按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
＇Enter Bishop of Rochester with his men in livery coats。＇
FIRST SERVANT。 Is it your honor's pleasure we shall stay； Or come
back in the afternoon to fetch you？
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 you； I'll send some officer to
call you to me。 Into the city go not； I command you： Perhaps I may have
present need to use you。
SECOND SERVANT。 We will attend your worship here without。
BISHOP。 Do so； I pray you。
THIRD SERVANT。 Come； we may have a quart of wine at the Rose at
Barking； I warrant you； and come back an hour before he be ready to go。
FIRST SERVANT。 We must hie us then。
THIRD SERVANT。 Let's away。
＇Exeunt。＇
BISHOP。 Ho； Master Lieutenant。
LIEUTENANT。 Who calls there？
BISHOP。 A friend of yours。
LIEUTENANT。 My lord of Rochester！ your honor's welcome。
BISHOP。 Sir； here's my warrant from the Counsel； For conference with
sir John Old…castle； Upon some matter of great consequence。
LIEUTENANT。 Ho； sir John！
HARPOOLE。 Who calls there？
LIEUTENANT。 Harpoole； tell Sir John； that my lord of Rochester
Comes from the counsel to confer with him。
HARPOOLE。 I will； sir。
LIEUTENANT。 I think you may as safe without suspicion； As any
man in England； as I hear； For it was you most labored his commitment。
BISHOP。 I did； sir； and nothing repent it； I assure you。
＇Enter sir John Old…castle and Harpoole。＇
Master Leiftenant； I pray you give us leave； I must confer here with
sir John a little。
80
… Page 81…
John Oldcastle
LIEUTENANT。 With all my heart； my lord。
HARPOOLE。 ＇Aside。＇ My lord； be ruled by me： take this occasion
while tis offered； and on my life your lordship shall escape。
COBHAM。 No more； I say； peace； lest he should suspect it。
BISHOP。 Sir John； I am come unto you from the lords of his highness'
most honorable counsel； to know if yet you do recant your errors；
conforming you unto the holy church。
COBHAM。 My lord of Rochester； on good advise； I see my error； but
yet； understand me； I mean not error in the faith I hold； But error in
submitting to your pleasure； Therefore； your lordship； without more to do；
Must be a means to help me to escape。
BISHOP。 What means； thou heretic？ Darst thou but lift thy hand
against my calling？
COBHAM。 No； not to hurt you for a thousand pound。
HARPOOLE。 Nothing but to borrow your upper garments a little； not
a word more； for if you do； you die： peace； for waking the children。
There； put them on； dispatch； my lord。 The window that goes out into
the leads is sure enough； I told you that before： there； make you ready；
I'll convey him after； and bind him surely in the inner room。
＇Carries the bishop into the Tower； and returns。＇
COBHAM。 This is well begun； God send us happy speed； Hard shift
you see men make in time of need； Harpoole。
＇Puts on the bishop's cloak。＇
HARPOOLE。 Here my Lord； come； come away。
＇Enter serving men again。＇
FIRST SERVANT。 I marvel that my lord should stay so long。
SECOND SERVANT。 He hath sent to seek us； I dare lay my life。
THIRD SERVANT。 We come in good time； see； where he is coming。
HARPOOLE。 I beseech you； good my lord of Rochester； be favourable
to my lord and master。
COBHAM。 The inner rooms be very hot and close； I do not like this
air here in the Tower。
HARPOOLE。 His case is hard my lord。You shall safely get out of the
Tower； but I will down upon them； in which time get you away。
81
… Page 82…
John Oldcastle
COBHAM。 Fellow； thou troublest me。
HARPOOLE。 Hear me； my Lord！Hard under Islington wait you my
coming； I will bring my Lady； ready with horses to convey you hence。
COBHAM。 Fellow； go back again unto thy Lord and counsel him。
HARPOOLE。 Nay； my good lord of Rochester； I'll bring you to Saint
Albans through the woods； I warrant you。
COBHAM。 Villain； away。
HARPOOLE。 Nay； since I am past the Tower's liberty； thou part'st not
so。
＇He draws。＇
COBHAM。 Clubs； clubs； clubs！
FIRST SERVANT。 Murther； murther； murther！
SECOND SERVANT。 Down with him！
＇They fight。＇
THIRD SERVANT。 A villain traitor！
HARPOOLE。 You cowardly rogues！
＇Sir John escapes。＇
＇Enter Lieutenant and his men。＇
LIEUTENANT。 Who is so bold as dare to draw a sword； So near unto
the entrance of the Tower？
FIRST SERVANT。 This ruffian； servant to sir John Old…castle； Was
like to have slain my Lord。
LIEUTENANT。 Lay hold on him。
HARPOOLE。 Stand off； if you love your puddings。
＇Rochester calls within。＇
BISHOP。 Help； help； help！ Master Lieutenant； help！
LIEUTENANT。 Who's that within？ some treason in the Tower
Upon my life。 Look in； who's that which calls？
＇Enter Rochester bound。＇
LIEUTENANT。 Without your cloak； my lord of Rochester？
HARPOOLE。 There； now it works； then let me speed； for now Is the
fittest time for me to scape away。
＇Exit。＇
LIEUTENANT。 Why do you look so ghastly and affrighted？
82
… Page 83…
John Oldcastle
BISHOP。 Old…castle； that traitor； and his man； When you had left me to
confer with him； Took； bound； and stript me； as you see； And left me lying
in his inner chamber； And so departed； and I
LIEUTENANT。 And you？ ne'er say that the Lord Cobham's man Did
here set upon you like to murther you。
FIRST SERVANT。 And so he did。
BISHOP。 It was upon his master then he did； That in the brawl the
traitor might escape。
LIEUTENANT。 Where is this Harpoole？
SECOND SERVANT。 Here he was even now。
LIEUTENANT。 Where？ can you tell？
SECOND SERVANT。 They are both escaped。
LIEUTENANT。 Since it so happens that he is escaped； I am glad you
are a witness of the same； It might have else been laid unto my charge；
That I had been consenting to the fact。
BISHOP。 Come； search shall be made for him with expedition； The
havens laid that he shall not escape； And hue and cry continue through
England； To find this damned； dangerous heretic。
＇Exeunt。＇
83
… Page 84…
John Oldcastle
84
… Page 85…
John Oldcastle
ACT V。
85
… Page 86…
John Oldcastle
86
… Page 87…
John Oldcastle
SCENE I。 A room in lord Cobham's house in Kent。
＇Enter Cambridge； Scroop； and Gray； as in a chamber； and set down at
a table； consulting about their treason： King Harry and Suffolk listening
at the door。＇
CAMBRIDGE。 In mine opinion； Scroop hath well advised； Poison
will be the only aptest mean； And fittest for our purpose to dispatch him。
GRAY。 But yet there may be doubt in their delivery。 Harry is wise；
therefore； Earl of Cambridge； I judge that way not so convenient。
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 eyes； To murder him in bed？ how
like ye that？
CAMBRIDGE。 Herein consists no safety for your self； And； you
disclosed； what shall become of us？ But this day （as ye know） he will
aboard The winds so fairand set away for France。 If； as he goes； or
entering in the ship； It might be done； then it were excellent。
GRAY。 Why any of these； or； if you will； I'll cause A present sitting of
the Counsel； wherein I will pretend some matter of such weight As needs
must have his royal company； And so dispatch him in the Counsel
chamber。
CAMBRIDGE。 Tush； yet I hear not any thing to purpose。 I wonder
that lord Cobham stays so long； His counsel in this case would much a