Page:Henry VI Part 2 (1923) Yale.djvu/61

King Henry the Sixth, III. i

Pardon, my liege, that I have stay'd so long.

Suf. Nay, Gloucester, know that thou art come too soon,

Unless thou wert more loyal than thou art:

I do arrest thee of high treason here.

Glo. Well, Suffolk, thou shalt not see me blush,

Nor change my countenance for this arrest:

A heart unspotted is not easily daunted.

The purest spring is not so free from mud

As I am clear from treason to my sovereign.

Who can accuse me? wherein am I guilty?

York. 'Tis thought, my lord, that you took bribes of France,

And, being protector, stay'd the soldiers' pay;

By means whereof his highness hath lost France.

Glo. Is it but thought so? What are they that think it?

I never robb'd the soldiers of their pay,

Nor ever had one penny bribe from France.

So help me God, as I have watch'd the night,

Ay, night by night, in studying good for England.

That doit that e'er I wrested from the king,

Or any groat I hoarded to my use,

Be brought against me at my trial-day!

No; many a pound of mine own proper store,

Because I would not tax the needy commons,

Have I dis-pursed to the garrisons,

And never ask'd for restitution.

Car. It serves you well, my lord, to say so much.

Glo. I say no more than truth, so help me God!

York. In your protectorship you did devise

Strange tortures for offenders, never heard of,

 97 Cf. n.

110 watch'd: kept vigil through

112 doit: Dutch coin, worth half a farthing

113 groat: four-penny coin

117 dis-pursed: paid out 