A Select Collection of Old English Plays Volume Viii Part 11

THE DOWNFALL OF ROBERT EARL OF HUNTINGTON.

ACT I, SCENE 1.

_Enter_ SIR JOHN ELTHAM, _and knocks at_ SKELTON'S _door_.[157]

SIR JOHN. How, Master Skelton; what, at study hard?

[_Opens the door_.

SKEL. Welcome and wish'd-for honest Sir John Eltham.

I have sent twice, and either time he miss'd That went to seek you.

ELT. So full well he might: These two hours it pleased his majesty To use my service in surveying maps, Sent over from the good King Ferdinand, That to the Indies, at Sebastian's suit, Hath lately sent a Spanish colony.

SKEL. Then 'twill trouble you, After your great affairs, to take the pain That I intended to entreat you to, About rehearsal of our[158] promis'd play.

ELT. Nay, Master Skelton; for the King himself, As we were parting, bid me take great heed We fail not of our day: therefore, I pray, Send for the rest, that now we may rehea.r.s.e.

SKEL. O, they are ready all, and dress'd to play.

What part play you?

ELT. Why, I play Little John, And came on purpose with this green suit.

SKEL. Holla, my masters! Little John is come.

[_At every door all the players run out, some crying "Where? where?" others, "Welcome, Sir John:" among others the boys and Clown_.

SKEL. Faith, little Tracy, you are somewhat forward: What, our Maid Marian leaping like a lad?

If you remember, Robin is your love-- Sir Thomas Mantle yonder--not Sir John.

CLOWN. But, master, Sir John is my fellow, for I am Much the miller's son, am I not?

SKEL. I know ye are, sir; And, gentlemen, since you are thus prepar'd, Go in, and bring your dumb-scene on the stage; And I, as prologue, purpose to express The ground whereon our history is laid.

[_Exeunt. Manent_ SKELTON _and_ SIR JOHN.

_Trumpets sound. Enter first_ KING RICHARD, _with drum and ancient, giving_ ELY _a purse and sceptre; his mother, and brother_ JOHN, CHESTER, LEICESTER, LACY, _others at the_ KING'S _appointment doing reverence. The_ KING _goes in: presently_ ELY _ascends the chair_: CHESTER, JOHN, _and the_ QUEEN _part displeasantly. Enter_ EGBERT EARL OF HUNTINGTON, _leading_ MARIAN: _follows him_ WARMAN, _and after_ WARMAN _the_ PRIOR; WARMAN _ever flattering and making courtesy, taking gifts of the_ PRIOR _behind and his master before_. PRINCE JOHN _Enters, offereth to take_ MARIAN. QUEEN ELINOR _enters, offering to pull_ ROBIN _from her; but they enfold each other, and sit down within the curtains_. WARMAN _with the_ PRIOR, SIR HUGH LACY, LORD SENTLOE, _and_ SIR GILBERT BROUGHTON _fold hands, and drawing the curtains, all (but the_ PRIOR) _enter, and are kindly received by_ ROBIN HOOD.

_The curtains are again shut_.

SKEL. Sir John, once more, bid your dumb shows come in, That, as they pa.s.s, I may explain them all.

_Enter_ KING RICHARD, _&c_.[159]

Richard, call'd Coeur de Lion, takes his leave, Like the Lord's champion, 'gainst the pagan foes, That spoil Juda and rich Palestine.

The rule of England and his princely seat He leaves with Ely, then lord chancellor; To whom the Mother Queen, her son, Prince John, Chester, and all the peers are sworn.

[_Exit_ RICHARD _c.u.m militibus_.

ELY _ascends the chair_.

Now reverend Ely, like the deputy Of G.o.d's great deputy, ascends the throne; Which the Queen Mother and ambitious John Repining at, raised many mutinies: And how they ended, you anon shall hear.

[_Exeunt omnes_.

_Enter_ ROBERT EARL OF HUNTINGTON, _leading_ MARIAN, _&c_.[160]

This youth that leads yon virgin by the hand (As doth the sun the morning richly clad) Is our Earl Robert or your Robin Hood, That in those days was Earl of Huntington.

The ill-faced miser, bribed in either hand, Is Warman, once the steward of his house, Who, Judas-like, betrays his liberal lord Into the hands of that relentless Prior, Call'd Gilbert Hood, uncle to Huntington.

Those two, that seek to part these lovely friends, Are Elinor the queen and John the prince: She loves Earl Robert, he Maid Marian; But vainly, for their dear affect is such, As only death can sunder their true loves.

Long had they lov'd, and now it is agreed, This day they must be troth-plight, after wed.

At Huntington's fair house a feast is held; But envy turns it to a house of tears; For those false guests, conspiring with the Prior, To whom Earl Robert greatly is in debt, Mean at the banquet to betray the earl Unto a heavy writ of outlawry.

The manner and escape you all shall see.

ELT. Which all, good Skelton?

SKEL. Why, all these lookers on; Whom if we please, the king will sure be pleas'd.

Look to your entrance; get you in, Sir John. [_Exit_ SIR JOHN.

My shift is long, for I play Friar Tuck; Wherein, if Skelton have but any luck, He'll thank his hearers oft with many a duck.

For many talk of Robin Hood, that never shot in his bow, But Skelton writes of Robin Hood what he doth truly know.[161]

Therefore I pray ye, Contentedly stay ye, And take no offending, But sit to the ending, Likewise I desire Ye would not admire My rhyme, so I shift; For this is my drift, So mought I well thrive To make ye all blithe: But if ye once frown, Poor Skelton goes down; His labour and cost, He thinketh all lost In tumbling of books Of marry-go-looks.

The Sheriff with staves, With catchpoles and knaves, Are coming, I see: High time 'tis for me, To leave off my babble And fond ribble-rabble.

Therefore with this court'sy Awhile I will leave ye.[162]

SCENE II.

_Enter, as it were in haste, the_ PRIOR OF YORK, _the_ SHERIFF, _Justice_ WARMAN, _Steward to_ ROBIN HOOD.

PRIOR. Here, Master Warman, there's a hundred crowns For your good-will and futherance in this.

WAR. I thank you, my Lord Prior. I must away, To shun suspicion; but be resolute, And we will take him, have no doubt of it.

PRIOR. But is Lord Sentloe and the other come?

WAR. Lord Sentloe, Sir Hugh Lacy, and Sir Gilbert Broughton Are there, and as they promis'd you last night, Will help to take him, when the Sheriff comes.

[_Exit_ WARMAN.

PRIOR. Awhile, farewell, and thanks to them and you.

Come, Master Sheriff, the outlawry is proclaim'd, Send therefore quickly for more company, And at the back-gate we will enter in.

SHER. We shall have much ado, I am afraid.

PRIOR. No, they are very merry at a feast; A feast where Marian, daughter to Lord Lacy, Is troth-plighted to wasteful Huntington; And at the feast are my especial friends, Whom he suspects not. Come, we'll have him, man, And for your pains here is a hundred marks.

SHER. I thank your lordship: we'll be diligent.