Suf. Thy wife too? that is some wrong, in- | deed.-What's yours?-What's here! [Reads.] Against the duke of Suffolk, for enclosing the commons of Melford.-How now, sir knave? 2 Pet. Alas, Sir, I am but a poor petitioner of our whole township. Peter. [Presenting his petition.] Against my master, Thomas Horner, for saying, That the duke 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 an usurper. Suf. Who is there? [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 protected 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, Is this the fashion in the court of England? [Rome, Suf. Madam, be patient: as I was cause The imperious churchman; Somerset, Buck- Cannot do more in England than the Nevils: As that proud dame, the lord protector's wife. * Scoundrels. She vaunted 'mongst her minions t'other day, ter. Suf. Madam, myself have lim'd a bush for And plac'd a quire of such enticing birds, As for the duke of York, this late complaint* Enter King HENRY, YORK, and SOMERSET, K. Hen. For my part, noble lords, I care Or Somerset, or York, all's one to me. Then let him be denay'd+ the regentship. Som. If Somerset be unworthy of the place, or no, Dispute not that: York is the worthier. War. The cardinal's not my better in the Buck. All in this presence are thy betters, Warwick. War. Warwick may live to be the best of -and show some reason, all. Why Somerset should be preferr'd in this. have it so. Glo. 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 To be protector of his excellence? Glo. Madam, I am protector of the realm; And, at his pleasure, will resign my place. Suf. Resign it then, and leave thine inso lence. Since thou wert king, (as who is king, but Cur. The commons hast thou rack'd; the Are rank and lean with thy extortions. Have cost a mass of public treasury. 1. e. The complaint of Peter the armourer's man against his master. + Denay is frequently used instead of deny among the old writers. + Censure here means simply judgement or opinion. Upon offenders, hath exceeded law, Q. Mar. Thy sale of offices, and towns in If they were known, as the suspect is great,Would make thee quickly hop without thy head. [Exit GLOSTER. The Queen drops her Fan. Give me my fan: What, minion! can you not? [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 woman: Could I come near your beauty with my nails, 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. 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: Suf. Peace, head-strong Warwick! Enter Servants of SUFFOLK, bringing in HORNER and PETER. Suf. Because here is a man accus'd of trea said nor thought any such matter: God is my witness, 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:I do beseech your royal majesty, Let him have all the rigour of the law. 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 other day, he did vow upon his knees he would be even with me: 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. 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! 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. [Exeunt. SCENE IV.-The sume.-The duke of GLOSTER'S Garden. 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. 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, while we be busy below; and so, I pray you, go in God's name, and leave us. [Exit HUME.] Mother Jourdain, be you prostrate, and grovel on the earth:-John Southwe read you; and let us to our work. Suf. Thy wife too? that is some wrong, in- | deed. What's yours?-What's here! [Reads.] Against the duke of Suffolk, for enclosing the commons of Melford.-How now, sir knave? 2 Pet. Alas, Sir, I am but a poor petitioner of our whole township. Peter. [Presenting his petition.] Against my master, Thomas Horner, for saying, That the duke 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 an usurper. Suf. Who is there? [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 pro tected Under the wings of our protector's grace, [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, Is this the fashion in the court of England? His champions are-the prophets and apostles; [Rome, 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. Mur. Beside the haught protector, have we Beaufort, The imperious churchman; Somerset, Buckingham, Suf. Madam, myself have lim'd a bush. her; And plac'd a quire of such enticing birds, As for the duke of York, this late conj [these, And, at h And grumbling York: and not the least of But can do more in England than the king. Suf. And he of these, that can do n all, If they were known, as the I cry you mercy, madan; Could I T'd set many E. Ben Sm Be shal - наш ть The time when screech-owls cry, and bandogs 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 perform the Ceremonies 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; 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 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 False fiend, avoid! [Thunder and Lightning. SPIRIT descends. Enter YORK and BUCKINGHAM, hastily, with their Guards, and others. their trash. York. Lay hands upon these traitors, and Beldame, 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; Injurious duke; that threat'st where is no cause. Buck. True madam, none at all. What call you this? Away with them; let them be clapp'd up close, [Showing her the papers. And kept asunder:-You, madam, shall with us: Stafford, take her to thee. We'll see your trinkets here all forth-coming; [Exit DUCHESS from above. All.-Away! [Exeunt Guards, with SOUTH. BOLING. &c. York. Lord Buckingham, methinks, you watch'd her well: A pretty plot, well chosen to build upon! acida, Romanos vincere posse. Aio te, * Village-dogs. | Well, to the rest: - By water shall he die, and take his end.— Safer shall he be upon the sundy plains, [Albans. The king is now in progress toward Saint With him, the husband of this lovely lady: Thither go these news, as fast as horse can carry them; A sorry breakfast for my lord protector. And what a pitch she flew above the rest!To see how God in all his creatures works! Yea, man and birds, are faint of climbing high. Suf. 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. Glo. My lord, 'tis but a base ignoble mind That mounts no higher than a bird can soar. Car. I thought as much; he'd be above the + Rewarded. + Fond ↑ I. e. Thy mind is working on a crown |