oft takes pains If any like the Ills he shews to day Let them be damn'd and let them damn the Play The Persons Represented in the Tragedy KIng Henry the Sixth Prince Edward King Henry's Son By Mr. Joseph Williams Richard Plantagenet Duke of York By Mr. David Williams Edward eldest Son of Richard Plantagenet and after his Fathers death King of England By Mr. Smith George Duke of Clarence second Son of the Duke of York By Mr. Bowman Richard the third Son called Crook-back By Mr. Gillow Rutland a Child the youngest Son The Great Earl of Warwick By Mr. Batterton Old Lord Clifford By Mr. Pearcival Young Clifford his Son By Mr. Wiltshire Queen Margaret Wife of King Henry Mrs. Leigh Lady Grey the Widow of Sir John Grey belov'd and at length married by King Edward the fourth By Mrs. Batterton Lady Elianor Butler a young Lady of great quality that was one of King Edward's Mistresses By Mrs. Currer SCENE ENGLAND THE MISERIES OF Civil-War ACT. I. SCENE I. A Noise of Fighting a Shout for Victory Enter Cade and his Rabble Cade FLing all my dead Subjects into the Thames Now say what place is this Butch 'T is London-Stone Cade Then am I Mortimer Lord of this City And here I sitting upon London-Stone Declare this is the first day of our Reign So I command the Conduits all Piss Claret And I proclaim it Treason now for any man To call me other than Lord Mortimer Enter a Souldier running Sould. Jack Cade Jack Jack Cade Knock down that sawcy Fellow A Butcher kill 's him Butch If he has wit he 'll never call thy Honour Jack Cade again Cade I think he has fair warning Enter a Cobler with a Scrivener Cob. My Lord my Lord Cade Well said a mannerly Fellow Cob. I have catch'd a Scrivener here setting Boyes Copies Cade Oh! there 's a Villain a corrupter of Youth Cob. He has a Book in 's pocket with red Letters in 't Cade Then he 's a Conjurer Cob. He can write Bills and Bonds and Obligations to bind People to undo themselves and pay Money whether they Can or no such a Rogue is enough to undo a Nation Cade I 'm sorry for it for on my honour he 's a proper fellow He shall not dye unless I find him Guilty Cob. He shall die Guilty or not Guilty I brought him to be Hang'd and I will not lose my labour I love hanging there 's Never any hanging but I leave my Stall to go see it Hanging-day is my holy-day and I will keep Coblers holy-day Cade We 'll hang him but we 'll examine him first Cob. No hang him first for now no man will confess Till after he 's hang'd Cade I will examine him Sirrah what 's thy Name Scriv. Emanuel Cob. Emanuel That 's a strange Name Friend 't will go very hard with you Cade Let me alone Friend dost thou write thy Name Or use a mark like a plain honest man Scriv. Sir I thank Heaven I have been so well bred That I can write my name All. He has confest He 's a stranger and a Villain hang him Cade Hang him with his Pen and Ink about his Neck Enter others with the Lord Say Prisoner My Lord my Lord a prize an 't like thy Hoâ—â—r 〈◊〉 Here 's the Lord Say who sold the Townes in France And made us pay one and twenty Fifteens And a shilling to the pound last Subsidy Cade I will behead him one and twenty times Come scurvy Lord what canst thou say To our Mightiness for giving up our Towns To Monsieur Basimecu the Dolphin of France Be it known unto thee Traytor by these presents Even by the presence of my self Lord Mortimer That I will sweep the world clean of such filth Thou Trayterously hast built a Grammar-School To debauch all the youth and whereas formerly Our Grandsiers us'd no Book but Score and Tally Thou hast caus'd wicked Printing to be us'd And contrary to the King his Crown and Dignity Hast built a Paper-Mill It will be prov'd That thou hast Servants talk of Nouns and Verbs And such vile Words no Christian er'e can here Thou hast appointed Justices of Peace To call poor men before 'em about matters They cou'd not answer yes and thou hast hang'd 'em Because they cou'd not read Cob. There was a Villain Cade Thou rid'st upon a foot-cloth dost thou not Say Well what of that Cade Why is it not a shame Thy Horse shou'd weare a Cloak when honest men Go in their Hose and Doublets Say Well I find You men of Kent All. What of us men of Kent Say That Kent is bona terra mala gens Cade Bold Traytor he speaks Latin in my presence Go hang him hang him Say Hear me Country-men Cade Hear Latin Villain hang him All. Hang him hang him They drag him away Butch We 'll hang up every man that can speak Latin Cade Well counsel'd Butcher counsel'd like a Butcher We will and more for they are but few Tay. We 'll hang up any man that can speak French For I 'm a Taylour and there is no man That can speak French will let me work a stitch for ' em Cob. We 'll hang up all the Lords and Gentlemen Spare none but such as go in clouted shoes For I 'm a Cobler and live by those Tayl. But by your favour Sir I am a Taylor And Sir I live by Lords and Gentlemen I only wou'd hang those that owe me money And will not pay me Cade Why thou stiching Coxcomb We will be Lords and Gentlemen our selves Tayl. Oh! that 's another thing Cade Another thing What do we fight for else you silly Rascal Cob. 'T is true my Lord we ought to be Great-men For it is said Labour in thy Vocation That is let Magistrates be labouring-men Therefore we lab'ring men ought to be Magistrates And I will be Lord Cobler and a Counsellor Carp I 'le be Lord Carpenter for 't is a shame That none of the Kings Council are good Workmen Cob. The Lords forsooth scorn to wear leather Aprons Cade We 'll make 'em glad to go in leather Aprons Butch We 'll stick 'em all and we 'll be Lords our selves Tayl. I 'll be contented to be but a Knight Cob. Shall we not spare the Lords that are our friends Such as thy Cousin Plantagenet and others Cade No Lord is our Friend you Fool they meerly chouse us Butch How meerly chouse us Cade I say meerly chouse us All the fine words and money that they give us Is nothing else but buying of Calves-heads Butch My Cleaver then shall chouse 'em of their Brains Cade When they have done with us they 'l turn us off Butch Here are brave Knaves Tayl. His Honour understands ' em Cob. I Gad my Lord 's a devilish parlous Fellow Prethee my Lord what ail's these plaguy Lords To keep this coyl when they have a power o' money Brave Lands and gallant Wenches to their Wives Cade I 'll
his Succession And letting fall some words to please her pride To shew what high designs he had near Birth Made the proud frantique Woman run immediately To fetch a cursed Midwife out of Hell King Indeed that was a very wicked Fact Suff. Oh! Sir the Duke of Glocester is a Man Unsounded yet and full of deep deceit Card. Sir he appears to you to be a Man Of great Humanity Mildness and Gentleness There 's not a greater Tyrant upon Earth If any small Offences had at any time Tript up the heels of any of his Enemies And thrown e'm in his power he tortur'd e'm Beyond all bounds either of Law or Manhood He has torn their Bodies so by horrid Deaths As if to put affronts upon that peaceful Christianity which forbids all Revenge He 'd put a cheat upon the Resurrection And tear that Article out of our Creed King Can this be true How chance I never heard of it Card. Who ever durst acquaint you this before Suff. Who ever had your Ear but he till now King The meanest poorest Subject in my Kingdom Had it and shall as much as he or any Man Card. Ay! you like Heaven Sir gave access to all But he was that eternal Persecution All suffer'd that devoutly wou'd approach you King If this this be true what a vile thing is Man Yo. Sir his insatiable Avarice Makes two great Crowns sit loosely on your Head He squeez'd the English Purses till Blood followed Upon pretence to pay your Troops in France So almost tore this Kingdom from its Loyalty Then by not sending any of that Money He starv'd your Troops and almost lost you France Buck. Oh! there are horrid Crimes lie hid in smooth Duke Humphrey which the time will bring to light King My Lords you seem to take great care of me If it be real it deserves great praise But shall I speak my Conscience freely to you No Man I 'me sure no Monarch shou'd dissemble I do not cannot think the Duke of Glocester That horrid thing you represent him to me Card. Then what are we Sir King My Lord Cardinal I 'le tell you what my Father said you were His Reason was as piercing as his Sword And he from depth of Knowledg not from Prophesie Said That if e're you were a Cardinal You 'd make your Cap vye with your Prince's Crown As for these Lords I wo'ld entreat of them To think that I have Eyes as well as they If my Lord Duke of Glocester had such Sores Break out of him as these I shou'd ha' seen e'm Some time or other sure as well as they If he had plaid such Proteus tricks as these Some time or other sure I shou'd have catch'd him But if he be the Monster they have painted him Then what a horrid villanous thing is Man Who wou'd not rather live with Wolves than Men For a Wolf shews his nature but a Man Appears a Lamb when he is most a Wolf If so then I must fly from all of you For now when you seem Lambs you may be Tygers Qu. Sir on my knees I humbly fall before you Kneels And beg with Tears do not give up your self And all of us to Death by incredulity I am a poor weak Woman and a Stranger And of a Nation for whom your Subjects By Nature have an inbred scorn and hate Which great successes greatly have improv'd And Sir my banish't Enemy the Duchess Will in the Rocks of her poor barren Island Sit brooding Vengeance and when you are dead The Eagles she has hatcht shall tear my Soul out And who in England can or will protect me Suff. And all of us are in the same condition All kneel Qu. Then if you think these Lords Sir have no Loyalty Nor I the consort of your Youth no love Yet think we have some kindness for our selves And in your preservation seek our own King Rise my dear Love rise all of you my Lords If I have injur'd you by my suspitions I pray forgive me you perhaps have seen More in the Duke of Glocester than I have I must confess I 'me of a temper fram'd Wakeful to holy thinks drowzy to earthly I 'me as unfit for Earth as some for Heaven Yet knowing I 'me the Shepherd of my Flock I rouse my self to attend upon my Duty But oft I charm my self asleep again With the Caelestial Musick of Religion And then a Wolf may steal upon my sleep And I not see him which perhaps you may That Sirs I thank you all for your kind care Card. Sir we have faithfully discharg'd our Consciences King You have done well I thank you all but pray Give me good proofs of what you have alledged 'T is not enough to say in such a Bush There lies a Thief in such a Cave a Beast But you must shew him to me e're I shoot Else I may kill one of my stragling Sheep I 'me fond of no mans Person but his Vertue Prove that the Duke and Loyalty are strangers And he and I will be as far asunder As Life and Death the Grave shall be betwixt us Suff. Oh! Sir we shall not want sufficient proofs Enter the Duke of Glocester they all start as soon as he comes in Card. See! see the Duke is here King Ha! they all start At the first sight of him I like not that Aside Gl. All happiness attend my Lord the King Pardon Royal Sir that I have stayed so long Suff. My Lord of Glocester you are come too soon Unless you were more Loyal than you are My Lord I here Arrest you of high Treason Gl. My Lord of Suffolk you shall not see me blush Nor change my Countenance at this Arrest King As they to see him did he twits e'm well Aside Gl. Innocence is not very easily daunted Who can accuse me Wherein am I guilty Yo. 'T is thought my Lord that you took Bribes from France And being Protector staid the Souldiers Pay By means whereof all France is almost lost Gl. Is it but thought so What are they that think so King Ha! Is it come but to a thought already Aside Gl. I never rob'd the Souldiers of their Pay Nor ever had one penny Bribe from France But I have rob'd my self both day and night Of all my rest to study good for England The Farthing that e're I wrested from the King Or hoarded up for my own private use I wish may canker all I can call mine But I have wrested from my own Revenues Many a Pound and given among the Garrisons Because I wou'd not Tax the needy Commons And never ask'd for Restitution Card. It serves you well my Lord to say so much Gl. I say no more than truth so help me Heaven Yo. In your Protectorship you did invent Strange and unheard of Tortures for Offenders That England was defam'd by Tyranny Gl. It is well known Pity was all my fault For I shou'd melt at an Offenders tears And humble
words were Ransom oft for Faults I never gave condign Punishment Unless the Offender were a bloody Murtherer Or ravenous Thief that fleaec'd poor Passengers Suff. My Lord these Faults are easie quickly answer'd But mightier Crimes shall be laid to your Charge From which you cannot easily purge your self I then Arrest you in his Majestie 's Name And here Commit you to my Lord Cardinal To keep you safely till your time of Trial. King So they scarce know what to accuse him of Aside And yet Arrest him now I find e'm out My Lord of Glocester 't is my special hope That you will clear your self from all Suspition My Conscience tells me you are Innocent Gl. Ah! Gracious Prince these Days are dangerous Vertue ne're saw good Times but one wou'd think If ever it shou'd find e'm 't wou'd be now Under the Reign of such a Saintlike King But now the Devil rages more than ever ' Cause from the Angel-vertues of the King He almost fears the downfal of his Kingdom Under the Reigns of wicked Kings he sleeps Because he knows they do his Business for him But now he let 's out all his fiercest Fiends And bids them do his worst or all is lost Rancour Ambition and foul Subornation Are all at work to take away my Life The Devil will not be content without it If I by Death cou'd serve my King and Country I 'de freelier give my Life than these Lords take it King My Lord my Lord I do believe you Gl. Sir I humbly thank you for your Royal Charity All these Lords know what you believe my innocence Sad were my case if there were proofs as strong Of their foul Charge as their foul Hate and rancour Their very looks are witnesses against e'm Beauford's red sparkling eyes tell his hearts malice And Sufollk's cloudy brow his stormy hate Sharp Buckingham unburden's with his Tongue The envious load that lies upon his heart And dogged York that reaches at the Moon Because I have pluck'd back his roaming Arm Endeavours to pull Vengeance on my Head Nay my Queen has with the rest conspir'd And with her best endeavour has stirr'd up My Gracious King to be my Enemy Ay all of you have laid your Heads together I had notice of your Plots and Conventicles And all to take away my guiltless Life I shall not want false Witness to condemn me Nor store of Treason to augment my Guilt Card. His railing Sir is most intolerable If those that watch to keep your Royal Person From Treason's secret Knife and Traytor 's rage Be thus upbraided chid and rated at And the Offender granted scope of speech 'T will cool Men's zeal to serve your Majesty Suff. Has he not twit our Sovereign Lady here With ignominious words though subtilly coucht As if she had suborned Villains to swear False Allegations to destroy his Life Qu. But I can give the looser leave to rail Beshrew the Winners for they play me false And well such Loosers may have leave to speak Buck. He 'l wrest the sence and hold us here all day Pray my Lord Cardinal look to your Prisoner Card. Sirs take away the Duke and guard him sure Gl. Ah! thus King Henry throws away his Crutch Before his Legs be firm to bear his Body Farewel most gracious Sovereign Heaven protect you You ne're stood more in need of his Protection For I 'me afraid if Heaven does not save you Man will not Oh! that all my fears were groundless King Stay Uncle let me embrace you e're I go I wish I speak it here before their faces I wish my Enemies had but thy innocence I in thy face behold what I ne're saw Or in their looks or any of their actions A map of Honour Truth and Loyalty Card. Oh! Sir and do you thus King Nay Sirs permit me You from my Bosom tear my best of Friends My wisest Councellor my faithful'st Servant And the great torment forces me to speak Ah! yet good Uncle is the hour yet to come That e're I found you false or fear'd your Faith But there are louring Stars envy your state For these great Lords and Margaret your Queen Do seek subversion of your harmless life And I your King want power to save you from e'm Gl. Ah gracious Sovereign send me quickly hence What ever innocence I had before I 'me growing a great Criminal my stay Does make me guilty of your Royal Sorrows King Thou need'st not beg to be sent hence thy Enemies Will quickly send thee hence in spite of me Gl. Oh! what a World is this when such a King Has little Power because he has too much Goodness Card. The Duke sure bears about him some Enchantment Wherewith he does bewitch the King Away with him Gl. I will away and from the World and you Cou'd part with greater joy than e're man left A howling Desert full of Savage Beasts Did I not leave my Sovereign behind But Oh! the joy of my escape is dash'd When I remember I have left him there Bewildred and no one to be his guid Begirt by Wolves and none to be his guard Card. What are we Wolves He does improve in railing Gl. Prove your selves otherwise I shall be glad Let all your wickedness end at my death And I 'le forgive you that with all my heart I will thank Heaven for my destiny If as the Roman Curtius stop'd the Plague By leaping down into the gaping Earth So I by being thrown into the Grave Cou'd stop the plague of your Ambition But I 'me afraid I shall do no such miracle Suff. This is intolerable My Lord Cardinal Why do you stand so tamely and permit him To wound both yours and all our Honours thus Card. I will endure no more away with him King Farewel good Man Gl. Farewel oh best of Kings Exit with a Guard King So the inhumane Souldier from the panting Breass of his trembling Mother tears an Infant And carries it away before her face Upon his bloody Spear whilst she looks on And swoons and falls and dares not call for help Even so remorseless ha' they born him hence Whilst I with as unhelpless tears bewail The good Man's injuries and with dim'd eyes Look after him and cannot do him good So mighty are his vowed Enemies Whom he I 'me sure ne're wrong'd he ne're wrong'd any Man Exit Qu. Do you see my Lords in what a case we are The King will hear nothing against the Duke The King is cold full of foolish pity And Glocester's shew beguiles his easie mind Just as a Snake roul'd in a flowry Bank Which shining checker'd slough does sting a Child That for the beauty thinks it excellent Believe me Lords were none more wise than I And I believe my self not dull in this This Glocester shou'd be quickly rid of the World To free the King from danger us from fear Card. That he shou'd die is worthy Policy But yet we want some Colour for his death And
it is meet he die by course of Law Suff. That were a worthy policy indeed To bring him to the Bar and there for want Of good substantial Arguments against him Shall openly arreign our selves of Malice And so instead of bringing him to death Expose our selves to all the People's fury True we have Jealousie back'd with strong Reasons But Reason cannot enter into their minds Mud Walls you know resist all Battery And then from those Mud Walls the People's fury Will salley out and make slaughter on us Yo. I 'me o' your mind it is distraction To sail with him into his own safe Harbour The People's rage and not be well coyl'd round With proofs that will resist small shot at least Qu. What shall we do then Must we let him live If so let 's find some way our selves to die For I had rather perish once for all Than die each hour a lingring death of fear Suff. No Madam no the imperious Duke shall die We will not to his pride and rage expose The King the Kingdom and our selves and do Substantial wrong to all because we cannot Do against him a formal piece of Justice Must Justice starve because we want a Lawyers Forked distinctions to feed her neatly with And bright keen proofs to carve him up withal No let us examine into her hungry Stomach The morsel any way no matter how Nor will the Duke have any injury It is an honest and a good deceit To deceive him who first intends deceit Qu. Most gallant Suffolk resolutely spoke Suff. Not resolute except so much were done For things are often spoke and never meant To shew my Heart and Tongue fully agree Say but the word I 'le be the Executioner And think I do a meritorious deed I know the Duke means Treason to the King Why shou'd I stay for proofs of what I know Does any one refuse to kill a Wolf Till he has stain'd his Chops with Crimson Blood No 't is enough he knows him for a Wolf His nature's Crime enough to deserve death He then does best that does dispatch him soonest What do you say Lord Cardinal Speak your mind You see how free we are why are you close Is it a meritorious deed or no Card. My Lords I only staid to feel your Pulses That I might know the temper of your minds How vigorous their constitutions were Religion has a body and a spirit The body is like Water weak and tasteless And that we fling among the Common People The extracted Spirit is intoxicating And that we drink our selves and give our Friends And as wise Men do always in their pleasures Select Companions of their own Humour Those that are rude and quarrelsome in Drink They shun with care those that are kind and pleasant Witty and good natur'd gladly they Consort withal So we ne're drink the spirit of Religion With any Men but those of our own minds Or Men of melting maudling piety Who when they are drunk with it will kiss our feet And weep and do whatever we command e'm Suff. And pray what is this Spirit let us taste it Card. This Did some ask me if this deed were lawful I wou'd say no it is a horrid Murder If any Man offend's against the Publick He to the Publick must give satisfaction That private Man that kills him is a Murderer And a bold Robber of the publick Right But now to you I say cut the Duke's Throat 'T is lawful necessary meritorious And so 't were in another but perhaps If I shou'd say so he wou'd not believe it So he might wound the Church with its own Weapons I 'd pronounce all such damn'd should kill the Duke But I 'le pronounce you damn'd if you refuse it Because you are capable of these great mysteries Suff. Most excellent this deed which I before Only thought needful now I find Religious Card. A most religious meritorious deed You know the Churches Power is call'd the Keys The Keys are given us not one single Key As if there were only one Door to Heaven Oh! there are many entrances There 's one Great common Gate of common Honesty At that we let in common understandings Then there are private Wickets but the Stairs That lead up to e'm are most steep and dangerous And none dare venture up but bold brave Spirits But these back Stairs lead up to Heaven's best Rooms This Murder then is one of Heaven's back Stairs Kill him his Blood will oyl the Churches Keys That you shall choose what Room in Heaven you please Yo. I ne're heard any thing that pleas'd me better Card. My Lords my Lords Reason and Law allow You Layicks to carry Swords for your defence Religion suffers us to carry none Is it because Priests Altars and Religion Does not deserve defence as well as you Yes but we Priests have always Weapons ready A kind of two-edge Knives call'd Subtilties That are most keenly whetted at the Altars And nothing cuts so as one of them In short then kill the Duke kill him to night Before he hurt the King the Church or you Suff. Here is my hand my Lord I 'le see it done Qu. I give consent Yo. I 'le joyn and now we four Agree in it who dares oppose a Censure Suff. We must get fitting People to assist us Card. I 'le find you such I 'le mould e'm for the purpose When we have kill'd the Duke we will give out He kill'd himself to prevent publick shame Or his heart broke because he was discovered Suff. But will not those be Lyes Card. Most sacred truths Do not his actions bring his death upon him Qu. True Card. Then 't is true I hope he kills himself Suff. Right Card. Or suppose we report the discovery Of his foul treacherous actions broke his heart I pray is that false when the discovery Of his foul actions make us break his Neck Suff. No certainly for that will break his heart Card. Then every way you see we spread no falshoods My Lords the Church has several kind of Garments Course home-spun Clothes for Fools fine Robes for Wits Now though a Fool may be let into Heaven With his course Coat on they will ne're admit him To Rooms of State among the Saints of quality Enter a Gentleman Gent. My Lords I am sent Post to you from Ireland The Irish Rebels are all up in Arms And put the English to the Sword send Succours With all the speed you can and stop the rage Betimes or else the Wound may grow incurable Card. A Breach that craves a very speedy stop What counsel give you in this weighty Business Suff. That speedy Force be rais'd My Lord of York Pray do you Head e'm and go try your Fortune Yo. I will my Lord so please his Majesty Suff. Why our Authority is his consent And what we do establish he confirms Then pray my Lord take you this task in hand Yo. Content my Lords do you provide me Souldiers
Royal Sir the Duke of Suffolk instantly Will bring the Duke of Glocester I have lodg'd My noble Prisoner but in the next Rooms King Methinks he shou'd not be the man you make him Card. Your Majesty has your eyes always fixt On shining Heaven that when you look below The World is in a mist and dark to you Enter Suffolk King How now Why look'st thou pale why do'st thou shake Where is my Uncle What 's the matter Speak Suff. The Duke is dead Card. How Dead Suff. Dead in his Chair Qu. Oh! Heaven forbid Suff. 'T is true Card. Heaven's secret Judgments I fear'd some dreadful judgment wou'd o'retake him The King Swoons Qu. How is my Lord Help help the King is dying Suff. Rear up his Body fetch some Water quickly Qu. Oh! Help help help Suff. See he revives again Madam be comforted Qu. How does my Lord King Oh! heavenly God! Sighs deeply Suff. Take comfort Gracious Sir King Ah! Wo is me for Glocester wretched man Qu. Is all your comfort shut up in his Tomb And can you find no joy in me at all Why do you turn away and hide your Face I am no loathsome Leaper look on me Ah! wo is me more wretched than he is Did I for this expose my self to Winds And Rocks and Seas and twice was almost wrack'd And twice was driven back as if the Winds Forewarn'd me landing on this unkind Shore The vaulting Sea danc'd with me to and fro As it were loth to bring me to this Coast The Rocks cover'd in the Waves and hid themselves As shaming to owe kindred to an Island Whose cruel King wou'd thus reward my Love Ah! see if he will speak to me or look on me How hateful am I grown Ah! wretched me Card. I see the King loves this dead Traytor better Than all his living Friends Farewel I 'me sorry Sir To see you hate your Friends and love your Enemies Ex. King Where is my dead Friend I 'le see him lead me to him Suff. In the next Room Sir Ho open these doors The Scene is drawn and the Duke of Glocester is shewn dead in a Chair King Oh! thou good man And hast thou thus been us'd And is this all of thee that 's left to me Oh! to how little and how poor a pittance Are all my Comforts in this life now brought Enter Warwick War Oh! Sir Reports are spread among the People The good Duke Humphry treacherously is murder'd By Suffolk's and the Cardinal Beauford's means Suff. By mine War By yours Suff. I did expect as much War The Commons like a Hive of angry Bees That want their Leader scatter up and down And care not whom they sting in their revenge I have endeavour'd to allay their rage Until they are satisfied about his death King Ah! my Lord he is dead 't is true too true See here But how he died God knows not I. I fear foul play was plaid him for his Life Oh Heaven to whom Judgment alone belongs Forgive me if I injure any one With false suspitions War Sir as certainly As I believe that Heaven was his Maker I believe Treachery was his destroyer Suff. Do you know it that so dreadfully you swear it War I swear that I believe it Suff. What 's your reason War I see already above a thousand proofs That he was basely strangled Suff. Strangled War Strangled His Face is black and swell'd with settled Blood Which shews the passage to the Heart was stopt Whether the Blood in natural deaths descends To aid the labouring Heart in his last conflict And failing freezes with the cold of Death And ne're returns but leaves the face all pale His eyes stand gastly from his Head and almost Come out to meet us to complain of strangling His gaping nostrils are stretch'd out with striving His hands are spread abroad as one that grasp'd And tugg'd for Life but was by strength o're-master'd His well proportion'd Beard is rugged made Like Summer's Corn by furious tempest lodg'd See a blew Ring encompasses his Neck Oh! Murder here has danc'd her fairy round If the Duke was not strangled ne're was man Suff. Why who shou'd do it my Lord none but my self And Cardinal Beauford had him in protection War Who finds the Heifer dead and bleeding fresh And sees a Butcher with his Ax stand by May easily suspect who made the Slaughter Qu. The Cardinal and you my Lord are Murderers For shame my Lord of Warwick rule your arrogance War Pray Madam let me with due reverence tell you Each word you speak for him slaunders your Honour Suff. Blunt-witted Lord thy evil manners say Thy Mother took into her blameful Bed Some rough untutour'd Churl and grafted there On Nâ—vil's noble race a rugged Clown War Did not my Sovereign's presence check my fury I 'de make thee kneel for pardon for this speech And say 't was thy own Mother that thou mean'st And after this low homage I wou'd kill thee Thou treacherous murderer of sleeping men Suff. Thou shalt be waking when I shed thy blood If er'e I meet thee from this royal presence War Away or I will drag thee though I scorn thee I 'le fight with thee to appease Duke Humphry's Ghost King Forbear my Lords for shame stay I command you A Noise Enter Salisbury Sal. Great Sir the Commons humbly implore by me The Duke of Suffolk may be put to death Or Banish'd instantly for else they threaten They 'l tear him hence by violence and Torture him Free from bold contradiction to your liking But out of Loyalty they drive him from you They say If you desir'd to sleep and charg'd No one on pain of Death shou'd dare to wake you Yet if they saw a Serpent in your Bosom They with the hazard of their lives wou'd wake you And drive him from you whether you wou'd or no. They say the Duke of Suffolk is that Serpent By whose envenom'd sting your Uncle perish'd A Prince a thousand times of Suffolk's value From him they also fear your Majestie 's Death Suff. They durst not send this message to their King My noble Lord Embassador from Weavers King My Lord of Salisbury Tell e'm from me I thank e'm for their Loyal care of me That I have been awake long e're they rouz'd me And seen the dangerous Serpent I have cherish'd To my great danger and my Friends destruction For oh the slimy paths the Serpent crawl'd To sting my Friend to Death shine in my eyes Suff. Sir will you judg me e're you know my innocnece King Go tell e'm By that Heavenly Majesty Whose most unworthy Deputy I am I vow most solemnly the English Air Shall not receive three days infection more From this most wicked man for if it does The fourth shall end his wickedness and him Exit Salis. Suff. Sir this is hard to doom mâ—'re I 'me tried Qu. Oh! let me plead Sir for this injur'd Lord. King Oh fye forbear forbear your pleading
the Living cannot eat Nor drink nor sleep in quiet for the Dead The Dead that can do none of e'm must plague us Thou envious Ghost get to thy own abode I know not where it is in Heaven or Hell Oh! Hell Hell Hell I am tormented Oh! 1 Mur. Oh! gallant brave Infallibility Enter the King Salisbury Warwick King How does the Cardinal 2 Mur. Sir of a sudden He 's fallen into a fit of Infallible Madness Card. Ha! who are these Stand off stand off who are you Sal. This is your King Card. What King The King of Terrors Death is it he If thou be'st Death I 'le give thee Treasure enough to purchase all this Kingdom So thou wilt let me live and feel no pain King Ah! What a sign it is of evil life When Death's approach appears so terrible War My Lord my Lord Do you know your King Car. What King what King War King Henry Car. Ha! King Henry Sir bring me to my Trial when you will I am prepar'd died he not in his Bed Can I make men live whether they will no Oh! do not torture me I will confess Oh! King Poor wretch War What think you Sir Are not these signs Of horrid Guilt King Let us not Censure him Car. Alive again do you say Ha! shew him me I 'le give a Thousand Pound to look on him Stand by and let me see him there he is He has no Eyes the dust has blinded e'm Comb down his hair look look it stands upright Like Limetwigs set to catch my flying Soul I prethee do not carry me along with thee And I 'le do cruel Pennance all my life Hunger shall tear my Entrals Whips my Flesh Thorns my bare Feet my habit shall be Hair-cloth The Rock my Bed hard Roots my only food Foul Puddle all my drink if this suffice not I 'le sell my self a Slave among the Turks What dost thou say wilt thou consent to this King Oh! thou eternal Mercy cast an eye Of pity on this Wretch Oh! drive away from him The hungry Fiend that strives to gripe his Soul Card. Ha! Wilt thou not consent and must I die Oh! let me live and be a Slave a Dog What must I die Oh! this is very cruel War See how he grins Sir with the pangs of Death Sal. Disturb him not let him pass peaceably King Peace to his Soul if it be Heavens good pleasure Lord Cardinal If you have any hopes of Heaven Hold up your hand and give a joyful signal Sal. He gives us none King Oh! Heaven have mercy on him War He gives a dreadful signal of his Guilt King Forbear to judge him we are sinners all He 's dead close up his eyes and let us all To sad and devout Meditation Exeunt The Scene is drawn The Queen weeping A Lady attending Qu. How am I robb'd of all my joys in Youth That now my doleful Years will hang on me Like a great Family on a poor Bankrupt My hope is Destiny will ne're be able With this great weight of Misery upon me To drag me to the Prison of old Age Where we lie cold and dark as in the Grave And have as great a load of Earth upon us Where melancholy thoughts about us crawl Like Toads in Dungeons about Malefactors That Prison where through gates of Horror wrinkled Fate feeds us with the Water of our Tears But enough to quench the thirst of Sorrow For the old Well is then almost dried up Lady Oh! Madam you 'l bring Age on you in Youth If you weep thus Qu. I wou'd if I cou'd bring on me The only joy of Age to be near Death But I have a long Life to travel through Barren and comfortless as any Desert And I am spoil'd of all just at the entrance Enter another Lady 2 Lady Madam there 's a Gentleman without Come from aboard a Vessel where the Duke Of Suffolk lately was Qu. Oh! bring him Enter a Gentleman Oh! saw you lately Sir the Duke of Suffolk Gent. Yes Madam Qu. Oh! How does he Gent. Well I doubt not He is at the end of an unhappy Journey Qu. In France already Gent In a better Country Madam forgive my zeal to my dear Lord. I had the honour to be once his Servant And knowing well your Majesty did bear A very great respect to his great Merit Came to entreat you to revenge his Blood Qu. His Blood Gent. His Blood See Madam this was once The beauteous manly Visage of my Lord. Shews the Duke of Suffolk 's Head 1 Lady She faints she dies Oh! help for Heaven's sake 2 Lady She stirs she 's coming to her self again Qu. Why have you wak'd me from this pleasing slumber In which I had forgotten my vast misery Where is the bloody Spectacle you shewed me 1 Lady Away with it Qu. Shew it me again I say Oh! barbarous and bloody Spectacle Is this the Noble Duke Is this the man That was the pride of Nature England's Ornament But now is England's everlasting shame Oh! my dear murder'd Duke Is this the meeting Which we at parting promised to each other Love promis'd more than Destiny cou'd pay Who did this cursed deed Gent. A cursed Pyrate Who in the Rivers Mouth clapt him aboard And took the Duke and all of us his Prisoners The Duke they knew not till they spy'd his George And then he own'd himself and for his Ransome Offer'd what sums of Gold they wou'd demand He chanc'd to be one Walter Whitmore's Prize Who lost in Fight his eye Qu. And to revenge it He wou'd put out the Sun Gent. Yes kill the Duke And he was stirr'd to greater insolence By that damn'd Villain which they call'd their Captain Who said the Duke had murder'd good Duke Humphry Begger'd the King lost France and ruined England Nay his foul Tongue did not refuse to spit Dishonour on your Sacred Majesty And said the Duke had injur'd the King's Bed Qu. Impudent Villain Gent. For all which foul Crimes He said he wou'd revenge the King and Kingdom Qu. Bold bloody Villain Gent. The brave Duke on this Calling to mind his Birth was Calculated And it was told him he shou'd die by Water He thought at first the Fiend had quibbled with him And he shou'd die by one who was call'd Water But then remembring that he was at Sea He found the Devil had two strings to his Bow So Saw himself encompast round with Destiny Then lifting up his Eyes to Heaven he smil'd As if he in his noble thoughts derided The sport Fate makes with great mens Lives and Fortunes Then looking down with scorn on his base Enemies He gave a sigh at which he nam'd Queen Margaret And with that grace he acted every thing He bowed his Head and had it stricken off Qu. Oh! execrable Villains cou'd this face Which govern'd me not strike an awe in you Who were not worthy once to look up it And thou unfortunate gallant man Thy Wit thy Valour and