2 Pren. Be merry, Peter, and fear not thy master; fight for credit of the prentices.

Peter. I thank you all: * drink, and pray for me, * I pray you; for, I think, I have taken my last * draught in this world.*_Here, Robin, an if I die, I give thee my apron; and, Will, thou shalt have my hammer:-and here, Tom, take all the money that I have.-0 Lord, bless me, I pray God! for I am never able to deal with my master, he hath learnt so much fence already

Sal. Come, leave your drinking, and fall to blows. -Sirrah, what's thy name?

Peter. Peter, forsooth.
Sal. Peter! what more?
Peter. Thump.
Sal. Thump! then see thou thump thy master well.

Hor. Masters, I am come hither, as it were, upon my man's instigation, to prove him a knave, and myself an honest man: * and touching the duke of * York,—will take my death, I never meant him any ill, nor the king, nor the queen: *And therefore, Peter, have at thee with a downright blow, as Bevis of Southampton, fell upon Ascapart. * York. Despatch:—this knave's tongue begins to

double. * Sound trumpets, alarum to the combatants.

[Alarum. They fight, and Peter strikes down T his Master.

Hor. Hold, Peter, hold! I confess, I confess treason.

[ Dies. * York. Take away his weapon:-Fellow, thank * God, and the good wine in thy master's way.

• Peter. O God! have I overcome mine enemies in this presence? O Peter, thou hast prevailed in ‘right! K. Hen. Go, take hence that traitor from our

sight;

For, by his death, we do perceive his guilt:?
And God, in justice, hath reveal'd to usii'
The truth and innocence of this poor fellow,
Which he had thought to have murder'd wrongfully.-
Come, fellow, follow us for thy reward. Exeunt.

zme.

OR
TE

SCENE IV.
1

: The same. A Street. Enter Gloster and Servants, in mourning Cloaks. * Glo. Thus, sometimes, hath the brightest day

a cloud; * And after summer, evermore succeeds! * Barren winter, with his wrathful nipping cold: * So cares and joys abound, as seasons fleet. Sirs, what's o'clock? Serv.

Ten, my lord. · Glo. Ten is the hour that was appointed me, * To watch the coming of my punish'd duchess: • Uneath® may she endure the Ainty streets, * To tread them with her tender-feeling feet. Sweet Nell, ill can thy noble mind abrook The abject people, gazing on thy face, With envious' looks still laughing at thy shame; That erst did follow thy proud chariot wheels, When thou didst ride in triumph through the streets. * But, soft! I think, she comes; and I'll prepare * My tear-stain'd eyes to see her miseries.

· For, by his death, we do perceire his guilt:] According to the ancient usage of the duel, the vanquished person not only lost his life but his reputation, and his death was always regarded as a certain evidence of his guilt.

8 Uneath -] i. e. Scarcely, or not easily. 9 envious ] i. e. malicious.

ter the Duchess of Gloster, in a white sheet, with papers pinn'd upon her back, her feet bare, and a taper burning in her hand; Sir John Stanley, a Sheriff, and Officers. Serv. So please your grace, we'll take her from

the sheriff. • Glo. No, stir not, for your lives; let her pass by.

Duch. Come you, my lord, to see my open shame? Now thou dost penance too. Look, how they gaze! · See, how. the giddy multitude do point, * And nod their heads, and throw their eyes on thee! • Ah, Gloster, hide thee from their hateful looks; • And, in thy closet pent up, rue my shame, And ban thine enemies, both mine and thine.

Glo. Be patient, gentle Nell; forget this grief.

Duch. Ah, Gloster, teach me to forget myself: For, whilst I think I am thy married wife, And thou a prince, protector of this land, • Methinks, I should not thus be led along, Mail'd up in shame,' with papers on my back; * And follow'd with a rabble, that rejoice * To see my tears, and hear my deep-fet’ groans. The ruthless flint doth cut my tender feet; And, when I start, the envious people laugh, And bid me be advised how I tread. "Ah, Humphrey, can I bear this shameful yoke? * Trow'st thou, that e'er I'll look upon the world; * Or count them happy, that enjoy the sun? * No; dark shall be my light, and night my day; * To think upon my pomp, shall be my hell. Sometime I'll say, I am duke Humphrey's wife; And he a prince, and ruler of the land:

· Maild up in shame,] Wrapped up, bundled up in disgrace; alluding to the sheet of penance.

i deep-fet-] i. e. deep-fetched.

Yet so he rul'd, and such a prince he was,
As he stood by, whilst I, his forlorn duchess,

Was made a wonder, and a pointing stock,
To every idle rascal follower.
But be thou mild, and blush not at my shame;
Nor stir at nothing, till the axe of death
Hang over thee, as, sure, it shortly will.
For Suffolk,-he that can do all in all
· With her, that hateth thee, and hates us all,
And York, and impious Beaufort, that false priest,
Have all lim'd bushes to betray thy wings,
And, fly thou how thou canst, they'll tangle thee:
* But fear not thou, until thy foot be snar'd,
* Nor never seek prevention of thy foes.

* Glo. Ah, Nell, forbear; thou aimest all awry; * I must offend, before I be attainted: * And had I twenty times so many foes, * And each of them had twenty times their power, * All these could not procure me any scathe, * So long as I am loyal, true, and crimeless. "Would'st have me rescue thee from this reproach? • Why, yet thy scandal were not wip'd away, • But I in danger for the breach of law. * Thy greatest help is quiet, gentle Nell: "I pray thee, sort thy heart to patience; * These few days' wonder will be quickly worn.

Enter a Herald.

Her. I summon your grace to his majesty's parliament, holden at Bury the first of this next month.

Glo. And my consent ne'er ask'd herein before!

This is close dealing.–Well, I will be there.

(Exit Herald. My Nell, I take my leave:-and, master sheriff, Let not her penance exceed the king's commission. Sher. An't please your grace, here my com

mission stays: • And sir John Stanley is appointed now “To take her with him to the isle of Man. • Glo. Must you, sir John, protect my lady here? Stan. So am I given in charge, may't please your

grace. Glo. Entreat her not the worse, in that I pray You use her well: the world may laugh again:s And I may live to do you kindness, if You do it her. And so, sir John, farewell. Duch. What gone, my lord; and bid me not

farewell? • Glo. Witness my tears, I cannot stay to speak.

Exeunt GLOSTER and Servants. Duch. Art thou gone too? * All comfort go

with thee! * For none abides with me: my joy is-death; * Death, at whose name I oft have been afеard, * Because I wish'd this world's eternity.

Stanley, I pr’ythee, go, and take me hence; "I care not whither, for I beg no favour, • Only convey me where thou art commanded.

* Štan. Why, madam, that is to the isle of Man; * There to be used according to your state.

* Duch. That's bad enough, for I am but reproach: * And shall I then be us'd reproachfully? * Stan. Like to a duchess, and duke Humphrey's

lady, * According to that state you shall be used.

s- the world may laugh again;] That is, the world may look again favourably upon me. Johnson.