Then, father Salisbury, kneel we both together; And, in this private plot,' be we the first, "That shall salute our rightful sovereign 'With honour of his birthright to the crown. Both. Long live our sovereign Richard, England's king!

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

*Should be to be protected like a child.--
'God and king Henry govern England's helm:
'Give up your staff, sir, and the king his realm.

Glo. My staff?-here, noble Henry, is my staff.
As willingly do I the same resign,
As ere thy father Henry made it mine;
And even as willingly at thy feet I leave it
As others would ambitiously receive it.
stain'dFarewell, good king: When I am dead and gone,
May honourable peace attend thy throne! [Exit.
Q. Mar. Why, now is Henry king, and Mar-
garet queen;

Till I be crown'd; and that my sword be "With heart-blood of the house of Lancaster: And that's not suddenly to be perform'd; But with advice, and silent secrecy. *Do you, as I do, in these dangerous days, *Wink at the duke of Suffolk's insolence, * At Beaufort's pride, at Somerset's ambition, At Buckingham, and all the crew of them, Till they have snar'd the shepherd of the flock, That virtuous prince, the good duke Humphrey : "Tis that they seek; and they, in seeking that, Shall find their deaths, if York can prophesy.

Sal. My lord, break we off; we know your mind at full.

'War. My heart assures me, that the earl of Warwick

*And Humphrey, duke of Gloster, scarce himself,
That bears so shrewd a maim; two pulls at once,-
* His lady banish'd, and a limb lopp'd off;
*This staff of honour raught:-There let it stand,
Where it best fits to be, in Henry's hand.

*Suff. Thus droops this lofty pine, and hangs
his sprays;.

*Thus Eleanor's pride dies in her youngest days. "York. Lords, let him go.-Please it your ma jesty,

'This is the day appointed for the combat;
And ready are the apellant, and defendant,
The armourer and his man, to enter the lists,
So please your highness to behold the fight.

Q. Mar. Ay, good my lord; for purposely
therefore

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

本

'Shall one day make the duke of York a king. 'York. And, Nevil, this do I assure myself,Richard shall live to make the earl of Warwick 'The greatest man in England but the king. [Exe. SCENE III.-The same. A hall of justice. Trumpets sounded. Enter King Henry, Queen Margaret, Gloster, York, Suffolk, and Salisbury; 'Here let them end it, and God defend the right! the Duchess of Gloster, Margery Jourdain, York. I never saw a fellow worse bested,+ Southwell, Hume, and Bolingbroke, under* Or more afraid to fight, than is the appellant, guard. The servant of this armourer, my lords. Enter on one side, Horner, and his Neighbours, drinking to him so much that he is drunk; and he enters bearing his staff with a sand-bag fastened to it; a drum before him; at the other side, Peter, with a drum and a similar staff; accompanied by Prentices drinking to him.

K. Hen. 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;
[To Jourd. &c.
*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 shall do well enough.
'You, madam, for 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.
'Duch. Welcome is banishment, welcome were
my death.

* Glo. Eleanor, the law, thou seest, hath judged
thee;

I cannot justify whom the law condemns.-
[Exeunt the Duchess, and the other prisoners,
guarded.

'Mine eyes are full of tears, my heart of grief.
Ah, Humphrey, this dishonour in thine age

1 Neigh. Here, neighbour Horner, I drink to you in a cup of sack; And fear not, neighbour,

2 Neigh. And here, neighbour, here's a cup of charneco.

3 Neigh. And here's a pot of good double beer, neighbour: drink, and fear not your man.

Hor. Let it come, i'faith, and I'll pledge you all ; And a fig for Peter!

1 Pren. Here, Peter, I drink to thee; and be not afraid.

2 Pren. Be merry, Peter, and fear not thy master; fight for credit of the prentices.

Peter. I thank you all: drink, and pray for me, I pray you; for, I think, I have taken my last *draught in this world.*-Here, Robin, an if I die, I give thee my apron; and, Will, thou shalt have

Will bring thy head with sorrow to the ground!-my hammer and here, Tom, take all the money

'I beseech your majesty, give me leave to go;
'Sorrow would solace, and mine age would ease.
'K. Hen. Stay, Humphrey duke of Gloster: ere

thou go,

'Give up thy staff; Henry will to himself 'Protector be: and God shall be my hope,

My stay, my guide, and lantern to my feet;

And go in peace, Humphrey; no less belov'd, "Than when thou wert protector to thy king. * Q. Mar. I see no reason, why a king of years

that I have.-O Lord, bless me, I pray God! for I am never able to deal with my master, he hath learnt so much fence already.

Sal. Come, leave your drinking, and fall to blows. -Sirrah, what's thy name?

* Glo. Thus, sometimes, hath the brightest day*
a cloud;

* And, after summer, evermore succeeds
Barren winter, with his wrathful nipping cold;
*So cares and joys abound, as seasons fleet.2
Sirs, what's o'clock ?

Glo. Entreat her not the worse, in that I pray
You use her well: the world may laugh again;'
And I may live to do you kindness, if
You do it her. And so, sir John, farewell.

Duch. What gone, my lord; and bid me not
farewell?

'Glo. Witness my tears, I cannot stay to speak. [Exeunt Gloster and Servants. 'Duch. Art thou gone too? *All comfort go with

For none abides with me my joy is-death;
Death, at whose name I oft have been afeard,
Because I wish'd this world's eternity.-

'Stanley, I pr'ythee, go, and take me hence;

(6) Wrapped up in disgrace; alluding to the sheet of penance. (7) Deep-fetched.

(8) Harm, mischief. (9) i. e. The world may look again favourably

on me.

If it be fond, call it a woman's fear;
Which fear if better reasons can supplant,
I will subscribe and say-I wrong'd the duke.
My lord of Suffolk,-Buckingham,-and York,-
re-Reprove my allegation, if you can;

Stan. Madam, your penance, done throw off Did instigate the bedlam brain-sick duchess,

By flattery hath he won the eommons' hearts; 'And when he please to make commotion, "Tis to be fear'd, they all will follow him. 'Now 'tis the spring, and weeds are shallow-rooted;* Suffer them now, and they'll o'ergrow the garden, And choke the herbs for want of husbandry, 'The reverent care, I bear unto my lord, 'Made me collect' these dangers in the duke.

Enter Gloster. *Glo. All happiness unto my lord the king! Pardon, my liege, that I have staid so long. (5) i. e. Valuing himself on his high descent. (4) Foolish,(6) Gear was a general word for things or matters.

'Unless thou wert more loyal than thou art :

I do arrest thee of high treason here.

Glo. Well, Suffolk, yet thou shalt not see me My liefest liege to be mine enemy:

blush,

Nor change my countenance for this arrest; * A heart unspotted is not easily daunted.

The purest spring is not so free from mud,
* As I am clear from treason to my sovereign:
Who can accuse me? wherein am I guilty?
York. 'Tis thought, my lord, that you took bribes
of France,

And, being protector, stayed the soldiers' pay;
By means whereof, his highness hath lost France.
Glo. Is it but thought so? What are they that
think it?

'I never robb'd the soldiers of their pay,
"Nor never had one penny bribe from France.
'So help me God, as I have watch'd the night,-
Ay, night by night,-in studying good for England!
"That doit that e'er I wrested from the king,
'Or any groat I hoarded to my use,

Be brought against me at my trial day!
No! many a pound of mine own proper store,
Because I would not tax the needy commons,
"Have I dispursed to the garrisons,
'And never ask'd for restitution.

*Car. It serves you well, my lord, to say so much.
Glo. I say no more than truth, so help me God!
York. In your protectorship, you did devise
Strange tortures for offenders, never heard of,
That England was defam'd by tyranny.

Glo. Why, 'tis well known, that whiles I was
protector,

Pity was all the fault that was in me;

For I should melt at an offender's tears,

And lowly words were ransom for their fault. 'Unless it were a bloody murderer,

'Or foul felonious thief that fleec'd poor passengers,
'I never gave them condign punishment:
'Murder, indeed, that bloody sin, I tortur'd
"Above the felon, or what trespass else.

Suff. My lord, these faults are easy,' quickly
answer'd:

'But mightier crimes are laid unto your charge,
'Whereof you cannot easily purge yourself.
'I do arrest you in his highness' name;
'And here commit you to my lord cardinal
"To keep, until your further time of trial.

K. Hen. My lord of Gloster, 'tis my special hope,
That you will clear yourself from all suspects;
My conscience tells me, you are innocent.

Glo. Ah, gracious lord, these days are dangerous!
Virtue is choak'd with foul ambition,
And charity chas'd hence by rancour's hand;
Foul subornation is predominant,
And equity exíl'd your highness' land.

* I know, their complot is to have my life;
And, if my death might make this island happy,
And prove the period of their tyranny,
'I would expend it with all willingness:

But mine is made the prologue to their play;
For thousands more, that yet suspect no peril,
"Will not conclude their plotted tragedy.
'Beaufort's red sparkling eyes blab his heart's
malice,

"And Suffolk's cloudy brow his stormy hate;
Sharp Buckingham unburdens with his tongue
"The envious load that lies upon his heart;
"And dogged York, that reaches at the moon,
"Whose overweening arm I have pluck'd back,

(1) For easily. (2) For accusation. (3) Dearest.*

'By false accuse? doth level at my life:
And you, my sovereign lady, with the rest,
Causeless have laid disgraces on my head;
And, with your best endeavour, have stirr'd up
*Av, all of you have laid your heads together,
*Myself had notice of your conventicles.
'I shall not want false witness to condemn me,
'Nor store of treasons to augment my guilt:
The ancient proverb will be well effected,-
A staff is quickly found to beat a dog.

*Car. My liege, his railing is intolerable:
* If those that care to keep your royal person
* From treason's secret knife, and traitor's rage,
* Be thus upbraided, chid, and rated at,

And the offender granted scope of speech, "Twill make them cool in zeal unto your grace. Suff. Hath he not twit our sovereign lady here, "With ignominious words, though clerkly couch'd, As if she had suborned some to swear False allegations to o'erthrow his state? 'Q. Mar. But I can give the loser leave to chide. Glo. Far truer spoke, than meant: I lose indeed;

Beshrew the winners, for they play'd me false ! * And well such losers may have leave to speak. Buck. He'll wrest the sense, and hold us here

all day :

Lord cardinal, he is your prisoner.

'Car. Sirs, take away the duke, and guard him

sure.

Glo. Ah, thus king Henry throws away his crutch,
Before his legs be firm to bear his body:
Thus is the shepherd beaten from thy side,
And wolves are gnarling who shall gnaw thee first.
Ah, that my fear were false! ah, that it were!
'For, good king Henry, thy decay I fear.

[Exeunt Attendants, with Gloster. K. Hen. My lords, what to your wisdoms seemeth best,

Do, or undo, as if ourself were here.

Q. Mar. What, will your highness leave the par

liament ?

K. Hen. Ay, Margaret; my heart is drown'd with grief,

*Whose flood begins to flow within mine eyes My body round engirt with misery;

*

For what's more miserable than discontent ?→ * Ah, uncle Humphrey in thy face I see *The map of honour, truth, and loyalty;

And yet, good Humphrey, is the hour to come, *That e'er I prov'd thee false, or fear'd thy faith, * What low'ring star now envies thy estate,

That these great lords, and Margaret our queen,
* Do seek subversion of thy harmless life?
*Thou never didst them wrong, nor noman wrong;
*And as the butcher takes away the calf,
*And binds the wretch, and beats it when it strays,
*Bearing it to the bloody slaughter-house;

* Even so, remorseless, have they borne hiin hence.
*And as the dam runs lowing up and down,
*Looking the way her harmless young one went,
*And can do nought but wail her darling's loss;
*Even so myself bewails good Gloster's case,
*With sad unhelpful tears; and with dimm'd eyes
Look after him, and cannot do him good;
So mighty are his vowed enemies.

His fortunes I will weep; and, 'twixt each groan, 'Sav-Who's a traitor, Gloster he is none. [Erit. * Q. Mar. Free lords, cold snow melts with the sun's hot beams.

Henry my lord is cold in great affairs,
Too full of foolish pity; and Gloster's show
Beguiles him, as the mournful crocodile

With sorrow snares relenting passengers; *Or as the snake, rolled in a flowering bank,' *With shining checker'd slough, doth sting a child, *That, for the beauty, thinks it excellent, *Believe me, lords, were none more wise than I * (And yet, herein, I judge mine own wit good,) "This Gloster should be quickly rid the world, "To rid us from the fear we have of him.

*Car. That he should die, is worthy policy; But yet we want a colour for his death: 'Tis meet he be condemned by course of law. *Suff. But, in my mind, that were no policy: *The king will labour still to save his life, *The commons haply rise to save his life; And yet we have but trivial argument,

* More than mistrust, that shows him worthy death. *York. So that, by this, you would not have him die.

Suff. Ah, York, no man alive so fain as I. * York. 'Tis York that hath more reason for his death.

But, my lord cardinal, and you, my lord of Suffolk,

Say, as you think, and speak it from your souls,* Were't not all one, an empty eagle were set *To guard the chicken from a hungry kite, * As place duke Humphrey for the king's protector? Q. Mar. So the poor chicken should be sure of death.

'Suff. Madam, 'tis true: And were't not

ness then,

*Car. A breach, that craves a quick expedient
stop!

'What counsel give you in this weighty cause!
'York. That Somerset be sent as regent thither:
"Tis meet, that lucky ruler be employ'd;
Witness the fortune he hath had in France.

Som. If York, with all his far-fet' policy,
'Had been the regent there instead of me,
He never would have staid in France so long.
York. No, not to lose it all, as thou hast done:
"I rather would have lost my life betimes,
*Than bring a burden of dishonour home,
By staying there so long, till all were lost.
* Show ine one scar character'd on thy skin:
* Men's flesh preserv'd so whole, do seldom win.
* Q. Mar. Nay then, this spark will prove a
raging fire,

*If wind and fuel be brought to feed it with:
*No more, good York; sweet Somerset, be still;-
Thy fortune, York, hadst thou been regent there,
Might happily have prov'd far worse than his.
York. What, worse than naught? nay, then a
shame take all!

'Som. And, in the number, thee, that wishest
shame!

'Car. My lord of York, try what your fortune is. The uncivil kernes of Ireland are in arms, And temper clay with blood of Englishmen : "To Ireland will you lead a band of men, mad-Collected choicely, from each county some, And try your hap against the Irishmen ?

'To make the fox surveyor of the fold?
"Who being accus'd a crafty murderer,
"His guilt should be but idly posted over,
'Because his purpose is not executed.
'No; let him die, in that he is a fox,
"By nature prov'd an enemy to the flock,
'Before his chaps be stain'd with crimson blood;
'As Humphrey, prov'd by reasons, to my liege.
And do not stand on quillets, how to slay him:
'Be it by gins, by snares, by subtilty,
"Sleeping or waking, 'tis no matter how,

So he be dead; for that is good deceit,
"Which mates him first, that first intends deceit.
* Q. Mar. Thrice-noble Suffolk, 'tis resolutely
spoke.

*Suff. Not resolute, except so much were done:
For things are often spoke, and seldom meant:
*But, that my heart accordeth with my tongue,—
*Seeing the deed is meritorious,

*And to preserve my sovereign from his foe.-
Say but the word, and I will be his priest.
* Car. But I would have him dead, my lord of
Suffolk,

Ere you can take due orders for a priest: Say, you consent, and censure well the deed, *And I'll provide his executioner,

I tender so the safety of my liege.
*Suff. Here is my hand, the deed is worthy doing.
*Q. Mar. And so say I.

*York. And I and now we three have spoke it, *It skills not greatly' who impugns our doom.

Enter a Messenger.

*York. I will, my lord, so please his majesty. *Suff, Why, our authority is his consent; *And what we do establish, he confirms: *Then, noble York, take thou this task in hand. 'York. I am content: Provide me soldiers, lords, 'Whiles I take order for mine own affairs.

'Suff. A charge, lord York, that I will see per

form'd.

'But now return we to the false duke Humphrey.
'Car. No more of him; for I will deal with him,
That, henceforth, he shall trouble us no more.
And so break off; the day is almost spent:
'Lord Suffolk, you and I must talk of that event.
York. My lord of Suffolk, within fourteen days,
'At Bristol I expect my soldiers;

For there I'll ship them all for Ireland.
Suff. I'll see it truly done, my lord of York.
[Exeunt all but York.
York. Now, York, or never, steel thy fearful

thoughts,

And change misdoubt to resolution:

Be that thou hop'st to be; or what thou art *Resign to death, it is not worth the enjoying

Let pale-fac'd fear keep with the mean-born man, And find no harbour in a royal heart. *Faster than spring-time showers, comes thought on thought;

And not a thought, but thinks on dignity.
*My brain more busy than the labouring spider,
*Weaves tedious snares to trap mine enemies.
*Well, nobles, well, 'tis politicly done,

To send me packing with a host of men:
I fear me, you but warm the starved snake,

'Mess. Great lords, from Ireland am I come Who, cherish'd in your breasts, will sting your

amain,

"To signify-that rebels there are up,

And put the Englishmen unto the sword:

Send succours, lords, and stop the rage betime,

* Before the wound do grow incurable;

* For, being green, there is great hope of help.

i. e. In the flowers growing on a bank.
(3) Perhaps. (4) Confounds. I

Skin

hearts.