My mother, being heir unto the crown,
Married Richard Earl of Cambridge,
Who was the fon to Edmond Langley,
Edward the third's fifth fon.-

By her I claim the kingdom; she was heir
To Roger Earl of March, who was the fon
Of Edmond Mortimer, who married Philip,
Sole daughter unto Lionel Duke of Clarence,
So, if the iffue of the elder fon

Succeed before the younger, I am King.

War. What plain proceeding is more plain than this? Henry doth claim the crown from John of Gaunt, The fourth fon; York here claims it from the third. Till Lionel's iffue fail, his fhould not reign: It fails not yet, but flourisheth in thee And in thy fons, fair flips of fuch a stock. Then, father Salisbury, kneel we together, And in this private plot be we the first, That fhall falute our rightful Sovereign With honour of his birth-right to the crown.

Both. Long live our Sov'reign Richard, England's King! York. We thank you, Lords: but I am not your King Till I be crown'd; and that my sword be stain'd With heart-blood of the house of Lancaster: And that's not fuddenly to be perform'd, But with advice and filent fecrecy. Do you, as I do, in thefe dang'rous days, Wink at the Duke of Suffolk's infolence, At Beauford's pride, at Somerset's ambition, At Buckingham, and all the crew of them; Till they have fnar'd the fhepherd of the flock, That virtuous prince, the good Duke Humphry: 'Tis that they feek; and they in feeking that Shall feek their deaths, if York can prophecy. Sal. My Lord, here break we off; we know your mind. War. My heart affures me, that the Earl of Warwick Shall one day make the duke of York a King. York. And, Nevil, this I do affure myself: Richard fhall live to make the Earl of Warwick The greatest man in England, but the King. [Exeunt. SCENE

B5

SCENE changes to a House near to Smithfield.
Sound Trumpets. Enter King Henry and Nobles; the
Duchefs, Mother Jordan, Southwell, Hume, and Bo-
lingbroke, under guard.

K.H.Tand forth, Dame Eleanor Cobham, Glo'fter's wife,
In fight of God and us your guilt is great;
Receive the fentence of the law for fins,
Such as by God's book are adjudg'd to death.
You four from hence to prifon, back again;
From thence unto the place of execution;
The witch in Smithfield fhall be burnt to ashes,
And you three fhall be ftrangled on the gallows.
You, Madam, for you are more nobly born,
Defpoiled of your honour in your life,
Shall after three days open penance done,
Live in your country here, in banishment,
With Sir John Stanley, in the Isle of Man.
Elean. Welcome is exile, welcome were my death.
Glo. The law, thou feeft, hath judg'd thee, Eleanor ;
I cannot juftify, whom law condemns.

[Exeunt Eleanor, and the others, guarded.
Mine eyes are full of tears, my heart with grief.
Ah, Humphry! this difhonour in thine age
Will bring thy head with forrow to the ground,
I beseech your Majefty give me leave to go;
Sorrow would folace, and my age would ease.

K. Henry. Stay Humphry, Duke of Glo' fter; ere thou go,
Give up thy ftaff; Henry will to himself
Protector be, and God fhall be my hope,
My ftay, my guide, and lanthorn to my feet.
And go in peace, Humphry, no lefs belov'd,
Than when thou wert protector to thy King.

Q. Mar. I fee no reafon, why a King of years
Should be to be protected like a child:
God and King Henry govern England's realm:
Give up your ftaff, Sir, and the King his realm.
Glo. My staff? here, noble Henry, is my staff:
As willingly do I the fame refign,

As e'er thy father Henry made it mine;

And even as willing at thy feet I leave it,

As others would ambitioufly receive it.

Farewel, good King; when I am dead and gone,
May honourable peace attend thy throne. [Exit Glo'fter.
Q. Mar. Why now is Henry King, and Marg'ret Queen,
And Humphry, Duke of Glofter, scarce himself,
That bears fo fhrewd a maim; two pulls at once;
His Lady banish'd, and a limb lopt off:

This ftaff of honour raught, there let it stand,
Where beft it fits to be, in Henry's hand.

Suf. Thus droops this lofty pine, and hangs his sprays
Thus Eleanor's pride dies in her younger days.
York. Lords, let him go. Please it your Majesty,
This is the day appointed for the combat.
And ready are the appellant and defendant,
The armourer and his man, to enter the lists,
So please your Highness to behold the fight.

Q. Mar. Ay, good my Lord; for purposely therefore Left I the court, to fee this quarrel try'd.

K. Henry. A' God's name fee the lifts and all things fit, Here let them end it, and God guard the right. York. I never saw a fellow worse bestead, Or more afraid to fight, than is th' appellant ! The fervant of the armourer, my Lords.

Enter at one door the armourer and his neighbours, drinking to him fo much, that he is drunk; and he enters with a drum before him, and his staff with a fand-bag fastned to it (8); and at the other door his man, with a drum and a fand-bag, and prentices drinking to him.

1 Neigh. Here, neighbour Horner, I drink to you in a cup of fack; and fear not, neighbour, you shall do well enough.

(8) With a fand-bag faften'd to it.] As, according to the old laws of duels, Knights were to fight with the lance and fword; fo thofe of inferior rank fought with an Ebon staff or battoon, to the farther end of which was fix'd a bag cram'd hard with fand. To this cuftom Hudibras has alluded in thefe humorous lines :*

Engag'd with money-bags, as bold
As men with fand-bags did of old.
B. 6.

Mr. Warburton. 2 Neigh.

2 Neigh. And here, neighbour, here's a cup of charneco. 3. Neigh. And here's a pot of good double beer, neighbour; drink, and fear not your man.

Arm. Let it come, i'faith, and I'll pledge you all; and a fig for Peter.

1 Pren. Here, Peter, I drink to thee, and be not afraid. 2. Pren. Be merry, Peter, and fear not my master; fight for the credit of the prentices.

Peter. I thank you all; drink, and for me, I pray pray you; for, I think, I have taken my laft draught in this world. Here, Robin: if I die, I give thee my apron; and, Will, thou fhalt have my hammer; and here, Tom, take all the money that I have. O Lord, bless me I pray God; for I am never able to deal with my master, he hath learned fo much fence already. Sal. Come, leave your drinking, and fall to blows Sirrah, what's thy name?

Peter. Peter, forfooth.

Sal. Peter? what more?
Peter. Thump.

Sal. Thump? Then fee thou thump thy mafter well. Arm. Matters, I am come hither as it were upon my mafter's inftigation, to prove him a knave and myself an honest man and touching the Duke of York, I will take my death I never meant him any ill, nor the King, nor the Queen; and therefore, Peter, have at thee with a downright blow.

York. Dispatch: this knave's tongue begins to double. Sound trumpets; alarum to the combatants.

[They fight, and Peter firik s him down. Arm. Hold, Peter, hold; I confess, I confess treason.

[Dies.

York. Take away his weapon: fellow, thank God, and the good wine in thy master's way.

Peter. O God, have I overcome mine enemy in this O Peter, thou haft prevail'd in right. [prefence? K. Henry. Go, take hence that traitor from our fight, For by his death we do perceive his guilt. And God in juftice hath revealed to us The truth and innocence of this poor fellow,

Which he had thought to murder wrongfully.
Come, fellow, follow us for reward.

SCENE the Street.

[Exeunt.

Enter Duke Humphry, and his men, in mourning cloaks.

Glo.

。.TH

HUS fometimes hath the brightest day a clouds ac And, after fummer, evermore fucceeds Barren winter with his wrathful nipping cold; So cares and joys abound, as seasons fleet. Sirs, what's a-clock ?

Serv. Ten, my Lord.

Glo. Ten is the hour that was appointed me,
To watch the coming of my punish'd Dutchess:
Unneath may she endure the flinty streets,
To tread them with her tender-feeling feet.
Sweet Nell, ill can thy noble mind a-brook
The abject people gazing on thy face,

With envious looks ftill laughing at thy fhame;
That erft did follow thy proud chariot-wheels,
When thou didit ride in triumph thro' the streets.
But foft! I think, fhe comes; and I'll prepare
My tear-ftain'd eyes to see her miferies.

Enter the Dutchess in a white sheet, and a taper burning in
her hand, with Sir John Stanley, a Sheriff and Officers.
Serv. So please your Grace, we'll take her from the
Glo. No, ftir not for your lives, let her pafs by. [Sheriff.
Elean. Come you, my Lord, to fee my open fhame ?
Now thou doft penance too. Look, how they gaze!
See, how the giddy multitude do point,

And nod their heads, and throw their eyes on thee!
Ah, Glofter, hide thee from their hateful looks;
And in thy closet pent up, rue my shame,
And ban our enemies both mine and thine.
Glo. Be patient, gentle Nell; forget this grief.
Elean. Ah Glo'fter, teach me to forget myfelf:
For whilst I think I am thy married wife,
And thou a Prince, Protector of this land;
Methinks, I fhould not thus be led along,

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