1830Bish. I tell ye, Lady, it's impossible

1831But you should know where he conveyes himself,

1832And you have hid him in some secret place.

1833La. My Lord, believe me, as I have a soule,

1834I know not where my Lord my Husband is.

1835Bish. Go to, go, ye are an Heretick,

1836And will be forc't by torture to confesse,

1837If fair meanes will not serve to make you tell.

1838La. My Husband is a noble Gentleman,

1839And need not hide himself for any fact

1840That e're I heard of, therefore wrong him not,

1841Bish. Your husband is a dangerous Schismatick,

1842Traitor to God, the King, and Commonwealth,

1843And therefore, M. Cromer, Shreeve of Kent,

1844I charge you take her to your custody,

1845And seize the goods of Sir John Oldcastle

1846To the Kings use; let her go in no more,

1847To fetch so much as her apparell out,

1848There is your warrant from his Majesty.

1849L. War. Good my Lord Bishop, pacifie your wrath

1850Against the Lady.

1851Bish. Then let her confesse

1852Where Oldcastle her husband is conceal'd.

1853L. War. I dare engage mine honour and my life,

1854Poor Gentlewoman, she is ignorant

1855And innocent of all his practices

1856If any evil by him be practised.

1857Bish. If, my Lord Warden? Nay then I charge you,

1858That all Cinque-ports whereof you are chief,

1859Be laid forthwith, that he escapes us not.

1860Shew him his Highnesse warrant, M. Sheriffe.

1861L. War. I am sorry for the Noble Gentleman.

1862Bish. Peace, he comes here, now do your office,

1864Cob. Harpoole, what businesse have we here in hand?

1865What makes the Bishop and the Sheriffe here?

1866I fear my comming home is dangerous,

1867I would I had not made such haste to Cobham.

1868Har. Be of good cheer, my Lord, if they be foes,

1869we'll scramble shrewdly with them: if they be friends

1870they are welcome.

1871Cro. Sir John Oldcastle Lord Cobham, in the Kings

1872name, I arrest ye of high treason.

1873Cob. Treason, M. Cromer?

1874Har.Treason, M. Sheriffe, what Treason?

1875Cob. Harpoole, I charge thee stirre not, but be quiet.

1876Do ye arrest me of Treason, M. Sheriffe?

1877Bish. Yea, of high Treason, Traitor, Heretick.

1878Cob. Defiance in his face that calls me so,

1879I am as true a loyall Gentleman

1880Unto his Highnesse, as my proudest enemy,

1881The King shall witnesse my late faithfull service,

1882For safety of his sacred Majesty.

1883Bish. What thou art, the Kings hand shall testifie,

1884Shew him, Lord Warden.

1885Cob. Jesu defend me,

1886Is't possible your cunning could so temper

1887The Princely disposition of his minde,

1888To sign the damage of a royall Subject?

1889Well, the best is, it beares an antedate,

1890Procured by my absence and your malice.

1891But I, since that, have shew'd my self as true,

1892As any Churchman that dare challenge me.

1893Let me be brought before his Majesty,

1894If he acquit me not, then doe your worst.

1895Bish. We are not bound to doe kinde offices,

1896For any traitor, schismatick, nor heretick:

1897The Kings hand is our warrant for our work,

1898Who is departed on his way for France,

1899And at Southampton doth repose this night.

1900Har. O that thou and I were within twenty miles of

1901it, on Salisbury plain! I would lose my head if thou

1903Cob. My Lord Warden o'th Cinque-ports, and Lord

1904of Rochester, ye are joynt Commissioners, favour me so

1905much on my expence, to bring me to the King.

1906Bish. VVhat, to Southampton?

1907Cob. Thither, my good Lord,

1908And if he doe not clear me of all guilt,

1909And all suspicion of conspiracy,

1910Pawning his Princely warrant for my truth:

1911I aske no favour, but extreamest torture.

1912Bring me, or send me to him, good my Lord,

1913Good my Lord VVarden, M. Shrieve entreat.

1915Come hither, Lady, nay sweet wife, forbear

1916To heap one sorrow on anothers neck:

1917'Tis grief enough falsely to be accus'd,

1918And not permitted to acquit my self,

1919Doe not thou with thy kinde respective teares,

1920Torment thy husbands heart that bleeds for thee:

1921But be of comfort, God hath help in store

1922For those that put assured trust in him.

1923Dear VVife, if they commit me to the Tower,

1924Come up to London to your sisters house:

1925That being near me, you may comfort me.

1926One solace find I setled in my soul,

1927That I am free from Treasons very thought,

1928Onely my conscience for the Gospels sake,

1929Is cause of all the troubles I sustain.

1930La. O, my dear Lord, what shall betide of us?

1931You to the Tower, and I turn'd out of doors,

1932Our substance seiz'd unto his Highnesse use,

1933Even to the garments longing to our backs.

1934Har. Patience, good Madam, things at worst will mend,

1935And if they do not, yet our lives may end.

1936Bish. Urge it no more, for if an Angel spake,

1937I swear by sweet S. Peter's blessed keyes,

1938First goes he to the Tower, then to the stake.

1939Crom. But by your leave, this warrant doth not stretch

1940To imprison her.

1941Bish. No, turn her out of doors,

1942Even as she is, and lead him to the Tower,

1943With guard enough, for fear of rescuing.

1944La. O God requite thee thou bloud-thirsty man.

1945Cob. May it not be, my Lord of Rochester?

1946Wherein have I incurr'd your hate so far,

1947That my appeal unto the King's deny'd.

1948Bish. No hate of mine, but power of holy Church,

1949Forbids all favour to false Hereticks.

1950Cob.Your private malice more then publick power,

1951Strikes most at me, but with my life it ends.

1952Har. aside. O that I had the Bishop in that fear

1953That once I had his Sumner by our selves.

1954Cro. My Lord, yet grant one suit unto us all,

1955That this same ancient servingman may wait

1956Upon my Lord his master in the Tower.

1957Bish. This old iniquity, this heretick?

1958That in contempt of our Church discipline,

1959Compel'd my Sumner to devour his Processe?

1960Old ruffian past-grace, upstart schismatick,

1961Had not the King pray'd us to pardon ye,

1962Ye had fryed for't, ye grizeled heretick.

1963Har. Sblood, my Lord Bishop, ye wrong me, I am

1964neither Heretick nor Puritan, but of the old Church, I'le

1965swear, drink ale, kiss a wench, go to mass, eat fish all

1966Lent, and fast Frydayes with cakes and wine, fruit and

1967spicery, shrive me of my old sinnes afore Easter, and be-

1968gin new before Whitsontide.

1969Cro. A merry mad conceited knave, my Lord.

1970Har. That knave was simply put upon the Bishop.

1971Bish. Well, God forgive him, and I pardon him:

1972Let him attend his master in the Tower,

1973For I in charity wish his soul no hurt.

1974Cob. God bless my soul from such cold charity.

1975Bish. To th'Tower with him, & when my leisure serves

1976I will examine him of Articles;

1977Look, my Lord Warden, as you have in charge

1978The Shrieve perform his office.

1979War. I, my Lord.