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John Oldcastle
John Old castle
William Shakespeare。
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John Oldcastle
THE PROLOGUE。
The doubtful Title （Gentlemen） prefixt Upon the Argument we have in
hand； May breed suspence； and wrongfully disturb The peaceful quiet of
your settled thoughts。 To stop which scruple； let this brief suffice： It is no
pampered glutton we present； Nor aged Counsellor to youthful sin； But
one； whose virtue shone above the rest； A valiant Martyr and a virtuous
peer； In whose true faith and loyalty expressed Unto his sovereign； and his
country's weal； We strive to pay that tribute of our Love； Your favours
merit。 Let fair Truth be graced； Since forged invention former time
defaced。
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John Oldcastle
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John Oldcastle
ACT I。
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SCENE I。 Hereford。 A street。
＇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。＇
SHERIFF。 My Lords； I charge ye in his Highness' name； To keep the
peace； you； and your followers。
HERBERT。 Good Master Sheriff； look unto your self。
POWIS。 Do so； for we have other business。
＇Profer to fight again。＇
SHERIFF。 Will ye disturb the Judges； and the Assize？ Hear the King's
proclamation； ye were best。
POWIS。 Hold then； let's hear it。
HERBERT。 But be brief； ye were best。
BAILIFF。 Oyes！
DAVY。 Cousin； make shorter O； or shall mar your Yes。
BAILIFF。 Oyes！
OWEN。 What； has her nothing to say but O yes？
BAILIFF。 Oyes！
DAVY。 O nay！ pye Cosse plut down with her； down with her！ A
Pawesse！ a Pawesse！
GOUGH。 A Herbert！ a Herbert！ and down with Powis！ ＇Helter
skelter again。＇
SHERIFF。 Hold； in the King's name； hold。
OWEN。 Down i' tha knave's name； down。
＇In this fight； the Bailiff is knocked down； and the Sheriff and the
other run away。＇
HERBERT。 Powesse； I think thy Welsh and thou do smart。
POWIS。 Herbert； I think my sword came near thy heart。
HERBERT。 Thy heart's best blood shall pay the loss of mine。
GOUGH。 A Herbert！ a Herbert！
DAVY。 A Pawesse！ a Pawesse！
＇As they are lifting their weapons； enter the Mayor of Hereford； and
his Officers and Towns…men with clubs。＇
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MAYOR。 My Lords； as you are liege men to the Crown； True
noblemen； and subjects to the King； Attend his Highness' proclamation；
Commanded by the Judges of Assize； For keeping peace at this assembly。
HERBERT。 Good Master Mayor of Hereford be brief。
MAYOR。 Sergeant； without the ceremony of Oyes； Pronounce aloud
the proclamation。
SERVANT。 The King's Justices； perceiving what public mischief may
ensue this private quarrel； in his majesty's name do straightly charge and
command all persons； of what degree soever； to depart this city of
Hereford； except such as are bound to give attendance at this Assize； and
that no man presume to wear any weapon； especially welsh…hooks； forest
bills
OWEN。 Haw； no pill nor wells hoog？ ha？
MAYOR。 Peace； and hear the proclamation。
SERVANT。 And that the Lord Powesse do presently disperse and
discharge his retinue； and depart the city in the King's peace； he and his
followers； on pain of imprisonment。
DAVY。 Haw？ pud her Lord Pawesse in prison？ A Pawes！ A Pawesse！
cossone live and tie with her Lord。
GOUGH。 A Herbert！ a Herbert！
＇In this fight the Lord Herbert is wounded； and falls to the ground；
the Mayor and his company go away； crying clubs； Powesse runs away；
Gough and other of Herbert's faction busy themselves about Herbert； enter
the two Judges in their robes； the Sheriff and his Bailiffs afore them； &c。＇
FIRST JUDGE。 Where's the Lord Herbert？ is he hurt or slain？
SHERIFF。 He's here； my Lord。
SECOND JUDGE。 How fares his Lordship； friends？
GOUGH。 Mortally wounded； speechless； he cannot live。
FIRST JUDGE。 Convey him hence； let not his wounds take air； And
get him dressed with expedition。
＇Ex。 Herbert & Gough。＇
Master Mayor of Hereford； Master Shrieve o' the shire； Commit Lord
Powesse to safe custody； To answer the disturbance of the peace； Lord
Herbert's peril； and his high contempt Of us； and you the King's
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commissioners。 See it be done with care and diligence。
SHERIFF。 Please it your Lordship； my Lord Powesse is gone Past all
recovery。
SECOND JUDGE。 Yet let search be made； To apprehend his followers
that are left。
SHERIFF。 There are some of them。 Sirs； lay hold of them。
OWEN。 Of us？ and why？ what has her done； I pray you？
SHERIFF。 Disarm them； Bailiffs。
MAYOR。 Officers； assist。
DAVY。 Hear you； Lor shudge； what resson is for this？
OWEN。 Cosson pe puse for fighting for our Lord？
FIRST JUDGE。 Away with them。
DAVY。 Harg you； my Lord。
OWEN。 Gough my Lord Herbert's man's a shitten kanave。
DAVY。 Ise live and tie in good quarrel。
OWEN。 Pray you do shustice； let all be preson。
DAVY。 Prison！ no。 Lord shudge； I wool give you pale； good suerty。
SECOND JUDGE。 What Bail？ what sureties？
DAVY。 Her coozin ap Ries； ap Evan； ap Morris； ap Morgan； ap
Lluellyn； ap Madoc； ap Meredith； ap Griffen； ap Davy； ap Owen； ap
Shinken Shones。
SECOND JUDGE。 Two of the most sufficient are ynow。
SHERIFF。 And 't please your Lordship； these are all but one。
FIRST JUDGE。 To Jail with them； and the Lord Herbert's men； We'll
talk with them； when the Assize is done。
＇Exeunt。＇
Riotous； audacious； and unruly Grooms； Must we be forced to come
from the Bench； To quiet brawls； which every Constable In other civil
places can suppress？
SECOND JUDGE。 What was the quarrel that caused all this stir？
SHERIFF。 About religion； as I heard； my Lord。 Lord Powesse
detracted from the power of Rome； Affirming Wickliffe's doctrine to be
true； And Rome's erroneous。 Hot reply was made By the lord Herbert；
they were traitors all That would maintain it： Powesse answered； They
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were as true； as noble； and as wise As he； that would defend it with their
lives； He named for instance sir John Old…castle The Lord Cobham：
Herbert replied again； 〃He； thou； and all are traitors that so hold。〃 The lie
was given； the several factions drawn； And so enraged； that we could not
appease it。
FIRST JUDGE。 This case concerns the King's prerogative； And's
dangerous to the State and common wealth。 Gentlemen； Justices； master
Mayor； and master Shrieve； It doth behoove us all； and each of us In
general and particular； to have care For suppressing of all mutinies； And
all assemblies； except soldiers' musters For the King's preparation into
France。 We hear of secret conventicles made； And there is doubt of some
conspiracies； Which may break out into rebellious arms When the King's
gone； perchance before he go： Note as an instance； this one perilous fray；
What factions might have grown on either part； To the destruction of the
King and Realm。 Yet； in my conscience； sir John Old…castle； Innocent of it；
only his name was used。 We； therefore； from his Highness give this charge：
You； master Mayor； look to your citizens； You； master Sheriff； unto your
shire； and you As Justices； in every one's precinct； There be no meetings。
When the vulgar sort Sit on their Ale…bench； with their cups and cans；
Matters of state be not their commo