A Select Collection of Old English Plays Volume Viii Part 50

[_The_ KING _and_ MOWBRAY _whisper_.

HUB. The king is angry: Lady Bruce, advise you.

LADY B. What! be advis'd by thee To have my loving, kind, and pretty boy Given to an unkind killer of sweet boys?

CHES. Madam, go to; take counsel of your friends.

I warrant you the king will use him well.

LADY B. Ay, as he us'd his nephew Arthur, Chester.

G.o.d bless my child from being used so!

MOW. Sir Hubert, what, are all the people voided, The horses and the cattle turned forth?

HUB. Mowbray, they be.

MOW. Then will I do the king's commandment.

LADY B. What will he do? good Lord! what will he do?

Mowbray, I pray you, what is't you will do?

MOW. Why, fire the castle.

LADY B. The castle, Mowbray? tarry, tarry, man!

Hold me not, Chester! gentle Mowbray, stay!

Good Hubert, let me go!

MOW. You must not go: The king is mov'd, and will not hear you speak.

LADY B. But he shall hear me! pity me, King John!

Call Mowbray back: hear me, for pity's sake!

Regard the Lady Bruce's woful cry!

KING. What dost thou ask?

LADY B. First call back Mowbray.

KING. Stay, Mowbray. Now, be brief.

LADY B. I have some linen garments, jewels, 'tires, Pack'd in a hamper here within the lodge: O, let me save it from consuming fire!

KING. And is this all?

LADY B. It's all the little all I here have left.

KING. Away! set fire! linen and tras.h.!.+

LADY B. Once more hear me! there's a precious gem, You have not any richer in all the realm: If fire do blemish it, art never more To his true colour can the same restore.

KING. Fetch it.

Two of ye help her with her hamper hither.

LADY B. Nay, nay, one will suffice: the jewel if I save, Is all I ask.

[_Exit with_ CHESTER.

KING. We shall her jewel have.

HUB. She is very fearful I should keep her son.

LADY B. [_Within_.] Ye do, ye do!

KING. Alas! good Lady, hark: Chester and she are chiding.

_Enter_ CHESTER _and she, leading the boy_.

LADY B. Let go his hand! Is this a paw, think you, To hold a tender hand in? fie, for shame!

A n.o.bleman so churlis.h.!.+ Look, I pray, His arms are gristless.[327]

KING. How now, Lady Bruce!

Doth Chester hurt the jewel of your joy?

Now, by my troth, it is a pretty boy!

LADY B. Ay, knew your majesty as much as I, You would say more.

KING. Well, he and you of us no wrong shall have, But stay in Windsor Castle with Sir Walter Blunt, And honourably be us'd; provided still Your husband and your son obey our will.

LADY B. For this great mercy, if they disobey, Myself will chide them. Fortune follow John, And on his foes fall swift destruction!

KING. Come! let us now after the queen and Salisbury.

[_Exeunt omnes_.

SCENE IV.

_Enter the_ QUEEN, SALISBURY, _Soldiers_.

QUEEN. Now are ye, worthy and resolved men, Come to the cage where the unclean birds bide, That tire[328] on all the fair flight in the realm.

Summon this castle, or (to keep my words) This cage of night-hid owls, light-flying birds.

[_Offer to summon_.

_Enter_ YOUNG BRUCE, MATILDA, _Soldiers_.

SAL. Stay, drum! thou need'st not summon willing men, Or rather wilful, for such methinks they be.

QUEEN. See ye yon baggage, m.u.f.fled in black weeds: Those clouds fold in the comet that portends Sad desolation to this royal realm.

For ever seek to mask her light, good friends: Let us disrobe her of each little beam, And then your Phoebus will one Phoebe have, That while they live shall lend your land true light, Give joy unto your day, rest to your night.