Succeed before the younger, I am king. War. What plain proceeding is more plain than this?

Henry doth claim the crown from John of Gaunt,

The fourth son; while York claims it from the third.

Till Lionel's issue fails, his should not reign:
It fails not yet, but flourishes in thee,
And in thy sons, fair slips of such a stock.-
Then, father Salisbury, kneel we together;
And, in this private plot,1 be we the first 60
That shall salute our rightful sovereign
With honour of his birthright to the crown.
Both. Long live our sovereign Richard, Eng-
land's king!

York. We thank you, lords. But I am not your king

Till I be crown'd, and that my sword be stain'd

1 Private plot, i.e. sequestered spot.

Sound trumpets. Enter KING HENRY, QUEEN MARGARET, GLOSTER, YORK, SUFFOLK, SALISBURY, and Attendants; the DUCHESS OF GLOSTER, MARGERY JOURDAIN, SOUTHWELL, HUME, and BOLINGBROKE, under guard.

King. Stand forth, Dame Eleanor Cobham,
Gloster's wife:

In sight of God and us, your guilt is great:
Receive the sentence of the law, for sins
Such as by God's book are adjudg'd to death.
You four, from hence to prison back again;
From thence unto the place of execution:
The witch in Smithfield shall be burn'd to
ashes,

And you three shall be strangled on the gallows.

You, madam, for3 you are more nobly born,
Despoiled of your honour in your life,
Shall, after three days' open penance done,
Live in your country here, in banishment,
With Sir John Stanley, in the Isle of Man.

10

Left I the court, to see this quarrel tried. King. O' God's name, see the lists and all things fit:

Here let them end it; God defend the right!

York. I never saw a fellow worse bested,8 Or more afraid to fight, than is the appellant, The servant of this armourer, my lords.

Enter on one side, HORNER, the Armourer, bearing his staff with a sand-bag fastened to it, and a drum before him; he is accompanied by his Neighbours, who drink with him, till he becomes drunk: enter on the other side PETER, his man, with a similar staff, and a drum before him; he is accompanied by Prentices drinking to him.

First Neigh. Here, neighbour Horner, I drink to you in a cup of sack: and fear not, neighbour, you shall do well enough.

61

Peter. Peter, forsooth.

Sal. Peter! what more?
Peter. Thump.

Sal. Thump! then see thou thump thy master well.

Hor. [Speaking thickly, as if drunk] Masters, I am come hither, as it were, upon my man's instigation, to prove him a knave and myself an honest man: and touching the Duke of York, I will take my death,' I never meant him any ill, nor the king, nor the queen: and therefore, Peter, have at thee with a downright blow!

93

But, soft! I think she comes; and I'll prepare My tear-stain'd eyes to see her miseries.

Enter the DUCHESS OF GLOSTER in a white

sheet, with papers pinned upon her back, her feet bare, and a taper burning in her hand; SIR JOHN STANLEY, the Sheriff, and Officers. Serv. So please your grace, we'll take her from the sheriff.

Glo. No, stir not, for your lives; let her pass by.

Duch. Come you, my lord, to see my open shame?

Now thou dost penance too. Look how they gaze!

20

See how the giddy multitude do point,
And nod their heads, and throw their eyes on

thee!

Ah, Gloster, hide thee from their hateful looks, And, in thy closet pent up, rue my shame, And ban thine enemies, both mine and thine! Glo. Be patient, gentle Nell; forget this grief.

Duch. Ah,Gloster, teach me to forget myself! For whilst I think I am thy married wife, And thou a prince, protector of this land, Methinks I should not thus be led along, Mail'd up in shame, with papers on my back, And follow'd with a rabble that rejoice To see my tears and hear my deep-fet groans.