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.
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 their 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:

So, one by one, we'll weed them all at last,
And you yourself shall steer the happy helm.

Enter King HENRY, YORK, and SOMERSET,
conversing with him; Duke and Duchess of
GLOSTER, Cardinal BEAUFORT, BUCKING-
HAM, SALISBURY, and WARWICK.

K. Hen. For my part, noble lords, I care not which;

Glo. 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

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 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, I'd set my ten commandments in your face.

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, 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 overblown, 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 I can witness; and a fouler fact
Did never traitor in the land commit.
Suf. Peace, head-strong Warwick!
War. Image of pride, why should I hold my
peace?

Enter Servants of SUFFOLK, bringing in HOR-
NER and PETER.

Saf. 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?

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;
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.

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: 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! I shall never be able to fight a blow: O Lord, my heart!

Glo. Sirrah, or you must fight, or else be hang'd.

Duch. Well said, my masters; and welcome all. To this geer; 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; 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, 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 3 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 ?

K. Hen. Why, how now, uncle Gloster? Glo. Talking of hawking; nothing else, my lord.

Now, by God's mother, priest, I'll shave your crown for this,

Or all my fence shall fail.

Aside.

Car. Medice teipsum ;
Protector, see to't well, protect yourself. [Aside.
K. Hen. The winds grow high; so do your
stomachs, lords.

How irksome is this music to my heart!
When such strings jar, what hope of harmony?
I pray, my lords, let me compound this strife.

Enter an Inhabitant of Saint Albans, crying,
A miracle!

Glo. What means this noise?
Fellow, what miracle dost thou proclaim?
Inhab. A miracle! a miracle!

Suf. Come to the king, and tell him what miracle.

Inhab. Forsooth, a blind man at Saint Albans' shrine,

Within this half hour, hath receiv'd his sight; A man, that ne'er saw in his life before.

K. Hen. Now, God be prais'd! that to believing souls

Gives light in darkness, comfort in despair! Enter the Mayor of SAINT ALBANS, and his Brethren; and SIMPCOX, borne between two persons in a chair; his wife and a great multitude following.

Car. Here come the townsmen in procession, To present your highness with the man.

K. Hen. Great is his comfort in this earthly

vale, Although by his sight his sin be multiplied.

Glo. Stand by, my masters, bring him near the king,

His highness' pleasure is to talk with him.

K. Hen. Good fellow, tell us here the circumstance,

That we for thee may glorify the Lord.
What, hast thou been long blind, and now re-
stor❜d?

Simp. Born blind, an't please your grace.
Wife. Ay, indeed, was he.

Suf. What woman is this?

Wife. His wife, an't like your worship.
Glo. Had'st thou been his mother, thou could'st
have better told.

K. Hen. Where wert thou born?
Simp. At Berwick, in the north, an't like your

grace.

K. Hen. Poor soul! God's goodness hath been great to thee:

Let never day nor night unhallow'd pass,
But still remember what the Lord hath done.
Q. Mar. Tell me, good fellow, cam'st thou
here by chance,

Or of devotion, to this holy shrine ?

Simp. God knows, of pure devotion; being call'd A hundred times, and oftener, in my sleep By good Saint Alban; who said,-Simpcox, come; Come, offer at my shrine, and I will help thee.

Wife. Most true, forscoth; and many timę

and oft

Myself have heard a voice to call him so.
Car. What, art thou lame?
Simp. Ay, God Almighty help me!
Suf. How cam'st thou so?
Simp. A fall off a tree.
Wife. A plum-tree, master.

Glo. How long hast thou been blind?
Simp. O, born so, master.

Glo. What, and would'st climb a tree?
Simp. But that in all my life, when I was a
youth.

Wife. Too true; and bought his climbing very dear.

Glo. Mass, thou lov'dst plums well, that would'st venture so.

Simp. Alas, good master, my wife desir'd some

damsons,

Glo. Then, Saunder, sit thou there, the lyingest knave

In Christendom. If thou hadst been born blind, Thou might'st as well have known our names, as thus

To name the several colours we do wear.
Sight may distinguish of colours; but suddenly
To nominate them all, 's impossible.-
My lords, Saint Alban here hath done a miracle;
And would ye not think that cunning to be great,
That could restore this cripple to his legs?

Simp. O, master, that you could!

Glo. My masters of Saint Albans, have you not beadles in your town, and things called whips? May. Yes, my lord, if it please your grace. Glo. Then send for one presently. May. Sirrah, go fetch the beadle hither straight. [Exit an Attendant. Glo. Now fetch me a stool hither by and by. A stool brought out. Now, sirrah, if you mean to save yourself from whipping, leap me over this stool, and run away.

Simp. Alas, master, I am not able to stand alone:

You go about to torture me in vain.

Re-enter Attendant, with the Beadle. Glo. Well, sir, we must have you find your legs. Sirrah beadle, whip him till he leap over that same stool.

Bead. I will, my lord.-Come on, sirrah; off with your doublet quickly.

Simp. Alas, master, what shall I do? I am not able to stand.

[After the Beadle hath hit him once, he leaps over the stool, and runs away; and the People follow, and cry, A Miracle! K. Hen. O God, see'st thou this, and bear'st so long?

Q. Mar. It made me laugh, to see the villain

Glo. But you have done more miracles than I; You made, in a day, my lord, whole towns to fly. Enter BUCKINGHAM.

K. Hen. What tidings with our cousin Buckingham?

Buck. Such as my heart doth tremble to un-
fold.

A sort of naughty persons, lewdly bent,-
Under the countenance and confederacy
Of lady Eleanor, the protector's wife,
The ringleader and head of all this rout,-
Have practis'd dangerously against your state,
Dealing with witches, and with conjurers:
Whom we have apprehended in the fact;
Raising up wicked spirits from under ground,
Demanding of king Henry's life and death,
And other of your highness' privy council,
As more at large your grace shall understand.
Car. And so, my lord protector, by this means
Your lady is forthcoming yet at London.
This news, I think, hath turn'd your weapon's
edge;

'Tis like, my lord, you will not keep your hour. [Aside to Gloster. Glo. Ambitious churchman, leave to afflict my heart!

Sorrow and grief have vanquish'd all my powers:
And, vanquish'd as I am, I yield to thee,
Or to the ineanest groom.

K. Hen. O God, what mischiefs work the wicked ones;

Heaping confusion on their own heads thereby Q. Mar. Gloster, see here the tainture of thy

nest;

And, look, thyself be faultless, thou wert best.

Glo. Madam, for myself, to heaven I do appeal,
How I have lov'd my king, and commonweal:
And, for my wife, I know not how it stands;
Sorry I am to hear what I have heard:
Noble she is; but if she have forgot
Honour and virtue, and convers'd with such
As, like to pitch, defile nobility,

I banish her my bed, and company;
And give her, as a prey, to law, and shame,
That hath dishonour'd Gloster's honest name.
K. Hen. Well, for this night, we will repose
us here:

To-morrow, toward London, back again,
To look into this business thoroughly,
And call these foul offenders to their answers;
And poise the cause in justice' equal scales,
Whose beam stands sure, whose rightful cause
prevails.
[Flourish. Exeunt.

SCENE II.-London. The Duke of YORK'S garden.

Enter YORK, SALISBURY, and WARWICK.
York. Now, my good lords of Salisbury and
Warwick,

Our simple supper ended, give me leave,
In this close walk, to satisfy myself,