1

*K. Hen. Great is his comfort in this earthly vale, * Although by his sight his sin be multiplied.

* Glo. Stand by, my masters, bring him near the

king,

* His highness' pleasure is to talk with him.

*K. Hen. Good fellow, tell us here the circumstance, * That we for thee may glorify the Lord.

What, hast thou been long blind, and now restor❜d? Simp. Born blind, an't please your grace.

Wife. Ay, indeed, was he.

Suf. What woman is this?

Wife. His wife, an't like your worship.

Glo. Had'st thou been his mother, thou could'st have better told.

K. Hen. Where wert thou born?

Simp. At Berwick, in the north, an't like your grace.

K. Hen. Poor soul! God's goodness hath been great to thee:

'Let never day nor night unhallow'd pass,

But still remember what the Lord hath done.

* Q. Mar. Tell me, good fellow, cam'st thou here by chance,

* Or of devotion, to this holy shrine ?

Simp. God knows, of pure devotion; being call'd

A hundred times, and oftner, in my sleep

By good Saint Alban; who said,-Simpcox, come;

• Come, offer at my shrine, and I will help thee.

*Wife. Most true, forsooth; and many time and oft

* Myself have heard a voice to call him so.

Car. What, art thou lame?

Simp.

Suf. How cam'st thou so?

Ay, God Almighty help me!

Simp. But that in all my life, when I was a youth. * Wife. Too true; and bought his climbing very

dear.

* Glo. 'Mass, thou lov'dst plums well, that would'st

venture so.

Simp. Alas, good master, my wife desir'd some damsons,

́ And made me climb, with danger of my life.

* Glo. A subtle knave! but yet it shall not serve.— Let me see thine eyes:-wink now;-now open

them :

• In my opinion yet thou see'st not well.

Simp. Yes, master, clear as day; I thank God, and

Saint Alban.

Glo. Say'st thou me so? What colour is this cloak

of?

Simp. Red, master; red as blood.

Glo. Why, that's well said: What colour is my gown

of?

Simp. Black, forsooth; coal-black, as jet.

K. Hen. Why then, thou know'st what colour jet is of?

Suf. And yet, I think, jet did he never see.

Glo. But cloaks, and gowns, before this day, a many. Wife. Never, before this day, in all his life.

Glo. Tell me, sirrah, what's my name>

Simp. Alas, master, I know not.

Glo. What's his name?

Simp. I know not.

Glo. Nor his?

Simp. No, indeed, master.

Glo. What's thine own name?

Simp. Saunder Simpcox, an if it please you, master. Glo. Then, Saunder, sit thou there, the lyingest knave

In Christendom. If thou had'st been born blind,
Thou might'st as well have known our names, as thus
To name the several colours we do wear.

Sight may distinguish of colours; but suddenly
To nominate them all, 's impossible.-

My lords, Saint Alban here hath done a miracle;
And would ye not think that cunning to be great,
That could restore this cripple to his legs?

Simp. O, master, that you could!

Glo. My masters of Saint Albans, have you not beadles in your town, and things called whips? May. Yes, my lord, if it please your grace.

Glo. Then send for one presently.

May. Sirrah, go fetch the beadle hither straight. [Exit an Attendant.

Glo. Now fetch me a stool hither by and by. [A stool brought out.] Now, sirrah, if you mean to save yourself from whipping, leap me over this stool, and run away.

Simp. Alas, master, I am not able to stand alone: You go about to torture me in vain.

Re-enter Attendant, with the Beadle.

Glo. Well, sir, we must have you find your legs. Sirrah beadle, whip him till he leap over that same stool.

Bead. I will, my lord.-Come on, sirrah; off with your doublet quickly.

Simp. Alas, master, what shall I do? I am not able to stand.

[After the Beadle hath hit him once, he leaps over the stool, and runs away; and the people follow, and cry, A Miracle!

* K. Hen. O God, see'st thou this, and bear'st so long? * Q. Mar. It made me laugh, to see the villain run. * Glo. Follow the knave; and take this drab away. * Wije. Alas, sir, we did it for pure need. Glo. Let them be whipped through every market town, till they come to Berwick, whence they came.

[Exeunt Mayor, Beadle, Wife, &c. 'Car. Duke Humphrey has done a miracle to day. Suf. True; made the lame to leap, and fly away Glo. But you have done more miracles than I; You made, in a day, my lord, whole towns to fly.

Enter BUCKINGHAM.

'K. Hen. What tidings with our cousin Buckingham? 'Buck. Such as my heart doth tremble to unfold. A sort of naughty persons, lewdly bent,Under the countenance and confederacy Of lady Eleanor, the protector's wife, The ringleader and head of all this rout,Have practis'd dangerously against your state, Dealing with witches, and with conjurors: 'Whom we have apprehended in the fact; Raising up wicked spirits from under ground, Demanding of king Henry's life and death, And other of your highness' privy council, 'As more at large your grace shall understand.

'Car. And so, my lord protector, by this means 'Your lady is forthcoming yet at London.

This news, I think, hath turn'd your weapon's edge; • "Tis like, my lord, you will not keep your hour.

[Aside to GLOSter. • Glo. Ambitious churchman, leave to afflict my

heart!

* Sorrow and grief have vanquish'd all my powers: * And, vanquish'd as I am, I yield to thee,

* Or to the meanest groom.

*K. Hen. O God, what mischiefs work the wicked

ones;

* Heaping confusion on their own heads thereby! * Q. Mar. Gloster, see here the tainture of thy nest; * And, look, thyself be faultless, thou wert best.

Glo. Madam, for myself, to heaven I do appeal, 'How I have lov'd my king, and commonweal: And, for my wife, I know not how it stands; Sorry I am to hear what I have heard: 'Noble she is; but if she have forgot

Honour, and virtue, and convers'd with such
As, like to pitch, defile nobility,

• I banish her, my bed, and company;

And give her, as a prey, to law, and shame,

That hath dishonour'd Gloster's honest name.

'K. Hen. Well, for this night, we will repose us here: To-morrow, toward London, back again,

To look into this business thoroughly,

And call these foul offenders to their answers:

And poise the cause in justice' equal scales,

Whose beam stands sure, whose rightful cause pre

vails.

[Flourish. Exeunt.