QUEEN.  Believe me, Madam Bruce, the man is wrong’d.

LADY B. But he wrongs me to keep my castle thus,
Disarming my true servants, arming his. 
Now more of outrage comes! what shall I do?

    Enter the KING, MOWBRAY, WINCHESTER, CHESTER.

KING.  O, this is well!  Hubert, where’s Bruce’s son?

LADY B. Where thou shalt never see him, John.

KING.  Lady, we will have talk with you anon. 
Where is he, Hubert?

HUB.  Hid or fled, my lord: 
We can by no means get her to confess.

SAL.  Welcome to Guildford, Salisbury’s liefest lord.[324]

KING.  You scarce give welcome, ere I bid you go;
For you, my lord, the queen and Winchester
Shall march to Hertford.  Sweet Isabel,
And if thou love me, play the amazon. 
Matilda, that hath long bewitch’d mine eye,
Is, as I hear by spials, now in Hertford Castle: 
Besiege her there; for now her haughty father
Ruffians it up and down, and all the brood
Of viperous traitors whet their poison’d teeth,
That they may feed on us that foster them. 
Go forward, and go with you victory! 
Which to assure my powers shall follow you.

SAL.  Did I not tell you this? then trust me next. 
Nay, he is chang’d, and cares no more for her
Than I do, madam.

KING.  Begone, I say, begone! 
Your speed rich victory attendeth on: 
But your delay
May give your foes the happy glorious day.

QUEEN.  One boon, my liege, and part.

KING.  Be brief.

QUEEN.  Show that poor lady pity, I beseech.

[Exeunt.

KING.  I will indeed.  Come, lady, let us in. 
You have a son; go in and bring him me,
And for the queen’s sake I will favour ye.

LADY B. I have no son.  Come, come; come in and search,
And if you find him, wretched may I be.
          
                                [Exit.

KING.  Chester and Hubert, see you keep good watch. 
Not far off do I hear a warlike sound: 
Bruce, on my life! look to’t, while I go in
To seek this boy, for needs we must have him. 
Come with us, Mowbray.
          
                              [Exeunt.

SCENE II.

Enter BRUCE, RICHMOND, Soldiers.

RICH.  The castle-gates are shut.  What ho! what ho! 
You that are servants to the Lady Bruce,
Arise, make entrance for your lord and friends.

Enter, or above, HUBERT, CHESTER.[325]

HUB.  We will make issue, ere ye enter here. 
Who have we there?  Richmond and Bruce, is’t you? 
What, up so soon? are ye so early here? 
In you, i’ faith, the proverb’s verified,
Y’are early up, and yet are ne’er the near.

RICH.  The worse, our fortune.  Bruce, let us go hence;
We have no power to fight, nor make defence.