GLOUCESTER  How long hast thou been blind?

  108

  SIMPCOX  O, born so, master.

  109

  GLOUCESTER  What, and wouldst climb a tree?

  110

  SIMPCOX  But that in all my life, when I was a youth.

  111

  WIFE  Too true, and bought his climbing very dear.

  112

  GLOUCESTER  Mass, thou lov’dst plums well, that

  113

  wouldst venture so.

  114

  SIMPCOX  Alas, good master, my wife desired some

  115

  damsons, and made me climb, with danger of my

  116

  life.

  117

  GLOUCESTER

  A subtle knave, but yet it shall not serve.—

  118

  Let me see thine eyes. Wink now. Now open them.

  119

  In my opinion, yet thou seest not well.

  120

  SIMPCOX  Yes, master, clear as day, I thank God and

  121

  Saint

  122

  GLOUCESTER

  Sayst thou me so? What color is this cloak of?

  123

  SIMPCOX  Red, master, red as blood.

  124

  GLOUCESTER

  Why, that’s well said. What color is my gown of?

  125

  SIMPCOX  Black, forsooth, coal black as jet.

  126

  KING HENRY

  Why, then, thou know’st what color jet is of.

  127

  SUFFOLK

  And yet, I think, jet did he never see.

  128

  GLOUCESTER

  But cloaks and gowns, before this day, a many.

  129

  WIFE

  Never, before this day, in all his life.

  130

  GLOUCESTER  Tell me, sirrah, what’s my name?

  131

  SIMPCOX  Alas, master, I know not.

  132

  GLOUCESTER,   What’s his name?

  133

  SIMPCOX  I know not.

  134

  GLOUCESTER,   Nor his?

  135

  SIMPCOX  No, indeed, master.

  136

  GLOUCESTER  What’s thine own name?

  137

  SIMPCOX  Sander Simpcox, an if it please you, master.

  138

  GLOUCESTER  Then, Sander, sit there, the lying’st knave

  139

  in Christendom. If thou hadst been born blind,

  140

  thou mightst as well have known all our names as

  141

  thus to name the several colors we do wear. Sight

  142

  may distinguish of colors; but suddenly to nomi-

  143

  nate them all, it is impossible.—My lords, Saint

  144

  Alban here hath done a miracle; and would you

  145

  not think cunning to be great that could

  146

  restore this cripple to his legs again?

  147

  SIMPCOX  O master, that you could!

  148

  GLOUCESTER  My masters of Saint Albans, have you not

  149

  beadles in your town and things called whips?

  150

  MAYOR  Yes, my lord, if it please your Grace.

  151

  GLOUCESTER  Then send for one presently.

  152

  MAYOR  Sirrah, go fetch the beadle hither straight.

  153

  exits.

  GLOUCESTER  Now fetch me a stool hither by and by.

  154

  Now, sirrah, if you mean to

  155

  save yourself from whipping, leap me over this

  156

  stool, and run away.

  157

  SIMPCOX  Alas, master, I am not able to stand alone.

  158

  You go about to torture me in vain.

  159

  Enter a Beadle with whips.

  GLOUCESTER  Well, sir, we must have you find your

  160

  legs.—Sirrah beadle, whip him till he leap over

  161

  that same stool.

  162

  BEADLE  I will, my lord.—Come on, sirrah, off with

  163

  your doublet quickly.

  164

  SIMPCOX  Alas, master, what shall I do? I am not able to

  165

  stand.

  166

  After the Beadle hath hit him once, he leaps

  over the stool and runs away; and they follow

  and cry “A miracle!”

  KING HENRY

  O God, seest Thou this, and bearest so long?

  167

  QUEEN MARGARET

  It made me laugh to see the villain run.

  168

  GLOUCESTER, 

  Follow the knave, and take this drab away.

  169

  WIFE  Alas, sir, we did it for pure need.

  170

  GLOUCESTER

  Let them be whipped through every market town

  171

  Till they come to Berwick, from whence they came.

  172

 
  Saint Albans> exit.

  CARDINAL

  Duke Humphrey has done a miracle today.

  173

  SUFFOLK

  True, made the lame to leap and fly away.

  174

  GLOUCESTER

  But you have done more miracles than I.

  175

  You made in a day, my lord, whole towns to fly.

  176

  Enter Buckingham.

  KING HENRY

  What tidings with our cousin Buckingham?

  177

  BUCKINGHAM

  Such as my heart doth tremble to unfold:

  178

  A sort of naughty persons, lewdly bent,

  179

  Under the countenance and confederacy

  180

  Of Lady Eleanor, the Protector’s wife,

  181

  The ringleader and head of all this rout,

  182

  Have practiced dangerously against your state,

  183

  Dealing with witches and with conjurers,

  184

  Whom we have apprehended in the fact,

  185

  Raising up wicked spirits from under ground,

  186

  Demanding of King Henry’s life and death

  187

  And other of your Highness’ Privy Council,

  188

  As more at large your Grace shall understand.

  189

  CARDINAL

  And so, my Lord Protector, by this means

  190

  Your lady is forthcoming yet at London.

  191