Glost. "Ma.s.se, thou lou"dst Plummes well, that would"st venture so
Simpc. Alas, good Master, my Wife desired some Damsons, and made me climbe, with danger of my Life
Glost. A subtill Knaue, but yet it shall not serue: Let me see thine Eyes; winck now, now open them, In my opinion, yet thou seest not well
Simpc. Yes Master, cleare as day, I thanke G.o.d and Saint Albones
Glost. Say"st thou me so: what Colour is this Cloake of?
Simpc. Red Master, Red as Blood
Glost. Why that"s well said: What Colour is my Gowne of?
Simpc. Black forsooth, Coale-Black, as Iet
King. Why then, thou know"st what Colour Iet is of?
Suff. And yet I thinke, Iet did he neuer see
Glost. But Cloakes and Gownes, before this day, a many
Wife. Neuer before this day, in all his life
Glost. Tell me Sirrha, what"s my Name?
Simpc. Alas Master, I know not
Glost. What"s his Name?
Simpc. I know not
Glost. Nor his?
Simpc. No indeede, Master
Glost. What"s thine owne Name?
Simpc. Saunder Simpc.o.xe, and if it please you, Master
Glost. Then Saunder, sit there, The lying"st Knaue in Christendome.
If thou hadst beene borne blinde, Thou might"st as well haue knowne all our Names, As thus to name the seuerall Colours we doe weare.
Sight may distinguish of Colours: But suddenly to nominate them all, It is impossible.
My Lords, Saint Albone here hath done a Miracle: And would ye not thinke it, Cunning to be great, That could restore this Cripple to his Legges againe
Simpc. O Master, that you could?
Glost. My Masters of Saint Albones, Haue you not Beadles in your Towne, And Things call"d Whippes?
Maior. Yes, my Lord, if it please your Grace
Glost. Then send for one presently
Maior. Sirrha, goe fetch the Beadle hither straight.
Enter.
Glost. Now fetch me a Stoole hither by and by.
Now Sirrha, if you meane to saue your selfe from Whipping, leape me ouer this Stoole, and runne away
Simpc. Alas Master, I am not able to stand alone: You goe about to torture me in vaine.
Enter a Beadle with Whippes.
Glost. Well Sir, we must haue you finde your Legges.
Sirrha Beadle, whippe him till he leape ouer that same Stoole
Beadle. I will, my Lord.
Come on Sirrha, off with your Doublet, quickly
Simpc. Alas Master, what shall I doe? I am not able to stand.
After the Beadle hath hit him once, he leapes ouer the Stoole, and runnes away: and they follow, and cry, A Miracle.
King. O G.o.d, seest thou this, and bearest so long?
Queene. It made me laugh, to see the Villaine runne
Glost. Follow the Knaue, and take this Drab away
Wife. Alas Sir, we did it for pure need
Glost. Let the[m] be whipt through euery Market Towne, Till they come to Barwick, from whence they came.
Enter.
Card. Duke Humfrey ha"s done a Miracle to day
Suff. True: made the Lame to leape and flye away
Glost. But you haue done more Miracles then I: You made in a day, my Lord, whole Townes to flye.
Enter Buckingham.
King. What Tidings with our Cousin Buckingham?
Buck. Such as my heart doth tremble to vnfold: A sort of naughtie persons, lewdly bent, Vnder the Countenance and Confederacie Of Lady Elianor, the Protectors Wife, The Ring-leader and Head of all this Rout, Haue practis"d dangerously against your State, Dealing with Witches and with Coniurers, Whom we haue apprehended in the Fact, Raysing vp wicked Spirits from vnder ground, Demanding of King Henries Life and Death, And other of your Highnesse Priuie Councell, As more at large your Grace shall vnderstand
Card. And so my Lord Protector, by this meanes Your Lady is forth-comming, yet at London.
This Newes I thinke hath turn"d your Weapons edge; "Tis like, my Lord, you will not keepe your houre
Glost. Ambitious Church-man, leaue to afflict my heart: Sorrow and griefe haue vanquisht all my powers; And vanquisht as I am, I yeeld to thee, Or to the meanest Groome
King. O G.o.d, what mischiefes work the wicked ones?
Heaping confusion on their owne heads thereby
Queene. Gloster, see here the Taincture of thy Nest, And looke thy selfe be faultlesse, thou wert best
Glost. Madame, for my selfe, to Heauen I doe appeale, How I haue lou"d my King, and Common-weale: And for my Wife, I know not how it stands, Sorry I am to heare what I haue heard, n.o.ble shee is: but if shee haue forgot Honor and Vertue, and conuers"t with such, As like to Pytch, defile n.o.bilitie; I banish her my Bed, and Companie, And giue her as a Prey to Law and Shame, That hath dis-honored Glosters honest Name
King. Well, for this Night we will repose vs here: To morrow toward London, back againe, To looke into this Businesse thorowly, And call these foule Offendors to their Answeres; And poyse the Cause in Iustice equall Scales, Whose Beame stands sure, whose rightful cause preuailes.
Flourish. Exeunt.
Enter Yorke, Salisbury, and Warwick.