Act I. Scene
III.
Scene III.—London. Before the Tower.
Enter at the Gates the DUKE OF
GLOUCESTER,with his Serving-men, in blue coats.
Glou. 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.
[Servants knock.
First Ward. [Within.] Who's there that
knocks so imperiously?
First Serv. It is the noble Duke of Glouces-
ter.
Sec. Ward. [Within.] Whoe'er he be, you may
not be let in.
First Serv. Villains, answer you so the Lord
Protector?
First Ward. [Within.] The Lord protect him!
so we answer him:
We do not otherwise than we are will'd.
Glo. 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, andWOODVILE the Lieutenant speaks
within.
Wood. What noise is this? what traitors have
we here?
Glo. Lieutenant, is it you whose voice I hear?
Open the gates! here's Gloucester that would
enter.
Wood. [Within.] 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.
Glo. 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.
First Serv. Open the gates unto the Lord
Protector;
Or we'll burst them open, if that you come not
quickly.
Enter WINCHESTER, attended by Serving-
men in tawny coats.
Win. How now, ambitious Humphrey! what
means this?
Glo. Peel'd priest, dost thou command me to
be shut out?
Win. I do, thou most usurping proditor,
And not protector, of the king or realm.
Glo. Stand back, thou manifest conspirator,
Thou that contriv'dst to murder our dead lord;
Thou that giv'st whores indulgences to sin:
I'll canvass thee in thy broad cardinal's hat,
If thou proceed in this thy insolence.
Win. 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.
Glo. 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.
Win. Do what thou dar'st; I'll beard thee to
thy face.
Glo. What! am I dar'd and bearded to my
face?—
Draw, men, for all this privileged place;
Blue coats to tawny-coats. Priest, beware your
beard; [GLOUCESTER and his men attack
the CARDINAL.
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.
Win. Gloucester, thou'rt answer this before
the pope.
Glo. 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 the Cardinal's
Men, and enter in the hurly-burly the
Mayor of London and his Officers.
May. Fie, lords! that you, being supreme
magistrates,
Thus contumeliously should break the peace!
Glo. 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.
Win. 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.
Glo. I will not answer thee with words, but
blows. [Here they skirmish again.
May. Nought rests for me, in this tumultuous
strife
But to make open proclamation.
Come, officer: as loud as e'er thou canst;
Cry.
Off. All manner of men, assembled here in
arms this day, against God's peace and the king's,
we charge and command you, in Ms 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.
Glo. Cardinal, I'll be no breaker of the law;
But we shall meet and break our minds at large.
Win. Gloucester, we will meet; to thy cost,
be sure:
Thy heart-blood I will have for this day's work.
May. I'll call for clubs if you will not away.
This cardinal's more haughty than the devil.
Glo. Mayor, farewell: thou dost but what
thou mayst.
Win. Abominable Gloucester! guard thy head;
For I intend to have it ere long.
[Exeunt, severally, GLOUCESTER and WIN-
CHESTER, with their Serving-men.
May. 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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