at all will smite He shall he must I and bi r Lady may Commaund me to giue ouer holy day And set wide open what you would not see Ki. Why stand ye Lords and see this traitour pearcht Upon our Castles battlements so proude Come downe young Bruse set ope the castle gates Unto thy soueraigne let thy knee be bow'd And mercie shall be giuen to thee and thine Br. O miserable thing Comes mercie from the mouth of Iohn our king Why then belike hell will be pittifull I will not ope the gates the gate I will The gate where thy shame and my sorrowe fits See my dead mother and her famisht sonne Open thy tyrants eyes for to the world I will lay open thy fell cruelties K. We heard indeed thy mother and her sonne In prison dyed by wilfull famishment Br. Sinne doubled vpon sin Slaunderst thou the dead Unwilling willingnesse it shall appeare By then I haue produc't as I will doe The iust presumptions gainst your vniust act K. Assaile the castle Lords Alarum drums And drown this scrietchowls cryes with your deep sounds Lest. I tell thée drummer if thy drum thou smite By heauen I le send thy soule to hels darke night Hence with thy drum gods passion get thee hence Be gone I say moue not my patience Exit drum K. Are you aduised Lester what you doe Lest. I am aduised for my Soueraigne knowe Ther 's not a Lord here will lift vp his arme Against the person of you noble youth Till you haue heard the circumstantiall truth By good presumptions touching this foule deede Therefore goe on young Bruse proceede retell The allegation that puts in this doubt Whether thy mother through her wilfulnesse Famisht her selfe and her sweete sonne or no Br. Unlikely supposition nature first denies That any mother when her young ling cryes If she haue meanes is so vnnaturall To let it faint and starue But we will prooue She had no meanes except this monefull meane This torture of her selfe Come forth come forth Sir William Blunt whome slaunder saies I slewe Come tell the king and Lords what you know true King Thou hast betraid our Castle Blunt No God can tell it was surpriz'd by politicke report And affirmation that your Grace was slaine Rich. Good sir William Blunt Passe briefely to the Ladies famishment Bl. About some ten daies since there came one Brand Bringing a signet from my Lord the king And this commission signed with his hand Lords looke and reade the thing Commaunding me as the contents expresse That I should presently deliuer vp The Ladie Bruse and her young sonne to him Mow. What time a day was this Bl. It was Lord Mowbray somewhat past eleauen For we were euen then sitting downe to dine Lest. But did yee dine Bl. The Ladie and her sonne did not Brand would not stay Bru. No Lester no for here is no such signe Of any meats digesture Rich. But by the way Tell vs I pray you Blunt While she remained with you was she distraught With griefe or any other passions violent Blu. She now and then would weepe often pray For reconcilement twixt the king and Lords Chest. How to her sonne did she affected stand Blu. Affection could not any more affect Nor might a mother shewe more mothers loue Mowb. How to my Lord the king Bl. O my Lord God! I neuer knewe a subiect loue king more She neuer would blin telling how his Grace Sau'd her young sonne from souldiers from fire How faire he spake gaue her her sonne to keepe And then poore Ladie she would kisse her boy Pray for the king so hearty earnestly That in pure zeale she wept most bitterly K. I weepe for her and doe by heauen protest I honour'd Bruses wife How ere that slaue Rudely effected what I rashly wild Yet when he came againe and I bethought What bitter pennance I had put them to For my conceiu'd displeasure gainst old Bruse I had the villaine poste and beare them meat Which he excus'd protesting pittie mou'd him To leaue wine bread and other poudred meate More than they twaine could in a fortnight eate Blu. Indeede this can I witnesse with the king Which argues in that point his innocence Brand did beare in a months prouision But lockt it like a villaine farre from them And lockt them in a place where no mans eare Might heare their lamentable wofull moues For all the issue both of vent and light Came from a loouer at the towers toppe Till now Lord Bruse made open this wide gappe Br. Had I not reason thinke you to make wide The windowe that should let so much woe forth Where sits my mother martyrde by her selfe Hoping to saue her childe from martyrdome Where stands my brother martyrd by himselfe Because he would not taste his mothers bloud For thus I gather this my mothers teeth and chin Are bloudy with the sauage cookery Which her soft heart through pittie of her sonne Respectlesse made her practise on her selfe And her right hand with offring it the child Is with her owne pure bloud staind and defilde My little brothers lips and chin alone Are tainted with the bloud but his eauen teeth Like orient pearle or snowe-white yuory Haue not one touch of bloud one little spot Which is an argument the boy would not Once stir his lips to taste that bloudy foode Our cruell gentle mother ministred But as it seem'd for see his prettie Palme is bloody too he cast it on the ground For on this side these blessed reliques lye By famines rage diuided from this shrine Sad wofull mother in Ierusalem Who when thy sonne and thou didst faint for foode Buryed his sweete flesh in thy hungry wombe How mercilesse wert thou if we compare Thy fact and this For my poore Ladie mother Did kill her selfe to saue my dying brother And thou vngentle sonne of Miriam Why didst thou beg life when thy mother lackt My little brother George did nobly act A more couragious part he would not eat Nor beg to liue it seem'd he did not cry Fewe teares stand on his cheeke smooth is each eye But when he sawe my mother bent to die He dyed with her O childish valiancie Kin. Good Bruse haue done my heart can not containe The griefe it holds my eyes must shoure down raine Lest. Which showers are euen as good As raine in haruest or a swelling floode When neighbouring medowes lack the mowers sithe ¶ A march for buriall with drum and fife Enter Oxford Matilda borne with Nuns one carrying a white pendant These words writ in golde Amoris Castitatis Honoris honos The Queene following the Biere carrying a Garland of flowers set it in the midst of the Stage Rich. List Lester hearst thou not a mournfull march Lest. Yes Richmond and it seemeth old de Vere Ox. Lords by your leaue is not our soueraign here K. Yes good old Awbury Ox. Ah my gratious Lord That you so much your high
my hate Hee is a foole and will be reconcilde To anie foe hee hath he is too milde Too honest for this world fitter for heauen Hee will not kill these greedie cormorants Nor strippe base pesants of the wealth they haue He does abuse a thieues name and an outlawes And is indeede no outlawe nor no theefe He is vnworthy of such reuerent names Besides he keepes a paltry whinling girle And will not bed forsooth before he bride I le stand too 't he abuses maidenhead That will not take it being offered Hinders the common wealth of able men Another thing I hate him for againe He saies his praiers fasts eues giues alms does good For these and such like crimes sweares Doncaster To worke the speedie death of Robin Hoode Pri, Well said yfaith Harke hark the king returns To doe this deede my heart like fuel burns Exeunt SCEANE IIII ¶ Winde hornes Enter King Queene Iohn Fitzwater Ely Chester Salsbury Lester little Iohn Frier Tuck Scarlet Scathlocke and Much Frier Tuck carrying a Stags head dauncing King Gramercy Frier for thy glee Thou greatly hast contented mee What with thy sporting and thy game I sweare I highly pleased am Fri. It was my masters whole desire That maiden yeoman swaine and frier Their arts and wits should all apply For pleasure of your Maiestie Qu. Some Richard looke I pray you on the ring That was about the necke of the last stagge Chest. Was his name Scarlet that shot off his necke Iohn Chester it was this honest fellow Scarlet This is the fellowe and a yeoman bold As euer courst the swift Hart on the molde King Frier here 's somewhat grau'd vpon the Ring I pray thee reade it Meane while list to mee This while most compassing the Frier about the Ring Scarlet and Scathlock you bold bretheren Twelue pence a day I giue each for his fee And hence forth see yee liue like honest men Both We will my Liege else-let vs dye the death Much A boone a boone vpon my knee Good king Richard I begge of thee For indeede sir the troth is Much is my father and hee is one of your tenants in Kings Mill at Wakefield all on a greene O there dwelleth a iolly pinder at Wakefield all on a greene Now I would haue you if you wil doe so much for mee to set mee forward in the way of marriage to Iinny the mill would not be cast away vpon vs King Much be thou euer master of that mill I giue it thee for thine inheritance Much Thanks pretious Prince of curtesie I le to Inny and tell her of my lands yfaith Exit Ioh. Here Frier here here it begins Fri. read When Harold hare-foote raigned king About my necke he put this ring King In Harolds time more than a hundred yeare Hath this ring bene about this newe slaine Deere I am sory now it dyde but let the same Head ring and all be sent to Notingham And in the Castle kept for monuments Fitz. My Liege I heard an olde tale long agoe That Harold being Goodwins sonne of Kent When he had got faire Englands gouernment Hunted for pleasure once within this wood And singled out a faire and stately Stagge Which foote to foote the king in running caught And sure this was the Stagge King It was no doubt Chest. But some my Lord affirme That Iulius Caesar many yeares before Tooke such a Stag and such a Poesie writ King It should not be in Iulius Caesars time There was no English vsed in this Land Untill the Saxons came and this is writ In Saxon characters Ioh. Well 't was a goodly beast ¶ Enter Robin Hoode King How now earle Robert Fri, A forfet a forfet my liege Lord My masters lawes are on record The Court-roll here your Grace may see King I pray thee Frier read them mee Fri. One shall suffice and this is hee No man that commeth in this wod To feast or dwell with Robin Hood Shall call him Earle Lord Knight or Squire He no such titles doth desire But Robin Hood plaine Robin Hoode That honest yeoman stout and good On paine of forfetting a marke That must be paid to mee his Clarke My liege my liege this lawe you broke Almost in the last word you spoke That crime may not acquited bee Till Frier Tuck receiue his fee Casts him purse King There 's more than twenty marks mad Frier Fri. If thus you pay the Clarke his hire Oft may you forfet I desire You are a perfect penitent And well you doe your wrong repent For this your Highnesse liberall gift I here absolue you without shrift King Gramercies Frier Now Robin Hood Sith Robin Hood it needes must bee I was about to aske before If thou didst see the great Stags fall Rob. I did my Lord I sawe it all But missing this same prating Frier And hearing you so much desire To haue the lozels companie I went to seeke Small honestie Fri. But you found much when you found mee Rob. I Much my man but not a iot Of honestie in thee God wot Qu. Robin you doe abuse the Frier Fri. Madam I dare not call him lyer He may be bold with mee he knowes How now Prince Iohn how goes how goes This wod-mans life with you to day My fellow Wodnet you would bee Ioh. I am thy fellowe thou dost see And to be plaine as God me saue So well I like thee merry knaue That I thy company must haue Nay and I will Fri. Nay and you shall Rob. My Lord you neede not feare at all But you shall haue his company He will be bold I warrant you King Know you where ere a spring is nie Faine would I drink I am right dry Rob. I haue a drinke within my bower Of pleasing taste and soueraigne power My reuerend vncle giues it mee To giue vnto your Maiestie King I would be loath indeede being in heate To drinke cold water Let vs to thy bower Ro. Runne Frier before bid my vnkle be in readines Fr. Gon with a trice on such good businesse Exeūt omnes SCEANE V. ¶ Enter Marian with a white apron Mar. What Much What Iinny Much I say Much What 's the matter mistresse Mar. I pray thee see the fueller Suffer the cooke to want no wodde Good Lord where is this idle girle Why Iinny Within I come forsooth Mar. I pray thee bring the flowers forth Much I le goe send her mistres and help the cookes if they haue any neede Exit Much Mar. Dispatch good Much What Iin I say ¶ Enter linny Much Hie yee hie yee she cals for life Mar. Indeede indeede you doe me wrong To let me cry and call so long Iin. Forsooth I strawed the dining bowers And smoth'd the walkes with hearbes flowers The yeomens tables I haue spred Drest salts laid trenchers set on bread Nay all is well I warrant you Mar. You are not well I promise you Your foresleeues are not pind fie fie And all your
my maiden sonne And giue him leaue to doe what must be done Rob. First I bequeath my soule to all soules sauer And will my bodie to be buried At Wakefield vnderneath the Abbey wall And in this order make my funerall When I am dead stretch me vpon this Beere My beades and Primer shall my pillowe bee On this side lay my bowe my good shafts here Upon my brest the crosse and vnderneath My trustie sworde thus fastned in the sheath Let Warmans bodie at my feete be laid Poore Warman that in my defence did die For holy dirges sing me wodmens songs As ye to Wakefield walke with voices shrill This for my selfe my goods and plate I giue Among my yeomen them I doe bestowe Upon my Soueraigne Richard This is all My liege farewell my loue farewell farewell Farewell faire Queene Prince Iohn and noble Lords Father Fitzwater heartily adieu Adieu my yeomen tall Matilda close mine eyes Frier farewell farewell to all Mat. O must my hands with enuious death conspire To shut the morning gates of my liues light Fitz. It is a duetie and thy loues desire I le helpe thee girle to close vp Robins sight King Laments are bootelesse teares cannot restore Lost life Matilda therefore weepe no more And since our mirth is turned into mone Our merry sport to tragick funerall Wee will prepare our power for Austria After earle Roberts timelesse buriall Fall to your mad-songs therefore yeomen bold And deck his herse with flowers that lou'd you deare Dispose his goods as hee hath them dispos'd Fitzwater and Matilda bide you here See you the bodie vnto Wakefield borne A little wee will beare yee company But all of vs at London point to meete Thither Fitzwater bring earle Robins men And Frier see you come along with them Fri. Ah my liege Lord the Frier faints And hath no words to make complaints But since he must forsake this place He will awaite and thanks your Grace Song Weepe weepe ye wod-men waile Your hands with sorrow wring Your master Robin Hood lies deade Therefore sigh as you sing Here lies his Primer and his beades His bent bowe and his arrowes keene His good sworde and his holy crosse Now cast on flowers fresh and greene And as they fall shed teares and say Wella wella day wella wella day Thus cast yee flowers and sing And on to Wakefield take your way Exeunt Fri. Here dothe the Frier leaue with grieuance Robin is deade that grac't his entrance And being dead he craues his audience With this short play they would haue patience ¶ Enter Chester Chest. Nay Fryer at request of thy kinde friend Let not thy Play so soone be at an end Though Robin Hoode be deade his yeomen gone And that thou thinkst there now remaines not one To act an other Sceane or two for thee Yet knowe full well to please this company We meane to end Matildaes Tragedie Fri. Off then I wish you with your Kendall greene Let not sad griefe in fresh aray be seene Matildaes storie is repleat with teares Wrongs desolations ruins deadly feares In and attire yee though I tired be Yet will I tell my mistresse Tragedie Apolloes master doone I inuocate To whome henceforth my deedes I dedicate That of his Godhead 'boue all Gods diuine With his rich spirit he would lighten mine That I may sing true layes of trothlesse deedes Which to conceiue my heart through sorrow bleeds Cheere thee sad soule and in a loftie line Thunder out wrong compast in clowdy teares Enter in blacke Shewe to the eyes fill the beholders eares With all the liuely acts of lustfull rage Restraind by modest teares and chastities intreats And let king Iohn that ill part personage By sutes deuices practices and threats And when he sees all serueth to no end Of chaste Matilda let him make an end Cho. We are all fitted Frier shall we beginne Fri. Well art thou suted would my order would Permit me habit equall to my heart Cho. If you remember Iohn did take an oath Neuer againe to seeke Matildaes loue Fri. O what is he that 's sworne affections slaue That will not violate all lawes all oathes And being mightie what will he omit To compasse his intents though nere so ill You must suppose king Richard now is deade And Iohn resistlesse is faire Englands Lord Who striuing to forget Matildaes loue Takes to his wife the beautious Isabell Betroth'd to Hugh de Briu Earle of North March And picking quarrels vnder shewe of kinne Wholly diuorces his first Queene away But yet Matilda still still trobles him And being in the Court so oft he courts her That by her noble father old Fitzwater She is remou'd from his lust-tempting eye But tides restraind oreswell their bounds with rage Her absence addes more fuell to his fire In sleepe he sees her and his waking thoughts Studie by day to compasse his desire Cho. Frier since now you speake of visions It was receiued by tradition From those that were right neere vnto king Iohn Of three strange visions that to him appeard And as I guesse I tould you what they were Fri, With them I will begin draw but that vaile And there king Iohn sits sleeping in his chaire ¶ Drawe the curten the king sits sleeping his sworde by his side Enter Austria before whome commeth Ambition and bringing him before the chaire king Iohn in sleepe maketh signes to auoid and holdeth his owne crowne fast with both his hands Fri. Ambition that had euer waited on king Iohn Now brings him Austria easie to be tane Being wholly tam'd by Richards warlike hand And bids him adde that Dukedome to his crowne But he puts by Ambition and contemnes All other kingdomes but the English crowne Which he holds fast as if hee would not loose ¶ Enter Constance leading young Arthur both offer to take the crowne but with his foote he ouerturneth them to them commeth Insurrection ledde by the F. K. and L. menacing him and lead the childe againe to the chaire but he only layeth hand on his sworde and with his foote ouerthroweth the childe whome they take vp as deade and Insurrection flying they mournefully beare in the bodie Fr. The Ladie and the childe that did ascend Striuing in vaine to take the crowne from Iohn Were Constance and her sonne the Duke of Britaine Heire to the elder brother of the king Yet hee sleepes on and with a little spurne The mother and the Prince doth ouerturne Againe when Insurrection them assists Stird by the French king and the wronged Earle Whose troth-plight wife king Iohn had tane to wife He only claps his hand vpon his sword Mocketh their threatnings and in their attempts The harmelesse Prince receiues recurelesse death Whome they too late with bootelesse teares lament ¶ Enter Queene with two children borne after her she ascends and seeing no motion she fetcheth her children one by one but seeing yet no motion she descēdeth wringing her hands and departeth Enter Matilda in
far more wrongd than I takes it not wel Ki. Yes but I doe I thinke not Isabell Lord The worse for any writing of Brunes Sa. Will you ha the troth my Lord I thinke so too And though I be an old man by my sword My arme shall iustifie my constant word Qu. After a long storme in a troublous sea The Pilot is no gladder of a calme Than Isabell to see the vexed lookes Of her lou'd Lord chang'd into sweete aspects Kin. I will not tell thee what a world of foes For thy loue deare loue rise against my life To himselfe Matildaes loue fewe swords will fight for thee I will not number vp the many woes That shall be multiplied strife vpon strife Will follow But to shunne insuing ils I le take shuch pledges as shall please me aske Of each proud Baron dwelling in the Realme Bruse kinsman and the deputie to March Hath a high-minded Lady to his wife An able sonne for armes and a lesse body That is the comfort of his fathers life Madame I know you loue the Lady well And of her wealth you may be bold to build By sending you foure hundred white milch kine And ten like coloured bulles to serue that heard So faire that euery cow did Iö seeme And euery bull Europaes rauisher To friend my selfe with such a subiects truth Thus I commaund You and Earle Salsbury Shall with what speede conueniently ye may Hye ye to Gilford there the Ladie lies And her sonnes too as I am told by spies All that she hath I knowe she calleth yours All that she hath I gladly would call mine If she abuse yee if she vse yee well For euer be what she retaines her owne Only goe by as Queenes in progresse doe And send me word how she receiueth you Qu. Well I auouch she will before I goe Farre be it Iohn should prooue Lord Bruses foe Come noble Oxford I long to be at Gilford Sals. In such a businesse Madam so doe I Exeunt King Goe on good stales now Gilford is mine owne Hubert I charge you take an hundred horse And followe vnto Gilford Castle gates The Queene pretend you come to tend vpon Sent carefully from vs when you are in Boldly demaund the Lady for her sonnes For pledges of her husbands faith and hers Whome when yee haue vpon the Castle seize And keepe it to our vse vntill we come Meane while let me alone with Hugh your sonne To worke a wonder if no prodigie But whatsoere it shall attempted be Hub. Euen that which to your Maiestie May seeme contentfull thereto I agree King Goe then to Gilford and a victor be Exit Hub. Moubray our maske are you and Chester ready Mow. We will before your Grace I warrant you King How thinkst of it Mowbray Hu. As on a maske but for our torch-bearers Hell cannot rake so mad a crewe as I King Faith who is chiefe Hu. Will Brand my Lord But then your Grace must curbe his cruelty The raigne once got he 's apt for villanie Kin. I knowe the villaine is both rough and grim But as a ty-dogge I will muzzle him I le bring him vp to fawne vpon my friends And worry dead my foes But to our maske I meane this night to reuell at the feast Where faire Matilda graceth euery guest And if my hidden curtesie she grace Old Bainards Castle good Fitzwaters place Iohn will make rich with royall Englands wealth But if she do uot not those scattred bands Dropping from Austria and the Holy land That boast so much of glorious victories Shall stoppe the inundations of those woes That like a deluge I will bring on them I knowe the crue is there banish all feares If wrongd they shall be ours if welcome theirs Exeūt ¶ Enter Fitzwater and his sonne Bruse and call forth his daughter Fitz. Why how now votary still at your booke Euer in mourning weedes For shame for shame With better entertainement cheere our friends Now by the blest crosse you are much too blame To crosse our mirth thus you are much too blame I say Good Lord hath neuer woe inough of well ada Indeed indeede Some sorrow fits but this is more than neede Mat. Good father pardon me You saw I sate the supper and the banquet You knowe I cannot dance discourse I shunne By reason that my wit but small before Comes farre behinde the ripe wits of our age Young B. You l be too ripe for mariage If you delay by day and day thus long There is the noble Wigmore lord of the March That lyes on Wye Lug and the Seuerne streames His sonne is like the sunnes syres Ganimede And for your loue hath sent a Lord to plead His absence I did purpose to excuse ¶ Enter Lester Richmond But Lester to the man for him that sues F. My cousin Bruse hath bene your Broker Lester At least hath broke the matter to my girle Lest. O for a barber at the time of neede Or one of these that dresses periwigs To decke my gray head with a youthfull haire But I must too 't Matilda thus it is Say can ye loue mee I am Wigmors sonne Ma. My cousin said he look't like Ganimede But you but you Ley. But I but I you say Am rather like old Chremes in a play But that 's a nice obiection I am hee But by atturney shippe made deputie Mat. He 's neuer like to speede well all his life That by atturney sues to winne a wife But graunt you are whome you seeme nothing like Young Wigmore the heire to this noble Lord He for his sonne hath yet sent vs nere a word Old Br. If you grant loue when his sonne doth wooe Then in your ioynture hee le send say and doe Y. Br. And for a dooer cosin take my word Looke for a good egge he was a good bird Cocke a the game ifaith neuer feare Ma. I but I feare the match will fall out ill Because he saies his sonne is named Will Fitz. And why good daughter Hath some Palmister Some Augur or some dreaming Calculator For such I know you often hearken to Bene prating gainst the name Go too go too Doe not beleeue them Lester fall to wooe Ma. I must beleeue my father and t is you That if I ought misdid reproou'd me still And chiding said you 'r wedded to your will Fitz. God for thy mercy haue yee catcht me there Wigmore is William woman Lester speake Thou art the simplest wooer in the world Lest. You haue put me out she hath tooke me down You with your talke she with her ready tongue You told me I should find her milde and still And scarce a worde come from her in an hower Then did I thinke I should haue all the talke Unhindred by your willingnesse to helpe Unanswerd till I had no more to say And then Y. B. What then she with a courtly curtsie saying nay Ma. Your friends atturney might haue gone his way With as
heat of honour toyle and rage How cheeres earle Richmond Fitzwater speake old man We are now neere together answere mee Fitz. Lester the more our woe The likelier to be taken by the foe Rich. O let not such a thought abuse thy age Wee le neuer yield vs to the tyrants rage Fitz. But if my girle be yielded Lest. If she be Fitz. I I there 's no man but shall haue his time to dy Lest. Now is our hower which they shall dearly buy ¶ Enter king Hugh Chester Mowbray Rich. Lester wee le stand like three Battalions What saies our noble Generall theretoo Fitz. Why I say doe while I can I le keepe my place with you King How now my bug-beare will ye now submit Lest. To death but not to thee Kin. Richmond nor you Rich. Earle Richmond will not yield K. Me thinkes Fitzwater you should haue more wit Fitz. If it be wit to liue I haue no will And so in this my will orerules my wit Ki. Alarum then with weapons will We scourge your desperate will and teach yee to haue wit Fight driue back the king a Withdrawe K. Of high heroicke spirits be they all We will withdrawe a litle and conferre For they are circled round and cannot scape Rich. O that we three who in the suns arise Were like the three Triumuirates of Rome Guids of an hoast able to vanquish Rome Are not alone inclos'd with enemies Fitz. The glorie of the world hath no more stay But as it comes it fleetes and fades away Lest. Courage and let vs die they come againe It s Lord Hugh Burgh alone Hughbert what newes Hu. This daies fierce slaughter Iohn our King lamēts And to you three great leaders of an hoast That now haue not a man at all to leade You worthie captaines without companies Lest. Fitzwarer Richmond by the blessed Sunne Lord Hubert mocks vs Hu. By the Moone I doe not and put the blessed too 't It is as good an oath as you haue sworne My heart grieues that so great hearts as yours be Should put your fortunes on a sort of slaues That bring base feare within them to the field But to the matter Sith your state is such That without mercie you are sure of death Which I am sure and wel his Highnesse knowes You doe not feare at all yet he giues grant On iust conditions you shall saue your liues Fitz. On no condition will I saue my life Except Matilda be returnd againe Unblemisht vnabus'd and then I yield Hugh She now is where she neuer will returne Fitz. Neuer O God! is my Matilda dead Hugh Deade to the world dead to this woe she is She liues at Dunmow and is vowd a Nunne Fitz. Doe not delude me Hubert gentle sonne Hugh By all the faith and honour of my kin By my vnstain'd alleagiance to the king By my owne word that hath reproouelesse bin She is at Dunmow Fitz. O how came she there Hu. When all these fields were walks for rage fear This howling like a head of hungry wolues That scudding as a heard of frighted deere When dust arising like a cole blacke fogge From friend diuided friend ioynd foe to foe Yet neither those nor these could either know Til here and there through large wide mouthed woūds Proud life euen in the glorie of his heat Losing possession belcht forth streames of blood Whose spouts in falling made ten thousand drops And with that purple shower the dust alaid At such a time met I the trembling maid Seeming a doue from all her fellowes parted Seene knowne and taken vnseene vnknowne To any other that did knowe vs both At her entreats I sent her safely guided To Dunmow Abbey and the guide returnd Assures me she was gladfully receiu'd Pittied and in his sight did take her oath Fitz Hubert for this thy honourable deede I and my house will reuerence thy name Hu. Yet I beseech you hide it from the king At least that I conuaid her to the place Enter King Mowbray Chester Fitz. Hubert I will Ki. What stand they still on tearmes Lest. On honourable tearmes on tearms of right Our liues without our libertie we scorne King You shall haue life and libertie I sweare Lest. Then Lester bowes his knee to his liege Lord And humbly begs his Highnesse to beware Of wronging innocence as he hath done Rich. The like Richmond desires yields his sword Kin. I doe imbrace ye both and hold my selfe Richer by a whole Realm in hauing you Fitz. Much is my wrong yet I submit with these Begging free leaue to liue a priuate life King Old brands of malice in thy bosome rest Thou shalt haue leaue to leaue mee neuer doubt Fitzwater see thou shippe thee straight for France And neuer set thy foote on English shore Till I repeale thee Goe goe hence in peace Lest. Why doth your Highnesse wrong Fitzwater thus King I right his wrong he 's wearie of the land Rich. Not of the land but of a publike life Kin. Content ye Lords in such quick times as these We must not keepe a drone among our bees Fitz. I am as glad to goe as you to send Yet I beseech this fauour of your Grace That I may see Matilda ere I part Ki. Matilda See Matilda if thou canst Before Sunne set stay not another day The Abbey wals that shrowd my happy child Appeare within her haplesse fathers sight Farewell my Soueraigne Lester Richmond Lords Farewell to all griefe giues no way to words King Fitzwater stay Lords giue vs leaue a while Hubert goe you before vnto the Abbesse And signifie our comming let her bring Exit Hubert Matilda to her father Come old man Be not too froward and we shall be friends About this girle our mortall warres began And if thou wilt here all our quarrell ends Fitz. Reserue my honour and my daughters fame And no poore subiect that your Grace commands Shall willinger submit obey and serue K. Do then but this Perswade thy beautious child To leaue the Nunry and returne to Court And I protest from hence forth to for sweare All such conceipts of lust as I haue borne Fitz. I will my Lord doe all that I may doe But giue me leaue in this to doubt of you K. This small thing graunt and aske me any thing Or else die in exile loath'd of the King Fitz. You shall perceiue I will doe what I may Enter on the wall Abbesse Matilda Hu. Matilda is afraid to leaue the house But loe on yonder battlement she stands But in no case will come within your hands K. What will my Lady Abbesse warres with vs Speake Ladie wherefore shut you vp your gates Ab. Haue we not reason when an hoast of men Hunt and pursue religious chastitie King Iohn bethinke thee what thou tak'st in hand On paine of interdiction of thy Land Murdrers and fellons may haue sanctuary And shall not honorable maids distrest Religious virgins holy Nunnes profest Haue that small