Act III

Before the curtain rises, there is sung: —

The Saviour led them through the rolUng sea, From bitter death He rescued them: They nailed Him to a tree Without Jerusalem.

The Saviour gave them drink and heavenly meat, And brought them through the barren wild: They nailed His hands and feet And pierced the Undefiled.

So through all ages treading as He trod, So fare Christ's servants one and all: Who give the Wine of God Drink vinegar and gall.

The feet so sweet that carry nought but good, And nought but heavenly tidings bear. Are set upon a Rood And nailed there.

Cii?-tain rises.

6o9k: CDvj lcn%>. I bie jor my prtesikooO aivO ihe- GiUtoUc T-alitt.

Time. — Nearly a year later. July 24M, 1594.

Scene. — The Assize Court at Durham.

{As curtain rises, there are discovered four attendants arranging seats, pens, paper. From outside is a murmur of voices heard, occasional banging oil central door ^

First Attendant. The folk seem sorely impatient to-day to see justice done. (Shouts.) Be still there.

Second Attendant. And they will see it, by the Mass. My lord will make an end to-day; and the gallows are up, I hear.

Third Attendant.

There will be a mighty concourse to see him die, if so many run to see him condemned.

Second Attendant.

Why, yes, and he will die to-day. He confessed plainly enough yesterday that he had been made priest; and they ask no more than that. And he absolved Swallowell too before them all!

Fourth Attendant.

My lord is very hot against the Popish priests.

First Attendant.

He may well be hot. They do seduce the people from their allegiance.

Fourth Attendant.

Bost denied that stoutly enough. He cried out woe to such as said that true obedience to the Queen and true religion could not stand well together.

Third Attendant. Yes, yes, he said so. They all say so.

First Attendant.

There were many concealed Papists here yesterday, I think, by the manner in which they crowded after him for his blessing.

Second Attendant.

He will give no more blessings after to-day, unless it is from Heaven; and he could scarce lift his hand, I saw, so much had they racked him.

Third Attendant.

Swallowell near yielded yesterday. Why, he fell on his knees before the court. The Papists are generally bold enough.

Fourth Attendant.

They say they are bewitched. They go to death as to a marriage-feast. I warrant you John Bost will be merry enough to-day.

First Attendant.

He has little cause to be merry. He hath been in prison all but a year.

Second Attendant. He has been in the Tower, they say, till a week ago.

Third Attendant.

That is true enough. They had him on the rack four times, and once hung up by his hands.

Fourth Attendant.

My lord of Durham made a fine discourse the first day of the assizes. He waxed very hot against the Papists.

First Attendant.

For my part, I think him no better than a cuckoo. 1 am all for the new religion; but I understand not what right he hath to the old buildings to bring up his young in. Let him build for himself, I say.

Second Attendant.

And I like not his sitting on the bench with the others. It used not to be so. A spiritual man should not meddle with the shedding of blood.

Third Attendant.

Hark to the tumult without. Do you think the prisoner is come?

Fourth Attendant. He must be on his way by now, and my lords also.

Third Attendant.

Well, is all done?

\They finish arranging. Enter Clerk.

Clerk.

Make haste, make haste. Is all done? My lords are coming.

First Attendant.

All is ready, sir. Shall we let the people in?

Clerk.

Why, yes, if all be ready. Keep a clear passage for the prisoner.

^The Clerk goes to his seat and busies himself with papers. Then the door is opened, and people crowd in, talking, laughing, some grave. They crowd along behind the barrier, the tivo attendants directing and calling out, " Keep away there" The Cverk turns and nods to the attendants by door (L.). They open it. There is general confusion and noise, and attendants call for order as certain officials enter — lawyers, attorneys, clerks — these also talking and laughing. All, with their hats on, pass to their places, and sit and arrange papers. After a moment or two, during which first and second attendants exeunt by centre door, a trumpet is heard. Clerk rises, and with attendants calls out, " Order Order. Silence" The lawyers rise. Noise sinks to a murmur. Trumpet sounds again, nearer. Attendants fling open door (L.).

Clerk {beating on table).

Order! order! My lords are coming.

\Dead silence.

Enter through door (L.) first an usher, then a man bearing books. Then, after a pause. Justice Beaumont and Lord EwiNGES; the Bishop of Durham; and after one more usher, Lord Huntingdon. Justice Beau-mont and Lord Ewinges pass to their places; the Bishop stands aside and bows. Lord Huntingdon, bowing, passes to central raised seat, the Bishop follows him. All bow and remove their hats; the judges do the same. Then the judges sit: then the lawyers sit; the Clerk remains standing. Hats on again.

Clerk. Bring in the prisoner.

[ Confusion at door: cry is taken up outside. Third and fourth attendants push a way through to central door; keep back the crowd: door opens, and enter two attendants — first and second — and between them John BosT. He walks, bowed and limping, with a stick, very slowly. Murmurs break out: two or three in crowd snatch at his hand to kiss it, are roughly pushed back. John BosT turns as he comes through barrier and makes sign of the Cross. Many in croivd cross themselves; others snarl and growl. A crowd more forces its way in behind him. John Bost is pulled on by attendants, crosses floor, bowing to judges, and passes up steps into dock. There he settles himself, crosses himself, and makes a bow again to the judges. Clerk, lifting papers, reads. During this and through the scene, the judges often whisper together.

Clerk.

My lords; gentlemen, — At the assize holden yesterday in this place John Bost did confess that he was an Englishman, born at Dufton, in the county of Westmoreland, that he travelled without licence beyond the seas, into foreign countries, and was there made priest by authority from the Bishop of Rome, since the first year of her Majesty's reign; that he returned and said Mass in England at the Waterhouse in the county of Durham, on the loth day of September 1593, as well as at other places and at other times, contrary to her Majesty's laws, her crown and dignity, according to the indictment. Further, yesterday, John Ingram, seminary priest, and George Swallowell, schoolmaster, were found guilty of high treason towards her Grace and received sentence. [Bows and sits.

Huntingdon.

Ask the prisoner whether he can show cause why he should not die, since he has confessed to the indictment.

Clerk.

John Bost, hast thou anything to say why thou shouldst not die?

My lords and gentlemen, — I confess again freely to the indictment. And, further, I am very glad that God has called me into this trial of my priesthood and profession; and I am very sorry that the laws of my beloved country are such as cannot concur with the Holy Catholic Faith.

Huntingdon.

See here, Bost, we want no such treasonous talk from you. There is treason enough already. If there were not more it would be enough to cast you that you have concealed the treason of others.

Bost. When did I do that, my lord?

Huntingdon.

Why, you were at Arthington at a marriage, were you not?

Bost. I was, my lord.

Huntingdon.

Well, it was there that Ballard told you of an invasion of England by the King of Spain — and it was that that you concealed. Even without your confession that would be enough. We have it all of Ballard's oath.

My lord, I confess freely that I was at Arthington at that time, and that I spoke there with Mr. Ballard, and that Mr. Ballard spoke to me then of a pretended invasion.

Huntingdon. Well, then, there was treason enough, since you did not disclose it.

BosT.

My lord, I reproved Mr. Ballard for it. I told him that he and I were priests; that it was our function to invade souls only; not to meddle with these temporal missions.

Huntingdon. You concealed it. That is enough for us. You do not die for your religion but for mere treason.

BosT. My lord, I protest against that. Whosoever doth charge me further in that, or in any other thing that is contained in my confession under mine own hand, he doth charge me untruly, be he a lord or whosoever: and I thought I had deserved no blame in that; for to tell every tale one heareth and that which one may tell, could not be warrant, and, if any such thing were, had been folly.

Huntingdon. Nay, that is very well; but you did rejoice to hear it, and were very desirous to be made acquainted with the secrets of the invasion; but if your treason had come to pass, where, then, had been Queen Elizabeth? {all raise their hats) whom I beseech God to preserve for ever and ever. No, sir, you die for treason, not for your pretended priesthood. Do not deceive yourself.

My lord, I die for my priesthood and the Catholic Faith. \Murmtir peals out from crowd.

Huntingdon [angrily). You do not die for what you call the Catholic Faith.

BoST {smiling). Then I shall live long, my lord. {Laughter in court.

Huntingdon. I tell you you do not. You die as a traitor to her Grace.

BosT.

Well, my lord, my Maker knows for what I shall die, and that is enough for me: for He is not only my Maker, but the Maker of that Catholic Faith as well.

\Laughter in court. The Judges look angry. They whisper together. Cries of " Well spoken, priest!" " Well said!" ''My lord, you have met your match 1 "

Clerk (rising). Order! Order! Silence!

Bishop. Bost, I have something to say to you.

Yes, my lord?

Bishop.

You took the oath of supremacy, did you not, in Queen's College, at Oxford?

Bost. Yes, my lord.

Bishop. And you were made a minister, were you not?

Bost. Yes, my lord.

Bishop {furiously).

Very well, then. What more do we need? You are an apostate from Christ's Gospel, whereof you were made a minister; you are stained with perjury as well as with all your other crimes and treasons. You have been a lewd fellow, John Bost, and you should die for that if for nothing else.

My lord, if all the lewd fellows died, where would be the company? _Loud laughter.

Bishop {rising).

You cannot put us off with such mockery. You should think upon your sins, John Bost. _Sits.

BosT.

Ah! yes, my lord, that is true enough. Infinite peccavi, miserere mei Deus. I have sinned infinitely; I confess it; and I pray God mercy. Yet Nunquam sera est ad bonos mores via. That I did, sir, I confess freely, but that was when I took the oath, and was made a minister. {Confusion breaks out in court; attendants cry out for silence.) Because I once persecuted, therefore, according to your reasoning, I must persevere therein! St. Austin, if he was once a Manichee, yet he died a good Christian and a saint; and further, my lords

Beaumont. Be silent, sir, you have too much liberty of speech.

Bost.

My lord, if I may not speak, why are these questions put to me? I have confessed plainly to the indictment — that I was made priest beyond the seas and have said Mass in England. It is for that I was taken, and for that I will die.

Bishop.

Be silent, sir; it is not for that that you will die. You are a perjured fellow, for you swore to take orders after a time being in the College at Oxford; and you took them too.

Bah! your orders of clergy were not known nor heard of when the statutes of the College were made.

[Confusion breaks out again.

EWINGES.

Silence, sir; you are not come here to preach or to seduce the people; but to plead your cause and to have justice done upon you.

Bishop.

You gain nothing, sir, by reviling God's ministers.

I do not revile God's ministers, my lord, but only such as call themselves so.

Bishop. You say I am no minister, sir?

BosT.

No, my lord, you are but one of the Queen's making and your own. Now, no man taketh this office unto himself, as the Apostle teaches us.

Bishop {furiously). Sir, we do not want your sermons.

Very well, my lord, then do you do the preaching. I know well enough what the text will be. For me, I have preached enough in this world, and desire no more of it.

Huntingdon. And you have nothing else to say, sir?

BosT. No, my lord.

Huntingdon.

Then I know not why you have detained us so long. It is true that sentence must be given upon you as an Englishman who has been made priest beyond the seas and has said Mass within the realm of England, as well as absolved and reconciled to your Pope subjects of her Majesty the Queen (raise hats), whom I pray God preserve: but it is because in your religion all treason is contained. That matter at Arthington is but one example of it; your taking of the oath and your perjury in breaking it, is another; and it is for these fruits of your religion that you die, rather than for your religion itself; since the Queen will oppress no man's conscience so long as he keep it to himself. You are a traitorous and unfaithful subject to her Majesty,

Very slowly, ^ost passes out.

John Bost; you have been within this realm for a great many years, striving to make others Hke yourself; but, by God's mercy, you have been laid by the heels at last, and you will practise your treasons no more.

The sentence of the court is that you be conveyed hence to the place from which you came, and from there be drawn to the place of execution upon hurdles; that you there be hanged by the neck till you are half-dead; that you be cut down alive; that your heart be taken from your body and burnt in your view; that your head be severed from your body; that your body be divided into four quarters, and your quarters be at the Queen's disposal. And may the God of infinite mercy be merciful to your soul.

A Voice.

Amen. {Confusion and murmurs in the crowd.

Bost. Deo gratias! _Signing himself with the Cross.

Clerk. Remove the prisoner.

{T'cvo attendants come forward. The crowd surges about. BosT descends slowly, with his stick, from the dock, and comes across the floor; he is taken by the arms; turns and bows to the judges, passes on. The crowd break through the gates of the barrier to meet him; half-a-dozen fall upon their knees; the judges stand up and gesticulate. Noise very great. Others behind barriers shake their fists and shout. Cries of " God bless you, sir" " Give us your blessing, sir," and "Away with the traitor, " To death with the traitor" Those on their knees seize his hands and kiss them; attendants beat and struggle; finally, very slowly, BoST passes out, making the sign of the Cross on all sides.

In centre of stage, towards back, the gauows, cross-bar and two uprights. Against bars leans a ladder. Standing on this is John Bost, with rope round neck. He wears a skull-cap, coif turned up, embroidered with Jesu. He faces crowd as if to speak. In background rises smoke and red light. On cross-bar an executioner, holding ladder. Two ministers, one of them Ewbank, stand at foot with Bibles, staring up. A great crowd on all sides, some kneeling, some with covered faces.

Go in the Name of Him who fashioned thee,

Who gave thee nerve and limb! Go in His Love which so empassioned thee

To die for Him! Mount up and hear thy Master's kindly word: " Well done! thou faithful servant of the Lord! '' n

Go in the Name of Him who died for thee,

Who loved thee last and first! Go to the sight of Him who cried for thee,

"Behold! I thirst." By grace a victor! By that very grace Pass to the glory of thy Saviour's Face.

THE COST OF A CROWN loi

Go in His Name who once came down on thee,

And still His gifts increased! Go in His Power who set the crown on thee

And made thee priest! Go! martyr-priest, victorious and alone To take thy greater crown of precious stone.

Go in the Name of all who pray for thee.

Of flaming Seraphim, Of scar-crowned martyrs who make way for thee,

And Cherubim! Go in their Name, and by the help of them. To find thy dwelling in Jerusalem.

Martyres Angliae Orate Pro Nobis."