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A street.
[Enter GLOUCESTER and his Servingmen, in mourning cloaks]
GLOUCESTER
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Thus^some|times hath | the bright|est day | a
cloud:
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And aft|er sum|mer, ev|ermore | succeeds
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Barren | winter,| with his wrath|ful nip|ping
cold;
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So cares | and joys | abound,| as seas|ons fleet.
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Sirs, what's o'clock?
SERVANTS
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Ten, my lord. (di with prev)
GLOUCESTER
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Ten is | the hour | that was | appoint|ed me,
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To watch | the com|ing of | my pun|ished
duchess:
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Uneath | may she | endure | the flin|ty streets,
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To tread | them with | her tend|er-feel|ing feet.
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Sweet Nell, ill | can thy nob|le mind | abrook
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The abject peo|ple, gaz|ing on | thy face,
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With env|ious / looks laugh|ing at | thy shame,
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That erst | did fol|low thy / proud
char|iot-wheels,
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When thou | didst ride | in tri|umph through |
the streets.
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But soft,| I think | she comes,| and I'll |
prepare
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My tear-stained eyes,| to see | her mis|eries.
[Enter the DUCHESS in a white sheet, and a taper burning in her hand; with
STANLEY, the Sheriff, and Officers]
SERVANT
So please your grace, we'll take her from the sheriff.
GLOUCESTER
No, stir not for your lives, let her pass by.
DUCHESS
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Come you,| my lord,| to see | my op|en shame?
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Now thou | dost pen|ance too.| Look how*| they
gaze,
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See how | the gid|dy mult|itude | do point,
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And nod | their heads,| and throw | their eyes |
on thee.
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Ah Glouce|ster, hide | thee from | their hate|ful
looks,
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And in | thy clos|et pent^/up, rue | my shame,
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And ban | thine^en|emies,| both mine | and thine.
GLOUCESTER
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Be pa|tient, gent|le Nell,| forget | this grief.
DUCHESS
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Ah Glouce|ster, teach | me to | forget | myself:
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For whilst | I think | I am | thy mar|ried wife,
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And thou | a prince,| protect|or of | this land;
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Methinks | I should | not thus | be led | along,
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Mailed^up | in shame,| with pap|ers on | my back,
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And fol|lowed with | a rab|ble, that | rejoice
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To see | my tears,| and hear | my deep-|fet
groans.
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The ruth|less flint | doth cut | my tend|er feet,
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And when | I start,| the env|ious peo|ple laugh,
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And bid | me be | advis|ed how | I tread.
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Ah Humph|rey, can | I bear | this shame|ful yoke?
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Trowst thou | that ere | I'll look | upon | the
world,
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Or count | them hap|py that | enjoy | the sun?
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No: dark / shall be | my light,| and night | my
day.
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To think | upon | my pomp,| shall be | my hell.
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Sometime | I'll say,| I am | Duke^Humph|rey's
wife,
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And he | a prince,| and rul|er of | the land:
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Yet so | he ruled,| and such | a prince | he was,
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As he | stood^by,| whilst I,| his forlorn |
duchess,
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Was made | a wond|er, and | a point|ing-stock
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To eve|ry id|le ras|cal fol|lower.
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But be | thou mild,| and blush | not at | my
shame,
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Nor stir | at noth|ing, till | the axe | of death
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Hang ov|er thee,| as sure | it short|ly will.
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For Suf|folk, he | that can | do all | in all
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With her,| that hat|eth thee | and hates | us
all,
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And York,| and imp|ious Beau|fort, that / false
priest,
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Have all | limed bush/es to | betray | thy wings,
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And fly | thou how | thou canst,| they'll tang|le
thee.
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But fear | not thou,| until | thy foot | be
snared,
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Nor nev|er seek | prevent|ion of | thy foes.
GLOUCESTER
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Ah Nell,| forbear:| thou aim|est all | awry.
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I must | offend,| before | I be | attaint||ed:
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And | had I twen|ty times | so ma|ny foes,
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And each | of them | had twen|ty times | their
power,
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All these | could not | procure | me an|y scathe,
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So long | as I | am loy|al, true,| and
crime||less.
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Wouldst | have me res|cue thee | from this |
reproach?
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Why yet | thy scand|al were / not wiped | away,
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But I | in dang|er for | the breach | of law.
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Thy great|est help | is qui|et, gent|le Nell:
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I pray | thee sort | thy heart | to pa|tience,
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These few | days' wond/er will | be quick|ly
worn.
[Enter a Herald]
HERALD
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I sum|mon your grace | to his maj|esty's |
parliament,
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Holden at | Bury,| the first | of this / next
month.
GLOUCESTER
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And my | consent | nere asked | herein | before?
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This is close deal|ing. Well,| I will | be there.
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My Nell,| I take | my leave:| and mast|er
sheriff,
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Let not her | penance ex|ceed the | king's
com|mission. ??
[Exit Herald]
SHERIFF
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And it please | your grace,| here my |
commis|sion stays:
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And Sir | John Stan/ley is | appoint|ed now,
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To take | her with | him to | the Isle | of Man.
GLOUCESTER
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Must you,| Sir John,| protect | my la|dy here?
STANLEY
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So am I | given | in charge,| may it please |
your grace.
GLOUCESTER
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Entreat | her not | the worse,| in that | I pray
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You use | her well:| the world | may laugh |
again,
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And I may live to do you kindness, if you
do it her. ????
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And so | Sir John,| farewell. \\
DUCHESS
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What, gone my lord,| and bid | me not | farewell?
GLOUCESTER
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Witness | my tears,| I can|not stay | to speak.
[Exeunt GLOUCESTER and Servingmen]
DUCHESS
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Art thou | gone^too?| All com|fort go | with
thee,
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For none | abides | with me:| my joy,| is death;
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Death, at | whose^name | I oft | have been |
afeared,
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Because | I wished | this world's | etern|ity.
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Stanley,| I prith|ee go,| and take | me hence,
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I care | not whith|er, for | I beg | no favor;
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Only | convey | me where | thou art | command||ed.
STANLEY
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Why,| madam,| that is | to the Isle | of Man,
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There to | be used | accord|ing to | your state.
DUCHESS
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That's bad | enough,| for I | am but | reproach:
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And shall | I then | be used | reproach|fully?
STANLEY
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Like to a | duchess,| and Duke | Humphrey's|
lady,
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Accord|ing to / that state | you shall | be used.
DUCHESS
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Sheriff | farewell,| and bet|ter than | I fare,
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Although | thou hast | been con|duct^of | my
shame.
SHERIFF
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It is | my office,| and mad|am pard|on me.
DUCHESS
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Aye*, aye,| farewell,| thy of|fice is |
discharged:
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Come | Stanley,| shall we | go?|
STANLEY
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Madam,| your pen|ance done,
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Throw^off | this
sheet,
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And go | we to at|tire you | for our | journey.
DUCHESS
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My shame | will not | be shift|ed with | my
sheet:
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No, it | will hang | upon | my rich|est robes,
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And show | itself,| attire | me how | I can.
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Go, lead the way,| I long | to see | my prison.
[Exeunt]