In my opinion yet thou seest not well. SIMPCOX Yes, master, clear as day, I thank God and Saint Alban. GLOUCESTER Say'st thou me so? What colour is this cloak of? SIMPCOX Red, master; red as blood. GLOUCESTER Why, that's well said. What colour is my gown of? SIMPCOX Black, forsooth: coal-black as jet. KING HENRY VI Why, then, thou know'st what colour jet is of? SUFFOLK And yet, I think, jet did he never see. GLOUCESTER But cloaks and gowns, before this day, a many. Wife Never, before this day, in all his life. GLOUCESTER Tell me, sirrah, what's my name? SIMPCOX Alas, master, I know not. GLOUCESTER What's his name? SIMPCOX I know not. GLOUCESTER Nor his? SIMPCOX No, indeed, master. GLOUCESTER What's thine own name? SIMPCOX Saunder Simpcox, an if it please you, master. GLOUCESTER Then, Saunder, sit there, the lyingest knave in Christendom. If thou hadst been born blind, thou mightest as well have known all our names as thus to name the several colours we do wear. Sight may distinguish of colours, but suddenly to nominate them all, it is impossible. My lords, Saint Alban here hath done a miracle; and would ye not think his cunning to be great, that could restore this cripple to his legs again? SIMPCOX O master, that you could! GLOUCESTER My masters of Saint Alban's, have you not beadles in your town, and things called whips? Mayor Yes, my lord, if it please your grace. GLOUCESTER Then send for one presently. Mayor Sirrah, go fetch the beadle hither straight.
Exit an Attendant GLOUCESTER Now fetch me a stool hither by and by.
Now, sirrah, if you mean to save yourself from whipping, leap me over this stool and run away. SIMPCOX Alas, master, I am not able to stand alone:
You go about to torture me in vain.
Enter a Beadle with whips GLOUCESTER Well, sir, we must have you find your legs. Sirrah beadle, whip him till he leap over that same stool. Beadle I will, my lord. Come on, sirrah; off with your doublet quickly. SIMPCOX Alas, master, what shall I do? I am not able to stand.
After the Beadle hath hit him once, he leaps over the stool and runs away; and they follow and cry, 'A miracle!' KING HENRY VI O God, seest Thou this, and bearest so long? QUEEN MARGARET It made me laugh to see the villain run. GLOUCESTER Follow the knave; and take this drab away. Wife Alas, sir, we did it for pure need. GLOUCESTER Let them be whipped through every market-town, till they come to Berwick, from whence they came.
Exeunt Wife, Beadle, Mayor, & c CARDINAL Duke Humphrey has done a miracle to-day. SUFFOLK True; made the lame to leap and fly away. GLOUCESTER But you have done more miracles than I;You made in a day, my lord, whole towns to fly.
Enter BUCKINGHAM KING HENRY VI What tidings with our cousin Buckingham? BUCKINGHAM Such as my heart doth tremble to unfold.
A sort of naughty persons, lewdly bent, Under the countenance and confederacy Of Lady Eleanor, the protector's wife, The ringleader and head of all this rout, Have practised dangerously against your state, Dealing with witches and with conjurers:
Whom we have apprehended in the fact;
Raising up wicked spirits from under ground, Demanding of King Henry's life and death, And other of your highness' privy-council;As more at large your grace shall understand. CARDINAL [Aside to GLOUCESTER] And so, my lord protector, by this means Your lady is forthcoming yet at London.
This news, I think, hath turn'd your weapon's edge;'Tis like, my lord, you will not keep your hour. GLOUCESTER Ambitious churchman, leave to afflict my heart:
Sorrow and grief have vanquish'd all my powers;And, vanquish'd as I am, I yield to thee, Or to the meanest groom. KING HENRY VI O God, what mischiefs work the wicked ones, Heaping confusion on their own heads thereby! QUEEN MARGARET Gloucester, see here the tainture of thy nest.
And look thyself be faultless, thou wert best. GLOUCESTER Madam, for myself, to heaven I do appeal, How I have loved my king and commonweal:
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 Honour and virtue and conversed with such As, like to pitch, defile nobility, I banish her my bed and company And give her as a prey to law and shame, That hath dishonour'd Gloucester's honest name. KING HENRY VI Well, for this night we will repose us here:
To-morrow toward London back again, To look into this business thoroughly And call these foul offenders to their answers And poise the cause in justice' equal scales, Whose beam stands sure, whose rightful cause prevails.
Flourish. Exeunt SCENE II. London. YORK'S garden. Enter YORK, SALISBURY, and WARWICK YORK Now, my good Lords of Salisbury and Warwick, Our simple supper ended, give me leave In this close walk to satisfy myself, In craving your opinion of my title, Which is infallible, to England's crown. SALISBURY My lord, I long to hear it at full. WARWICK Sweet York, begin: and if thy claim be good, The Nevils are thy subjects to command. YORK Then thus:
Edward the Third, my lords, had seven sons:
The first, Edward the Black Prince, Prince of Wales;The second, William of Hatfield, and the third, Lionel Duke of Clarence: next to whom Was John of Gaunt, the Duke of Lancaster;The fifth was Edmund Langley, Duke of York;The sixth was Thomas of Woodstock, Duke of Gloucester;William of Windsor was the seventh and last.
Edward the Black Prince died before his father And left behind him Richard, his only son, Who after Edward the Third's death reign'd as king;Till Henry Bolingbroke, Duke of Lancaster, The eldest son and heir of John of Gaunt, Crown'd by the name of Henry the Fourth, Seized on the realm, deposed the rightful king, Sent his poor queen to France, from whence she came, And him to Pomfret; where, as all you know, Harmless Richard was murder'd traitorously. WARWICK Father, the duke hath told the truth:
