The First Part of the True and Honorable Historie of the Life of Sir John Oldcastle/Act 5
Enter Cambridge, Scroope, and Gray, as in a chamber, and set downe at a table, consulting about their treason: King Harry and Suffolke listning at the doore.
Camb.In mine opinion, Scroope hath well aduisde,
Poison will be the only aptest meane,
And fittest for our purpose to dispatch him.
GrayBut yet there may be doubt in their deliuery,
Harry is wise, therefore Earle of Cambridge,
I Iudge that way not so conuenient.
ScroopWhat thinke ye then of this? I am his bedfellow,
And vnsuspected nightly sleepe with him.
VVhat if I venture in those silent houres,
VVhen sleepe hath sealed vp all mortall eies,
To murder him in bed? how like ye that?
Camb.Herein consistes no safetie for your selfe,
And you disclosde, what shall become of vs?
But this day (as ye know) he will aboord,
The wind so faire, and set away for France,
If as he goes, or entring in the ship,
It might be done, then it were excellent,
GrayVVhy any of these, or if you will,
Ile cause a present sitting of the Councell,
VVherein I will pretend some matter of such weight,
As needes must haue his royall company,
And to dispatch him in the Councell chamber.
Camb.Tush, yet I heare not any thing to purpose,
I wonder that lord Cobham staies so long,
His counsell in this case would much auaile vs. They rise from the table, and the King steps in to them with his Lordes.
ScroopWhat shal we rise thus, and determine nothing?
Har.That were a shame indeede, no, sit againe,
And you shall haue my counsell in this case,
If you can find no way to kill this King,
Then you shall see how I can further ye,
Scroopes way by poison was indifferent,
But yet being bed-fellow vnto the King,
And vnsuspected sleeping in his bosome,
In mine opinion, that's the likelier way,
For such false friends are able to do much,
And silent night is Treason's fittest friend,
Now, Cambridge in his setting hence for France,
Or by the way, or as he goes aboord,
To do the deed, that was indifferent too,
Yet somewhat doubtful; might I speake my mind,
For many reasons needelesse now to vrge.
Mary Lord Gray came something neare the point,
To haue the King at councell, and there murder him,
As Cæsar was amongst his dearest friends:
None like to that, if all were of his mind.
Tell me oh tel me you bright honors staines,
For which of all my kindnesses to you,
Are ye become thus traitors to your king?
And France must haue the spoile of Harries life?
All.Oh pardon vs dread lord. all kneeling.
Har.How pardon ye? that were a sinne indeed,
Drag them to death, which iustly they deserue, they leade them away.
And France shall dearely buy this villany,
So soone as we set footing on her breast,
God haue the praise for our deliuerance,
And next, our thankes (Lord Cobham) is to thee,
True perfect mirror of nobilitie.exeunt.
Enter the hoste, sir Iohn Old-castle, and Harpoole.
HosteSir, you are welcome to this house, to such as heere is with all my heart, but by the masse I feare your lodging wilbe the woorst, l haue but two beds, and they are both in a chamber, and the carier and his daughter lies in the one, and you and your wife must lie in the other.
L.Cobh.In faith sir, for my selfe I doe not greatly passe,
My wife is weary, and would be at rest,
For we haue traueld very far to day,
We must be content with such as you haue.
HosteBut I cannot tell how to doe with your man.
HarpooleWhat, hast thou neuer an empty roome in thy house for me?
HosteNot a bedde by my troth: there came a poore Irish man, and I lodgde him in the barne, where he has faire straw, though he haue nothing else.
Harp.Well mine hoste, I pray thee helpe mee to a payre of faire sheetes, and Ile go lodge with him.
HosteBy the masse that thou shalt, a good payre of hem∣pen sheetes, were neuer laine in: Come. exeunt.
Enter Constable, Maior, and Watch.
MaiorWhat haue you searcht the towne?
Const.All the towne sir, we haue not left a house vnsearcht that vses to lodge.
MaiorSurely my lord of Rochester was then deceiude,
Or ill informde of sir Iohn Old-castle,
Or if he came this way, hees past the towne,
He could not else haue scapt you in the search.
Const.The priuy watch hath beene abroad all night,
And not a stranger lodgeth in the towne
But he is knowne, onely a lusty priest
VVe found in bed with a pretty wench,
That sayes she is his wife, yonder at the sheeres:
But we haue chargde the hoste with his forth comming
To morow morning.
MaiorWhat thinke you best to do?
Const.Faith maister maior, heeres a few stragling houses beyond the bridge, and a little Inne where cariers vse to lodge, though I thinke surely he would nere lodge there: but weele go search, & the rather, because there came notice to the towne the last night of an Irish man, that had done a murder, whome we are to make search for.
MaiorCome I pray you, and be circumspect. exeunt.
Const.First beset the house, before you begin the search.
OfficerContent, euery man take a seuerall place.
heere is heard a great noyse within.
Enter Constable with the Irish man in Harpooles apparell.
Irish manVat mester?
MaiorVat mester, you counterfeit rebell, this shall not serue your turne.
Irish manBe sent Patrike I ha no mester.
Con.VVheres the lord Cobham sir Iohn Old-castle that lately is escaped out of the Tower.
Irish manVat lort Cobham?
MaiorYou counterfeit, this shal not serue you, weele tor∣ture you, weele make you to confesse where that arch-heretique Lord Cobham is: come binde him fast.
Irish manAhone, ahone, ahone, a Cree.
Con.Ahone, you crafty rascall? exeunt.
Lord Cobham comes out in his gowne stealing.
Cobh.Harpoole, Harpoole, I heare a maruelous noyse a∣bout the house, God warant vs, I feare wee are pursued: what Harpoole.
Harp.within.VVho calles there?
Cobh.Tis I, dost thou not heare a noyse about the house?
Harp.Yes mary doe I, zwounds, I can not finde my hose, this Irish rascall that was lodgde with me all night, hath stolne my apparell, and has left me nothing but a lowsie mantle, and a paire of broags. Get vp, get vp, and if the carier and his wench be asleep, change you with them as he hath done with me, and see if we can escape.
A noyse againe heard about the house, a pretty while, then enter the Constable meeting Harpoole in the Irish mans apparrell.
Con.Stand close, heere comes the Irish man that didde the murther, by all tokens, this is he.
MaiorAnd perceiuing the house beset, would get away: stand sirra.
Harp.What art thou that bidst me stand?
Con.I am the Officer, and am come to search for an Irish man, such a villaine as thy selfe, that hast murthered a man this last night by the hie way.
Harp.Sbloud Constable, art thou madde? am I an Irish man?
MaiorSirra, weele finde you an Irish man before we part: lay hold vpon him.
Con.Make him fast: O thou bloudy rogue!
Enter Lord Cobham and his lady in the carrier and wenches apparrell.
CobhamWhat will these Ostlers sleepe all day?
Good morow, good morow, Come wench, come,
Saddle, saddle, now afore God too foord-dayes, ha?
Con.Who comes there?
MaiorOh tis Lankashire carier, let him passe.
CobhamWhat, will no body open the gates here?
Come, lets int stable to looke to our capons.
The carrier calling.
Club callingHoste, why ostler, zwookes, heres such abomination company of boies: a pox of this pigstie at the house end, it filles all the house full of fleas, ostler, ostler.
OstlerWho calles there, what would you haue?
ClubZwookes, do you robbe your ghests? doe you lodge rogues and slaues, and scoundrels, ha? they ha stolne our doths here: why ostler?
OstlerA murrein choake you, what a bawling you keepe.
HosteHow now, what woulde the carrier haue? looke vp there.
OstlerThey say that the man and woman that lay by them haue stolne their clothes.
HosteVVhat, are the strange folkes vp yet that came in yester night?
Const.VVhat mine hoste, vp so early?
HosteVVhat, maister Maior, and maister Constable!
MaiorVVe are come to seeke for some suspected persons, and such as heere we found, haue apprehended.
Enter the Carrier and Kate in lord Cobham and ladies apparell.
Con.VVho comes heere?
ClubVVho comes here? a plague found ome, you bawle quoth a, ods hat, Ile forzweare your house, you lodgde a fellow and his wife by vs that ha runne away with our parrel, and left vs such gew-gawes here, come Kate, come to mee, thowse dizeard yfaith.
MaiorMine hoste, know you this man?
HosteYes maister Maior, Ile giue my word for him, why neibor Club, how comes this geare about?
KateNow a fowle ont, I can not make this gew-gaw stand on my head, now the lads and the lasses won flowt me too too
Const.How came this man and woman thus attired?
HosteHere came a man and woman hither this last night, which I did take for substantiall people, and lodgde all in one chamber by these folkes: mee thinkes, haue beene so bolde to change apparell, and gone away this morning ere they rose.
MaiorThat was that villaine traitour Old-castle, that thus escaped vs: make out huy and cry yet after him, keepe fast that traiterous rebell his seruant there: farewell mine hoste.
CarierCome Kate Owdham, thou and Ise trimly dizard.
KateI faith neame Club, Ise wot nere what to do, Ise be so
flowted and so showted at: but by th messe Ise cry. exeunt.
Enter Priest and Doll.
Farewell Kent, we are not for thee,
Be lusty my lasse, come for Lancashire,
We must nip the Boung for these crownes.
DollWhy is all the gold spent already that you had the other day?
sir IohnGone Doll, gone, flowne, spent, vanished, the diuel, drinke and the dice, has deuoured all.
DollYou might haue left me in Kent, that you might, vntil you had bin better prouided, I could haue staied at Cobham.
sir IohnNo Dol, no, ile none of that, Kent's too hot Doll, Kent's too hot: the weathercocke of Wrotham will crow no longer, we haue pluckt him, he has lost his feathers, I haue prunde him bare, left him thrice, is moulted, is moulted, wēch.
DollFaith sir Iohn, I might haue gone to seruice againe, old maister Harpoole told me he would prouide me a mistris.
sir IohnPeace Doll, peace, come mad wench, Ile make thee an honest woman, weele into Lancashire to our friends, the troth is, Ile marry thee, we want but a little mony to buy vs a horse, and to spend by the way, the next sheep that comes shal loose his fleece, weele haue these crownes wench I warrant thee: stay, who comes here? some Irish villaine me thinkes that
enter the Irish man with his master slaine.
The Irish man falls to rifle his master.
sir IohnStand sirra, what art thou?
Irishman.Be saint Patricke mester is pore Irisman, is a leufter.
sir IohnSirra, sirra, you are a damned rogue, you haue killed a man here, and rifled him of all that he has, sbloud you
rogue deliuer, or ile not leaue you so much as an Irish haire aboue your shoulders, you whorson Irish dogge, sirra vntrusse presently, come off and dispatch, or by this crosse ile fetch your head off as cleane as a barke.
Irishman.Wees me saint Patricke, Ise kill me mester for chaine and his ring, and nows be rob of all, mees vndoo. Priest robs him.
sir IohnAuant you rascal, go sirra, be walking, come Doll the diuel laughes, when one theefe robs another, come madde wench, weele to saint Albons, and reuel in our bower, hey my braue girle.
DollO thou art old sir Iohn, when all's done yfaith.
Enter the hoste of the Bell with the Irish man.
IrishmanBe me tro mester is pore Irisman, is want ludging, is haue no mony, is starue and cold, good mester giue her some meate, is famise and tie.
HostYfaith my fellow I haue no lodging, but what I keep for my guesse, that I may not disapoint, as for meate thou shalt haue such as there is, & if thou wilt lie in the barne, theres faire straw, and roome enough.
IrishmanIs thanke my mester hartily, de straw is good bed for me.
HostHo Robin?
RobinWho calls?
HostShew this poore Irishman into the barne, go sirra. exeunt.
Enter carrier and Kate.
Club.Ho, who's within here, who lookes to the horses? Gods hatte heres fine worke, the hens in the manger, and the hogs in the litter, a bots found you all, heres a house well lookt too yvaith.
KateMas goffe Club, Ise very cawd.
Club.Get in Kate, get in to fier and warme thee.
ClubHo Iohn Hostler.
HostlerWhat gaffer Club, welcome to saint Albons,
How does all our friends in Lancashire?
ClubWell God haue mercie Iohn, how does Tom, wheres he?
HostlerO Tom is gone from hence, hees at the three horse-loues at Stony-stratford, how does old Dick Dunne?
ClubGods hatte old Dunne has bin moyerd in a slough in Brickhil-lane, a plague found it, yonder is such abhomination weather as neuer was seene.
Hostler.Gods hat thiefe, haue one half pecke of pease and oates more for that, as I am Iohn Ostler, hee has been euer as good a iade as euer traueld.
ClubFaith well said old Iacke, thou art the old lad stil.
HostlerCome Gaffer Club, vnlode, vnlode, and get to supper, and Ile rub dunne the while. Come. exeunt.
Enter sir Iohn Old-castle, and his Lady disguisde.
This place is farre remote from any path,
And here awhile our weary limbs may rest,
To take refreshing, free from the pursuite
Of enuious Winchester.
LadyBut where (my Lord,)
Shall we find rest for our disquiet minds?
There dwell vntamed thoughts that hardly stoupe,
To such abasement of disdained rags,
We were not wont to trauell thus by night,
Especially on foote.
Oldca.No matter loue,
Extremities admit no better choice,
And were it not for thee, say froward time,
Imposde a greater taske, I would esteeme it
As lightly as the wind that blowes vpon vs,
But in thy sufferance I am doubly taskt,
Thou wast not wont to haue the earth thy stoole,
Nor the moist dewy grasse thy pillow, nor
Thy chamber to be the wide horrison,
LadyHow can it seeme a trouble, hauing you
A partner with me, in the worst I feele?
No gentle Lord, your presence would giue ease
To death it selfe, should he now seaze vpon me,
Behold what my foresight hath vndertane heres bread and cheese & a bottle.
For feare we faint, they are but homely cates.
Yet saucde with hunger, they may seeme as sweete,
As greater dainties we were wont to taste.
Oldca.Praise be to him whose plentie sends both this,
And all things else our mortall bodies need,
Nor scorne we this poore feeding, nor the state
We now are in, for what is it on earth,
Nay vnder heauen, continues at a stay?
Ebbes not the sea, when it hath ouerflowne?
Flowes not darknes when the day is gone?
And see we not sometime the eie of heauen,
Dimmd with ouerflying clowdes: the•es not that worke
Of carefull nature, or of cunning art,
(How strong, how beauteous, or how rich it be)
But falls in time to ruine: here gentle Madame,
In this one draught I wash my sorrow downe. drinkes.
LadyAnd I incoragde with your cheerefull speech,
Wil do the like.
Oldca.Pray God poore Harpoole come,
If he should fall into the Bishops hands,
Or not remember where we bade him meete vs,
It were the thing of all things else, that now
Could breede reuolt in this new peace of mind.
LadyFeare not my Lord, hees witty to deuise,
And strong to execute a present shift.
Oldca.That power be stil his guide hath guided vs,
My drowsie eies waxe heauy, earely rising,
Together with the trauell we haue had,
Make me that I could gladly take a nap,
Were I perswaded we might be secure.
LadyLet that depend on me, whilst you do sleepe,
Ile watch that no misfortune happen vs,
Lay then your head vpon my lap sweete Lord,
And boldly take your rest.
Oldca.I shal deare wife,
Be too much trouble to thee.
LadyVrge not that,
My duty binds me, and your loue commands.
I would I had the skil with tuned voyce,
To draw on sleep with some sweet melodie,
But imperfectoin and vnaptnesse too,
Are both repugnant, feare inserts the one,
The other nature hath denied me vse.
But what talke I of meanes to purchase that,
Is freely hapned? sleepe with gentle hand,
Hath shut his eie-liddes, oh victorious labour,
How soone thy power can charme the bodies sense?
And now thou likewise climbst vnto my braine,
Making my heauy temples stoupe to thee,
Great God of heauen from danger keepe vs free. both sleepes.
Enter sir Richard Lee, and his men
Lee.A murder closely done and in my ground?
Search carefully, if any where it were,
This obscure thicket is the likeliest place.
seruant.Sir I haue found the body stiffe with cold,
And mangled cruelly with many wounds.
LeeLooke if thou knowest him, turne his body vp,
A lacke it is my son, my sonne and heire,
Whom two yeares since, I sent to Ireland,
To practise there the discipline of warre,
And comming home (for so he wrote to me)
Some sauage hart, some bloudy diuellish hand,
Either in hate, or thirsting for his coyne,
Hath here slucde out his bloud, vnhappy houre,
Accursed place, but most inconstant fate,
That hadst reserude him from the bullets fire,
And suffered him to scape the wood-karnes fury,
Didst here ordaine the treasure of his life,
(Euen here within the armes of tender peace,
And where security gate greatest hope)
To be consumde by treasons wastefull hand?
And what is most afflicting to my soule,
That this his death and murther should be wrought,
Without the knowledge by whose meanes twas done,
2 seru.Not so sir, I haue found the authors of it,
See where they sit, and in their bloudy fistes,
The fatall instruments of death and sinne.
LeeIust iudgement of that power, whose gracious eie,
Loathing the sight of such a hainous fact,
Dazeled their senses with benumming-sleepe,
Till their vnhallowed treachery were knowne:
Awake ye monsters, murderers awake,
Tremble for horror, blush you cannot chuse,
Beholding this inhumane deed of yours.
Old.What meane you sir to trouble weary soules,
And interrupt vs of our quiet sleepe?
LeeOh diuellish! can you boast vnto your selues
Of quiet sleepe, hauing within your hearts
The guilt of murder waking, that with cries
Deafes the lowd thunder, and sollicites heauen,
With mo•e than Mandrakes shreekes for your offence?
Lady Old.What murder? you vpbraid vs wrongfully.
LeeCan you deny the fact? see you not heere,
The body of my sonne by you mis-done?
Looke on his wounds, looke on his purple hew:
Do we not finde you where the deede was done?
Were not your kniues fast closed in your hands?
Is not this cloth an argument beside,
Thus staind and spotted with his innocent blood?
These speaking characters, were nothing else
To pleade against ye, would conuict you both.
Bring them away, bereauers of my ioy,
At Hartford where the Sises now are kept,
Their liues shall answere for my sonnes lost life.
Old-castleAs we are innocent, so may we speede.
LeeAs I am wrongd, so may the law proceede. exeunt.
Enter bishop of Rochester, constable of S. Albons, with sir Iohn of Wrotham, Doll his wench, and the Irishman in Har∣pooles apparell.
Bishop.What intricate confusion haue we heere?
Not two houres since we apprehended one,
In habite Irish, but in speech, not so:
And now you bring another, that in speech
Is altogether Irish, but in habite
Seemes to be English: yea and more than so,
The seruant of that heretike Lord Cobham.
IrishmanFait me be no seruant of the lord Cobhams,
Me be Mack Chane of Vlster.
Bishop.Otherwise calld Harpoole of Kent, go to sit,
You cannot blinde vs with your broken Irish.
sir IohnTrust me, my Lord Bishop, whether Irish,
Or English, Harpoole or not Harpoole, that
I leaue to be decided by the triall:
But sure I am this man by face and speech
Is he that murdred yong sir Richard Lee:
I met him presently vpon the fact,
And that he slew his maister for that gold,
Those iewells, and that chaine I tooke from him.
Bishop.Well, our affaires doe call vs backe to London,
So that we cannot prosecute the cause
As we desire to do, therefore we leaue
The charge with you, to see they be conuaide
To Hartford Sise: both this counterfaite
And you sir Iohn of Wrotham, and your wench,
For you are culpable as well as they,
Though not for murder, yet for felony.
But since you are the meanes to bring to light
This gracelesse murder, you shall beare with you,
Our letters to the Iudges of the bench,
To be your friendes in what they lawfull may.
sir IohnI thanke your Lordship.
Bish.So, away with them. exeunt.
Enter Gaoler and his man, bringing forth Old castle.
GaolerBring forth the prisoners, see the court preparde,
The Iustices are comming to the bench.
So, let him stand, away, and fetch the rest.exeunt.
Old.Oh giue me patience to indure this scourge,
Thou that art fountaine of that vertuous streame,
And though contempt, false witnes, and reproch
Hang on these yron gyues, to presse my life
As low as earth, yet strengthen me with faith,
That I may mount in spirite aboue the cloudes.
Enter Gaoler bringing in Lady Old-castle, and Harpoole.
Thy wound is greeuous, else I scoffe at thee.
What and poore Harpoole! art thou ith bryars too?
Harp.I faith my Lord, I am in, get out how I can.
LadySay (gentle Lord) for now we are alone,
And may conferre, shall we confesse in briefe,
Of whence, and what we are, and so preuent
The accusation is commenede against vs?
Old.What will that helpe vs? being knowne, sweete loue,
VVe shall for heresie be put to death,
For so they tearme the religion we professe.
No, if it be ordained we must die,
And at this instant, this our comfort be,
That of the guilt imposde, our soules are free.
Harp.Yea, yea my lord, Harpoole is so resolude,
I wreake of death the lesse, in that I die
Not by the sentence of that enuious priest
The Bishop of Rochester, oh were it he,
Or by his meanes that I should suffer here,
It would be double torment to my soule.
LadyVVell, be it then according as heauen please.
Enter lord Iudge, two Iustices, Maior of Saint Albons, lord Powesse and his lady, and old sir Richard Lee: the Iudge and Iustices take their places.
IudgeNow M.Maior, what gentleman is that,
You bring with you, before vs and the bench?
MaiorThe Lord Powes if it like your honor,
And this his Lady, trauelling toward Wales,
Who for they lodgde last night within my house,
And my Lord Bishop did lay search for such,
Were very willing to come on with me,
Lest for their sakes, suspition we might wrong.
IudgeWe crie your honor mercy good my Lord,
Wilt please ye take your place, madame your ladyship,
May here or where you will repose your selfe,
Vntill this businesse now in hand be past.
Lady Po.I will withdraw into some other roome,
So that your Lordship, and the rest be pleasde.
IudgeWith all our hearts: attend the Lady there.
Lord Po.Wife, I haue eyde yond prisoners all this while,
And my conceit doth tel me, tis our friend,
The noble Cobham, and his vertuous Lady.
Lady Po.I thinke no lesse, are they suspected trow ye
For doing of this murder?
Lord Po.What it meanes,
I cannot tell, but we shall know anon,
Meane space as you passe by them, ask the question,
But do it secretly, you be not seene,
And make some signe that I may know your mind.
Lady Po.My Lord Cobham, madam? as she passeth ouer the stage by thē.
Old.No Cobhā now, nor madam as you loue vs,
But Iohn of Lancashire, and Ione his wife.
Lady Po.Oh tel, what is it that our loue can do,
To pleasure you, for we are bound to you.
Oldca.Nothing but this, that you conceale our names,
So gentle lady passe for being spied.
Lady Po.My heart I leaue, to beare part of your griefe. exit.
IudgeCall the prisoners to the barre: sir Richard Lee,
What euidence can you bring against these people,
To proue them guiltie of the murder done?
Lee.This bloudy towell, and these naked kniues,
Beside we found them sitting by the place,
Where the dead body lay within a bush.
IudgeVVhat answer you why law should not proceed,
According to this euidence giuen in,
To taxe ye with the penalty of death?
Old.That we are free from murders very thought,
And know not how the gentleman was slaine.
1 Iust.How came this linnen cloth so boudy then?
Lady Cob.My husband hot with trauelling my lord,
His nose gusht out a bleeding, that was it.
2 Iust.But wherefore were your sharpe edgde kniues vnsheathde?
Lady Cob.To cut such simple victuall as we had.
IudgeSay we admit this answer to those articles,
VVhat made ye in so priuate a darke nooke,
So far remote from any common path,
As was the thicke where the dead corpes was throwne?
Old.Iournying my lord from London from the terme,
Downe into Lancashire where we do dwell,
And what with age and trauell being faint,
VVe gladly sought a place where we might rest,
Free from resort of other passengers,
And so we strayed into that secret corner.
IudgeThese are but ambages to driue of time,
And linger Iustice from her purposde end.
But who are these?
Enter the Constable, bringing in the Irishman, sir Iohn of Wrotham, and Doll.
Const.Stay Iudgement, and release those innocents,
For here is hee, whose hand hath done the deed,
For which they stand indited at the barre,
This sauage villaine, this rude Irish slaue,
His tongue already hath confest the fact,
And here is witnes to confirme as much.
sir IohnYes my good Lords, no sooner had he slaine
His louing master for dthe wealth he had,
But I vpon the instant met with him,
And what he purchacde with the losse of bloud,
With strokes I presently bereau'de him of,
Some of the which is spent, the rest remaining,
I willingly surrender to the hands
Of old sir Richard Lee, as being his,
Beside my Lord Iudge, I greet your honor,
With letters from my Lord of Winchester. deliuers a letter.
LeeIs this the wolfe whose thirsty throate did drinke
My deare sonnes bloud? art thou the snake
He cherisht, yet with enuious piercing sting,
Assaildst him mortally? foule stigmatike,
Thou venome of the country where thou liuedst,
And pestilence of this: were it not that law
Stands ready to reuenge thy crueltie,
Traitor to God, thy master, and to me,
These hands should be thy executioner.
Iudge
Patience sir Richard Lee, you shall haue iustice,
And he the guerdon of his base desert,
The fact is odious, therefore take him hence,
And being hangde vntil the wretch be dead,
His body after shall be hangd in chaines,
Neare to the place, where he did act the murder.
Irish.Prethee Lord shudge let me haue mine own clothes, my strouces there, and let me be hangd in a with after my cuntry, the Irish fashion. exit.
IudgeGo to, away with him, and now sir Iohn,
Although by you, this murther came to light,
And therein you haue well deseru'd, yet vpright law,
So will not haue you be excusde and quit,
For you did rob the Irishman, by which
You stand attained here of felony,
Beside, you haue bin lewd, and many yeares
Led a lasciuious vnbeseeming life.
sir IohnOh but my Lord, he repents, sir Iohn repents he will mend.
IudgeIn hope thereof, together with the fauour,
My Lord of Winchester intreates for you,
We are content you shall be proued.
sir IohnI thanke your good Lordship.
IudgeThese other falsly here, accusde, and brought
In perill wrongfully, we in like sort
Do set at liberty, paying their fees.
Lord Po.That office if it please ye I will do,
For countries sake, because I know them well,
They are my neighbours, therefore of my cost,
Their charges shall be paide.
Lee.And for amends,
Touching the wrong vnwittingly I haue done,
There are a few crownes more for them to drinke. giues them a purse.
IudgeYour kindnes merites praise sir Richard Lee,
So let vs hence. exeunt all but Lord Powesse and Oldcastle.
Lord Po.But Powesse still must stay,
There yet remaines a part of that true loue,
He owes his noble friend vnsatisfide,
And vnperformd which first of all doth bind me,
To gratulate your lordships safe deliuery,
And then intreat, that since vnlookt for thus,
We here are met, your honor would vouchsafe,
To ride with me to Wales, where though my power,
(Though not to quittance those great benefites,
I haue receiud of you) yet both my house,
My purse my seruants, and what else I haue,
Are all at your command, deny me not,
I know the Bishops hate pursues ye so,
As theres no safety in abiding here.
Old.Tis true my Lord, and God forgiue him for it.
Lord Po.Then let vs hence, you shall be straight prouided
Of lusty geldings, and once entred VVales,
VVell may the Bishop hunt, but spight his face,
He neuer more shall haue the game in chace. exeunt.
FINIS.