Page 197 - Shakespeare - Vol. 1

WOODVILLE

[within]
Have patience, noble duke; I may not open;
The Cardinal of Winchester forbids:
From him I have express commandment [20]
That thou nor none of thine shall be let in.

GLOUCEST ER

Faint-hearted Woodville, prizest him ’fore me?
Arrogant Winchester, that haughty prelate
Whom Henry, our late sovereign, ne’er could brook?
Thou art no friend to God or to the king. [25]
Open the gates, or I’ll shut thee out shortly.

SERVINGMEN

Open the gates unto the Lord Protector
Or we’ll burst them open if that you come not quickly.

Enter to the Protector at the Tower gates Winchester and his Men in
tawny coats.

WINCHEST ER

How now, ambitious Humphrey, what means this?

GLOUCEST ER

Peeled priest, dost thou command me to be shut out? [30]

WINCHEST ER

I do, thou most usurping proditor
And not ‘Protector’ of the king or realm.

GLOUCEST ER

Stand back, thou manifest conspirator,
Thou that contrived’st to murder our dead lord,
Thou that giv’st whores indulgences to sin: [35]
I’ll canvas thee in thy broad cardinal’s hat,
If thou proceed in this thy insolence.

WINCHEST ER

Nay, stand thou back; I will not budge a foot.