[Here they perform the ceremonies, and make the circle; Bolingbroke or Southwel, reads, Conjuro te, &c. It thunders and lightens terribly; then the Spirit rifeth. Spirit. Adfum. M. Jord. Afmuth, by the eternal God, whose name And power thou trembleft at, tell what I ask ; For till thou fpeak, thou shalt not pafs from hence. Spirit. Afk what thou wilt.-That I had faid, and done! Boling. First, of the King: what fhall of him become? Spirit. The Duke yet lives, that Henry fhall depose: But him out-live, and die a violent death. [As the Spirit Speaks they write the answer. Boling. Tell me, what fates await the Duke of Suffolk? Spirit. By water fhall he die, and take his end. Boling. What fhall befal the Duke of Somerset? Spirit. Let him shun castles, Safer fhall he be on the fandy plains, Than where caftles mounted ftand. Have done, for more I hardly can endure. Boling. Defcend to darkness, and the burning lake: False fiend, avoid! [Thunder and lightning. Spirit defcends. Enter the Duke of York, and the Duke of Buckingham, with their Guard, and break in. York. Lay hands upon these traitors, and their trash : Beldame, I think we watch'd you at an inch. What, Madam, are you there? The King and realm Are deep indebted for this piece of pains; My Lord Protector will, I doubt it not, See you well guerdon'd for thefe good deferts. Elean. Not half fo bad as thine to England's King, Injurious Duke, that threat'ft where is no cause. Buck. True, Madam, none at all: What call you this? Away with them, let them be clap'd up clofe, And kept apart. You, Madam, shall with us. We'll fee your trinkets here forth-coming all. [Exeunt Guards with Jordan, Southwel, &c. York. Lord Buskingham, methinks, you watch'd her well; A A pretty plot, well chofe to build upon. Now, pray, my Lord, let's fee the devil's writ. What have we here? The Duke yet lives, that Henry fall depofe ; Well, to the reft: [Reads. acida, Romanos vincere poffe. Tell me what fate awaits the Duke of Suffolk? By water fall he die, and take his end. What shall betide the Duke of Somerset ? Let him fhun caftles, Safer fhall he be upon the fandy plains, Than where caftles mounted ftand. Come, come, my Lords; Thefe oracles are hardily attain'd, (5) And hardly understood." The King is now in progress tow'rds St. Alban's With him the husband of this lovely Lady: $; Thither go thefe news, as faft as horfe can carry them: A forry breakfast for my Lord Protector. Buck. Your Grace fhall give me leave, my Lord of York, To be the poft, in hope of his reward. York. At your pleasure, my good Lord. Who's within there, ho? (5) Thefe oracles are hardly attain'd, And hardly underfood.] Not only the lameness of the verfification, but the imperfection of the fenfe too, made me fufpect this paffage to be corrupt. The meaning is very poor, as it stands in all the printed copies; but I have formerly, by the addition of a fingle letter, both helped the verfe and the fentiment. York, feizing the parties and their papers, fays, he'll fee the devil's writ; and finding the wizard's anfwers intricate and ambiguous, he makes this general comment upon fuch fort of intelligence, as I have reftor'd the text : Thefe oracles are hardily attain'd, And hardly underflood. i. e. A great rifque and hazard is run to obtain them, (viz. going to the devil for them, as 'twas pretended and fuppofed :) and likewife the incurring fevere penalties by the ftatute law against fuch practices; and yet after these bardy fteps taken, the informations are fo perplex'a that they are hardly to be understood. Enter Enter a Serving-man. Invite my Lords of Salisbury and Warwick, [Exeunt. ACT SCENE, at St. Albans. Enter King Henry, Queen, Protector, Cardinal, and Suffolk, with Faulkners hallowing. B 2. MARGARET. [made, Elieve me, Lords, for flying at the brook, I faw not better sport these seven 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 And what a pitch she 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 tower fo well; They know, their mafter loves to be aloft, 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 Card❜nal, how think you by that? Were it not good, your Grace could fly to heav'n ? K. Henry. The treafury of everlasting joy! Car. Thy heaven is on earth, thine eyes and thoughts That smooth'ft it fo with King and common-weal! Churchmen Churchmen fo hot? good uncle, hide fuch malice. Suf. No malice, Sir, no more than well becomes Suf. Why, as yourself, my Lord; Glo. Why, Suffolk, England knows thine infolence. -K. Henry. I pr'ythee, peace, good Queen; And whet not on these too-too furious Peers, For bleffed are the peace-makers on earth. Car. Let me be bleffed for the peace I make, Againft this proud Protector, with my fword! Glo. Faith, holy uncle, wou'd 'twere come to Car. Marry, when thou dar'st. [that. Glo. Make up no factious numbers for the matter, In thine own person answer thy abuse. This ev'ning on the eaft fide of the grove. Had not your man put up the fowl fo fuddenly, Afide. We'd had more fport--Come with thy two-hand fword. (6) Glo. True, uncle. [Afide to Glo. Car. Are you advis'd ?-The east fide of the grove. Glo. Cardinal, I am with you. K. Henry. Why how now, uncle Glo'fter? (6) -Come with thy two band fword. [Afide. Glo. True, uncle, are ye advis'd? The caft fide of the grove. Cardinal, I am with you.] Thus is this whole fpeech placed to Gloucefter, in all the editions: but furely, with great inadvertence. It is the Cardinal, who first appoints the eaft fide of the grove for the place of duel and how finely does it exprefs the rancour and impetuofity of the Cardinal, for fear Gloucefter fhould mistake, to repeat the appointment, and afk his antagonist if he takes him right! So I have ventur'd to regulate the fpeeches; as it improves a beauty, and avoids an abfurdity, Glo. Glo. Talking of hawking; nothing elfe, my Lord.Now, by God's mother, prieft, I'll have your crown for this, Or all my fence shall fail. Car. [Afide.] Medice teipfum. Protector, fee to't well, protect yourself. [Afide. [Lords. K. Henry. The winds grow high, fo do your stomachs, How irksome is this mufick to my heart? When fuch strings jar, what hopes of harmony Glo. What means this noise? Fellow, what miracle doft thou proclaim? 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, 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, and't please your Grace. Wife. Ay, indeed, was he. Suf. What woman is this? Wife. His wife, and't like your worship. Glo. Had'ft thou been his mother, thou could'st have better told. |