Glo. My lord of Winchester, I know your mind;
'Tis not my speeches that you do mislike,
But 'tis my presence that doth trouble you.
Rancour will out: Proud prelate, in thy face
I see thy fury: if I longer stay,
We shall begin our ancient bickerings.-
Farewell, rell, my lords; and say, when I
am gone,
I prophesy'd-France will be lost ere long. [Erit.
Car. So, there goes our protector in a rage.
'Tis known to you, he is mine enemy:
Nay, more, an enemy unto you all;
And no great friend, I fear me, to the king.
Consider, lords he is the next of blood,
And heir apparent to the English crown;
Had Henry got an empire by his marriage,
And all the wealthy kingdoms of the west,
There's reason he should be displeas'd at it.
Look to it, lords! let not his smoothing words
Bewitch your hearts; be wise, and circumspect.
What though the common people favour him,
Calling him--Humphrey, the good duke of Gloster;
Clapping their hands, and crying with loud voice-
Jesu maintain your royal excellence!
With God preserve the good duke Humphrey!
I fear me, lords, for all this flattering gloss,
He will be found a dangerous protector.

Buck. Why should he then protect our sovereign,
He being of age to govern of himself?
Cousin of Somerset, join you with me,

The peers agreed; and Henry was well pleas'd, 25 To change two dukedoms fora duke'sfairdaughter. I cannot blame them all: What is't to them? 'Tis thine they give away, and not their own. Pirates may make cheappennyworthoftheirpillage, And purchase friends, and give to courtezans,

While as the silly owner of the goods

And all together, with the duke of Suffolk, - 30 Still revelling, like lords, 'till all be gone:

Car.

We'll quickly hoise duke Humphrey from his seat. This weighty busi business not brook delay; [Exit.

I'll to the duke of Suffolk presently.

Som. Cousin of Buckingham, though Hum

phrey's pride,

And greatness of his place, be grief to us,
Yet let us watch the haughty cardinal;
His insolence is more intolerable
Than all the princes in the land beside;
If Gloster be displac'd, he'll be protector.
Buck. Thou, or I, Somerset, will be protector,

Despight duke Humphrey, or the cardinal.

[Exeunt Buckingham and Somerset.

Weeps over them, and wrings his hapless hands,
And shakes his head, and trembling stands aloof,
While all is shar'd, and all is borne away;

35 Ready to starve, and dares not touch his own.
So York must sit, and fret, and bite his tongue,
While his own lands are bargain'd for, and sold.
Methinks, the realms of England, France, and Ire-
Bear that proportion to my flesh and blood, [land,

40 As did the fatal brand Althea burnt
Unto the prince's heart of Calydon.
Anjou and Maine, both given unto the French!
Cold news for me, for I had hope of France,
Even as I have of fertile England's soil.

Sal. Pride went before, ambition follows him.
While these do labour for their own preferment, 45 A day will come, when York shall claim his own;
Behoves it us to labour for the realm.

And therefore I will take the Nevils' parts,

I never saw but Humphrey duke of Gloster

And make a shew of love to proud duke Hum

Did bear him like a noble gentleman.

phrey,

Oft have I seen the haughty cardinal

And, when I spy advantage, claim the crown,

More like a soldier, than a man o' the church, 50 For that's the golden mark I seek to hit:

As stout, and proud, as he were lord of all,

Nor shall proud Lancaster usurp my right,

Swear like a ruffian, and demean himself

Nor hold the sceptre in his childish fist,

Unlike the ruler of a common weal.

Nor wear the diadem upon his head,

Warwick my son, the comfort of my age!

Whose church-like humour fits not for a crown.

Thy deeds, thy plainness, and thy house-keeping, 55 Then, York, be still a while, 'till time do serves

And in my standard bear the arms of York,
To grapple with the house of Lancaster;
And, force perforce, I'll make him yield the crown,
Whose bookish rule hath pull'd fair England down.
[Exit York. 5

SCENE II.

The Duke of Gloster's House.

Enter Duke Humphrey and his wife Eleanor.

corn,

Elean. What, what, my lord! are you so choleric
With Eleanor, for telling but her dream?
Next time, I'll keep my dreams unto myself,
And not be check'd.

Glo. Nay, be not angry, I am pleas'd again.
Enter a Messenger.

Mes. Mylordprotector, 'tis his highness'pleasure,
You do prepare to ride unto Saint Albans,
Whereas the king and queen do mean to hawk.

Elean. Yes, my good lord, I'll follow presently. [Exit Gloster.

Follow I must, I cannot go before, While Gloster bears this base and humble mind. 15 Were I a man, a duke, and next of blood,

20

I would remove these tedious stumbling-blocks,
And smooth my way upon their headless necks:
And, being a woman, I will not be slack
To play my part in fortune's pageant.
[man,
Where are you there? Sir John! nay, fear not,
We are alone; here's none but thee and I.

Elean. Why droops my lord, like over-ripen'd 10 Glo. I go. --Come, Nell, thou wilt ride with us? Hanging the head at Ceres' plenteous load? Why doth the great duke Humphreyknit hisbrows, As frowning at the favours of the world? Why are thine eyes fix'd to the sullen earth, Gazing on that which seems to dim thy sight? What see'st thou there? king Henry's diadem, Inchas'd with all the honours of the world? If so, gaze on, and grovel on thy face, Until thy head be circled with the same. Put forth thy hand, reach at the glorious gold :What, is't too short? I'll lengthen it with mine: And, having both together heav'd it up, We'll both together lift our heads to heaven; And never more abase our sight so low As to vouchsafe one glance unto the ground. Glo. O Nell, sweet Nell, if thou dost love thy Banish the canker of ambitious thoughts: And may that thought, when I imagine ill Against my king and nep nephew, virtuous Henry, 30 Be my last breathing in this mortal world! My troublous dream this night doth make me sad. Elean. What dream'd my lord? tell me, and I'll requite it

[lord,

With sweet rehearsal of my morning's dream.

Glo. Methought, this staff, mine office-badge in court,

25

35

Enter Hume.

Hume. Jesu preserve your royal majesty!
Elcan. My majesty! why, man, I am but grace.
Hume. But, by the grace of God, and Hume's
advice,

Your grace's title shall be multiply'd.

Elean. What say'st thou, man? hast thou as
yet conferr'd

With Margery Jourdain, the cunning witch;
And Roger Bolingbroke, the conjurer?
And will they undertake to do me good?
Hume. This they have promised, to shew
your highness

A spirit rais'd from depth of under ground,
That shall make answer to such questions,
As by your grace shall be propounded him.
Elean. It is enough; I'll think upon the
questions:

Was broke in twain; by whom, I have forgot,
But, as I think, it was by the cardinal;
And on the pieces of the broken wand
Were plac'd' the heads of Edmund duke of Somer-
And William de la Poole first duke of Suffolk.

[set, 40

When from Saint Albans we do make return,
We'll see those things effected to the full.
Here, Hume, take this reward: make merry, man,
With thy confederates in this weighty cause.

[Exit Eleanor.

Hume. Hume must make merry with the

dutchess' gold;

Marry, and shall. But, how now, Sir John Hume?
Seal up your lips, and give no words but-mum!

But list to me, my Humphrey, my sweet duke:
Methought, I sat in seat of majesty,

In the cathedral church of Westminster,

And in that chair where kings and queens are 50 The business asketh silent secrecy.

crown'd;

Where Henry, and dame Margaret, kneel'dtome,
And on my head did set the diadem.

Glo. Nay, Eleanor, then must I chide outright:
Presumptuous dame, ill-nurtur'd Eleanor!
Art thou not second woman in the realm;
And the protector's wife, belov'd of him?
Hast thou not worldly pleasure at command,
Above the reach or compass of thy thought?
And wilt thou still be hammering treachery,
To tumble down thy husband, and thyself,
From top of honour to disgrace's feet?
Away from me, and let me hear no more.

Whereas is the same as where.

Dame Eleanor gives gold, to bring the witch:
Gold cannot come amiss, were she a devil.
Yet have I gold flies from another coast:
I dare not say, from the rich cardinal,

55 And from the great and new-made duke of Suffolk;
Yet I do find it so: for, to be plain,
They, knowing dame Eleanor's aspiring humour,
Have hired me to undermine the dutchess
And buz these conjurations in her brain.

60 They say, A crafty knave does need no broker2;
Yet am I Suffolk's and the cardinal's broker.
Hume, if you take not heed, you shall go near
To call them both a pair of crafty knaves,

• This is a proverbial expression.

Well, so it stands: And thus, I fear, at last,
Hume's knavery will be the dutchess' wreck;
And her attainture will be Humphrey's fall:
Sort how it will, I shall have gold for all. [Exit.

SCENΕ ΙΙΙ.

An Apartment in the Palace. Enter three or four Petitioners, Peter, the Armourer's Man, being one.

Away, base cullions! - Suffolk, let them go.
All. Come, let's be gone. [Exeunt Petitioners.
2. Mar. Mylord of Suffolk, say, is this the guise,
Is this the fashion in the court of England?

5 Is this the govrenment of Britain's isle,
And this the royalty of Albion's king?
What, shall king Henry be a pupil still,
Under the surly Gloster's governance?
Am I a queen in title and in style,

1 Pet. My masters, let's stand close; my lord 10 And must be made a subject to a duke?

protector will come this way by-and-by, and then we may deliver our supplications in the quill2.

2 Pet. Marry, the Lord protect him, for he's a good man! Jesu bless him!

Enter Suffolk, and Queen.

1 Pet. Here a' comes, methinks, and the queen with him: I'll be the first, sure.

2 Pet. Come back, fool; this is the duke of Suffolk, and not my lord protector.

I tell thee, Poole, when in the city Tours
Thou ran'st a tilt in honour of my love,
And stol'st away the ladies' hearts of France;
I thought, king Henry had resembled thee,

15 In courage, courtship, and proportion:
But all his mind is bent to holiness,

To number Ave-Maries on his beads:
His champions are the prophets, and apostles;
His weapons, holy saws of sacred writ;

Suf. How now, fellow? wouldst any thing 20 His study is his tilt-yard, and his loves

with me?

1 Pet. I pray, my lord, pardon me! I took ye for my lord protector.

Are brazen images of canoniz'd saints.
I would, the college of the cardinals
Would chuse him pope, and carry him to Rome,
And set the triple crown upon his head;

2. Mar. For my lord protector! are your sup-
plications to his lordship? Let me see them: 25 That were a state fit for his holiness.
what is thine?

1 Pet. Mine is, an't please your grace, against John Goodman, my lord cardinal's man, for keeping my house, and lands, and wife and all, from me.

Suf. Thy wife too? that is some wrong, indeed. What's your's! what's here! [reads.] Against the duke of Suffolk for enclosing the commons of Melford.-How now, sir knave?

30

Suf. Madam, be patient: as I was cause
Your highness came to England, so will I
In England work your grace's full content.
2. Mar. Beside the haught protector, have we
Beaufort,

Theimperiouschurchman; Somerset, Buckingham,
And grumbling York: and not the least of these,
But can do more in England than the king.

Suf. And he of these, that can do most of all,

2 Pet. Alas, sir, I am but a poor petitioner of 35 Cannot do more in England than the Nevils: our whole township.

Peter. Against my master, Thomas Horner, for saying, That the duke of York was rightful heir to the crown.

Salisbury and Warwick are no simple peers.
2. Mar. Not all these lords do vex me half so
much,

As that proud dame, the lord protector's wife. 2. Mar. What say'st thou? Did the duke of 40 She sweeps it through the court with troops of York say, he was rightful heir to the crown?

Peter. That my mistress was? No, forsooth: my master said, That he was; and that the king

was an usurper.

ladies,

More like an empress, thanduke Humphrey's wife;
Strangers in court do take her for the queen:
She bears a duke's revenues on her back,

Suf. Who is there? -Take this fellow in, and 45 And in her heart she scorns our poverty:
send for his master with a poursuivant presently:-
we'll hear more of your matter before the king.
[Exit Peter guarded.
2. Mar. And as for you, that love to be pro-
Under the wings of our protector's grace,
Begin your suits anew, and sue to him.
[Tears the petitions.

tected

2

Shall I not live to be aveng'd on her?
Contemptuous base-born callat as she is,
She vaunted 'mongst her minions t'other day,
The very train of her worst wearing-gown
50 Was better worth than all my father's lands,
Till Suffolk gave two dukedoms for his daughter.
Suf. Madam, myself have lim'd a bush for her;
And plac'd a quire of such enticing birds,

' i. e. happen. Mr. Steevens thinks, that the phrase in the quill, or in quill, implies no more than our written or penn'd supplications. Mr. Tollet supposes it may mean, with great exactness and observance of form, or with the utmost punctilio of ceremony; that it seems to be taken from part of the dress of our ancestors, whose ruffs were quilled; and that while these were worn, it might be the, vogue to say, such a thing is in the quill, i. e. in the reigning mode of taste, as it has been since customary to use the similar phrase of a thing being in print, to express the same circumstance of exactness. Another critic and commentator, however, conjectures, that this may be supposed to have been a phrase formerly in use, and the same with the French en quille, which is said of a man when he stands upright upon his feet without stirring from the place. The proper sense of quille in French is a nine-pin, and in some parts of England nine-pins are still called cayls. Quelle in the old British language also signifies any piece of wood set upright.

That

That she will light to listen to their lays,
And never mount to trouble you again.
So, let her rest: And, madam, list to me;
For I am bold to counsel you in this.
Although we fancy not the cardinal,

Yet must we join with him, and with the lords,
Till we have brought duke Humphreyin disgrace.
As for the duke of York, this late complaint1
Will make but little for his benefit:
So, one by one, we'll weed them all at last,
And you yourself shall steer the happy helm.

To them enter King Henry, Duke Humphrey, Car-
dinal Beaufort, Buckingham, York, Salisbury,
Warwick, and the Dutchess of Gloster.

K. Henry. For my part, noble lords, I care
not which;

Or Somerset, or York, all's one to me. [France,
York. If York have ill demean'd hünself in

[no,

Elean. Was't I? yea, I it was, proud French

woman:

her will.

Could I come near your beauty with my nails, I'd set my ten commandments in your face. 5 K. Henry. Sweet aunt, be quiet; 'twas against [in time; Elean. Against her will!-Good king, look to't She'll hamper thee, and dandle thee like a baby : Tho' in this place most master wears no breeches, 10 She shall not strike dame Eleanor unreveng'd. [Exit Eleanor.

Buck. Lord cardinal, I will follow Eleanor,
And listen after Humphrey, how he proceeds:
She's tickled now; her fume can need no spurs,
15 She'll gallop fast enough to her destruction.
[Exit Buckingham.

Re-enter Duke Humphrey.
Glo. Now, lords, my choler being over-blown
With walking once about the quadrangle,
20 I come to talk of commonwealth affairs.
As for your spightful false objections,
Prove them, and I lie open to the law:
But God in mercy deal so with my soul,
As I in duty love my king and country!

Then let him be deny'd the regentship.
Som. If Somerset be unworthy of the place,
Let York be regent, I will yield to him.
War. Whether your grace be worthy, yea, or
Dispute not that; York is the worthier.
Car. Ambitious Warwick, let thy betters speak. 25 But, to the matter that we have in hand :-

War. The cardinal's not my better in the field.
Buck. All in this presence are thy betters,

Warwick.

War. Warwick may live to be the best of all.

I say, my sovereign, York is meetest man
To be your regent in the realm of France.
Suf. Before we make election, give me leave
To shew some reason, of no little force,

Sal. Peace, son; and shew some reason, 30 That York is most unmeet of any man.
Buckingham,

Why Somerset should be preferr'd in this. [so.
2. Mar. Because the king, forsooth, will have it
Glo. Madam, the king is old enough himself

York. I'll tell thee, Suffolk, why I am unmeet.
First, for I cannot flatter thee in pride:
Next, if I be appointed for the place,
My lord of Somerset will keep me here,

To give his censure: these are no women's 35 Without discharge, money, or furniture,

matters. [grace 2. Mar. If he be old enough, what needs your To be protector of his excellence?

Glo. Madam, I am protector of the realm;
And, at his pleasure, will resign my place.

Suf. Resign it then, and leave thine insolence.
Since thou wert king, (as who is king, but thou?)
The commonwealth hath daily run to wreck:
The Dauphin hath prevail'd beyond the seas;
And all the peers and nobles of the realm
Have been as bondmen to thy sovereignty.
Car. The commons hast thou rack'd; the
clergy's bags

'Till France be won into the Dauphin's hands.
Last time, I danc'd attendance on his will,
'Till Paris was besieg'd, famish'd, and lost.

War. That can I witness; and a fouler fact

40 Did never traitor in the land commit.
Suf. Peace, head-strong Warwick!
War. Image of pride, why should I hold my

45

Are lank and lean with thy extortions. [attire,
Som. Thy sumptuous buildings, and thy wife's 50
Have cost a mass of publick treasury.
Buck. Thy cruelty in execution,
Upon offenders, hath exceeded law,

And left thee to the mercy of the law. [France,

peace?

Enter Horner the Armourer, and his Man Peter,
guarded.
Suf. Because here is a man accus'd of treason:
Pray God, the duke of York excuse himself!
York. Doth any one accuse York for a traitor?
K. Henry. What mean'st thou, Suffolk? tell

me: What are these?

Suf. Please it your majesty, this is the man
That doth accuse his master of high treason:
His words were these; -that Richard, duke of

York,

2. Mar. Thy sale of offices, and towns in 55 Was rightful heir unto the English crown;

And that your majesty was an usurper.

If they were known, as the suspect is great,Would make thee quickly hop without thy head. [Exit Gloster. The Queen drops her fan. Give me my fan: What, minion! can you not? [Gives the Dutchess a box on the ear. 60 witness, I am falsely accus'd by the villain. I cry you mercy, madam; Was it you?

K. Henry. Say, man, were these thy words? Arm. An't shall please your majesty, I never said nor thought any such matter: God is my Peter. By these ten bones, my lord, [holding up

1i. e. the complaint of Peter the armourer's man against his master, for saying that York was the rightful king.

2 i. e. judgement or opinion.

his hands] he did speak them to me in the garret one night, as we were scouring my lord of York's

armour.

Boling. Patience, good laly; wizards know their times:

York. Base dunghill villain, and mechanical, I'll have thy head for this thy traitor's speech:- 5 The time when scritch-owls cry, and ban-dogs2

Deep night, dark night, the silent' of the night,
The time of night when Troy was set on fire;

I do beseech your royal majesty,

howl,

Let him have all the rigour of the law.

Arm. Alas, my lord, hang me, if ever I spake the words. My accuser is my prentice; and when

When spirits walk, and ghosts break up theirgraves,
That time best fits the work we have in hand.
Madam, sit you, and fear not; whom we raise,

vow upon his knees he would be even with me:

I have good witness of this; therefore, I beseech

your majesty, do not cast away an honest man for a villain's accusation.

I did correct him for his fault the other day, he did 10 We will make fast within a hallow'd verge.

[Here they perform the ceremonies, and make the circle; Bolingbroke, or Southvel reads, Conjuro te, &c.

It thunders and lightens terribly; then the spirit riseth.

Spirit. Adsum.
M. Jourd. Asmath,

By the eternal God, whose name and power
Thou tremblest at, answer that I shall ask;
20 For, 'till thou speak, thou shalt not pass from hence.
Spirit. Ask what thou wilt: - That I had said

K.Henry. Uncle, what shall we say to this in law? 15
Glo. This doom, my lord, if I may judge.
Let Somerset be regent o'er the French,
Because in York this breeds suspicion
And let these have a day appointed them
For single combat, in convenient place;
For he hath witness of his servant's malice:
This is the law, and this duke Humphrey's doom.
K. Henry. Then beit so. My lord of Somerset,
We make your grace lord regent o'er the French.
Som. I humbly thank your royal majesty.
Arm. And I accept the combat willingly.
Peter. Alas, my lord, I cannot fight; for God's
sake, pity my case! the spight of a man prevaileth
against me. O Lord, have mercy upon me! 1
shall never be able to fight a blow: O Lord, my 30

heart!

Glo. Sirrah, or you must fight, or else be hang'd.
K. Henry. Away with them to prison: and

the day

come?

and done! Boling. First, of the king. What shall of him be[Reading out of a paper. 25 Spirit. The duke yet lives, that Henry shall depose; But him out-live, and die a violent death.

[As the spirit speaks, they write the answer.
Boling. What fates await the duke of Suffolk?
Spirit. By water shall he die, and take his end.
Boling. What shall befall the duke of Somerset?
Spirit. Let him shun castles;

Safer shall he be upon the sandy plains,
Than where castles mounted stand.

Of combat shall be the last of the next month. - 35 Have done, for more I hardly can endure. [lake: Come, Somerset, we'll see thee sent away.

Beldame, I think, we watch'd you at an inch.-
What, madam, are you there? the king and
commonweal

Are deep indebted for this piece of pains;
My lord protector will, I doubt it not,
See you well guerdon'd 'for these good deserts.
Elean. Not half so bad as thine to England's
king,
Injurious duke; that threat'st where is no cause.
Buck. True, madam, none at all. What call you
this?
[Shewing her the papers.
Away with them; let them be clapp'd up close,

Boling. I have heard her reported to be a woman of an invincible spirit: But it shall be con-50 venient, master Hume, that you be by her aloft, while we be busy below; and so, I pray you, go in God's name, and leave us [Exit Hume]. Mother Jourdain, be you prostrate, and grovel on the earth: John Southwel, read you; and let us to 55 And kept asunder: -You, madain, shall with

Silent for silence. Mr. Steevens says, that the etymology of the word ban-dogs is unsettled. They seem, however, to have been designed by poets to signify some terrific beings whose office it was to make night hideous.

3 i. e. rewarded.

Pp

York.