Act I, Scene 4

GLOUCESTER’s garden.

[Enter MARGARET JOURDAIN, HUME, SOUTHWELL, and BOLINGBROKE]

• Father John Hume. Come, my masters; the duchess, I tell you, expects 625
  performance of your promises.

• Bolingbroke. Master Hume, we are therefore provided: will her
  ladyship behold and hear our exorcisms?

• Father John Hume. Ay, what else? fear you not her courage.

• Bolingbroke. I have heard her reported to be a woman of an 630
  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] 635
  Mother Jourdain, be you
  prostrate and grovel on the earth; John Southwell,
  read you; and let us to our work.

[Enter the DUCHESS aloft, HUME following]

• Eleanor. Well said, my masters; and welcome all. To this 640
  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, 645
  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] 650
  circle; BOLINGBROKE or SOUTHWELL reads, Conjuro te,
  &c. It thunders and lightens terribly; then the
  Spirit riseth]

• Spirit. Adsum.

• Margaret Jourdain. Asmath, 655
  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. 'First of the king: what shall of him become?' 660

[Reading out of a paper]

• 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?' 665

• Spirit. By water shall he die, and take his end.

• Bolingbroke. '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. 670
  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 YORK and BUCKINGHAM with their Guard] 675
  and break in]

• Richard Plantagenet (Duke of Gloucester). 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: 680
  My lord protector will, I doubt it not,
  See you well guerdon'd for these good deserts.

• Eleanor. Not half so bad as thine to England's king,
  Injurious duke, that threatest where's no cause.

• Duke of Buckingham. True, madam, none at all: what call you this? 685
  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. 690
  All, away!

[Exeunt guard with MARGARET JOURDAIN, SOUTHWELL, &c]

• Richard Plantagenet (Duke of Gloucester). 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. 695
  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 700
  '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? 705
  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, 710
  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: 715
  A sorry breakfast for my lord protector.

• Duke of Buckingham. Your grace shall give me leave, my Lord of York,
  To be the post, in hope of his reward.

• Richard Plantagenet (Duke of Gloucester). At your pleasure, my good lord. Who's within
  there, ho! 720
  [Enter a Servingman]
  Invite my Lords of Salisbury and Warwick
  To sup with me to-morrow night. Away!

[Exeunt]