ACT II.. SCENE I.

At St. ALBANS,

Enter King Henry, Queen, Protetor, Cardinal, and Suffolk, with Faulkners hallcoing.

B

ELIEVE me, lords, for flying at the brook, I faw no better sport thefe feven years' day; · Yet, by your leave, the wind was very high, And, ten to one, old Joan had not gone out.

K. Henry. But what a point, my lord, your Faulcon made,

And what a pitch fhe flew above the rest.
To fee how God in all his creatures works!
Yea, man and birds are fain of climbing high.
Suf. No marvel, an it like your Majefty,
My lord Protector's hawks do tow'r fo well n
They know, their Mafter loves to becaloft,
And bears his thoughts above his Faulcon's pitch
Glo. My Lord, 'tis but a bafe ignoble mind,
That mounts no higher than a bird can foar.

Car. I thought as much. He'd be above the clouds.
Glo. Ay, my lord Cardinal, how think you by that?
Were it not good, your Grace could fly to heav'n?
K. Henry. The treafury of everlafting joy!":
Car. Thy heaven is on earth, thine eyes and thoughts
Bent on a Crown, the treasure of thy heart.

4 For flying at the brook.] The falconer's term for hawking at water-fowl.

5 The wind was very high, And, ten to one, old Joan had not gone out. I am told by a gentleman better acquainted

with falconry than myself, that the meaning, however expreffed, is, that, the wind being high, it was ten to one that the old hawk had flown quite away; a trick which hawks often play their mafters in windy weather.

Per

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Pernicious Protector, dangerous Peer,

That smooth'ft it fo with King and Common-weal! Glo. What, Cardinal! Is your priefthood grown fo peremptory ?

Tantene animis Cæleftibus ira?

Churchmen fo hot? good uncle, hide fuch malice. With fuch Holinefs can you do it? :

Suf. No malice, Sir, no more than well becomes So good a quarrel, and fo bad a Peer. Glo. As who, my Lord?

Suf. Why, as yourself, my Lord; An't like your lordly, lord Protectorship.

"Glo. Why, Suffolk, England knows thy infolence. > Q. Mar. And thy ambition, Glo'fier.

K. Henry. I pr'ythee, peace, good Queen; And whet not on thofe too too furious Peers, For bleffed are the peace-makers on earth.

Car. Let me bleffed for the peace I make, ! Against this proud Protector, with my fword! Glo. Faith, holy uncle, would 'twere come to that.

Car. Marry, when thou dar ft.

Glo. Make up no factious numbers for the
matter,

In thine own person answer thy abuse.
Car. Ay, where thou dar'ft not peep; and,
if thou dar'ft,

This Ev'ning on the eaft-fide of the grove.

Afide

negative particlé improve the fenfe. When words are omitted it is not often eafy to fay what they were if there is a perfect fense without them. I read, but fomewhat at random,

A Churchman, with fuch holinefs can you do it? The transcriber faw churchman juft above, and therefore omitted it in the fecond line.

K. Henry.

K. Henry. How now, my Lords?

Car. Believe me, coufin Glofter,

Had not your man put up the fowl fo fuddenly,

We'd had more fport Come with thy two-hand Afide to Glo'fter.

fword.

Glo. True, uncle.

Car. Are you advis'd?-the eaft-fide of the Grove. Glo. Cardinal, I am with you.

K. Henry. Why, how now, uncle Glo'fter?

[Afide.

Glo. Talking of hawking; nothing elfe, my Lord.Now, by God's mother, Prieft, I'll fhave your crown for this,

Or all my Fence shall fail,

Car. [Afide.] Medice, teipfum.

Protector, fee to't well, protect yourself.

[Afide.

K. Henry. The winds grow high, fo do your stomachs, Lords.

How irksome is this mufick to my heart!
When fuch strings jar, what hopes of harmony?
I pray, my Lords, let me compound this ftrife.

Glo. What means this noife?

Fellow, what miracle doft thou proclaim?

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One. A miracle! a miracle!

Suf. Come to the King, and tell him what miracle. One. Forfooth, a blind man at St. Alban's fhrine,

Come with thy two-hand tence. It is the Cardinal, who Sword. first appoints the Eaft-fide of the Glo. True, Uncle, are ye ad- Grove: and how finely does it vis'd? the Eaft fide of the exprefs Rancour and ImpetuofiGrove. ty for fear Gloucefter fhould miftake, to repeat the Appointment, and afk his Antagonist if he takes him right!

Cardinal, I am with You] Thus is the whole Speech plac'd to Glofler, in all the Editions: but furely, with great inadver

THEOBALD.

Within this half hour hath receiv'd his fight,

A man, that ne'er faw in his life before.

K. Henry. Now God be prais'd, that to believing fouls

Gives light in darkness, comfort in despair!

Enter the Mayor of St. Albans, and his brethren, bearing Simpcox between two in a chair, Simpcox's wife following.

Car. Here come the townfmen on proceffion, Before your Highness to prefent the man.

K. Henry. Great is his comfort in this earthly vale, Though by his fight his fin be multiply'd.

Glo. Stand by, my mafters. Bring him near the King. His Highness' pleasure is to talk with him.

K. Henry. Good fellow, tell us here the circumftance, That we, for thee, may glorify the Lord.

What haft thou been long blind, and now restor❜d?
Simp. Born blind, an't please your Grace.

Wife. Ay, indeed, was he.

Suf. What woman is this?

Wife. His wife, an't like your worship.

Glo. Had'st thou been his mother, thou couldft have better told.

K. Henry. Where wert thou born?

Simp. At Berwick in the north, an't like your Grace.

K. Henry. Poor Soul! God's goodness hath been great to thee.

Let never day or night unhallowed pass,

But ftill remember what the Lord hath done.

Queen. Tell me, good fellow, cam'ft thou here by chance,

Or of devotion, to this holy fhrine?

Simp. God knows, of pure devotion; being call'd A hundred times and oftener, in my fleep,

By

By good St. Alban; who faid, "

..

Simpcox, come;

"Come, offer at my fhrine, and I will help thee." Wife. Moft true, forfooth; and many a time and ofe Myfelf have heard a voice to call him fo.

Car. What, art thou lame?
Simp. Ay, God Almighty help me!
Suf. How cam'ft thou fo?

Simp. A fall off of a tree.
Wife. A plum-tree, master.

Glo. How long haft thou been blind?
Simp. O, born fo, master.

Glo. What, and wouldft climb a tree?

Simp. But once in all my life, when I was a youth. Wife. Too true, and bought his climbing very dear. Glo. Mafs, thou lov'dft plums well, that wouldft venture fo.

Simp. Alas, good Sir, my wife defir'd some damfons, And made me climb, with danger of my life.

Glo. A fubtle knave! but yet it fhall not serve. -Let's fee thine eyes-wink now-now open themIn my opinion, yet, thou fee'ft not well.

Simp. Yes, mafter, clear as day; I thank God and
St. Alban.

Glo. Say'ft thou me fo? what colour is this cloak of?
Simp. Red, mafter, red as blood.

Glo. Why, that's well faid: what colour is my gown of?

Simp. Black, forfooth, coal black, as jet.

K. Henry. Why then thou know'ft what colour jet

is of?

Suf. And yet, I think, jet did he never fee.

Glo. But, cloaks and gowns, before this day, a many.

The former Copies

who faid, Simon, comé ; Come offer at my Shrine, and I will help thee.] Why, Simon? The Chronicles, that take Notice of Glofler's dete&

ing this pretended Miracle, tell us, that the Impoftor, who afferted himself to be cur'd of Blindness, was called Saunder Simpcox.-Simon was therefore a Corruption.

THEOBALD.