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Henry VI, Part 2 (Quarto 1, 1594)

Author: William Shakespeare
Not Peer Reviewed
715
Enter the King and Queene with her Hawke on her fist,
and Duke Humphrey and Suffolke, and the Cardi-
716.1
nall, as if they came from hawking.
Queene. My Lord, how did your grace like this last flight?
But as I cast her off the winde did rise,
720And twas ten to one, old Ione had not gone out.
King. How wonderfull the Lords workes are on earth,
721.1Euen in these silly creatures of his hands,
Vnckle Gloster, how hie your Hawke did sore?
722.1And on a sodaine soust the Partridge downe.
725Suffolke. No maruell if it please your Maiestie
My Lord Protectors Hawke done towre so well,
He knowes his maister loues to be aloft.
Humphrey. Faith my Lord, it is but a base minde
730That can sore no higher then a Falkons pitch.
Card. I thought your grace would be aboue the cloudes.
Humph. I my Lord Cardinall, were it not good
Your grace could fllie to heauen.
Card. Thy heauen is on earth, thy words and thoughts beat on
a Crowne, proude Protector dangerous Peere, to smooth it thus
with King and common-wealth.
740Humphrey. How now my Lord, why this is more then needs,
Church-men so hote. Good vnckle can you doate.
745Suffolke. Why not Hauing so good a quarrell & so bad a cause.
Humphrey. As how, my Lord?
Suffolke. As you, my Lord. And it like your Lordly
Lords Protectorship.
750Humphrey. Why Suffolke, England knowes thy insolence.
Queene. And thy ambition Gloster.
King. Cease gentle Queene, and whet not on these furious
Lordes to wrath, for blessed are the peace-makers on
earth.
755Card. Let me be blessed for the peace I make,
Against this proud Protector with my sword.
Humphrey. Faith holy vnckle, I would it were come to that,
Cardinall. Euen when thou darest.
758.1Humphrey. Dare. I tell thee Priest, Plantagenets could neuer
brooke the dare.
Card. I am Plantagenet as well as thou, and sonne to Iohn of
Gaunt.
.5Humph. In Bastardie.
Cardin. I scorne thy words.
Humph. Make vp no factious numbers, but euen in thine own
person meete me at the East end of the groue.
763.1Card. Heres my hand, I will.
King. Why how now Lords?
765Card. Faith Cousin Gloster, had not your man cast off so soone,
we had had more sport to day, Come with thy swoord
and buckler.
775Humphrey. Faith Priest, Ile shaue your Crowne.
Cardinall. Protector, protect thy selfe well.
King. The wind growes high, so doth your chollour Lords.
Enter one crying, A miracle, a miracle.
How now, now sirrha, what miracle is it?
790One. And it please your grace, there is a man that came blinde
to S. Albones, and hath receiued his sight at his shrine.
King. Goe fetch him hither, that wee may glorifie the Lord
with him.
795
Enter the Maior of Saint Albones and his brethren with
Musicke, bearing the man that had bene blind,
796.1
betweene two in a chaire.
King. Thou happie man, giue God eternall praise,
800For he it is, that thus hath helped thee.
Humphrey. Where wast thou borne?
Poore man. At Barwicke sir, in the North.
813.1Humph. At Barwicke, and come thus far for helpe.
Poore man. I sir, it was told me in my sleepe,
That sweet saint Albones, should giue me my sight againe.
830Humphrey. What art thou lame too?
Poore man. I indeed sir, God helpe me.
Humphrey. How cam'st thou lame?
Poore man. With falling off on a plum-tree.
Humph. Wart thou blind & wold clime plumtrees?
Poore man. Neuer but once sir in all my life,
My wife did long for plums.
805Humph. But tell me, wart thou borne blinde?
Poore man. I truly sir.
Woman. I indeed sir, he was borne blinde.
Humphrey. What art thou his mother?
VVoman. His wife sir.
810Humphrey. Hadst thou bene his mother,
Thou couldst haue better told.
Why let me see, I thinke thou canst not see yet.
Poore man. Yes truly maister, as cleare as day.
850Humphrey. Saist thou so. What colours his cloake?
Poore man. Why red maister, as red as blood.
852.1Humphrey. And his cloake?
Poore man. Why thats greene.
Humphrey. And what colours his hose?
Poore man. Yellow maister, yellow as gold.
Humphrey. And what colours my gowne?
855Poore man. Blacke sir, as blacke as Ieat.
King. Then belike he knowes what colour Ieat is on.
Suffolke. And yet I thinke Ieat did he neuer see.
Humph. But cloakes and gownes ere this day many a
But tell me sirrha, whats my name?
(one.
Poore man. Alasse maister I know not.
Humphrey. Whats his name?
865Poore man. I know not.
Humphrey. Nor his?
866.1Poore man. No truly sir.
Humphrey Nor his name?
Poore man No indeed maister.
Humphrey Whats thine owne name?
Poore man. Sander, and it please you maister.
870Humphrey. Then Sander sit there, the lyingest knaue in Chri-
stendom. If thou hadst bene born blind, thou mightest as well haue
knowne all our names, as thus to name the seuerall colours we doo
875weare. Sight may distinguish of colours, but sodeinly to nominate
them all, it is impossible. My Lords, saint Albones here hath done a
Miracle, and would you not thinke his cunning to be great, that
880could restore this Cripple to his legs againe.
Poore man. Oh maister I would you could.
Humphrey. My Maisters of saint Albones,
Haue you not Beadles in your Towne,
And things called whippes?
885Mayor. Yes my Lord, if it please your grace.
Humph. Then send for one presently.
Mayor. Sirrha, go fetch the Beadle hither straight.
Exet one.
Humph. Now fetch me a stoole hither by and by.
890Now sirrha, If you meane to saue your selfe from whipping,
Leape me ouer this stoole and runne away.
Enter Beadle.
Poore man. Alasse maister I am not able to stand alone,
You go about to torture me in vaine.
895Humph. Well sir, we must haue you finde your legges.
Sirrha Beadle, whip him till he leape ouer that same stoole.
Beadle. I will my Lord, come on sirrha, off with your doublet
quickly.
900Poore man. Alas maister what shall I do, I am not able to stand.
After the Beadle hath hit him one girke, he leapes ouer
the stoole and runnes away, and they run after him,
crying, A miracle, a miracle.
Hump. A miracle, a miracle, let him be taken againe, & whipt
910through euery Market Towne til he comes at Barwicke where he
910.1was borne.
Mayor. It shall be done my Lord.
Exet Mayor.
Suffolke. My Lord Protector hath done wonders to day,
He hath made the blinde to see, and halt to go.
Humph. I but you did greater wonders, when you made whole
915Dukedomes flie in a day.
915.1Witnesse France.
King. Haue done I say, and let me here no more of that.
Enter the Duke of Buckingham.
What newes brings Duke Humprey of Buckingham?
Buck. Ill newes for some my Lord, and this it is,
That proud dame Elnor our Protectors wife,
Hath plotted Treasons gainst the King and Peeres,
By vvichcrafts, sorceries, and cuniurings,
925Who by such meanes did raise a spirit vp,
To tell her what hap should betide the state,
927.1But ere they had finisht their diuellish drift,
By Yorke and my selfe they were all surprisde,
And heres the answere the diuel did make to them.
King. First of the King, what shall become of him?
938.1Reads. The Duke yet liues, that Henry shal depose,
Yet him out liue, and die a violent death.
Gods will be done in all.
What fate awaits the Duke of Suffolke?
.5By water shall he die and take his end.
Suffolke. By water must the Duke of Suffolke die?
It must be so, or else the diuel doth lie.
King. Let Somerset shun Castles,
For safer shall he be vpon the sandie plaines,
.10Then where Castles mounted stand.
930Card. Heres good stuffe, how novv my Lord Protector
This newes I thinke hath turnde your weapons point,
I am in doubt youle scarsly keepe your promise.
Humphrey. Forbeare ambitious Prelate to vrge my griefe,
And pardon me my gratious Soueraigne,
For here I svveare vnto your Maiestie,
943.1That I am guiltlesse of these hainous crimes
Which my ambitious vvife hath falsly done,
945And for she vvould betraie her soueraigne Lord,
I here renounce her from my bed and boord,
950And leaue her open for the lavv to iudge,
Vnlesse she cleare her selfe of this foule deed.
King. Come my Lords this night vveele lodge in S. Albones,
And to morrovv vve vvill ride to London,
And trie the vtmost of these Treasons forth,
955Come vnckle Gloster along vvith vs,
My mind doth tell me thou art innocent.
Exet omnes.