To every idle rascal follower.
But be thou mild and blush not at my shame; 48
Nor stir at nothing till the axe of death
Hang over thee, as, sure, it shortly will;
For Suffolk, he that can do all in all
With her that hateth thee, and hates us all, 52
And York, and impious Beaufort, that false priest,
Have all lim'd bushes to betray thy wings;
And, fly thou how thou canst, they'll tangle thee:
But fear not thou, until thy foot be snar'd, 56
Nor never seek prevention of thy foes.
Glo. Ah, Nell! forbear: thou aimest all awry;
I must offend before I be attainted;
And had I twenty times so many foes, 60
And each of them had twenty times their power,
All these could not procure me any scath,
So long as I am loyal, true, and crimeless.
Wouldst have me rescue thee from this reproach? 64
Why, yet thy scandal were not wip'd away,
But I in danger for the breach of law.
Thy greatest help is quiet, gentle Nell:
I pray thee, sort thy heart to patience; 68
These few days' wonder will be quickly worn.
Enter a Herald.
Her. I summon your Grace to his majesty's
parliament, holden at Bury the first of this
next month. 72
Glo. And my consent ne'er ask'd herein before!
This is close dealing. Well, I will be there.
47 rascal follower: worthless hireling
54 Cf. I. iii. 91
57 prevention: forestalling
59 attainted: convicted
62 scath: injury
68 sort: adapt
69 worn: worn away, expired
71 Bury: Bury St. Edmunds in Suffolk
the first . . . month; cf. n.
74 close: secretive, sly
