ACT II. SCENE I. Saint Albans. Enter King HENRY, Queen MARGARET, GLOSCardinal, and SUFFOLK, with Falconers TER, hollaing. Q. Mar. Believe me, lords, for flying at the brook," 'I saw 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. Hen. But what a point, my lord, your falcon made, And what a pitch she flew above the rest! 'To see how God in all his creatures works! * Yea, man and birds, are fain of climbing high. * And bears his thoughts above his falcon's pitch. That mounts no higher than a bird can soar. "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 heaven? *K. Hen. The treasury of everlasting joy! Car. Thy heaven is on earth; thine eyes and thoughts 7 The falconer's term for hawking at water-fowl. 8 Fond. 1 Beat on a crown,9 the treasure of thy heart; Pernicious protector, dangerous peer, That smooth'st it so with king and commonweal! Glo. What, cardinal, is your priesthood grown peremptory? *Tantæne animis cœlestibus iræ ? Churchmen so hot? good uncle, hide such malice; 'With such holiness can you do it? Suf. No malice, sir; no more than well becomes 'So good a quarrel, and so bad a peer. Glo. As who, my lord? Suf. Why, as you, my lord; An't like your lordly lord-protectorship. Glo. Why, Suffolk, England knows thine inso lence. Q. Mar. And thy ambition, Gloster. K. Hen. I pr'ythee, peace, Good queen; and whet not on these furious peers, For blessed are the peacemakers on earth. Car. Let me be blessed for the peace I make, Against this proud protector, with my sword! Glo. 'Faith, holy uncle, 'would 'twere come to [Aside to the Cardinal. that! 'Car. Marry, when thou dar'st. [Aside. 'Glo. Make up no factious numbers for the matter, 'In thine own person answer thy abuse. [Aside. Car. Ay, where thou dar'st not peep: an if thou dar'st, 'This evening on the east side of the grove. [Aside. K. Hen, How now, my lords? • Car. Believe me, cousin Gloster, 9 i. e. Thy mind is working on a crown. • Had not your man put up the fowl so suddenly, • We had had more sport.-Come with thy two-hand sword. Glo. True, uncle. [Aside to GLO. Car. Are you advis'd?-the east side of the grove? Glo. Cardinal, I am with K. Hen. you. [Aside. Why, how now, uncle Gloster? Glo. Talking of hawking; nothing else, my lord. Now, by God's mother, priest, I'll shave your crown for this, * Or all my fence' shall fail. *Car. Medice teipsum; [Aside. Protector, see to't well, protect yourself.} [Aside. K. Hen. The winds grow high; so do your stomachs, lords. How irksome is this musick to my heart! Enter an Inhabitant of Saint Albans, crying, Glo. What means this noise? Fellow, what miracle dost thou proclaim? Inhab. A miracle! a miracle! Suf. Come to the king, and tell him what miracle. Inhab. Forsooth, a blind man at Saint Alban's shrine, Within this half hour, hath receiv'd his sight; Fence is the art of defence. K. Hen. Now, God be prais'd! that to believing souls 'Gives light in darkness, comfort in despair! Enter the Mayor of Saint Albans, and his Brethren ; and SIMPCOX, borne between two persons in a Chair; his Wife, and a great Multitude following. *Car. Here come the townsmen on procession, * To present your highness with the man. * K. Hen. Great is his comfort in this earthly vale, * Although by his sight his sin be multiplied. * Glo. Stand by, my masters, bring him near the king, *His highness' pleasure is to talk with him. * K. Hen. Good fellow, tell us here the circum stance, * That we for thee may glorify the Lord. What, hast 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 could'st have better told. K. Hen. Where wert thou born? Simp. At Berwick in the north, an't like your grace. K. Hen. Poor soul! God's goodness hath been great to thee: Let never day nor night unhallow'd pass, But still remember what the Lord hath done. Q. Mar. Tell me, good fellow, cam'st thou here by chance, * Or of devotion, to this holy shrine ? Simp. God knows, of pure devotion; being call'd A hundred times, and oftner, in my sleep By good Saint Alban; who said,-Simpcox, come; Come, offer at my shrine, and I will help thee. *Wife. Most true, forsooth; and many time and oft Myself have heard a voice to call him so. Simp. O, born so, master. What, and would'st climb a tree? Simp. But that in all my life, when I was a youth. * Wife. Too true; and bought his climbing very dear. * Glo. 'Mass, thou lov'dst plums well, that would'st venture so. Simp. Alas, good master, my wife desir'd some damsons, 'And made me climb, with danger of my life. *Glo. A subtle knave! but yet it shall not serve.— Let me see thine eyes:-wink now;-now open them : 'In my opinion yet thou see'st not well. Simp. Yes, master, clear as day; I thank God, and Saint Alban. |