Sir John Oldcastle

SCROOP. Once more, my Lord of Cambridge, make rehearsal, How you do stand entitled to the Crown. The deeper shall we print it in our minds, And every man the better be resolved,...

SUMNER. I have the law to warrant what I do; and though the Lord Cobham be a noble man, that dispenses not with law: I dare serve process were a five noble men. Though we Sumner...

FIRST. God help! God help! there’s law for punishing, But there’s no law for our necessity: There be more stocks to set poor soldiers in, Than there be houses to relieve them at.

KING. Peace, no more of that. The King’s asleep; wake not his majesty With terms nor titles; he’s at rest in bed. Kings do not use to watch themselves; they sleep, And let rebel...

COBHAM. Oh, give me patience to endure this scourge, Thou that art fountain of that virtuous stream, And though contempt, false witness, and reproach Hang on these iron gyves, t...

BISHOP. My noble Lord, no more than what you know, And have been oftentimes invested with: Grievous complaints have past between the lips Of envious persons to upbraid the Clerg...

BISHOP. Your husband is a dangerous schismatic, Traitor to God, the King, and common wealth: And therefore, master Croamer, shrieve of Kent, I charge you take her to your custod...

KING. Bring in those traitors, whose aspiring minds Thought to have triumpht in our overthrow. But now ye see, base villains, what success Attends ill actions wrongfully attempt...

[Enter Lord Herbert, Lord Powis, Owen, Gough, Davy, and several other followers of the lords Herbert and Powis; they fight. In the fight, enter the Sheriff and two of his men.]

KING. [In great haste.] My lord of Suffolk, post away for life, And let our forces of such horse and foot, As can be gathered up by any means, Make speedy rendezvous in Tuttle f...

COBHAM. Come, Madam, happily escaped; here let us sit. This place is far remote from any path, And here awhile our weary limbs may rest, To take refreshing, free from the pursui...

BISHOP. Now you have brought me here into the Tower, You may go back unto the Porters Lodge, And send for drink or such things as you want, Where if I have occasion to employ yo...

KING. Tis not enough, Lord Cobham, to submit; You must forsake your gross opinion. The Bishops find themselves much injured, And though, for some good service you have done, We...

MURLEY. Mary, God dild ye, dainty my dear! no master, good sir Roger Acton Knight, master Bourne, and master Beverly esquires, gentlemen, and justices of the peace—no master I,...

MURLEY. Come, my hearts of flint, modestly, decently, soberly, and handsomely, no man afore his Leader; follow your master, your Captain, your Knight that shall be, for the hono...

HARPOOLE. Yes, mary, do I:—zwounds, I can not find my hose; this Irish rascal that was lodged with me all night hath stolen my apparel, and has left me nothing but a lowsy mantl...

SCROOP. What think ye then of this? I am his bedfellow, And unsuspected nightly sleep with him. What if I venture in those silent hours, When sleep hath sealed up all mortal eye...

SIR JOHN. Come, Doll, come; be merry, wench. Farewell, Kent, we are not fond for thee. Be lusty, my lass, come, for Lancashire, We must nip the Boung for these crowns.

HOST. Yfaith, my fellow, I have no lodging, but what I keep for my guess, that I may not disappoint: as for meat thou shalt have such as there is, & if thou wilt lie in the barn...

PRIEST. Canst thou blame me, Doll? thou art my lands, my goods, my jewels, my wealth, my purse. None walks within xl. miles of London, but a plies thee as truly as the parish do...

BISHOP. What intricate confusion have we here? Not two hours since we apprehended one, In habit Irish, but in speech not so: And now you bring another, that in speech Is altoget...

HOST. Sir, you are welcome to this house, to such as here is with all my heart, but, by the mass, I fear your lodging will be the worst. I have but two beds, and they are both i...

MAYOR. Surely, my lord of Rochester was then deceived, Or ill informed of sir John Old-castle, Or if he came this way he’s past the town. He could not else have scaped you in th...