Mortimer Earl of March, it may be thereby to signifie that, although he was forced to use the blade to dispute his right to the crown, yet did he shroud himself under the shield or hilt of a good title." Of Humphrey Stafford Duke of Buckingham, or of the Cliffords, father and son, we have no representation: neither know we any of Richard Nevil Earl of Salisbury; but his son Richard Nevil Earl of Warwick is depicted by Rouse in the Warwick Roll, College of Arms, London, from which, by permission, our copy is made. The general costume of this period may be observed in our engraving from Lydgate's MS. in the Harleian Collection mentioned in Part I.; and, as a curious rather than an authentic illustration, we give (p. 81) the composition supposed to represent the marriage of Henry VI. and Margaret of Anjou, from Walpole's Anecdotes of Painting in England.' SCENE I.-London. A Room of State in the | And humbly now upon my bended knee, Palace. Flourish of Trumpets: then hautboys. Enter, on one side, KING HENRY, Duke of GLOSTER, SALISBURY, WARWICK, and CARDINAL BEAUFORT; on the other, QUEEN MARGARET, led in by SUFFOLK; YORK, SOMERSET, BUCKINGHAM, and others following. Suff. As by your high imperial majesty To marry princess Margaret for your grace; Seven earls, twelve barons, and twenty reverend bishops, I have perform'd my task, and was espous'd: In sight of England and her lordly peers, To your most gracious hands, that are the sub stance Of that great shadow I did represent; I can express no kinder sign of love, Q Mar. Great king of England, and my gra cious lord, The mutual conference that my mind hath had, By day, by night,-waking, and in my dreams, a In courtly company, or at my beads,— K. Hen. Her sight did ravish; but her grace in speech, Her words y-clad with wisdom's majesty, Q. Mar. We thank you all. [Flourish. Suf. My lord protector, so it please your grace, Here are the articles of contracted peace, Between our sovereign, and the French king Charles, For eighteen months concluded by consent. Glo. [Reads.] 'Imprimis, It is agreed between the French king, Charles, and William de la Poole, marquess of Suffolk, ambassador for Henry king of England, that the said Henry. shall espouse the lady Margaret, daughter unto Reignier king of Naples, Sicilia, and Jerusalem; and crown her queen of England, ere the thirtieth of May next ensuing.-Item,-That the duchy of Anjou and the county of Maine shall be released and delivered to the king her father' K. Hen. Uncle, how now? Glo. Pardon me, gracious lord; Some sudden qualm hath struck me at the heart, And dimmed mine eyes; that I can read no further. K. Hen. Uncle of Winchester, I pray, read on. Car. 'Item,—It is further agreed between them, that the duchies of Anjou and Maine shall he released and delivered over to the king her Alder-liefes!—dearest of all. This beautiful word is a Saxon compound. Alder, of all, is thus frequently joined with an adjective of the superlative degree,-as alderfirst, alderlast. Liefest, levest, is the superlative of leje, leve, dear. b This line is usually pointed thus: "Makes me, from wondering, fall to weeping joys." But wondering is an adjective agreeing with joys as well as weeping. c Gloster reads this document thus:-"That the duchy of Anjou and the county of Maine shall be released," &c. In the Cardinal's hands the words are changed-" That the duchies of Anjou and Maine shall be released," &c. Malone says, "The words in the instrument could not thus vary whilst it was passing from the hands of the duke to those of the Cardinal; and he adds that the inaccuracy is not found in the original play. It seems to us that the variation was intentional. The Cardinal reads the document correctly; but Gloster, whose mind had seized upon the substance of the articles before he recited the conclusion of the sentence, ceases to read when the sudden qualm hath struck him at the heart, and delivers the import of the words which have so moved him with substantial correctness but formal inaccuracy. father; and she sent over of the king of England's own proper cost and charges, without having any dowry.' K. Hen. They please us well.-Lord marquess, kneel down; We here create thee the first duke of Suffolk, Be full expir'd. Thanks, uncle Winchester, We thank you all for this great favour done, [Exeunt KING, QUEEN, and SUFFolk. Glo. Brave peers of England, pillars of the state, Το And hath his highness in his infancy Car. Nephew, what means this passionate dis course, This peroration with such circumstance? a Been is not in the original. Glo. Ay, uncle, we will keep it, if we can; But now it is impossible we should: Suffolk, the new-made duke, that rules the roast, Hath given the duchies of Anjou and Maine Unto the poor king Reignier, whose large style Agrees not with the leanness of his purse. Sal. Now, by the death of him that died for all, These counties were the keys of Normandy: But wherefore weeps Warwick, my valiant son? War. For grief, that they are past recovery : For were there hope to conquer them again, My sword should shed hot blood, mine eyes no tears. Anjou and Maine! myself did win them both; York. For Suffolk's duke, may he be suffocate, And our king Henry gives away his own, Glo. A proper jest, and never heard before, Before Car. My lord of Gloster, now you grow too hot, It was the pleasure of my lord the king. Glo. My lord of Winchester, I know your mind; 'Tis not my speeches that you do mislike, [Exit. Car. So, there goes our protector in a rage. 'Tis known to you he is mine enemy: Nay, more, an enemy unto you all; And no great friend, I fear me, to the king. Consider, lords, he is the next of blood, And heir apparent to the English crown; Had Henry got an empire by his marriage, And all the wealthy kingdoms of the west, There's reason he should be displeas'd at it. Som. Cousin of Buckingham, though Humphrey's pride, And greatness of his place, be grief to us, Than all the princes in the land beside; Despite duke Humphrey, or the cardinal. [Exeunt BUCKINGHAM and SOMERSET. Sal. Pride went before, ambition follows him. While these do labour for their own preferment, Behoves it us to labour for the realm. I never saw but Humphrey duke of Gloster Hath won the greatest favour of the commons, Thy late exploits, done in the heart of France, When thou wert regent for our sovereign, Have made thee fear'd and honour'd of the people: Join we together for the public good, In what we can, to bridle and suppress |