a thought For if our Courtiers passage be withstood We 'll make our selves a Sea and sail in Blood Exeunt Enter Queen Attended Lady Despair not Madam Queen Who shall hinder me I will despair and be at enmity With flattering hope he is a Couzener A Parasite a keeper back of Death That wou'd dissolve at once our pain and Life Which lingring hope holds long upon the Rack Yet Murders at the last the cruel'st way Lady Here comes the Duke Enter York and Servants Queen With signs of War about his aged neck And full of careful business are his looks York Death and confusion oh set my Corsleet right fetch my commanding Sword scour up the brown Bills Arm Arm Arm. Queen Now Uncle for Heav'ns sake speak comfort York Comforts in Heav'n and we are on the Earth nothing but crosses on this side of the Moon my heart stews in Choller I shall dissolve to a Gelly That your Husband shou'd have no more wit than to go a Knight Erranting whilst Rogues seize all at home and that I shou'd have no more wit than to be his Deputy at such a proper time to undertake to support a crazy Government that can scarce carry my own Fat Well Sirrah have you given my Son orders to strengthen his Forces if he prove a Flincher too Gent. My Lord I know not how he stands affected Not well I fear because at my Arrival He was withdrawn at least pretended so So that I cou'd not give him your Commands York Why so go all which way it will the Nobles are all fled and hide themselves like my ungracious Rascal or else strike in with the Rebels the Commons find our Exchequer empty and revolt too and a blessed bargain I have on 't Queen Alass my Bank and Jewels are dispos'd off For the Kings wants already and to wait Till fresh recruits come from our Fathers Court I fear will lose our Cause York Get thee to Plashy to my Sister Gloster Her Coffers I am sure are strongly lin'd Bid her send me presently 50000. Nobles Hold take my Ring fly if thou lov'st thy Head Gent. My Lord I had forgot to tell you that to day Passing by there I was inform'd But I shall grieve you to report the rest York What is 't Knave Gent. An hour before I came the Dutches Dy'd Her Son your Nephew ere her Blood was cold Makes all secure and flies to Bullingbrook York Death what a tide of woes break upon us at once Perverse Woman to take this time to Die in and the varlet her Son too to take this time to play the villain in wou'd to Heav'n the King had cut off my Head as he did my Brothers Come Sister Couzen I would say pray Pardon me if I know how to order thefe perplext Affairs I am a Sturgeon Gentlemen go Muster up your Men and meet me at Barkley Castle I should to Plashie too but time will not suffer the Wind 's cross too and will let us hear nothing from Ireland nor boots it much if they have no better News for us than we have for them All 's wrong Oh! fie hot hot Exeunt SCENE the Third The Field Flourish Enter Bullingbrook Northumberland Piercy and the Rest with their Powers Bull. And thus like Seamen scatter'd in a Storm Meet we to Revel on the safer Shore Accept my worthy Friends my dearest thanks For yet my Infant Fortunes can present Returns no Richer but when these are Ripe North. Your Presence was the Happiness we sigh'd for And now made Rich in that we seek no more Enter Ross and Willoughby Bull. My Lords y' are well return'd what News from Wales We hear that Salisbury has Levi'd there Full 40000 on the Kings behalf Ross My Lord that Cloud 's disperst the Welshmen hearing That all the North here had resign'd to you Disperst themselves and part are hither fled Will. Fortune so Labours to Confirm your Pow'r That all Attempts go cross on the Enemies side Enter York and Servants Bull. But see our
shouldst breath dear farewels to thy Friends That round thee all like silent Mourners gaze Bull. They will not censure me whose scanty time And breath 's too little to take leave of you My dear Companions you have known my Heart Too long to doubt it on a silent grief Ha! by my swelling blood my Father 's pale How fare's your honour good my Lords your hands Gaunt I feel a heaviness like Death and hope It is no counterfeit All shall be well Bull. By Heav'n it shall I feel my veins work high And conscious glory kindling in my brest Inspires a Thought to vast to be exprest Where this disgrace will end the Heav'ns can tell And Herford's Soul divines that 't will be well A Beam of royal splendor strikes my Eye Before my charm'd sight Crowns and Scepters fly The minutes big with Fate too slowly run But hasty Bullingbrook shall push'em on Ex. The End of the First Act. ACT II. A Chamber Gaunt Sick to him York York NOw Brother what cheer Gaunt Why well 't is with me as old Gaunt cou'd wish York What Harry sticks with you still well I hear he 's safe in France and very busie Gaunt My Blood were never Idle York I fear too busie come he 's a par'lous Boy I smell a confed'racy betwixt him and his Companions here Mischief will come on 't cut him off I say Let him be Kites-meat I would hang a Son to kill a Traytor Gaunt Go sleep good York and wake with better thoughts York Heav'n grant we sleep not all 'till Alarums wake us I tell you Brother I lik'd not the manner of his departure 't was the very smooth smiling Face of Infant Rebellion with what familiar Courtesie did he caress the Rabble What reverence did he throw away on Slaves Off goes his Bonnet to an Oysterwench A Brace of Dray-men bid God speed him well And had the Tribute of his supple knee Then shakes a Shoo-maker by the waxt Thumbs With thanks my Country-men my Friends my Brothers Then comes a Peal of sighs wou'd knock a Church down Roguery mechanick Roguery rank Treason Gaunt My sickness grows upon me set me higher York Villany takes its time all goes worse and worse in Ireland Rebellion is there on the Wing and here in the Egg yet still the Court dances after the French Pipe Eternal Apes of Vanity Mutiny stirring Discipline asleep Knaves in Office all 's wrong make much of your Sickness Brother if it be Mortal 't is worth a Duke-dome Gaunt How happy Heav'n were my approaching death Cou'd my last words prevail upon the King Whose easie gentle Nature has expos'd His unexperienc'd Youth to flatterers frauds Yet at this hour I hope to bend his Ear To Councel for the Tongues of dying men Enforce attention like deep Harmony Where words are scarce th' are seldom spent in Vain For they breath Truth that breath their Words in Pain Enter King Queen Northumberland Ross Willoughby Piercye c. With Guards and Attendants Queen How fares our Noble Uncle Lancaster King How is 't with aged Gaunt Gaunt Ag'd as your Highness says and Gaunt indeed Gaunt as a Grave whose Womb holds nought but Bones King Can sick men play so nicely with their Names Gaunt Since thou dost seek to kill my Name in me I mock my Name great King to flatter thee King Should dying men then flatter those that Live Gaunt No no Men living flatter those that dye King Thou now a dying sayst thou flatter'st me Gaunt Oh! no Thou dyest though I the sicker am King I am in health breath free but see thee ill Gaunt Now he that made me knows I see thee ill Thy death-bed is no less than the whole Land Whereon thou ly'st in Reputation sick Yet hurri'd on by a malignant fate Commit'st thy annoynted Body to the Cure Of those Physitians that first Poyson'd thee Upon thy Youth a Swarm of flatterers hang And with their fulsome weight are daily found To bend thy yielding Glories to the ground King Judge Heav'n how poor a thing is Majesty Be thou thy self the Judge when thou sick Wight Presuming on an Agues Priviledge Dar'st with thy Frozen admonition Make pale our Cheek but I excuse thy weakness Gaunt Think not the Ryot of your Court can last Tho fed with the dear Life blood of your Realms For vanity at last preys of it self This Earth of Majesty this seat of Mars This Fortress built by Nature in the Floods Whose Rocky shores beat back the foaming Sedge This England Conqu'rour of the Neighbring Lands Makes now a shameful Conquest on it self York Now will I stake my Liege my Soul upon 't Old Gaunt is hearty in his wishes for you And what he speaks is out of honest Zeal And tho thy Anger prove to me as Mortal As is to him this sickness yet blunt York Must Eccho to his words and cry Thou art abus'd and flatter'd King Gentle Uncle Excuse the sallies of my youthful Blood I know y' are Loyal both and mean us well Nor shall we be unmindful to redress However difficult our States corruption And purge the Vanities that Crown'd our Court. Gaunt My gracious Liege your Pardon this bold duty Was all that stood betwixt my Grave and me Your Sycophants bred from your Child-hood with you Have such advantage had to work upon you That scarce your failings can be call'd your faults Now to Heav'ns care and your own Piety I leave my sacred Lord and may you have In life that peace that waits me in the Grave King Thanks my good Uncle bear him to his Bed Exit Gaunt Attend him well and if a Princes Prayers Have more than common interest with Heav'n Our Realm shall yet enjoy his honest Councel And now my Souldiers for our Irish Wars We must suppress these rough prevailing Kerns That live like Venom where no Venom else But only they have priviledg to live But first our Uncle Gaunt being indispos'd We do create his Brother both in Blood And Loyalty our Uncle York Lord Governour of England in our absence Observe me Lords and pay him that respect You give our Royal Presence Enter Northumberland North. My Liege old Gaunt commends him to your Highness King What says our Uncle North. Nothing all is said His Tongue is now a stringless instrument But call'd on your lov'd name and blest you dying King The ripest fruit falls first and so doe's He His course is done our Pilgrimage to come So much for that return we to our War And cause our Coffers with too great a Court And liberal Largess are grown somewhat Light Prest with this exigence we for a time Do seize on our dead Uncles large Revenues In Herford's absence York O my Liege pardon me if you please if not I please not to be pardon'd spare to seize the Royalties and Rights of banisht Herford I fear already he 's too apt t' engage against your Power and these proceedings will give countenance and growth
Think you the King will be depos'd Gard. Deprest he is already and 't is fear'd His fortune will decline from bad to worse Do what we can you see our Lawrels wither Our Sun-flowers all are blasted streams run backward These Prodigies forbode some dreadful change 'T is thought at last the King will be depos'd Queen I 'm prest to death with silence boding Peazant More senseless then the Plants or Earth thou tend'st Darst thou divine the downfall of a King Old Adams likeness set to dress this Garden What Eve what Serpent has seduc'd thy soul To prophesie this second fall of Man Gard. Pardon me Madam little joy have I To breath this News but fear you 'll find 'em true Queen Come Ladies let us post to meet the King This Scretch-Owl yet amongst his bodingeries Has sung the glad news of the Kings Arrival Which otherwise we were forbid to know Thou fear'st lest York shou'd meet with Bushies Fate Suspend thy Tears the heavy time may come That thou wilt blush to see thy York alive If Richard fall 't is Treason to survive Exeunt SCENE the Third A Heath King Aumerle Carlile Souldiers King Command a hault we will a while refresh Our sultry March a cool breez fanns this Air The last expresses we receiv'd from Wales Spoke of full 20000 fighting men Did it not Lords Aum. And some odd Troops besides King Nor will our Uncle York be negligent To muster up what Force he can Sure we shall blush my Lords at our own strength Heaping such numbers for so just a cause Aum. Sir doubt not but the active Foe will find Business enough t' employ our outmost Numbers Enter Salisbury I fear me we shall more want Hands than Work King See Cousen who comes here i' th ' very Minute To clear thy doubts our trusty Salisbury Welcome my Lord how far off lies your Power Sal. My gracious Lord no farther off nor nearer Then this weak Arm discomfort guides my tongue And bids me speak of nothing but despair I fear my noble Lord one day too late Has clouded all your happy days on earth O call back yesterday bid time return Thou shalt have 20000 Fightingmen To day to day one luckless day too late O'rethrows thy Friends thy Fortune and thy State Our Welchmen Miss-inform'd that you were dead Are gone to Bullingbrook disperst and fled Aum. Comfort my Liege why looks your Grace so pale King But now the blood of 20000 men Did triumph in my Face and they are fled Have I not reason think you to look pale My Fortune like a wife that has arriv'd The hardness to have once prov'd open false Will set no Limits to her treach'rys now But turn to every upstart that will court her Now all that will be safe fly from my side For time has set a blast upon my Pride Aum. My Liege remember who you are King I had forgot my self am I not King Awake thou sluggard Majesty thou sleep'st Is not the Kings name 40000 names Arm arm my Name a puny Subject strikes At thy great glory look not to the ground Ye favourites of a King See Salisbury our hasty Scroop brings Balm To salve the Wound thy piercing tidings gave Enter Scroop Come on thou trusty Souldier oh draw near Thou never shew'dst thy self more seasonably Not when the flying Battle thou hast turn'd And from the hands of Conquest forc't the Day Scroop More health and happiness befall my Liege Then my care-burden'd Tongue has to deliver King How 's that I charge thee on thy Soul speak comfort Ha! wilt thou not speak Comfort then speak Truth My ear is open and my heart prepar'd The worst thou canst unfold is worldly loss Say is my Kingdom lost why 't was my Care And what loss is it to be rid of Care Strives Bullingbrook to be as great as we If Heav'n approve his hopes why let 'em thrive Revolt our Subjects that we cannot mend To Heav'n they first were false and then to us Then give thy heavy heart as heavy speech Cry Woe Destruction Ruin Loss Decay The worst is Death and Death will have his Day Scroop I 'm glad to find your Highness so prepar'd Like a fierce sudden Storm that swells the Floods As if the world were all dissolv'd to Tears So rages Bullingbrook above his bounds Cov'ring the fearful Land with clashing Arms Old Sires have bound their hairless Scalps in steel Boys leave their sports and tune their tender Pipes To the big voice of War and strut in Armour The very Beadsmen learn to bend their Bows The very Women throw their Infants by Snatch rusty Bills and flock to the mad War And all goes worse than I have Power to tell King Too well alas thou tell'sta Tale so Ill Where is the Earl of Wiltshire Bushie Bagot That they have let these mischiefs spread so far If we prevail their Heads shall answer for 't I warrant they have made peace with Bullingbrook Scroop Peace have they made with him indeed King Oh Villains Vipers damn'd without redemption Dogs quickly won to fawn on any Comer Snakes in my Heartsblood warm'd to sting my Heart Wou'd they make Peace eternal Hell make War Upon their spotted souls for this Offence Scroop Again uncurse their Souls their Peace is made With Heads and not with Hands those whom you curse Are butcher'd in your Cause beheaded all And with their last breath wisht your Arms success Aum. Where is the Duke my Father with his Forces King No matter where of Comfort no man speak Let 's talk of Graves of Worms and Epitaphs Make Dust our paper and with rainy eyes Write sorrow on the bosom of the earth For Heav'ns sake let 's sit upon the ground And tell sad stories of the Death of Kings How some have been depos'd some slain in War Some poyson'd by their Wives some sleeping kill'd All murther'd for within the hollow Crown That rounds the mortal Temples of a King Keeps death his Court and there the Antique sits Scoffing his State and grinning at his Pomp Allowing him a short fictitious Scene To play the Prince be fear'd and kill with looks 'Till swell'd with vain conceit the flatter'd thing Believes himself immortal as a God Then to the train fate's Engineer sets fire Blows up his pageant Pride and farewell King Cover your heads and mock not flesh and blood With solemn reverence throw away Respect Obeysance Form and Ceremonious Duty For you have but mistook me all this while I live with bread like you feel Wants tast Grief Therefore am I no King or a King nothing Aum. Give to the Foe my Lord this cold despair No worse can come of Fight of Death much better My Fathers Troops are firm let 's joyn with them And manage wisely that last stake o' th' War Want's craft can make a body of a limb King You chide me well proud Bullingbrook I come Rises To change blows with thee for our day of Doom This