Act V
Scene i
(
Enter
Help, help, oh help.
Your
cries will be in vain.
'Tis not in the power of any flesh but yours,
To allay, or to prevent my heat of blood.
O you diviner powers that ordained chastity
To be a virtue, lend your strength to guard it. 5
Thy cries shall be as fruitless as thy life
If thou offend'st me with 'em; hear but this,
Impertinently peevish maid, and tremble
But to conceive a disobedient thought
Against my will. Canst thou without my favour, 10
Be better than a beggar?
Yet a beggar
Is better than a whore.
How canst thou judge
That knowst not what is either? Let a wench
That knows what's what, or has been both, maintain it.
But this is from the purpose; I am so far 15
From casting of thee off to be a beggar,
As I intend to make thee my rich equal,
And not a whore, but wife; you know your nurse
Has undertaken to find it lawful for us
To marry; and canst thou, with modesty, 20
Deny me present pleasure, that within these three days
Shall confer honour on thee for thy life?
Would you first spoil my honour to repair it?
'Tis mine when I contract for't.
Not before
Our covenant is passed; that is, the priest 25
Has joined our hearts and hands.
By this account,
A man backs [2]
not his horse before he's paid for't;
Nor puts his nose into a house before
He buys the lease on't. Leave your precise folly,
Madam formality; force me not to force thee, 30
Yield with that very breath thou now drawest in,
Or it returns thy last.
Enter
My lord, my lord.
This witch or devil haunts me.
O my lord,
I told you late a wonder; I bring now
A miracle, a miracle.
Offa.
What, with a mischief? 35
Your brother is survived from death again:
My lord Anthynus is come home and safe,
The Heavens be praised.
O grant that it be true.
Out hag.
Nay, run
me in as far as you
Can if I lie; up to the hilts if I 40
Lie.
What canst thou mean by
this?
Nay,
What he means I knew not, for he denies his name,
Says he is not Anthynus, but a Northumbrian gentleman;
And desires conference with my lady
From the fine lord was here (what call you him?), 45
The King's great favourite. But if I am I,
If you are you, if anything be anything,
It is Anthynus.
Exeunt
Go you to your chamber,
And be not seen, I charge you. Let him enter,
But first send in my servants. 50
I did mistrust he lived. O those false villains,
That faced me down they killed him, may they be
A year a famishing. Have you tricks, Anthynus?
How can he think, though he disguised his name
Or country, that we should not know his person? 55
What should his aim or drift be? Stay, perhaps
He does suspect I was in the action
Against my father's life and his, and thinks him dead,
So steals upon me thus as his own ghost,
To terrify my conscience, shallow, shallow. 60
But I'll so fit him; it is most evidently he.
Enter Osric, Alfrid, four
servants, and, at the other door,
Osric.
My lord, howe'er
Some of your servants are pleased to make themselves
Merry with a pretended knowledge of me,
I do presume your honour cannot know me. 65
From one so false never came clearer truth.
Osric.
What means your honour?
It is
true, my honour
Cannot, nay, dares not know thee for a brother,
Although mine eyes, through tears of grief and anger,
Discern the monster I have often called so. 70
Osric.
This is most strange.
Look that he come not near me;
Perfidious parricide, hast thou killed my father?
Destroyed the life that gave thee life? And now
Osric.
Pray hear me.
Upon him all at once, hew [3] him in
pieces, 75
I'll bear you out in't: he has killed your lord.
Osric.
Forbear your outrage.
Alfrid.
Give us leave to
speak.
Villains, are they to be obeyed or I?
My lord, your judgement is too rash upon them.
Fellows forbear, and forbear you my lord, 80
You shall not so heap blood upon your head.
I loved my lord your father, and do prize
His blood and memory, as becomes a servant
Of the best rank, and, if at most and worst,
My lord Anthynus here stand guilty of 85
His father's death, you must not be his judge,
Nor we his executioners.
Are you
Become my master, you old ruffian?
No,
Your servant, sir, but subject to the law;
The law that must determine this man's cause, 90
Not you, nor we, whatever he deserves.
And till he shall be censured by that law
We'll find a prison for him.
Servant.
Ay, to prison with him.
Osric.
Will you but hear yet how you are mistaken?
Pray heaven we be, as you may clear yourself; 95
That's all the harm we wish you. This must be
Your course, my lord; would you heap blood upon you?
Alfrid.
Let me but speak a word.
As we
go, twenty.
Away with 'em. (Exeunt all except
I could have liked the other shorter way 100
Much better; but my knaves will have it thus.
Yet, not to wrong 'em, simple honesty
May be in such sometimes as well as me. (Exit)
Enter a carpenter, a mason,
a smith, in devils' habits, carrying two
dark lanthorns, [4] a pickaxe, a rope, with an engine [5] fastened to a post, and a bunch of
picklocks. [6]
Prithee, tread softly yet a little further, and we are safe.
Smith.
Hark, heard ye nothing? Whist. [7] 105
Carpenter.
I never knew thieves so timorous as you are. Can we expect a booty
without boldness? Besides, have we not shapes, if we were spied,
able to fright better believers than my politic lord o' th' house here.
Hark, prithee.
Carpenter.
All's sure, I warrant thee. 110
Smith.
I pray it prove so.
Carpenter.
Pray on, I prithee; prayers become this coat, like swearing in a
surplice. [8]
Tush, [9]
they are all, all the whole house asleep, and I heard nothing as
we passed through it, but usual sleepy sounds, puffing and blowing,
snorting, farting and such like. Yes, I cry mercy, as we passed by the 115
butler's chamber, I heard his bed crackle shrewdly, [10] and I
doubt, the
dairymaid and he were jumbling [11] of a
posset [12] together.
Come, now
we are safely arrived at the fountain of our hopes, the well of comfort.
Smith, lay down your picklocks, they have done well their office in our
passage hither.
out our new work; now for the honour of artificers; [13] here,
here, here is
the trap-door, [14] the mouth
of the rich mine, which we'll make bold to open.
And let men of our occupations learn the way that many grow rich by, and
nobody knows how they come by their wealth. That is, when they make
such concavities [15] as these,
for rich men to hide their treasure in, that they 125
make also a privy [16] way for
themselves to come and take a share on't.
This covetous lord, by this time, has laid in an unknown deal of wealth,
I
warrant you.
Smith.
But we'll not take away too much at once.
Carpenter.
No, we'll but piddle; we'll not take above a thousand pounds [17] tonight. 130
(Opens the trap-door) So, I'll
go down, and when I stake the rope, then
crane me up again. Give me one of the lanthorns; so, so, so, let me down
handsomely; I'll warrant you money, the Devil [18] and all,
before day yet.
(He is lowered into the cavity)
Smith.
Nay, if we get off clear but with a thousand pound amongst us, it will
serve for drinking money till we come for more. 135
This money will come luckily for a better purpose. I have three bastards
at nurse and a fourth in the paniers. [19] The rope
stirs; pull lustily, this pull
for a thousand pound.
Second outlaw comes up.
Smith.
I fear 'tis light gold, methinks he does not weigh so heavy as he went
down. Comrade, what hast thou brought? What ail'st thou? Canst not 140
speak? I hope thou wert not frighted.
Second outlaw.
O help! Where am I? Drawn from one hell into another? Ha!
Come, leave your fooling, what money have you?
Second outlaw.
Had I the price of kingdoms I'd give all but for one bit of meat, but I
have none. 145
Smith.
'Slid, [20]
he would cosen us; how do you look when you lie? Oh me!
What ailest thou?
Smith.
This is not he; it is a ghastly spirit.
Second outlaw.
What? Are you men?
Yes, but we have played the devils till we have got a spirit betwixt us. 150
Second outlaw.
If you be men, help me to food, a little food.
What art thou that canst look thus pie-pecked, crow-trod, or
sparrow-blasted? [21] Ha!
Second outlaw.
O, I am pined with hunger.
Here, stay thy stomach; there's a crust I brought to stop the open mouth 155
of the mastiff, if he had flown at us.
Carpenter. (From below)
O pull, pull away.
Smith.
There he is now I am sure.
Carpenter.
I shall be devoured else.
What's the matter, fellow? 160
Carpenter.
Take his teeth out o' me, I cannot tell you else.
Carpenter is pulled up, Third
outlaw hanging on him.
O cannibal! Wilt thou eat a carpenter?
Third outlaw.
O meat, meat, if you be men.
No, we are devils; but here's another crust for thee, whate'er thou art;
we have played the thieves to very good purpose. 165
Carpenter.
He has gnawed a piece of my flank out with's teeth; and missed very
narrowly certain members of more moment; [22] they'd
have gone down glib [23]
with him; now in the Devil's name, what are ye?
Smith.
Until their crusts be done, they cannot tell us.
Mason.
Come, I do suspect the subtlety of this cruel politic lord; would we were 170
well out on's house. No noise, my masters, and we'll bring you to meat
enough; and then we'll hear your story, and tell our own; a word more
here,
may cost all our lives.
Smith.
Take up your tools and lead the way.
Enter Mildred and Edith.
Smith.
Come, softly, softly then. 175
Mildred.
I will away this night.
Mason.
Peace, hark.
Edith.
But madam.
Mildred.
Had you the only tongue of all persuasion, so much I prize my life,
and honour more, I would not miss this opportunity for all that you 180
could say.
Smith.
Are not these sprites?
Carpenter.
No evil ones, I'll warrant, they are so white; hark a little more.
Edith.
Tonight he's troubled 'bout Anthynus coming, so that he will
not think of lust or wantonness. 185
Mildred.
That trouble keeps him waking; and I fear will rather spur him
forwards than withhold him.
Smith.
They talk, methinks, but I cannot hear what for shaking.
Carpenter.
Take heed thou dost not jingle thy picklocks; 'slid, they'll ring up
the house like a larum bell. [24] 190
Edith.
Well, since you are so resolute, would we were out of the house,
once, if we be, taken, 'tis not the price of a million of maidenheads,
As the market goes, can save our lives.
Carpenter.
Good, I have found what sprites they be: they must needs be the
wenches that I suspected were in the butler's chamber, and made 195
the stiff standing bedstead that I set up but last week, crack like a
wicker chair. Ah rogues! I heard ye.
Edith.
Oh me! We are undone and taken.
Mason.
I'm glad 'tis no worse.
Carpenter.
Peace, if you have a mind to scape out o' th' house alive. 200
Mildred.
Come nurse, my fear is over, if they be men, and bring us out o' th'
house, they cannot be so dangerous as he I scaped.
Carpenter.
Did he so put thee to't, my little bustlepate? [25] What a
stout blade's [26]
this butler?
Mildred.
These are good fellows, nurse. 205
Carpenter.
Yes faith, and fear you nothing for all our devilish outsides; if we
scape out o' the house, you scape, and if we fail, our necks are sure
to hang by't; and so on therefore once more in the name of darkness.
Enter Offa, with light and dagger.
Offa. [27]
If my attempt now fail, may my repulse
Strike lust forever out of countenance. 210
It is decreed she sleeps with me or death.
Second outlaw.
'Sdeath, [28]
it is he.
Third outlaw.
Let us fall to and beat him.
Carpenter.
As you can hope for meat again, or life,
Look big, and use no words; and so glide by.
Offa.
The night, the place, her fate, and my desire, 215
Do all conspire unto my wished advantage.
And so I come, coy damosel. [29] Ha? How?
(The women hide under their habits;
exeunt all the others, except Offa.)
Why? Where? Who? Or what can you or I be?
They are all gone, and I am tottering left
Upon an earthquake; gentle, holla, holla, [30] 220
Set not too hard old, Ops,
[31]
thou'lt shake thy rider,
[32]
Through thy chinky wrinkles into Limbo. [33]
I shall sink piecemeal if thou trot so hard.
So, so, so, holla, holla, gentle earth;
Open not here, not near that part of thee 225
That has but now disgorged those famished ghosts,
That with the Furies would have beckoned me
Along to Hell with 'em; so, let me down,
I must not follow yet, but sleep and think upon't.
I will come time enough, you need not fear, 230
But first creep back to bed, as nothing were.
Exit Offa; enter Osric, Ethelswic, Edelbert and Alfrid.
Osric.
You have told me wonders, which have pierced my soul
With horror and amazement; yet I must confess,
In all that I am like to suffer, Heaven is just,
Whilst wrath, my wilfulness has pulled upon me; 235
Yet pardon, since thou gav'st me that affection
That wandered with me in this oblique course,
This unquoth [34] way, with
which I have not strayed
Further than love might lead an human frailty.
Ethelswic.
You do consider well, my lord, and we 240
Beseech you strive to countercheck [35] these
crosses [36]
Still with your kingly reason.
Osric.
Yes, and fall
Upon our present business: there you find me
Out of a spacious kingdom of mine own,
Shut in a narrow prison; whilst the brother 245
Of her, whose love I came to seek, has married
The Queen I might have had, before I have seen
His sister; there was a quick expedition.
Ethelswic.
My lord, for that before you left the court
In your supposed distraction; the o'er-busy lords, 250
Eaufrid and Theodwald, out of strong conceit
The sight of her would cure you, feigned your letters
Which fetched the Queen; then banished us the court,
Before we could take notice; we had been
Strong traitors else, to let that match go forwards. 255
Nor heard we of it until now the post
That brings the news o' th' King's and Queen's approach,
Arrivèd here in the city.
Osric.
All think him then their King still?
Ethelswic.
Yes, yes, and though he told us who he was, 260
The over-wise lords imputed that to his madness.
Osric.
It seems he was not so mad, but he could take
The Queen into my bed.
Ethelswic.
Where
she liked him so well
That she now brings him home unto her own,
Still thinking him your person.
Osric.
Whilst I lie here for his, 265
Accused of parricide; but I will not
Reveal myself till trial. (Mildred
comes out from hiding)
Now all my sufferings
Are turned into delightful recreations.
Fairest of virgins, welcome. Marvel not
That at first sight I knew you, when my heart 270
Wears the impression of your portraiture,
And all my intellectual faculties
Bow to no other object but your beauty.
Mildred.
O sir, lay by this high dissimulation,
For though I find you now are not my brother - 275
Osric.
Lo [37]
ye, she knows I am not Anthynus.
Her virtue, like the sun, will clear the mist
Of error we were lost in.
Mildred.
Not Anthynus?
Yes, the bright sun discovers not a truth
More evident than that you are Anthynus, 280
Nor ever shined on man I loved so well,
Or hoped to marry, since you are not my brother.
Osric.
I understand not this.
Mildred.
Indeed I came
To tell you so, and could you clear your hand
Of the foul stain of blood you are accused of. 285
Were I sole monarchess of all this island,
I'd kneel to beg a bride's place in your bed.
Osric.
If I can clear myself?
Mildred.
Nay, mark me further:
If you clear not yourself, I'll not outlive you,
To call to mind the man that I so loved 290
Butchered his father; though he were not mine,
I loved him as a father; oh good Heaven!
How good? How reverend a man was he?
Osric.
Weep not, but hear me; or hear me though you weep;
I am not Anthynus.
Mildred.
I
may say as well, 295
I do not love you.
Osric.
I never had an hand
In blood of any man.
Mildred.
Prove that, I am
yours.
Osric.
Fetch me a priest.
Edelbert.
I saw
one i' 'th next room
Drinking and singing catches with some prisoners.
Edith comes out from hiding. [38]
Edith.
Withhold your hands! Anthynus now again, 300
Fair lady, is your brother.
Mildred.
Why
did you mock me then?
Edith.
To save you from your brother Offa's lust,
I feigned that you were not his sister; that
In hope to marry you, he might forbear
His devilish purpose.
Mildred.
Now I am lost forever,
305
In being the daughter of a murdered father,
And made incapable of you in marriage.
Osric.
Yet hear me, and be comforted.
Mildred.
O me!
Edith.
Hark, my lord Anthynus.
Osric.
I do not know that name.
Edith.
Go to, go to; nor you do not remember 310
How I behaved myself upon the eating of spurging [39]
Comfects, [40]
that your brother, Offa, gave me,
And laid the fault on you; pray Jove, I say,
This murder be no more his fault than yours.
A shout within. Enter Keeper. [41]
Osric.
Hark, the wide world abroad is filled with joy, 315
And must we only be shut from it? Now.
Keeper.
My lord, Anthynus.
Osric.
Still must I be Anthynus?
Keeper.
You are called unto your trial.
Osric.
Who are my judges?
Keeper.
Those that are bribe-free, I dare warrant 'em.
It may, perhaps, go somewhat the harder with you; 320
For nothing but white innocence can quit you,
Pray heaven you hav't about you; even the King
And Queen, the Queen and King I should have said,
For she's our sovereign, 'tis her law must do it.
Osric.
What king do you mean then?
Keeper.
King Osric; you know nothing. 325
Osric.
Yes, I know him as well as he knows himself.
Keeper.
Take heed, sir, what you say.
Osric.
I fear him not,
But am as good as he; now carry [42] me for
something.
Mildred.
O pray, take heed.
Keeper.
How?
Mildred.
Peace, he did not say so.
Keeper.
'Slid, he's as mad as his brother Offa. 330
Osric.
Is Offa mad?
Keeper.
O quite besides himself, and talks the strangeliest
Of his father's murder, your running away,
And the desire he has to hang his brother here.
And then, he is haunted with sprites too, they say; 335
You will know all anon; will you go, my lord?
Osric.
Yes, will you be so kind as to see my trial?
Mildred.
Indeed, I must not leave you.
Keeper.
'Tis a kind part, indeed, and may become
A sister like the wife that would not leave 340
Her husband till she saw him totter.
Set the best foot forward, and the best face
You can, my lord, upon the business.
Exeunt.
Scene ii [43]
(England of the
West Saxons - the court)
Enter Theodwald and Eaufrid, Celeric, Elkwin, Theodric,
Anthynus and
Bertha, to the musical
accompaniment of hautboys.
All.
Long live King Osric and Queen Bertha.
Anthynus.
I join with ye in your wishes for the Queen,
And wish well to King Osric, as a stranger.
All.
How's this?
Anthynus.
But
will no longer personate him,
For now be it known to you that I am no Osric, 5
But he that warns you call me so no more.
Bertha.
What means my love?
Anthynus.
Nay, madam, 'tis most serious.
Celeric and Elkwin.
Bless us!
Theodwald.
He's madder
now than e'er he was.
Eaufrid.
I am at my wits' end too; if marriage
Will not tame him, I know not what to say to't. 10
Anthynus.
I have told you truth, and your fair grace can witness
How violently I was thrown upon the fortune,
I thank those provident lords, against my vow.
Bertha.
I take it as the providence of Heaven,
And from the son of that most injured father, 15
Whom now, in my joys strength, I could shed tears for.
I yield you are my head, and I your handmaid.
(Bertha sets Anthynus down, [44] and kneels; he takes her up)
Eaufrid.
So, so, a few nights' trial has got her liking
Forever fast enough: what notable old cockscombs [45]
Have we been made? Nay, made ourselves, indeed. 20
Anthynus.
Now further know, my lords, I am Anthynus,
The son of that old honest lord, 'gainst whom
Your sulphurous malice kindled the Queen's anger.
Elkwin. (Aside)
Who'll have an head now for an halfpenny?
Celeric. (Aside)
And, for tother two tokens, [46] mine into
the bargain. 25
Enter the keeper, with Osric, Ethelswic, Edith, Alfrid,
Edelbert and a guard.
Keeper.
Make way there for the prisoner.
Eaufrid.
See King Osric.
Theodwald.
Ay, this is our King, indeed.
Theodric.
O let me wash your feet, sir, with my tears.
Osric.
Thy trespass is thine honour, my Theodric,
And I must thank your care, my lords, as it deserves: 30
Your overreaching care, to give my dignity
As much as in you lay unto another,
And for your letters counterfeit in my name,
By which the Queen is mocked into a marriage.
Theodwald.
That was your policy, your wit, my lord. 35
Eaufrid.
A shame on't; would I were hanged, that I
Might hear no more on't.
Bertha.
Fair sir, the Queen is pleased, and hopes you are
In her that's so much fairer in your thoughts.
Anthynus.
My sister, Mildred.
Osric.
Yes,
my noble brother, 40
She stands in fortune equal with yourself,
In being mine.
Anthynus.
But not great, sir,
until
You are acquitted of my father's murder.
Osric.
I am clear of that, as I am not Anthynus.
Anthynus is accused, not Osric, sir; 45
Your father is required at your hands.
Bertha.
Ha!
Arnold.
But his accuser reads another lesson
Now, madam.
Offa brought bound in a chair.
Offa.
Whither do you hurry
me?
If I must answer't, give me yet some time,
To make provision of befitting presents, 50
To supply the hard hands of my stern judges,
Into a tender feeling of my cause:
I know what Aeacus loves, what Minos likes,
And what will make grave Rhadamanthus run. [47]
Anthynus.
He is distracted.
Arnold.
Yes, and speaks heinous things 55
Against himself, both of my lord's murder,
And an intended rape against his sister.
Anthynus.
Incestuous monster!
Offa.
Hark, how the devil lies;
I have no sister.
Edith.
How he's possessed
Of that strange error, I must satisfy you: 60
That was merely feigned by me to save her honour
From his outrageous lust.
Arnold.
But
here comes that
Clears all at once. Welcome, my honoured lords.
Enter Segebert, Alberto,
Jeffrey and First outlaw.
Jeffrey.
A boon, a boon, my gracious liege.
Arnold.
Hold your peace, fool. 65
Segebert. (To Osric)
My son Anthynus, living?
Osric.
You are my father in your daughter's right.
Segebert.
My blessing on my girl.
Osric.
But see Anthynus at a greater height.
Anthynus.
My father.
Bertha.
And my
father, noble sir. 70
Your pardon, and forever welcome.
Segebert.
If this were real now, and not a dream!
Jeffrey. (To Anthynus)
Come, leave your fooling, hear a wise man speak:
Great King, according unto thy behest,
With knights, adventurers, I went in quest, 75
Through the woods and forests wild
To scour the dens of outlaws vild; [48]
Whence these old men, this knave [49] I bring,
Together with this starveling, [50]
Whom I present not dead, but quick, [51] 80
Unto thy grace, King Osric.
Arnold.
Look this way, fool; this is King Osric, man.
Jeffrey.
Whose fool am I then?
Osric.
Mine.
Mildred.
And mine.
Anthynus.
Mine.
Bertha.
And
mine.
Jeffrey.
Whoop, hold a little, best
let me be
Everybody's fool round about the house. 85
But amongst you all, let me not lose reward;
I must not fool for nought; the times are hard.
Osric.
Still the fool's covetous.
Bertha.
I owe thee a just reward, for I proclaimed
To him that brought this man [52] alive or
dead 90
A thousand crowns; but since thou art so fortunate
To bring him home alive and well recovered
Out of such danger—
Jeffrey.
I shall have nothing, shall I?
Bertha.
I'll double
Thy reward: give thee two thousand crowns. 95
Jeffrey.
It is enough, in conscience; who bids more?
For till you are out-bidden, I'll be your fool.
(To Theodric) But can you tell
whose favourite you are then?
Theodric.
Where I was first, I'll ever wish to be.
Osric.
And I'll be thine, Theodric; for thou in this 100
Hast, above favour, shown me unto bliss.
Segebert.
I have performed your Majesty's command,
Though not in sending, yet in bringing home
My banished friend, Lord Alberto, the preserver
Of my now happy life. [53] 105
Bertha.
It shall be to his honour; welcome, Alberto.
First outlaw.
Oh what an heavenly smell of meat is here!
Segebert. (To Offa)
All the unhappiness, I now can see,
Is but an argument of tears for thee,
In whom I'm justly punished.
Anthynus.
Take him hence, 110
From my grievèd father's sight.
Segebert.
And pray let care
Be had for his recovery; his senses may
Bring a new soul into him, for which I pray.
Offa.
What am I freed?
Arnold.
Yes, yes, my lord, all's well.
Offa.
I knew my bribes would do it. 115
Jeffrey.
I'll off with him, for 'tis unknown to you
What good a fool may on a madman do.
Exeunt Arnold, Offa and Jeffrey.
Segebert.
This sword was evidence enough against him,
But here's one of the outlaws that confessed it.
For whom, since he is penitent, I beg pardon. 120
Mildred.
The other two, his fellows, are both extant. [54]
For whom, together with three thievish workmen
That were strong instruments in my delivery,
Let me beg mercy.
Anthynus.
I have heard of them that robbed my brother's 125
Jewel-house. 'Tis a day of grace, and we
Are taught by Heaven's abundant mercy,
Shown upon us beyond our expectation,
To imitate that goodness.
Bertha.
I
forgive
All, on my part.
Osric.
I pardon all, on mine. 130
Bertha.
And now, right royal sir, let me entreat
For former love, to make our last complete:
You will be pleased a month with us to stay,
In triumphs, to commemorate this day.
Osric.
Next to my sum of happiness, my bride, 135
I should have sought that honour, royal sister.
Anthynus.
Thus, through tempestuous sighs and showers of tears,
Joy, at the last, more cheerfully appears.
Exeunt.
Deus dedit his quoque
finem.
[55]
Finis.
[1] The scene takes place where Offa is living, and where the outlaws are imprisoned.
[2] backs] mounts.
[3] hew] 'To strike, or deal blows, with a cutting weapon' (OED 1.a).
[4] lanthorns] lanterns.
[5] engine] a machine, mechanical device.
[6] picklocks] 'picklock': 'an instrument for picking locks' (OED 2).
[7] Whist] 'Hush'.
[8] surplice] 'A loose vestment of white linen having wide sleeves and, in its amplest form, reaching to the feet, worn (usually over a cassock) by clerics, choristers, and others taking part in church services' (OED).
[9] Tush] 'An exclamation of impatient contempt or disparagement' (OED).
[10] shrewdly] sharply.
[11] jumbling] 'jumble': 'to stir up (a liquid, etc.) so as to mix the ingredients, or render turbid; to agitate, shake up, give a shaking or jolting to' (OED 3), or, more appropriately for the butler's bed, 'to have carnal intercourse' (OED 6.a).
[12] posset] 'A drink composed of hot milk curdled with ale, wine, or other liquor, often with sugar, spices, or other ingredients; formerly much used as a delicacy, and as a remedy for colds or other affections' (OED 1).
[13] artificers] 'artificer': constructor, maker, manufacturer (OED 3.a), or 'an artful or wily person; a trickster' (OED 6).
[14] trap-door] The trap-door on the early modern stage had 'hellish or bad associations', and was known as the 'hellmouth', cf. Tiffany Stern, Making Shakespeare: From Stage to Page (London: Routledge, 2004), 25-6.
[15] concavities] hollows, cavities.
[16] privy] concealed.
[17] thousand pounds] An anachronistic reference to Caroline currency.
[18] Devil] An appropriate suggestion for a journey into 'the mouth of Hell'.
[19] in the paniers] Presumably, an expression derived from the French for bread-basket (panier), similar to the colloquial expression 'a bun in the oven', meaning his 'mistress' is pregnant.
[20] 'Slid] 'God's eyelid'; a form of swearing.
[21] pie-pecked, crow-trod, or sparrow-blasted] 'pie-pecked': 'pecked by a magpie' with connotations similar to the other expressions; 'crow-trod': 'subjected to ignominious treatment, abuse' (OED); 'sparrow-blasted': 'balefully stricken or blighted; thunderstruck, dumbfounded' (OED).
[22] certain members of more moment] i.e. the carpenter's genitals.
[23] glib] smoothly.
[24] larum bell] A bell to warm of danger; an alarm bell.
[25] bustlepate] '? A bustling person' (OED).
[26] blade's] 'blade': 'a gallant, a free-and-easy fellow, a good fellow; ‘fellow’, generally familiarly laudatory, sometimes good-naturedly contemptuous' (OED 11.a).
[27] Offa's entrance signals a return to verse.
[28] 'Sdeath] 'God's death'; a form of swearing.
[29] damosel] damsel.
[30] holla, holla] 'stop', 'cease'.
[31] Ops] An earth goddess.
[32] shake thy rider] Offa is, perhaps, playing the part of the gallant knight on horseback to Mildred's 'damsel'; he is also, possibly, showing the effects of drinking or derangement.
[33] Limbo] Hell or the region bordering Hell (OED 1.a, c): Offa is clearly in danger of falling into his own dungeon.
[34] unquoth] uncouth (OED): in the sense of 'unfamiliar' (OED 2).
[35] countercheck] 'rebuke' (OED 1), or 'arrest by counteraction' (OED 2).
[36] crosses] 'cross': 'a trial or affliction viewed in its Christian aspect, to be borne for Christ's sake with Christian patience (OED 10.a), or 'in a general sense: a trouble, vexation, annoyance; misfortune, adversity; sometimes (under the influence of the verb) anything that thwarts or crosses' (OED 10.b).
[37] Lo] 'Look': 'an interjection used to direct attention to what is about to be (or has been) said' (OED b).
[38] Although not in the quarto, this stage direction is necessary; Edith may have come out from hiding with Mildred, but her sudden interjection is consistent with a sudden appearance at this point.
[39] spurging] purging; purgative (OED 2).
[40] Comfects] variant of 'confect': 'a sweetmeat made of fruit, seed, etc., preserved in sugar; a comfit' (OED).
[41] Keeper] The keeper of the prison.
[42] carry] 'To take by force, as a prisoner or captive' (OED 5.b).
[43] This scene division is not in the quarto, but is clearly necessary; the stage has cleared and the new setting, of the court, is more appropriate to the presentation of a king and queen.
[44] sets Anthynus down] invites Anthynus to kneel; he obliges.
[45] cockscombs] conceited fools; fops (OED 4).
[46] tokens] 'token': 'a stamped piece of metal, often having the general appearance of a coin, issued as a medium of exchange by a private person or company, who engage to take it back at its nominal value, giving goods or legal currency for it'; 'from the reign of Queen Elizabeth to 1813, issued by tradesmen, large employers of labour, etc., to remedy the scarcity of small coin' (OED 11.a).
[47] Aeacus, Minos and Rhadamanthus] From Greek mythology, they are the rulers of Aegina, Crete and islands in the southern Aegean, respectively, who became the judges of the souls of the dead in Hades; Minos and Rhadamanthus are brothers, and all are sons of Zeus; cf. Jenny March, Cassell's Dictionary of Classical Mythology (London: Cassell, 1998, reprint 2001).
[48] vild] variant of 'vile' (OED b).
[49] knave] Segebert.
[50] starveling] Alberto; the outlaw who enters with Jeffrey is presented by Segebert later (l. 119), and is therefore taken as not included among the 'old men' presented by Jeffrey, despite being hungry for food (l. 107).
[51] quick] alive.
[52] this man] Segebert.
[53] the preserver / Of my now happy life] This would seem to suggest that Alberto and the Hermit (or his servant) are one and the same person, despite having separate entries in 'The Persons in the Play'.
[54] extant] 'Existing so as to be publicly seen, found, or got at; accessible, get-at-able' (OED 3).
[55] Deus dedit his quoque finem] Latin: 'God granted an end to these things as well'; as Matthew Steggle notes, this is 'an adaptation of a line from the Aeneid', and is 'characteristic of' Brome, also appearing at the end of The New Academy, The Queen and Concubine, and Time's Distractions (the latter being dramatic writings, of contested authorship, more strongly associated with Brome because of this Latin explicit); cf. Matthew Steggle, Richard Brome: Place and Politics on the Caroline Stage (Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2004), 178-82.