PERKIN WARBECK. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE WILLIAM CAVENDISH, EARL OF NEWCASTLE, VISCOUNT MANSFIELD, LORD BOLSOVER AND OGLE. MY LORD,-Out of the darkness of a former age, (enlightened by a late both learned and an honourable pen,) I have endeavoured to personate a great attempt, and in it, a greater danger. In other labours you may read actions of antiquity discoursed; in this abridgment, find the actors themselves discoursing; in some kind practised as well what to speak, as speaking why to do. Your lordship is a most competent judge, in expressions of such credit; commissioned by your known ability in examining, and enabled by your knowledge in determining, the monuments of Time. Eminent titles may, indeed, inform who their owners are, not often what. To your's the addition of that information in both, cannot in any application be observed flattery; the authority being established by truth. I can only acknowledge the errors in writing, mine own; the worthiness of the subject written being a perfection in the story, and of it. The custom of your lordship's entertainments (even to strangers) is rather an example than a fashion: in which consideration I dare not profess a curiosity; but am only studious that your lordship will please, amongst such as best honour your goodness, to admit into your noble construction, JOHN FORD. STUDIES have, of this nature, been of late, A history of noble mention, known, Famous, and true; most noble, 'cause our own : Enter King HENRY, supported to the Throne by the Bishop of DURHAM and Sir WILLIAM STANLEY. Earl of OXFORD, Earl of SURREY, and Lord DAWBENEY.-A Guard. K. Hen. Still to be haunted, still to be pursued, Have been by us, as by the best physician, Dur. The rage of malice Conjures fresh spirits with the spells of York. [tune, Of a most bloody purchase; these young princes, Grudge not at this content. Oxf. Margaret of Burgundy Blows fresh coals of division. Sur. Painted fires, At nine or ten months' end; she has been with child Eight, or seven years at least; whose twins being [Daw.] And but idols; A steely hammer crushes them to pieces. K. Hen. Lambert, the eldest, lords, is in our Preferr'd by an officious care of duty [service, From the scullery to a falconer; strange example! Which shews the difference between noble natures And the base-born: but for the upstart duke, The new-revived York, Edward's second son, Murder'd long since i' th' Tower; he lives again, And vows to be your king. Stan. The throne is fill'd, sir. To trim duke Perkin; you will all confess Our bounties have unthriftily been scatter'd Amongst unthankful men. Daw. Unthankful beasts, Dogs, villains, traitors! K. Hen. Dawbeney, let the guilty Keep silence; I accuse none, though I know Foreign attempts against a state and kingdom Are seldom without some great friends at home. Stan. Sir, if no other abler reasons else Of duty or allegiance could divert A headstrong resolution, yet the dangers So lately past by men of blood and fortunes In Lambert Simnel's party, must command More than a fear, a terror to conspiracy. The high-born Lincoln, son to De la Pole, The earl of Kildare, ([the] lord Geraldine,) Francis lord Lovell, and the German baron, Bold Martin Swart, with Broughton and the rest, (Most spectacles of ruin, some of mercy) Are precedents sufficient to forewarn The present times, or any that live in them, What folly, nay, what madness 'twere to lift A finger up in all defence but your's, Which can be but impostorous in a title. K. Hen. Stanley, we know thou lov'st us, and thy heart Is figured on thy tongue; nor think we less T' infect some grosser air: and now we learn (Maugre the malice of the bastard Nevill, Sir Taylor, and a hundred English rebels) They're all retired to Flanders, to the dam That nurs'd this eager whelp, Margaret of Burgundy. But we will hunt him there too! we will hunt him, Hunt him to death, even in the beldam's closet, Though the archduke were his buckler! Sur. She has styled him, "The fair white rose of England." Daw. Jolly gentleman! More fit to be a swabber to the Flemish, K. Hen. No matter-phew; he's but a running weed, At pleasure to be pluck'd up by the roots; Stan. The Tower !-[Aside.]-I shall, sir. The sun will shine at full; the heavens are clearing. [Flourish.-Excunt. SCENE II.-EDINBURGH.-An Apartment in Lord HUNTLEY'S House. Enter HUNTLEY and DALYELL. Hunt. You trifle time, sir. You construe my griefs to so hard a sense, Hunt. "Much mirth," lord Dalyell! I scorn not thy affection to my daughter, For thee, young lord, to perch so near an eaglet, I have spoke all at once. Dal. Sir, with this truth, You mix such wormwood, that you leave no hope For my disorder'd palate e'er to relish Dal. I could add more; and in the rightest line, Derive my pedigree from Adam Mure, A Scottish knight; whose daughter was the mother Hunt. Now, by Saint Andrew, A spark of metal! he has a brave fire in him. This will not do yet; if the girl be headstrong, Dal. With pardon, noble Gordon, this disdain Suits not your daughter's virtue, or my constancy. Hunt. You're angry-would he would beat me, I deserve it. [Aside. Dalyell, thy hand, we are friends: follow thy courtship, Take thine own time and speak; if thou prevail'st Dal. You bless me; I am now too poor in thanks To pay the debt I owe you. Hunt. Nay, thou'rt poor enough.— I love his spirit infinitely.-Look ye, Enter KATHERINE and JANE. Kath. The king commands your presence, sir. This, this, this lord, this servant, Kate, of yours, Kath. I acknowledge him A worthy friend of mine. Dal. Your humblest creature. Hunt. So, so; the game's a-foot, I'm in cold hunting, The hare and hounds are parties. Dal. Princely lady, How most unworthy I am to employ My services, in honour of your virtues, How hopeless my desires are to enjoy [Aside. Your fair opinion, and much more your love; Are only matters of despair, unless Your goodness gives large warrants to my boldness, My feeble-wing'd ambition. [Aside. Dal. After some fit disputes of your condition, Your highness and my lowness, given a licence Which did not more embolden, than encourage My faulting tongue. Hunt. How, how? how's that? embolden? What did I say to you? come, come, to th' point. Thou canst but make one choice; the ties of marriage Are tenures, not at will, but during life. Dal. Oh! You are all oracle, The living stock and root of truth and wisdom. Kath. My worthiest lord and father, the indul To live and die so, that you may not blush Creating every other hour a jubilee. Kath. To you, my lord of Dalyell, I address I value mine own worth at higher rate, So every virtuous praise, in after ages, Hunt. Oh, that I were young again! Kath. To the present motion, Here's all that I dare answer: when a ripeness Than such as lives in you; mean time, my hopes are Preser[v]'d secure, in having you a friend. Dal. You are a blessed lady, and instruct Ambition not to soar a farther flight, Than in the perfum'd air of your soft voice.My noble lord of Huntley, you have lent A full extent of bounty to this parley; And for it shall command your humblest servant. Hunt. Enough we are still friends, and will continue A hearty love. Oh, Kate! thou art mine own.No more ;-my lord of Crawford. Enter CRAWFORD. Craw. From the king I come, my lord of Huntley, who in council Hunt. Some weighty business? Craw. A secretary from a duke of York, For majesty ;-my lord, I will along with you. Kath. Please you walk, sir? Dal. "Times have their changes; sorrow makes men wise; SCENE III.-LONDON. An Apartment in the Tower. Enter the Bishop of DURHAM, Sir ROBERT Clifford, and URSWICK.-Lights. Dur. You find, Sir Robert Clifford, how securely King Henry, our great master, doth commit To admit you to his favour: do not falter All plots, all persons, that contrive against it. I offer thee my hand. Clif. A sovereign balm For my bruis'd soul, I kiss it with a greediness. Sir, you are a just master, but I— Is every circumstance thou hast set down The progress of our enemies' intents, Clif. True, as I wish heaven; Or my infected honour white again. K. Hen. We know all, Clifford, fully, since this meteor, This airy apparition first discradled Clif. For Ireland, mighty Henry; so instructed By Stephen Frion, sometimes secretary In the French tongue unto your sacred excellence, But Perkin's tutor now. K. Hen. A subtle villain That Frion, Frion,-you, my lord of Durham, Dur. French, both in heart and actions. K. Hen. Some Irish heads work in this mine of Speak them. [treason; Clif. Not any of the best; your fortune Hath dull'd their spleens. Never had counterfeit Such a confused rabble of lost bankrupts For counsellors: first Heron, a broken mercer, Then John a-Water, sometimes mayor of Cork, Sketon a taylor, and a scrivener : Call'd Astley and whate'er these list to treat of, K. Hen. Still more Frion! Pestilent adder, he will hiss out poison, As dangerous as infectious-we must match 'em. Clif. Oh, sir, here I must break A most unlawful oath to keep a just one. Shall be John Ratcliffe, Lord Fitzwater, then K. Hen. Churchmen are turn'd devils. Clif. One more remains Unnam'd, whom I could willingly forget. K. Hen. Ha, Clifford! one more? Clif. Great sir, do not hear him; For when Sir William Stanley, your lord chamShall come into the list, as he is chief, I shall lose credit with you; yet this lord, Last named, is first against you. K. Hen. Urswick, the light! [berlain, |