READ STUDY GUIDE: Act I, Scenes ii-iv |
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Act I, Scene iv
| [Enter MARGERY JOURDAIN, HUME, SOUTHWELL, and BOLINGBROKE.] |
| HUME.: |
| Come, my masters; the duchess, I tell you, expects |
| performance of your promises. |
| BOLINGBROKE.: |
| Master Hume, we are therefore provided; |
| will her ladyship behold and hear our exorcisms? |
| HUME.: |
| Ay, what else? fear you not her courage. |
| BOLINGBROKE.: |
| I have heard her reported to be a woman of an invincible spirit: |
| but it shall be convenient, Master Hume, that you be by her |
| aloft while we be busy below; and so, I pray you go, in God's |
| name, and leave us.—[Exit Hume.]Mother Jourdain, be you |
| prostrate and grovel on the earth.—John Southwell, read you; and |
| let us to our work. |
| [Enter DUCHESS aloft, HUME following.] |
| DUCHESS.: |
| Well said, my masters; and welcome all. To this gear |
| the sooner the better. |
| BOLINGBROKE.: |
| Patience, good lady, wizards know their times: |
| Deep night, dark night, the silent of the night, |
| The time of night when Troy was set on fire, |
| The time when screech-owls cry and ban-dogs howl |
| And spirits walk and ghosts break up their graves, |
| That time best fits the work we have in hand. |
| Madam, sit you and fear not; whom we raise, |
| We will make fast within a hallow'd verge. |
| [Here they do the ceremonies belonging, and make the circle;Bolingbroke or Southwell reads, Conjuro te, etc.It thunders and lightens terribly; then the Spirit riseth.] |
| SPIRIT.: |
| Adsum. |
| M. JOURDAIN. |
| Asmath, |
| By the eternal God, whose name and power |
| Thou tremblest at, answer that I shall ask; |
| For till thou speak thou shalt not pass from hence. |
| SPIRIT.: |
| Ask what thou wilt. That I had said and done! |
| BOLINGBROKE.: |
| [Reads] 'First of the king: what shall |
| of him become?' |
| SPIRIT.: |
| The duke yet lives that Henry shall depose, |
| But him outlive and die a violent death. |
| [As the Spirit speaks, Southwell writes the answer.] |
| BOLINGBROKE.: |
| 'What fates await the Duke of Suffolk?' |
| SPIRIT.: |
| By water shall he die and take his end. |
| BOLINGBROKE.: |
| [Reads] 'What shall befall the Duke of Somerset?' |
| SPIRIT.: |
| Let him shun castles; |
| Safer shall he be upon the sandy plains |
| Than where castles mounted stand. |
| Have done, for more I hardly can endure. |
| BOLINGBROKE.: |
| Descend to darkness and the burning lake! |
| False fiend, avoid! |
| [Thunder and lightning. Exit Spirit.] |
| [Enter the DUKE OF YORK and the DUKE OF BUCKINGHAMwith their Guard and break in YORK.] |
| Lay hands upon these traitors and their trash.— |
| Beldam, I think we watch'd you at an inch. |
| What, madam, are you there? the king and commonweal |
| Are deeply indebted for this piece of pains; |
| My lord protector will, I doubt it not, |
| See you well guerdon'd for these good deserts. |
| DUCHESS.: |
| Not half so bad as thine to England's king, |
| Injurious duke, that threatest where's no cause. |
| BUCKINGHAM.: |
| True, madam, none at all; what call you this?— |
| Away with them! let them be clapp'd up close, |
| And kept asunder.—You, madam, shall with us.— |
| Stafford, take her to thee.— |
| [Exeunt above, Duchess and Hume, guarded.] |
| We'll see your trinkets here all forthcoming.— |
| All, away! |
| [Exeunt guard with Jourdain, Southwell, etc.] |
| YORK.: |
| Lord Buckingham, methinks you watch'd her well; |
| A pretty plot, well chosen to build upon! |
| Now, pray, my lord, let's see the devil's writ. |
| What have we here? |
| [Reads] 'The duke yet lives that Henry shall depose. |
| But him outlive and die a violent death.' |
| Why, this is just |
| 'Aio te, Aeacida, Romanos vincere posse.' |
| Well, to the rest: |
| 'Tell me what fate awaits the Duke of Suffolk? |
| By water shall he die and take his end. |
| What shall betide the Duke of Somerset? |
| Let him shun castles; |
| Safer shall he be upon the sandy plains |
| Than where castles mounted stand.'— |
| Come, come, my lords; |
| These oracles are hardly attain'd, |
| And hardly understood. |
| The king is now in progress towards Saint Alban's, |
| With him the husband of this lovely lady. |
| Thither go these news, as fast as horse can carry them; |
| A sorry breakfast for my lord protector. |
| BUCKINGHAM.: |
| Your Grace shall give me leave, my |
| Lord of York, |
| To be the post, in hope of his reward. |
| YORK.: |
| At your pleasure, my good lord.— |
| Who's within there, ho! |
| [Enter a Servingman.] |
| Invite my Lords of Salisbury and Warwick |
| To sup with me to-morrow night. Away! |
| [Exeunt.] |
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