The family Shakespeare [expurgated by T. Bowdler]. in which those words are omitted which cannot with propriety be read aloud in a family, by T. Bowdler

Shall, after three days' open penance done,
Live in your country here, in banishment,
With sir John Stanley, in the Isle of Man.

Hor. Let it come, i'faith, and I'll pledge you all; And a fig for Peter!

1 Pren. Here, Peter, I drink to thee; and be

Duch. Welcome is banishment, welcome were my not afraid. death.

Glo. Eleanor, the law, thou seest, hath judged thee; I cannot justify whom the law condemns.

[Exeunt the DUCHESS, and the other Prisoners,
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 ground!
I beseech your majesty, give me leave to go;
Sorrow would 6 solace, and mine age would ease.
K. Hen. Stay, Humphrey duke of Gloster: 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 belov'd,
Than when thou wert protector to thy king.

Q. Mar. 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.
Glo. My staff?-here, noble Henry, is my staff;
As willingly do I the same resign,

As e'er thy father Henry made it mine;
And even as willingly at thy feet I leave it,
As others would ambitiously receive it.
Farewell, good king: When I am dead and gone,
May honourable peace attend thy throne!

[Exit.

Q. Mar. Why, now is Henry king, and Margaret

queen;

And Humphrey, duke of Gloster, scarce himself,
That bears so shrewd a main; two pulls at once,—
His lady banish'd, and a limb lopp'd off;
This staff of honour raught 7: There let it stand,
Where it best fits to be, in Henry's hand.

Suf. Thus droops this lofty pine, and hangs his

sprays;

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.

Q. Mar. Ay, good my lord; for purposely therefore
Left I the court, to see this quarrel tried.

K. Hen. Then let us see the lists and all things fit; Here let them end it, God defend the right!

York. I never saw a fellow worse bested, Or more afraid to fight, than is the appellant, The servant of this armourer, my lords. Enter, on one side, HORNER, and his Neighbours, drinking to him so much that he is drunk; and he enters bearing his staff with a sand-bag fastened to it; a drum before him: at the other side, PETER, with a drum and a similar staff; accompanied by Prentices drinking to him.

1 Neigh. Here, neighbour Horner, I drink to you in a cup of sack; And fear not, neighbour, you shall do well enough.

2 Neigh. And here, neighbour, here's a cup of charneco. 9

3 Neigh. And here's a pot of good double beer, neighbour drink, and fear not your man.

2 Pren. Be merry, Peter, and fear not thy master; fight for credit of the prentices.

Peter. 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. O Lord, bless me; I am never able to deal with my master, he hath learnt so much fence already.

Sal. Come, leave your drinking, and fall to blows. - Sirrah, what's thy name?

Peter. Peter, forsooth,
Sal. Peter! what more?
Peter. Thump.

Sal. Thump! then see thou thump thy master well.

Hor. 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, 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, as Bevis of Southampton fell upon Ascapart.

York. Despatch: - this knave's tongue begins

to double.

Hor. Hold, Peter, hold! I confess, I confess [Dies. York. Take away his weapon: - Fellow, thank the good wine in thy master's way.

Peter. O Heaven! have I overcome mine enemies in this presence? O Peter, thou hast prevailed in right!

K. Hen. Go, take hence that traitor from our sight;
For, by his death, we do perceive his guilt:
And heaven in justice, hath reveal'd to us
The truth and innocence of this poor fellow,
Which he had thought to have murder'd wrong-
fully.

Glo. Ten is the hour that was appointed me,
To watch the coming of my punish'd 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, still 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-stain'd eyes to see her miseries.
1 Not easily.

Enter the DucHESS OF GLOSTER, in a white sheet, | I pray thee, sort thy heart to patience !

with papers pinn'd upon her back, her feet bare, These few days' wonder will be quickly worn. and a taper burning in her hand; SIR JOHN STANLEY, a Sheriff, and Officers.

Serv. So please your grace, we'll take her from
the sheriff.

Glo. No, stir not, for your lives; let her pass by.
Duch. 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, Gloster, hide thee from their hateful looks:
And, in thy closet pent up, rue my shame,
And ban 2 thine enemies, both mine and thine.

Glo. Be patient, gentle Nell; forget this grief.
Duch. Ah, Gloster, 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,
Mail'd up in shame, with papers on my back;
And follow'd with a rabble, that rejoice
To see my tears, and here my deep-fet 9 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?
Trow'st thou, that e'er I'll look upon the world ;
Or count them happy, that enjoy 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 rul'd, 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 lim'd bushes to betray thy wings,
And, fly thou how thou canst, they'll tangle thee:
But fear not thou, until thy foot be snar'd,
Nor ever seek prevention of thy foes.

Glo. 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 4,
So long as I am loyal, true, and crimeless.
Wouldst have me rescue thee from this reproach?
Why, yet thy scandal were not wip'd away,
But I in danger for the breach of law.

Thy greatest help is quiet, gentle Nell:

Enter a Herald.

Her. I summon your grace to his majesty's parliament, holden at Bury the first of this next month.

Glo. And my consent ne'er ask'd 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. Sher. 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.

Glo. Must you, sir John, protect my lady here?
Stan. So am I given in charge, may't please your

grace.

Glo. 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.
Duch. What, gone, my lord; and bid me not
farewell?

Glo. Witness my tears, I cannot stay to speak.
[Exeunt GLOSTER and Servants.
Duch. 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 afear'd,
Because I wish'd this world's eternity.
Stanley, I pr'ythee, go, and take me hence;
I care not whither, for I beg no favour,
Only convey me where thou art commanded.

Stan. Why, madam, that is to the Isle of Man ;
There to be used according to your state.

Duch. That's bad enough, for I am but reproach:
And shall I then be used reproachfully?
Stan. Like to a duchess, and duke Humphrey's
lady,

According to that state you shall be used.

Duch. Sheriff, farewell, and better than I fare ; Although thou hast been conduct 5 of my shame! Sher. It is my office, madam, pardon me. Duch. Ay, ay, farewell, thy office is discharg'd. Come, Stanley, shall we go ?

5 Conductor.

[Exeunt.

Enter to the Parliament, KING HENRY, QUEEN MARGARET, CARDINAL BEAUFORT, SUFFOLK, YORK, BUCKINGHAM, and others.

K. Hen. I muse 6, my lord of Gloster is not come: 'Tis not his wont to be the hindmost man, Whate'er occasion keeps him from us now.

Car. Did he not, contrary to form of law, Devise strange deaths for small offences done? York. And did he not, in his protectorship, Levy great sums of money through the realm, For soldiers' pay in France, and never sent it? By means whereof, the towns each day revolted. Buck. Tut! these are petty faults to faults unknown,

Q. Mar. Can you not see? or will you not ob- Which time will bring to light in smooth duke

serve

The strangeness of his alter'd countenance?

With what a majesty he bears himself;

How insolent of late he is become,

How proud, peremptory, and unlike himself?
We know the time since he was mild and affable;
And, if we did but glance a far-off look,
Immediately he was upon his knee,

That all the court admir'd him for submission :
But meet him now, and, be it in the morn,
When every one will give the time of day,
He knits his brow, and shows an angry eye,
And passeth by with stiff unbowed knee,
Disdaining duty that to us belongs.
Small curs are not regarded, when they grin;
But great men tremble when the lion roars;
And Humphrey is no little man in England.
First, note, that he is near you in descent ;
And should you fall, he is the next will mount.
Me seemeth, then, it is no policy,-
Respecting what a rancorous mind he bears,
And his advantage following your decease,
That he should come about your royal person,
Or be admitted to your highness' council.
By flattery hath he won the commons' heart;
And, when he please to make commotion,
'Tis to be fear'd, they all will follow him.
Now 'tis the spring, and weeds are shallow-rooted;
Suffer them now, and they'll o'ergrow the garden,
And choke the herbs for want of husbandry.
The reverent care, I bear unto my lord,
Made me collect 7 these dangers in the duke.
If it be fond, call it a woman's fear;
Which fear, if better reasons can supplant,
I will subscribe and say,-
-I wrong'd the duke.
My lord of Suffolk, Buckingham,- and York,—
Reprove my allegation, if you can;
Or else conclude my words effectual.

Suf. Well hath your highness seen into this duke; And, had I first been put to speak my mind, I think, I should have told your grace's tale. The duchess, by his subornation, Upon my life, began her devilish practices : Or if he were not privy to those faults, Yet by reputing of his high descent 9, (As next the king, he was successive heir,) And such high vaunts of his nobility, Did instigate the bedlam brain-sick duchess, By wicked means to frame our sovereign's fall. Smooth runs the water where the brook is deep; And in his simple show he harbours treason. The fox barks not, when he would steal the lamb. No, no, my sovereign ; Gloster is a man Unsounded yet, and full of deep deceit.

Humphrey.

K. Hen. My lords, at once: The care you have

of u us,

To mow down thorns that would annoy our foot,
Is worthy praise: But shall I speak my conscience?
Our kinsman Gloster is as innocent
From meaning treason to our royal person,
As is the sucking lamb, or harmless dove:
The duke is virtuous, mild; and too well given,
To dream on evil, or to work my downfall.

Q. Mar. Ah, what's more dangerous than this fond
affiance!

Seems he a dove? his feathers are but borrow'd,
For he's disposed as the hateful raven.
Is he a lamb? his skin is surely lent him,
For he's inclin'd as are the ravenous wolves.
Who cannot steal a shape, that means deceit?
Take heed, my lord; the welfare of us all
Hangs on the cutting short that fraudful man.
Enter SOMERSet.

Som. All health unto my gracious sovereign!
K. Hen. Welcome, lord Somerset. What news
from France?

Som. That all your interest in those territories Is utterly bereft you; all is lost.

K. Hen. Cold news, lord Somerset: But God's
will be done!

York. Cold news for me; for I had hope of
France,

As firmly as I hope for fertile England.
Thus are my blossoms blasted in the bud,
And caterpillars eat my leaves away;
But I will remedy this gear ere long,
Or sell my title for a glorious grave.
Enter GLOSTER.

[Aside

I never robb'd the soldiers of their pay,
Nor ever had one penny bribe from France.
So help me God, as I have watch'd the night,
Ay, night by night,—in studying good for England!
That doit that e'er I wrested from the king,
Or any groat I hoarded to my use,
Be brought against me at my trial day!
No! many a pound of mine own proper store,
Because I would not tax the needy commons,
Have I disbursed to the garrisons,

And never ask'd for restitution.

Car. It serves you well, my lord, to say so much. Glo. I say no more than truth, so help me God! York. In your protectorship, you did devise Strange tortures for offenders, never heard of, That England was defam'd by tyranny.

Glo. Why, 'tis well known, that whiles I was pro-
tector,

Pity was all the fault that was in me ;
For I should melt at an offender's tears,
And lowly words were ransome for their fault.
Unless it were a bloody murderer,

Or foul felonious thief that fleec'd poor passengers,
I never gave them condign punishment :
Murder, indeed, that bloody sin, I tortur'd
Above the felon, or what trespass else.

Suf. My lord, these faults are easy, quickly an-
swer'd:

But mightier crimes are laid unto your charge,
Whereof you cannot easily purge yourself.
I do arrest you in his highness' name;
And here commit you to my lord cardinal
To keep, until your further time of trial.

K. Hen. My lord of Gloster, 'tis my special hope,
That you will clear yourself from all suspects;
My conscience tells me, you are innocent.

Glo. Ah, gracious lord, these days are dangerous!
Virtue is chok'd with foul ambition,
And charity chas'd hence by rancour's hand;
Foul subornation is predominant,
And equity exil'd your highness' land.
I know, their complot is to have my life;
And, if my death might make this island happy,
And prove the period of their tyranny,
I would expend it with all willingness:
But mine is made the prologue to their play:
For thousands more, that yet suspect no peril,
Will not conclude their plotted tragedy.
Beaufort's red sparkling eyes blab his heart's malice,
And Suffolk's cloudy brow his stormy hate;
Sharp Buckingham unburdens with his tongue
The envious load that lies upon his heart;
And dogged York, that reaches at the moon,
Whose overweening arm I have pluck'd back,
By false accuse doth level at my life: -
And you, my sovereign lady, with the rest,
Causeless have laid disgraces on my head?
And, with your best endeavour, have stirr'd up
My liefest 3 liege to be mine enemy ;-
Ay, all of you have laid your heads together,
Myself had notice of your conventicles.

I shall not want false witness to condemn me,
Nor store of treasons to augment my guilt;
The ancient proverb will be well affected,
A staff is quickly found to beat a dog.

Car. My liege, his railing is intolerable:
If those that care to keep your royal person
From treason's secret knife, and traitors' rage,
Be thus upbraided, chid, and rated at,

2 Easily.

3 Dearest.

And the offender granted scope of speech, 'Twill make them cool in zeal unto your grace.

Suf. Hath he not twit our sovereign lady here, With ignominious words, though clerkly couch'd, As if she had suborned some to swear False allegations to o'erthrow his state?

Q. Mar. But I can give the loser leave to chide. Glo. Far truer spoke, than meant: I lose, indeed ;Beshrew the winners, for they played me false ! And well such losers may have leave to speak.

Buck. He'll wrest the sense, and hold us here all day:

Lord cardinal, he is your prisoner.

Car. Sirs, take away the duke, and guard him sure. Glo. Ah, thus king Henry throws away his crutch, Before his legs be firm to bear his body: Thus is the shepherd beaten from thy side, And wolves are gnarling who shall gnaw thee first. Ah, that my fear were false! ah, that it were! For, good king Henry, thy decay I fear.

[Exeunt Attendants, with GLOSTER. K. Hen. My lords, what to your wisdoms seemeth best,

Do, or undo, as if ourself were here.

Q. Mar. What, will your highness leave the parliament ?

K. Hen. Ay, Margaret; my heart is drown'd with grief,

Whose flood begins to flow within mine eyes;
My body round engirt with misery;

For what's more miserable than discontent?
Ah, uncle Humphrey! in thy face I see
The map of honour, truth, and loyalty;
And yet, good Humphrey, is the hour to come,
That e'er I prove thee false, or fear'd thy faith.
What low'ring star now envies thy estate,
That these great lords, and Margaret our queen,
Do seek subversion of thy harmless life?
Thou never didst them wrong, nor no man wrong;
And as the butcher takes away the calf,
And binds the wretch, and beats it when it strays,
Bearing it to the bloody slaughter-house;
Even so remorseless, have they borne him hence.
And as the dam runs lowing up and down,
Looking the way her harmless young one went,
And can do nought but wail her darling's loss;
Even so myself bewails good Gloster's case,
With sad unhelpful tears; and with dimm'd eyes
Look after him, and cannot do him good;
So mighty are his vowed enemies.
His fortunes I will weep; and, 'twixt each groan,
Say, Who's a traitor, Gloster he is none. [Exit.
Q. Mar. Free lords, cold snow melts with the sun's
hot beams.

Henry my lord is cold in great affairs,
Too full of foolish pity; and Gloster's show
Beguiles him as the mournful crocodile
With sorrow snares relenting passengers;
Or as the snake, roll'd in a flowering bank,
With shining checker'd slough1, doth sting a child,
That, for the beauty, thinks it excellent.
Believe me, lords, were none more wise than I,
(And yet, herein, I judge mine own wit good,)
This Gloster should be quickly rid the world,
To rid us from the fear we have of him.

Car. That he should die, is worthy policy:
But yet we want a colour for his death:
'Tis meet he be condemn'd by course of law.
Suf. But, in my mind, that were no policy:

4 Skin.

The king will labour still to save his life,
The commons haply rise to save his life;
And yet we have but trivial argument,
More than mistrust, that shows him worthy death.
York. So that, by this, you would not have him die.
Suf. Ah, York, no man alive so fain as I.
York. 'Tis York that hath more reason for his
death.

But, my lord cardinal, and you, my lord of Suffolk,-
Say as you think, and speak it from your souls, -
Wer't not all one, an empty eagle were set
To guard the chicken from a hungry kite,
As place duke Humphrey for the king's protector?
Q. Mar. So the poor chicken should be sure of death.
Suf. Madam, 'tis true: And wer't not madness
then,

To make the fox surveyor of the fold?
Who being accus'd a crafty murderer,
His guilt should be but idly posted over,
Because his purpose is not executed.
No; let him die, in that he is a fox,
By nature prov'd an enemy to the flock,
Before his chaps be stain'd with crimson blood;
As Humphrey, prov'd by reasons, to my liege.
And do not stand on quillets how to slay him:
Be it by gins, by snares, by subtilty,
Sleeping or waking, 'tis no matter how,
So he be dead; for that is good deceit
Which mates him first, that first intends deceit.

Q. Mar. Thrice-noble Suffolk, 'tis resolutely spoke.
Suf. Not resolute, except so much were done;
For things are often spoke, and seldom meant:
But, that my heart accordeth with my tongue,
Seeing the deed is meritorious,

And to preserve my sovereign from his foe, -
Say but the word, and I will be his priest.

Som. And, in the number, thee, that wishest shame!
Car. My lord of York, try what your fortune is.
The uncivil kernes 9 of Ireland are in arms,
And temper clay with blood of Englishmen :
To Ireland will you lead a band of men,
Collected choicely, from each county some,
And try your hap against the Irishmen?
York. I will, my lord, so please his majesty.
Suf. Why, our authority is his consent;
And, what we do establish, he confirms:
Then, noble York, take thou this task in hand.
York. I am content: Provide me soldiers, lords,
Whiles I take order for mine own affairs.

Suf. A charge, lord York, that I will see perform'd.
But now return we to the false duke Humphrey.

Car. No more of him; for I will deal with him,
That, henceforth, he shall trouble us no more.
And so break off; the day is almost spent:
Lord Suffolk, you and I must talk of that event.
York. My lord of Suffolk, within fourteen days,
At Bristol I expect my soldiers;

For there I'll ship them all for Ireland.
Suf. I'll see it truly done, my lord of York.

[Exeunt all but YORK.

York. Now, York, or never, steel thy fearful

thoughts,

And change misdoubt to resolution:

Be that thou hop'st to be; or what thou art
Resign to death, it is not worth the enjoying:

Car. But I would have him dead, my lord of Suf- Let pale-fac'd fear keep with the mean-born man,

folk,

Ere you can take due orders for a priest :

Say, you consent, and censure well the deed,
And I'll provide his executioner,

I tender so the safety of my liege.

Suf. Here is my hand, the deed is worthy doing.
Q. Mar. And so say I.

York. And I and now we three have spoke it,
It skills not greatly 6 who impugns our doom.

Enter a Messenger.

And find no harbour in a royal heart.

Faster than spring-time showers, comes thought on
thought;

And not a thought, but thinks on dignity.
My brain, more busy than the labouring spider,
Weaves tedious snares to trap mine enemies.
Well, nobles, well, 'tis politickly done,

To send me packing with an host of men :
I fear me, you but warm the starved snake,
Who, cherish'd in your breasts, will sting your hearts.
'Twas men I lack'd, and you will give them me :

Mess. Great lords, from Ireland am I come amain, I take it kindly; yet, be well assur'd

To signify that rebels there are up,
And put the Englishmen unto the sword:
Send succours, lords, and stop the rage betime,
Before the wound do grow incurable;
For, being green, there is great hope of help.
Car. A breach, that craves a quick expedient 7 stop!
What counsel give you in this weighty cause?

York. That Somerset be sent as regent thither :
'Tis meet, that lucky ruler be employ'd;
Witness the fortune he hath had in France.
Som. If York, with all his far-fet policy,
Had been the regent there instead of me,
He never would have staid in France so long.
York. No, not to lose it all, as thou hast done :
I rather would have lost my life betimes,
Than bring a burden of dishonour home,
By staying there so long, till all were lost.
Show me one scar charácter'd on thy skin:
Men's flesh preserv'd so whole, do seldom win.

5 Matches.

7 Expeditious.

6 It is of no importance.

8 Far-fetched.

You put sharp weapons in a madman's hands.
Whiles I in Ireland nourish a mighty band,
I will stir up in England some black storm,
And this fell tempest shall not cease to rage
Until the golden circuit on my head,
Like to the glorious sun's transparent beams,
Do calm the fury of this mad-bred flaw. I
And for a minister of my intent,

I have seduc'd a head-strong Kentishman,
John Cade of Ashford,

To make commotion, as full well he can,
Under the title of John Mortimer.

In Ireland have I seen this stubborn Cade
Oppose himself against a troop of kernes;
And fought so long, till that his thighs with darts
Were almost like a sharp-quill'd porcupine ;
And, in the end being rescu'd, I have seen him
Caper upright like a wild Mórisco,

Irish foot-soldiers, light-armed.
A violent gust of wind.

2 A Moor in a morris dance,

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Knihy

The family Shakespeare [expurgated by T. Bowdler]. in which those words are ...