THE MISERY OF CIVIL-WAR A TRAGEDY As it is Acted at the DUKE's Theatre By His Royal Highnesses Servants Written by Mr. CROWN LONDON Printed for R. Bentley and M. Magnes in Russel-Street in Covent-Garden 1680. PROLOGUE REligious Broyles to such a height are grown All the sweet sound of Poetry they drown Were Orpheus here his Lute might charm our Beasts Our Mastiffs not our Robble or our Priests Good Heaven Sirs are there no other ways To damn the Pope but damning all our Plays To our Religion 't is no Praise at all That if our Wit must stand our Faith must fall All parties in a Play-House may agree The Stage is priviledg'd from Piety 'T is pleasant Sirs to see you fight and brawl About Religion but have none at all Most fiercely for the Road to Heav'n contend But never care to reach the Journeys end Though you lose Heaven you will keep the Way The Pope sha'n't have you though the Devil may These things such business for the Criticks find They 're not at leasure Poetry to mind Well for the Poet 't is they 're so employ'd Else this poor Work of his wou'd be destroy'd For by his feeble Skill 't is built alone The Divine Shakespear did not lay one Stone Besides this Tragedy a Rod will prove To whip us for a Fault we too much Love And have for ages liv'd call'd Civil Strife The English Nation like a Russian Wife Is to a gentle Husband always curst And loves him best who uses her the worst This Poet though perhaps in Colours faint Those scurvy Joys does in all Postures Paint Fools take in pelting out each others Brains A joy for which this Nation 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 Honour 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
Yo. Cl. Ha! again he calls Oh! there he lyes All weltring in his gore gasping for life Oh! Father Father if thou hast breath enough Leave with me but the name of him that wounded thee That I may give thee and my self revenge And I 'll prefer that glorious Legacy Before the Estate and Honour which thou leav'st me Ol. Cl. Plantagenet gave me my death Farewel Dyes Y. Cl. Plantagenet gave thee thy death Plantagenet Then gave himself and all his race destruction He kills our old men and I 'll kill his Children Henceforth I will not have to do with pitty Tears shall be to me as the dew to fire I will be famous for inhumane cruelty My Father hear's me not he 's dead he 's gone Come thou new ruin of Old Clifford's house I 'll bear thee on my shouldiers as Aeneas Did old Anchises but with this sad difference He bore a living Father mine is dead And so my burden and my grief is heavier He takes his Father on his back and going out meets the King Queen and Souldiers Q. Away away Sir what do you mean to stay All 's lost you have no safety but in flight Hen. My heart 's so heavy that I cannot flye Q. Ha! who goes there Clifford thou art I think Yo. Cl. I am Qu. What burden hast thou on thy shoulders Yo. Cl. I carry vengeance for Plantagenet Hen. Plantagenet dead Yo. Cl. A braver honester man My valiant loyal Father Hen. Clifford dead Yo. Cl. Kill'd by Plantagenet Qu. Take comfort Clifford We 'll streight to London where we have pow'r enough To revenge our selves and thee and to assist us The Parliament shall meet and raise the Kingdom Yo. Cl. For your revenge ralse Kingdoms and for mine I 'll raise my self and I 'll have bloody Vegeance I 'll kill Plantagenet and all his Sons That when he is dead he may not have a Son To bear him to the grave as I my Father And so cut off his memory from the Earth Meet I but any Infants of his House Into as many gobbits will I cut 'em As wild Medea did the young Absyrtis And I will strave my men that they may eat 'em And so let us about our several business Exit A Shout of Victory Enter at one door Warwick at another Plantagenet Edward Richard Souldiers Plantagenet embraces VVarwick Pl. Let me embrace the greatest man that breaths War Pray cease my Lord you know this does not please me Edw. England will learn again to Fight and Conquer A glorious science we have almost lost Under the reign of this tame bookish Henry War What is become of the young boasting Clifford Fate as if tender of him did to day VVhen e're I met him thrust a crowd betwixt us Pl. I met his Father in the field and there I put the brave old man to his last bed The stout old winter Lyon that had long Endur'd the brush of time fought with that heat As he had been but in the spring of youth Like arras-hangings in a homely house So was his gallant Spirit in his body Edw. Whilst we pursued the horâ—â—men o' the North With too much heat the King escap'd our hands But he has left behind some of his friends I fell upon the gallant Duke of Buckingham And with one fortunate substantial blow I cleft his good steel Helmet and his Scull And see his Brains are yet upon my Sword Rich. To speak the truth my Brother Edward fought To day as if he had fought for a Mistress Ed. I must confess I fought with more dispatch ' Cause had the Battle lasted 't wou'd have spoil'd An assignation that I have to night Rich. Did not I say as much Pl. Thou good Son Richard Dost not disturb thy heart with cares of love Rich. The hill upon my back fence's my heart The women love not me so I hate them War We have all cut our names deep on the Pillars Of Fame's high Temple where shall be forever Written this glorious Battle at S. Albons Now my Lord post away with speed to London For thither I am told the King is Fled And there he will repair this day's wide breaches Citizens always love Tame Godly Princes And such as abhor fighting like themselves Then if you can enter the Town before 'em And fill it with your Troops and then tomorrow Get very early into the Parliament House And guarded well openly claim the Crown My Tongue and Sword shall both assert your Title Then let me see what Peer dare be so bold Or Common so sawcy to oppose it Pl. Thou Soul of valour Wisdom and Nobility I 'll take thy Counsel War Go then march with speed I 'll tarry for a moment to take care For any of quality that are dead or wounded Ex. Plantagenet Richard one way Warwick another Edw. I well approve this speedy March to London For here to Night I hope to meet my Mistress Ex. Edward Enter two bearing a Body Warwick meets ' em War Whose Body is that 'T is Sir John Grey of Grooby War A fierce bigot for the Lancastrian Faction I 've heard of him and whither do you carry him 2. To his fair Widow she had only news He had some wounds and so came in her Chariot To carry him away with her but all Her care is now too late see here she is Enter Lady Grey attended La. Gr. Where is my Husband I am impatient for him 1. We have found him Madam in a state too bad For you to look on L. Gr. Oh! he 's dead he 's dead 2. Help help she 's falling on him dead as he War I never saw so beautiful a Creature 1. She is come to her self War But I 'm so lost That I shall never be my self again La. Gr. Oh! my dear Husband War See! see she embalmes His Body with her pretious Tears and Kisses I know not to what place his Soul is fled But I am sure his Body is in Heaven Forms Ceremonies Civil Fooleries Insects engendred of corrupt false Wit I will ride o're you in my way to joy Though this is the first time I ever saw her And she lies drown'd in Tears o're her dead Husband Drown'd in his blood shed may be by my self Yet here and now I 'll tell her that I Love And here and now resolve to make her mine Madam your pardon that I interrupt you La. Gr. Who are you Sir War You Madam best can tell When I came hither I was Earl of Warwick But you have chang'd me to I know not what La. Gr. The Earl of Warwick Oh! my Lord I beg you Conjure you by the Honour of a Nobleman That you permit a miserable Woman To give her Husbands Body decent Burial War Madam with all my heart and I cou'd wish He had been buried when he first saw light And never liv'd to do Prodigious mischiefs La. Gr. What wondrous mischiefs dying for his King War Oh! he has done more ill
than Frantick Alexander When he set fair Persepolis o' Fire Or him that burnt the fam'd Ephesian Temple La. Gr. Who did all this War He whom Heav'n there has punisht And did it Madam by enjoying you By kindling in your heart love for himself He fir'd a stately Palace only fit For hearts of mighty Kings He burnt a Temple The master piece of Nature the Worlds wonder La. Gr. Is this fit talk to one in my condition War I know old Tyrant Custom does command You Widows to be stretch'd on the long rack Of twelve months mournful abstinence from love And which methinks is an immodest fashion You must wear black the colour of the night To put you in remembrance of the pleasure Night for your service pays you no more Wages Yet you in gratitude must wear Nights livery And you must sigh aud weep to tell the World What skill you have in man for who e're weeps For loss of that whose value they ne're knew Fy what ill woman brought up those ill Customs La. Gr. What horrid insolence you treat me with Enter one running 1. My Lord the Enemy begins to rally War Go fight 'em for I 'm busily employ'd Enter a Second 2. Mount mount my Lord or you 'l be taken Prisoner War I am a Prisoner nor can stir from hence Unless this beauty with a smile release me La. Gr. Grief Horror and Confusion put me again Into a deadly Fainting War I perceive Formality the Governess of Women And Custom the great Tyrant of the World Are married in the Temple of this beauty Take with you then your pale Companion And pay to it the Tax of some Months tears And lock your self in solitude and darkness But after that by my renown and fortune By this days victory by that great power By which I to the King say be a Subject And to a Subject I say be a King I swear I shortly will say to my self Warwick be thou Possessour of this beauty I 'll have you though you hate and Heaven envy me And the first joy I reap cost me my life La. Gr. In spight of me I am compel'd to speak I swear by the dead body of my Husband By my unspotted fame most sacred to me I rather will chuse death than any man But I 'll chuse Hell e're you War Cruelly sworn But yet such Oaths are heriots which Widows To custom always pay when a life falls The world expects to have 'em pay such sines E're they renew another life in love Then Madam take your fallen tenement And pay all custom'd dues you have your freedom And for your safety all my guard shall wait you La. Gr. Though paying rights of burial to my husband Be all that I desire to do on Earth E're I will be oblig'd to you for any thing I 'll dye upon him and be all his monument War Oh Beauteous Monument all men wou'd dye To be so buried envy will not suffer me To let the dead have so much happiness Therefore I 'll take my leave La. Gr. The only favour I will receive or can endure from you War Take it one kindness oft begets another Farewel most cruel but most beauteous creature La. Gr. Farewel most rude and most abhorr'd of men War Softly to his men Guard her safe hence but do not let her know it Lest she refuse it and shou'd meet with injury Ex. Scene a Room in London Table Lights Enter Edward pulling in Lady Elianor Butler L. El. Oh! do not tempt me for I know You will be false Ed. Well but I know I shall not L. El. Oh! to how many women have you sworn As much as you ha' done to me to night Ed. Oh is there not great difference among VVomen Some Women are but petty Inns to lodg at And though perhaps rather than want a lodging We wou'd pay all they ask though most unreasonable But if they wou'd pay me I wou'd not dwell with 'em But your sweet beauty is my journey's end L. El. Oh! yes till you begin another journey Ed. Besides the many thousand Charmes about you From which it is impossible to ' scape Your Birth and Quality will not permit me To trifle with you as with trifling women I dare not but regard Lady Elianor Butler L. El. But when you have enjoy'd Lady Elianour Butler She 'l seem as very a trifle as the rest Ed. Then what a perjur'd Villain must I be L. El. VVhen you are Prince of Wales perhaps you 'l think The Prince of Wales is not obliged to keep Lord Edwards Oaths and when I follow you You will cry Madam I am Prince of Wales And I must marry for the Nation 's good I 'm very sorry I am forc'd to lose you But pardon me it is the Nation 's fault So Madam I 'm your very humble Servant If I can serve you any way command you Then instead of being made Princesse of Wales I sneak away poor cheated Elianor Butler Ed. Well this is very unkind to make me throw So sweet a Night so foolishly away I thought you wou'd have given me a clear draught Of Love without the dreggs of Oaths and Vows L. El. Oh! you are too charming not to be belov'd And when once lov'd not to be lov'd for ever I know I 've not desert to keep you constant And 't is enough for me that you once lov'd me To blame you that you will not love me always â— as a beggar blam'd a Prince for giving him Only one Jewel No one Woman merit 's Your Love so you divide it among all But oh methinks I feign wou'd have it alle And have it always Ed. So I swear you shall Then come away for night is stealing from us Weary with holding up her fable Robe To hide two loytring lovers to no purpose Then come away L. El. Oh swear to me once more Ed. I 'll swear no more whil'st we by foolish Oaths Secure delights to come we lose the present Then come away for else I shall be call'd Oh Heaven's see the day is broke already The vast and heavy business of a Kingdom Heave up the scale of Morn before it's time Oh! come away for fear I be undone L. El. Oh! do not ask for fear I be undone Knocking Ed. Hark! I hear knocking I am call'd I 'm ruin'd Enter the waiting Woman Wo. My Lord here is your Brother my Lord Richard Is come to fetch you to the Parliament He says your Father 's going thither already Ed. Did not I tell you Love what you wou'd do Confound my Lord Richard tell him I 'm not here Wo. He says you are here and he 'l not part with you Ed. So we have manag'd our occasion finely Was this well done of you L. El. You may forgive me Since I 'm almost as sorry as you are Ed. Then will you mend the fault another time L. El. I fancy I shall do my weak endeavour Rich. within Why Brother Ed.
As I wou'd do a Toad or a young Serpent Rut. Hear me but one word more dear brave Lord Clifford You have a Son for his sake pity me Lest as you kill me for my Father's faults Just Heaven shou'd destroy your Son for yours And he be miserably kill'd as I am Then Oh! for your Son's sake give me my life And for my Father's faults keep me in Prison And kill me whensoever I offend you Cl. Thou wilt be an offence to me in living Whilst any of thy cursed Fathers race Live upon Earth I live on Earth then dye Rut. Oh! shall I have no pity at your hands Cl. Such pity as my Rapiers point affords Wounds him Rut. May'st thou ne're get more same than by this deed Oh my poor Father Oh! my death will kill him Dyes Cl. Ho! take the body up and carry it after me I 'll make a present of it to his Father Exit Enter Plantagenet Pl. All 's lost my men by numbers are devour'd Or fly like Ships before the stormy wind My Sons have bravely fought but all in vain They only swim like Swans against the Tide And are born down by over-matching Waves And I am very faint and cannot flie But had I strength I 'm on all sides enclos'd The Sands are numbred that make up my life See! the bloody Clifford comes then here I fall Enter Clifford and Souldiers Cl. Ha! have I found thee proud Plantagenet What tumbled Phaethon from thy shining Chariot And made an Evening at thy highest Noon Oh Father from the joys above descend And share with me the pleasure of Revenge Or else by high revenge I 'll climb to thee Pl. Thou bloody raging Clifford do thy worst I 'd scorn to ask thee mercy hadst thou any But thou hast none then come with all thy Multitudes Cl. So Cowards sight when they can fly no farther So Pigeons peck the Falcon's piercing Talons So desperate Thieves breathe curses at the Officers Pl. Hast thou the impudence to charge a Prince With cowardize who made thee basely fly Call to thy memory S. Albans Battel Cl. I do then didst thou kill my brave old Father Pl. And now wou'd thee wert thou not back't with multitudes Cl. I will try that stand of and do not touch him Unless I fall then cut him all to pieces I will not lose revenge yet I will give him So much revenge to kill me if he can Pl. I thank thee for the kindness 't is a great one They Fight Plantagenet is disarm'd and thrown Cl. Now wilt thou yield that I have fairly conquer'd thee As Cl. is lifting up his arm to kill him Enter the Queen Q. Hold valiant Clifford hold I wou'd prolong The Traytors life to scorn him trample on him Are you the man that wou'd be King of England Are you the man that revell'd in the Parliament Sat in your Sovereign's Throne and did believe Your breath cou'd blow his Crown from off his head Where are your Mess o'Sons to back you now Your wanton Edward and your lusty George Your ugly valiant Dick that crookback Prodigy And with the rest where is your darling Rutland Pl. My heart misgives me where is he indeed Qu. Ask Clifford Pl. Oh! thou hast not butcher'd Clifford The innocent Boy Cl. On that young tender morsell My greedy vengeance staid a while it 's stomach Till it cou'd dine on thee and all thy Sons Qu. See! I have stain'd a Napkin in the blood That valiant Clifford with his Rapier's point Made issue from the bosome of thy darling And bring it thee to wipe away thy tears Pl. She-wolf of France or rather cruel Tygress For woman thou art none women are soft Gentle and pitiful but thou art cruel Oh! ten times more than an Hyrcanian Tygress There is a Boy that thinks thou art his Mother But surely thou didst never bear a Child For thou woud'st something know a Parents love And have some natural touch of pitie in thee And not have drain'd the life-blood of a Child To bid his Father wipe his eyes withal Qu. I therefore did it to increase thy sorrow I know a Parent 's love and thy fond love And all the mysteries of thy haughty heart I knew that thou woud'st Barricado it Against the losses of a Crown and Life With Iron-barrs of stubborness and pride But oh this blood like Oyl will sink into it These Crimson threads will lead tormenting grief Into the inmost lodgings of thy Soul And lest this Napkin be too soft a thing I have within an Engine that shall squeeze Thy soul into thy eyes Bring Rutland's Body Now thou hast drunk the liquour take the cup. Enter some with dead Rutland Pl. Oh! my sweet Boy Qu. Ah! this is Musick to me This is the part thou mean'st I shou'd have plaid If thy accursed Treasons had succeeded But that my Tragedy must have been deeper And bloodier far thou mean'st I shoud have wept For a lost Kingdom Husband and a Son Pl. Yes and I do not doubt but my three Sons Heaven's vengeance and the curses of all England Shortly will make thee weep for loss of all ' em Qu. I 'll spoil thy prophecying give me a sword Cl. I 'll pierce him first there 's for my Fathers blood Qu. There for the horrid ills thou threatnest to me Cl. There for the ills he brought upon the Kingdome Pl. Open thy gate of mercy gratious Heaven Dyes Qu. Now take his head once fill'd with lofty thoughts And set it on a lofty pinacle Ex. Scene the Field Enter Edward Ed. No tydings of my Father I am troubled Enter Richard Ric. Brother I 've news Ed. What of our valiant Father Ric. Oh no! I cannot hear what is become of him Ed. What are your news then Ric. They are not very good A Messenger is come from the Earl of Warwick Who tell 's us he is marching to our aid But leaving a strong party with Lord Cobham To guard the King and all the Southern parts They chanc'd to meet with some of the Queen's Troops And whether the Kings Coldness numm'd his keepers Or whether terror of the Warlike Queen Whose armies and success each hour encrease Or of the inexorable cruel Clifford It is not known but my Lord Cobham's men Look'd on the shining Valour of the Enemy Like sleepy Owles on day and fell beneath it That they were all destroyed and Henry fled With the Victorious Troops to joyn the Queen That the Earl of Warwick now wants strength to fight her Ed. This is ill news indeed what shall we do Ric. Hee desires you to haste away with speed To meet ten thousand men marching from Wales Rais'd by your interest there to whom he sent To joyn his Troops if possible to morrow Which they may do if you will hasten ' em Ed. They shall not want for that I 'll go this instant Ric. Pray do not fail for all our Lives and Fortunes Are set on this one cast Ed.
I 'll spur away Which way go you Ric. I 'll to the Earl of Warwick Exit Ed. My Horse my Horse I must ride for a Kingdom Enter Lady Eleanor Butler in a riding dress La. El. My Lord Ed. My Love or a fair Vision if a Vision Tell me lest I embrace thee into a Dew La. El. Yes I am that fond she who gave Lord Edward The lovelyest bravest but the most inconstant Of all mankind my hand and heart for ever Ed. Then I am that fond he will lose a Kingdom Rather than one hours pleasure with my Love And so farewell a Kingdom for an hour La. El. I heard you were surrounded by the Queens Numerous Troops and in exceeding danger And I cou'd have no quiet till I came And shar'd your destiny what e're it was Ed. Oh! it was kindly charitably done To speak the truth mine is a scurvy destiny The Enemy is in my Father's Castle And I 've no Beds of Down on Golden Bed-steads Under plum'd Canopies t' embrace my Love in My Destiny wil be to lye to night On some Straw-bed under some low thatch'd Roof And thou shalt share it what if the chil wind Blow on us it will make us lye the closer Or what if we shou'd lye on the cold Earth It was our Grandsire Adam's Bridal Bed 'T was there he gave the start to all mankind La. El. Fye Fye such thoughts as these at such a time When you have a Life and Kingdom to look after Ed. A thousand Lives and Kingdoms are in thee Whilst the Enemies tall fortune stalks about In darkness like a blinded Polyphem We will creep under it into a Cottage Of some of my own faithful Tenants here And safely steal delight like cunning Mariners Pilfring the hold out of the reach of shot La. El. Have you a mind then to be kill'd or taken The Woods are all full of the Enemy Ed. Shou'd all the Trees turn men and the Grass Pikes I will not stir from hence till I 've enjoy'd thee My crooked Brother Richard like a Hook Pull'd me away from thee the other night For which I 'll lay a double Tax on this La. El. Though I am but your Wife in hopes and promises So great an Empire have you over me My heart wou'd not refuse you any Tax Did not your self run danger in the gathering Ed. There is no danger every Cottager In all these parts will hang e're he 'll betray me Then let the loss of the last opportunity Make us so wise to use this whilst we have it La. El. Pray do not ask me Ed. Pray do not deny me La. El. You will be taken Ed. No I 'll warrant you La. El. But if you shou'd Ed. No matter if Thieves come When we have put our Money out to use La. El. You are a strange man Ed. And you are a sweet woman Come come away La. El. Well now if mischief happen Do not blame me Ed. There can no mischief happen Like losing this most blessed opportunity Then come along along La. El. Oh! that I cou'd not Ed. Away away I say La. El. Well since I must Ex. Enter Souldiers dragging Country-men Scene a Cottage 1 Soul Where is your Money Rogues confess you Rogues 1 Coun. Indeed Sir I am a very poor man I get my living by my labour Sir And I have nothing but from hand to mouth 1 Soul You lye you Rogue you lye I know the tricks Of all you Rogues when e're your King wants Money Then you are poor you cannot pay your Taxes But if the Swords of Rebels plow the Nation Then you have Bags and you can bring 'em out Like Baggs of Seed and sow 'em all for Crops To maintain Rogues that fight against your King Nay for that use can pawn your Pots and Kettels But now for us you cannot find a Farthing 2 Coun. Indeed Sir you shou'd have it if I had it VVith all my heart 2 Soul You lye you Rogue you lye I know this Rogue he is one of the damn'd Rebels Plantagenet's chief Tenants a rich Fellow You have no Money for the King's Souldiers But you had Money to fit out your Son A Trooper Sirrah to fight for Rebellion 3 Soul Oh Rogue 2 Soul I knew his Son and kill'd the Dog 2. Co. Oh! wretched me he was my only Son 1. So. Come take the Rogue and hang him on that tree Unless he presently confess his Money 2. Cou. Oh! Sir I will confess I will confess 3. Sou. Then you have money Sirrah 2. Coun. Yes a little 1 Sou. A little Oh! you Rogue just now you had none You have a little too 1 Coun. Yes Sir a little 2 So. And where 's your little Money quickly quickly 2 Cou. Mine is buried here under my Hearth 1 So. Come digg and find it 2 Co. Oh! undone 1 Soul Digg Digg 2 Countryman diggs 2 Soul Where is your Money Sirrah 1 Cou. In my Cow-house Under the Dung. 2 Soul Go Sirrah go and fetch it Exit 1 Countryman 2 Cou. Here 's all my money Sir 2 Soul Here all you Rogue Sirrah you lye you have ten times as much Do not I know you a fat Bacon Rogue That have been smoking in Plantagenet's Chimney These forty years Sirrah I know your purse Cut's a foot thick of Reechy golden fat 2 Cou. Indeed here 's every penny that I have 1 So. Do you think Sirrah we 'll be chous'd o'th is fashion We have hang'd half the people in your Country For offering to put such tricks upon us And therefore have a care 2 Coun. Oh! I 'll confess I 'm an old man and my only Son is kill'd And now I care not what becomes o' me I 'll shew you all I have there it lies buried Uuder yon Oak 1 Soul Go Sirrah go and fetch it Enter the first Countryman 1. Cou. Here 's all I have been getting forty years Pray spare me a little for my two poor Daughters 1. So. How has the Daughters we shall have more sport All 3. So. Hay for the Daughters Hay for the Daughters Ex. 1. Co. Ah! my poor Daughters Ex. Enter the Souldiers chasing two Country Girles who cry help help their Father runns after 'em weeping they all rnn over the Stage After cries within Enter the Souldiers with Money baggs dragging the Countrymen Scene continues 2. Soul So now you stognes how do you like Rebellion You were a Couple of seditious Rogues That us'd at Ale-houses to pay for all That rail'd against the King and Government Now had not you better have Plowed and Carted And pay'd your Taxes honestly and quietly Then have your Money seiz'd your Daughters ravish'd Your Sons knock'd o' the head and your selves hang'd As you shall be 1 Coun. Oh! Sir I hope not so Now you have promis'd us 1 Soul You impudent Doggs Did not you swear Allegiance to your King Yet break your Oaths to him and do you expect We shou'd keep Verbal promises with you 2.
me By making you unhappy in a Wife War Were you the first of Widows that talk'd thus I must confess I think 't wou'd damp my courage But when this is the constant language spoke In the dark shady Land of Vailes and mourning Shou'd I be scar'd I were as rank a fool As the dull Heroe that shou'd leave a pleasant Country he conquer'd ' cause the people speak A strange odd Language you are a conquer'd Province And you may keep your Language and your Customs But I will have the Government and Tribute La. Gr. My Lord I have affairs of greater consequence Then this fond talk and so your humble Servant War So have not I and therefore you shall stay La. Gr. What do you mean my Lord War I mean my Lady To marry you this day enjoy you this night La. Gr. My Lord I tell you plainly I do not love you War All 's one I tell you plainly I will have you I know you are a woman of great virtue And time will file away these rugged humours But if it do not though your soul be rough Your body will be smooth your Cheeks be soft Your eyes be sparkling and your lips be tempting And more perhaps might make me mad with love Ho! call a Parson La. Gr. Now my Lord VVar. Ay! now La. Gr. What and my Husband dyed so very lately War What then what has the dead to do with us La. Gr. I 'll rather go a begging with my Children War Come leave this fooling by this kiss you shall La. Gr. I 'll dye e're suffer all this barb'rous rudeness War VVell thou art a most beauteous Creature I 'm going now Embassadour for France I 'll let thee keep thy humour one month more But then at my return be sure I find thee Divorc'd from sorrow and the dead for ever Give not one sigh or to the dead or living Sigh thou for any Man alive but me And though a King he had better be a slave Sigh for the dead I 'll tear him from his Grave Ex. La. Gr. What shall I do for I abhor this man What comes into my thoughts is it not said King Edward for we now must call him so Lodges to night at his own Neighb'ring Castle Wom. Yes Madam La. Gr. I 'm inform'd he is a Prince Of a most noble Nature I 'm resolv'd To fling my self in sorrow at his Feet And beg him to have pity on my Children What e're their Father was they are not his Enemies And if I can obtain their Father's Lands Then I shall ' scape this man I so much hate Ex. Scene a Room of State Enter Edward Richard Guards Ed. The Scituation of this Castle pleases me Rich. But Sir not me for I 'm afraid it stands Too near a Beauty that once stopt your way And I 'm afraid will do it once again Ed. Women are moving Creatures and may follow us Rich. Pardon my confidence I love to serve My Friends as boldly as I fight my Enemies Ed. You say well Brother and I 'll promise you Nothing shall stay me here beyond this night Enter a Lord. Lord. A Lady Sir desires to kiss your hands Ric. A Lady Poxo ' Ladies he is tinder To every Lady and will catch new fire Enter Lady Grey and her Women She kneels kisses King Edward's hand he raises her and Salutes her Rich. A very lovely woman he is ruin'd Ed. I ne're had Eyes or my eyes ne're saw beauty Till this amazing minute Ric. So he 's gone Any one may have London now that will La. Gr. Sir I present you humbly the petition Kneels again and the King gazes Of a poor Widow and her little Orphans I am the Widow of one Sir John Grey Who in S. Alban's Battel lost his life In the defence of him we thought our King If my poor Husband's Loyalty did err He dearly for that fatal error paid My humble prayer is that my poor Orphans May not be punish'd for their Fathers Faults If erring Loyalty can be a fault Ed. I am so rapt I mind not what she say Nor that she is all this while upon her knees Pray Madam rise leave us To the Attendants Ric. So she I find Must grant a thing before her thing be granted Ex. Ed. Had you a Husband Madam did you say La. Gr. Yes Sir I had one at S. Alban's Battel His Name was Sir John Grey Ed. Oh happy man What excellence had he above mankind That he shou'd be more blest than all mankind And have you Children La. Gr. Many poor young Orphans Ed. Oh! wondrous happy man t' enjoy this Woman I must inquire about her I was never Aside Never so charm'd before My Lord come hither Pray do you know this Lady Lord. Yes Sir well She is the Widow of Sir John Grey of Grooby A man of Quality and great Estate But a most vehement Lancastrian Ed. No matter of what Family is she Lord. Her quality does far exceed her Husbands And yet her Virtue does exceed her quality She is the Daughter of Sir Richard Woodvile Her Mother was sometimes Dutchesse of Bedford Ed. Dutchesse of Bedford Ha! Lord. Dutchesse of Bedford And Daughter of the Earl of S. Pool Ed. Of noble birth and by her Mothers side Related to the house of Lancaster Lord. She is by Marriage Sir that was the cause That Sir John Grey was such a sierce Lancastrian Ed. She has Beauty she has Virtue she has Birth Aside Why may not this fair Lady be a Queen But she 's a Subject England will not like it And th' English Nation like the Sea it governs Is bold and turbulent and easily mov'd And always beats against the shore that bounds it What is the people free and not the King Not free where every Slave is free his bed Yes so it is it seems and English fury Will easily with any wind be rais'd To dash the Palaces and Beds of Kings Come what come will this Lady shall be mine She shall be or my Mistress or my Wife What was it Madam you desir'd o' me La. Gr. To give poor Orphans Sir their Father's Lands Ed. Heaven forbid I shou'd retain 'em from ' em La. Gr. Then Sir with humble thanks I take my leave Ed. Hold Madam for I must have one word more I must impose a Tax upon this Land La. Gr. It shall be thankfully and gladly paid Ed. It will I 'm sure more gladly be receiv'd It is an easie Tax no more but Love La. Gr. No Loyal Subjects Sir but love their King Ed. But this is love that none but you can grant La. Gr. I do not understand your meaning Sir Ed. Truly I scarcely understand my self For I have gaz'd my self out of my Reason La. Gr. With your permission Sir I 'll take my leave Ed. Oh! you shall never never part from me La. Gr. VVhat do you mean Sir Ed. I mean all the Love E're was or can be in the heart of man La.