Becket and other plays | Page 7

trust I have not; Not mangled justice. May the hand that next Inherits thee be but as true to thee As mine hath been! O, my dear friend, the King! O brother!--I may come to martyrdom. I am martyr in myself already.--Herbert!
HERBERT (_re-entering_). My lord, the town is quiet, and the moon Divides the whole long street with light and shade. No footfall--no Fitzurse. We have seen her home.
BECKET. The hog hath tumbled himself into some corner, Some ditch, to snore away his drunkenness Into the sober headache,--Nature's moral Against excess. Let the Great Seal be sent Back to the King to-morrow.
HERBERT. Must that be? The King may rend the bearer limb from limb Think on it again.
BECKET. Against the moral excess No physical ache, but failure it may be Of all we aim'd at. John of Salisbury Hath often laid a cold hand on my heats, And Herbert hath rebuked me even now. I will be wise and wary, not the soldier As Foliot swears it.--John, and out of breath!
Enter JOHN OF SALISBURY.
JOHN OF SALISBURY. Thomas, thou wast not happy taking charge Of this wild Rosamund to please the King, Nor am I happy having charge of her-- The included Dana? has escaped again Her tower, and her Acrisius--where to seek? I have been about the city.
BECKET. Thou wilt find her Back in her lodging. Go with her--at once-- To-night--my men will guard you to the gates. Be sweet to her, she has many enemies. Send the Great Seal by daybreak. Both, good night!

SCENE II.--Street in Northampton leading to the Castle.
ELEANOR'S RETAINERS and BECKET'S RETAINERS _fighting. Enter_ ELEANOR and BECKET from opposite streets.
ELEANOR. Peace, fools!
BECKET. Peace, friends! what idle brawl is this?
RETAINER OF BECKET. They said--her Grace's people--thou wast found-- Liars! I shame to quote 'em--caught, my lord, With a wanton in thy lodging--Hell requite 'em!
RETAINER OF ELEANOR. My liege, the Lord Fitzurse reported this In passing to the Castle even now.
RETAINER OF BECKET. And then they mock'd us and we fell upon 'em, For we would live and die for thee, my lord, However kings and queens may frown on thee.
BECKET TO HIS RETAINERS. Go, go--no more of this!
ELEANOR TO HER RETAINERS. Away!--(Exeunt RETAINERS) Fitzurse--
BECKET. Nay, let him be.
ELEANOR. No, no, my Lord Archbishop, 'Tis known you are midwinter to all women, But often in your chancellorship you served The follies of the King.
BECKET. No, not these follies!
ELEANOR. My lord, Fitzurse beheld her in your lodging.
BECKET. Whom?
ELEANOR. Well--you know--the minion, Rosamund.
BECKET. He had good eyes!
ELEANOR. Then hidden in the street He watch'd her pass with John of Salisbury And heard her cry 'Where is this bower of mine?'
BECKET. Good ears too!
ELEANOR. You are going to the Castle, Will you subscribe the customs?
BECKET. I leave that, Knowing how much you reverence Holy Church, My liege, to your conjecture.
ELEANOR. I and mine-- And many a baron holds along with me-- Are not so much at feud with Holy Church But we might take your side against the customs-- So that you grant me one slight favour.
BECKET. What?
ELEANOR. A sight of that same chart which Henry gave you With the red line--'her bower.'
BECKET. And to what end?
ELEANOR. That Church must scorn herself whose fearful Priest Sits winking at the license of a king, Altho' we grant when kings are dangerous The Church must play into the hands of kings; Look! I would move this wanton from his sight And take the Church's danger on myself.
BECKET. For which she should be duly grateful.
ELEANOR. True! Tho' she that binds the bond, herself should see That kings are faithful to their marriage vow.
BECKET. Ay, Madam, and queens also.
ELEANOR. And queens also! What is your drift?
BECKET. My drift is to the Castle, Where I shall meet the Barons and my King. [Exit.
DE BROC, DE TRACY, DE BRITO, DE MORVILLE (_passing_).
ELEANOR. To the Castle?
DE BROC. Ay!
ELEANOR. Stir up the King, the Lords! Set all on fire against him!
DE BRITO. Ay, good Madam! [Exeunt.
ELEANOR. Fool! I will make thee hateful to thy King. Churl! I will have thee frighted into France, And I shall live to trample on thy grave.

SCENE III.--The Hall in Northampton Castle.
_On one side of the stage the doors of an inner Council-chamber, half-open. At the bottom, the great doors of the Hall_. ROGER ARCHBISHOP OF YORK, FOLIOT BISHOP OF LONDON, HILARY OF CHICHESTER, BISHOP OF HEREFORD, RICHARD DE HASTINGS (_Grand Prior of Templars_), PHILIP DE ELEEMOSYNA (_the Pope's Almoner_), and others. DE BROC, FITZURSE, DE BRITO, DE MORVILLE, DE TRACY, and other BARONS _assembled--a table before them_. JOHN OF OXFORD, President of the Council.
Enter BECKET and HERBERT OF BOSHAM.
BECKET. Where is the King?
ROGER OF YORK. Gone hawking on the Nene, His heart so gall'd with thine ingratitude, He will not see thy face till thou hast sign'd These ancient laws and customs of