Arrogant Winchester, that haughty prelate,

Whom Henry, our late sovereign, ne’er could brook?

Thou art no friend to God or to the King.

Open the gates, or I’ll shut thee out shortly.

SERVINGMEN

Open the gates unto the Lord Protector,

Or we’ll burst them open, if that you come not quickly.

Enter, to the Lord Protector at the Tower gates, the Bishop of Winchester and his men in tawny coats

WINCHESTER

How now, ambitious vizier! What means this?

GLOUCESTER

Peeled priest, dost thou command me to be shut out?

WINCHESTER

I do, thou most usurping proditor,

And not ‘Protector’, of the King or realm.

GLOUCESTER

Stand back, thou manifest conspirator.

Thou that contrived’st to murder our dead lord,

Thou that giv’st whores indulgences to sin,

If thou proceed in this thy insolence—

WINCHESTER

Nay, stand thou back! I will not budge a foot.

This be Damascus, be thou cursed Cain,

To slay thy brother Abel, if thou wilt.

GLOUCESTER

I will not slay thee, but I’ll drive thee back.

Thy purple robes, as a child’s bearing-cloth,

I’ll use to carry thee out of this place.

WINCHESTER

Do what thou dar’st, I beard thee to thy face.

GLOUCESTER

What, am I dared and bearded to my face?

Draw, men, for all this privileged place.

All draw their swords

Blue coats to tawny coats!—Priest, beware your

beard.

I mean to tug it, and to cuff you soundly.

Under my feet I’ll stamp thy bishop’s mitre.

In spite of Pope, or dignities of church,

Here by the cheeks I’ll drag thee up and down.

WINCHESTER

Gloucester, thou wilt answer this before the Pope.

GLOUCESTER

Winchester goose! I cry, ‘A rope, a rope!’

(To his Servingmen)

Now beat them hence. Why do you let them stay?

(To Winchester)

Thee I’ll chase hence, thou wolf in sheep’s array.

Out, tawny coats! Out, cloaked hypocrite!

Here Gloucester’s men beat out the Bishop’s men.

Enter in the hurly-burly the Mayor of London and

his Officers

MAYOR

Fie, lords!—that you, being supreme magistrates,

Thus contumeliously should break the peace.

GLOUCESTER

Peace, mayor, thou know’st little of my wrongs.

Here’s Beaufort—that regards nor God nor king-

Hath here distrained the Tower to his use.

WINCHESTER (to Mayor)

Here’s Gloucester—a foe to citizens,

One that still motions war, and never peace,

O’ercharging your free purses with large fines—

That seeks to overthrow religion,

Because he is Protector of the realm,

And would have armour here out of the Tower

To crown himself king and suppress the Prince.

GLOUCESTER

I will not answer thee with words but blows.

Here the factions skirmish again

MAYOR

Naught rests for me, in this tumultuous strife,

But to make open proclamation.

Come, officer, as loud as e’er thou canst, cry.

OFFICER All manner of men, assembled here in arms this day against God’s peace and the King’s, we charge and command you in his highness’ name to repair to your several dwelling places, and not to wear, handle, or use any sword, weapon, or dagger henceforward, upon pain of death.

The skirmishes cease

GLOUCESTER

Bishop, I’ll be no breaker of the law.

But we shall meet and break our minds at large.

WINCHESTER

Gloucester, we’ll meet to thy cost, be sure.

Thy heart-blood I will have for this day’s work.

MAYOR

I’ll call for clubs, if you will not away.

(Aside) This bishop is more haughty than the devil.

GLOUCESTER

Mayor, farewell. Thou dost but what thou mayst.

WINCHESTER

Abominable Gloucester, guard thy head,

For I intend to have it ere long.

Exeunt both factions severally

MAYOR (to Officers)

See the coast cleared, and then we will depart.—

Good God, these nobles should such stomachs bear!

I myself fight not once in forty year.

Exeunt

1.5 Enter the Master Gunner of Orleans with his Boy

MASTER GUNNER

Sirrah, thou know’st how Orléans is besieged,

And how the English have the suburbs won.

BOY

Father, I know, and oft have shot at them;

Howe’er, unfortunate, I missed my aim.

MASTER GUNNER

But now thou shalt not. Be thou ruled by me.

Chief Master Gunner am I of this town;

Something I must do to procure me grace.

The Prince’s spials have informed me

How the English, in the suburbs close entrenched,

Wont, through a secret grate of iron bars

In yonder tower, to overpeer the city,

And thence discover how with most advantage

They may vex us with shot or with assault.

To intercept this inconvenience,

A piece of ordnance ‘gainst it I have placed,

And even these three days have I watched, if I could

see them.

Now do thou watch, for I can stay no longer.

If thou spy’st any, run and bring me word,

And thou shalt find me at the governor’s.

BOY

Father, I warrant you, take you no care—

⌈Exit Master Gunner at one door⌉

I’ll never trouble you, if I may spy them.

Exit ⌈at the other door⌉

1.6 Enter the Earl of Salisbury and Lord Talbot above on the turrets with others, among them Sir Thomas Gargrave and Sir William Glasdale

SALISBURY

Talbot, my life, my joy, again returned?

How wert thou handled, being prisoner?