That bears so shrewd a maim:two pulls at once-His lady banish'd and a limb lopp'd off.This staff of honour raught,there let it stand Where it best fits to be,in Henry's hand.SUFFOLK.Thus droops this lofty pine and hangs his sprays;Thus Eleanor's pride dies in her youngest days.YORK.Lords,let him go.Please it your Majesty,This is the day appointed for the combat;And ready are the appellant and defendant,The armourer and his man,to enter the lists,So please your Highness to behold the fight.QUEEN.Ay,good my lord;for purposely therefore Left I the court,to see this quarrel tried.KING HENRY.A God's name,see the lists and all things fit;Here let them end it,and God defend the right!YORK.I never saw a fellow worse bested,Or more afraid to fight,than is the appellant,The servant of his armourer,my lords.
Enter at one door,HORNER,the Armourer,and his NEIGHBOURS,drinking to him so much that he is drunk;and he enters with a drum before him and his staff with a sand-bag fastened to it;and at the other door PETER,his man,with a drum and sandbag,and PRENTICES drinking to him
FIRST NEIGHBOUR.Here,neighbour Horner,I drink to you in a cup of sack;and fear not,neighbour,you shall do well enough.SECOND NEIGHBOUR.And here,neighbour,here's a cup of charneco.THIRD NEIGHBOUR.And here's a pot of good double beer,neighbour;drink,and fear not your man.HORNER.Let it come,i'faith,and I'll pledge you all;and a fig for Peter!FIRST PRENTICE.Here,Peter,I drink to thee;and be not afraid.SECOND PRENTICE.Be merry,Peter,and fear not thy master:fight for credit of the prentices.PETER.I thank you all.Drink,and pray for me,I pray you;for I think I have taken my last draught in this world.Here,Robin,an if I die,I give thee my apron;and,Will,thou shalt have my hammer;and here,Tom,take all the money that I have.O Lord bless me,I pray God!for I am never able to deal with my master,he hath learnt so much fence already.SALISBURY.Come,leave your drinking and fall to blows.Sirrah,what's thy name?PETER.Peter,forsooth.SALISBURY.Peter?What more?PETER.Thump.SALISBURY.Thump?Then see thou thump thy master well.HORNER.Masters,I am come hither,as it were,upon my man's instigation,to prove him a knave and myself an honest man;and touching the Duke of York,I will take my death I never meant him any ill,nor the King,nor the Queen;and therefore,Peter,have at thee with a down right blow!YORK.Dispatch-this knave's tongue begins to double.Sound,trumpets,alarum to the combatants![Alarum.They fight and PETER strikes him down]HORNER.Hold,Peter,hold!I confess,I confess treason.[Dies]YORK.Take away his weapon.Fellow,thank God,and the good wine in thy master's way.PETER.O God,have I overcome mine enemies in this presence?O Peter,thou hast prevail'd in right!KING HENRY.Go,take hence that traitor from our sight,For by his death we do perceive his guilt;And God in justice hath reveal'd to us The truth and innocence of this poor fellow,Which he had thought to have murder'd wrongfully.Come,fellow,follow us for thy reward.Sound a flourish.Exeunt
SCENE IV.London.A street
Enter DUKE HUMPHREY and his men,in mourning cloaks
GLOUCESTER.Thus sometimes hath the brightest day a cloud,And after summer evermore succeeds Barren winter,with his wrathful nipping cold;So cares and joys abound,as seasons fleet.Sirs,what's o'clock?SERVING-MAN.Ten,my lord.GLOUCESTER.Ten is the hour that was appointed me To watch the coming of my punish'd duchess.Uneath may she endure the flinty streets To tread them with her tender-feeling feet.Sweet Nell,ill can thy noble mind abrook The abject people gazing on thy face,With envious looks,laughing at thy shame,That erst did follow thy proud chariot wheels When thou didst ride in triumph through the streets.But,soft!I think she comes,and I'll prepare My tear-stain'd eyes to see her miseries.
