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 all from me.

Suf. Thy wife too? that's fome wrong, indeed. What's yours? what's here? [Reads.] Against the Duke of Suffolk, for inclofing the Commons of Long Melford. How now, Sir Knave?

2 Pet. Alas, Sir, I am but a poor petitioner of our whole Township.

Suf. [reads.] Against my mafter, Thomas Horner, for faying, that the Duke of York was rightful heir to the

Crown.

Q. Mar. What! did the Duke of York fay, he was rightful heir to the Crown?

Peter. That my mafter was? no, forfooth; my mafter faid, that he was; and that the King was an ufurper.

Suf. Who is there?Take this fellow in, and fend for his master with a pursuivant, presently; we'll hear more of your matter before the King.

[Exit Peter guarded. Q. Mar. And as for you, that love to be protected. Under the wings of our Protector's Grace,

Begin your fuits anew, and fue to him.

[Tears the fupplications.

Away, base cullions: Suffolk, let them go.
All. Come, let's be gone.

Exeunt Petitioners.

Q. Mar. My lord of Suffolk, fay, is this the guife?

Is this the fafhion 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 still,
Under the furly Glofter's governance?
Am I a Queen in title and in ftyle,
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 ftoll'ft away the ladies' hearts of France;

I

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 Apoftles:
His weapons holy Saws 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 chufe him Pope, and carry him to Rome,
And set 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, fo will I
In England work your Grace's full content.

Q. Mar. Befide the proud Protector, have we Beauford
Th' imperious Churchman; Somerset, Buckingham,
And grumbling York; and not the least of these
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; Salifb'ry and Warwick are no fimple Peers.

Q. Mar. Not all these 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, And in her heart fhe fcorns our poverty. 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, myself have lim'd a bush for her, And plac'd a quire of fuch enticing birds, That he will light to liften to their lays;

And

And never mount to trouble you again.
So, let her reft; and, Madam, lift to me;
For I am bold to counfel you in this;
Although we fancy not the Cardinal,

Yet muft 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 last;
And you yourself shall fteer the happy Realm.

To them enter King Henry, Duke Humphry, Cardinal, Buckingham, York, Salisbury, Warwick, and the Dutchess of Gloucester.

K. Henry. FOR my part, noble Lords, I care not

which,

Or Somerfet, or York, all's one to me.

York. If York have ill demcan'd himfelf 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, Dispute not that; York is the worthier.

Car. Ambitious Warwick, let thy Betters speak. 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 best of all. Sal. Peace, Son; and fhew fome reason, Buckingham, Why Somerfet fhould be preferr'd in this.

Q. Mar. Because the King, forfooth, will have it so. Glo. Madam, the King is old enough himself To give his Cenfure: thefe are no woman's matters, Q. Mar. If he be old enough, what needs your

Grace

To be Protector of his Excellence?

Glo.

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 public treafury.
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 Glo.

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 against 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 flrike Dame Eleanor unrevenged.

[Exit Eleanor.

Buck. Lord Cardinal, I'll follow Eleanor, And liften after Humphry, how he proceeds:

She's

She's tickled now, her fume can need no spurs;
She'll gallop faft enough to her destruction.

Glo.

SCENE

NOW

[Exit Buckingham.

VII.

Re-enter Duke Humphry.

OW, lords, my choler being over-blown
With walking once about the Quadrangle,

I come to talk of commonwealth affairs.
As for your spightful false objections,
Prove them, and I lie open to the law.
But God in mercy deal so 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 reason of no little force,
That York is most unmeet of any man.

York. I'll tell thee, Suffolk, why I am unmeet:
Firft, 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.
Laft 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-strong Warwick.

War. Image of pride, why fhould I hold my peace!
Enter Horner the Armourer, and his Man Peter, guarded.
Suf. Because here is a man accus'd of treason:
Pray God, the Duke of York excufe himfelf!
York. Doth any one accufe York for a traitor?
K. Henry. What mean'ft thou, Suffolk? tell me,
what are these?

Suf.