Glo. O Nell, sweet Nell, if thou dost love thy lord, ⚫ Banish the canker of ambitious thoughts: And may that thought, when I imagine ill Against my king and nephew, virtuous Henry, 'Be my last breathing in this mortal world! My troublous dream this night doth make me sad. Duch. What dream, my lord? tell me, and I'll requite it 'With sweet rehearsal of my morning's dream. 'Glo. Methought, this staff, mine office-badge in court, 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 Edmond duke of Somerset, And William de la Poole first duke of Suffolk. "This was my dream; what it doth bode, God knows. Duch. Tut, this was nothing but an argument, That he that breaks a stick of Gloster's grove, Shall lose his head for his presumption. 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 crown'd; Where Henry, and dame Margaret, kneel'd to me, 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. Duch. 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. Mess. My lord protector, 'tis his highness' pleasure, 'You do prepare to ride unto Saint Albans, 'Whereas the king and queen do mean to hawk. Glo. I go.-Come, Nell, thou wilt ride with us? 'Duch. Yes, good my lord, I'll follow presently Exeunt Gloster and Messenger Follow I must, I cannot go before, * While Gloster bears this base and humble mind. * Were I a man, a duke, and next of blood, *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. "Where are you there? Sir John!3 nay, fear not, Your grace's title shall be multiplied. With Margery Jourdain, the cunning witch; Hume. This they have promised,-to show A spirit rais'd from depth of under ground, tions: Marry, and shall. But how now, sir John Hume? *Dame Eleanor gives gold, to bring the witch: * They say, A crafty knave does need no broker; *Yet am I Suffolk and the cardinal's broker. Hume, if you take not heed, you shall go near *To call them both-a pair of crafty knaves. *Well, so it stands: And thus, I fear, at last, *Hume's knavery will be the duchess' wreck; *And her attainture will be Humphrey's fall: *Sort how it will, I shall have gold for all. [Exit. SCENE III.-The same. A room in the palace. Enter Peter, and others, with petitions. '1 Pet. My masters, let's stand close; my lord protector will come this way by and by, and then we may deliver our supplications in the quill.5 2 Pet. Marry, the Lord protect him, for he's a good man! Jesu bless him! Enter Suffolk, and Queen Margaret. *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. Suff. How now, fellow? would'st any thing ' with me? 1 Pet. I pray, my lord, pardon me! I took ye for my lord protector. QMar. Reading the superscription.] To my lord protector! are your supplications to his lordship? Let me see them: 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. Suff. Thy wife too? that is some wrong indeed.-What's yours?-What's here! [Reads.] Against the duke of Suffolk, for enclosing the commons of Melford.-How now, sir knave? 2 Pet. Alas, sir, I am but a poor petitioner of our whole township. Peter. [Presenting his petition] Against my (4) Let the issue be what it will. (5) With great exactness and observance of form. master, Thomas Horner, for saying, That the duke | of York was rightful heir to the crown. Q Mar. What say'st thou? Did the duke of "York say, he was rightful heir to the crown? Peter. That my master was? No, forsooth: my 'master said, That he was; and that the king was ⚫an usurper. Suff. Who is there? [Enter Servants.]-Take this fellow in, and send for his master with a pursuivant presently-we'll hear more of your matter before* the king. [Exeunt Servants, with Peter. 4 Q. Mar. And as for you, that love to be protected • Under the wings of our protector's grace, Begin your suits anew, and sue to him. [Tears the petition. Away, base cullions!-Suffolk, let them go. * All. Come, let's be gone. [Exeunt Petitioners. *Q. Mar. My lord of Suffolk, say, is this the guise, Is this the fashion in the court of England? * And must be made a subject to a duke? * Would choose him pope, and carry him to Rome, * That were a state fit for his holiness. And plac'd a quire of such enticing birds, So, one by one, we'll weed them all at last, K. Hen. For my part, noble lords, I care not Or Somerset, or York, all's one to me. York. If York have ill demean'd himself in Then let him be denay'ds 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 no Dispute not that: York is the worthier. *Suff. And he of these, that can do most of all, As that proud dame, the lord protector's wife. More like an empress than duke Humphrey's wife; (1) Scoundrels. (2) Sayings. (3) Drab, trull. (4) i. e. The complaint of Peter the armourer's man against his master Car. Ambitious Warwick, let thy betters speak. wick. grace To be protector of his excellence? 'Glo Madam, I am protector of the realm; The commonwealth hath daily run to wreck : Are lank and lean with thy extortions. * Som. Thy sumptuous buildings, and thy wife's attire, Have cost a mass of public treasury. Buck. Thy cruelty in execution, *If they were known, as the suspect is great,- (5) Denay is frequently used instead of deny among the old writers. (6) Censure here means simply judgment or opinion. 'Duch. Was't I? yea, I it was, proud French-|| woman; Could I come near your beauty with my nails, I'd set my ten commandments in your face. K. Hen. Sweet aunt, be quiet; 'twas against her will. 'Duch. Against her will! Good king, look to't in time; She'll hamper thee, and dandle thee like a baby She shall not strike dame Eleanor unreveng'd. * Buck. Lord cardinal, I will follow Eleanor, Re-enter Gloster. *Glo. Now, lords, my choler being over-blown, With walking once about the quadrangle, *I come to talk of commonwealth affairs. As for your spiteful false objections, *Prove them, and I lie open to the law: * But God in mercy so deal with my soul, As I in duty love my king and country! *But, to the matter that we have in hand I say, my sovereign, York is meetest man *To be your regent in the realm of France. *Suff. Before we make election, give me leave To show some reason, of no little force, That York is most unmeet of any man. '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, *Without discharge, money, or furniture, 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 I can witness; and a fouler fact Did never traitor in the land commit. Suff Peace, headstrong Warwick! I do beseech your royal majesty, Let him have all the rigour of the law. Hor. Alas, my lord, hang me, if ever I spake the words. My accuser is my prentice: and when I did correct him for his fault the other day, he did 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 K. Hen. Uncle, what shall we say to this in law? '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. Hen Then be it so My lord of Somerset, We make your grace lord regent o'er the French. Som. I humbly thank your royal majesty. Hor. And I accept the combat willingly. Pet. Alas, my lord, I cannot fight; * for God's *sake, pity my case! the spite of man prevaileth * against me. O, Lord have mercy upon me! I * shall never be able to fight a blow: O Lord, my * heart! Glo Sirrah, or you must fight, or else be hang'd. K. Hen Away with them to prison: and the day Of combat shall be the last of the next month. *Come, Somerset, we'll see thee sent away. [Exe. SCENE IV.-The same. The duke of Gloster's Garden. Enter Margery Jourdain, Hume, Southwell, and Bolingbroke. * Hume. Come, my masters: the duchess, I tell you, expects performance of your promises. Boling. Master Hume, we are therefore pro*vided: Will her ladyship behold and hear our * exorcisms ?? * * *Hume. Ay; What else? fear you not her courage. * Boling. I have heard her reported to be a woman of an invincible spirit: But it shall be * convenient, master Hume, that you be by her aloft, War. Image of pride, why should I hold my while we be busy below; and so, I pray you, go peace? *in God's name, and leave us. [Exit Hume.] Mother Jourdain, be you prostrate, and grovel on the earth :-* John Southwell, read you; and let * us to our work. Enter Duchess, above. Deep night, dark night, the silent of the night, howl, And spirits walk, and ghosts break up their graves, That time best fits the work we have in hand. Madam, sit you, and fear not; whom we raise, We will make fast within a hallow'd verge. Here they perform the ceremonies appertaining, and make the circle, Bolingbroke, or Southwell, reads. Conjuro te, &c. It thunders and lightens terribly; then the Spirit riseth. * Spir. Adsum. *M. Jourd. Asmath, * By the eternal God, whose name and power *Thou tremblest at, answer that I shall ask; become? Boling. First, of the king. What shall of him Safer shall he be upon the sandy plains, 'Have done, for more I hardly can endure. Boling. Descend to darkness, and the burning lake: "False fiend, avoid! [Thunder and lightning. Spirit descends. Enter York and Buckingham, hastily, with their guards, and others. York. Lay hands upon these traitors, and their trash. 'Beldame, I think, we watch'd you at an inch.'What, madam, are you there? the king and commonweal Are deeply indebted for this piece of pains; My lord protector will, I doubt it not, See you well guerdon'd' for these good deserts. Duch. 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 papers Away with them; let them be clapp'd up close, And kept asunder:-You, madam, shall with us:Stafford, take her to thee. [Ex. Duch from above. We'll see your trinkets here all forth-coming; All.-Away! you this? [Showing her the [Exeunt guards, with South. Boling. &c. *York. Lord Buckingham, methinks, you watch'd her well: * A pretty plot, well chosen to build upon! Now, pray my lord, let's see the devil's writ. What have we here? [Reads. The duke yet lives, that Henry shall depose; But him outlive, and die a violent death. Enter a Servant. Invite my lords of Salisbury, and Warwick, ACT II. I saw not better sport these seven years' day : Yet, by your leave, the wind was very high; And, ten to one, old Joan had not gone out. 'K. Hen. But what a point, my lord, your falcon made, And what a pitch she flew above the rest!~~ * Yea, man and birds, are fain3 of climbing high. And bears his thoughts above his falcon's pitch. Glo. My lord, 'tis but a base ignoble mind That mounts no higher than a bird can soar. 'Car. thought as much; he'd be above the clouds. 'Glo. Ay, my lord cardinal; How think you by that? Were it not good, your grace could fly to heaven? *K. Hen. The treasury of everlasting joy! 'Car. Thy heaven is on earth; thine eyes and thoughts Q. Mar. And thy ambition, Gloster. K. Hen. I pr'ythee, peace, Good queen; and whet not on these furious peers, For blessed are the peace-makers on earth. Car. Let me be blessed for the peace I make, Against this proud protector, with my sword! Glo. 'Faith, holy uncle, 'would 'twere come to [Aside to the Cardinal. 'Car. Marry, when thou dar'st. [Aside. 'Glo. Make up no factious numbers for the that! *Or all my fencel shall fail. [Aside. *Car. Medice, teipsum; 'Protector, see to't well, protect yourself. [Aside. K. Hen. The winds grow high; so do your stomachs, lords. * How irksome is this music to my heart! *When such strings jar, what hope of harmony? *I pray, my lords, let me compound this strife. Enter an Inhabitant of Saint Albans, crying, A miracle! Glo. What means this noise? Fellow, what miracle dost thou proclaim? Suff. Come to the king, and tell him what miracle. Inhab. Forsooth, a blind man at Saint Alban's shrine, Within this half hour, hath receiv'd his sight; K. Hen. Now, God be prais'd! that to believing 'Gives light in darkness, comfort in despair! Enter the Mayor of Saint Albans, and his brethren; and Simpcox, borne between two persons in a chair; his Wife, and a great multitude, following. *Car. Here come the townsmen on procession, *To present your highness with the man. *R. Hen. Great is his comfort in this earthly vale, Although by his sight his sin be multiplied. *Glo. Stand by, my masters, bring him near the king, His highness' pleasure is to talk with him. *K. Hen. Good fellow, tell us here the circumstance, That we for thee may glorify the Lord. Wife. His wife, an't like your worship. have better told. serve. Let me see thine eyes-wink now; now open them : In my opinion yet thou see'st not well. Simp. Yes, master, clear as day; I thank God, and Saint Alban. Glo. Say'st thou me so? What colour is this cloak of? Simp. Red, master; red as blood. Glo. Why, that's well said: What colour is my gown of? Simp. Black, forsooth; coal-black, as jet. K. Hen. Why then, thou know'st what colour jet is of? Suff. And yet, I think, jet did he never see. Glo. But cloaks and gowns, before this day, a To name the several colours we do wear. Simp. O, master, that you could! beadles in your town, and things called whips? Glo. My masters of Saint Albans have you not May. Yes, my lord, if it please your grace. Glo. Then send for one presently. May. Sirrah, go fetch the beadle hither straight. [Exit an attendant. Glo. Now fetch me a stool hither by and by. [A stool brought out.] Now, sirrah, if you mean to save yourself from whipping, leap me over this stool, and run away. Simp. Alas, master, I am not able to stand alone. You go about to torture me in vain. Re-enter Attendant, with the Beadle. Glo. Well, sir, we must have you find your legs. Sirrah beadle, whip him till he leap over that same stool. |