University of Virginia Library

(i) Sceane

Enter hastely at seuerall doores: Duke of Lancaster, Duke of yorke. the Earles of Arondell and Surrye, wt h Napkins on ther armes & kniues in ther hands: & sr. Thomas Chæney, wt h others beareing torches, & some wt h clookes & Rapiers /
omnes:
lights, lights bring torches knaues,

lanc:
shutt to the gates, lett no man out vntill the house be searcht

yorke:
call for or Coches, letts away good brother
now byth, blest Saints. I feare we are poysond all,

Arond:
poysond my lord

lanc:
I I good Arondell, tis hye tyme be gon
may [god] heauen be blest for this preuentione

yorke:
god for thy Mercye, would or Cussen king
soe Cussen vs, to poysen vs in or meate

lanc:
has no man heere some helpeing Antedote
for feare already we haue tayne some drame
what thinkest thou Cheney, thou first broughtst the tydings
are we not poysond thinkest thou.

Che:
+ feare not my lords.
that mischeeueous potion was as yett vnserud
it was a liqued bayne dissolud in wine
wc h after supper should haue bene caroust
to young king Richards health,

lanc:
good ifaith are his vncles deathes become
health to king Richard: how cam it out
Sr thomas Cheney pray resolue vs [this doubt]

Che:
A Carmallit ffryer my lord reueald the plott
and should haue acted itt, but tucht in conscience
he came to yor good brother; the lord protector.
and soe disclosd itt; who straight sent me to you

yorke:
the lord protect hime for itt, I and or Cossen kinge
hye heauene bee Iudg we wish all good to hime—

lanc:
a heauey charge good woodstocke hast thou had
to be protector to soe wyld a prince
soe farr degenerate from his noble ffather
[whome the trembling ffrench the blacke prince calld]
[not of a swart and mellancholly brow]
[for sweete & louely was his Countenance]
[but that he mayd so many ffunerall dayes]
[in mornefull ffrance: the warlicke battayles wonne]
[at Cressey ffeild. poyteeres, Artoyse & Mayne]
[maid all ffrance growne vnder his conquering Arme]
but heauen fore stauld his diademe on earth
to place hime wt h a royall Crowne in heauen.
rise may his dust to glorye: ere h'eed a done
a deede soe base vnto his enemye
much less vnto the brothers of his ffather
h'ed first haue lost his Royall blood in droops
dissolud the strings of his humanytye
& lost that liuelyhood that was preserud
to make his (vnlike) sonne a wanton kinge

yorke:
for beare good Iohn of Gaunt, beleeue me brother
we may doe wrong vnto or Cossen kinge
[OMITTED] I feare his fflattering Mynions more then hime

[OMITTED]lanc:
by the blest vergine, noble Edmond yorke
Ime past all patience, poyson his subiects
his royall vncles; why the proud Castillyan
wher Iohn of Gaunt wrights king & soueraigne
would not throwe off their vyld & servill yoake
by trechery soe base; patience gratious heauen,

[OMITTED]Arond:
a good Invooke right princly Lancaster
calme thy hye spleene, Sr Thomas Cheney heere
can tell the circomstance; pray giue hime leaue

[OMITTED]lanc:
well lett hime speake

[OMITTED]Che:
tis certaynely maid knowne my Reuerent lords,
to yor loud brother, & the good protector
that not king Richard, but his fflatterers
Sr henry Greene: Ioynd wt h Sr Edward Baggott
and that sly machauill Tressillian./
whome now the king elects for lord Cheefe Iustice
had all great hands in this consperacye

lanc:
by blessed mary / Ile confound them all

yorke:
yor spleene confounds yr selfe,

lanc:
by kingly Edwards soule, my Royall ffather
Ile be reuengd at full on all ther liues

yorke:
nay if yor rage breake to such hye extreames
you will preuent yor self, & loose reuenge

lanc:
why Edmond canst thou giue a reason yett
though we soe neere in blood, his hapless vncles,
(his grandsier Edwards sonnes; his ffathers brothers)
should thus be mayd away, why might it be
that Arondell and Surrey heere should dye

Surry:
+ some ffreend of thers wanted my Earledome sore

Arond:
parhapps my office of the Admiralltye
if a better & more fortunate hand, could gouerne itt
I would twere none of myne
yett thus much can I say; & make my praise
no more then merrytt: A wealthier prize
did neuer yett take harbour in or Roodes
then I to england brought; you all can tell
full threescore sayle of tawle and lusty shipps
and six great Carickes frought wt h oyle & wiñes
I brought king Richard in aboundance home
so much, that plentye hath so staild or pallats
as that a Tuñ of hye prizd wynes of ffrance
is hardly worth a marke of english money
If seruice such as this, done to my Country
merritt my harte to bleed. lett it bleed freely

lanc:
wele bleed to gether warlicke Arondell
Cussen of Surrye. princly Edmond yorke
letts thinke on some reuenge: if we must dye
(10000) soules shall keepe vs companey

yorke:
patience good Lancaster, tell me kynd Cheney
how does thy mr. or good brother woodstocke
playne Thomas, for bith rood, so all men call hime
for his playne dealing, & his simple cloathing
lett others Iett in silcke & gould sayes hee
[[illeg.]]
a coate of english freese, best pleaseth me
how thinckes his vnsophisticated playnenes
of theis bitter compounds, feares he no drugge
putt in his brothe, shall his healthes be secure

Che:
faith my lord his mynd sutes wt h his habitt
homely & playne. boeth free from pryd & enuye
& therin will admitt distrust to none. [OMITTED]

[OMITTED]Enter Thomas of Woodstocke In Freese: The Mace «[OMITTED].» h[OMITTED]
The Lord Mayre & Exton, & others wt h lightes afore them [OMITTED]
Che:
and See his grace hime self is com to greete you./
be yor leaue ther, Roome for my lord protectors grace

yorke:, lanc:
health to yor grace

Wood:
I sallute yor healthes good brothers, pray ∥don mee
Ile speake wt h you anañ:/ hye thee good Exton
good lord mayre I doe beseech ye prossecute
wt h yor best care a meanes for all or saftyes
mischeife hath often duble practises,
trecherye wannts not his Second strattagem,
who knowes but steele may hitt, though poyson faile
alacktheday, the night is made a vayle
to shaddowe mischeife, sett I beseech
strong guard & carefull to attend the cittye
or ladye help, we knowe not who are ffreends
or ffoes are growne soe mightie, pray be carefull

[G ad]Mayre:
yor ffreends are Greate in london. good my lord
Ile front all Dangers, trust it on my word

Exitt L: May[OMITTED]
Wood:
thankes from my harte I sweare: a fore my god
[I knowe not wc h way to bestowe my selfe]
[the tymes soe byssye and soe dangerous too]
why how now brothers; how faires good Iohn a Gaunt
thart vext I knowe, thou greiust kind Edmond yorke
Arondell and Surrye, noble kinsmen
I knowe ye all are discontented much,
but be not soe; a fore [my god] I sweare
king Richard loues you all: and creditt me
the princly gentleman is Innocent
of this blacke deed. and, base consperacye
speake, speake how ist wt h princly lancaster

lanc:
sicke Gloster sicke. we all are wearye
& faine we would ly downe to rest or selues
but that so many serpents lurke i'th grass
we dare not sleepe

Wood:
enough enough good brother, I haue found out the dissease
when the head akes, the body is not healthfull
king Richards wounded wt h a wanton humor
luld & securd by flattering Sicophants
but tis not deadly yett, it may be curd
some vayne lett blood. wher the corruptione lyes
& all shall heale agayne—

yorke:
then loose no tyme, least it growe vlserous
the falce Tressillian greene and Baggott
rune nought but poyson brother, spill them all

lanc:
they guide the nonage king; tis they protect hime
ye weare the title of protector shipp
but like an vnder officer, as though
yors were deriud from theres; faith y'are to playne

Wood
In my apparrell youle say

lanc:
good faith in all
the commons murmor gainst the dessolat kinge
treason is whisperd at each common table
as customary as ther thankes to heauen
men need not gayse vp to the sky to see,
whether the Sune shine cleere or no, tis found
by the Smalle light should bewtifye the grownd
consaite you me, a blynd man thus much sees
he wants his eyes to whome we bend or knees[OMITTED]

Arond:
you all are princes of the royall blood
yett like great oakes ye lett the Iuye growe
to eate yor harts out wt h his falce Imbraces
ye vnderstand my lord

Wood:
I I good Cuss, as if ye playnely sedd
distroy those fflatterers. & tell king Richard
he does abasse hime self to Countenance them, softe softe,
fruite that growes hye, Is not securely pluckt
we must vse ladders & by stepps assend
till by degrees we reach the Altitude
you consaite me too. pray be smooth awhile
to morrow is the sollemne nuptiall day
be twixt the king, & vertious Anne a Beame
the Emperours daughter, a Right gratious ladye
thats come to England for king Richards loue
then as you loue his grace: & hate his fflatterers
discountnance not the day, wt h the least frowne
be Ignorant of what ye knowe: a fore my god
I haue good hope this happie mariage (brothers)
of this soe noble & religious princess
will myldly calme his headstrong youth to see
& shune those staynes that blurrs his mat i e.
if not, by good king Edwards bones or Royall ffather
I will remoue those hinderers of his health. (tho't cost my head)

yorke:, lanc:
on these conditions brother, we agree.

Arond:
and I:

(Surry:)
And I

lanc:
to hyde or hate is soundest pollicye

yorke:
& brother Gloster sence it is yor pleasure
to haue vs smooth or sullen browes wt h smiles
wede haue you suit yor out syd to yor harte
and like a courtier cast this country habitt
for wc h the course & vulgar call yor grace
bith title of playne Thomas: yett we doubt not
to morrow we shall haue good hope to see
yor high protector shipp in brauerye

Wood:
no no good yorke, this is as faire a sight
my harte in this playne freese sitts true & right
in this Ile serue my king as true & bould
as if my out-syd were all trapte in gould

lanc:
by marye but you shall not brother woodstocke
what the mariage day to Richard & his queene
& will ye soe disgrace the state & Realme
wele haue you braue e faith

Wood:
well well for yor sakes brothers & this sollome day
for once Ile Sumpter a gawdye wardropp, but tis more
then I haue done I vow. this (20) yeares
a fore my god, the king could not haue Intreated mee
to leaue this habitt, but yor wills be done
letts hye to courte you all yor wishes haue
one wearye day. playne Thomas wilbe braue

Exeunt omnes/