Suf. Why, as yourself, my lord ;

An't like your lordly, lord Protectorship.

Glo. Why, Suffolk, England knows thine infolence. Q. Mar. And thy ambition, Glofter.

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

Gar. Let me be blessed 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 perfon 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.
K. Henry. How now, my lords?

Car. Believe me, coulin Glo'fter,

Afide.

Had not your man put up the fowl fo fuddenly, We'd had more fport-Come with thy two-hand [Afide to Gloucefter.

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 Glofter?

[Afide.

Glo. Talking of hawking; nothing, elfe, my lord. Now, by God's mother, Priest, 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.

K. Henry. The winds grow high, fo do your flomachs, lords.

How irksome is this mufic to my heart!

When fuch ftrings jar, what hopes of harmony?
I pray, my lords, let me compound this ftrife.
VOL. VI.

C

SCENE

Glo.

SCENE II.

Enter One, crying, A Miracle!
WHAT means this noife? ·

WHA

Fellow, what miracle doft thou proclaim?

One. A miracle, a miracle!

Suf. Come to the King, and tell him what miraclė. 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, 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'ft thou been his mother, thou couldst have better told.

K. Henry. Where wert thou born?

Simp. At Berwick in the north, an't like your Grace. K. Henry. Poor foul! God's goodness hath been great to thee :

Let

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 oftner, in my fleep

By good Saint Alban; who faid, Simpcox, come;
Come, offer at my fhrine, and I will help thee.
Wife, Moft true, forfooth; and many a time and oft
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 a tree.

Wife. A plum-tree, mafter.

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

Glo. What, and would't 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 wouldst 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 ferve: Let's fee thine eyes; wink now, now open them ; In my opinion, yet, thou fee'ft not well.

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

Glo. Say't 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.

C 2

Glo.

Glo. But cloaks and gowns, before this day, a many.
Wife. Never before this day, in all his life.
Glo. Tell me, Sirrah, what's my name?
Simp. Alas, mafter, I know not.

Glo. What's his name?

Simp. I know not.

Glo. Nor his?

Simp. No, indeed, mafter.

Glo. What's thine own name?

Simp. Saunder Simpcox, an if it please you, master. Glo. Saunder, fit there, the lying'ft knave in Chriftendom.

If thou had'ft been born blind,

Thou might'ft as well know all our names, as thus
To name the feveral colours we do wear.
Sight may diftinguifh colours:

But fudden to nominate them all,

It is impoffible.

My Lords, Saint Alban here hath done a miracle:
Would ye not think that Cunning to be great,
That could reftore this cripple to his legs?

ус

Simp. O mafter, that you could!

Glo. My mafters of Saint Albans,
Have you not beadles in your town,
And things call'd whips ?

Mayor. Yes, my lord, if it please your Grace.
Glo. Then fend for one presently.

Mayor. Sirrah, go fetch the beadle hither ftraight. [Exit Meffenger. Gle. Now fetch me a ftool hither. Now, Sirrah, if you mean to fave yourself from whipping, leap me over this ftool, and run away.

Simp. Alas, mafter, I am not able to ftand alone: you go about to torture me in vain.'

Enter a Beadle with Whips.

Glo. Well, Sir, we must have you find your legs. Sirrah, beadle, whip him till he leap over that fame ftool.

Bead.

Bead. I will, my lord. Come on, Sirrah, off with your doublet quickly.

Simp. Alas, mafter, what fhall I do? I am not able to ftand.

[After the beadle hath hit him once, he leaps over the flool and runs away; and they follow and cry, A miracle! K. Henry. O God, fee'ft thou this, and bear'st so long!

Queen. It made me laugh to see the villain run. Glo. Follow the knave, and take this drab away. Wife. Alas, Sir, we did it for pure need.

came.

Glo. Let them be whipt through every market town, till they come to Berwick, from whence they [Exit Beadle with the Woman. Car. Duke Humphry has done a miracle to day. Suf. True; made the lame to leap, and fly away. Glo. But you have done more miracles than I'; You made in a day, my lord, whole towns to fly.

Buck. Such as my heart doth tremble to unfold: A fort of naughty perfons, lewdly bent, Under the countenance and confederacy Of lady Eleanor, the Protector's wife, (The ring-leader and head of all this rout) Have practis'd dangerously against your state; Dealing with witches and with conjurers, Whom we have apprehended in the fact, Raifing up wicked Spirits from under ground; Demanding of King Henry's life and death, And other of your Highnefs' privy-council, As more at large your Grace fhall understand. Car. And fo, my lord Protector, by this means

C 3

Your