The Lamentable and True Tragedie of M. Arden of Feversham in Kent/Act 5
Mos.
Because her husband is abroad so late.
A cupple of Ruffins threatned him yesternight,
And she poore soule is affraid he should be hurt.
Adam
It nothing els? tush hele be here anone.
Here enters Greene.
Gre.
Now M. Arden lacke you any guests.
Ales.
Ah M. Greene, did you se my husband lately,
Gre.
I saw him walking behinde the Abby euen now,
Here enters Francklin.
Ales.
I do not like this being out so late,
M. Francklin where did you leaue my husband.
Fra.
Beleeue me I saw him not since Morning,
Feare you not hele come anone, meane time
You may do well to bid his guests sit down.
Ales.
I so they shall, M. Bradshaw sit you there,
I pray you be content, Ile haue my will.
M. Mosbie sit you in my husbands seat.
Michaell
Susan shall thou and I wait on them,
Or and thou saith the word let vs sit down too.
Su.
Peace we haue other matters now in hand.
I feare me Michael al wilbe bewraied.
Mic.
Tush so it be knowne that I shal marry thée in the
Morning, I care not though I be hangde ere night.
But to preuent the worst, Ile by some rats bane.
Su.
Why Michael wilt thou poyson thy selfe?
Mic.
No, but my mistres, for I feare shele tell.
Su.
Tush Michel feare not her, she's wise enough.
Mos.
Sirra Michell giues a cup of beare.
M. Arden, heers to your husband.
Ales.
My husband?
Fra.
What ailes you woman, to crie so suddenly.
Ales.
Ah neighbors a sudden qualm came ouer my hart
My husbands being foorth torments my minde.
I know some thing's amisse, he is not well.
Or els I should haue heard of him ere now.
Mo.
She will vndo vs, through her foolishnes.
Gre.
Feare not M. Arden, he's well enough.
Ales.
Tell not me, I know he is not well,
He was not wount for to stay thus late.
Good M. Francklin go and seeke him foorth,
And if you finde him send him home to mee.
And tell him what a feare he hath put me in.
Fra.
Ilyke not this, I pray God all be well Exeunt Fra. Mos. & Gre.
Ile seeke him out, and find him if I can.
Ales.
Michaell how shall I doo to rid the rest away?
Mic.
Leaue that to my charge, let me alone,
Tis very late M. Bradshaw,
And there are many false knaues abroad,
And you haue many narrow lanes to pas.
Brad.
Faith frend Michaell and thou saiest trew,
Therefore I pray thee lights foorth, and lends a linck Exeunt Brad, Adam, & Michael.
Ales.
Michael bring them to the dores, but doo not stay,
You know I do not loue to be alone.
Go Susan and bid thy brother come,
But wherefore should he come? Heere is nought but feare.
Stay Susan stay, and helpe to counsell me.
Susan.
Alas I counsell, feare frights away my wits,
Then they open the countinghouse doore,
and looke vppon Arden.
Ales.
Sée Susan where thy quandam Maister lyes,
Sweete Arden smeard in bloode and filthy gore.
Susan.
My brother, you, and I, shall rue this déede.
Ales
Come Susan help to lift his body forth,
And let our salt teares be his obsequies.
Here enters Mosbie and Greene.
Mos.
Now now Ales whether will you beare him
Ales.
Sweete Mosbie art thou come?
Then weepe that will.
I haue my wishe in that I ioy thy sight.
Gre.
Well it houes vs to be circumspect.
Mos.
I for Francklin thinks that we haue murthred him.
Ales.
I but he can not proue it for his lyfe,
Wele spend this night in daliance and in sport.
Here enters Michaell
Mic.
O mistres the Maior and all the watch,
Are comming towards our house with glaues & billes.
Ales.
Make the dore fast, let them not come in,
Mos.
Tell me swete Ales how shal I escape?
Ales.
Out at the back dore, ouer the pyle of woode.
And for one night ly at the floure deluce,
Mos.
That is the next way to betray my selfe.
Gre.
Alas M. Arden the watch will take me here,
And cause suspition, where els would be none.
Ales
Why take that way that M. Mosbie doeth,
But first conuey the body to the fields.
Then they beare the body into the fields
Mos.
Until to morrow, swéete Ales now farewel,
And see you confesse nothing in any case.
Gre.
Be resolute M. Ales, betray vs not,
But cleaue to vs as we wil stick to you, Exeunt Mosbie & Grene.
Ales
Now let the indge and iuries do their worst,
My house is cleare, and now I seare them not.
Susan
As we went it snowed al the way,
Which makes me feare, our footesteps will be spyed.
Ales
Peace foole, the snow wil couer them againe.
Susan
But it had done before we came back againe.
Ales
Hearke hearke, they knocke,
Here enters the Maior and the Watch.
Maior,
I sawe him come into your house an hour agoe
Ales.
You are deceiued, it was a Londoner,
Maior
Mistres Arden know you not one that is called blacke Will.
Ales
I know none such, what meane these questions
Maior.
I haue the counsels warrand to aprehend him
Ales.
I am glad it is no worse.
Why M. maior thinke you I harbour any such?
Ma.
We are informd that here he is.
And therefore pardon vs, for we must search.
Ales
I search and spare you not, through euery roome,
Were my husband at home, you would not offer this,
Here enters Francklin.
Fra.
Arden thy husband, and my fréend, is slaine,
Ales.
Ah, by whome? M. Francklin can you tell?
Fra.
I know not, but behind the abby,
There helyes murthred in most pittious case,
Mai.
But M. Francklin are you sure tis he,
Fra.
I am too sure, would God I were deceiued.
Ales.
Finde out the Murthrers let them be knowne,
Fran.
I so they shall, come you along with vs.
Ales.
Wherefore?
Fran.
know you this handtowel and this knyfe?
Su.
Ah michael through this thy negligence.
Thou hast betraied and vndone vs all.
Mic.
I was so affraide, I knew not what I did,
I thought I had throwne them both into the well.
Ales.
It is the pigs bloode we had to supper.
But wherefore stay you? finde out the murthrers.
Ma.
I feare me youle proue one of them your selfe.
Ale.
I one of them, what meane such questions.
Fra.
I feare me he was murthred in this house.
And carried to the fields, for from that place,
Backwards and forwards may you see,
The print of many feete within the snow,
And looke about this chamber where we are,
And you shall finde part of his giltles bloode,
For in his slipshoe did I finde some rushes.
Which argueth he was murthred in this roome.
Ma.
Looke in the place where he was wont to sit.
See see his blood it is too manifest,
Ales
It is a cup of Wine that michaell shed.
Mic.
I truely.
Fran.
It is his bloode, which strumpet thou hast shed,
But if I liue thou and thy complices,
Which have conspired and wrought his death,
Shall rue it.
Ales
Ah M. Francklin God and heauen can tell,
I loued him more then all the world beside.
But bring me to him let me see his body.
Fra.
Bring that villaine and mosbies sister too,
And one of you go to the flowre deluce.
And séeke for mosbie, and apprehend him to.Exeunt.
Here enters shakebag solus.
Sh.
The widdow chambly in her husbands dayes I kept
And now he's dead, she is growne so stout
She will not know her ould companions,
I came thither thinking to haue had
Harbour as I was wount
And she was ready to thrust me out at doores,
But whether she would or no, I got me up,
And as she followed me I spurnd her down the staires,
And broke her neck, and cut her tapsters throat,
And now I am going to sting them in the Temes,
I have the gould, what care I though it be knowne?
Ile crosse the water and take sanctuary.
Exit shakbag.
Here enters the Maior, Mosbie. Ales, Francklin,
Michaell and Susan.
Maior
Sée M. Arden where your husband lyes.
Confesse this foule fault and be penitent.
Ales
Arden sweete husband, what shall I say?
The more I found his name, the more he bleedes.
This bloode condemnes me, and in gushing foorth
Speakes as it falles, and askes me why I did it,
Forgiue me Arden, I repent me nowe,
And would my death saue thine, thou shouldst not dye,
Ryse vp swete Arden and enioy thy loue.
And frowne not on me when we mete in heauen,
In heauen I loue thee, though on earth I did not,
Maior
Say Mosby what made thée murther him,
Fra.
Study not for an answer, looke not down
His pursse and girdle found at thy beds head,
Witnes sufficiently thou didst the deede.
It bootles is to sweare thou didst it not,
Mos.
I hyred black Will and Shakebagge, Ruffynes both,
And they and I haue done this murthrous deed,
But wherefore stay we?
Come and beare me hence.
Fran.
Those Ruffins shall not escape,
I will vp to London, and get the counsels warrand to apprehend them. Exeunt.
Here enters Will.
Will.
Shakebag I heare hath taken sanctuary,
But I am so pursued with hues and cryes,
For petty robberies that I haue done,
That I can come vnto no Sanctuary.
Therefore must I in some Oyster bote,
At last, be faine to go a boord some Hoye.
And so to Flushing there is no staying here,
At Sittinburgh the watch was like to take me.
And had I not with my buckler couerd my head,
And run full blanck, at all aduentures,
I am sure I had nere gone further then that place,
For the Constable had 20 warrands to apprehend me,
Besides that, I robbed him and his Man once at Gades hill,
Farewell England, Ile to Flushing now. Exit Will.
Here enters the Maior, Mosbye, Ales, Michaell,
Susan, and Bradshaw.
Maior.
Come make haste & bring away the prisoners.
Brad.
M. Arden you are now going to God,
And I am by the law condemned to die.
About a letter I brought from M. Grèene,
I pray you M. Arden speak the trueth,
Was I euer priuie to your intent or no?
Ales
What should I say?
You brought me such a letter.
But I dare sweare thou knewest not the contents.
Leaue now to trouble me with wordly things.
And let me meditate vpon my sauiour Christ,
Whose bloode must saue me for the bloode I shed,
Mos.
How long shall I live in this hell of griefe?
Conuey me from the presence of that strumpet.
Ales.
Ah but for thee I had neuer beene strumpet
What can not oathes and prote stations doe?
When men haue opportunity to woe.
I was too young to sound thy villanies.
But now I finde it, and repent too late.
Su.
Ah gentle brother, wherefore should I die.
I knew not of it, till the deed was don.
Mos.
For thée I mourne more then for my selfe,
But let it suffice, I can not saue thee now,
Mic.
And if your brother and my Mistres.
Had not promised me you in marriage,
I had nere giuen consent, to this foule deede.
Maior
Leaue to accuse each other now,
And listen to the sentence I shall giue.
Beare Mosbie and his sister to London straight,
Where they in smithfield must be executed.
Beare M. Arden unto Canterburye,
Where her sentence is she must be burnt.
Michaell and Bradshaw in Feuershame
must suffer death.
Ales
Let my death make a mends for all my sinnes,
Mos.
Fy vpon women, this shall be my song,
But beare me hence, for I haue liued to long.
Susan
Seing no hope on earth, in heauen is my hope.
Mic.
Faith I care not seeing I die with Susan.
Brad.
My bloode be on his head that gaue the sentence,
Maior
To speedy execution with them all.Exeunt.
Heere enters Francklin.
Fran.
Thus haue you seene the trueth of Ardens death
As for the Ruffins, Shakbag and blacke Will,
The one tooke Sanctuary, and being sent for out.
Was murthred in Southwark, as he past
To Greenewitch, where the Lord Protector lay.
Black Will was burnt in flushing on a stage.
Grèene was hanged at Osbridge in Kent.
The Painter fled, & how he dyed we know not.
But this aboue the rest is to be noted,
Arden lay murthred in that plot of ground,
Which he by force and violence held from Rede.
And in the grasse his bodyes print was seene,
Two yeeres and more after the deede was doone
Gentlemen we hope youle pardon this naked Tragedy,
Wherin no filed points are foisted in,
To make it gratious to the eare or eye.
For simple trueth is gratious enough:
And needes no other points of glosing stuffe.
FINIS.
