ACT I.

[life,

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.

Suf. As by your high imperial majesty, I had in charge at my depart for France, As procurator to your excellence, To marry princess Margaret for your grace; So, in the famous ancient city, Tours, In presence of the kings of France and Sicil, The dukes of Orleans, Calaber, Bretaigne, and Alençon, [bishops,

[stance

Seven earls, twelve barons, twenty reverend
I have perform'd my task, and was espous'd:
And humbly now upon my bended knee,
In sight of England and her lordly peers,
Deliver up my title in the queen
To your most gracious hands, that are the sub-
Of that great shadow I did represent;
The happiest gift that ever marquis gave,
The fairest queen that ever king receiv'd.
K. Hen. Suffolk, arise.-Welcome, queen
Margaret:

I can express no kinder sign of love,
Lend me a heart replete with thankfulness!
For thou hast given me, in this beauteous face,
A world of earthly blessings to my soul,
If sympathy of love unite our thoughts.
Q. Mar. Great king of England, and my
gracious lord;
[had-
The mutual conference that my mind hath
By day, by night; waking, and in my dreams;
In courtly company, or at my beads,-
With you mine alder-liefest+ sovereign,
Makes me the bolder to salute my king
With ruder terms; such as my wit affords,
And over-joy of heart doth minister.

K. Hen. Her sight did ravish: but her grace in speech,

Her words y-clad with wisdom's majesty, Makes me, from wondering fall to weeping joys,

Such is the fulness of my heart's content.Lords, with one cheerful voice, welcome my love.

Ali. Long live queen Margaret, England's happiness!

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, marquis 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 dutchy 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 dimm'd mine eyes, that I can read no further.

K. Hen. Uncle of Winchester, I pray, read

on.

Win. Item,-It is further agreed between them, that the dutchies of Anjou and Maine shall be released and delivered over to the king her father; and she sent over of the king of England's own proper cost and charges, without having dowry.

K. Hen. They please us well.-Lord marquis, kneel down;

We here create thee the first duke of Suffolk,
And girt thee with the sword.-
Cousin of York, we here discharge your grace
From being regent in the parts of France,
Till term of eighteen months be full expir'd.
Thanks, uncle Winchester, Gloster, York, and
Buckingham,

Somerset, Salisbury, and Warwick;

We thank you all for this great favour done,
In entertainment to my princely queen.
Come, let us in; and with all speed provide
To see her coronation be perform'd.

[Exeunt KING, QUEEN, and SUFFOLK. Glo. Brave peers of England, pillars of the state,

To you duke Humphrey must unload his grief,
Your grief, the common grief of all the land.
What! did my brother Henry spend his youth,
His valour, coin, and people, in the wars?
Did he so often lodge in open field,

In winter's cold, and summer's parching heat,
To conquer France, his true inheritance?
And did my brother Bedford toil his wits,
To keep by policy what Henry got?
Have you yourselves, Somerset, Buckingham,
Brave York, Salisbury, and victorious War-
wick,

Receiv'd deep scars in France and Normandy?
Or hath my uncle Beaufort, and myself,
With all the learned council of the realm,
Studied so long, sat in the council-house,
Early and late, debating to and fro
How France and Frenchmen might be kept
in awe?

And hath his highness in his infancy
Been crown'd in Paris, in despite of foes?
And shall these labours, and these honours,
die?

Shall Henry's conquest, Bedford's vigilance,
Your deeds of war, and all our counsel, die?
O peers of England, shameful is this league!
Fatal this marriage, cancelling your fame:
Blotting your names from books of memory:
Razing the characters of your renown;
Defacing monuments of conquer'd France;
Undoing all, as all had never been!

Car. Nephew, what means this passionate discourse?

This peroration with such circumstance?*
For France, 'tis ours; and we will keep it still.
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 dutchies 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; Those provinces these arms of mine did conquer:

And are the cities, that I got with wounds,
Deliver'd up again with peaceful words?
Mort Dieu!

York. For Suffolk's duke-may he be suffo.

cate,

That dims the honour of this warlike isle! France should have torn and rent my very heart,

Before I would have yielded to this league.
I never read but England's kings have had
Large sums of gold, and dowries, with their
wives:

And our king Henry gives away his own,
To match with her that brings no vantages.

Glo. A proper jest, and never heard before, That Suffolk should demand a whole fifteenth, For costs and charges in transporting her! She should have staid in France, and starv'd in France,

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,
But 'tis my presence that doth trouble you.
Rancour will out: Proud prelate, in thy face
I see thy fury: if I longer stay,

We shall begin our ancient bickerings.t-
Lordings, farewell; and say, when I am gone,
I prophesied-France will be lost ere long.

[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. Look to it, lords; let not his smoothing words Bewitch your hearts; be wise, and circum

I fear me, lords, for all this flattering gloss,
He will be found a dangerous protector.
Buck. Why should he then protect our
reign,

He being of age to govern of himself?—
Cousin of Somerset, join you with me,
And all together-with the duke of Suffolk,-
We'll quickly hoise duke Humphrey from his

seat.

Car. This weighty business will not brook delay;

I'll to the duke of Suffolk presently.

[Exit. Som. Cousin of Buckingham, though Humphrey's pride,

And greatness of his place be grief to us,
Yet let us watch the haughty cardinal;
His insolence is more intolerable
Than all the princes in the land beside;
If Gloster be displac'd, he'll be protector.
Buck. Or thou, or I, Somerset, will be pro-
tector,

Despight duke Humphrey, or the cardinal.
[Exeunt BUCKINGHAM and SOMERSET.
Sal. Pride went before, ambition follows
him.
[ment,
While these do labour for their own prefer-
Behoves it us to labour for the realm.
I never saw but Humphrey duke of Gloster
Did bear him like a noble gentleman.
Oft have I seen the haughty cardinal-
More like a soldier, than a man o'the church,
As stout, and proud, as he were lord of all,-
Swear like a ruffian, and demean himself
Unlike the ruler of a common-weal.-
Warwick, my son, the comfort of my age!
Thy deeds, thy plainness, and thy house-keep-
ing,

Hath won the greatest favour of the commons,
Excepting none but good duke Humphrey.-
And, brother York, thy acts in Ireland,
In bringing them to civil discipline;
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
The pride of Suffolk, and the cardinal,
With Somerset's and Buckingham's ambition;
And, as we may, cherish duke Humphrey's
deeds,

While they do tend the profit of the land.
War. So God help Warwick, as he loves
the land,

And common profit of his country!

York And so says York, for he hath greatest

And purchase frienas, ana give to courtezans,
Still revelling, like lords, till all be gone:
While as the silly owner of the goods
Weeps over them, and wrings his hapless
hands,
[aloof,
And shakes his head, and trembling stands
While all is shar'd, and all is borne away;
Ready to starve, and dare not touch his own.
So York must sit, and fret, and bite his tongue,
While his own lands are bargain'd for, and
sold.
[Ireland,
Methinks, the realms of England, France, and
Bear that proportion to my flesh and blood,
As did the fatal brand Althea burn'd,
Unto the prince's heart of Calydon.*

| Anjou and Maine, both given unto the French!
Cold news for me; for I had hope of France,
Even as I have of fertile England's soil.
A day will come, when York shall claim his

own;

And therefore I will take the Nevil's parts,
And make a show of love to proud duke
Humphrey,

And, when I spy advantage, claim the crown,
For that's the golden mark I seek to hit:
Nor shall proud Lancaster usurp my right,
Nor hold the sceptre in his childish fist,
Nor wear the diadem upon his head,
Whose church-like humours fit not for a crown.
Then, York, be still awhile, till time do serve:
Watch thou, and wake, when others be asleep,
To pry into the secrets of the state;
Till Henry, surfeiting in joys of love,
With his new bride, and England's dear-
bought queen,
[jars:
And Humphrey with the peers be fall'n at
Then will I raise aloft the milk-white rose,
With whose sweet smell the air shall be per-

corn,

Hanging the head at Ceres' plenteous load?
Why doth the great duke Humphrey knit his
brows,
As frowning at the favours of the world?
Why are thine eyes fix'd to the sullen earth,
Gazing on that which seems to dim thy sight!
What see'st thou there? king Henry's diadem,
Enchas'd with all the honours of the world?
If so, gaze on, and grovel on thy face,
Until thy head be circled with the same.
Put forth thy hand, reach at the glorious
gold-
[mine:
What, is't too short? I'll lengthen it with
And, having both together heav'd it up,
And never more abase our sight so low,
We'll both together lift our heads to heaven;
As to vouchsafe one glance unto the ground.

Meleager; whose life was to continue only so long as a certain firebrand should last His mother Althea having thrown it into the fire, he expired in forment.

Glo. O Nell, sweet Nell, if thou dost love thy lord,

Banish the canker of ambitious thoughts:
And may that thought, when I imagine ill
Against my king and nephew, virtuous Henry,
Be my last breathing in this mortal world!
My troublous dream this night doth make me
sad.

Duch. What dream'd my lord? tell me, and
I'll requite it

With sweet rehearsal of my morning's dream. Glo. Methought, this staff, mine office-badge in court,

Was broke in twain, by whom, I have forgot,
But, as I think, it was by the cardinal;
And on the pieces of the broken wand
Were plac'd the heads of Edmond duke of
Somerset,

And William de la Poole first duke of Suffolk. This was my dream; what it doth bode, God knows.

Duch. Tut, this was nothing but an argument,

That he that breaks a stick of Gloster's grove,
Shall lose his head for his presumption.
But list to me, my Humphrey, my sweet duke:
Methought, I sat in seat of majesty,
In the cathedral church of Westminster,
And in that chair where kings and queens are
crown'd;
[me,
Where Henry, and dame Margaret, kneel'd to
And on my head did set the diadem.

Glo. Nay, Eleanor, then must I chide out. right:

Presumptuous dame, ill-nurtur'd* Eleanor!
Art thou not second woman in the realm;
And the protector's wife, belov'd of him?
Hast thou not worldly pleasure at command,
Above the reach or compass of thy thought?
And wilt thou still be hammering treachery,
To tumble down thy husband, and thyself,
From top of honour to disgrace's feet?
Away from me, and let me hear no more.
Duch. What, what, my lord! are you so cho-
leric

With Eleanor, for telling but her dream?
Next time, I'll keep my dreams unto myself,
And not be check'd.

Glo. Nay, be not angry, I am pleas'd again. Enter a MESSENGER.

Mess. My lord protector, 'tis his highness' pleasure,

You do prepare to ride unto Saint Albans, Whereast the king and queen do mean to

hawk.

Glo. I go.-Come, Nell, thou wilt ride with

us?

Duch. Yes, good my lord, I'll follow presently.

[Exeunt GLOSTER and MESSENGER. Follow I must, I cannot go before, While Gloster bears this base and humble mind. Were 1 a man, a duke, and next of blood, I would remove these tedious stumblingblocks, [necks: And smooth my way upon their headless And, being a woman, I will not be slack To play my part in fortune's pageant. Where are you there? Sir John! nay, fear not, man, We are alone; here none but thee, and I.

Duch. What say'st thou, majesty! I am but grace.

Hume. But, by the grace of God, and Hume's advice,

Your grace's title shall be multiplied.
Duch. What say'st thou, man? hast thou as
yet conferr'd

With Margery Jourdain, the cunning witch;
And Roger Bolingbroke, the conjurer?
And will they undertake to do me good?

Hume. This they have promised,-to show your highness

A spirit rais'd from depth of under ground,
That shall make answer to such questions,
As by your grace shall be propounded him.

Duch. It is enough; I'll think upon the ques

tions:

When from Saint Albans we do make return,
We'll see these things effected to the full.
Here, Hume, take this reward; make merry,
man,

With thy confederates in this weighty cause.
[Exit DUCHESS.

chess' gold;

Hume. Hume must make merry with the du-
[Hume?
Marry, and shall. But how now, Sir John
Seal up your lips, and give no words but-
The business asketh silent secrecy. [mum!
Dame Eleanor gives gold, to bring the witch:
Gold cannot come amiss, were she a devil.
Yet have I gold, flies from another coast:
I dare not say, from the rich cardinal,
And from the great and new-made duke of
Suffolk;

Yet I do find it so: for, to be plain, [mour,
They, knowing dame Eleanor's aspiring hu-
Have hired me to undermine the duchess,
And buz these conjurations in her brain.
They say, A crafty knave does need no broker;
Yet am I Suffolk and the cardinal's broker.
Hume, if you take not heed, you shall go near
To call them both-a pair of crafty knaves.
Well, so it stands: And thus, I fear, at last,
Hume's hnavery will be the duchess' wreck;
And her attainture will be Humphrey's fall:
Sort how it will,* 1 shall have gold for all.

[Exit.

SCENE III.-The same.-A Room in the Palace,

Enter PETER, and others, with Petitions. 1 Pet. My masters, let's stand close; my lord protector will come this way by and by, and then we may deliver our supplications in the quill. +

2 Pet. Marry, the Lord protect him, for he's a good man! Jesu bless him!

1

Enter SUFFOLK, and Queen MARGARET.

1 Pet. Here 'a comes, methinks, and the queen with him: I'll be the first, sure.

2 Pet. Come back, fool; this is the duke of Suffolk, and not my lord protector.

Suf. How now, fellow? would'st any thing with me?

1 Pet. I pray, my lord, pardon me! I took ye for my lord protector.

Q. Mar. [Reading the superscription.] To my lord protector! are your supplications to his lordship? Let me see them: What is thine?

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 a" from me.

Let the issue be what it will.

With great exactness and observance of form.

Peter. [Presenting his petition.] Against my master, Thomas Horner, for saying, That the duke of York was rightful heir to the crown. Q. Mar. What say st thou? Did the duke of York say, he was rightful heir to the crown? Peter. That my master was? No, forsooth: my master said, That he was; and that the king was an usurper.

Suf. Who is there? [Enter Servants.]-Take this fellow in, and send for his master with a pursuivant presently:-we'll hear more of your matter before the king. [Exeunt Servants, with PETER. 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 Petition. 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 isle,
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, Poole, when in the city Tours
Thou ran'st a tilt in honour of my love,
And stol'st away the ladies' hearts of France;
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 sawst of sacred writ;
His study is his tilt-yard, and his loves
Are brazen images of canoniz'd saints.
I would, the college of cardinals
Would choose him pope, and carry him to
And set the triple crown upon his head;
That were a state fit for his holiness.

[Rome,

Suf. Madam, be patient: as I was cause Your highness came to England, so will I In England work your grace's full content. Q. Mar. Beside the haught protector, have we Beaufort,

The imperious churchman; Somerset, Buckingham, [these, And grumbling York: and not the least of 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 Nevils: Salisbury, 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. She sweeps it through the court with troops of ladies, [wife; More like an empress than duke Humphrey's Strangers in court do take her for the queen: She bears a duke's revenues on her back, And in her heart she scorns her poverty: Shall I not live to be aveng'd on her? Contemptuous base-born callatt as she is, + Sayings. + Drab, trull

Scoundrels.

ter.

Suf. Madam, myself have lim'd a bush for her;

And plac'd a quire of such enticing birds,
That she will fight to listen to the lays,
And never mount to trouble you again.
So, let her rest: And, madam, list 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 Humphrey in dis-
grace.

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 shall steer the happy helm.

Enter King HENRY, YORK, and SOMERSET, conversing with him; Duke and Duchess of GLOSTER, Cardinal BEAUFORT, BUCKINGHAM, SALISBURY, and WARWICK.

K. Hen. For my part, noble lords, I care not which;

Or Somerset, or York, all's one to me.
York. If York have ill demean'd himself in
France,

Then let him be denay'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. Cur. 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 show some reason, Buckingham,

Why Somerset should be preferr'd in this. Q. Mar. Because the king, forsooth, will have it so.

Glo. Madam, the king is old enough himself To give his censure: these are no women's matters.

Q. Mar. If he be old enough, what needs your grace

To be protector of his excellence?

Glo. Madam, I am protector of the realm; And, at his pleasure, will resign my place. Suf. Resign it then, and leave thine inso

lence.

[thou?

Since thou wert king, (as who is king, but The commonwealth 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 bondmen to thy sovereignty. Car. The commons hast thou rack'd; the clergy's bags

Are lank and lean with thy extortions.
Som. Thy sumptuous buildings, and thy
wife's attire,

Have cost a mass of public treasury.
Buck. Thy cruelty in execution.

1. e. The complaint of Peter the armourer's mam against his master.

+ Denay is frequently used instead of deny among thie old writers

+ Censure here means simply judgement or opinion.