Act I, Scene III. London. Before the Tower.
Enter GLOUCESTER, with his Serving-men in blue
coats
GLOUCESTER
I am come to survey the Tower this day:
Since Henry's death, I fear, there is conveyance.
Where be these warders, that they wait not here?
Open the gates; 'tis Gloucester that calls.
First Warder
[Within] Who's there that knocks so
imperiously?
First Serving-Man It is the noble Duke of Gloucester.
Second Warder
[Within] Whoe'er he be, you may not
be let in.
First Serving-Man Villains, answer you so the lord protector?
First Warder
[Within] The Lord protect him! so we
answer him:
We do no otherwise than we are will'd.
GLOUCESTER
Who willed you? or whose will stands
but mine?
There's none protector of the realm but I.
Break up the gates, I'll be your warrantize.
Shall I be flouted thus by dunghill grooms?
Gloucester's men rush at the Tower Gates, and WOODVILE
the Lieutenant speaks within
WOODVILE
What noise is this? what traitors have
we here?
GLOUCESTER
Lieutenant, is it you whose voice I
hear?
Open the gates; here's Gloucester that would enter.
WOODVILE
Have patience, noble duke; I may not
open;
The Cardinal of Winchester forbids:
From him I have express commandment
That thou nor none of thine shall be let in.
GLOUCESTER
Faint-hearted Woodvile, prizest him
'fore me?
Arrogant Winchester, that haughty prelate,
Whom Henry, our late sovereign, ne'er could brook?
Thou art no friend to God or to the king:
Open the gates, or I'll shut thee out shortly.
Serving-Men Open the gates unto the lord protector,
Or we'll burst them open, if that you come not quickly.
Enter to the Protector at the Tower Gates BISHOP OF
WINCHESTER and his men in tawny coats
BISHOP
OF WINCHESTER
How now, ambitious Humphry! what means
this?
GLOUCESTER
Peel'd priest, dost thou command me
to be shut out?
BISHOP
OF WINCHESTER
I do, thou most usurping proditor,
And not protector, of the king or realm.
GLOUCESTER
Stand back, thou manifest conspirator,
Thou that contrivedst to murder our dead lord;
Thou that givest whores indulgences to sin:
I'll canvass thee in thy broad cardinal's hat,
If thou proceed in this thy insolence.
BISHOP
OF WINCHESTER
Nay, stand thou back, I will not budge
a foot:
This be Damascus, be thou cursed Cain,
To slay thy brother Abel, if thou wilt.
GLOUCESTER
I will not slay thee, but I'll drive
thee back:
Thy scarlet robes as a child's bearing-cloth
I'll use to carry thee out of this place.
BISHOP
OF WINCHESTER
Do what thou darest; I beard thee to
thy face.
GLOUCESTER
What! am I dared and bearded to my
face?
Draw, men, for all this privileged place;
Blue coats to tawny coats. Priest, beware your beard,
I mean to tug it and to cuff you soundly:
Under my feet I stamp thy cardinal's hat:
In spite of pope or dignities of church,
Here by the cheeks I'll drag thee up and down.
BISHOP
OF WINCHESTER
Gloucester, thou wilt answer this before
the pope.
GLOUCESTER
Winchester goose, I cry, a rope! a
rope!
Now beat them hence; why do you let them stay?
Thee I'll chase hence, thou wolf in sheep's array.
Out, tawny coats! out, scarlet hypocrite!
Here GLOUCESTER's men beat out BISHOP OF WINCHESTER's
men, and enter in the hurly- burly the Mayor of London and his Officers
Mayor
Fie, lords! that you, being supreme
magistrates,
Thus contumeliously should break the peace!
GLOUCESTER
Peace, mayor! thou know'st little of
my wrongs:
Here's Beaufort, that regards nor God nor king,
Hath here distrain'd the Tower to his use.
BISHOP
OF WINCHESTER
Here's Gloucester, a foe to citizens,
One that still motions war and never peace,
O'ercharging your free purses with large fines,
That seeks to overthrow religion,
Because he is protector of the realm,
And would have armour here out of the Tower,
To crown himself king and suppress the prince.
GLOUCESTER
I will not answer thee with words,
but blows.
Here they skirmish again
Mayor
Naught rests for me in this tumultuous
strife
But to make open proclamation:
Come, officer; as loud as e'er thou canst,
Cry.
Officer
All manner of men assembled here in
arms this day
against God's peace and the king's, we charge and
command you, in his highness' name, to repair to
your several dwelling-places; and not to wear,
handle, or use any sword, weapon, or dagger,
henceforward, upon pain of death.
GLOUCESTER
Cardinal, I'll be no breaker of the
law:
But we shall meet, and break our minds at large.
BISHOP
OF WINCHESTER
Gloucester, we will meet; to thy cost,
be sure:
Thy heart-blood I will have for this day's work.
Mayor
I'll call for clubs, if you will not
away.
This cardinal's more haughty than the devil.
GLOUCESTER
Mayor, farewell: thou dost but what
thou mayst.
BISHOP
OF WINCHESTER
Abominable Gloucester, guard thy head;
For I intend to have it ere long.
Exeunt, severally, GLOUCESTER and BISHOP OF WINCHESTER
with their Serving-men
Mayor
See the coast clear'd, and then we
will depart.
Good God, these nobles should such stomachs bear!
I myself fight not once in forty year.
Exeunt
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