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Henry VI, Part 1 - Act 1, scene 3
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Henry VI, Part 1 - Act 1, scene 3Act 1, scene 3
⌜Scene 3⌝
Synopsis:
Gloucester visits the Tower of London, only to be denied entry by Winchester. The servants of the two nobles skirmish until all are ordered away by the mayor.
Enter Gloucester with his Servingmen ⌜in blue coats.⌝GLOUCESTER
0334 I am come to survey the Tower this day.
0335 Since Henry’s death I fear there is conveyance.
0336 Where be these warders that they wait not here?—
0337 Open the gates! ’Tis Gloucester that calls.
⌜Servingmen knock at the gate.⌝
FIRST WARDER, ⌜within⌝
0338 5 Who’s there that knocks so imperiously?
FIRST SERVINGMAN
0339 It is the noble Duke of Gloucester.
SECOND WARDER, ⌜within⌝
0340 Whoe’er he be, you may not be let in.
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33
FIRST SERVINGMAN 0341 Villains, answer you so the Lord Protector?
FIRST WARDER, ⌜within⌝
0342 The Lord protect him, so we answer him.
0343 10 We do no otherwise than we are willed.
GLOUCESTER
0344 Who willed you? Or whose will stands but mine?
0345 There’s none Protector of the realm but I.—
0346 Break up the gates! I’ll be your warrantize.
0347 Shall I be flouted thus by dunghill grooms?
Gloucester’s men rush at the Tower gates, and
Woodville, the lieutenant, speaks within.
WOODVILLE
0348 15 What noise is this? What traitors have we here?
GLOUCESTER
0349 Lieutenant, is it you whose voice I hear?
0350 Open the gates. Here’s Gloucester that would enter.
WOODVILLE
0351 Have patience, noble duke, I may not open.
0352 The Cardinal of Winchester forbids.
0353 20 From him I have express commandment
0354 That thou nor none of thine shall be let in.
GLOUCESTER
0355 Fainthearted Woodville, prizest him ’fore me?
0356 Arrogant Winchester, that haughty prelate
0357 Whom Henry, our late sovereign, ne’er could brook?
0358 25 Thou art no friend to God or to the King.
0359 Open the gates, or I’ll shut thee out shortly.
SERVINGMEN
0360 Open the gates unto the Lord Protector,
0361 Or we’ll burst them open if that you come not quickly.
Enter, to the Protector at the Tower gates, Winchester
⌜in cardinal’s robes⌝ and his men in tawny coats.
WINCHESTER
0362 How now, ambitious Humphrey, what means this?
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35
GLOUCESTER 0363 30 Peeled priest, dost thou command me to be shut out?
WINCHESTER
0364 I do, thou most usurping proditor—
0365 And not Protector—of the King or realm.
GLOUCESTER
0366 Stand back, thou manifest conspirator,
0367 Thou that contrived’st to murder our dead lord,
0368 35 Thou that giv’st whores indulgences to sin!
0369 I’ll canvass thee in thy broad cardinal’s hat
0370 If thou proceed in this thy insolence.
WINCHESTER
0371 Nay, stand thou back. I will not budge a foot.
0372 This be Damascus; be thou cursèd Cain
0373 40 To slay thy brother Abel, if thou wilt.
GLOUCESTER
0374 I will not slay thee, but I’ll drive thee back.
0375 Thy scarlet robes, as a child’s bearing-cloth,
0376 I’ll use to carry thee out of this place.
WINCHESTER
0377 Do what thou dar’st, I beard thee to thy face.
GLOUCESTER
0378 45 What, am I dared and bearded to my face?—
0379 Draw, men, for all this privilegèd place.
0380 Blue coats to tawny coats!⌜All draw their swords.⌝
0381 Priest, beware your beard.
0382 I mean to tug it and to cuff you soundly.
0383 50 Under my feet ⌜I’ll⌝ stamp thy cardinal’s hat;
0384 In spite of pope or dignities of Church,
0385 Here by the cheeks I’ll drag thee up and down.
WINCHESTER
0386 Gloucester, thou wilt answer this before the Pope.
GLOUCESTER
0387 Winchester goose, I cry “a rope, a rope!”—
0388 55 Now beat them hence; why do you let them stay?—
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37
0389
Thee I’ll chase hence, thou wolf in sheep’s array.—0390 Out, tawny coats, out, scarlet hypocrite!
Here Gloucester’s men beat out the Cardinal’s men,
and enter in the hurly-burly the Mayor of London
and his Officers.
MAYOR
0391 Fie, lords, that you, being supreme magistrates,
0392 Thus contumeliously should break the peace!
GLOUCESTER
0393 60 Peace, Mayor? Thou know’st little of my wrongs.
0394 Here’s Beaufort, that regards nor God nor king,
0395 Hath here distrained the Tower to his use.
WINCHESTER
0396 Here’s Gloucester, a foe to citizens,
0397 One that still motions war and never peace,
0398 65 O’ercharging your free purses with large fines;
0399 That seeks to overthrow religion
0400 Because he is Protector of the realm,
0401 And would have armor here out of the Tower
0402 To crown himself king and suppress the Prince.
GLOUCESTER
0403 70 I will not answer thee with words, but blows.
Here they skirmish again.
MAYOR
0404 Naught rests for me in this tumultuous strife
0405 But to make open proclamation.
0406 Come, officer, as loud as e’er thou canst, cry.
⌜He hands an Officer a paper.⌝
⌜OFFICER reads⌝ 0407 All manner of men, assembled here in
0408 75 arms this day against God’s peace and the King’s, we
0409 charge and command you, in his Highness’ name, to
0410 repair to your several dwelling places, and not to
0411 wear, handle, or use any sword, weapon, or dagger
0412 henceforward, upon pain of death.
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GLOUCESTER 0413 80 Cardinal, I’ll be no breaker of the law,
0414 But we shall meet and break our minds at large.
WINCHESTER
0415 Gloucester, we’ll meet to thy cost, be sure.
0416 Thy heartblood I will have for this day’s work.
MAYOR
0417 I’ll call for clubs if you will not away.
0418 85 (⌜Aside.⌝) This cardinal’s more haughty than the devil!
GLOUCESTER
0419 Mayor, farewell. Thou dost but what thou mayst.
WINCHESTER
0420 Abominable Gloucester, guard thy head,
0421 For I intend to have it ere long.
⌜Gloucester and Winchester⌝ exit
⌜at separate doors, with their Servingmen.⌝
MAYOR, ⌜to Officers⌝
0422 See the coast cleared, and then we will depart.
0423 90 (⌜Aside.⌝) Good God, these nobles should such
0424 stomachs bear!
0425 I myself fight not once in forty year.
They exit.