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Henry VI, Pt. 2: Act I, Scene 4

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Henry VI, Pt. 2
Act I, Scene 4

London. Gloucester’s Garden.

Asmath

Asmath, by the eternal God, whose name and power thou tremblest at, answer that I shall ask

Asmath

George Romney

  1. Enter the witch, Margery Jourdain, the two priests—Hume and
  2. Southwell—and Bolingbrook.

John Hume

1 - 2
  1. Come, my masters, the Duchess, I tell you, expects
  2. performance of your promises.

Roger Bolingbrook

3 - 4
  1. Master Hume, we are therefore provided. Will her ladyship
  2. behold and hear our exorcisms?

John Hume

5
  1. Ay, what else? Fear you not her courage.

Roger Bolingbrook

6 - 11
  1. I have heard her reported to be a woman of an invincible
  2. spirit; but it shall be convenient, Master Hume, that you be
  3. by her aloft, while we be busy below; and so I pray you go
  4. in God’s name, and leave us.
  5. Exit Hume.
  6. Mother Jourdain, be you prostrate and grovel on the earth.
  7. She lies down upon her face.
  8. John Southwell, read you; and let us to our work.
  1. Enter Eleanor the Duchess aloft, Hume following.

Duchess

12 - 13
  1. Well said, my masters, and welcome all.
  2. To this gear, the sooner the better.

Roger Bolingbrook

14 - 21
  1. Patience, good lady, wizards know their times.
  2. Deep night, dark night, the silent of the night,
  3. The time of night when Troy was set on fire,
  4. The time when screech owls cry and ban-dogs howl,
  5. And spirits walk, and ghosts break up their graves,
  6. That time best fits the work we have in hand.
  7. Madam, sit you and fear not. Whom we raise,
  8. We will make fast within a hallow’d verge.
  1. Here do the ceremonies belonging, and make the circle;
  2. Bolingbrook or Southwell reads, “Conjuro te, etc.” It
  3. thunders and lightens terribly; then the Spirit riseth.

Spirit

22
  1. Adsum.

Margery Jourdain

23 - 26
  1. Asmath,
  2. By the eternal God, whose name and power
  3. Thou tremblest at, answer that I shall ask;
  4. For, till thou speak, thou shalt not pass from hence.

Spirit

27
  1. Ask what thou wilt. That I had said, and done!

Roger Bolingbrook

28
  1. “First of the King: what shall of him become?”
  1. Reading out of a paper.

Spirit

29 - 30
  1. The duke yet lives that Henry shall depose;
  2. But him out-live, and die a violent death.
  1. As the Spirit speaks, Bolingbrook writes the answer.

Roger Bolingbrook

31
  1. “Tell me what fate awaits the Duke of Suffolk?”

Spirit

32
  1. By water shall he die, and take his end.

Roger Bolingbrook

33
  1. “What shall betide the Duke of Somerset?”

Spirit

34 - 37
  1. Let him shun castles.
  2. Safer shall he be upon the sandy plains
  3. Than where castles mounted stand.
  4. Have done, for more I hardly can endure.

Roger Bolingbrook

38 - 39
  1. Descend to darkness and the burning lake!
  2. False fiend, avoid!
  1. Thunder and lightning. Exit Spirit sinking down again.
  1. Enter the Duke of York and the Duke of Buckingham with their
  2. Guard, Sir Humphrey Stafford as Captain, and break in.

Duke of York

40 - 45
  1. Lay hands upon these traitors and their trash.
  2. Beldam, I think we watch’d you at an inch.
  3. What, madam, are you there? The King and commonweal
  4. Are deeply indebted for this piece of pains.
  5. My Lord Protector will, I doubt it not,
  6. See you well guerdon’d for these good deserts.

Duchess

46 - 47
  1. Not half so bad as thine to England’s king,
  2. Injurious duke, that threatest where’s no cause.

Duke of Buckingham

48 - 53
  1. True, madam, none at all. What call you this?
  2. Away with them, let them be clapp’d up close,
  3. And kept asunder. You, madam, shall with us.
  4. Stafford, take her to thee.
  5. Exeunt, above, Duchess and Hume guarded.
  6. We’ll see your trinkets here all forthcoming.
  7. All away!
  1. Exit Guard with Jourdain, Southwell, etc.
The Conjuration

The Conjuration

John Opie, circa 1790

Duke of York

54 - 74
  1. Lord Buckingham, methinks you watch’d her well.
  2. A pretty plot, well chosen to build upon!
  3. Now pray, my lord, let’s see the devil’s writ.
  4. What have we here?
  5. Reads.
  6. “The duke yet lives that Henry shall depose;
  7. But him out-live, and die a violent death.”
  8. Why, this is just
  9. “Aio te, Aeacida, Romanos vincere posse.”
  10. Well, to the rest:
  11. “Tell me what fate awaits the Duke of Suffolk?”
  12. “By water shall he die, and take his end.”
  13. “What shall betide the Duke of Somerset?”
  14. “Let him shun castles;
  15. Safer shall he be upon the sandy plains
  16. Than where castles mounted stand.”
  17. Come, come, my lords, these oracles
  18. Are hardly attain’d, and hardly understood.
  19. The King is now in progress towards Saint Albans,
  20. With him the husband of this lovely lady.
  21. Thither goes these news, as fast as horse can carry them—
  22. A sorry breakfast for my Lord Protector.

Duke of Buckingham

75 - 76
  1. Your Grace shall give me leave, my Lord of York,
  2. To be the post, in hope of his reward.

Duke of York

77 - 79
  1. At your pleasure, my good lord. Who’s within there, ho?
  2. Enter Gloucester’s Servingman.
  3. Invite my Lords of Salisbury and Warwick
  4. To sup with me tomorrow night. Away!
  1. Exeunt.
Adsum

Adsum

Edwin Austin Abbey, 1903

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