K. Hen. Forward, lords, To London. Fair, ere long, I shall present you With a glad object, peace, and Huntley's blessing. [Exeunt.1 SCENE III. London.-The Tower-hill. Enter Constable and Officers, WARBECK, URSWICK, and LAMBERT SIMNEL as a falconer, followed by the rabble. Const. Make room there! keep off, I require you; and none come within twelve foot of his majesty's new stocks, upon pain of displeasure. Bring forward the malefactors.-Friend, you must to this geer, no remedy. Open the hole, and in with the legs, just in the middle hole; there, that hole. Keep off, or I'll commit you all! shall not a man in authority be obeyed? So, so, there; 't is as it should be :-[WARBECK is put in the stocks.]-put on the padlock, and give me the key. Off, I say; keep off! Urs. Yet, Warbeck, clear thy conscience: thou hast tasted King Henry's mercy liberally; the law Have doomed thee to the gallows. Twice most wickedly, Most desperately hast thou escaped the Tower; Young Edward, earl of Warwick, son to Clarence; 1 Here, at all events, it might have been thought that this drama would have concluded; but such was not the nature of a Chronicle-history; and, after all, Ford's expanse of subject is but trivial compared with that of some of his predecessors. In the dedication of "Promos and Cassandra" (1578) its author (Whetstone), observing on the offences which some of his contemporaries committed against probability, says, "In this quality the Englishman is most vaine, indiscreete, and out of order: he first grounds his work on impossibilities, then in three howers ronnes he throwe the worlde, marryes, gets children, makes children men, men Lo conquer kingdoms, murder monsters, &c. &c." Poor gentleman!-unhappy in his fate,- Šimn. You would be Dick the Fourth, very likely! War. Baited to my death! The duke of Richmond's practice on my fortunes; Urs. Lambert Simnel, Your predecessor in a dangerous uproar: To grace, but by the king vouchsafed his service. Forgave me all my villanies, reprieved 1 Your pedigree is publish'd, &c.] "Thus it was. There was a townsman of Tournay, whose name was John Osbeck, a convert Jew, married to Catherine de Faro, whose business drew him to live, for a time, with his wife at London, in King Edward the IV.'s days. During which time he had a son by her; and being known in court, the king did him the honour to stand godfather to his child, and named him Peter. But after ward proving a dainty and effeminate youth, he was commonly called by the diminutive of his name, Peterkin or Perkin."-Bacon. The term land-loper, applied to him by Simnel, is also from the historian. "He (Perkin) had been from his childhood such a wanderer, or, as the king called him, such a land-loper, as it was extreme hard to hunt out his nest.” Eat from the king's purse, and enjoy the sweetness Of liberty and favour; sleep securely: And is not this, now, better than to buffet The hangman's clutches? or to brave the cordage Of injuries, in scorn, may bid defiance To this base man's foul language! Thou poor vermin, Of such a royal blood as flows in mine, Thou wouldst not change condition, to be second In England's state, without the crown itself! Coarse creatures are incapable of excellence: This day a spectacle, to time deliver, Simn. He's past Recovery; a bedlam cannot cure him. Urs. Away, inform the king of his behaviour. coming. Urs. If yet thou hast no pity of thy body, Pity thy soul! [Exit. Enter KATHERINE, JANE, DALYELL, and OXFORD. Jane. Dear lady! Oxf. Whither will you, Without respect of shame? Kath. Forbear me, sir, And trouble not the current of my duty!- Th' infliction of this penance. My life's dearest, War. Great miracle of constancy! my miseries For every virtuous wife, without this conquest. To whom thy story shall appear a fable! Why wouldst thou prove so much unkind to greatness, To glorify thy vows by such a servitude? I cannot weep; but trust me, dear, my heart Is liberal of passion; Harry Richmond, A woman's faith hath robb'd thy fame of triumph! Oxf. Sirrah, leave off your juggling, and tie up The devil that ranges in your tongue. Urs. Thus witches, Possess'd, even [to] their deaths deluded, say, They have been wolves and dogs, and sail'd in egg shells Over the sea, and rid on fiery dragons; Pass'd in the air more than a thousand miles, All in a night-the enemy of mankind Is powerful, but false; and falsehood's confident. Oxf. Remember, lady, who you are; come from That impudent impostor. Kath. You abuse us : For when the holy churchman join'd our hands, Be what these people term thee, I am certain Or we will live, or let us die together. War. Spite of tyranny We reign in our affections, blessed woman! Oxf. The lord ambassador, Huntley, your father, madam, should he look on Would blush on your behalf, and wish his country Unleft, for entertainment to such sorrow. Kath. Why art thou angry, Oxford? I must be More peremptory in my duty.-Sir, Impute it not unto immodesty, That I presume to press you to a legacy, Before we part for ever. War. Let it be then My heart, the rich remains of all my fortunes. War. Oh! with that I wish to breathe my last; upon thy lips, [Kisses her. |