The Life of Sir John Oldcastle [6]
King, hearing whither I am gone,
Hath sent for me.
COBHAM.
Comfort your self my lord, I warrant you.
HARPOOLE.
Fellow, what ails thee? doost thou quake? dost thou
shake? dost thou tremble? ha?
COBHAM.
Peace, you old fool! Sirra, convey this gentleman
in the back way, and bring the other into the walk.
HARPOOLE.
Come, sir; you are welcome, if you love my lord.
POWIS.
God have mercy, gentle friend.
[Exeunt.]
COBHAM.
I thought as much: that it would not be long,
Before I heard of something from the King
About this matter.
[Enter Harpoole with Master Butler.]
HARPOOLE.
Sir, yonder my lord walks, you see him;
I'll have your men into the Cellar the while.
COBHAM.
Welcome, good master Butler.
BUTLER.
Thanks, my good lord: his Majesty doth commend
His love unto your lordship,
And wills you to repair unto the court.
COBHAM.
God bless his Highness, and confound his enemies!
I hope his Majesty is well.
BUTLER.
In health, my lord.
COBHAM.
God long continue it! Me thinks you look
As though you were not well: what ails you, sir?
BUTLER.
Faith, I have had a foolish odd mischance,
That angers me: coming over Shooters hill,
There came a fellow to me like a Sailor,
And asked me money; and whilst I stayed my horse
To draw my purse, he takes th' advantage of
A little bank and leaps behind me, whips
My purse away, and with a sudden jerk,
I know not how, threw me at least three yards
Out of my saddle. I never was so robbed
In all my life.
COBHAM.
I am very sorry, sir, for your mischance. We will send
our warrant forth, to stay such suspicious persons as
shall be found. Then, master Butler, we will attend you.
BUTLER.
I humbly thank your lordship, I will attend you.
ACT II. SCENE I. The same.
[Enter the Sumner.]
SUMNER.
I have the law to warrant what I do; and though the
Lord Cobham be a noble man, that dispenses not
with law: I dare serve process were a five noble men.
Though we Sumners make sometimes a mad slip in a
corner with a pretty wench, a Sumner must not go always
by seeing: a man may be content to hide his eyes, where
he may feel his profit. Well, this is my Lord Cobham's
house if I can devise to speak with him; if not, I'll clap
my citation upon's door: so my lord of Rochester bid
me. But me thinks here comes one of his men.
[Enter Harpoole.]
HARPOOLE.
Welcome, good fellow, welcome; who wouldst thou
speak with?
SUMNER.
With my lord Cobham I would speak, if thou be one of
his men.
HARPOOLE.
Yes, I am one of his men, but thou canst not speak with
my lord.
SUMNER.
May I send to him then?
HARPOOLE.
I'll tell thee that, when I know thy errand.
SUMNER.
I will not tell my errand to thee.
HARPOOLE.
Then keep it to thy self, and walk like a knave as thou
camest.
SUMNER.
I tell thee, my lord keeps no knaves, sirra.
HARPOOLE.
Then thou servest him not, I believe: what lord is thy
master?
SUMNER
My lord of Rochester.
HARPOOLE.
In good time! And what wouldst thou have with my
lord Cobham?
SUMNER.
I come, by virtue of a process, to ascite him to appear
before my lord in the court at Rochester.
HARPOOLE.
[Aside.] Well, God grant me patience! I could eat this
conger. My lord is not at home; therefore it were good,
Sumner, you carried your process back.
SUMNER.
Why, if he will not be spoken withal, then will I leave
it here; and see you that he take knowledge of it.
HARPOOLE.
Swounds, you slave, do you set up your bills here! go to;
take it down again. Doest thou know what thou dost?
Dost thou know on whom thou servest process?
SUMNER.
Yes, marry, do I; Sir John Old-castle, Lord Cobham.
HARPOOLE.
I am glad thou knowest him yet: and, sirra, dost not thou
know, that the lord Cobham is a brave lord, that keeps
good beef and beer in his house, and every day feeds a
hundred poor people at's gate, and keeps a hundred tall
fellows?
SUMNER.
What's that to my process?
HARPOOLE.
Marry, this, sir! is this process parchment?
SUMNER.
Hath sent for me.
COBHAM.
Comfort your self my lord, I warrant you.
HARPOOLE.
Fellow, what ails thee? doost thou quake? dost thou
shake? dost thou tremble? ha?
COBHAM.
Peace, you old fool! Sirra, convey this gentleman
in the back way, and bring the other into the walk.
HARPOOLE.
Come, sir; you are welcome, if you love my lord.
POWIS.
God have mercy, gentle friend.
[Exeunt.]
COBHAM.
I thought as much: that it would not be long,
Before I heard of something from the King
About this matter.
[Enter Harpoole with Master Butler.]
HARPOOLE.
Sir, yonder my lord walks, you see him;
I'll have your men into the Cellar the while.
COBHAM.
Welcome, good master Butler.
BUTLER.
Thanks, my good lord: his Majesty doth commend
His love unto your lordship,
And wills you to repair unto the court.
COBHAM.
God bless his Highness, and confound his enemies!
I hope his Majesty is well.
BUTLER.
In health, my lord.
COBHAM.
God long continue it! Me thinks you look
As though you were not well: what ails you, sir?
BUTLER.
Faith, I have had a foolish odd mischance,
That angers me: coming over Shooters hill,
There came a fellow to me like a Sailor,
And asked me money; and whilst I stayed my horse
To draw my purse, he takes th' advantage of
A little bank and leaps behind me, whips
My purse away, and with a sudden jerk,
I know not how, threw me at least three yards
Out of my saddle. I never was so robbed
In all my life.
COBHAM.
I am very sorry, sir, for your mischance. We will send
our warrant forth, to stay such suspicious persons as
shall be found. Then, master Butler, we will attend you.
BUTLER.
I humbly thank your lordship, I will attend you.
ACT II. SCENE I. The same.
[Enter the Sumner.]
SUMNER.
I have the law to warrant what I do; and though the
Lord Cobham be a noble man, that dispenses not
with law: I dare serve process were a five noble men.
Though we Sumners make sometimes a mad slip in a
corner with a pretty wench, a Sumner must not go always
by seeing: a man may be content to hide his eyes, where
he may feel his profit. Well, this is my Lord Cobham's
house if I can devise to speak with him; if not, I'll clap
my citation upon's door: so my lord of Rochester bid
me. But me thinks here comes one of his men.
[Enter Harpoole.]
HARPOOLE.
Welcome, good fellow, welcome; who wouldst thou
speak with?
SUMNER.
With my lord Cobham I would speak, if thou be one of
his men.
HARPOOLE.
Yes, I am one of his men, but thou canst not speak with
my lord.
SUMNER.
May I send to him then?
HARPOOLE.
I'll tell thee that, when I know thy errand.
SUMNER.
I will not tell my errand to thee.
HARPOOLE.
Then keep it to thy self, and walk like a knave as thou
camest.
SUMNER.
I tell thee, my lord keeps no knaves, sirra.
HARPOOLE.
Then thou servest him not, I believe: what lord is thy
master?
SUMNER
My lord of Rochester.
HARPOOLE.
In good time! And what wouldst thou have with my
lord Cobham?
SUMNER.
I come, by virtue of a process, to ascite him to appear
before my lord in the court at Rochester.
HARPOOLE.
[Aside.] Well, God grant me patience! I could eat this
conger. My lord is not at home; therefore it were good,
Sumner, you carried your process back.
SUMNER.
Why, if he will not be spoken withal, then will I leave
it here; and see you that he take knowledge of it.
HARPOOLE.
Swounds, you slave, do you set up your bills here! go to;
take it down again. Doest thou know what thou dost?
Dost thou know on whom thou servest process?
SUMNER.
Yes, marry, do I; Sir John Old-castle, Lord Cobham.
HARPOOLE.
I am glad thou knowest him yet: and, sirra, dost not thou
know, that the lord Cobham is a brave lord, that keeps
good beef and beer in his house, and every day feeds a
hundred poor people at's gate, and keeps a hundred tall
fellows?
SUMNER.
What's that to my process?
HARPOOLE.
Marry, this, sir! is this process parchment?
SUMNER.