"I say, ye Commoners, why were ye so stark mad,

What frantyk frensy fyll in youre brayne;

Where was youre wit and reason ye shuld have had, What willfull foly made yow to ryse agayne

Yowre naturall lord?"

SKELTON.

PHILIP VAN ARTEVELDE.

Part the Second.

ACT I.

SCENE I.

AN ANTE-ROOM TO THE STATE APARTMENTS OF

THE GRAND JUSTICIARY IN THE ROYAL PALACE

AT SENLIS, IN FRANCE.

Several groups of suitors holding petitions in their hands. In front a yeoman of Tournesis, and near him SIR FLEUREANT OF HEURLEE.

SIR FLEUREANT.

If I may be so bold, friend, whence art thou?

The times are stirring, and come whence thou may'st Thou must bring news.

YEOMAN.

So please your worship's grace

I come from this side Tournay; I am French,
And though I say it, sir, an honest yeoman.

SIR FLEUREANT.

And, honest yeoman, what's thine errand here?

YEOMAN.

I have a suit, sir, to my noble lord

The Duke of Burgundy.

SIR FLEUREANT.

Why, what?-what suit?

YEOMAN.

'Tis but for justice, sir; I crave but justice.

SIR FLEUREANT.

Hast thou the price of justice in thy pocket?

Nay, sir, I am poor.

YEOMAN.

SIR FLEUREANT.

Poor, and want justice?—where was thy mother's thrift To bring thee up in such a poor estate,

And yet to lack such dainties! Say wherein

Would'st thou be justified? who is't hath wronged thee?

YEOMAN.

Last Wednesday, sir, a troop of Flemings, led

By fierce Frans Ackerman, the frontier passed

And burned my homestead, ravaged all my fields,
And did sore havoc in the realm of France.

SIR FLEUREANT.

What say'st thou? is it so? Go to-go to—

He bids you all depart and come to-morrow;

To-day his

grace hath business with the king,

And will not be molested. Clear the chamber.
Their graces and the king are coming hither,

And would be private ;-prithee, sir, depart.

(To the YEOMAN, who lingers.)

SIR FLEUREANT.

Take thou thy grievance to the outer hall,
But go no further hence. Soft, Master Usher;
My friend shall have an audience of the duke.
Look he be carefully bestowed without

Till he be called. He is an injured man;

An injured man, and being so, yet welcome.

The grief he hath is worth its weight in gold.
Bestow him carefully without.

USHER.

This way.

[Exit, with the YEOMAN.

Enter THE DUKES OF BURGUNDY and BOURBON, in close conference.

BURGUNDY.

Good morrow, Flurry. Not on us, good brother.

I grant you were we rashly to make war,

No council summon'd, no estates convened,

Then aught that should unhappily ensue

Might chance be charged on us, as natural guides,
And so reputed, of the youthful king.

But, backed by all the council,-yea, by all,

For I'll be warranty no voice dissents,

Backed by the council, wherein weighty reasons