*

* Look to it, lords; let not his smoothing words
Bewitch your hearts; be wise, and circumspect.
What though the common people favour him,
Calling him—Humphrey, the good duke of Glos-*

ter;

Clapping their hands, and crying with a loud voice* Jesu maintain your royal excellence! "With-God preserve the good duke Humphrey ! 'I fear me, lords, for all this flattering gloss, He will be found a dangerous protector.

* Buck. Why should he then protect our reign,

*The peers agreed; and Henry is well pleas'd,
To change two dukedoms for a duke's fair
daughter.

I cannot blame them all; What is't to them?
"Tis thine they give away, and not their own.
Pirates may make cheap pennyworths of their
pillage,

*And purchase friends, and give to courtczans,
*Still revelling, like lords, till all be gone:
*While as the silly owner of the goods
sove-Weeps over them, and wrings his hapless hands,
*And shakes his head, and trembling stands aloof,
*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.
Methinks, the realms of England, France, and
Ireland,

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 de-* lay;

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 protector, * Despite duke Humphrey, or the cardinal.

[Exeunt Buckingham and Somerset. Sal. Pride went before, ambition follows him. "While these do labour for their own preferment, '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-keeping,
"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

cause.

Sal. Then let's make haste away, and look unto the main.

Bear that proportion to my flesh and blood,
As did the fatal brand Althea burn'd,
*Unto the prince's heart of Calydon.2
Anjou and Maine, both given unto the French!
Cold news for me; for I had hope of France,
Even as I have of fertile Englard's soil.
A day will come, when York shall claim his own;
And therefore I will take the Nevils' 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 his 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 a while, till time do serve:
Watch thou, and wake when others be asleep,

Το

pry into the secrets of the state; Till Henry, surfeiting in joys of love, With his new bride, and England's dear-bought

queen,

And Humphrey with the peers be fall'n at jars:
Then will I raise aleft the milk-white rose,
With whose sweet smell the air shall be perfum'd;
And in my standard bear the arms of York,
To grapple with the house of Lancaster;
And, force perforce, I'll make him yield the crown,
Whose bookish rule hath pull'd fair England down.
[Exit.

SCENE II-The same. A room in the duke
of Gloster's house. Enter Gloster and the
Duchess.

Duch. Why droops my lord, like over-ripen'd

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 wond? *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 :What, ist too short? I'll lengthen it with mine: *And, having both together benv'd it up, *We'll both for other lift our beads to heaven. [Exeunt Warwick and Salisbury.* And never more abase our sight so low, York. Anjou and Malue are chin to the French; * As to vouchafe one glance unto the ground. Paris is lost; the state of Normandy

War. Unto the main! O father, Maine is lost ; That Muite, which by main force Warwick did win,' ·And mould have kept, so long as broth, d'd last : Main chaune, facher, von meant; let I meant Maine; Which I will win from France, or else be slain.

* Stands on a tickle' point, now they are gone :

*Suffolk concluded on the articles;

(1) For ticklish.

'Glo. O Nell, sweet Nell, if thou dost love thy Your grace's title shall be multiplied.

"When from Saint Albans we do make return,
'We'll see these things effected to the full.

of Here Hume, take this reward: make merry, mar,
With thy confederates in this weighty cause.
[Exit Duchess.

Marry, and shall. But how now, sir John Hume?
Seal up your lips, and give no words but-mum!
The business asketh silent secrecy.

*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,

They knowing dame Eleanor's aspiring humour, 'Have hired me to undermine the duchess,

And buzz 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 knavery will be the duchess' wreck; And her attainture will be Humphrey's fall: so* Sort how it will, I shall have gold for all. [Exit. SCENE III.-The same. A room in the palace. Enter Peter, and others, with petitions.

You do prepare to ride unto Saint Albans,
Whereas 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 I a man, a duke, and next of blood,

I would re nove these tedious stumbling-blocks,
And smooth my way upon their headless necks:
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,

master, Thomas Horner, for saying, That the duke* And plac'd a quire of such enticing birds, 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

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 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 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 lim'd a bush for her;

(1) Scoundrels. (2) Savings. (3) Drab, trull. (4) i. e. The complaint of Peter the armourer's man against his master.

'Duch. Was't I? yea, I it was, proud French-I do beseech your majesty,

woman;

'Could I come near your beauty with my nails, I'd set my ten commandments in your face.1

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 unreveng'd.
[Exit Duchess.
* Buck. Lord cardinal, I will follow Eleanor,
And listen after Humphrey, how he proceeds:
* She's tickled now; her fume can need no spurs,
* She'll gallop fast enough to her destruction.
[Exit Buckingham.

Re-enter Gloster.

* Glo. 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.
*Suff. Before we make election, give me leave
To show some reason, of no little force,
That York 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 I can witness; and a fouler fact
Did never traitor in the land commit.
Suff. Peace, headstrong Warwick!

Let him have all the rigour of the law.

Hor. Alas, my lord, hang me if I ever spike 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,
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.
K. Hen. Then be it so. My lord of Somerset,
We make your grace lord regent o'er the French.
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!. *shall never be able to fight a blow: O Lord, my * heart!

Glo. Sirrah, or you 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.
*Come, Somerset, we'll see thee sent away. [Exe.
SCENE IV.-The same. The duke of Gloster's

Garden. Enter Margery Jourdain, Hume,
Southwell, and Bolingbroke.

*Hume. Come, my masters; the duchess, I tell
you, expects performance of your promises.

Boling. Master Hume, we are therefore pro*vided: Will her ladyship behold and hear our exorcisms ?2

*Boling. I have heard her reported to be a woman of an invincible spirit: But it shall be convenient, master Hume, that you be by her aloft,

War. Image of pride, why should I hold my while we be busy below; and so, I pray you, go

peace?

in God's name, and leave us. [Exit Hume.] the earth:-* John Southwell, read you; and let Mother Jourdain, be you prostrate, and grovel on * us to our work.

Suff. Because here is a man accus'd 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.

Enter Duchess, above.

*Duch. Well said, my masters; and welcome
all. To this geer; the sooner the better.
*Boling. Patience, good lady; wizardз know
their times:

Deep night, dark night, the silent of the night,
The time of night when Troy was set on fire;
The time when screech-owls cry, and ban-dogs“

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,

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 wit-We will make fast within a hallow'd verge. ness, 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 armour.

*York. Base dunghill villain, and mechanical, I'll have thy head for this thy traitor's speech:

The marks of her fingers and thumbs. By exorcise Shakspeare invariably means to raise spirits, and not to lay them.

[Here they perform the ceremonics appertaining, and make the circle; Bolingbroke, or Southwell, reads, Conjuro te, &c. It thunders and lightens terribly; then the Spirit riseth.

*Spir. Adsum.

*M. Jourd. Asmath,

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

(3) Matter or business.

(4) Village-dogs.

Boling. First, of the king. What shall of him
become?
[Reading out of a paper.
Spir. The duke yet lives, that Henry shall depose;
But him outlive, and die a violent death.
[As the Spirit speaks, Southwell writes the answer.
Boling. What fate awaits the duke of Suffolk?
Spir. By water shall he die, and take his end.
Boling. What shall befall the duke of Somerset ?
Spir. Let him shun castles;

Safer shall he be upon the sandy plains,
Than where castles mounted stand.

"Have done, for more I hardly can endure.
Boling. Descend to darkness, and the burning
lake:

'False fiend, avoid!

[Thunder and lightning. Spirit descends. Enter York and Buckingham, hastily, with their guards, and others.

'York. Lay hands upon these traitors, and their trash.

Enter a Servant.

To sup with me to-morrow night.-Away! [Ex.
Invite my lords of Salisbury, and Warwick,

ACT II.

SCENE I-Saint Albans. Enter King Henry, Queen Margaret, Gloster, Cardinal, and Suf folk, with Falconers hollaing.

'Q. Mar. Believe me, lords, for flying at the
brook, 2

'I saw not better sport these seven years' day:
Yet, by your leave, the wind was very high;
And, ten to one, old Joan had not gone out.
'K. Hen. But, what a point, my lord, your fal-
con made,

And what a pitch she flew above the rest!—
To see how God in all his creatures works!
*Yea, man and birds, are fain3 of climbing high.
Suff. No marvel, an it like your majesty,
My lord protector's hawks do tower so well;
They know their master loves to be aloft,

And bears his thoughts above his falcon's pitch.
'Glos. My lord, 'tis but a base ignoble mind
com-That mounts no higher than a bird can soar.
'Car. I thought as much; he'd be above the
clouds.

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

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

Were it not good, your grace could fly to heaven?
*K. Hen. The treasury of everlasting joy!
'Car. Thy heaven is on earth; thine eyes and
thoughts

4

Beat on a crown, the treasure of thy heart;
Pernicious protector, dangerous peer,

Injurious duke; that threat'st where is no cause. Buck. True, madam, none at all. What call you this? [Showing her the papers. 'Away with them; let them be clapp'd up close, 'And kept asunder:-You, madam, shall with us:-That smooth'st it so with king and commonweal! 'Stafford, take her to thee. [Ex. Duch. from above. "We'll see your trinkets here all forth-coming; All-Away!

'Glo. What, cardinal, is your priesthood grown peremptory?

*Tantæne animis cœlestibus iræ ? Churchmen so hot? good uncle, hide such malice, you'With such holiness can you do it?

[Exeunt guards, with South. Boling. &c. *York. Lord Buckingham, methinks, watch'd her well:

A pretty plot, well chosen to build upon!
Now, pray my lord, let's see the devil's writ.
What have we here?

The duke yet lives, that Henry shall depose;
But him outlive, and die a violent death.
*Why, this is just.

Aio te, Eacuda, Romanos vincere posse.

Well, to the rest:

[Reads.

(1) Rewarded.

'Suff. No malice, sir; no more than well be

Q. Mar. And thy ambition, Gloster.

K. Hen.
I pr'ythee, peace
Good queen; and whet not on these furious peers,
For blessed are the peace-makers on earth.

Car. Let me be blessed for the peace I make,
Against this proud protector, with my sword!
Glo. 'Faith, holy uncle, 'would 'twere come to
that!
Aside to the Cardinal.
'Car. Marry, when thou dar'st.
[Aside.
'Glo. Make up no factious numbers for the

(2) The falconer's term for hawking at water-fowl. (4) i. e. Thy mind is working on a crown.