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
Minion Trayterous Suffolk That I were now a Pestilence to cover her From head to foot with tort'ring deadly sores I will throw scorn on her as I pass by A thing a Woman hates worse than the Plague And I will undermine her Royal Glories If digging deep as lowest Hell will do it I 'le climbe the Throne or else to Hell I 'le fall If Heaven won't make me great the Devil shall Qu. Ha! Did you not observe my Lord of Suffolk With what contempt that Woman look'd upon me As she past by Suff. I saw it and I laugh'd at it Qu. Ho! call her back and fling her at my feet Suff. She shall fall shortly there and lower too If my Plots fail not Enter Petitioners Peter the Armorers Man being one 1. Pet. May it please your Grace Suff. What woud'st thou have with me 1. Pet. I think you be my Lord Protectors Grace If you be pray your Grace see my Petition 2. Pet. And mine 3 Pet. And mine an 't please your Grace Qu. So All Petitions to the Protector 's Grace The Kingdoms supplications all to him And all the Ladies follow his Wives Train The King and I are only Royal Cyphers Flourish'd and guilded only with fine Titles Come What are your Petitions let me see e'm 1. Pet. Mine is an 't please you Madam against John Goodman my Lord Cardinall's Man for keeping my House and my Lands and my Wife from me Suff. How thy Wife from thee too that 's very hard 1. Pet. Nay an 't please your Grace let him give me my House and my Lands and let him keep my Wife an' he will I do not care now he has had her so long Suff. What 's yours What 's here Against the Duke of Suffolk for Enclosing the Commons of Melford How now you Rascal 2. Pet. An 't please your Grace I am but a poor Petitioner of our whole Township Pet. Mine is against my Master Thomas Horner for saying the Duke of York is lawful Heir to the Crown Qu. How Pet. Yes and that the King is but an Usurper Qu. There 's a Villain indeed Suff. Who is there Enter a Servant Take this Fellow in and send for a Pursuivant presently We 'l hear more of this Matter before the King Qu. You here who shroud your selves under the Protector Begin your Suits anew and sue to him Tears their Petitionâ— This is the Duke of Suffolk I 'me your Queen 2 Pet. The Duke of Suffolk oh I am undone Qu. Away you Slaves ho turn these Fellows out Is this the Fashion in the Court of England Is this the Royalty of th' English King To be a Pupil to a Governour Am I a Queen yet Subject to a Duke Oh my La Poole when in the City Tours Thou rann'st a tilt in honour of my Love And stol'st away the Ladies hearts of France I from thy Graces copyed in my Mind A charming glorious Picture of King Henry I thought thy Courage Courtship and Proportion Had been brave Shadows of thy braver King But oh there ne'r was Woman so deceiv'd At the first sight of the Kings sad grave Look The golden Image of him in my mind Fell down upon my heart and almost broke it My heavy heart sunk in a Royal shadow And greater was the fall because before It stood on high and golden expectations Ah! never was so sad a fall as that From glorious Suffolk down to soft King Henry Suff. Madam be patient for I Married you Not to the poor weak King but to the brave Kingdom And that I 'le make a glorious Husband to you Qu Indeed the Marriage 'tween the King and me Is but a strange one for to speak the truth I 'm Wedded to the Throne more than to him And he is Married more to Heaven than me His Soul is Married to all the Saints in Heaven Heaven is the King 's spacious Seraglio There his heart lives that which he leaves below With me and with the Kingdom is a shadow Suff. He is indeed no more but a King's Ghost That walks in night it has been night in England E'r since that Glorious Sun his Father set And France and England like two metled Steeds bound startle break their reins and run away At sight of this pale Ghost nor will be Govern'd Qu. 'T were night with England I am sure with me If 't were not for my glorious La Poole If 't were not for thee England were Hell to me And I tormented with Infernal pains Under the Arrogance of the Protector Of Cardinal Beauford that imperious Church Man Of Somerset Buckingham and grumbling York For each of these is greater than the King Suff. And Salisbury and Warwick are as great as they Qu. Indeed for any thing that I can see The King 's the only Subject iâ— the Kingdom He obeys all and no one obeys him But all this does not vex me half so much As the intolerable insolence Of that proud Dame the Lord Protectors Wife She invades the Court each day with Troopes of Ladies And vanquishes my Glory so entirely That I appear a little falling Star And she a Comet upon whom all gaze Her very Habit does exceed in cost Th' expences of a little Princes Court She Swim's along the Court like a Guilt Ship New come from India laden all with Jewels And then she scorns to strike her Sayl to me But over-looks me like a little Pinke Laden with Toyes and Fripperies from France This slave to Pride that shou'd be slave to me Vaunted amongst her Minions the other day The very Train of her worst wearing Gown Was better worth then all my Fathers Lands Till Suffolk gave two Dukedoms for his Daughter Suff. Laugh at her Pride for Madam it shall shortly Be your Divertisement and her Destruction I 've dug a Pit for the fierce Lyoness Who greedy of Honor ranges to the very Suburbs of Hell for it and I 've turn'd loose Jackalls to tempt her to the Pit in shew Of guiding her to her desired Prey See here comes one of my Jackalls Sir John What News Enter Humes Humes Good News my Lord I have been with the Duchess And did Salute her in the Devil's Name With the Title of Majesty Suff. Ha! ha ha Laughs Qu. What do you mean Suff. Madam the Story will make you Laugh the Duchess Is going to the Devil for Preferment Qu. How To the Devil Suff. Yes and bribes this Gentleman To find out some of the Devil's Spyes and Agents To ayd her in a Correspondence with him Humes Madam it is most true and I 've found out One Margery Jordan an experienc'd Witch And Roger Bullingbrook a Conjurer And they pretend they 'l raise from Hell a Spirit Shall tell her all she 'l aske Qu. Sure they are Cheats Suff. They shall be Cheats to her and her Duke Humphry Two mortal Devils call'd York and Buckingham Shall send their Devil to Hell and carry her To what she more than Hell abhors to
Guards the Scaffold but she hates the Office And will e're long let Rebels have their own I 'm going All you of Plantagenets Race My comfort is in death I kill'd your Father Fall's Enter Edward George Richard Warwick Ed. Now the great cause is come to its decision Are any Troops gone to pursue the Queen On her tame Henry's fortune does depend As the Seas ebb and flow does on the Moon War Yes I took care o' that Rich My chief care was To hunt the bloudy Clifford but I cou'd not Find him among the living or the dead War I thought you set death's mark so deep upon him Death cou'd not miss him Geo. Fortune at us all Play'd him to day but when he was in danger Snatch'd him away again as who shou'd say When I have lost this card my game is gone Cl. Oh! Groans Ed. What Soul is that that takes her heavy leave See who it is and be he Friend or Enemy Use him with mercy Ric. No 't is bloody Clifford Ed. Clifford War Clifford Geo. Clifford Rich. He 's dead oh that he had but life And sense enough to see and hear and know us That we might scoff him as he did our Father Ric. Damn him he counterfeits to shun our taunts Clifford you know me ask me mercy Clifford I am the Son of your dear Friend Plantagenet I 'll pity you for you did pity Rutland Geo. No answer prithee swear as thou wast wont War He 's dead I 'm certain if he does not swear Cl. Damnation on you all Ed. He Curses he Curses War Then there is hopes of him Ed. 'T was his last Prayer Off with his Head and place it on the pinacle Where the bold bloudy Slave durst place our Fathers War Now let the Trumpets proclaim Edward King A Flourish of Trumpets Trum. Long live Edward the fourth King of England and France And Lord of Ireland a Shout War Now march to London Sir I will to France About the Marriage you so much approved of With the fair Lady Bona that Queens Sister Ed. Oh! thou hast made me much in love with her And all Relations have encreas'd my Passion War Sir She 's the fairest Creature in the Woorld And in that Marriage you will not only Have a fair bedfellow for your delight But that great King your friend for your security Ed. I cannot marry better haste away War I 'm glad of this I have secur'd my Mistress Aside Some days ago as you commanded me I did dispatch an Envoy to King Lewis To make the offer and he seem'd unwilling Not knowing what th' event of War wou'd be But now I with the Sword that conquer'd Henry Will go my self Embassador and try If a French King dare's deny any thing To an English conquering Sword Ed. Oh! thou hast given me A Crown give me this Beauty and thou art A God to me thy gifts are all divine Geo. My life too on his bounty does depend War Is it in me to give you happiness Geo. Yes if a Father can bestow a Daughter War I shall be very proud you will accept her Geo. I shall be very happy to attain her War She shall be yours if the King give consent Ed. My Brother cou'd not have oblig'd me more Than in this choice War Then she 's at his devotion Geo. Then I 'm a happy man Ed. The Earl of Warwick Is the good Angel of our Family Ric. Of what strange stuff so different from my Brothers Am I made they are all-over love I have appetite but not one grain of Love Ed. Thou art not of a mould for love to grow in Men plant not flowers in a Kitchen garden Well Brother I create you Duke of Clarence You Brother Richard I make Duke of Gloucester Ric. I do not like the Title it is ominous Ed. A foolish observation War Royal Sir I 'll take my leave Ed. Success attend thy Embassy Ex. Geo. I 'll take my leave Ed. Success attend your love Ex. Scene a Chamber Enter Lady Grey and her Woman La. Gr. King Henry beaten poor unfortunate King I and my Children are all ruin'd with him The conquerors will seize my Husbands lands War Madam the greatest Conquerour is your Friend The Earl of Warwick he 'll preserve your Fortune Yes and advance 'em if you 'l give him leave La. Gr. Name not that insolent great man I hate him Enter a Page Pa Madam the Earl of Warwick's coming up La. Gr. He coming up how knows he I am here Pa. His Servants learnt it accidentally Enter Earl of Warwick War So near fair Widow and my beating pulses And quivering flesh give me no notice of it For the kind needle never fails to tremble When it approaches it 's beloved Pole What have you paid formality her wages And turn'd off that old Governess of Women Have you yet dryed your eyes and drawn your Curtains Is the Son good enough to be admitted o you If so I hope his humble kindred may For I am near a-kin to him in heat In short you shall be mine if I can give Others a Crown I 'll give my self a wife La. Gr. If you were serious as I think you are not You give me a brave occasion to revenge My Husbands blood and your affronts to 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
save your self From Whipping leap o'r this Stool and run away Simp. Alass Master I am not able to stand alone You go about to Torture me in vain Glo. Well Sirrah I must have you find your Legs Whip him till he leap o'r that same Stool Simp. Master What shall I do I cannot stand Glo. Leap Sirrah Leap Simp. Oh! oh Beadle Whips him he leaps over the Stool and runs away and they cry a Miracle follow King Do'st thou behold thir Heaven and bear thus long Glo. Bring back the Rogue and take this Drabbe away Wife Alass we did it for pure need forsooth Glo. Let e'm be Whipt through every Market Town Till they come to Berwick from whence they came Car. Heark you Are not you a Company of Damn'd Fools To employ such a Silly Rogue as this Softly to a Fryer That has shewn all your Cheats to the whole World Fry My Lord they were known to all Wise Men before And such a Fool will serve to Couzen Fools And Fools are those that we must hope to stand by Exit Enter Buckingham King What Tidings brings my Lord of Buckingham Buc. Such as my heart does temble to relate My Lord Protector 's Wife has practis'd horridly And dangerously against your Majesties Life H 'as dealt with Hellish Conjurers and Witches To raise up wicked Spirits from under Ground To acquaint her with your destiny and Councel her How she may ayd your Fate and hasten it She 's enquir'd too of the Infernal Oracle The Fates of several of your Majesties Council We apprehended e'm all in the Fact Car. Ha! Is she fallen into our Trap that 's well Aside And she shall soon pluck her Duke Humphrey after My Lord Protector your good Lady finding She governs you thinks she can rule the Devil And have th' infernal Powers at her Command Heaven be Prais'd England's Protected well Your Grace is Lord Protector of the Kingdom Your Wife rules you the Devil is her Protector And so the Devil is England's Lord Protector I hope we shall displace his Devilship Glo. And put a worse Devil in if you succeed But these good Churchmen are the heavenly comforts You give your Kinsman in affliction You may insult for sorrow has so vanquisht me The basest Groom may trample on me now King What horrid things are practis'd in this World How vile ones heap confusion on their heads Qu My Lord my Lord you see your nest is tainted Look that your self be faultless you had best Glo. Madam I will not answer for a Woman For my own self to heaven I appeal Who knowes how I have lov'd my King and Country And for my Wife I know not how it stands Sorry I am to hear what I have heard Noble she is but if she have forgot Honor and Vertue I will forget her And banish her my Bed and my Acquaintance And give her up to the just punishment Which â—he deserves for so much wickedness And so dishonouring my honest Name King I will to London with what haste I can To look into this business thoroughly And call these foul offenders to their Answers Ex. Om. prae Suff. and the Qu. Qu. My dear dear Suffolk how thou every moment Heap'st new delights on me when thou didst get for me The English Crown thou didst not please me more Then now in getting me revenge on Elianor Treading on her methinks I walk in Triumph To a second and more pleasing Coronation Suff. I told you Madam I had snares for her You were impatient and cou'd not stay Till things cou'd ripen Qu. Oh! thou art my Sun My joyes and glories ripen grow and flourish Under thy beautiful and glorious beams Come le ts go see Dame Elianor in her shame The pleasing'st sight in the whole World next thee Suff. Next sight I 'le shew you shall be Gloster's fall The good fond Husband will be loth to stay Behind his Wife though she goes to destruction Qu. Sure thou wert made o' purpose for my Love Had heaven bid me ask for some great Merit A Gift that might have shewed bounty divine I wou'd have said Let Suffolk heaven be mine Ex. ACT III. Enter York Salisbury and Warwick The SCENE the Duke of York's House long Scrowles lying on a Table York NOw my good Lords of Salisbury and Warwick You have perus'd my Title to the Crown I pray deliver me both your opinions War My Lord 't is very plain the Right is yours King Henry claimes the Crown from John of Gaunt Fourth Son of Edward the Third Your Grace claims it From Lyonell Duke of Clarence the Third Son Till Lyonell's Issue fails his shou'd not Reign It failes not yet but flourishes in you â—nd in your Sons fair Branches of your Stock My Lord of Salisbury kneel we together And in this private Room be we the first That shall Salute our Lawful Soveraign With the honor of his Birth-right to the Crown Both. Long live our Sovereign Richard King of England York My Lords I give you both my hearty thanks But I am not your King till I be Crown'd And my Sword slayn'd in the heart blood of all The House of Lancaster and that 's not suddenly Nor very easily to be perform'd We must use Counsel Secresy and Courage Do you as I do in these dangerous days Wink at the Duke of Suffolk's Insolence At Beauford's Pride at Somerset's Ambition At Buckingham and all the Crew of e'm Till they have snar'd the good and wise Duke Humphry Whose Vertues are so many Guardian Angels Both to the King and Kingdom his destruction These ill Men seek and they in seeking that Shall find their own if I can Prophesie Sal. My Lord let us break off we know your Mind War There 's something great within my breast that tells me The Day is coming when the Earl of Warwick Shall make the Duke of York the King of England Yo. And I shall live to make the Earl of Warwick The greatest Man in England but the King Exit The SCENE the Court. Enter King and Queen Duke of Suffolk Duke of Glocester Cardinal Elianor a Prisoner King Madam stand forth and hear your Sentence from me In sight of heaven and me your guilt is great A Crime to which heavens Book adjudges Death Your Fellow Criminals shall suffer Death â—nd 't is notorious false reasoning â—ou shou'd be spar'd because you are great and Noble he World is us'd to such false Reasonings â—nd that 's the cause there is so little Truth in it But I observe but few of the World's Customs Nor will I now be lead away in this Then hear my Sentence since to your great Spirit There is no pain like shame I Sentence you To bear the tort'ring shame of open Pennance And since to live depos'd of all your Honors In some remote sad desolate obscurity Is to you pain like burying alive I Sentence you to spend your days in Banishment With Sir John Stanley in the Isle of Man
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 fines 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 dâ—e 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 Ellanor 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 VVomâ—n 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 trisle 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 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 sable 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. Heark he calls I must be gone Farewel my dear remember what you have promis'd L. El. Remember you your Vows of constancy Rich. within Brother what do you mean leave your damn'd Women For I 'm sure 't is some damn'd Woman stays you But for my part I 'll stay no longer for you For I will not be chidden for your faults My Father and his Friends shall know how it is Ed. Thank thee good natur'd honest vertuous Brother How proud this Leper is of one sound place Though he has all the vices in the world Yet he insults o're me because he is free From my one fault my almost faultless fault He is a Hell at whose foul front appears Ill manners and ill nature and ill shape Like a three-headed Dog that barks at all things That dare come near him specially at beauty But has within a thousand ugly Haggs His Soul embraces bloody cruelty Lean envy and insatiable Ambition And he has this advantage over me His Mistresses are Devils and so invisible Some time or other I 'll descend like Hercules Into this Hell and dragg to humane sight The Monster that so barks at my delight Ex. Scene the Parliament House a Throne Canopy Seats for the Lords Enter Plantagenet George Richard Warwick Clarence Rutland Guard all with drawn Swords War This is the palace of the fearful King And this the Regal Seat Richard Plantagenet Sit down and from this hour be King of England Pl. I think if mighty Warwick said be Emperour Of the whole world the Genii of all Kingdoms Wou'd vanish and give place to his great spirit Assisted then by thee I here sit down Sits in the Throne And
Priest was And he has hudled up the Murder of Duke Humphry as if he had been guilty of himself and was afraid to shew how it was done But I have been more bold to the great displeasure of some who are it seems ashamed of their own mysteries for there is not a Tool us'd in the murder of Duke Humphry in this Play but what is taken out of their own Church Armory nor a word put into the mouth of the Cardinal and his foolish Instruments but what first dropt from the Heads that adorn their own Church Battlements I cou'd be large in Quotations did I not nauseate Pedantry I shall only shew that what serves here to make the Comical part of a Play does in the Popish Countries compose the gravest part of their Devotion I make the foolish Murderer complain that he cou'd not thrive though he kept every Day a Holy-day in honour of some Saint Now nothing is more known then that in those Countries the great Trafique between them and their Saints almost ruine all other Trades The People are forced to keep so many Holy-days that they have not Working-days enough to keep themselves when they shou'd be labouring to fill their Bellies they are cramming Latine into their Mouths in the honour of some Saint who perhaps understands not a word of the Language unless he learnt it since he died which is a great doubt And they have so many Saints that the People in Heaven starve those upon Earth and contrary to what is done in other Famines the Dead devour the Living No Manufactury thrives like that of Saint-making all others must contribute to that and even the Workmanship of God must grow poor to enrich that of the Priests When all the Saints had disappointed this poor Fellow I make him go to a Priest for advice who instead of bidding him follow his calling sets him a mumbling a Prayer which he tells him is of that efficacy that if he says it over Thirty Days together it will procure him in the end what ever he asks for What appears too ridiculous here for the mouth of a Stage-fool in a Country no less polished then France is recommended to the Faith and Devotion of no less a Prince then the Dauphin in a little Book entituled HEVRES Dedidees a Monsiegneur le Dauphin contenant L' Office qui se dit en L' Eglise ave l' Exercice du Matin en soir le Catechisme dresse par les Peres de la Mission The Prayer is to the Virgin Mary in the 229th Page in the middle of the Prayer 't is said Here demand what ever you please When this Prayer would not do I make the Priest give him another Conveyed by an Angel as he says into the Grave of a Germane Lady who had her Head cut off and lived after it two and twenty Hours not being able to die till she had Confessed and Communicated And the Prayer had this miraculous power annext to it that whosoever did but carry it about him shou'd never suffer by Sea or by Land c. This I found in a little French Book of Devotion to the Virgin Mary Licenced by the Fathers of the Augustine Friars as containing nothing in it contrary to Catholick Faith and recommended to the People with an extraordinary Approbation by what Charter these Prayers claim such great Priviledges is not said yet must be believed Some think me very profane for bringing what belongs to the Church upon the Stage but they may allow me that since they have carried many things that belong to the Stage into the Church To expose these Follies to the People is the business of this Play and I believe you will pardon me that I borrow some assistance from your Reputation since you your self have of late to your very great Honour employ'd your Interest and excellent Vnderstanding in the same design And though you can do it better in common Conversation then I by all my Study and Premeditation It follows not because Lightning sometimes shoots through all the Heavens and rends the Oaks a Man may not light a Candle in the Night To hinder this Rush light from being blown out is the reason why I place your Name before it I have a mind the Play shou'd be read and every one will read it if they think you like it I know few Vnderstandings so universally esteem'd as yours and for so good Reason It wou'd be foolish in me to lash out into unnecessary praises of a Wit that has been so long the delight and ornament of the Nation and is now become the Defence of what is very dear to it Truth Liberty and Property I have so deeply felt what the loss of Property is that I cannot but honour the Defenders of it though their defence comes too late to me I may appear vain in my complaint but People will Groan when they are in pain my Father and by consequence my self his Heir was stript long since by the advice of some ill great Men who sacrifice both private and publick Interest to their own of the Moity of a Province so considerable the French Crown thought it worth contending for many Years And if that fortunate Kingdom strove for it you may imagine they got it I have great hopes of a speedy reparation from the great Justice Clemency and Goodness of his Majesty But this loss made me run into that Madness call'd Poetry and inhabit that Bedlam call'd a Stage I have been so happy that for several Years certain Gentlemen unknown to me have fallen on me and endeavoured to Bleed me when ever I appear'd I wish I knew 'em that I might thank 'em for the Kindness they have done me though they design'd me nothing but Mischief The grounds of their Antipathy I know not Fools I confess may be very well moved to bark at Poets from the same cause that they say all kind of Dogs do at Skinners from a natural instinct that gives 'em notice their own Hides are in danger But I have no great scent of Blood upon me and therefore must impute their Aversions to those Occult Qualities that puzle Philosophers This convinces me 't is necessary for me to flie to some Wise Mans protection and I cannot be safer than under yours Poets are too poor to be beg'd 't is well if they can get Guardians for begging I am confident you will be entreated to take upon you the Guardianship of this little parcel of a Mad-mans Estate now I have told you for what good uses it 't is design'd And if so this will do well and I shall live at ease for those who will behave themselves very rudely to me as a Poet and to this as a thing for publick entertainment will be very civil to this when it is under your care and to me when I am received by you For SIR Your very humble Servant JOHN CROWN Henry the Sixth OR THE MURDER OF THE Duke of
Glocester The FIRST PART ACT. I. Enter Humphry Duke of Glocester Duke of York Cardinal Beauford Duke of Somerset Duke of Buckingham Earl of Salisbury Earl of Warwick Glo. MY Lords you cannot but have seen of late Much discontent sit always on my Brow All Men that know me well must know no private Petty concernment can unfix my mind No some will think perhaps I speak too proudly I care not what they think I 'le speak my Mind Nothing has weight enough to press my spirits Less than the great Misfortunes of the Kingdom Card. So how my Lord Protector gracefully aside Ushers himself into these Lords esteem What bosom here now will not bid him wellcome I hate him but I will not let him know it Till I can let him know it to his ruine Glo. Ah! my Lords Did my valiant glorious Brother Henry the Fifth erect the Law of England Above the Roman or the Macedonian Do things that made the Continent all tremble When e're the favourable Winds unlockt The floating Gates of this our little World To let out that our brave Warriors to invade it That France not only did confess it self A Vassal to his Royal English Blood But the whole Empire of the World did seem To own it self the Birth right of his Valour Yo. Eternity shall ne'r wear out the Characters Of his Renown which his keen Sword engrav'd Glo. Ay yes his fame shall last but not his Empire He 's dead and with him his great Empire dies All that hiâ— Valour got all that the vigilance And wisdom of my Brother Bedford kept All that your selves and I have early and late Study'd to keep and kept some years with glory Crowning our King in Paris in his Infancy Making Proud France bow to an English Child All all these Labours Victories and Glories Are melting down in a soft beautious bosom Given away to purchase a Fair Face A fatal Marriage in one fatal minute Has spoyld the Work of many glorious years Card. Nephew you are more passionate than needs Erance is not gone nor shall it go so easily Glo. No 't is not gone indeed but all the sluces Are pulling up and it is going fast 'T is pouring out apace in Provinces The new made Duke of Suffolk gives whole Provinces To buy the King a Wife Anjou and Maine Are frankly given to the Queen 's poor Father King â—eignier whose high and flowing style Dwells far above the Banks of his low Purse But he must have these Provinces to fill it Of such low value in this Duke's esteem Is all the purchase of our Blood that he Wil give it all away for Blushing Cheeks Sal. Those Dukedoms were the Keys of Normandy My Lord of Warwick Weeps Why weeps my Son War Who wou'd not weep to see his own Blood cheapned And sold before his Face at a low rate I won those Provinces and what got With Wounds is given away with peaceful words Glo. Yes and to make it even ridiculous The Duke of Suffolk Asks a whole Fifteenth For Charges to Transport the Queen to England What Was there ne'r a Beauty in the World Besides the Queen yes sure there was in England Had the King so much doted upon Beauty He might have Married one of His fair Subjects And had more Beauty at a cheaper rate Card. My Lord of Glocester this is hot discourse And as I think to very little purpose Since what is done now cannot be recall'd And what is done was done to please the King Glo. My Lord of Winchester I understand you 'T is not my hot Discourse but Presence warms you You have a Fester'd Mind and 't will break out I saw it in your Face if I stay longer We shall begin our antient Bickerings But such small matters shall not trouble me I will be gone but e're I go I 'le Prophesy France will be lost but I desire to prove As False a Prophet as you are a Priest Exeunt Card. Affronted thus ' Pox o' these fumbling Robes aside How came my Warlike Spirit wrapt in these Formalities that hold my hands from Blood I 'm fitter for a Sword and I will use one Did you not hear the good Protector Lords Expect what usage you will have when I His Unckle and a Priest am thus abus'd You see how well his Enmity is heal'd And he has much the same kiâ—dness for you And indeed for the King He makes great shew Of Zeal for England and he has great zeal for it That is t' enjoy it he is heir apparent And the King cannot please him by a Marriage Unless he 'd Wed an Altar or a Cell Be not my Lords cheated with his smooth words What though the foolish common people dote on him Clapping their hands and shouting when they see him Crying Heaven save your Roâ—al Excellence And call him always the good Duke of Glocester They are Fools and know not Men nor what they love Uncheat e'm but however save the King Protect him from his dangerous Protector Buck. Why shou'd the King my Lords have a Protector He is of age I think to rule himself My Lord of Somerset joyn you with me We with the Duke of Suffolks ayd will hoyse Duke Humphry from his Seat Card. This weighty business Brooks no delay I 'le to the Duke of Suffolk Exit Som. Though the Protector 's Pride and Greatness vex us The Cardinal's Insâ—lence is more intolerable If Gloster be displac'd he 'l be Protector Buck. If Gloster falls or you or I 'le succeed Ex. Buck. and Sal. Sal. So so the Kingdom will thrive well no doubt When all will rend her for their private ends I never saw but the good Duke of Glocester Bore himself like a Noble Gentleman But I have seen the Cardinal demean himself More like a Soldier than a Priest he 'l often Swear like a Ruffian quarrel like a Hector Trample on all as he were Lord of all My worthy Son and you my Lord of York My valâ—aâ—t Brother let us joyn together And shâ—w the Kingdom has some good Men in it Who faithfully will serve their King and Country And ayd all others who promote that work And among those I reckon the Protector War So heaven help me as I love my Country Ex. Sal. War Yo. And so say I for I have greatest cause Anjou and Main are given to the French Two Dukedoms given for a Dukes fair Daughter Henry I blame thee not What is it to thee Thou dost not give away thine own but mine Pirates may make cheap penny-worths of their Pillage Whilst the poor injur'd owner stands aloofe And shakes his head and weeps and wrings his hands And sees his Goods all borne away and dares Not touch his own or scarcely call it his England and France and Ireland are my Kingdoms One day I may both claim and seize my own And from weak Henry's Head may pull the Crown These high fierce Tempests methinks make it shake What opportunity