1.1

Q. Mar. My Lord of Suffolk, fay, is this the guife? Is this the fashion in the Court of England? Is this the Government of Britain's Ifle? And this the royalty of Albion's King? What! fhall King Henry be a pupil ftill, Under the furly Glofter's governance?) Am I a Queen in title and in ftyle, biod And must be made a Subject to a Duke I tell thee, Pole, when in the city Tours Thou ran'ft a-tilt in honour of my love, And ftol'ft away the Ladies' heart's of France; I thought, King Henry had refembled thee In courage, courtship, and proportion : But all his mind is bent to holiness, To number Ave Maries on his beads; 10.lv His champions are the Prophets and Apoftles: His weapons holy faws of facred writ; His ftudy is his tilt-yard; and his loves Are brazen images of canoniz'd faints. I would, the college of the Cardinals Would Chase him Pope, and carry him to Rome, And fet the triple crown upon his head; That were a ftate fit for his holiness!! Suf. Madam, be patient; as I was the caufe Your Highness came to England, fa will I In England work your Grace's full content.

Q. Mar. Befide the proud Protector, have we Beauford Th' imperious Churchman; Somerfet, Buckingham, And grumbling York and not the leaft of thefe 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; Salif'ry and Warwick are no fimple Peersari

Q Mar. Not all thefe Lords do vex me half fo much. As that proud Dame, the Lord Protector's wife She fweeps it through the Court with troops of ladies, More like an Emprefs than Duke Humphry's wife. Strangers in Court do take her for the Queen; She bears a Duke's revenues on her back, sad And in her heart the fcorns our poverty.

Shall

Shall I not live to be aveng'd on her ?
Contemptuous, bafe born, Callot as fhe 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, myfelf have lim'd a bush for her,
And plac'd a quire of fuch enticing birds,
That the will light to liften to their lays;
And never mount to trouble you again.
So, let her reft; and, Madam, lift to me;
For I am bald to counfel 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 difgrace.
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 laft;
And you yourself fhall fteer the happy Realm.
To them enter King Henry, Duke Humphry, Cardinal,
Buckingham, York, Salisbury, Warwick, and the
Ducthefs of Gloucester.

K. Henry. For my part, noble Lords, I care not which, ̄ Or Somerfet, or Fork, all's one to me.

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

Som. If Somerfet be unworthy of the place, Let York be Regent, I will yield to him.

War. Whether your Grace be worthy, yea or no, Difpute not that; York is the worthier.

Car. Ambitious Warwick, let thy betters fpeak. War. The Cardinal's not my better in the field. Buck. All in this Prefence are thy betters, Warwick. War. Warwick may live to be the beft of all. Sal. Peace, Son; and fhew fome reafon, Buckingham, Why Somerfet fhould be preferr'd in this.

Q. Mar. Because the King, forfooth, will have it fo Glo. Madam, the King is old enough himself To give his Cenfure: these are no woman's matters.

Q. Mar.

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 refign my place.

Suf. Refign 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 feas, And all the Peers, and Nobles of the Realm, Have been as bond-men to thy fov'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 coft a mafs of publick treasury.

Buck. Thy cruelty in execution

Upon offenders hath exceeded law;
And left thee to the mercy of the law.

Q. Mar. Thy fale of offices and towns in France,
If they were known, as the fufpect is great,
Would make thee quickly hop without thy head.
[Exit Glofter.
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?

Elean. Was't I? yea, I it was, proud French-woman : . Could I come near your beauty with my nails,

I'd fet my ten commandments in your face.

K. Henry. Sweet aunt, be quiet; 'twas againft 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 moft mafter wears no breeches, She fhall not ftrike Dame Eleanor unreveng'd. [Exit Eleanor. Buck. Lord Cardinal, I'll follow Eleanor, And liften after Humphry, how he proceeds: She's tickled now, her fume can need no fpurs; She'll gallop faft enough to her destruction.

[Exit Buckingham.

Re-enter

Re-enter Duke Humphry.

Glo. Now, Lords, my choler being over-blown
With walking once about the Quadrangle,
I come to talk of commonwealth affairs.
As for your fpightful falfe objections,
Prove them, and I lie open to the law.
But God in mercy deal fo with my foul,
As I in duty love my King and Country!
But to the matter that we have in hand:
I fay, my Sovereign, York is meetest man
To be your Regent in the Realm of France.
Suf. Before we make election, give me leave
To fhew fome reafon of no little force,
That York is moft unmeet of any man.
York. I 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 Somerfet 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 befieg'd, famifh'd and loft.
War. That I can witnefs, and a fouler fact
Did never traitor in the Land commit."

Suf Peace, head-ftrong Warwick.

War. Image of pride, why should I hold my peace?
Enter Horner the Armourer, and his Man Peter, guarded.
Suf. Becaufe here is a man accus'd of treafon :
Pray God, the Duke of York excuse himself!
York. Doth any one accufe York for a traitor?
K.H.What mean'ft thou, Suffolk? tellme, what arethefe?
Suf. Please it your Majefty, this is the man,
That doth accufe his master of high treafon :
His words were thefe; " that Richard Duke of York
"Was rightful heir unto the English Crown;
"And that your Majefty was an ufurper.'

K. Henry. Say, man; were these thy words ?>
Arm. An't fhall please your Majesty, I never said nor
thought

thought any fuch matter: God is my witnefs, I am falfly accus'd by the villain.

Peter. By these ten bones, my Lord, he did fpeak them to me in the garret one night, as we were fcow'ring my Lord of York's armour.

York. Bafe dunghil villain, and mechanical, I'll have thy head for this thy traitor's speech; I do befeech your royal Majefty,

Let him have all the rigor of the Law.

Arm. Alas, my Lord, hang me, if ever I fpake the words. My accufer 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 Majefty, do not caft away an honeft man for a villain's accufation.

K. Henry. Uncle, what fhall we fay to this in Law? Glo. This doom, my Lord, if I may judge: Let Somerset be Regent o'er the French, Because in York this breeds fufpicion. And let these have a day appointed them For fingle combat in convenient place; For he hath witness of his fervant's malice. This is the law, and this Duke Humphry's doom. K. Henry. Then be it fo: My Lord of Somerset, (2) We make your Grace Regent over the French. Som. I humbly thank your royal Majefty. Arm. And I accept the combat willingly.

Peter. Alas, my Lord, I cannot fight; for God's fake, pity my cafes the spight of Man prevaileth against mé. O Lord, have mercy upon me! I fhall never be able to fight a blow: O Lord, my heart!

Glo. Sirrah, or you must fight, or elfe be hang'd. K. Henry. Away with them to prifon; and the day of Combat thall be the laft of the next month. Somerfet, we'll fee thee fent away.

I

Come, [Flour. Exeunt,

(2) K. Henry. Then be it fo, &c.] Thefe two Lines I have inferted from the old Quarto; and, as I think, very neceffarily. For, without them, the King has not declar'd his Affent to Gloucester's Opinion; and the Duke of Semerfet is made to thank him for the Regency, before the King has deputed him to it.

SCENT