William Shakespeare: King Henry VI, Second Part

ACT III. 1. SCENE I. The Abbey at Bury St. Edmund's. (continued)

SOMERSET.
That all your interest in those territories
Is utterly bereft you; all is lost.

KING.
Cold news, Lord Somerset; but God's will be done!

YORK.
[Aside.] Cold news for me, for I had hope of France
As firmly as I hope for fertile England.
Thus are my blossoms blasted in the bud,
And caterpillars eat my leaves away;
But I will remedy this gear ere long
Or sell my title for a glorious grave.

[Enter GLOSTER.]

GLOSTER.
All happiness unto my lord the king!
Pardon, my liege, that I have staid so long.

SUFFOLK.
Nay, Gloster, know that thou art come too soon,
Unless thou wert more loyal than thou art.
I do arrest thee of high treason here.

GLOSTER.
Well, Suffolk, thou shalt not see me blush,
Nor change my countenance for this arrest;
A heart unspotted is not easily daunted.
The purest spring is not so free from mud
As I am clear from treason to my sovereign.
Who can accuse me? wherein am I guilty?

YORK.
'T is thought, my lord, that you took bribes of France,
And, being protector, stay'd the soldiers' pay,
By means whereof his highness hath lost France.

GLOSTER.
Is it but thought so? what are they that think it?
I never robb'd the soldiers of their pay,
Nor ever had one penny bribe from France.
So help me God, as I have watch'd the night,
Ay, night by night, in studying good for England!
That doit that e'er I wrested from the king,
Or any groat I hoarded to my use,
Be brought against me at my trial-day!
No; many a pound of mine own proper store,
Because I would not tax the needy commons,
Have I dispursed to the garrisons,
And never ask'd for restitution.

CARDINAL.
It serves you well, my lord, to say so much.

GLOSTER.
I say no more than truth, so help me God!