William Shakespeare: King Henry VI, Second Part

ACT II 1. SCENE I. Saint Alban's. (continued)

SIMPCOX.
Alas, master, I am not able to stand alone;
You go about to torture me in vain.

[Enter a Beadle with whips.]

GLOSTER.
Well, sir, we must have you find your legs.--
Sirrah beadle, whip him till he leap over that same stool.

BEADLE.
I will, my lord.--Come on, sirrah; off with your doublet
quickly.

SIMPCOX.
Alas, master, what shall I do? I am not able to stand.

[After the Beadle hath hit him once, he leaps over
the stool and runs away; and they follow and cry,
'A miracle!']

KING.
O God, seest Thou this, and bearest so long?

QUEEN.
It made me laugh to see the villain run.

GLOSTER.
Follow the knave, and take this drab away.

WIFE.
Alas, sir, we did it for pure need!

GLOSTER.
Let them be whipped through every market-town
till they come to Berwick, from whence they came.

[Exeunt Wife, Beadle, Mayor, etc.]

CARDINAL.
Duke Humphrey has done a miracle to-day.

SUFFOLK.
True; made the lame to leap and fly away.

GLOSTER.
But you have done more miracles than I;
You made in a day, my lord, whole towns to fly.

[Enter BUCKINGHAM.]

KING.
What tidings with our cousin Buckingham?

BUCKINGHAM.
Such as my heart doth tremble to unfold.
A sort of naughty persons, lewdly bent,
Under the countenance and confederacy
Of Lady Eleanor, the protector's wife,
The ringleader and head of all this rout,
Have practis'd dangerously against your state,
Dealing with witches and with conjurers,
Whom we have apprehended in the fact,
Raising up wicked spirits from underground,
Demanding of King Henry's life and death,
And other of your highness' privy-council,
As more at large your Grace shall understand.