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.

Suf. Thy wife too? that's some wrong, indeed. What's yours? what's here? [Reads.] Against the Duke of Suffolk, for inclosing the Commons of Long Melford. How now, Sir Knave ?

2 Pet. Alas, Sir, I am but a poor petitioner of our whole Township.

Suf. [reads.] Against my master, Thomas Horner, for saying, that the Duke of York was rightful heir to the Crown.

Q. Mar. What! did the Duke of York fay, he was rightful heir to the Crown?

Peter. That my mafter was? no, forsooth; my mafter said, that he was; and that the King was an usurper.

Suf. Who is there?-Take this fellow in, and send for his master with a pursuivant, presently; we'll hear more of your matter before the King.

Exit Peter guarded. 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 supplications. 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 ? Is this the Government of Britain's ille? And this the royalty of Albion's King ? What! shall King Henry be a Pupil still, Under the surly Gloster's governance? Am I a Queen'in title and in style, And must be made a Subject to a Duke ? I tell thee, Pole, when in the city Tours Thou ran'st a-tilt in honour of

my

love, And stoll'st away the ladies' hearts of France ;

1.

I thought, King Henry had resembled thee
In courage, courtship, and proportion:
But all his mind is bent to holiness,
To number Ave Maries on his beads;
His champions are the Prophets and Apostles :
His weapons holy Saws of facred Writ;
His study is his tilt-yard ; and his loves
Are brazen images of canoniz'd saints.
I would, the College of the Cardinals
Would chuse him Pope, and carry him to Rome,
And set the triple Crown upon his head;
That were a state fit for his holiness!

Suf. Madam, be patient; as I was the cause
Your Highness came to England, so will I
In England work your Grace's full content.

Q. Mar. Beside the proud Protector, have we Beauford
Th'imperious Churchman; Somerset, Buckinghani,
And grumbling York; and not the least of these
But can do more in England, than the King.

Suf. And he of these, that can do most of all,
Cannot do more in England than the Nevills;
Salisb’ry and Warwick are no simple Peers.

Q. Mar. Not all these lords do vex me half so much,
As that proud Dame, the lord Protector's wife :
Shesweeps it through the Court with troops of ladies,
More like an Empress than Duke Humphry's wife.
Strangers in Court do take her for the Queen;
She bears a Duke's revenues on her back,
And in her heart she scorns our poverty.
Shall I not live to be aveng'd on her?
Contemptuous, base-born, Callot as she is,
She vaunted 'mongst her minions t'other day,
The very train of her worst wearing gown
Was better worth than all

my

father's lands ; Till Suffolk gave two Dukedoms for his daughter!

Suf. Madam, myself have lim'd a bush for her,
And plac'd a quire of such enticing birds,
That lhe will light to listen to their lays;

And

And never mount to trouble

you

again.
So, let her rest; and, Madam, lift to me;
For I am bold to counsel you in this ;
Although we fancy not the Cardinal,
Yet must we join with him and with the lords,
Till we have brought Duke Humphry in disgrace.
As for the Duke of York, this late complaint
Will make but little for his benefit.
So, one by one, we'll weed them all at last;
And you yourself fhall steer the happy Realm.

S CE N E VI.
To them enter King Henry, Duke Humphry, Cardinal,

Buckingham, York, Salisbury, Warwick, and the
Dutchess of Gloucester.
OR

, I

K. Henry. FOR part, noble Lords, I care not

Or Somerset, or York, all's one to me.

York. If York have ill demcan'd himself in France, Then let him be deny'd 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.

Car. Ambitious Warwick, let thy Betters speak. War. The Cardinal's not my better in the field. Buck. All in this Presence are thy betters, Warwick. War. Warwick may live to be the best of all.

Sal. Peace, Son; and thew some reason, Buckingham, Why Somerset should be preferr'd in this.

2. Mar. Because the King, forsooth, will have it so.

G!o. Madam, the King is old enough himself
To give his Censure: there are no woman's matters,
Q. Mar. If he be old enough, what needs your

Grace
To be Protector of his Excellence ?

Glo.

Glo. Madam, I am Protector of the Realm, And, at his Pleasure, will relign my Place.

Suf. Relign it then, and leave thine infolence. Since thou wert King, (as who is King, but thou ?) The Common-wealth hath daily run to wreck. The Dauphin hath prevail'd beyond the seas, And all the Peers, and Nobles of the Realm, Have been as bond-men to thy sov'reignty. Car. The Commons haft thou rack’d; the Clergy's

bags Are lank and lean with thy extortions. Som. Thy fumptuous buildings, and thy wife's

attire, Have cost a mass of public treasury.

Buck. Thy crueliy in execution Upon offenders hath exceeded law; And left thee to the mercy of the law.

Q. Mar. Thy sale of offices and towns in France, If they were known, as the suspect is great, Would make thee quickly hop without thy head,

Exit Glo. Give me my fan; what, minion ? can ye not?

[She gives the Dutchess a box on the ear. I cry you mercy, Madam; was it you?

Élean. Was't'I? yea, I it was, proud French-woman: Could I come near your beauty with I'd set my ten commandments in your face. K. Henry. Sweet aunt, be quiet; 'twas against her

will. Elean. Against her will, good King ? look to't in

time, She'll hamper thee and dandle thee like a baby : Though in this place most Mafter wears no breeches, She shall not strike Dame Eleanor unrevenged.

(Exit Eleanor. Buck. Lord Cardinal, I'll follow Eleanor, And listen after Humphry, how he proceeds :

She's

my nails,

She's tickled now, her fume can need no spurs;
She'll gallop fast enough to her deftru&ion.

[Exit Buckingham. S CE N E VII.

Re-enter Duke Humphry. Glo. N. lords, my choler being over-blown

With walking once about the Quadrangle,
I come to talk of commonwealth affairs.
As for your spightful false objections,
Prove them, and I lie open to the law.
But God in mercy deal fo with my soul,
As I in duly 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.

Suf. Before we make election, give me leave
To shew 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, familh'd and loft.

War. That I can witness, and a fouler fact
Did never traitor in the land commit.

Suf. Peace, head-strong Warwick.

War. Image of pride, why should I hold my peace! Enter Horner the Armourer, and his Man Peter, guarded.

Suf. Because here is a man accus'd of treason: Pray God, the Duke of York excuse himself!

York. Doth any one accuse York for a traitor ? K. Henry. What mean'st thou, Suffolk ? tell me, what are these?

Suf.