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[Aside to Gloucester.] Ay, where thou dar'st not peep;

an if thou dar'st,

This evening, on the east side of the grove.

KING.

How now, my lords!

CARDINAL.

Believe me, cousin Gloucester,

Had not your man put up the fowl so suddenly,

We had had more sport.—[Aside to Gloucester.] Come with thy

two-hand sword.

GLOUCESTER.

True, uncle.

CARDINAL.

[Aside to Gloucester.] Are ye advis'd? the east side of the grove?

GLOUCESTER.

[Aside to CARDINAL.] Cardinal, I am with you.

KING.

Why, how now, uncle Gloucester!

GLOUCESTER.

Talking of hawking; nothing else, my lord.—

[Aside to Cardinal.] Now, by God's mother, priest,

I'll shave your crown for this,

Or all my fence shall fail.

CARDINAL.

[Aside to Gloucester.] Medice, teipsum—

Protector, see to 't well, protect yourself.

KING.

The winds grow high; so do your stomachs, lords.

How irksome is this music to my heart!

When such strings jar, what hope of harmony?

I pray, my lords, let me compound this strife.

[Enter a Townsman of Saint Alban's, crying 'A miracle!']

GLOUCESTER.

What means this noise?

Fellow, what miracle dost thou proclaim?

TOWNSMAN.

A miracle! A miracle!

SUFFOLK.

Come to the king, and tell him what miracle.

TOWNSMAN.

Forsooth, a blind man at Saint Alban's shrine,

Within this half hour, hath receiv'd his sight;

A man that ne'er saw in his life before.

KING.

Now, God be prais'd, that to believing souls

Gives light in darkness, comfort in despair!

[Enter the Mayor of Saint Alban's and his brethren, bearing SIMPCOX, between two in a chair, SIMPCOX's Wife following.]

CARDINAL.

Here comes the townsmen on procession,

To present your highness with the man.

KING HENRY.

Great is his comfort in this earthly vale,

Although by his sight his sin be multiplied.

GLOUCESTER.

Stand by, my masters.

Bring him near the king;

His highness' pleasure is to talk with him.

KING.

Good fellow, tell us here the circumstance,

That we for thee may glorify the Lord.

What, hast thou been long blind and now restor'd?

SIMPCOX.

Born blind, an 't please your grace.

WIFE.

Ay indeed was he.

SUFFOLK.

What woman is this?

WIFE.

His wife, an 't like your worship.

GLOUCESTER.

Hadst thou been his mother, thou couldst have better told.

KING.

Where wert thou born?

SIMPCOX.

At Berwick in the north, an 't like your grace.

KING.

Poor soul, God's goodness hath been great to thee;

Let never day nor night unhallow'd pass,

But still remember what the Lord hath done.

QUEEN.

Tell me, good fellow, cam'st thou here by chance,

Or of devotion, to this holy shrine?

SIMPCOX.

God knows, of pure devotion; being call'd

A hundred times and oftener, in my sleep,

By good Saint Alban, who said 'Simpcox, come,

Come, offer at my shrine, and I will help thee.'

WIFE.

Most true, forsooth; and many time and oft

Myself have heard a voice to call him so.

CARDINAL.

What, art thou lame?

SIMPCOX.

Ay, God Almighty help me!

SUFFOLK.

How cam'st thou so?

SIMPCOX.

A fall off of a tree.

WIFE.

A plum-tree, master.

GLOUCESTER.

How long hast thou been blind?

SIMPCOX.

O, born so, master!

GLOUCESTER.

What, and wouldst climb a tree?

SIMPCOX.

But that in all my life, when I was a youth.

WIFE.

Too true; and bought his climbing very dear.

GLOUCESTER.

Mass, thou lov'dst plums well that wouldst venture so.

SIMPCOX.

Alas, good master, my wife desir'd some damsons,

And made me climb, with danger of my life.

GLOUCESTER.

A subtle knave! but yet it shall not serve.—

Let me see thine eyes.—Wink now;—now open them.

In my opinion yet thou seest not well.

SIMPCOX.

Yes, master, clear as day, I thank God and Saint Alban.

GLOUCESTER.

Say'st thou me so? What colour is this cloak of?

SIMPCOX.

Red, master, red as blood.

GLOUCESTER.

Why, that's well said. What colour is my gown of?

SIMPCOX.

Black, forsooth, coal-black as jet.

KING.

Why, then, thou know'st what colour jet is of?

SUFFOLK.

And yet, I think, jet did he never see.

GLOUCESTER.