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rest。
＇Exeunt。＇
COBHAM。 Oh； give me patience to endure this scourge； Thou that art
fountain of that virtuous stream； And though contempt； false witness； and
reproach Hang on these iron gyves； to press my life As low as earth； yet
strengthen me with faith； That I may mount in spirit above the clouds。
＇Enter Gaoler； bringing in Lady Old…castle and Harpoole。＇
Here comes my lady： sorrow； tis for her Thy wound is grievous； else
I scoff at thee。 What； and poor Harpoole！ art thou ith bryars too？
HARPOOLE。 Ifaith； my Lord； I am in； get out how I can。
LADY COBHAM。 Say； gentle Lord； for now we are alone； And may
confer； shall we confess in brief； Of whence； and what we are； and so
prevent The accusation is commenced against us？
COBHAM。 What will that help us？ being known； sweet love； We shall
for heresy be put to death； For so they term the religion we profess。 No； if
it be ordained we must die； And at this instant； this our comfort be； That of
the guilt imposed； our souls are free。
HARPOOLE。 Yea； yea； my lord； Harpoole is so resolved。 I wreak of
death the less； in that I die Not by the sentence of that envious priest The
Bishop of Rochester： oh； were it he； Or by his means that I should suffer
here； It would be double torment to my soul。
LADY COBHAM。 Well； be it then according as heaven please。
＇Enter lord Judge； two Justices； Mayor of Saint Albans； lord Powesse
and his lady； and old sir Richard Lee： the Judge and Justices take their
places。＇
JUDGE。 Now； Master Mayor； what gentleman is that； You bring with
you before us and the bench？
MAYOR。 The Lord Powis； if it like your honor； And this his Lady；
travelling toward Wales； Who； for they lodged last night within my house；
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And my Lord Bishop did lay search for such； Were very willing to come
on with me； Lest for their sakes suspicion me might wrong。
JUDGE。 We cry your honor mercy； good my Lord； Wilt please ye take
your place。 Madame； your ladyship May here or where you will repose
your self； Until this business now in hand be past。
LADY POWIS。 I will withdraw into some other room； So that your
Lordship and the rest be pleased。
JUDGE。 With all our hearts： attend the Lady there。
LORD POWIS。 Wife； I have eyed yond prisoners all this while； And
my conceit doth tell me； tis our friend； The noble Cobham； and his
virtuous Lady。
LADY POWIS。 I think no less： are they suspected； trow ye； For
doing of this murder？
LORD POWIS。 What is means I cannot tell； but we shall know anon。
Mean space as you pass by them； ask the question； But do it secretly； you
be not seen； And make some sign that I may know your mind。
LADY POWIS。 My Lord Cobham？ madam？
＇As she passeth over the stage by them。＇
COBHAM。 No Cobham now； nor madam； as you love us； But John of
Lancashire； and Ione his wife。
LADY POWIS。 Oh tell； what is it that our love can do； To pleasure
you？ for we are bound to you。
COBHAM。 Nothing but this； that you conceal our names； So； gentle
lady； pass for being spied。
LADY POWIS。 My heart I leave； to bear part of your grief。
＇Exit。＇
JUDGE。 Call the prisoners to the bar。 Sir Richard Lee； What
evidence can you bring against these people； To prove them guilty of the
murder done？
LEE。 This bloody towel and these naked knives； Beside we found
them sitting by the place； Where the dead body lay； within a bush。
JUDGE。 What answer you why law should not proceed； According to
the evidence given in； To tax ye with the penalty of death？
COBHAM。 That we are free from murder's very thoughts； And know
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not how the gentleman was slain。
FIRST JUSTICE。 How came this linen cloth so bloody then？
LADY COBHAM。 My husband hot with travelling； my lord； His
nose gushed out a bleeding； that was it。
SECOND JUSTICE。 But wherefore were your sharp edged knives
unsheathed？
LADY COBHAM。 To cut such simple victual as we had。
JUDGE。 Say we admit this answer to those articles； What made ye in
so private a dark nook； So far remote from any common path； As was the
thick where the dead corpse was thrown？
COBHAM。 Journeying； my lord； from London from the term； Down
into Lancashire where we do dwell； And what with age and travel being
faint； We gladly sought a place where we might rest； Free from resort of
other passengers； And so we strayed into that secret corner。
JUDGE。 These are but ambages to drive of time； And linger Justice
from her purposed end。 But who are these？
＇Enter the Constable； bringing in the Irishman； sir John of Wrotham；
and Doll。＇
CONSTABLE。 Stay Judgement； and release those innocents； For here
is he； whose hand hath done the deed； For which they stand indicted at the
bar； This savage villain； this rude Irish slave。 His tongue already hath
confessed the fact； And here is witness to confirm as much。
SIR JOHN。 Yes； my good Lords； no sooner had he slain His loving
master for the wealth he had； But I upon the instant met with him； And
what he purchased with the loss of blood： With strokes I presently
bereaved him of； Some of the which is spent； the rest remaining I willingly
surrender to the hands Of old sir Richard Lee； as being his。 Beside； my
Lord Judge； I greet your honor With letters from my Lord of Rochester。
＇Delivers a letter。＇
LEE。 Is this the wolf whose thirsty throat did drink My dear son's
blood？ art thou the snake He cherished； yet with envious piercing sting
Assailed him mortally？ foul stigmatic； Thou venom of the country where
thou livedst； And pestilence of this： were it not that law Stands ready to
revenge thy cruelty； Traitor to God； thy master； and to me； These hands
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should be thy executioner。
JUDGE。 Patience； sir Richard Lee； you shall have justice； And he the
guerdon of his base desert。 The fact is odious； therefore； take him hence；
And being hanged until the wretch be dead； His body after shall be handed
in chains Near to the place where he did act the murder。
IRISHMAN。 Prethee； Lord shudge； let me have mine own clothes； my
strouces there； and let me be hanged in a with after my cuntrythe Irish
fashion。
＇Exit。＇
JUDGE。 Go to； away with him。 And now； sir John； Although by you
this murther came to light； And therein you have well deserved； yet
upright law； So will not have you be excused and quit； For you did rob the
Irishman； by which You stand attainted here of felony。 Beside； you have
been lewd； and many years Led a lascivious； unbeseeming life。
SIR JOHN。 Oh but； my Lord； he repents； sir John repents； and he will
mend。
JUDGE。 In hope thereof； together with the favour； My Lord of
Rochester entreats for you； We are content you shall be proved。
SIR JOHN。 I thank you good Lordship。
JUDGE。 These other falsely here accused； and brought In peril
wrongfully； we in like sort Do set at liberty； paying their fees。
LORD POWIS。 That office； if it please ye； I will do； For countries
sake； because I know them well。 They are my neighbours； therefore of my
cost Their charges shall be paid。
LEE。 And for amends； Touching the wrong unwittingly I have done；
There are a few crowns more for them to drink。
＇Gives them a purse。＇
JUDGE。 Your kindness merits praise； sir Richard Lee： So let us hence。
＇Exeunt all but Lord Powis and Old…castle。＇
LORD POWIS。 But Powis still must stay。 There yet remains a part of
that true love He owes his noble friend unsatisfied； And unperformed；
which first of all doth bind me To gratulate your lordship's safe delivery；
And then entreat； that since unlooked for thus We here are met； your honor
would vouchsafe； To ride with me to Wales； where to my power； （Though
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