The True and Honorable History of the Life of Sir John Oldcastle, the Good Lord Cobham.
Page: 42

If you be so hasty, take my place.

HUNTINGTON.
No, good sir knight, you shall begin in your hand.

MURLEY.
I could be glad to give my betters place.


[Exeunt.]


ACT IV. SCENE III. Kent. Court before lord
Cobham's house.

[Enter Bishop, lord Warden, Cromer the Shrieve,
Lady Cob, and attendants.]

BISHOP.
I tell ye, Lady, it's not possible
But you should know where he conveys himself,
And you have hid him in some secret place.

LADY COBHAM.
My Lord, believe me, as I have a soul,
I know not where my lord my husband is.

BISHOP.
Go to, go to, ye are an heretic,
And will be forced by torture to confess,
If fair means will not serve to make ye tell.

LADY COBHAM.
My husband is a noble gentleman,
And need not hide himself for any fact
That ere I heard of; therefore wrong him not.

BISHOP.
Your husband is a dangerous schismatic,
Traitor to God, the King, and common wealth:
And therefore, master Croamer, shrieve of Kent,
I charge you take her to your custody,
And seize the goods of Sir John Old-castle
To the King's use. Let her go in no more,
To fetch so much as her apparel out.
There is your warrant from his majesty.

LORD WARDEN.
Good my Lord Bishop, pacify your wrath
Against the Lady.

BISHOP.
Then let her confess
Where Old-castle her husband is concealed.


LORD WARDEN.
I dare engage mine honor and my life,
Poor gentlewoman, she is ignorant
And innocent of all his practises,
If any evil by him be practised.

BISHOP.
If, my Lord Warden? nay, then I charge you,
That all the cinque Ports, whereof you are chief,
Be laid forthwith, that he escape us not.
Shew him his highness' warrant, Master Shrieve.

LORD WARDEN.
I am sorry for the noble gentleman--

[Enter Old-castle and Harpoole.]

BISHOP.
Peace, he comes here; now do your office.

COBHAM.
Harpoole, what business have we here in hand?
What makes the Bishop and the Sheriff here?
I fear my coming home is dangerous,
I would I had not made such haste to Cobham.

HARPOOLE.
Be of good cheer, my Lord: if they be foes, we'll
scramble shrewdly with them: if they be friends,