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Enter Cambridge, Scroope, and Gray, as in a chamber, and set downe at a table, consulting about their treason: King Harry and Suffolke listning at the doore.
As needes must haue his royall company,
And to dispatch him in the Councell chamber.
Camb.Tush, yet I heare not any thing to purpose,
I wonder that lord Cobham staies so long,
His counsell in this case would much auaile vs. .mw-parser-output .wst-floatright{float:right;text-indent:0}They rise from the table, and the King steps in to them with his Lordes.
ScroopWhat shal we rise thus, and determine nothing?
Har.That were a shame indeede, no, sit againe,
And you shall haue my counsell in this case,
If you can find no way to kill this King,
Then you shall see how I can further ye,
Scroopes way by poison was indifferent,
But yet being bed-fellow vnto the King,
And vnsuspected sleeping in his bosome,
In mine opinion, that's the likelier way,
For such false friends are able to do much,
And silent night is Treason's fittest friend,
Now, Cambridge in his setting hence for France,
Or by the way, or as he goes aboord,
To do the deed, that was indifferent too,
Yet somewhat doubtful; might I speake my mind,
For many reasons needelesse now to vrge.
Mary Lord Gray came something neare the point,
To haue the King at councell, and there murder him,
As Cæsar was amongst his dearest friends:
None like to that, if all were of his mind.
Tell me oh tel me you bright honors staines,
For which of all my kindnesses to you,
Are ye become thus traitors to your king?
And France must haue the spoile of Harries life?
All.Oh pardon vs dread lord. all kneeling.
Har.How pardon ye? that were a sinne indeed,
Drag them to death, which iustly they deserue, they leade them away.
And France shall dearely buy this villany,
So soone as we set footing on her breast,
God haue the praise for our deliuerance,
And next, our thankes (Lord Cobham) is to thee,
True perfect mirror of nobilitie.exeunt.
Enter the hoste, sir Iohn Old-castle, and Harpoole.
That sayes she is his wife, yonder at the sheeres:
But we haue chargde the hoste with his forth comming
To morow morning.
MaiorWhat thinke you best to do?
Const.Faith maister maior, heeres a few stragling houses beyond the bridge, and a little Inne where cariers vse to lodge, though I thinke surely he would nere lodge there: but weele go search, & the rather, because there came notice to the towne the last night of an Irish man, that had done a murder, whome we are to make search for.
MaiorCome I pray you, and be circumspect. exeunt.
Const.First beset the house, before you begin the search.
OfficerContent, euery man take a seuerall place.
heere is heard a great noyse within.
Harp.Yes mary doe I, zwounds, I can not finde my hose, this Irish rascall that was lodgde with me all night, hath stolne my apparell, and has left me nothing but a lowsie mantle, and a paire of broags. Get vp, get vp, and if the carier and his wench be asleep, change you with them as he hath done with me, and see if we can escape.
A noyse againe heard about the house, a pretty while, then enter the Constable meeting Harpoole in the Irish mans apparrell.
ClubZwookes, do you robbe your ghests? doe you lodge rogues and slaues, and scoundrels, ha? they ha stolne our doths here: why ostler?
OstlerA murrein choake you, what a bawling you keepe.
HosteHow now, what woulde the carrier haue? looke vp there.
OstlerThey say that the man and woman that lay by them haue stolne their clothes.
HosteVVhat, are the strange folkes vp yet that came in yester night?
Const.VVhat mine hoste, vp so early?
HosteVVhat, maister Maior, and maister Constable!
MaiorVVe are come to seeke for some suspected persons, and such as heere we found, haue apprehended.
Enter the Carrier and Kate in lord Cobham and ladies apparell.
flowted and so showted at: but by th messe Ise cry. exeunt.
Enter Priest and Doll.
rogue deliuer, or ile not leaue you so much as an Irish haire aboue your shoulders, you whorson Irish dogge, sirra vntrusse presently, come off and dispatch, or by this crosse ile fetch your head off as cleane as a barke.
Irishman.Wees me saint Patricke, Ise kill me mester for chaine and his ring, and nows be rob of all, mees vndoo. Priest robs him.
sir IohnAuant you rascal, go sirra, be walking, come Doll the diuel laughes, when one theefe robs another, come madde wench, weele to saint Albons, and reuel in our bower, hey my braue girle.
DollO thou art old sir Iohn, when all's done yfaith.
Enter the hoste of the Bell with the Irish man.
ClubWell God haue mercie Iohn, how does Tom, wheres he?
HostlerO Tom is gone from hence, hees at the three horse-loues at Stony-stratford, how does old Dick Dunne?
ClubGods hatte old Dunne has bin moyerd in a slough in Brickhil-lane, a plague found it, yonder is such abhomination weather as neuer was seene.
Hostler.Gods hat thiefe, haue one half pecke of pease and oates more for that, as I am Iohn Ostler, hee has been euer as good a iade as euer traueld.
ClubFaith well said old Iacke, thou art the old lad stil.
HostlerCome Gaffer Club, vnlode, vnlode, and get to supper, and Ile rub dunne the while. Come. exeunt.
Enter sir Iohn Old-castle, and his Lady disguisde.
No gentle Lord, your presence would giue ease
To death it selfe, should he now seaze vpon me,
Behold what my foresight hath vndertane heres bread and cheese & a bottle.
For feare we faint, they are but homely cates.
Yet saucde with hunger, they may seeme as sweete,
As greater dainties we were wont to taste.
Oldca.Praise be to him whose plentie sends both this,
And all things else our mortall bodies need,
Nor scorne we this poore feeding, nor the state
We now are in, for what is it on earth,
Nay vnder heauen, continues at a stay?
Ebbes not the sea, when it hath ouerflowne?
Flowes not darknes when the day is gone?
And see we not sometime the eie of heauen,
Dimmd with ouerflying clowdes: the•es not that worke
Of carefull nature, or of cunning art,
(How strong, how beauteous, or how rich it be)
But falls in time to ruine: here gentle Madame,
In this one draught I wash my sorrow downe. drinkes.
LadyAnd I incoragde with your cheerefull speech,
Wil do the like.
Oldca.Pray God poore Harpoole come,
If he should fall into the Bishops hands,
Or not remember where we bade him meete vs,
It were the thing of all things else, that now
Could breede reuolt in this new peace of mind.
LadyFeare not my Lord, hees witty to deuise,
And strong to execute a present shift.
Oldca.That power be stil his guide hath guided vs,
My drowsie eies waxe heauy, earely rising,
Together with the trauell we haue had,
Make me that I could gladly take a nap,
Were I perswaded we might be secure.
LadyLet that depend on me, whilst you do sleepe,
Ile watch that no misfortune happen vs,
Lay then your head vpon my lap sweete Lord,
And boldly take your rest.
Oldca.I shal deare wife,
Be too much trouble to thee.
LadyVrge not that,
My duty binds me, and your loue commands.
I would I had the skil with tuned voyce,
To draw on sleep with some sweet melodie,
But imperfectoin and vnaptnesse too,
Are both repugnant, feare inserts the one,
The other nature hath denied me vse.
But what talke I of meanes to purchase that,
Is freely hapned? sleepe with gentle hand,
Hath shut his eie-liddes, oh victorious labour,
How soone thy power can charme the bodies sense?
And now thou likewise climbst vnto my braine,
Making my heauy temples stoupe to thee,
Great God of heauen from danger keepe vs free. both sleepes.
Enter sir Richard Lee, and his men
And where security gate greatest hope)
To be consumde by treasons wastefull hand?
And what is most afflicting to my soule,
That this his death and murther should be wrought,
Without the knowledge by whose meanes twas done,
2 seru.Not so sir, I haue found the authors of it,
See where they sit, and in their bloudy fistes,
The fatall instruments of death and sinne.
LeeIust iudgement of that power, whose gracious eie,
Loathing the sight of such a hainous fact,
Dazeled their senses with benumming-sleepe,
Till their vnhallowed treachery were knowne:
Awake ye monsters, murderers awake,
Tremble for horror, blush you cannot chuse,
Beholding this inhumane deed of yours.
Old.What meane you sir to trouble weary soules,
And interrupt vs of our quiet sleepe?
LeeOh diuellish! can you boast vnto your selues
Of quiet sleepe, hauing within your hearts
The guilt of murder waking, that with cries
Deafes the lowd thunder, and sollicites heauen,
With mo•e than Mandrakes shreekes for your offence?
Lady Old.What murder? you vpbraid vs wrongfully.
LeeCan you deny the fact? see you not heere,
The body of my sonne by you mis-done?
Looke on his wounds, looke on his purple hew:
Do we not finde you where the deede was done?
Were not your kniues fast closed in your hands?
Is not this cloth an argument beside,
Thus staind and spotted with his innocent blood?
These speaking characters, were nothing else
To pleade against ye, would conuict you both.
Bring them away, bereauers of my ioy,
At Hartford where the Sises now are kept,
Their liues shall answere for my sonnes lost life.
Old-castleAs we are innocent, so may we speede.
LeeAs I am wrongd, so may the law proceede. exeunt.
Enter bishop of Rochester, constable of S. Albons, with sir Iohn of Wrotham, Doll his wench, and the Irishman in Har∣pooles apparell.
Bish.So, away with them. exeunt.
Enter Gaoler and his man, bringing forth Old castle.
IudgeNow M.Maior, what gentleman is that,
You bring with you, before vs and the bench?
MaiorThe Lord Powes if it like your honor,
And this his Lady, trauelling toward Wales,
Who for they lodgde last night within my house,
And my Lord Bishop did lay search for such,
Were very willing to come on with me,
Lest for their sakes, suspition we might wrong.
IudgeWe crie your honor mercy good my Lord,
Wilt please ye take your place, madame your ladyship,
May here or where you will repose your selfe,
Vntill this businesse now in hand be past.
Lady Po.I will withdraw into some other roome,
So that your Lordship, and the rest be pleasde.
IudgeWith all our hearts: attend the Lady there.
Lord Po.Wife, I haue eyde yond prisoners all this while,
And my conceit doth tel me, tis our friend,
The noble Cobham, and his vertuous Lady.
Lady Po.I thinke no lesse, are they suspected trow ye
For doing of this murder?
Lord Po.What it meanes,
I cannot tell, but we shall know anon,
Meane space as you passe by them, ask the question,
But do it secretly, you be not seene,
And make some signe that I may know your mind.
Lady Po.My Lord Cobham, madam? as she passeth ouer the stage by thē.
Old.No Cobhā now, nor madam as you loue vs,
But Iohn of Lancashire, and Ione his wife.
Lady Po.Oh tel, what is it that our loue can do,
To pleasure you, for we are bound to you.
Oldca.Nothing but this, that you conceale our names,
So gentle lady passe for being spied.
Lady Po.My heart I leaue, to beare part of your griefe. exit.
IudgeCall the prisoners to the barre: sir Richard Lee,
What euidence can you bring against these people,
To proue them guiltie of the murder done?
Lee.This bloudy towell, and these naked kniues,
Beside we found them sitting by the place,
Where the dead body lay within a bush.
IudgeVVhat answer you why law should not proceed,
According to this euidence giuen in,
To taxe ye with the penalty of death?
Old.That we are free from murders very thought,
And know not how the gentleman was slaine.
1 Iust.How came this linnen cloth so boudy then?
Lady Cob.My husband hot with trauelling my lord,
His nose gusht out a bleeding, that was it.
2 Iust.But wherefore were your sharpe edgde kniues vnsheathde?
Lady Cob.To cut such simple victuall as we had.
IudgeSay we admit this answer to those articles,
VVhat made ye in so priuate a darke nooke,
So far remote from any common path,
As was the thicke where the dead corpes was throwne?
Old.Iournying my lord from London from the terme,
Downe into Lancashire where we do dwell,
And what with age and trauell being faint,
VVe gladly sought a place where we might rest,
Free from resort of other passengers,
And so we strayed into that secret corner.
IudgeThese are but ambages to driue of time,
And linger Iustice from her purposde end.
But who are these?
Enter the Constable, bringing in the Irishman, sir Iohn of Wrotham, and Doll.
But I vpon the instant met with him,
And what he purchacde with the losse of bloud,
With strokes I presently bereau'de him of,
Some of the which is spent, the rest remaining,
I willingly surrender to the hands
Of old sir Richard Lee, as being his,
Beside my Lord Iudge, I greet your honor,
With letters from my Lord of Winchester. deliuers a letter.
LeeIs this the wolfe whose thirsty throate did drinke
My deare sonnes bloud? art thou the snake
He cherisht, yet with enuious piercing sting,
Assaildst him mortally? foule stigmatike,
Thou venome of the country where thou liuedst,
And pestilence of this: were it not that law
Stands ready to reuenge thy crueltie,
Traitor to God, thy master, and to me,
These hands should be thy executioner.
Iudge
Patience sir Richard Lee, you shall haue iustice,
And he the guerdon of his base desert,
The fact is odious, therefore take him hence,
And being hangde vntil the wretch be dead,
His body after shall be hangd in chaines,
Neare to the place, where he did act the murder.
Irish.Prethee Lord shudge let me haue mine own clothes, my strouces there, and let me be hangd in a with after my cuntry, the Irish fashion. exit.
IudgeGo to, away with him, and now sir Iohn,
Although by you, this murther came to light,
And therein you haue well deseru'd, yet vpright law,
So will not haue you be excusde and quit,
For you did rob the Irishman, by which
You stand attained here of felony,
Beside, you haue bin lewd, and many yeares
Led a lasciuious vnbeseeming life.
sir IohnOh but my Lord, he repents, sir Iohn repents he will mend.
IudgeIn hope thereof, together with the fauour,
My Lord of Winchester intreates for you,
We are content you shall be proued.
sir IohnI thanke your good Lordship.
IudgeThese other falsly here, accusde, and brought
In perill wrongfully, we in like sort
Do set at liberty, paying their fees.
Lord Po.That office if it please ye I will do,
For countries sake, because I know them well,
They are my neighbours, therefore of my cost,
Their charges shall be paide.
Lee.And for amends,
Touching the wrong vnwittingly I haue done,
There are a few crownes more for them to drinke. giues them a purse.
IudgeYour kindnes merites praise sir Richard Lee,
So let vs hence. exeunt all but Lord Powesse and Oldcastle.
Lord Po.But Powesse still must stay,
There yet remaines a part of that true loue,
He owes his noble friend vnsatisfide,
And vnperformd which first of all doth bind me,
To gratulate your lordships safe deliuery,
And then intreat, that since vnlookt for thus,
We here are met, your honor would vouchsafe,
To ride with me to Wales, where though my power,
(Though not to quittance those great benefites,
I haue receiud of you) yet both my house,
My purse my seruants, and what else I haue,
Are all at your command, deny me not,
I know the Bishops hate pursues ye so,
As theres no safety in abiding here.
Old.Tis true my Lord, and God forgiue him for it.
Lord Po.Then let vs hence, you shall be straight prouided
Of lusty geldings, and once entred VVales,
VVell may the Bishop hunt, but spight his face,
He neuer more shall haue the game in chace. exeunt.