* Sound trumpets, alarum to the combatants. [Alarum. They fight, and Peter strikes down his Master. Hor. Hold, Peter, hold! I confess, I confess [Dies. treason. *York. Take away his weapon;-Fellow, * Thank God, and the good wine in thy master's way. 'Peter. O God! have I overcome mine enemies in this presence? O Peter, thou hast prevailed in ' right? K. Hen. Go, take hence that traitor from our sight; For, by his death, we do perceive his guilt:1 *To see my tears, and hear my deep-fet' groans, เ Ah, Humphrey, can I bear this shameful yoke? But be thou mild, and blush not at my shame; Come, fellow, follow us for thy reward. [Exeunt. SCENE IV. The same. A Street. Enter GLOSTER and Servants, in mourning Cloaks. * Glo. Thus, sometimes hath the brightest day a cloud; * And, after summer, evermore succeeds * Barren winter, with his wrathful nipping cold: *So cares and joys abound, as seasons fleet.2 Sirs, what's o'clock? Serc. Ten, my lord. Glo. Ten is the hour that was appointed me, To watch the coming of my punish'd duchess: Uneath3 may she endure the flinty streets, To tread them with her tender-feeling feet. Sweet Nell, ill can thy noble mind abrook The abject people, gazing on thy face, With envious looks, still laughing at thy shame; That erst did follow thy proud chariot wheels, When thou didst ride in triumph through the streets. * But, soft! I think, she comes; and I'll prepare My tear-stain'd eyes to see her miseries. Enter the Duchess of Gloster, in a white sheet, with papers pinned upon her back, her feet bare, and a taper burning in her hand: SIR JOHN STANLEY, a Sheriff, and Officers. Sere. So please your grace, we'll take her from the sheriff. Glo. No, stir not, for your lives; let her pass by. Duch. Come you, my lord, to see my open: shame? Now thou dost penance too. Look, how they gaze! See, how the giddy multitude do point, And nod their heads, and throw their eyes on thee! Ah, Gloster, hide thee from their hateful looks; And, in thy closet pent up, rue my shame, And ban thine enemies, both mine and thine. Glo. Be patient, gentle Nell; forget this grief. Duch. Ah, Gloster, teach me to forget myself: For, whilst I think I am thy married wife, And thou a prince, protector of this land, Methinks, I should not thus be led along. Mai'd up in shame, with papers on my back; *And follow'd with a rabble, that rejoice distempered, and reeled as he went, and so was slaine that guilt. As for the false servant, he lived not ng unpunished; for being convict of felonie in court of assise, he was judged to be hanged, and so was at Tiburne, Fo. 626. I The real name of the combatants were John Daveys and William Catour. The names of the sheriffs were Godfrey Bologne and Robert Horne, the latter, which occurs in the page of Fabian's Chronicle, may have suggested the name of Horner. The precept to the sheriffs, commanding them to prepare the barriers in Smithaeld, with the account of expenses incurred, is among the records of the exchequer, and has been printed in Mr. Nichols's Illustrations of the Manners and Expenses of Autient Times in England, quarto, 1797. It appears that the erection of the barriers, the combat itself, and the subsequent execution of the ar mourer, occupied the space of six or seven days; that a large quantity of sand and gravel was consumed on the occasion, and that the place of battle was strewed with rules. Mr. Steevens inferred that the armourer was not killed by his opponent, but worsted, and immediately afterwards hanged. This, however, is in direct 6 With her, that hateth thee, and hates us all,- So long as I am loyal, true, and crimeless. Thy greatest help is quiet,10 gentle Nell: your grace. Glo. Entreat her not the worse, in that I pray You use her well: the world may laugh again;' And I may live to do you kindness, if You do it her. And so, Sir John, farewell. Duch. What, gone, my lord; and bid me not farewell. 'Glo. Witness my tears, I cannot stay to speak. [Exeunt GLOSTER and Servants. contradiction to all the historians, who state that he was slain. Hall's words are, whose body was drawen to Tyborn, and there hanged and beheaded.' The law made no distinction, the dead body of the vanquished was equally adjudged to the punishment of a convicted traitor, in order that his posterity might participate in his infamy. Indeed the record seems decisive; for it states that the dead man was watched after the battle was done, and this most probably means before it was conveyed to Tyburn for execution and decapitation. The death of the vanquished person was always regarded as certain evidence of his guilt. 2 i. e. pass or fleet away. 3 Not easily. 4 Malicious. 5 Curse. 6 Wrapped or bundled up in disgrace; alluding to the sheet of penance. Mailed, from a mail or male, a little budget. 7 Deep-fetched. Si. e. careful, circumspect. 9 Scathe is harm, mischief, used by all our ancient writers. The word is still in use in Scotland. 10 The poet has not endeavoured to raise much compassion for the duchess, who indeed suffers but what she had deserved.—Johnson. 11 i. e. the world may look in favourably on me. Duch. Art thou gone too? * All comfort go with thee! *For none abides with me: my joy is-death: * Death, at whose name I oft have been afear'd, * Because I wish'd this world's eternity.- Stanley, I pr'ythee, go, and take me hence; 'I care not whither, for I beg no favour, Only convey me where thou art commanded. Stan. Why, madam, that is to the Isle of Man ; *There to be used according to your state. *Duch. That's bad enough, for I am but reproach: * And shall I then be us'd reproachfully? * Stan. Like to a duchess, and Duke Humphrey's *According to that state you shall be used. Stan. Madam, your penance done, throw off And go we to attire you for our journey. The strangeness of his alter'd countenance? That all the court admir'd him for submission: 4 By flattery hath he won the commons' hearts; 1 For conductor. 2 This impatience of a high spirit is very natural. It is not so dreadful to be imprisoned as it is desirable in a state of disgrace to be sheltered from the scorn of gazers. This is one of those touches which came from the hand of Shakspeare; it is not in the old play. 3 Wonder. "Tis to be fear'd, they all will follow him. Now 'tis the spring, and weeds are shallow-rooted; Suffer them now, and they'll o'ergrow the garden, And choke the herbs for want of husbandry. The reverent care, I bear unto my lord, Made me collects these dangers in the duke. If it be fond, call it a woman's fear; "Which fear if better reasons can supplant, 'I will subscribe and say-I wrong'd the duke. My lord of Suffolk,-Buckingham,-and York,Reprove my allegation, if you can; 'Or else conclude my words effectual. Suff. Well hath your highness seen into this duke; And, had I first been put to speak my mind, I think I should have told your grace's' tale. *The duchess, by his subornation, *Upon my life, began her devilish practices: Or if he were not privy to those faults, *Yet, by reputing of his high descent (As next the king he was successive heir,) *And such high vaunts of his nobility, *Did instigate the bedlam brain-sick duchess, *By wicked means, to frame our sovereign's fall. Smooth runs the water where the brook is deep; *And in his simple show he harbours treason. The fox barks not, when he would steal the lamb. No, no, my sovereign; Gloster is a man Unsounded yet, and full of deep deceit. *Car. Did he not, contrary to form of law, * Devise strange deaths for small offences done York. And did he not, in his protectorship, *Levy great sums of money through the realm, By means whereof, the towns each day revolted. *For soldiers' pay in France, and never sent it? *Buck. Tut! these are petty faults to faults un known, *Which time will bring to light in smooth Duke Humphrey. *K. Hen. My lords, at once: The care you have *To mow down thorns that would annoy our foot, *Q. Mar. Ah, what's more dangerous than this fond affiance! *Seems he a dove? his feathers are but borrow'd, Enter SOMERSET. *Som. All health unto my gracious sovereign! K. Hen. Welcome, Lord Somerset. What news from France? Som. That all your interest in those territories Is utterly bereft you; all is lost. K. Hen. Cold news, Lord Somerset: But God's will be done! York. Cold news for me; for I had hope of France, As firmly as I hope for fertile England." *Thus are my blossoms blasted in the bud, lately, in our memory. Selden says that this must be understood so far as it relates to the title being 'commonly in use, and properly to the king applied,' because he adduces an instance of the use of majesty, so early as the reign of Henry the Second. The reader will see more on the subject in Mr. Douce's Illustrations of Shakspeare, vol. ii. p. 11. 4 i. e. it seemeth to me, a word more grammatical than methinks, which has intruded into its place.-John-word occurs again in Act v :- 8 i. e. valuing himself on his high descent. The And in my conscience do repute his grace,' &c. 9 These two lines York had spoken before in the first act of this play. He is now meditating on this disappointment, and comparing his former hopes with his present loss. And caterpillars eat my leaves away: But I will remedy this gear' ere long, *Or sell my title for a glorious grave. Enter GLOSTER. And Suffolk's cloudy brow his stormy hate; Sharp Buckingham unburdens with his tongue [Aside. The envious load that lies upon his heart: * Glo. All happiness unto my lord the king! Pardon, my liege, that I have staid so long. Suff. Nay, Gloster, know, that thou art come too soon, Unless thou wert more loyal than thou art: I do arrest thee of high treason here. And dogged York, that reaches at the moon, Gio. Well, Suffolk, yet thou shalt not see me Myself had notice of your conventicles, blush, Nor change my countenance for this arrest; And, being protector, stayed the soldiers' pay; ⚫ I never robb'd the soldiers of their pay, Be brought against me at my trial day! No! many a pound of mine own proper store, Because I would not tax the needy commons, "Have I dispursed to the garrisons, 'And never ask'd for restitution. * Car. It serves you well, my lord, to say so much. * Glo. I say no more than truth, so help me God! York. In your protectorship, you did devise Strange tortures for offenders, never heard of, That England was defam'd by tyranny. Glo. Why, 'tis well known, that whiles I was protector, Pity was all the fault that was in me; Or foul felonious thief that fleec'd poor passengers, Suff. My lord, these faults are easy, I shall not want false witness to condemn mẹ, Nor store of treasons to augment my guilt; The ancient proverb will be well affected,A staff is quickly found to beat a dog. *Car. My liege, his railing is intolerable: *If those that care to keep your royal person From treason's secret knife, and traitors' rage, * Be thus upbraided, chid, and rated at, *And the offender granted scope of speech, "Twill make them cool in zeal unto your grace. Glo. Ah, thus king Henry throws away his crutch, This is the shepherd beaten from thy side, [Exeunt Attendants, with GLOSTER. K. Hen. My lords, what to your wisdoms seemeth best, Do, or undo, as if ourself were here. Q. Mar. What, will your highness leave the parliament? K. Hen. Ay, Margaret; my heart is drown'd with grief, *Whose flood begins to flow within mine eyes; quickly* My body round engirt with misery; • But mightier crimes are laid unto your charge, K. Hen. My lord of Gloster, 'tis my special hope, That you will clear yourself from all suspects; My conscience tells me, you are innocent. Glo. Ah, gracious lord, these days are dangerous! * Virtue is chok'd with foul ambition, And charity chas'd hence by rancour's hand; * I would expend it with all willingness: • Beaufort's red sparkling eyes blab his heart's malice, 1 Gear was a general word for matter, subject, or business in general. 2 This is the reading of the second folio. The first folio reads, Well, Suffolk, thou,' &c. Mr. Malone reads, 'Well, Suffolk's duke,' &c. from the old play. 3 i. e. slight. 4 For accusation. 5 Liefest is dearest. *For what's more miserable than discontent?*Ah, uncle Humphrey! in thy face I see *The map of honour, truth, and loyalty! And yet, good Humphrey, is the hour to come, *That e'er I prov'd thee false, or fear'd thy faith. * What low'ring star now envies thy estate, That these great lords, and Margaret our queen, * Do seek subversion of thy harmless life? *Thou never didst them wrong, nor no man wrong; And as the butcher takes away the calf, And binds the wretch, and beats it when it strays, Bearing it to the bloody slaughter-house; * Even so, remorseless, have they borne him hence. *And as the dam runs lowing up and down, Looking the way her harmless young one went, And can do nought but wail her darling's loss; Even so, myself bewails good Gloster's case, *With sad unhelpful tears; and with dimm'd eyes *Look after him, and cannot do him good; So mighty are his vowed enemies. His fortunes I will weep; and, 'twixt each groan, Say-Who's a traitor, Gloster he is none. [Exit. *Q. Mar. Free lords; cold snow melts with the sun's hot beams. means you who are not bound up to such precise regards of religion as is the king; but are men of the world, and know how to live. I have shown in a note on Twelfth Night, Act ii. Sc. 4, that free meant pure, chaste, and consequently virtuous. This may be the meaning here; unless the reader would rather believe that it means free-born, noble, which was the sense of its Saxon 6 Warburton thinks that by free lords' Margaret original. F *Henry my lord is cold in great affairs, Too full of foolish pity; and Gloster's show *Beguiles him, as the mournful crocodile With sorrow snares relenting passengers: * Or as the snake, roll'd in a flowering bank,' With shining checker'd slough, doth sting a child, That, for the beauty, thinks it excellent. Believe me, lords, were none more wise than I * (And yet, herein, I judge mine own wit good,) This Gloster should be quickly rid the world, To rid us from the fear we have of him. *Car. That he should die, is worthy policy: *But yet we want a colour for his death: *"Tis meet, he be condemn'd by course of law. Suff. But, in my mind, that were no policy; *The king will labour still to save his life; *The commons haply rise to save his life; *And yet we have but trivial argument, *More than mistrust, that shows him worthy death. * York. So that, by this, you would not have him die. *Suff. Ah, York, no man alive so fain as I. * York. "Tis York that hath more reason for his death.-2 * But, my lord cardinal, and you, my lord of Suffolk, *Say as you think, and speak it from your souls, *Wer't not all one, an empty eagle were set To guard the chicken from a hungry kite, *As place Duke Humphrey for the king's protector? Q. Mar. So the poor chicken should be sure of death. Suff. Madam, 'tis true. And wer't not mad ness, then, To make the fox surveyor of the fold? 'Who being accus'd a crafty murderer, His guilt should be but idly posted over, Because his purpose is not executed. No; let him die, in that he is a fox, By nature prov'd an enemy to the flock, Before his chaps be stain'd with crimson blood; As Humphrey, prov'd by reasons, to my liege. And do not stand on quillets, how to slay him: Be it by gins, by snares, by subtilty, Sleeping or waking, 'tis no matter how, So he be dead; for that is good deceit 'Which mates him first, that first intends deceit. * Q. Mar. Thrice-noble Suffolk, 'tis resolutely spoke. *Suff. Not resolute, except so much were done; *For things are often spoke, and seldom meant: But, that my heart accordeth with my tongue,*Seeing the deed is meritorious, * * And to preserve my sovereign from his foe,- *Ere you can take due orders for a priest: I tender so the safety of my liege. *Suff. Here is my hand, the deed is worthy doing. *Q. Mar. And so say I. *York. And I and now we three have spoke it, * It skills not greatly who impugns our doom. Enter a Messenger. * Car. A breach, that craves a quick expedient* stop! What counsel give you in this weighty cause? York. That Somerset be sent as regent thither: 'Tis meet, that lucky ruler be employ'd; Witness the fortune he hath had in France.. Som. If York, with all his far-fet policy, Had been the regent there instead of me, He never would have staid in France so long. 'York. No, not to lose it all, as thou hast done: I rather would have lost my life betimes, *Than bring a burden of dishonour home, By staying there so long, till all were lost. *Show me one scar character'd on thy skin: *Men's flesh preserv'd so whole, do seldom win. Q. Mar. Nay then, this spark will prove a raging fire, *If wind and fuel, be brought to feed it with:No more, good York:-sweet Somerset, be still:Thy fortune, York, hadst thou been regent there, * Might happily have prov'd far worse than his. York. What, worse than naught? nay, then a shame take all! Som. And in the number, thee, that wishest shame! : 'Car. My lord of York, try what your fortune is. *York. I will, my lord, so please his majesty. York. I am content: Provide me soldiers, lords, 'Whiles I take order for mine own affairs. Suff. A charge, Lord York, that I will see perform'd. But now return we to the false Duke Humphrey. For there I'll ship them all for Ireland. York. Now, York, or never, steel thy fearful And change misdoubt to resolution: * Be that thou hop'st to be; or what thou art *And not a thought, but thinks on dignity. *To send me packing with an host of men: I fear me, you but warm the starved snake, *Who, cherish'd in your breasts, will sting your hearts. 'Twas men I lack'd, and you will give them me: 'Mess. Great lords, from Ireland am I come I take it kindly: yet, be well assur'd amain, To signify-that rebels there are up, And put the Englishmen unto the sword; *Send succours, lords, and stop the rage betime, * Before the wound do grow incurable; *For, being green, there is great hope of help. 1 i. e. in the flowers growing on a bank. 2 York had more reason for desiring Humphrey's death, because he stood between him and the crown, which he had proposed to himself in his ambitious views. 3.The meaning of this obscurely constructed passage appears to be, "The fox may be lawfully killed, as being known to be an enemy to sheep, even before he has actually killed them; so Humphrey may be properly de You put sharp weapons in a madman's hands. While I in Ireland nourish a mighty band, *I will stir up in England some black storm, *Shall blow ten thousand souls to heaven, or hell: * And this fell tempest shall not cease to rage stroyed, as being proved by reasons or arguments to be the king's enemy, before he has committed any actual crime.' 4 *Until the golden circuit on my head," * Like to the glorious sun's transparent beams, * Do calm the fury of this mad-bred flaw.2 And, for a minister of my intent, I have seduc'd a head-strong Kentishman, To make commotion, as full well he can, "Under the title of John Mortimer. * In Ireland have I seen this stubborn Cade * Oppose himself against a troop of Kernes ;3 *And fought so long, till that his thighs with darts * Were almost like a sharp-quiil'd porcupine: * And, in the end being rescu'd, I have seen him * Caper upright like a wild Morisco,4 *Shaking the bloody darts, as he his bells. *Full often, like a shag-hair'd crafty Kerne, *Hath he conversed with the enemy; * And undiscover'd come to me again, *And given me notice of their villanies. *This devil here shall be my substitute; *For that John Mortimer, which now is dead, *In face, in gait, in speech, he doth resemble: By this I shall perceive the commons' mind, How they affect the house and claim of York. Say, he be taken, rack'd, and tortured: I know, no pain, they can inflict upon him, Will make him say-I mov'd him to those arms. " Say, that he thrive (as 'tis great like he will,) Why, then from Ireland come I with my strength, And the harvest which that rascal sow'd: reap For, Humphrey being dead, as he shall be, 'And Henry put apart, the next for me. [Exit. SCENE II. Bury. A Room in the Palace. Enter certain Murderers, hastily. 1 Mur. Run to my lord of Suffolk; let him know, *We have despatch'd the duke, as he commanded. *2 Mur. O, that it were to do!-What have we done? Didst ever hear a man so penitent? 1 Mur. Here comes my lord. Now, sirs, have you 'Despatch'd this thing? '1 Mur. Ay, my good lord, he's dead. 'Suff. Why, that's well said. Go, get you to my house; I will reward you for this venturous deed. The king and all the peers are here at hand :'Have you laid fair the bed? are all things well, According as I gave directions? 6 1 Mur. Tis, my good lord. [Exeunt Murderers. Enter KING HENRY, QUEEN MARGARET, CARDINAL BEAUFORT, SOMERSET, Lords, and others. 'K. Hen. Go, call our uncle to our presence straight: Say, we intend to try his grace to-day, 4 Suff. I'll call him presently, my noble lord. K. Hen. What, doth my lord of Suffolk comfort me? Whose dismal tune bereft my vital powers; Came he right now" to sing a raven's note, And thinks he, that the chirping of a wren, By crying comfort from a hollow breast, Can chase away the first-conceived sound? Hide not thy poison with such sugar'd words, Lay not thy hands on me; forbear, I say; *Their touch affrights me, as a serpent's sting. Thou baleful messenger, out of my sight! Upon thy eyeballs murderous tyranny Look not upon me, for thine eyes are wounding :Síts in grim majesty, to fright the world. And kill the innocent gazer with thy sight:8 Yet do not go away;-Come, basilisk, *For in the shade of death I shall find joy: *In life, but double death, now Gloster's dead! Q. Mar. Why do you rate my lord of Suffolk thus ? * Although the duke was enemy to him, *Yet he, most christianlike, laments his death: *And for myself,--foe as he was to me, *Might liquid tears, or heart-offending groans, Or blood-consuming sighs recall his life, I would be blind with weeping, sick with groans, Look pale as primrose, with blood-drinking sighs, *And all to have the noble duke alive. 'What know I how the world may deem of me? For it is known we were but hollow friends; 'It may be judg'd, I made the duke away: So shall my name with slander's tongue be wounded, * [Exit. 'K. Hen. Lords, take your places ;-And, I pray you all, 1 Thus in Macbeth : All that impedes thee from the golden round, Which fate and metaphysical aid doth seem To have thee crown'd withal.' In King Henry IV. Part II. the crown is called golden rigol.' 2 A flaw is a violent gust of wind. *And princes' courts be fill'd with my reproach. interesting dissertation, printed in the second volume of his Illustrations of Shakspeare. 5 The directions concerning this scene stand thus in the quarto copy :- Then the curtains being drawne, this Duke Humphrey is discovered in his bed, and two men lying on his breast, and smothering him in his bed. And then enter the Duke of Suffolk to them. 3 Kernes were Irish peasantry, who served as lightarmed foot soldiers. In King Richard II. they are called 'rough rug-headed Kernes.' 4A dancer in a morris-dance; originally, perhaps, meant to imitate a Moorish dance, and thence named. The bells sufficiently indicate that the English morrisdancer is intended. It appears from Blount's Glossography, and some of our old writers, that the dance itself was called a morisco. Florio, in the first edition of his Italian Dictionary, defines Moresca, a kind of morice or antique dance, after the Moorish or Ethiopian fashion. The reader who would know more on this curious subject will do well to consult Mr. Douce's very |