Henry VI, Part II by William Shakespeare
Act 2 - Scene 4
A street.
Servants : Ten, my lord.
Servant : So please your grace, we'll take her from the sheriff.
Eleanor : Come you, my lord, to see my open shame?
[p]Now thou dost penance too.
Look how they gaze!
[p]See how the giddy multitude do point,
[p]And
nod their heads, and throw their eyes on thee!
[p]Ah, Gloucester, hide
thee from their hateful looks,
[p]And, in thy closet pent up, rue my
shame,
[p]And ban thine enemies, both mine and thine!
Eleanor : Ah, Gloucester, teach me to forget myself!
[p]For whilst I think I am
thy married wife
[p]And thou a prince, protector of this
land,
[p]Methinks I should not thus be led along,
[p]Mail'd up in
shame, with papers on my back,
[p]And followed with a rabble that
rejoice
[p]To see my tears and hear my deep-fet groans.
[p]The
ruthless flint doth cut my tender feet,
[p]And when I start, the
envious people laugh
[p]And bid me be advised how I tread.
[p]Ah,
Humphrey, can I bear this shameful yoke?
[p]Trow'st thou that e'er
I'll look upon the world,
[p]Or count them happy that enjoy the
sun?
[p]No; dark shall be my light and night my day;
[p]To think upon
my pomp shall be my hell.
[p]Sometime I'll say, I am Duke Humphrey's
wife,
[p]And he a prince and ruler of the land:
[p]Yet so he ruled and
such a prince he was
[p]As he stood by whilst I, his forlorn
duchess,
[p]Was made a wonder and a pointing-stock
[p]To every idle
rascal follower.
[p]But be thou mild and blush not at my shame,
[p]Nor
stir at nothing till the axe of death
[p]Hang over thee, as, sure, it
shortly will;
[p]For Suffolk, he that can do all in all
[p]With her
that hateth thee and hates us all,
[p]And York and impious Beaufort,
that false priest,
[p]Have all limed bushes to betray thy
wings,
[p]And, fly thou how thou canst, they'll tangle thee:
[p]But
fear not thou, until thy foot be snared,
[p]Nor never seek prevention
of thy foes.
Herald : I summon your grace to his majesty's parliament,
[p]Holden at Bury the
first of this next month.
Sheriff : An't please your grace, here my commission stays,
[p]And Sir John
Stanley is appointed now
[p]To take her with him to the Isle of Man.
Sir John Stanley : So am I given in charge, may't please your grace.
Eleanor : What, gone, my lord, and bid me not farewell!
Eleanor : Art thou gone too? all comfort go with thee!
[p]For none abides with
me: my joy is death;
[p]Death, at whose name I oft have been
afear'd,
[p]Because I wish'd this world's eternity.
[p]Stanley, I
prithee, go, and take me hence;
[p]I care not whither, for I beg no
favour,
[p]Only convey me where thou art commanded.
Sir John Stanley : Why, madam, that is to the Isle of Man;
[p]There to be used according
to your state.
Eleanor : That's bad enough, for I am but reproach:
[p]And shall I then be used
reproachfully?
Sir John Stanley : Like to a duchess, and Duke Humphrey's lady;
[p]According to that
state you shall be used.
Eleanor : Sheriff, farewell, and better than I fare,
[p]Although thou hast been
conduct of my shame.
Sheriff : It is my office; and, madam, pardon me.
Eleanor : Ay, ay, farewell; thy office is discharged.
[p]Come, Stanley, shall we
go?
Sir John Stanley : Madam, your penance done, throw off this sheet,
[p]And go we to attire
you for our journey.
Eleanor : My shame will not be shifted with my sheet:
[p]No, it will hang upon
my richest robes
[p]And show itself, attire me how I can.
[p]Go, lead
the way; I long to see my prison.
Previous: Act 2 - Scene 3
Next: Act 3 - Scene 1
