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Do not thou with thy kind respective tears；
Torment thy husband's heart that bleeds for thee；
But be of comfort。 God hath help in store
For those that put assured trust in him。
Dear wife； if they commit me to the Tower；
Come up to London to your sister's house：
That being near me； you may comfort me。
One solace find I settled in my soul；
That I am free from treason's very thought：
Only my conscience for the Gospel's sake
Is cause of all the troubles I sustain。
LADY COBHAM。
O my dear Lord； what shall betide of us？
You to the Tower； and I turned out of doors；
Our substance seized unto his highness' use；
Even to the garments longing to our backs。
HARPOOLE。
Patience； good madame； things at worst will mend；
And if they do not； yet our lives may end。
BISHOP。
Urge it no more； for if an Angel spake；
I swear by sweet saint Peter's blessed keys；
First goes he to the Tower； then to the stake。
CROAMER。
But by your leave； this warrant doth not stretch
To imprison her。
BISHOP。
No； turn her out of doors；
＇Lord Warden and Old…castle whisper。＇
Even as she is； and lead him to the Tower；
With guard enough for fear of rescuing。
LADY COBHAM。
O； God requite thee； thou blood…thirsty man。
COBHAM。
May it not be； my Lord of Rochester？
Wherein have I incurred your hate so far；
That my appeal unto the King's denied？
BISHOP。
No hate of mine； but power of holy church；
Forbids all favor to false heretics。
COBHAM。
Your private malice； more than public power；
Strikes most at me； but with my life it ends。
HARPOOLE。
O that I had the Bishop in that fear；
＇Aside。＇
That once I had his Sumner by our selves！
CROAMER。
My Lord； yet grant one suit unto us all；
That this same ancient serving man may wait
Upon my lord his master in the Tower。
BISHOP。
This old iniquity； this heretic？
That； in contempt of our church discipline；
Compelled my Sumner to devour his process！
Old Ruffian past…grace； upstart schismatic；
Had not the King prayed us to pardon ye；
Ye had fried for it； ye grizzled heretic。
HARPOOLE。
Sblood； my lord Bishop； ye do me wrong。 I am
neither heretic nor puritan； but of the old church：
I'll swear； drink ale； kiss a wench； go to mass； eat
fish all Lent； and fast Fridays with cakes and wine；
fruit and spicery； shrive me of my old sins afore
Easter； and begin new afore whitsontide。
CROAMER。
A merry； mad； conceited knave； my lord。
HARPOOLE。
That knave was simply put upon the Bishop。
BISHOP。
Well； God forgive him and I pardon him。
Let him attend his master in the Tower；
For I in charity wish his soul no hurt。
COBHAM。
God bless my soul from such cold charity！
BISHOP。
Too th' Tower with him； and when my leisure serves；
I will examine him of Articles。
Look； my lord Warden； as you have in charge；
The Shrive perform his office。
LORD WARDEN。
Yes； my lord。
＇Enter the Sumner with books。＇
BISHOP。
What bringst thou there？ what； books of heresy？
SUMNER。
Yea； my lord； here's not a latin book； no； not so much
as our lady's Psalter。 Here's the Bible； the testament；
the Psalms in meter； the sickman's salve； the treasure of
gladness； and all in English； not so much but the Almanac's
English。
BISHOP。
Away with them； to the fire with them； Clun！
Now fie upon these upstart heretics。
All English！ burn them； burn them quickly； Clun！
HARPOOLE。
But do not； Sumner； as you'll answer it； for I have there
English books； my lord； that I'll not part with for your
Bishopric： Bevis of Hampton； Owlglass； the Friar and
the Boy； Eleanor Rumming； Robin hood； and other such
godly stories； which if ye burn； by this flesh； I'll make ye
drink their ashes in Saint Marget's ale。
＇Exeunt。＇
ACT IV。 SCENE IV。 The entrance of the Tower。
＇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。
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。
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？
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