KING.  We heard, indeed, thy mother and her son
In prison died by wilful famishment.

BRUCE.  Sin doubled upon sin!  Slander’st thou the dead? 
Unwilling willingness it shall appear,
By then I have produc’d, as I will do,
The just presumptions ’gainst your unjust act.

KING.  Assail the castle, lords! alarum, drums! 
And drown this screech-owl’s cries with your deep sounds.

LEI.  I tell thee, drummer, if thy drum thou smite,
By heav’n, I’ll send thy soul to hell’s dark night. 
Hence with thy drum!  God’s passion, get thee hence! 
Begone, I say; move not my patience.

[Exit drum.

KING.  Are you advised, Leicester, what you do?

LEI.  I am advised; for, my sovereign, know,
There’s not a lord here will lift up his arm
Against the person of yon noble youth,
Till you have heard the circumstantial truth,
By good presumptions, touching this foul deed. 
Therefore, go on, young Bruce; proceed, refel[369]
The allegation that puts in this doubt,
Whether thy mother, through her wilfulness,
Famish’d herself and her sweet son, or no.

BRUCE.  Unlikely supposition:  nature first denies
That any mother, when her youngling cries,
If she have means, is so unnatural
To let it faint and starve.  But we will prove
She had no means, except this moanful mean,
This torture of herself.  Come forth, come forth,
Sir William Blunt, whom slander says I slew: 
Come, tell the king and lords what you know true.

    Enter SIR WILLIAM BLUNT [on the walls.][370]

KING.  Thou hast betray’d our castle.

BLUNT.  No:  God can tell,
It was surpris’d by politic report,
And affirmation that your grace was slain.

RICH.  Go on, Sir William Blunt: 
Pass briefly to the lady’s famishment.

BLUNT.  About some ten days since there came one Brand,
Bringing a signet from my lord the king,
And this commission, signed with his hand,
                    [Lords look, and read the thing. 
Commanding me, as the contents express,
That I should presently deliver up
The Lady Bruce and her young son to him.

MOW.  What time o’ day was this?

BLUNT.  It was, Lord Mowbray, somewhat past eleven,
For we were even then sitting down to dine.

LEI.  But did ye dine?

BLUNT.  The lady and her son did not. 
Brand would not stay.

BRUCE.  No, Leicester, no; for here is no such sign
Of any meat’s digestion.

RICH.  But, by the way, tell us, I pray you, Blunt,
While she remain’d with you, was she distraught
With grief, or any other passions violent?

BLUNT.  She now and then would weep, and often pray
For reconcilement ’twixt the king and lords.

CHES.  How to her son did she affected stand?

BLUNT.  Affection could not any more affect;
Nor might a mother show more mother’s love.