'Q. Mar. Can you not see? or will you not ob serve The strangeness of his altered countenance? 'With what a majesty he bears himself! • How insolent of late he is become, How proud, how peremptory, and unlike himself? 'We know the time, since 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 admired him for submission; 'But meet him now, and, be it in the morn, When every one will give the time of day, He knits his brow, and shows an angry eye, And passeth by with stiff, unbowed knee, • Disdaining duty that to us belongs. Small curs are not regarded when they grin; Respecting what a rancorous mind he bears, Or be admitted to your highness' council. By flattery hath he won the commons' hearts; And, when he please to make commotion, ''Tis to be feared, 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, • Which fear if better reasons can supplant, I will subscribe and say-I wronged the duke. 'My lord of Suffolk,-Buckingham,-and York,Reprove my allegation, if you can; 'Or else conclude my words effectual. 1 i. e. assemble by observation. • Suff. Well hath your highness seen into this duke; · And, had I first been put to speak my mind, * Upon my life, began her devilish practices; * Did instigate the bedlam, brain-sick duchess, * By wicked means, to frame our sovereign's fall. * 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, * For soldiers' pay in France, and never sent it? *By means whereof, the towns each day revolted. * 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 of us, *To mow down thorns that would annoy our foot, *Is worthy praise; but shall I speak my conscience? * Our kinsman Gloster is as innocent * From meaning treason to our royal person, 1 Suffolk uses highness and grace promiscuously to the queen. Camden says that majesty came into use in the reign of king Henry the Eighth, as sacred majesty 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. 2 i. e. valuing himself on his high descent. * As is the sucking lamb, or harmless dove. *The duke is virtuous, mild; and too well given, *To dream on evil, or to work my downfall. *Q. Mar. Ah, what's more dangerous than this fond affiance! *Seems he a dove? his feathers are but borrowed, * Is he a lamb? his skin is surely lent him, * Hangs on the cutting short that fraudful man. Enter SOMERSET. *Som. All health unto my gracious sovereign! K. Hen. Welcome, lord Somerset. What 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 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, * And caterpillars eat my leaves away; * But I will remedy this gear ere long, *Or sell my title for a glorious grave. Enter GLOSTER. * Glo. All happiness unto my lord the king! Pardon, my liege, that I have staid so long. [Exit. 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. Glo. Well, Suffolk, yet1 thou shalt not see me blush, Nor change my countenance for this arrest; 1 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. * A heart unspotted is not easily daunted. York. 'Tis thought, my lord, that you took bribes of And, being protector, stayed the soldiers' pay; 'I never robbed the soldiers of their pay, So help me God, as I have watched the night, Ay, night by night,-in studying good for England! 'That doit that e'er I wrested from the king, 'Or any groat I hoarded to my use, Be brought against me at my trial day! And never asked 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, Glo. Why, 'tis well known, that whiles I was pro tector, Pity was all the fault that was in me; *For I should melt at an offender's tears, * And lowly words were ransom for their fault. Unless it were a bloody murderer, Or foul, felonious thief that fleeced poor passengers, I never gave them condign punishment: Murder, indeed, that bloody sin, I tortured Above the felon, or what trespass else. 6 Suff. My lord, these faults are easy,' quickly answered: 1 i. e. slight. But mightier crimes are laid unto your charge, To keep, until your further time of trial. 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 choked with foul ambition, * And charity chased hence by rancor's hand; * Foul subornation is predominant, * And equity exiled your highness' land. * I know their complot is to have my life; 6 And, if my death might make this island happy, And prove the period of their tyranny, 'I would expend it with all willingness; But mine is made the prologue to their play; • For thousands more, that yet suspect no peril, • Will not conclude their plotted tragedy. 'Beaufort's red, sparkling eyes blab his heart's malice, 'And Suffolk's cloudy brow his stormy hate; Sharp Buckingham unburdens with his tongue The envious load that lies upon his heart; 'And dogged York, that reaches at the moon, Whose overweening arm I have plucked back, By false accuse doth level at my life;— And you, my sovereign lady, with the rest, 'Causeless have laid disgraces on my head; * And, with your best endeavor, have stirred up My liefest liege to be mine enemy: * * * 1 Ay, all of you have laid your heads together; · I shall not want false witness to condemn me, *Car. My liege, his railing is intolerable: |