Enter the Dutchefs in a white Sheet, and a Taper burning in her hand, with Sir John Stanley, a Sheriff and Officers.
Sarv. So please your Grace, we'll take her from the Sheriff.
Glo. No, ftir not for your lives, let her pass by.
Elean. Come you, my lord, to fee my open fhame ? 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, Glofter, hide thee from their hateful looks;
And in thy clofet pent up, rue my shame,
And ban our enemies, both mine and thine.
Glo. Be patient, gentle Nell; forget this grief.
Elean. Ah! Glofter, teach me to forget myself:
For whilst I think I am thy marry'd wife,
And thou a prince, protector of this land;
Methinks I fhould not thus be led along,
Mail'd up in fhame, with papers on my back;
And follow'd with a rabble, that rejoice
To fee my tears, and hear my deep-fetch'd groans.
The ruthless fint doth cut my tender feet;
And when I start, the cruel people laugh;
And bid me be advised how I tread.
Ah! Humphry, can I bear this shameful yoak?
Trow't thou, that e'er I'll look upon the world,
Or count them happy, that enjoy the fun?
No: dark shall be my light, and night my day.
To think upon my pomp, fhall be my hell.
Sometime I'll fay, I am Duke Humphry's wife,
And he a prince, and ruler of the land:
Yet fo he ruf'd, and fuch a prince he was,
That he flood by, whilft I, his forlorn dutchefs,
Was made a wonder and a pointing-stock.
To every idle, rascal follower.
But be thou mild, and blush not at my shame,
Nor ftir at nothing, till the ax of death
Hang over thee, as, fure, it fhortly will.
For Suffolk, (he that can do all in all.
With her, that hateth thee and hates us all)
And York, and impious Beauford, that falfe prieft,
Have all lim'd bushes to betray thy wings;
And fly thou, how thou canft, they'll tangle thee:
But fear not thou, until thy foot be fnar'd,
Nor never feek prevention of thy foes.
Glo. Ah, Nell, forbear; thou aimest all awry.
I must offend, before I be attainted :
And, had I twenty times fo many foes,
And each of them had twenty times their
All thefe could not procure me any feathe,
So long as I am loyal, true, and crimeless.
Would it have me rescue thee from this reproach?
Why, yet thy fcandal were not wip'd away;
But I in danger for the breach of law.
Thy greatest help is quiet, gentle Nell:
I pray thee, fort thy heart to patience;
Thefe few days' wonder will be quickly worn.
Enter a Herald.
Her. I fummon your Grace to his Majefty's parliament holden at Bury, the first of this next month.
Glo. And my confent ne'er ask'd herein before?
This is close dealing. Well, I will be there;
My Nell, I take my leave: and, mafter Sheriff,
Let not her penance exceed the King's commiffion.
Sher. An't please your Grace, here my commiffion
stays:
And Sir John Stanley is appointed now,
To take her with him to the Isle of Man:
Glo. Muft you, Sir John, protect my lady here?
Stan. So am I giv'n in charge, may't pleafe yous
Grace.
Glo. Entreat her not the worse, in that I pray
You ufe her well; the world may laugh again;
And I may live to do you kindness, if
You do it her and, fɔ, Sir John, farewel.
Elean. What gone, my lord, and bid me not farewel?
Glo. Witness my tears, I cannot ftay to speak.
[Exit Gloucefter Elean. 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 afraid;
Because I wifh'd this world's eternity.
Stanley, 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 us'd according to your state.
Elean. That's bad enough, for I am but reproach:
And fha. I then be us'd reproachfully?
Stan. No; like a Dutchefs, and Duke Humphry's. lady,
According to that ftate you fhall be us'd.
Elean. Sheriff, farewel, and better than I fare; Although thou hast been conduct of my shame. Sher. It is my office; madam, pardon me. Elean Ay, ay, farewel; thy office is discharg'd. Come, Stanley, fhall we go?
Stan. Madam, your penance dóne, throw off this
And go we to attire you for our journey.
Elean. My fhame will not be shifted with
No, it will hang upon my richest robes,
And fhew itself, attire me how I can.
Go, lead the way, I long to fée my prifon.
SCENE, at Bury.
Enter King Henry, Queen, Cardinal, Suffolk, York, Buckingham, Salisbury and Warwick, to the Parliament.
Mafe, my lord of Glofter is not come :
"Tis not his wont to be the hindmost man,
Whate'er occafion keeps him from us now.
Q. Mar. Can you not fee? or will you not observe
The ftrangeness of his alter'd countenance?
With what a majefty he bears himself,
How infolent of late he is become,
How peremptory and, unlike himself!
We know the time, fince he was mild and affable
And, if we did but glance a far-off look,
Immediately he was upon his knee;
That all the court admir'd him for submission.
But meet him now, and be it in the morn,
When ev'ry one will give the time of day,
He knits his brow and fhews an angry eye;.
And paffeth by with stiff unbowed knee,
Difdaining duty that to us belongs.
Small curs are not regarded, when they grin ;.
But great men tremble, when the lion roars;
And Humphry is no little man in England.
First note, that he is near you in descent ;
And, fhould you fall, he is the next will mount,,
Me feemeth then, it is no policy,
4Refpecting what a ranc'rous mind he bears,
And his advantage following your decease)
That he fhould come about your royal perfon,
Or be admitted to your Highness' council.
By flatt'ry hath he won the common hearts :
And when he'll please to make commotion,
'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'er-grow the garden;
And choak the herbs for want of husbandry.
The reverent care, I bear unto my lord,
Made me collect thefe dangers in the Duke.
If it be fond, call it a woman's fear:
Which fear, if better reasons can fupplant,
I will fubfcribe, and fay, I wrong'd the Duke.
My Lords of Suffolk, Buckingham, and York,
Reprove my allegation, if you can;
Or elfe conclude my words effectual.
Suf. Well hath your Highnefs feen into this Duke. And, had I first been put to speak my mind,
I think, I fhould have told your Grace's tale.
The Dutchefs, by his fubornation,
Upon my life, began her devilish practices:
Or if he were not privy to thofe faults,
Yet, by reputing of his high defcent,
As next the King he was fucceffive heir,
And fuch high vaunts of his nobility,
Did inftigate the bedlam brain-fick Dutchefs
By wicked means to frame our fov'reign's fall.
Smooth runs the water, where the brook is deep;
And in his fimple fhew he harbours treason.
The fox barks not, when he would steal the lamb.
No, no, my Sovereign; Glo'fer is a man
Unfounded yet, and full of deep deceit.
Car. Did he not, contrary to form of law,
Devife ftrange deaths for fmall offences done?
York. And did he not, in his protectorship,
Levy great fums of mony through the realm
For foldiers' pay in France, and never fent it?
By means whereof, the towns each day revolted.
Buck. Tat, thefe are petty faults to faults unknown; Which time will bring to light in fmooth Duke Humphry. K. Henry. My Lords, at once; the care you have
To mow down thorns that would annoy our foot,
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