First Petit. 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.

20

Suf. Thy wife too! that's some wrong indeed. What's yours? What's here! Against the Duke of Suffolk, for enclosing the commons of Melford. How now, sir knave!

Second Petit. Alas! sir, I am but a poor petitioner of our whole township.

Peter. Against my master, Thomas Horner, for saying that the Duke of York was rightful heir to the crown.

31

Q. Mar. What sayest 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?

Strangers in court do take her for the queen:
She bears a duke's revenues on her back,
And in her heart she scorns our poverty.
Shall I not live to be aveng'd 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.

91

Suf. Madam, myself have lim'd a bush for her,
And plac'd 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:
pro-So, one by one, we 'll weed them all at last,
And you yourself shall steer the happy helm.

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
tected
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,

40

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 Gloucester's governance?
Am I a queen in title and in style,
And must be made a subject to a duke?
I tell thee, Pole, when in the city Tours
Thou rann'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 saws of sacred writ,
His study is his tilt-yard, and his loves
Are brazen images of canoniz'd saints.
I would the college of the cardinals
Would choose him pope, and carry him to Rome,
And set the triple crown upon his head:
That were a state fit for his holiness.

50

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.

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 haughty protector, have we Beaufort

70

The imperious churchman, Somerset, Buckingham,

And grumbling York; and not the least of these
But can do more in England than the king.

80

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

100

Sound a sennet. Enter King HENRY, YORK, and
SOMERSET; Duke and Duchess of GLOU
CESTER, Cardinal BEAUFORT, BUCKINGHAM,
SALISBURY, and WARWICK,

War. Warwick may live to be the best of all.
Sal. Peace, son! and show some reason,
Buckingham,

Go

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

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 demcan'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.

110

Car. 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.

Glou. 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

129

To be protector of his excellence?

Glou. Madam, I am protector of the realm, And at his pleasure will resign my place.

Suf. 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 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

120

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 GLOUCESTER. The QUEEN drops
her fan.
Give me my fan: what, minion! can ye not? 140
She gives the DUCHESS a box on the ear.
I cry you mercy, madam; was it you?
Duch. Was 't I! yea, I it was, proud French-

Re-enter GLOUCESTER.

Glou. Now, lords, my choler being over-blown
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.

Suf. 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 danc'd attendance on his will
Till Paris was besieg'd, famish'd, and lost.

War. That can I witness; and a fouler fact
Did never traitor in the land commit.

Enter HORNER the Armourer, and his man
PETER, guarded.

170

Suf. Because here is a man accus'd of treason: Pray God the Duke of York excuse himself! 180 York. Doth any one accuse York for a traitor? K. Hen. What mean'st thou, Suffolk? Tell me, what are these?

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. 191

Pet. By these ten bones, my lords, he did speak them to me in the garret one night, as we were scouring my Lord of York's armour.

York. Base dunghill villain, and mechanical,
I'll have thy head for thy traitor's speech.
I do beseech your royal majesty
Let him have all the rigour of the law.

Glou. Sirrah, or yon must fight or else be hang'd. -K. Hen. Away with them to prison; and the day

Of combat shall be the last of the next month. 160 Come, Somerset, we'll see thee sent away. Flourish. Exeunt.

Suf. 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,

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 otherday, 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? Glou. This doom, my lord, if I may judge: Let Somerset be regent o'er the French, Because in York this breeds suspicion; And let these have a day appointed them For single combat in convenient place ; For he hath witness of his servant's malice. This is the law, and this Duke Humphrey's doom. Som. I humbly thank your royal majesty. Hor. And I accept the combat willingly. Pet. Alas! my lord, I cannot fight; for God's sake! pity my case; the spite of man prevaileth against me. O Lord! have mercy upon me; I shall never be able to fight a blow. O Lord! my heart.

220

Enter MARGERY JOURDAIN, HUME, SOUTH-
WELL, and BOLINGBROKE.

Hume. Come, my masters; the duchess, I tell you, expects performance of your promises. Boling. Master Hume, we are therefore provided. Will her ladyship behold and hear our. exorcisms?

Hume. Ay; what else? fear you not her courage.

Suf. Peace, headstrong Warwick!

Boling. I have heard her reported to be a woman of an invincible spirit: but it shall be War. Image of pride, why should I hold my aloft while we be busy below; and so, convenient, Master Hume, that you be by her peace?

I pray

you, go, in God's name, and leave us.

12

210

SCENE IV.-The Same. The Duke of GLOU
CESTER'S Garden.

Exit HUME. Mother Jourdain, be you prostrate, and grovel on the earth; John Southwell, read you; and let us to our work.

Enter DUCHESS aloft, HUME following. Duch. Well said, my masters, and welcome all. To this gear the sooner the better.

Boling. Patience, good lady; wizards know their times:

Deep night, dark night, the silent of the night,
The time of night when Troy was set on fire; 20

The time when screech-owls cry, and ban-dogs | Why, this is just howl,

And spirits walk, and ghosts break up their
graves,

That time best fits the work we have in hand.
Madam, sit you, and fear not whom we raise
We will make fast within a hallow'd verge.
Here they do the ceremonics belonging, and

make the circle; BOLINGBROKE or
SOUTHWELL reads, Conjuro te, etc.
It thunders and lightens terribly; then
the Spirit riseth.

By the eternal God, whose name and power
Thou tremblest at, answer that I shall ask;

For till thou speak thou shalt not pass from
hence.

Spir. Ask what thou wilt. That I had said
and done!

Boling. First, of the king: what shall of him

Beldam, I think we watch'd you at an inch.
What! madam, are you there? the king and
commonweal

Are deeply indebted for this piece of pains :
My lord protector will, I doubt it not,
See you well guerdon'd for these good deserts.
Duch. Not half so bad as thine to England's
king,

Car. Aside to GLOUCESTER. Are ye advis'd? Come, offer at my shrine, and I will help thee.' the east side of the grove.