were best.
Richard, what thinke you
Hubertshand,
Arthurdoth liue, the king hath sent for you.
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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<div type="scene" n="3">
<head rend="italic center">Scœna Tertia.</head>
<head type="supplied">[Act 4, Scene 3]</head>
<stage rend="italic center" type="entrance">Enter Arthur on the walles.</stage>
<sp who="#F-jn-art">
<speaker rend="italic">Ar.</speaker>
<l n="1932">The Wall is high, and yet will I leape downe.</l>
<l n="1933">Good ground be pittifull, and hurt me not:</l>
<l n="1934">There's few or none do know me, if they did,</l>
<l n="1935">This Ship‑boyes semblance hath disguis'd me quite.</l>
<l n="1936">I am afraide, and yet Ile venture it.</l>
<l n="1937">If I get downe, and do not breake my limbes,</l>
<l n="1938">Ile finde a thousand shifts to get away;</l>
<l n="1939">As good to dye, and go; as dye, and stay.</l>
<l n="1940">Oh me, my Vnckles spirit is in these stones,</l>
<l n="1941">Heauen take my soule, and England keep my bones.</l>
</sp>
<stage rend="italic rightJustified" type="business">Dies</stage>
<stage rend="italic center" type="entrance">Enter Pembroke Salisbury, & Bigot.</stage>
<sp who="#F-jn-sal">
<speaker rend="italic">Sal.</speaker>
<l n="1942">Lords, I will meet him at<choice>
<abbr>S.</abbr>
<expan>Saint</expan>
</choice>
<hi rend="italic">Edmondsbury</hi>,</l>
<l n="1943">It is our safetie, and we must embrace</l>
<l n="1944">This gentle offer of the perillous time.</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-jn-pem">
<speaker rend="italic">Pem.</speaker>
<l n="1945">Who brought that Letter from the Cardinall?</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-jn-sal">
<speaker rend="italic">Sal.</speaker>
<l n="1946">The Count<hi rend="italic">Meloone</hi>, a Noble Lord of France,</l>
<l n="1947">Whose priuate with me of the Dolphines loue,</l>
<l n="1948">Is much more generall, then these lines import.</l>
</sp>
<pb facs="FFimg:axc0341-0.jpg" n="17"/>
<cb n="1"/>
<sp who="#F-jn-big">
<speaker rend="italic">Big.</speaker>
<l n="1949">To morrow morning let vs meete him then.</l>
<note type="physical" resp="#ES">An ink mark follows the end of this line.</note>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-jn-sal">
<speaker rend="italic">Sal.</speaker>
<l n="1950">Or rather then set forward, for 'twill be</l>
<l n="1951">Two long dayes iourney (Lords) or ere we meete.</l>
</sp>
<stage rend="italic center" type="entrance">Enter Bastard.</stage>
<sp who="#F-jn-phi">
<speaker rend="italic">Bast.</speaker>
<l n="1952">Once more to day well met, distemper'd Lords,</l>
<l n="1953">The King by me requests your presence straight.</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-jn-sal">
<speaker rend="italic">Sal.</speaker>
<l n="1954">The king hath dispossest himselfe of vs,</l>
<l n="1955">We will not lyne his thin‑bestained cloake</l>
<l n="1956">With our pure Honors: nor attend the foote</l>
<l n="1957">That leaues the print of blood where ere it walkes.</l>
<l n="1958">Returne, and tell him so: we know the worst.</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-jn-phi">
<speaker rend="italic">Bast.</speaker>
<l n="1959">What ere you thinke, good words I thinke
<lb/>were best.</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-jn-sal">
<speaker rend="italic">Sal.</speaker>
<l n="1960">Our greefes, and not our manners reason now.</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-jn-phi">
<speaker rend="italic">Bast.</speaker>
<l n="1961">But there is little reason in your greefe.</l>
<l n="1962">Therefore 'twere reason you had manners now.</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-jn-pem">
<speaker rend="italic">Pem.</speaker>
<l n="1963">Sir, sir, impatience hath his priuiledge.</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-jn-phi">
<speaker rend="italic">Bast.</speaker>
<l n="1964">'Tis true, to hurt his master, no mans else.</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-jn-sal">
<speaker rend="italic">Sal.</speaker>
<l n="1965">This is the prison: What is he lyes heere?</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-jn-pem">
<speaker rend="italic">P.</speaker>
<l n="1966">Oh death, made proud with pure & princely beuty,</l>
<l n="1967">The earth had not a hole to hide this deede.</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-jn-sal">
<speaker rend="italic">Sal.</speaker>
<l n="1968">Murther, as hating what himselfe hath done,</l>
<l n="1969">Doth lay it open to vrge on reuenge.</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-jn-big">
<speaker rend="italic">Big.</speaker>
<l n="1970">Or when he doom'd this Beautie to graue,</l>
<l n="1971">Found it too precious Princely, for a graue.</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-jn-sal">
<speaker rend="italic">Sal.</speaker>
<l n="1972">Sir<hi rend="italic">Richard</hi>, what thinke you<c rend="italic">?</c>you haue beheld,</l>
<l n="1973">Or haue you read, or heard, or could you thinke<c rend="italic">?</c>
</l>
<l n="1974">Or do you almost thinke, although you see,</l>
<l n="1975">That you do see? Could thought, without this obiect</l>
<l n="1976">Forme such another? This is the very top,</l>
<l n="1977">The heighth, the Crest: or Crest vnto the Crest</l>
<l n="1978">Of murthers Armes: This is the bloodiest shame,</l>
<l n="1979">The wildest Sauagery, the vildest stroke</l>
<l n="1980">That euer wall‑ey'd wrath, or staring rage</l>
<l n="1981">Presented to the teares of soft remorse.</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-jn-pem">
<speaker rend="italic">Pem.</speaker>
<l n="1982">All murthers past, do stand excus'd in this:</l>
<l n="1983">And this so sole, and so vnmatcheable,</l>
<l n="1984">Shall giue a holinesse, a puritie,</l>
<l n="1985">To the yet vnbegotten sinne of times;</l>
<l n="1986">And proue a deadly blood‑shed, but a iest,</l>
<l n="1987">Exampled by this heynous spectacle.</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-jn-phi">
<speaker rend="italic">Bast.</speaker>
<l n="1988">It is a damned, and a bloody worke,</l>
<l n="1989">The gracelesse action of a heauy hand,</l>
<l n="1990">If that it be the worke of any hand.</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-jn-sal">
<speaker rend="italic">Sal.</speaker>
<l n="1991">If that it be the worke of any hand?</l>
<l n="1992">We had a kinde of light, what would ensue:</l>
<l n="1993">It is the shamefull worke of<hi rend="italic">Huberts</hi>hand,</l>
<l n="1994">The practice, and the purpose of the king:</l>
<l n="1995">From whose obedience I forbid my soule,</l>
<l n="1996">Kneeling before this ruine of sweete life,</l>
<l n="1997">And breathing to his breathlesse Excellence</l>
<l n="1998">The Incense of a Vow, a holy Vow:</l>
<l n="1999">Neuer to taste the pleasures of the world,</l>
<l n="2000">Neuer to be infected with delight,</l>
<l n="2001">Nor conuersant with Ease, and Idlenesse,</l>
<l n="2002">Till I haue set a glory to this hand,</l>
<l n="2003">By giuing it the worship of Reuenge.</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-jn-pem #F-jn-big">
<speaker rend="italic">Pem. Big.</speaker>
<l n="2004">Our soules religiously confirme thy words.</l>
</sp>
<stage rend="italic center" type="entrance">Enter Hubert.</stage>
<sp who="#F-jn-hub">
<speaker rend="italic">Hub.</speaker>
<l n="2005">Lords, I am hot with haste, in seeking you,</l>
<l n="2006">
<hi rend="italic">Arthur</hi>doth liue, the king hath sent for you.</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-jn-sal">
<speaker rend="italic">Sal.</speaker>
<l n="2007">Oh he is bold, and blushes not at death,</l>
<l n="2008">Auant thou hatefull villain, get thee gone.</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-jn-hub">
<speaker rend="italic">Hu.</speaker>
<l n="2009">I am no villaine.</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-jn-sal">
<speaker rend="italic">Sal.</speaker>
<l n="2010">Must I rob
<lb rend="turnover"/>
<pc rend="turnover">(</pc>the Law?</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-jn-phi">
<speaker rend="italic">Bast.</speaker>
<l n="2011">Your sword is bright sir, put it vp againe.</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-jn-sal">
<speaker rend="italic">Sal.</speaker>
<l n="2012">Not till I sheath it in a murtherers skin.</l>
</sp>
<cb n="2"/>
<sp who="#F-jn-hub">
<speaker rend="italic">Hub.</speaker>
<l n="2013">Stand backe Lord Salsbury, stand backe I say:</l>
<l n="2014">By heauen, I thinke my sword's as sharpe as yours.</l>
<l n="2015">I would not haue you (Lord) forget your selfe,</l>
<l n="2016">Nor tempt the danger of my true defence;</l>
<l n="2017">Least I, by marking of your rage, forget</l>
<l n="2018">your Worth, your Greatnesse, and Nobility.</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-jn-big">
<speaker rend="italic">Big.</speaker>
<l n="2019">Out dunghill: dar'st thou braue a Nobleman?</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-jn-hub">
<speaker rend="italic">Hub.</speaker>
<l n="2020">Not for my life: But yet I dare defend</l>
<l n="2021">My innocent life against an Emperor.</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-jn-sal">
<speaker rend="italic">Sal.</speaker>
<l n="2022">Thou art a Murtherer.</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-jn-hub">
<speaker rend="italic">Hub.</speaker>
<l n="2023">Do not proue me so:</l>
<l n="2024">Yet I am none. Whose tongue so ere speakes false,</l>
<l n="2025">Not truely speakes: who speakes not truly, Lies.</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-jn-pem">
<speaker rend="italic">Pem.</speaker>
<l n="2026">Cut him to peeces.</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-jn-phi">
<speaker rend="italic">Bast.</speaker>
<l n="2027">Keepe the peace, I say.</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-jn-sal">
<speaker rend="italic">Sal.</speaker>
<l n="2028">Stand by, or I shall gaul you<hi rend="italic">Faulconbridge</hi>.</l>
<l n="2029">If thou but frowne on me, or stirre thy foote,</l>
<l n="2030">Or teach thy hastie spleene to dome shame,</l>
<l n="2031">Ile strike thee dead. Put vp thy sword betime,</l>
<l n="2032">Or Ile so maule you, and your tosting‑Iron,</l>
<l n="2033">That you shall thinke the diuell is come from hell.</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-jn-big">
<speaker rend="italic">Big.</speaker>
<l n="2034">What wilt thou do, renowned<hi rend="italic">Faulconbridge</hi>?</l>
<l n="2035">Second a Villaine, and a Murtherer?</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-jn-hub">
<speaker rend="italic">Hub.</speaker>
<l n="2036">Lord<hi rend="italic">Bigot</hi>, I am none.</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-jn-big">
<speaker rend="italic">Big.</speaker>
<l n="2037">Who kill'd this Prince?</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-jn-hub">
<speaker rend="italic">Hub.</speaker>
<l n="2038">'Tis not an houre since I left him well:</l>
<l n="2039">I honour'd him, I lou'd him, and will weepe</l>
<l n="2040">My date of life out, for his sweete liues losse.</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-jn-sal">
<speaker rend="italic">Sal.</speaker>
<l n="2041">Trust not those cunning waters of his eyes,</l>
<l n="2042">For villanie is not without such rheume,</l>
<l n="2043">And he, long traded in it, makes it seeme</l>
<l n="2044">Like Riuers of remorse and innocencie.</l>
<l n="2045">Away with me, all you whose soules abhorre</l>
<l n="2046">Th'vncleanly sauours of a Slaughter‑house,</l>
<l n="2047">For I am stifled with this smell of sinne.</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-jn-big">
<speaker rend="italic">Big.</speaker>
<l n="2048">Away, toward<hi rend="italic">Burie</hi>, to the Dolphin there.</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-jn-pem">
<speaker rend="italic">P.</speaker>
<l n="2049">There tel the king, he may inquire vs out.</l>
</sp>
<stage rend="italic rightJustified" type="exit">Ex. Lords.</stage>
<sp who="#F-jn-phi">
<speaker rend="italic">Ba.</speaker>
<l n="2050">Here's a good world: knew you of this faire work?</l>
<l n="2051">Beyond the infinite and boundlesse reach of mercie,</l>
<l n="2052">(If thou didst this deed of death) art y<c rend="superscript">u</c>damn'd<hi rend="italic">Hubert</hi>.</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-jn-hub">
<speaker rend="italic">Hub.</speaker>
<l n="2053">Do but heare me sir.</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-jn-phi">
<speaker rend="italic">Bast.</speaker>
<l n="2054">Ha? Ile tell thee what.</l>
<l n="2055">Thou'rt damn'd as blacke, nay nothing is so blacke,</l>
<l n="2056">Thou art more deepe damn'd then Prince Lucifer:</l>
<l n="2057">There is not yet so vgly a fiend of hell</l>
<l n="2058">As thou shalt be, if thou didst kill this childe.</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-jn-hub">
<speaker rend="italic">Hub.</speaker>
<l n="2059">Vpon my soule.</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-jn-phi">
<speaker rend="italic">Bast.</speaker>
<l n="2060">If thou didst but consent</l>
<l n="2061">To this most cruell Act: do but dispaire,</l>
<l n="2062">And if thou want'st a Cord, the smallest thred</l>
<l n="2063">That euer Spider twisted from her wombe</l>
<l n="2064">Will serue to strangle thee: A rush will be a beame</l>
<l n="2065">To hang thee on. Or wouldst thou drowne thy selfe,</l>
<l n="2066">Put but a little water in a spoone,</l>
<l n="2067">And it shall be as all the Ocean,</l>
<l n="2068">Enough to stifle such a villaine vp.</l>
<l n="2069">I do suspect thee very greeuously.</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-jn-hub">
<speaker rend="italic">Hub.</speaker>
<l n="2070">If I in act, consent, or sinne of thought,</l>
<l n="2071">Be guiltie of the stealing that sweete breath</l>
<l n="2072">Which was embounded in this beauteous clay,</l>
<l n="2073">Let hell want paines enough to torture me:</l>
<l n="2074">I left him well.</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-jn-phi">
<speaker rend="italic">Bast.</speaker>
<l n="2075">Go, beare him in thine armes:</l>
<l n="2076">I am amaz'd me thinkes, and loose my way</l>
<l n="2077">Among the thornes, and dangers of this world.</l>
<pb facs="FFimg:axc0342-0.jpg" n="18"/>
<cb n="1"/>
<l n="2078">How easie dost thou take all<hi rend="italic">England</hi>vp,</l>
<l n="2079">From forth this morcell of dead Royaltie?</l>
<l n="2080">The life, the right, and truth of all this Realme</l>
<l n="2081">Is fled to heauen: and<hi rend="italic">England</hi>now is left</l>
<l n="2082">To tug and scamble, and to part by th'teeth</l>
<l n="2083">The vn‑owed interest of proud swelling State:</l>
<l n="2084">Now for the bare‑pickt bone of Maiesty,</l>
<l n="2085">Doth dogged warre bristle his angry crest,</l>
<l n="2086">And snarleth in the gentle eyes of peace:</l>
<l n="2087">Now Powers from home, and discontents at home</l>
<l n="2088">Meet in one line: and vast confusion waites</l>
<l n="2089">As doth a Rauen on a sicke‑falne beast,</l>
<l n="2090">The iminent decay of wrested pompe.</l>
<l n="2091">Now happy he, whose cloake and center can</l>
<l n="2092">Hold out this tempest. Beare away that childe,</l>
<l n="2093">And follow me with speed: Ile to the King:</l>
<l n="2094">A thousand businesses are briefe in hand,</l>
<l n="2095">And heauen it selfe doth frowne vpon the Land.</l>
</sp>
<stage rend="italic rightJustified" type="exit">Exit.</stage>
</div>