A Select Collection of Old English Plays Volume Viii Part 28

[_Exeunt_.

JOHN. Hark how he mocks me, calling me your shade.

Chester and Salisbury, shall we gather power, And keep what we have got?

CHES. And in an hour Be taken, judg'd, and 'headed with disgrace.

Salisbury, what say you?

SAL. My lord, I bid your excellence adieu.

I to King Richard will submit my knee: I have good hope his grace will pardon me.

CHES. And, Salisbury, I'll go along with thee.

Farewell, Queen Mother; fare you well, Lord John.

JOHN. Mother, stay you.

QUEEN. Not I, son, by Saint Anne.

JOHN. Will you not stay?

QUEEN. Go with me: I will do the best I may To beg my son's forgiveness of my son. [_Exit_.

JOHN. Go by yourself. By heaven, 'twas 'long of you I rose to fall so soon. Leicester and Richmond's crew, They come to take me: now too late I rue My proud attempt. Like falling Phaeton, I perish from my guiding of the sun.

_Enter again_ LEICESTER _and_ RICHMOND.[224]

LEI. I will go back, i' faith, once more and see, Whether this mock king and the Mother Queen-- And who--Here's neither queen nor lord!

What, king of crickets, is there none but you?

Come off, [this crown: this sceptre, off!][225]

This crown, this sceptre are King Richard's right: Bear thou them, Richmond, thou art his true knight.

You would not send his ransom, gentle John; He's come to fetch it now. Come, wily fox, Now you are stripp'd out of the lion's case, What, dare you look the lion in the face?

The English lion, that in Austria With his strong hand pull'd out a lion's heart.

Good Richmond, tell it me; for G.o.d's sake, do: O, it does me good to hear his glories told.

RICH. Leicester, I saw King Richard with his fist Strike dead the son of Austrian Leopold, And then I saw him, by the duke's command, Compa.s.s'd and taken by a troop of men, Who led King Richard to a lion's den.

Opening the door, and in a paved court, The cowards left King Richard weaponless: Anon comes forth the fire-eyed dreadful beast, And with a heart-amazing voice he roar'd, Opening (like h.e.l.l) his iron-toothed jaws, And stretching out his fierce death-threatening paws.

I tell thee, Leicester, and I smile thereat (Though then, G.o.d knows, I had no power to smile), I stood by treacherous Austria all the while, Who in a gallery with iron grates Stay'd to behold King Richard made a prey.

LEI. What was't thou smiledst at in Austria?

RICH. Leicester, he shook--so help me G.o.d, he shook-- With very terror at the lion's look.

LEI. Ah, coward! but go on, what Richard did.

RICH. Richard about his right hand wound a scarf (G.o.d quite her for it) given him by a maid: With endless good may that good deed be paid!

And thrust that arm down the devouring throat Of the fierce lion, and withdrawing it, Drew out the strong heart of the monstrous beast, And left the senseless body on the ground.

LEI. O royal Richard: Richmond, look on John: Does he not quake in hearing this discourse?

Come, we will leave him, Richmond: let us go.

John, make suit For grace, that is your [only] means, you know.

[_Exeunt_.

JOHN. A mischief on that Leicester! is he gone?

'Twere best go too, lest in some mad fit He turn again, and lead me prisoner.

Southward I dare not fly: fain, fain I would To Scotland bend my course; but all the woods Are full of outlaws, that in Kendal green Follow the outlaw'd Earl of Huntington.

Well, I will clothe myself in such a suit, And by that means as well 'scape all pursuit, As pa.s.s the danger-threatening Huntington; For, having many outlaws, they'll think me By my attire one of their mates to be.

[_Exit_.

SCENE 2.

_Enter_ SCARLET, LITTLE JOHN, _and_ FRIAR TUCK.

FRIAR. Scarlet and John, so G.o.d me save, No mind unto my beads I have: I think it be a luckless day, For I can neither sing nor say; Nor have I any power to look On portace or on matin book.

SCAR. What is the reason, tell us, Friar?

FRIAR. And would ye have me be no liar?

LIT. JOHN. No. G.o.d defend that you should lie: A churchman be a liar?--fie!

FRIAR. Then, by this hallow'd crucifix, The holy water and the pix, It greatly at my stomach sticks, That all this day we had no gues',[226]

And have of meat so many a mess.

MUCH _brings out_ ELY, _like a countryman with a basket_.

MUCH. Well, and ye be but a market, ye are but a market-man.

ELY. I am sure, sir, I do you no hurt, do I?

SCAR. We shall have company, no doubt: My fellow Much hath found one out.

FRIAR. A fox, a fox! as I am friar, Much is well worthy of good hire.

LIT. JOHN. Say, Friar, soothly, know'st thou him!

FRIAR. It is a wolf in a sheep's skin.

Go, call our master, Little John; A glad man will he be anon.

It's Ely, man, the chancellor. [_Aside_.]

LIT. JOHN. G.o.d's pity! look unto him, Friar.

[_Aside. Exit_ LITTLE JOHN.

MUCH. What, ha' ye eggs to sell, old fellow?