'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 rann'st a tilt in honor 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, *Would choose him pope, and carry him to Rome, *That were a state fit for his holiness. 6 Suff. 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 *The imperious churchman; Somerset, Buckinghamı, *Suff. 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, 'More like an empress than duke Humphrey's wife. Strangers in court do take her for the queen; *She bears a duke's revénues on her back. * And in her heart she scorns her poverty. *Shall I not live to be avenged on her? * Contemptuous, base-born callat 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. Suff. Madam, myself have limed a bush for her;1 * And placed a quire of such enticing birds, *That she will light 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 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 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 demeaned himself in France, Then let him be denayed the regentship. Som. If Somerset be unworthy of the place, Let York be regent; I will yield to him. 1 In the original play : "I have set limetwigs that will entangle them." 2 Denay is frequently used instead of deny among the old writers. War. Whether your grace be worthy, yea, or no, Dispute not that; York is the worthier. Čar. 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 preferred 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. Suff. Resign it then, and leave thine insolence. Since thou wert king (as who is king, but thou?) The commonwealth hath daily run to wreck; *The dauphin hath prevailed beyond the seas, * And all the peers and nobles of the realm * Have been as bondmen to thy sovereignty. *Car. The commons hast thou racked; 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, 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 GLOSTER. The Queen drops her fan. Give me my fan. What, minion! can you not? [Gives the Duchess a box on the ear 'I cry you mercy, madam; was it you? 1 Censure here means simply judgment or opinion; the sense in which it was used by all the writers of the time. Duch. Was't I? Yea, I it was, proud French woman. Could I come near your beauty with my nails, I'd set my ten commandments in your face. K. Hen. Sweet aunt, be quiet; 'twas against her will. 'Duch. 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 master wear no breeches, She shall not strike dame Eleanor unrevenged. [Exit Duchess. *Buck. Lord cardinal, I will follow Eleanor, * And listen after Humphrey, how he proceeds. *She's tickled now; her fume needs no spurs ; * She'll gallop fast enough to her destruction. [Exit BUCKINGHAM. * Re-enter GLOSTER. * Glo. Now, lords, my choler being overblown, *With walking once about the quadrangle, *I come to talk of commonwealth affairs. * As for your spiteful, false objections, * Prove them, and I lie open to the law; * But God in mercy so deal with my soul, * As I in duty 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. *Suff. Before we make election, give me leave To show 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 danced attendance on his will, *Till Paris was besieged, famished, and lost. * War. That I can witness; and a fouler fact * Did never traitor in the land commit. Suff. Peace, headstrong Warwick! War. Image of pride, why should I hold my peace? Enter Servants of SUFFOLK, bringing in HORNER and PETER. Suff. Because here is a man accused of treason: Pray God, the duke of York excuse himself! *York. Doth any one accuse York for a traitor? * K. Hen. What mean'st thou, Suffolk? tell me; what are these? Suff. Please it your majesty, this is the man That doth accuse his master of high treason. His words were these ;-that Richard duke of York • Was rightful heir unto the English crown; And that your majesty was an usurper. 'K. Hen. Say, man, were these thy words? Hor. An't shall please your majesty, I never said nor thought any such matter. God is my witness, I am falsely accused by the villain. Pet. By these ten bones, my lords, [Holding up his hands.] he did speak them to me in the garret one night, as we were scouring my lord of York's ' armor. York. Base dunghill villain, and mechanical, *I'll have thy head for this thy traitor's speech. 'I do beseech your royal majesty, 'Let him have all the rigor of the law. Hor. Alas, my lord, hang me, if ever I spake the words. My accuser is my prentice; and when I did correct him for his fault the other day, he did vow upon his knees he would be even with me. I have good witness of this; therefore, I beseech your majesty, do not cast away an honest man for a villain's accusation. K. Hen. Uncle, what shall we say to this in law? Glo. This doom, my lord, if I may judge. 'Let Somerset be regent o'er the French, |