O, let me stay, befall what may befall!

QUEEN MARGARET

Away. Though parting be a fretful corrosive,

It is applied to a deathful wound.

To France, sweet Suffolk. Let me hear from thee.

For wheresoe’er thou art in this world’s Globe

I’ll have an Iris that shall find thee out.

SUFFOLK

I go.

QUEEN MARGARET And take my heart with thee.

⌈She kisseth him⌉

SUFFOLK

A jewel, locked into the woefull’st cask That ever did contain a thing of worth. Even as a splitted barque, so sunder we—This way fall I to death.

QUEEN MARGARET This way for me.

Exeunt severally

3.3 Enter King Henry and the Earls of Salisbury and Warwick. Then the curtains be drawn revealing Cardinal Beaufort in his bed raving and staring as if he were mad

KING HENRY (to Cardinal Beaufort)

How fares my lord? Speak, Beaufort, to thy sovereign.

CARDINAL BEAUFORT

If thou beest death, I’ll give thee England’s treasure

Enough to purchase such another island,

So thou wilt let me live and feel no pain.

KING HENRY

Ah, what a sign it is of evil life

Where death’s approach is seen so terrible.

WARWICK

Beaufort, it is thy sovereign speaks to thee.

CARDINAL BEAUFORT

Bring me unto my trial when you will.

Died he not in his bed ? Where should he die?

Can I make men live whe’er they will or no?

O, torture me no more—I will confess.

Alive again? Then show me where he is.

I’ll give a thousand pound to look upon him.

He hath no eyes! The dust hath blinded them.

Comb down his hair—look, look: it stands upright,

Like lime twigs set to catch my winged soul.

Give me some drink, and bid the apothecary

Bring the strong poison that I bought of him.

KING HENRY

O Thou eternal mover of the heavens,

Look with a gentle eye upon this wretch.

O, beat away the busy meddling fiend

That lays strong siege unto this wretch’s soul,

And from his bosom purge this black despair.

WARWICK

See how the pangs of death do make him grin.

SALISBURY

Disturb him not; let him pass peaceably.

KING HENRY

Peace to his soul, if God’s good pleasure be.

Lord Card‘nal, if thou think’st on heaven’s bliss,

Hold up thy hand, make signal of thy hope.

Cardinal Beaufort dies

He dies and makes no sign. O God, forgive him.

WARWICK

So bad a death argues a monstrous life.

KING HENRY

Forbear to judge, for we are sinners all.

Close up his eyes and draw the curtain close,

And let us all to meditation.

Exeunt, ⌈drawing the curtains. The bed is

removed⌉

4.1 Alarums within, and the chambers be discharged like as it were a fight at sea. And then enter the Captain of the ship, the Master, the Master’s Mate, Walter Whitmore, ⌈and others⌉. With them, as their prisoners, the Duke of Suffolk, disguised, and two Gentlemen

CAPTAIN

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, (pointing to the First Gentleman) this prisoner

freely give I thee,

(To the Mate)

And thou, that art his mate, make boot of this.

He points to the Second Gentleman

(To Walter Whitmore)

The other (pointing to Suffolk), Walter Whitmore, is

thy share.

FIRST GENTLEMAN (to the Master)

What is my ransom, Master, let me know.

MASTER

A thousand crowns, or else lay down your head.

MATE (to the Second Gentleman)

And so much shall you give, or off goes yours.

CAPTAIN (to both the Gentlemen)

What, think you much to pay two thousand crowns,

And bear the name and port of gentlemen?

⌈WHITMORE⌉

Cut both the villains’ throats! ⌈To Suffolk⌉ For die you

shall.

The lives of those which we have lost in fight

⌈ ⌉

Be counterpoised with such a petty sum.

FIRST GENTLEMAN (to the Master)

I’ll give it, sir, and therefore spare my life.

SECOND GENTLEMAN (to the Mate)

And so will,I, and write home for it straight.

WHITMORE (to Suffolk)

I lost mine eye in laying the prize aboard,

And therefore to revenge it, shalt thou die—

And so should these, if I might have my will.

CAPTAIN

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.

Suffolk starteth

How now—why starts thou? What doth thee 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 wiped away the blot.

Therefore, when merchant-like I sell revenge,

Broke be my sword, my arms torn and defaced,