SCENE II.
Apartment continued
Enter Lord Scroop.
Scroop.
Well, my hard-hearted fair, what cruel still?
Those icy looks would freeze me to the soul,
-- 65 --
Did I not flatter me the glowing fires,
That warm my breast, will melt thee soon to love?
Why silent, love? and why this killing coldness?
Hast thou no sympathy, my gentle Nell?
Dead to th' embraces of a lover's arm,
You catch no spark of his consuming flame.
Ele.
My lord, I beg you cease this persecution.
Have I not oft assur'd thee, not the world
Should bribe my soul to such avow'd pollution?
Scroop.
Away with all this artifice. I tell you,
King Harry sets no value on your constancy.
Your prince, fair lady,'s wonderfully chang'd:
Nor is he more the gentle thing he was,
When he would skip about a harlot's chamber,
And act the page of ev'ry ambling nymph,
That pleas'd to send him on her gossip's errand.
Ele.
I never knew him, lord, so very gentle,
That very tame, unmanly thing you speak of:
But this I dare be confident to hope,
Howe'er his heart be chang'd respecting me,
He will do justice to his lowliest subject;
Nor am I yet so destitute of means,
But my complaints may reach the royal ear.
Scroop.
And dost thou brave me then, minx paramount?
Know that I govern Harry as a child;
Who thinks nor acts but as I tune his will.
Renounce thy scruples, therefore, at my pleasure;
Or he shall give thee up to want and beggary.
Thou shalt not have withal to buy thee bread,
But earn it at the price of shame and wantonness.
Ele.
Indeed, my lord, indeed—
Scroop.
Nay, thou dost weep.
Come on—I will not chide thee—thou'lt be kind.
I come to take of thee a long farewell.
The king already's on his way for France.
I've but a few short moments to be blest;
And then must speed me after.—To your chamber
Come, my fair Nell, or let me gently force thee.
Ele.
Forbear, my lord, I pray, my lord, forbear
Nay then I call for help.—What, help! ho! help!
-- 66 --
SCENE III.
Apartment continued.
Enter Friars Paul and Lawrence.
Fri. P.
Hold, hold, my lord, this rudeness is too much.
I am the guardian of this lady's person;
A charge deliver'd by the king himself;
And will not bear to see her thus insulted.
Scroop.
Thou busy priest, be straitway gone and leave us;
Or I will persecute thee to thy ruin.
Art thou th' old paramour of this same harlot?
Or play'st thou but the advocate of others,
Whose lustful blood boils fiercer than thine own?
If so, be gone, and know thine office better.
There is my purse—go wait, I say, without.
Fri. P.
My lord, this mean abuse but ill becomes you.
But know, I will not go. My character
And innocence protect me: nor shall you
Stay, to repeat your insults on this fair one.
Scroop.
Who shall prevent me?
[Offers to draw, but is hinder'd by friar Lawrence, who, standing behind, seizes his sword.
Hell and vengeance! where—
Where are my servants?
Fri. P.
I, my lord, dismiss'd them.
Scroop.
Priests, you shall hear of this: shall loudly hear of it.
Give me my sword.
Fri. L.
Not while you're thus impatient.
Fri. P.
No; keep it. I will answer't to the king.
Scroop.
Thou answer't to the king! thou paltry friar!
Fri. P.
Yea, by my life and loyalty, I will:
Therefore my lord 'twere better you retire.
Scroop.
I will, and to thy ruin, baudy priest.
Thou, harlot, art provided for, I see,
With these two brawny friars.—Thou shalt rue it.
[Exit Scroop.
-- 67 --
SCENE IV.
Apartment continued.
Ele.
Alas, good father, what is't you have done?
I tremble for th' event. This pow'rful lord
Is all in all in royal Henry's favour.
Fri. P.
Yet fear thou naught: tho' he were more than all,
I have that in my hand (shewing a letter) shall make this lord
Yet less than nothing. He's an arrant traitor.
Just now a messenger enquir'd without
For the lord Scroop; whose servants all dismiss'd,
The unsuspicious fellow gave me this,
Beseeching its delivery on th' instant.
But, as I thought it might relate to thee,
Unseen I broke it open; when, good heav'n!
I found in't the suggestions of a traitor,
Plotting against our monarch's sacred life.
Ele.
Against his life! From whence? O who hath sent it?
Fly, fly, this instant fly, and tell the danger.
Fri. P.
I'll send immediate post unto the king.
Fri. L.
But will not, brother, this rash lord return,
And wreak revenge on us, for what is past?
Fri. P.
He hath not here a moment's time of leisure:
I learn his majesty e'en now expects him
Down at Southampton. Hence, without delay,
He must to horse. Yet, to avoid mishap,
Go, brother Lawrence, and request a guard.
Which done, procure a messenger, with speed
To bear my letters to his majesty.
Daughter, in peace retire; mean while I'll write,
And bring his lordship's honest deeds to light.
[Exeunt.
SCENE V.
At Southampton. An Apartment.
Enter Cambridge and Falstaff.
Fal.
You know not perhaps, my lord, that I am lately
married; and if this plotting business should turn out a
-- 68 --
hanging matter, as in all likelihood it will, what will become
of my wife? She will never get such another husband.
Cam. (Aside.)
Curse on this boggling villain. Would we ne'er
Had trusted him: but now there is no remedy.
Fal.
And yet, upon second thoughts, if I get into one
noose I shall slip my collar out of the other; and so it may
be in the end, no great matter.
Cam.
What hesitation, now? to noble minds
How pleasant is the prospect of revenge!
Think Harry Monmouth treads thee under foot.
Fal.
Hal hath indeed us'd me but scurvily. But here's
the point, my lord. I have most readily, on your persuasion,
agreed to turn traitor, have enter'd into all your
measures, and am come hither to Southampton, where
my part of the matter is to be brought to conclusion. You
are to get me introduc'd to the king, and, in revenge for
his mal-treatment of me, and to pave the way for Mortimer
to the throne, I am to introduce a dagger between
the short ribs of majesty, and send his grace to heav'n.
Cam.
Well, and why this vain recapitulation?
Have we not answer'd your objections yet?
Falstaff, I took thee for an honest villain,
That laugh'd at the impertinence of conscience.
If thou hast scruples, my lord cardinal
Will banish them, and give thee absolution.
Fal.
My lord, I am no puritan. I am no bigot to the
church. I would not give a fig for a pocket-full of my
lord cardinal's absolutions: for I am, I confess, so much
of a heretick, that I think, if a man cannot in his own
conscience acquit himself, all the priests in Christendom
cannot do it. Now, my lord, I should blame myself
highly if I should run the risque of being damn'd for—
Cam.
Henry's a tyrant; Mortimer is heir;
To free your country, and to right th' oppress'd,
Will evermore be deem'd heroick virtue.
Fal.
I know, my lord, by the maxims of the church,
a man will be sooner anathematiz'd for killing a hind,
whom no body wants out of the way, than a king who
stands unluckily in the gap of so many loyal princes. I do
-- 69 --
not pretend to enter into the validity of Harry's title: but,
I know it is but the church's calling him a tyrant, and
absolving his subjects of their allegiance, and all will go
well. Give a dog an ill name, and hang him, my lord—
Cam.
Ha! Sirrah, villain, dost thou mammer then?
I'll stab thee. By this light thou shalt not live, to—
Fal.
Hold, hold, my lord, what, what, cannot you
take a jest.
Cam.
A jest, thou villain! is our business jesting?
Look to't—see you perform your promise roundly,
Or woe upon your life—winch e'er so little,
The hand is ready that shall rip thee up;
And tear thy coward conscience from thy heart.
Fal.
'Sblood, my lord, I have no conscience. But, as
I should have told you, wouldst thou have heard me, that
a man would not willingly run the risque of being damn'd
for nothing. You have, you know, made me large promises.
You tell me I shall be made a duke, and shall
have my share in the division of the promis'd land, when
Mortimer is king. Not that I doubt of your lordship's
honour, but conspirators are so liable to accidents; and,
as I do not expect my reward in the next world, it is but
prudent to secure it in this. Doubt not of my being true
to your cause, but give me some earnest of my future recompense.
Cam.
What will content thee? money thou hast had.
What wouldst thou more that we can safely give?
We'll put our lives no farther in your power,
Tho' yours depends on our security.
Fal.
Well, well, my lord, I must then be content to
trust to the success of our enterprize, and leave it to your
honour to proportion my reward to my services.
Cam.
In that be sure thou shalt be satisfied.
Mean time, go steel thy heart and whet thy poniard:
That when the crisis comes thou may'st be ready,
With hand and heart to prove thyself our friend.
[Exit Cambridge.
-- 70 --
SCENE VI.
Apartment continued.
Falstaff, solus.
I shall consider on it.—Stab me, quoth he! he is by
much too cholerick for a traitor. But he will say he is
none, being engag'd in the behalf of the legal heir.—That
will be seen in the end; for those are ever the traitors, who
come to the block or the gallows.—If Harry did not deserve
to be damn'd for his ingratitude, it were as good a
deed as to drink to turn true-man and impeach these conspirators.
And yet there may be danger in that too. I
must bethink me. But, who comes here? Oh, my lady
wife! who has follow'd me here down to Hampton, to
be introduc'd to the king, before he sets out for France.
Should Harry take the other journey now, I shall be fairly
rid of her importunities.
SCENE VII.
Apartment continued.
Enter Lady Falstaff.
L. F.
Well, Sir John, and now you have brought me
thus far; when shall I be introduced to his majesty?
Fal.
I brought thee! my fair queen of Sheba! it was
thy love that brought thee hither; thy love for the king,
whose pretty sweet face thou hadst never seen. In troth
I shall be jealous of thee, lady spouse.
L. F.
You should have said curiosity, Sir John.
Fal.
O, it is the same, in effect; love or curiosity will
carry a woman without tiring to the world's end.
L. F.
Ay, my leman, but it is not the same thing, for
all that.
Fal.
Well, I will not dispute with thee about words.
Thou shalt talk thy own way, if thou wilt act mine.
L. F.
Why, Sir John, I'm sure my talk cannot offend.
I am no rattle.
Fal.
A cherry-clack in a high wind: that's all.
L. F.
Go, go, Sir John, you are curst to day. I will
leave ye: but mind I insist on our seeing his majesty, before
he goes to France: and they tell me the troops are
almost all embark'd.
-- 71 --
Fal.
Where goest thou, my pigsneye?
L. F.
To my maids, to be sure.
[Exit Lady Falstaff.
Fal.
Ay, where thou mayst call names like a parrot,
and chatter like a magpie. I will to my brother traitors,
and see how mischief goes forward in the brewing.
[Exit Sir John.
SCENE VIII.
The King's Apartments.
Enter King Henry and the Duke of Exeter.
King.
These letters, sent in haste from father Paul,
Are strange of tenour, and of dread import;
No less than of a treasonable design,
Hatching against our person and our throne.
Ex.
Good heav'ns preserve your majesty! by whom?
King.
I say not that; for God forbid the truth
Should not belye this honest friar's suspicions:
For here he tells me that my seeming friend,
The man I've worn the nearest to my heart,
Is false as hell, and seeks my crown and life.
Exe.
Means he the earl of Cambridge?
King.
Why, good uncle?
Is he the only one I have distinguish'd?
Exe.
No, my good liege, but that I've lately heard
Of his most frequent visits to the legate;
Who bears, I'm sure, your highness no good will,
Since last you taught him who was England's master.
Lord Cambridge has besides a strange deportment;
I cannot tell—but 'tis a man I like not.
King.
And yet you never hinted this before.
Exe.
Never, my liege; for heav'n forbid that ought
Of my loose fancy and mere wild conjecture
Should injure any man in your esteem:
I lightly hold my skill in physiognomy.
King.
If such be your remarks, I not, good uncle.
But give me too your thoughts of baron Scroop.
Exe.
My liege, I hold him for an honest man,
Discreet beyond his years, faithful and true,
And one that has your highness' good at heart.
-- 72 --
King.
Nay there you're out; or else the writer lies,
He tells me here lord Scroop's the very devil;
And now is plotting with the earl of Cambridge
To take away my life; and set the crown
Upon the head of Mortimer.
Exe.
Is't possible!
How comes the friar by this information?
King.
It seems he hath a letter intercepted,
Sent by the earl of Cambridge to lord Scroop,
Written in mystick characters, the which
His rev'rence had the cunning to decypher,
And is himself in person on the way,
To bring the letter, and explain its meaning.
Exe.
The friar was ever held a godly man,
A learned and acute decypherer.
But the lord Scroop—well, so if it should prove,
I ne'er will judge again by fair appearances.
Will not your majesty arrest them strait,
Upon suspicion? 'twere, my liege, but prudent;
Who knows how ripe their dev'lish plot may be?
King.
Uncle, forewarn'd forearm'd. In very short
Th' informant will be here: let's wait 'till then.
If it no more should prove than vain suspicion,
I would not cast upon them such reproach;
Nor foil their friendship with the doubts of treason.
Exe.
Yet, the mean time, you will not sure give audience!
King.
Why not, good uncle, yes, I've promis'd Cambridge
To grant a private audience to old Falstaff.
He hath, I'm told, begun a reformation,
He shall not lack our countenance therein.
Exe.
Audience to Sir John Falstaff! private too!
My liege, there may be danger in the conference.
King.
Uncle, there may: and if I eat or drink,
Walk, sit, or stand, there may be danger too:
There's not the simplest action of our lives
But is attended with its share of danger.
I am not rash; but yet I hold it base,
In fear of death, to live a slave to life.
No, uncle, though perchance I die to night,
-- 73 --
Let me go through the business of to day:
Death cannot reach us in a happier hour
Than that in which it finds us in our duty.
Fear not, my uncle, providence will shield us;
A guardian angel hovers round your king;
And will protect him from the ruffian's poniard.
And for the rest—be it your care, good uncle,
To keep an eye on these suspected lords.
With speed and silence let our guards be doubled;
And be my uncle York and brothers near us.
Exe.
My liege, I will. But yet I fear this Falstaff.
Hath your grace heard of other reformation
Than what the earl of Cambridge hath suggested?
King.
I have, good uncle, ev'n from father Paul;
Who said the knight was nigh to be well married.
Belike he needs our countenance herein.
If that our smiles will make our subjects good,
We'll not deny them to the meanest vassal.
Where are our brothers, and our uncle York?
[Exeunt.
SCENE IX.
An Apartment.
Enter Lord Scroop and Cambridge.
Scroop.
Sir John hath now his lesson. Speed him forth
When Harry falls, to horse, and spur away,
With a choice party of light troops, to Mortimer,
Conduct him hither with the utmost speed:
His guards, surpriz'd, will stand not in resistance.
Mean time, we'll seize the uncles and the brothers,
As chief abettors of king Harry's murther.
Nay, Falstaff shall declare they set him on,
Or, by yon heav'n, we'll hang him Haman's height.
What troops are there embark'd?
Cam.
Ev'n all but those o'er which we have command;
And of Sir Thomas Grey, our loyal friend.
Scroop.
That's well contriv'd. I left the legate busy,
In raising monies, and fomenting treason.
In ten days time half London will be ripe
To spurn at sacrilegious Hal, and join us.
But here's Sir Thomas Grey.
-- 74 --
SCENE X.
Same Apartment continued.
Enter Sir Thomas Grey.
Sir T. G.
How now, my lords, why stay you loit'ring here?
Is it not time Sir John should be at court?
Scroop.
It is yet time enough; but th' hour moves slow,
When expectation sits upon the watch.
Cam.
Sir Thomas, your impatience binds you to us,
As one whose heart is bent on our success.
Sir Tho.
It is: but sure the time is drawing near;
The king has bidden Falstaff's free admittance;
But I have orders from the duke of Exeter
To double all the guards. What can that mean?
I hope there's no suspicion got abroad,
Should Falstaff now impeach us, we are lost.
Cam.
Ay, that indeed would be a fatal stroke:
And, to say truth, I almost tremble for't.
Scroop.
Cambridge, thou'rt ever wav'ring as the wind;
One moment rashly braving needless danger;
The next, suspicion making thee a coward.
Impeach us! let him, we will face him down;
Unsay whate'er he says, swear all is falshood:
Shall he gain credit 'gainst such men as we?
Fix'd, firm as rocks, we stand in Hal's esteem,
The first and fairest for our loyalty;
And shall not we bear all before us down,
The lying evidence of Sir John Falstaff?
Comes it to that—say nothing—leave 't to me.
By heav'ns, I'll stare the fat-paunch'd coward dumb;
And, tho' he brought the gospel proof against us,
Will make him own it ev'ry word a lye.
The guards are doubled! doubled let them be—
They're under your command, Sir Thomas Grey,
And we shall have the more for our assistance.
Sir Tho.
But, if there be suspicion—
Scroop.
Think there none.
They tell me, yesterday a drunken carl
Attempted rudely to break into th' presence.
-- 75 --
My life for't 'tis on that account; no other.
But come, the hour's at hand: let us away.
Mind well your cues, nor marr this bustling play:
One short act more, and then the day's our own;
And Mortimer shall clap us, from the throne.
[Exeunt.
SCENE XI.
The King's Apartments.
Enter King Henry and Falstaff.
King.
'Tis well, Sir John, and now what is the suit
For which you have so earnestly requested
Admittance to our person?
Fal.
My liege, you'll pardon me if I should fail in
point of ceremony: it being so long since I stood on
forms, that I have almost forgot the punctualities of good
manners.
King.
Then to your business.
Fal.
My business is, my liege, principally to make
your majesty an unworthy present.
King.
A present! needed there so much formality;
This intercession for thyself in person,
To be the bearer of a paltry present?
And to what end? think not on any terms
But those of thy repentance and amendment,
King Henry's favour ever can be purchas'd.
Fal.
Nay, my liege, this present is not properly my
own, nor indeed made with a view to my particular emolument.
I am employ'd herein by certain great personages
of your majesty's court; who, I imagine, were afraid, or
asham'd, to present so improper an offering in their own
persons.
King.
Trifler! what is't?
Fal.
A—dagger, my liege.
King.
Ha!
Fal. (Kneeling.)
See, here it is. (presents it to the King,
and rises.) Your majesty will doubtless pardon me, that
I fail in so material a part of my commission, as that of
lodging it deep in your left breast.
King.
What traitor can have sent thee upon this,
So horrible a business?
-- 76 --
Fal.
The earl of Cambridge, Scroop, and Thomas
Grey, your majesty's most loyal friends.
King.
Good heav'n! I see 'tis true. Thou, father Paul,
Hast construed right their trait'rous correspondence.
But I will sound these hollow friends to th' bottom.
Falstaff, if this be true, I live to thank thee;
But it behoves we should have further proof:
If thou art honest, thou wilt stand the test,
And face these peers, thou dar'st to brand with treason.
Fal.
Your grace will take me in your high protection,
And I will prove it on them, to their beards.
King.
Fear naught—I will return to thee on th' instant.
[Exit King Henry.
SCENE II.
Apartment continued.
Falstaff, solus.
Now, my fine lords of Cambridge and of Masham, I
think I'm even with you.—I overheard them condemn me
to the gallows. The monkeys would make a cat's paw of
me, I see. They would have me commit murder for their
sake, and hang me for it when I have done. In troth
these sprag peers, with their quick wits, are little better
than asses after all. They confide in me, truly, because
they think I am a villain. Were it not a pity they should
not find me so? They will no doubt deny this matter
stoutly: but I've their letters, if my words be doubted;
besides the circumstances I could—
SCENE XIII.
Apartment continued.
Enter King Henry, with the Duke of York, the three young Princes and Attendants.
King.
Call in my uncle Exeter. Where's Scroop and
Cambridge?
Lord.
In th' antichamber, with Sir Thomas Grey.
King.
Enough—what ho! the guards—the guards,
I say.
-- 77 --
SCENE XIV.
Apartment continued.
(Enter at one Door the Duke of Exeter and Guards:
at the other Lord Scroop, Cambridge, Sir Thomas
Grey, with their Swords drawn. They make up to
the young Princes, as if to seize them: but start back
on seeing the King.)
Scroop.
Seize—Seize the traitors there—arrest them all.
King.
Who are they, lords? put up, here is but one.
Cam.
All's lost.
(Aside.
Grey.
All's ruin'd.
(Aside.
Scroop.
May heav'n preserve your majesty; we fear'd
Some dang'rous treason at the cry of guards;
And therefore rush'd thus arm'd into your presence.
King.
My lords, I thank ye; and in right good time
Ye come, to vindicate your noble characters
Against th' aspersion of this villain traitor;
Who, with a bloody and malicious purpose,
Came here to seek our life: but, failing there,
In that I wrested from him this same poniard,
He dares, with matchless and assured countenance,
Charge you, my lords, and you, Sir Thomas Grey;
My best, my nearest, dearest, worthiest friends,
With being vile abettors of his treason.
My lords, you speak not.—Yet I do not wonder;
Ye are struck dumb with horrour and amazement:
For what consummate villainy is that
Which can suggest men so resemble devils,
That they can wear an angel's outward form,
And yet be black at heart as hell itself?
What shall be done, my lords, with this vile monster?
Scroop.
Thou hoary villain! thou ungrateful traitor!
Was it for this I sought unto his highness
To have some pity on thy bending age,
And take thee back again to grace and favour?
Is this the fair return thou mak'st my kindness?
By heav'n, wer't not in presence of the king,
I would this instant pluck thee by the beard,
And stab thee to the heart.—My sov'reign liege,
So dear I hold your highness' sacred person,
-- 78 --
That, for this execrably vile attempt,
I think this horrid wretch should strait be sentenc'd,
And executed without farther question.
King.
And yet, my lord, the busy prating world,
For ever envious of the good man's fame,
Might whisper still what his vile breath hath utter'd.
No, my good friends, ye shall be fully clear'd.
This wretch shall shew at length, before the world,
That what he has avow'd is false: for true
It cannot be. What traitor canst thou offer,
To prove your charge against these noble lords?
Fal.
My liege, by good luck have I here two letters,
Sent by these lords to me, upon this business:
The writing theirs, their signets too preserv'd.
(Gives the letters to the King.)
Scroop.
What forgery too! hath heav'n no thunder left
To strike this precious villain?
Fal.
By heav'ns, a noble actor! 'tis a pity he was not
bred to th' stage.
Scroop.
Cambridge! why man your quiv'ring lip betrays
you.
Cam.
It is in vain: let us at once confess.
Scroop.
Confess! damnation! hush—hush for your
life.
King.
Look here, my lords, are these your signatures?
Scroop.
Flat forgery! and yet, good heav'ns, how
like!
King.
What art there is in diabolick natures!
But if such things as these obtain i' th' world,
Not angel innocence on earth is safe.
Fal.
My liege, it is no forgery; I can dare them
to the proof.
Scroop.
Dare us, thou traitor! thou must find the proof.
But tell us here, before our sovreign's face,
If thou hast sold thy self to hell for this,
What devil furnish'd thee with seal and characters
So much resembling mine?
Fal.
If they're not yours, it was, indeed, the devil in
likeness of yourself.
-- 79 --
King.
This is too much: what in our presence thus
To vent this insolence! Take him away.
Fal.
Good, my liege.
King.
Guards take him hence. (Falstaff exit guarded.)—And now, my worthy lords,
Altho' I clearly see this traitor's purpose,
I hold it meet, that on this accusation,
You and our friend Sir Thomas Gray submit
To have your innocence clear'd up in form.
This traitor doubtless hath accomplices;
We'll publish instantly reward and pardon
For their discovery.
Scroop.
I hope your majesty
Hath not a doubt, as touching our allegiance.
King.
My lord, I know your worth to well, to doubt it:
And also yours, lord Cambridge, and Sir Gray:
Yet, to appear impartial to the world,
And stop the mouth of ev'ry future censure;
Ye must be well contented, for a while,
To bear ye as arrested for high treason.
We will a while delay our embarkation,
To bring this matter to immediate issue:
So when th' accuser's falsehood be made known,
Ye shall come forth again, like gold refin'd,
By so much brighter as severe your trial.
By heav'n, I'd sooner lose my own right hand
Than any true and loyal heart that's here
Should suffer by the practices of treason.
Uncle, a guard.—Ye now, good sirs, are prisoners.
(The conspirators deliver up their Swords.)
Scroop.
Confiding in your highness' sacred word,
We thus obey your pleasure; nothing doubting
But from your majesty we shall have justice.
(Scroop, Cambridge and Grey are led off.)
SCENE XV.
Apartment continued.
King.
Doubt it not. Yes, ye shall have ample justice.
Why that vile Masham is deceit itself.
I thought I should have sham'd him to confession:
But he is proof I see 'gainst all remorse.
-- 80 --
Are these the asps I've cherish'd in my breast
And warm'd to life to thank me with their stings!
Go, uncle Exeter, and see them safe.
[Exit Exeter.
My brother Gloucester, thou, to Sir John Falstaff;
And promise him our favour and protection.
Glos.
Falstaff, my liege, the slave who sought your
life?
King.
That, my good brother, was indeed his errand;
Hir'd to that end by Cambridge, Scroop, and Grey:
But he, tho' nothing but an outcast robber,
One that I banish'd for his vicious courses,
Yet how much better than these bosom friends!
He, brother Gloster, play'd the villains false,
And told me all their purpose. Bring him hither.
[Exit Gloster.
[Enter a Page.]
Page.
My liege, a reverend friar, post haste from London,
Desires admittance to your majesty.
King.
'Tis father Paul: conduct him in.
[Enter Friar Paul.]
Good father Paul, thrice welcome to Southampton.
We thank thee for th' advices thou hast sent us.
Thy love and zeal shall not go unrepaid.
Friar.
My liege, if ought my poor abilities
Can serve your majesty, I'm bound in duty;
And in those services am well repaid.
King.
Friar, we thank thee. Thou hast brought that scrowl,
Of which thou gav'st us notice in thy letters.
Friar.
I have, my liege, and with your gracious leave,
I would unfold the characters before you;
And show your majesty whereon I grounded
My information 'gainst the censur'd peers.
King.
Another time we'll listen to 't at large:
But providence in their own toils hath caught 'em,
And there remains no doubt of their defection.
Friar.
Be all such traitors timely thus betray'd.
King.
Give us the scroll. We'll see how this will work.
My uncle York, go fetch the traitors in.
[Exit York.
-- 81 --
Heav'ns what a worthy seeming wore these men!
How smooth a face of innocence and loyalty!
All-gracious Providence, what thanks are due
To thy preventing pow'r for our deliv'rance!.
SCENE XVI.
Apartment continued.
Enter York, with the conspirators guarded.
King.
My lords, I hope you're arm'd, in your defence,
With proofs as strong as those of your accusers:
For, whatsoever love I bear your persons,
I cannot wrest th' impartial hand of justice.
The character of Falstaff was suspicious;
But here's a man, I'm sorry, Sirs, to find,
Joins also in suspecting you of treason.
Scroop. (Aside.)
How, father Paul! what dæmon sent
him here?
King.
My lord of Cambridge, know'st thou of this letter?
Look at it well, and mark the characters.
Perhaps lord Scroop too can decypher them?
Scroop.
Ha!
Cam.
Yes, I see the hand of Heav'n is over us.
[Aside.
I do, my liege, and thus upon my knees
Confess, and plead for mercy.
[Cambridge and Grey kneel.
Sir T. Grey.
And I.
Scroop.
Fire and furies!
What is that scroll, my liege? I know it not.
King.
Lord Scroop, I see thou'lt brave it to the last.
I do believe thou know'st not much of this;
This friar, it seems, made bold to intercept it.
Scroop.
Curse on the meddling priest, and thee, the fool,
[To Cambridge.
That sent thy blunderers on such an errand.
Nay, since all's lost, I boast the treason too.
King.
Thou more than savage, most inhuman Scroop—
Scroop.
Nay, chide not, king, I heed not thy reproaches.
-- 82 --
I ask no mercy; for I know thoul't have none.
Thou'rt fortune's minion, and my head is thine.
Take 't when thou wilt—my folly has undone me.
This son of York (ten thousand curses on him.)—
Cam.
I do repent me: 'twas indeed my cause,
And would my life alone could pay the forfeit.
Scroop.
Thy cause! thou grov'ling peer! and dost thou think
I meant to raise up Mortimer or thee?
No, ye were only tools to my ambition,
That soar'd an higher pitch. Think not, king Henry,
In hate of thee, I sought thy crown and life;
Or that the love I bore the house of York,
Taught me to mix with such vile heartless traitors.
No: for myself alone I sought the crown.
Cam.
On what pretensions? thou!
Scroop.
Go ask thy wife,
Whom thou mayst thank, when coming to the block,
If e'er thou find'st thy way from thence to heav'n.
Cam.
My wife! O villain!
King.
Lead the traitors hence.
And yield them to the justice of our laws.
Where's Sir John Falstaff?
(Conspirators are led off.
Lord.
Here, my liege, he comes,
With th' duke of York.
[Enter Duke of York and Falstaff.]
King.
Sir John, your former ills
Your later act of loyalty hath cancell'd:
And, as we hear you promise better things
Than the loose conduct of your former days,
As a new man we take thee to our favour.
Fal.
I thank your gracious majesty most humbly.
King.
Nor do we less respect the ties of gratitude:
Ask what thou wilt, we will repay thy service.
Fal.
My liege, the love I bear your gracious person,
would excite me to follow you to these same wars; but,
as I'm married and grown something round, I'm little fit
to cope with raw bon'd Frenchmen; or shine again i' th'
bloody fields of Mars. My former deeds in arms your
highness knows: and I know too you hold them cheap
-- 83 --
enough: I hope it will not therefore be thought cowardly
in me, if, while the other gallant youth of Brittain are
reaping lawrels in the heart of France, I am content to
kiss dame peace at home. Your majesty will please to
order me from your Exchequer a competency to support
the infirmities of nature, and the dignity of knighthood.
Otium cum dignitate, my liege.—Would your majesty secure
me this, I would make my peace with the world, and
live or die as Heav'n sees best, and my wife will let me.
King.
Thou hast thy wish; and now, my noble lords,
Let us prepare for France: first solemn thanks
In all our churches paid for our deliv'rance.
The hand of Heav'n, thus manifestly shown
In this our preservation, bids us hope
Success will crown our enterprize.
Exe.
And proves, my liege, the justice of that cause,
Which Heav'n, in thee, hath taken in protection.
King.
Right well observ'd, good Uncle Exeter.
Who boasts a rightful cause, come what come may,
Arm'd for th' adventure of the roughest day,
By justice sanctified, his sword and shield,
May dare the perils of the bloodiest field,
Boldly in providence may put his trust;
Heav'n is our champion when our cause is just.
[Exeunt Omnes.
