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King Henry VI； Part 2
SCENE I。 The coast of Kent
Alarum。 Fight at sea。 Ordnance goes off。Enter a LIEUTENANT； a
SHIPMASTER and his MATE； and WALTER WHITMORE； with
sailors； SUFFOLK and other GENTLEMEN； as prisoners
LIEUTENANT。 The gaudy； blabbing； and remorseful day Is crept
into the bosom of the sea； And now loud…howling wolves arouse the jades
That drag the tragic melancholy night； Who with their drowsy； slow； and
flagging wings Clip dead men's graves； and from their misty jaws Breathe
foul contagious darkness in the air。 Therefore bring forth the soldiers of
our prize； For； whilst our pinnace anchors in the Downs； Here shall they
make their ransom on the sand； Or with their blood stain this discoloured
shore。 Master； this prisoner freely give I thee； And thou that art his mate
make boot of this； The other； Walter Whitmore； is thy share。 FIRST
GENTLEMAN。 What is my ransom； master； let me know？ MASTER。 A
thousand crowns； or else lay down your head。 MATE。 And so much shall
you give； or off goes yours。 LIEUTENANT。 What； think you much to pay
two thousand crowns； And bear the name and port of gentlemen？ Cut both
the villains' throats… for die you shall； The lives of those which we have
lost in fight Be counterpois'd with such a petty sum！ FIRST
GENTLEMAN。 I'll give it； sir： and therefore spare my life。 SECOND
GENTLEMAN。 And so will I； and write home for it straight。
WHITMORE。 I lost mine eye in laying the prize aboard； ＇To SUFFOLK＇
And therefore； to revenge it； shalt thou die； And so should these； if I might
have my will。 LIEUTENANT。 Be not so rash； take ransom； let him live。
SUFFOLK。 Look on my George； I am a gentleman： Rate me at what thou
wilt； thou shalt be paid。 WHITMORE。 And so am I： my name is Walter
Whitmore。 How now！ Why start'st thou？ What； doth death affright？
SUFFOLK。 Thy name affrights me； in whose sound is death。 A cunning
man did calculate my birth And told me that by water I should die； Yet let
not this make thee be bloody…minded； Thy name is Gualtier； being rightly
sounded。 WHITMORE。 Gualtier or Walter； which it is I care not： Never
yet did base dishonour blur our name But with our sword we wip'd away
the blot； Therefore； when merchant…like I sell revenge； Broke be my sword；
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King Henry VI； Part 2
my arms torn and defac'd； And I proclaim'd a coward through the world。
SUFFOLK。 Stay； Whitmore； for thy prisoner is a prince； The Duke of
Suffolk； William de la Pole。 WHITMORE。 The Duke of Suffolk muffled
up in rags？ SUFFOLK。 Ay； but these rags are no part of the Duke： Jove
sometime went disguis'd； and why not I？ LIEUTENANT。 But Jove was
never slain； as thou shalt be。 SUFFOLK。 Obscure and lowly swain； King
Henry's blood； The honourable blood of Lancaster； Must not be shed by
such a jaded groom。 Hast thou not kiss'd thy hand and held my stirrup；
Bareheaded plodded by my foot…cloth mule； And thought thee happy when
I shook my head？ How often hast thou waited at my cup； Fed from my
trencher； kneel'd down at the board； When I have feasted with Queen
Margaret？ Remember it； and let it make thee crestfall'n； Ay； and allay thus
thy abortive pride； How in our voiding…lobby hast thou stood And duly
waited for my coming forth。 This hand of mine hath writ in thy behalf；
And therefore shall it charm thy riotous tongue。 WHITMORE。 Speak；
Captain； shall I stab the forlorn swain？ LIEUTENANT。 First let my words
stab him； as he hath me。 SUFFOLK。 Base slave； thy words are blunt； and
so art thou。 LIEUTENANT。 Convey him hence； and on our longboat's side
Strike off his head。 SUFFOLK。 Thou dar'st not； for thy own。
LIEUTENANT。 Poole！ SUFFOLK。 Poole？ LIEUTENANT。 Ay； kennel；
puddle； sink； whose filth and dirt Troubles the silver spring where England
drinks； Now will I dam up this thy yawning mouth For swallowing the
treasure of the realm。 Thy lips； that kiss'd the Queen； shall sweep the
ground； And thou that smil'dst at good Duke Humphrey's death Against
the senseless winds shalt grin in vain； Who in contempt shall hiss at thee
again； And wedded be thou to the hags of hell For daring to affy a mighty
lord Unto the daughter of a worthless king； Having neither subject； wealth；
nor diadem。 By devilish policy art thou grown great； And； like ambitious
Sylla； overgorg'd With gobbets of thy mother's bleeding heart。 By thee
Anjou and Maine were sold to France； The false revolting Normans
thorough thee Disdain to call us lord； and Picardy Hath slain their
governors； surpris'd our forts； And sent the ragged soldiers wounded home。
The princely Warwick； and the Nevils all； Whose dreadful swords were
never drawn in vain； As hating thee； are rising up in arms； And now the
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King Henry VI； Part 2
house of York… thrust from the crown By shameful murder of a guiltless
king And lofty proud encroaching tyranny… Burns with revenging fire；
whose hopeful colours Advance our half…fac'd sun； striving to shine；
Under the which is writ 'Invitis nubibus。' The commons here in Kent are
up in arms； And to conclude； reproach and beggary Is crept into the palace
of our King； And all by thee。 Away！ convey him hence。 SUFFOLK。 O that
I were a god； to shoot forth thunder Upon these paltry； servile； abject
drudges！ Small things make base men proud： this villain here； Being
captain of a pinnace； threatens more Than Bargulus； the strong Illyrian
pirate。 Drones suck not eagles' blood but rob beehives。 It is impossible that
I should die By such a lowly vassal as thyself。 Thy words move rage and
not remorse in me。 I go of message from the Queen to France： I charge
thee waft me safely cross the Channel。 LIEUTENANT。 Walter…
WHITMORE。 Come； Suffolk； I must waft thee to thy death。 SUFFOLK。
Gelidus timor occupat artus： it is thee I fear。 WHITMORE。 Thou shalt
have cause to fear before I leave thee。 What； are ye daunted now？ Now
will ye stoop？ FIRST GENTLEMAN。 My gracious lord； entreat him；
speak him fair。 SUFFOLK。 Suffolk's imperial tongue is stem and rough；
Us'd to command； untaught to plead for favour。 Far be it we should honour
such as these With humble suit： no； rather let my head Stoop to the block
than these knees bow to any Save to the God of heaven and to my king；
And sooner dance upon a bloody pole Than stand uncover'd to the vulgar
groom。 True nobility is exempt from fear： More can I bear than you dare
execute。 LIEUTENANT。 Hale him away； and let him talk no more。
SUFFOLK。 Come； soldiers； show what cruelty ye can； That this my death
may never be forgot… Great men oft die by vile bezonians： A Roman
sworder and banditto slave Murder'd sweet Tully； Brutus' bastard hand
Stabb'd Julius Caesar； savage islanders Pompey the Great； and Suffolk
dies by pirates。 Exit WALTER with SUFFOLK LIEUTENANT。 And as for
these； whose ransom we have set； It is our pleasure one of them depart；
Therefore come you with us； and let him go。 Exeunt all but the FIRST
GENTLEMAN
Re…enter WHITMORE with SUFFOLK'S body
WHITMORE。 There let his head and lifeless body lie； Until the
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King Henry VI； Part 2
Queen his mistress bury it。 Exit FIRST GENTLEMAN。 O barbarous and
bloody spectacle！ His body will I bear unto the King。 If he revenge it not；
yet will his friends； So will the Queen； that living held him dear。 Exit with
the body
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King Henry VI； Part 2
SCENE II。 Blackheath
Enter GEORGE BEVIS and JOHN HOLLAND
GEORGE。 Come and get thee a sword； though made of a lath； they
have been up these two days。 JOHN。 They have the more need to sleep
now； then。 GEORGE。 I tell thee Jack Cade the clothier mean