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Re-enter Duke Humphry.

Glo. Now, Lords, my choler being over-blown
With walking once about the Quadrangle,
I come to talk of commonwealth affairs.
As for your fpightful falfe objections,
Prove them, and I lie open to the law.
But God in mercy deal fo with my foul,
As I in duty love my King and Country!
But to the matter that we have in hand:
I fay, my Sovereign, York is meetest man
To be your Regent in the Realm of France.
Suf. Before we make election, give me leave
To fhew fome reafon of no little force,
That York is most unmeet of any man.
York. I tell thee, Suffolk, why I am unmeet:
Firft, for I cannot flatter thee in pride:
Next, if I be appointed for the Place,
My Lord of Somerfet will keep me here
Without discharge, money or furniture,
Till France be won into the Dauphin's hands.
Laft time, I danc'd attendance on his will,
Till Paris was befieg'd, famifh'd and loft.
War. That I can witnefs, and a fouler fact
Did never traitor in the Land commit.

Suf Peace, head-ftrong Warwick.

War. Image of pride, why should I hold my peace? Enter Horner the Armourer, and his Man Peter, guarded. Suf. Becaufe here is a man accus'd of treafon : Pray God, the Duke of York excufe himself! York. Doth any one accufe York for a traitor? K.H.What mean'ft thou, Suffolk? tellme, what arethefe? Suf. Please it your Majefty, this is the man, That doth accufe his mafter of high treason: His words were these;" that Richard Duke of York "Was rightful heir unto the English Crown; "And that your Majefty was an ufurper." K. Henry. Say, man; were these thy words? Arm. An't fhall please your Majefty, I never faid nor thought

Boling. Tell me, what fates await the Duke of Suffolk? Spirit. By water fhall he die, and take his end. Boling. What fhall befall the Duke of Somerset ? Spirit. Let him fhun caftles,

Safer fhall he be on the fandy plains,

Than where caftles mounted stand.

Have done, for more I hardly can endure.

Boling. Defcend to darknefs, and the burning lake: False fiend, avoid!

[Thunder and Lightning. Spirit defcends.

Enter the Duke of York, and the Duke of Buckingham, with their Guard, and break in.

Fork. 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 Realm
Are deep indebted for this piece of pains;
My Lord Protector will, I doubt it not,

See you well guerdon'd for thefe good deferts.
Elean. Not half fo bad as thine to England's King,
Injurious Duke, that threat'ft where is no caufe.
Buck. True, Madam, none at all: What call you this?
Away with them, let them be clap'd up close,
And kept apart. You, Madam, fhall with us.
Stafford, take her to thee.

We'll fee your Trinkets here forth-coming all.

[Exeunt Guards with Jordan, Southwel, &c. York Lord Buckingham, methinks, you watch'd her well; A pretty plot, well chose to build

upon.

Now, pray, my Lord, let's fee the devil's writ.

What have we here?

The Duke yet lives, that Henry fhall depofe;

But him out-live, and die a violent death.

[Reads.

Why, this is juft, Aia te, Æacida, Romanos vincere posse,

Well, to the reft:

Tell me, what fate awaits the Duke of Suffolk?

By water fhall he die, and take his end.

What shall betide the Duke of Somerset ?

Let him fhun caftles,

Safer

SCENE, the Witch's Cave.

Hume.Co

Enter Mother Jordan, Hume, Southwel, and Bolingbrook. OME, my mafters; the Dutchefs, I tell you, Expects performance of your promifes. Boling. Mafter Hume, we are therefore provided: will her ladyship behold and hear our exorcisms?

Hume. Ay, what elfe? fear not her courage.

Boling. I have heard her reported to be a woman of an invincible spirit; but it fhall be convenient, Mafter Hume, that you be by her aloft, while we be busy below; and fo I pray you, go in God's name, and leave us. [Exit Hume.] Mother Jordan, be proftrate and grovel on the earth; John Southwel, read you, and let us to our work. ›

Enter Eleanor, above.

Elean. Well faid, my masters, and welcome to all: to this geer, the fooner the better.

Boling. Patience, good lady: wizards know their times. Deep night, dark night, the filent of the night, The time of night when Troy was fet on fire, The time, when fcreech-owls cry, and ban-dogs howl: When fpirits walk, and ghosts break up their graves: That time beft fits the work we have in hand. Madam, fit you, and fear not; whom we raise, We will make fast within a hollow'd verge.

Here they perform the Ceremonies, and make the circles Bolingbrook or Southwel reads, Conjuro te, &c. It thunders and lightens terribly; then the Spirit rifeth. Spirit. Adfum.

M. Jord. Afmuth, by the eternal God, whofe name And power thou trembleft at, tell what I afk; For till thou fpeak, thou shalt not pafs from hence. Spir. Afk what thou wilt.-That I had faid, and done! Boling. First, of the King: What shall of him become? Spirit. The Duke yet lives, that Henry fhall depofe: But him out-live, and die a violent death.

[As the Spirit Speaks, they write the answer.

Boling.

Boling. Tell me, what fates await the Duke of Suffolk?
Spirit. By water fhall he die, and take his end.
Boling. What fhall befall the Duke of Somerset ?
Spirit. Let him shun caftles,

Safer fhall he be on the fandy plains,

Than where caftles mounted ftand.

Have done, for more I hardly can endure.

Boling. Defcend to darkness, and the burning lake: Falfe fiend, avoid!

[Thunder and Lightning. Spirit defcends.

Enter the Duke of York, and the Duke of Buckingham, with their Guard, and break in.

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 Realm Are deep indebted for this piece of pains; My Lord Protector will, I doubt it not, See you well guerdon'd for thefe good deferts. Elean. Not half fo bad as thine to England's King, Injurious Duke, that threat'ft where is no cause. What call you Buck. True, Madam, none at all: Away with them, let them be clap'd up close, And kept apart. You, Madam, fhall with us. Stafford, take her to thee.

We'll fee your Trinkets here forth-coming all.

this?

[Exeunt Guards with Jordan, Southwel, &c.

York.Lord Buckingham, methinks, you watch'd her well; A pretty plot, well chofe to build upon.

Now, pray, my Lord, let's fee the devil's writ.

What have we here?

The Duke yet lives, that Henry hall depofe;

But him out-live, and die a violent death.

[Reads.

Why, this is juft, Aia te, Æacida, Romanos vincere posse, Well, to the rest:

Tell me, what fate awaits the Duke of Suffolk?

By water shall he die, and take his end.

What shall betide the Duke of Somerset ?

Let him fhun caftles,

Safer

Safer fhall be be on the fandy plains,
Than where caftles mounted fand.
Come, come, my Lords;

These oracles are hardily attain'd, (3)
And hardly understood.

The King is now in progrefs tow'rds St. Albans ;
With him, the husband of this lovely lady:

Thither go these news, as fast as horse can carry them;
A forry breakfast for my Lord Protector.

Buck. Your Grace fhall give me leave, my Lord of York, To be the poft, in hope of his reward.

York. At your pleasure, my good Lord. Who's within there, ho?

Enter a Serving-man.

Invite my Lords of Salisbury and Warwick,
To fup with me to-morrow night. Away! [Exeunt.

(7) Thefe Oracles are hardly attain'd,

And hardly underfood,] Not only the Lameness of the Verfification, but the Imperfection of the Sense too, made me fufpect this Paffage to be corrupt. The Meaning is very poor, as it ftands in all the printed Copies; but I have formerly, by the Addition of a fingle Letter, both helped the Verfe and the Sentiment. York, feizing the Parties and their Papers, fays, he'll fee the Devil's Writ; and finding the Wizard's Answers intricate and ambiguous, he makes this general Comment upon fuch fort of Intelligence, as I have reAtored the Text:

Thefe Oracles are hardily attain'd,
And bardly underflood.

e. A great Rifque and Hazard is run to obtain them, (viz. going to the Devil for them, as 'twas pretended and fuppofed ;) and likewife the incurring fevere Penalties, by the Statute-Law against such Practices and yet, after these bardy Steps taken; the Informations are fo perplexed that they are hardly to be understood.

ACT

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