Shakespeare Portal

Act 1, Scene 3

London. Before the Tower.

  1. [Enter the Duke of Gloucester, with his Serving-men in blue coats.]
  2. Duke of Gloucester
  3. 330 I am come to survey the Tower this day:
  4. 331 Since Henry's death, I fear, there is conveyance.
  5. 332 Where be these warders that they wait not here?
  6. 333 Open the gates; 'tis Gloucester that calls.
  7. [Within]
  8. First Warder
  9. 334 Who's there that knocks so imperiously?
  10. First Serving-man
  11. 335 It is the noble Duke of Gloucester.
  12. [Within]
  13. Second Warder
  14. 336 Whoe'er he be, you may not be let in.
  15. First Serving-man
  16. 337 Villains, answer you so the lord protector?
  17. [Within]
  18. First Warder
  19. 338 The Lord protect him! so we answer him:
  20. 339 We do no otherwise than we are will'd.
  21. Duke of Gloucester
  22. 340 Who willed you? or whose will stands but mine?
  23. 341 There's none protector of the realm but I.
  24. 342 Break up the gates, I 'll be your warrantize:
  25. 343 Shall I be flouted thus by dunghill grooms?
  26. 344 Gloucester's men rush at the Tower Gates, and Woodvile the
  27. 345 Lieutenant speaks within.
  28. Woodvile
  29. 346 What noise is this? what traitors have we here?
  30. Duke of Gloucester
  31. 347 Lieutenant, is it you whose voice I hear?
  32. 348 Open the gates; here's Gloucester that would enter.
  33. Woodvile
  34. 349 Have patience, noble duke; I may not open;
  35. 350 The Cardinal of Winchester forbids:
  36. 351 From him I have express commandment
  37. 352 That thou nor none of thine shall be let in.
  38. Duke of Gloucester
  39. 353 Faint-hearted Woodvile, prizest him 'fore me?
  40. 354 Arrogant Winchester, that haughty prelate
  41. 355 Whom Henry, our late sovereign, ne'er could brook?
  42. 356 Thou art no friend to God or to the King.
  43. 357 Open the gates, or I 'll shut thee out shortly.
  44. Serving-men
  45. 358 Open the gates unto the lord protector,
  46. 359 Or we 'll burst them open, if that you come not quickly.
  47. [Enter to the Protector at the Tower Gates Winchester and his men in tawny coats.]
  48. Bishop of Winchester
  49. 360 How now, ambitious Humphry! what means this?
  50. Duke of Gloucester
  51. 361 Peel'd priest, dost thou command me to be shut out?
  52. Bishop of Winchester
  53. 362 I do, thou most usurping proditor,
  54. 363 And not protector, of the king or realm.
  55. Duke of Gloucester
  56. 364 Stand back, thou manifest conspirator,
  57. 365 Thou that contrivedst to murder our dead lord;
  58. 366 Thou that givest whores indulgences to sin:
  59. 367 I 'll canvass thee in thy broad cardinal's hat,
  60. 368 If thou proceed in this thy insolence.
  61. Bishop of Winchester
  62. 369 Nay, stand thou back; I will not budge a foot:
  63. 370 This be Damascus, be thou cursed Cain,
  64. 371 To slay thy brother Abel, if thou wilt.
  65. Duke of Gloucester
  66. 372 I will not slay thee, but I 'll drive thee back:
  67. 373 Thy scarlet robes as a child's bearing-cloth
  68. 374 I 'll use to carry thee out of this place.
  69. Bishop of Winchester
  70. 375 Do what thou darest; I beard thee to thy face.
  71. Duke of Gloucester
  72. 376 What! am I dared and bearded to my face?
  73. 377 Draw, men, for all this privileged place;
  74. 378 Blue coats to tawny coats. Priest, beware your beard;
  75. 379 I mean to tug it and to cuff you soundly:
  76. 380 Under my feet I stamp thy cardinal's hat:
  77. 381 In spite of pope or dignities of church,
  78. 382 Here by the cheeks I 'll drag thee up and down.
  79. Bishop of Winchester
  80. 383 Gloucester, thou wilt answer this before the
  81. 384 pope.
  82. Duke of Gloucester
  83. 385 Winchester goose, I cry, a rope! a rope!
  84. Duke of Gloucester
  85. 386 Now beat them hence; why do you let them stay?
  86. 387 Thee I 'll chase hence, thou wolf in sheep's array.
  87. 388 Out, tawny coats! out, scarlet hypocrite!
  88. 389 Here Gloucester's men beat out the Cardinal's
  89. 390 men, and enter in the hurly-burly the Mayor of
  90. 391 London and his Officers.
  91. Mayor of London
  92. 392 Fie, lords! that you, being supreme magistrates,
  93. 393 Thus contumeliously should break the peace!
  94. Duke of Gloucester
  95. 394 Peace, mayor! thou know'st little of my wrongs:
  96. 395 Here's Beaufort, that regards nor God nor king,
  97. 396 Hath here distrain'd the Tower to his use.
  98. Bishop of Winchester
  99. 397 Here's Gloucester, a foe to citizens,
  100. 398 One that still motions war and never peace,
  101. 399 O'ercharging your free purses with large fines,
  102. 400 That seeks to overthrow religion,
  103. 401 Because he is protector of the realm,
  104. 402 And would have armour here out of the Tower,
  105. 403 To crown himself king and suppress the prince.
  106. Duke of Gloucester
  107. 404 I will not answer thee with words, but blows.
  108. 405 Here they skirmish again.
  109. Mayor of London
  110. 406 Nought rests for me in this tumultuous strife
  111. 407 But to make open proclamation:
  112. 408 Come, officer; as loud as e'er thou canst:
  113. 409 Cry.
  114. Officer
  115. 410 All manner of men assembled here in arms
  116. 411 this day against God's peace and the king's, we charge
  117. 412 and command you, in his highness' name, to repair to
  118. 413 your several dwelling-places; and not to wear, handle, or
  119. 414 use any sword, weapon, or dagger, henceforward, upon
  120. 415 pain of death.
  121. Duke of Gloucester
  122. 416 Cardinal, I 'll be no breaker of the law;
  123. 417 But we shall meet, and break our minds at large.
  124. Bishop of Winchester
  125. 418 Gloucester, we will meet; to thy cost, be sure;
  126. 419 Thy heart-blood I will have for this day's work.
  127. Mayor of London
  128. 420 I 'll call for clubs, if you will not away.
  129. 421 This Cardinal's more haughty than the devil.
  130. Duke of Gloucester
  131. 422 Mayor, farewell: thou dost but what thou mayst.
  132. Bishop of Winchester
  133. 423 Abominable Gloucester, guard thy head;
  134. 424 For I intend to have it ere long.
  135. [Exeunt, severally, Gloucester and Winchester with their Serving-men.]
  136. Mayor of London
  137. 425 See the coast clear'd, and then we will depart.
  138. 426 Good God, these nobles should such stomachs bear!
  139. 427 I myself fight not once in forty year.
  140. [Exeunt.]