William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition (47 page)
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Authors: William Shakespeare
Tags: #Drama, #Literary Criticism, #Shakespeare
BOOK: William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition
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DUCHESS
Welcome is banishment; welcome were my death.
GLOUCESTER
Eleanor, the law, thou seest, hath judged thee;
I cannot justify whom the law condemns.
I cannot justify whom the law condemns.
⌈
Exit the Duchess, guarded
⌉
Mine eyes are full of tears, my heart of grief.
Ah, Humphrey, this dishonour in thine age
Will bring thy head with sorrow to the grave.
(To King Henry)
I beseech your majesty, give me leave to go.
Sorrow would solace, and mine age would ease.
Ah, Humphrey, this dishonour in thine age
Will bring thy head with sorrow to the grave.
(To King Henry)
I beseech your majesty, give me leave to go.
Sorrow would solace, and mine age would ease.
KING HENRY
Stay, Humphrey Duke of Gloucester. Ere thou go,
Give up thy staff. Henry will to himself
Protector be; and God shall be my hope,
My stay, my guide, and lantern to my feet.
And go in peace, Humphrey, no less beloved
Than when thou wert Protector to thy King.
Give up thy staff. Henry will to himself
Protector be; and God shall be my hope,
My stay, my guide, and lantern to my feet.
And go in peace, Humphrey, no less beloved
Than when thou wert Protector to thy King.
QUEEN MARGARET
I see no reason why a king of years
Should be to be protected like a child.
God and King Henry govern England’s helm!
Give up your staff, sir, and the King his realm.
Should be to be protected like a child.
God and King Henry govern England’s helm!
Give up your staff, sir, and the King his realm.
GLOUCESTER
My staff? Here, noble Henry, is my staff.
As willingly do I the same resign
As erst thy father Henry made it mine;
And even as willing at thy feet I leave it
As others would ambitiously receive it.
As willingly do I the same resign
As erst thy father Henry made it mine;
And even as willing at thy feet I leave it
As others would ambitiously receive it.
He lays the staff at King Henry’s feet
Farewell, good King. When I am dead and gone,
May honourable peace attend thy throne. Exit
May honourable peace attend thy throne. Exit
QUEEN MARGARET
Why, now is Henry King and Margaret Queen,
And Humphrey Duke of Gloucester scarce himself,
That bears so shrewd a maim; two pulls at once—
His lady banished and a limb lopped off.
And Humphrey Duke of Gloucester scarce himself,
That bears so shrewd a maim; two pulls at once—
His lady banished and a limb lopped off.
She picks up the staff
This staff of honour raught, there let it stand
Where it best fits to be, in Henry’s hand.
She gives the staff to King Henry
Where it best fits to be, in Henry’s hand.
She gives the staff to King Henry
SUFFOLK
Thus droops this lofty pine and hangs his sprays;
Thus Eleanor’s pride dies in her youngest days.
Thus Eleanor’s pride dies in her youngest days.
YORK
Lords, let him go. Please it your majesty,
This is the day appointed for the combat,
And ready are the appellant and defendant—
The armourer and his man—to enter the lists,
So please your highness to behold the fight.
This is the day appointed for the combat,
And ready are the appellant and defendant—
The armourer and his man—to enter the lists,
So please your highness to behold the fight.
QUEEN MARGARET
Ay, good my lord, for purposely therefor
Left I the court to see this quarrel tried.
Left I the court to see this quarrel tried.
KING HENRY
A God’s name, see the lists and all things fit;
Here let them end it, and God defend the right.
Here let them end it, and God defend the right.
YORK
I never saw a fellow worse bestead,
Or more afraid to fight, than is the appellant,
The servant of this armourer, my lords.
Or more afraid to fight, than is the appellant,
The servant of this armourer, my lords.
Enter at one door Horner the armourer and his
Neighbours, drinking to him so much that he is
drunken; and he enters with a drummer before him
and
⌈
carrying
⌉
his staff with a sandbag fastened to
it. Enter at the other door Peter his man, also with
a drummer and a staff with sandbag, and Prentices
drinking to him
FIRST NEIGHBOUR (offering drink to Horner) Here, neighbour Horner, I drink to you in a cup of sack, and fear not, neighbour, you shall do well enough.
SECOND NEIGHBOUR (offering drink to Horner) And here, neighbour, here’s a cup of charneco.
THIRD NEIGHBOUR (offering drink to Horner) Here’s a pot of good double beer, neighbour, drink and be merry, and fear not your man. HORNER ⌈
accepting the offers of drink
⌉ Let it come, i’faith I’ll pledge you all, and a fig for Peter.
accepting the offers of drink
⌉ Let it come, i’faith I’ll pledge you all, and a fig for Peter.
FIRST PRENTICE (offering drink to Peter) Here, Peter, I drink to thee, and be not afeard.
SECOND PRENTICE (offering drink to Peter) Here, Peter, here’s a pint of claret wine for thee.
THIRD PRENTICE (offering drink to Peter) And here’s a quart for me, and be merry, Peter, and fear not thy master. Fight for credit of the prentices!
PETER ⌈
refusing the offers of drink
⌉ I thank you all. Drink and pray for me, I pray you, for I think I have taken my last draught in this world. Here, Robin, an if I die, I give thee my apron; and, Will, thou shalt have my hammer; and here, Tom, take all the money that I have. OLord bless me, I pray God, for I am never able to deal with my master, he hath learned so much fence already.
refusing the offers of drink
⌉ I thank you all. Drink and pray for me, I pray you, for I think I have taken my last draught in this world. Here, Robin, an if I die, I give thee my apron; and, Will, thou shalt have my hammer; and here, Tom, take all the money that I have. OLord bless me, I pray God, for I am never able to deal with my master, he hath learned so much fence already.
SALISBURY Come, leave your drinking, and fall to blows. (To Peter) Sirrah, what’s thy name?
PETER Peter, forsooth.
SALISBURY Peter? What more?
PETER Thump.
SALISBURY Thump! Then see that thou thump thy master well.
HORNER Masters, I am come hither, as it were, upon my man’s instigation, to prove him a knave and myself an honest man; and touching the Duke of York, I will take my death I never meant him any ill, nor the King, nor the Queen; and therefore, Peter, have at thee with a downright blow.
YORK
Dispatch; this knave’s tongue begins to double.
Sound trumpets an alarum to the combatants. They fight and Peter hits Horner on the head and strikes him down
HORNER Hold, Peter, hold—I confess, I confess treason. He dies
YORK (
to an attendant, pointing to Horner
) Take away his weapon. (To Peter) Fellow, thank God and the good wine in thy master’s wame.
to an attendant, pointing to Horner
) Take away his weapon. (To Peter) Fellow, thank God and the good wine in thy master’s wame.
PETER [
kneeling
] O God, have I overcome mine enemy in this presence? O, Peter, thou hast prevailed in right.
kneeling
] O God, have I overcome mine enemy in this presence? O, Peter, thou hast prevailed in right.
KING HENRY (
to attendants, pointing to Horner
)
to attendants, pointing to Horner
)
Go, take hence that traitor from our sight,
For by his death we do perceive his guilt.
And God in justice hath revealed to us
The truth and innocence of this poor fellow,
Which he had thought to have murdered wrongfully.
(To Peter) Come, fellow, follow us for thy reward.
For by his death we do perceive his guilt.
And God in justice hath revealed to us
The truth and innocence of this poor fellow,
Which he had thought to have murdered wrongfully.
(To Peter) Come, fellow, follow us for thy reward.
Sound a flourish. Exeunt, some carrying Horner’s body
2.4Enter Duke Humphrey of Gloucester and his men in mourning cloaks
GLOUCESTER
Thus sometimes hath the brightest day a cloud;
And after summer evermore succeeds
Barren winter, with his wrathful nipping cold;
So cares and joys abound as seasons fleet.
Sirs, what’s o’clock?
And after summer evermore succeeds
Barren winter, with his wrathful nipping cold;
So cares and joys abound as seasons fleet.
Sirs, what’s o’clock?
SERVANT Ten, my lord.
GLOUCESTER
Ten is the hour that was appointed me
To watch the coming of my punished Duchess;
Uneath may she endure the flinty streets,
To tread them with her tender-feeling feet.
Sweet Nell, ill can thy noble mind abrook
The abject people gazing on thy face
With envious looks, laughing at thy shame,
That erst did follow thy proud chariot wheels
When thou didst ride in triumph through the streets.
But soft, I think she comes; and I’ll prepare
My tear-stained eyes to see her miseries.
To watch the coming of my punished Duchess;
Uneath may she endure the flinty streets,
To tread them with her tender-feeling feet.
Sweet Nell, ill can thy noble mind abrook
The abject people gazing on thy face
With envious looks, laughing at thy shame,
That erst did follow thy proud chariot wheels
When thou didst ride in triumph through the streets.
But soft, I think she comes; and I’ll prepare
My tear-stained eyes to see her miseries.
Enter the Duchess, Dame Eleanor Cobham, barefoot,
with a white sheet about her, written verses pinned
on her back, and carrying a wax candle in her
hand; she is accompanied by the
[
two Sheriffs
]
of
London, and Sir John Stanley, and officers with bills
and halberds
SERVANT (to Gloucester) So please your grace, we’ll take her from the sheriffs.
GLOUCESTER
No, stir not for your lives, let her pass by.
DUCHESS
Come you, my lord, to see my open shame?
Now thou dost penance too. Look how they gaze,
See how the giddy multitude do point
And nod their heads, and throw their eyes on thee.
Ah, Gloucester, hide thee from their hateful looks,
And, in thy closet pent up, rue my shame,
And ban thine enemies—both mine and thine.
Now thou dost penance too. Look how they gaze,
See how the giddy multitude do point
And nod their heads, and throw their eyes on thee.
Ah, Gloucester, hide thee from their hateful looks,
And, in thy closet pent up, rue my shame,
And ban thine enemies—both mine and thine.
GLOUCESTER
Be patient, gentle Nell; forget this grief.
DUCHESS
Ah, Gloucester, teach me to forget myself;
For whilst I think I am thy married wife,
And thou a prince, Protector of this land,
Methinks I should not thus be led along,
Mailed up in shame, with papers on my back,
And followed with a rabble that rejoice
To see my tears and hear my deep-fet groans.
The ruthless flint doth cut my tender feet,
And when I start, the envious people laugh,
And bid me be advised how I tread.
Ah, Humphrey, can I bear this shameful yoke?
Trowest thou that e’er I’ll look upon the world,
Or count them happy that enjoys the sun?
No, dark shall be my light, and night my day;
To think upon my pomp shall be my hell.
Sometime I’ll say I am Duke Humphrey’s wife,
And he a prince and ruler of the land;
Yet so he ruled, and such a prince he was,
As he stood by whilst I, his forlorn Duchess,
Was made a wonder and a pointing stock
To every idle rascal follower.
But be thou mild and blush not at my shame,
Nor stir at nothing till the axe of death
Hang over thee, as sure it shortly will.
For Suffolk, he that can do all in all
With her that hateth thee and hates us all,
And York, and impious Beaufort that false priest,
Have all limed bushes to betray thy wings,
And fly thou how thou canst, they’ll tangle thee.
But fear not thou until thy foot be snared,
Nor never seek prevention of thy foes.
For whilst I think I am thy married wife,
And thou a prince, Protector of this land,
Methinks I should not thus be led along,
Mailed up in shame, with papers on my back,
And followed with a rabble that rejoice
To see my tears and hear my deep-fet groans.
The ruthless flint doth cut my tender feet,
And when I start, the envious people laugh,
And bid me be advised how I tread.
Ah, Humphrey, can I bear this shameful yoke?
Trowest thou that e’er I’ll look upon the world,
Or count them happy that enjoys the sun?
No, dark shall be my light, and night my day;
To think upon my pomp shall be my hell.
Sometime I’ll say I am Duke Humphrey’s wife,
And he a prince and ruler of the land;
Yet so he ruled, and such a prince he was,
As he stood by whilst I, his forlorn Duchess,
Was made a wonder and a pointing stock
To every idle rascal follower.
But be thou mild and blush not at my shame,
Nor stir at nothing till the axe of death
Hang over thee, as sure it shortly will.
For Suffolk, he that can do all in all
With her that hateth thee and hates us all,
And York, and impious Beaufort that false priest,
Have all limed bushes to betray thy wings,
And fly thou how thou canst, they’ll tangle thee.
But fear not thou until thy foot be snared,
Nor never seek prevention of thy foes.
GLOUCESTER
Ah, Nell, forbear; thou aimest all awry.
I must offend before I be attainted,
And had I twenty times so many foes,
And each of them had twenty times their power,
All these could not procure me any scathe
So long as I am loyal, true, and crimeless.
Wouldst have me rescue thee from this reproach?
Why, yet thy scandal were not wiped away,
But I in danger for the breach of law.
Thy greatest help is quiet, gentle Nell.
I pray thee sort thy heart to patience.
These few days’ wonder will be quickly worn.
Enter a Herald
I must offend before I be attainted,
And had I twenty times so many foes,
And each of them had twenty times their power,
All these could not procure me any scathe
So long as I am loyal, true, and crimeless.
Wouldst have me rescue thee from this reproach?
Why, yet thy scandal were not wiped away,
But I in danger for the breach of law.
Thy greatest help is quiet, gentle Nell.
I pray thee sort thy heart to patience.
These few days’ wonder will be quickly worn.
Enter a Herald
HERALD I summon your grace to his majesty’s parliament holden at Bury the first of this next month.
GLOUCESTER
And my consent ne’er asked herein before?
This is close dealing. Well, I will be there. Exit Herald
My Nell, I take my leave; and, Master Sheriff,
Let not her penance exceed the King’s commission.
This is close dealing. Well, I will be there. Exit Herald
My Nell, I take my leave; and, Master Sheriff,
Let not her penance exceed the King’s commission.
⌈FIRST⌉ SHERIFF
An’t please your grace, here my commission stays,
And Sir John Stanley is appointed now
To take her with him to the Isle of Man.
And Sir John Stanley is appointed now
To take her with him to the Isle of Man.
GLOUCESTER
Must you, Sir John, protect my lady here?
STANLEY
So am I given in charge, may’t please your grace.
GLOUCESTER
Entreat her not the worse in that I pray
You use her well. The world may laugh again,
And I may live to do you kindness if
You do it her. And so, Sir John, farewell. 85
⌈
Gloucester begins to leave⌉
You use her well. The world may laugh again,
And I may live to do you kindness if
You do it her. And so, Sir John, farewell. 85
⌈
Gloucester begins to leave⌉
DUCHESS
What, gone, my lord, and bid me not farewell?
GLOUCESTER
Witness my tears—I cannot stay to speak.
Exeunt Gloucester and his men
DUCHESS
Art thou gone too? All comfort go with thee,
For none abides with me. My joy is death—
Death, at whose name I oft have been afeard,
Because I wished this world’s eternity.
Stanley, I prithee go and take me hence.
I care not whither, for I beg no favour,
Only convey me where thou art commanded.
For none abides with me. My joy is death—
Death, at whose name I oft have been afeard,
Because I wished this world’s eternity.
Stanley, I prithee go and take me hence.
I care not whither, for I beg no favour,
Only convey me where thou art commanded.
STANLEY
Why, madam, that is to the Isle of Man,
There to be used according to your state.
There to be used according to your state.
DUCHESS
That’s bad enough, for I am but reproach;
And shall I then be used reproachfully?
And shall I then be used reproachfully?
STANLEY
Like to a duchess and Duke Humphrey’s lady,
According to that state you shall be used.
According to that state you shall be used.
DUCHESS
Sheriff, farewell, and better than I fare,
Although thou hast been conduct of my shame.
Although thou hast been conduct of my shame.
⌈FIRST⌉ SHERIFF
It is my office, and, madam, pardon me.
DUCHESS
Ay, ay, farewell—thy office is discharged.
⌈
Exeunt Sheriffs
⌉
Exeunt Sheriffs
⌉
Come, Stanley, shall we go?
STANLEY
Madam, your penance done, throw off this sheet,
And go we to attire you for our journey.
And go we to attire you for our journey.
DUCHESS
My shame will not be shifted with my sheet—
No, it will hang upon my richest robes
And show itself, attire me how I can.
Go, lead the way, I long to see my prison. Exeunt
3.1No, it will hang upon my richest robes
And show itself, attire me how I can.
Go, lead the way, I long to see my prison. Exeunt
Sound a sennet. Enter to the parliament: enter two heralds before, then the Dukes of Buckingham and Suffolk, and then the Duke of York and Cardinal Beaufort, and then King Henry and Queen Margaret, and then the Earls of Salisbury and Warwick,
⌈
With attendants
⌉
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