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Car. Lord Regent, I do greet your excellence With letters of commission from the King. For know, my lords, the states of Christendom,

Mov'd with remorse of these outrageous broils, Have earnestly implor'd a general peace Betwixt our nation and the aspiring French; And here at hand the Dauphin and his train 100 Approacheth, to confer about some matter.

York. Is all our travail turn'd to this effect? After the slaughter of so many peers, So many captains, gentlemen, and soldiers, That in this quarrel have been overthrown And sold their bodies for their country's bene

fit,

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150

Alen. To say the truth, it is your policy To save your subjects from such massacre And ruthless slaughters as are daily seen By our proceeding in hostility; And therefore take this compact of a truce, Although you break it when your pleasure

serves.

War. How say'st thou, Charles? Shall our condition stand?

Char. It shall;

Only reserv'd, you claim no interest In any of our towns of garrison.

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[SCENE] V. [London. The palace.] Enter SUFFOLK in conference with the KING; GLOUCESTER and EXETER [following].

King. Your wondrous rare description, noble earl,

Of beauteous Margaret hath astonish'd me.
Her virtues graced with external gifts

Do breed love's settled passions in my heart;
And like as rigour of tempestuous gusts
Provokes the mightiest hulk against the tide,
So am I driven by breath of her renown
Either to suffer shipwreck or arrive
Where I may have fruition of her love.

5

Suf. Tush, my good lord, this superficial tale

Is but a preface of her worthy praise.
The chief perfections of that lovely dame,
Had I sufficient skill to utter them,
Would make a volume of enticing lines,
Able to ravish any dull conceit;
And, which is more, she is not so divine,
So full-replete with choice of all delights,
But with as humble lowliness of mind
She is content to be at your command;
Command, I mean, of virtuous chaste intents,
To love and honour Henry as her lord.

10

15

21

King. And otherwise will Henry ne'er pre

sume.

Therefore, my Lord Protector, give consent
That Margaret may be England's royal queen.
Glou. So should I give consent to flatter sin. 25
You know, my lord, your Highness is betroth'd
Unto another lady of esteem.

How shall we then dispense with that contract,
And not deface your honour with reproach?
Suf. As doth a ruler with unlawful oaths; 30
Or one that, at a triumph having vow'd
To try his strength, forsaketh yet the lists
By reason of his adversary's odds.

A poor earl's daughter is unequal odds,
And therefore may be broke without offence. 35
Glou. Why, what, I pray, is Margaret more
than that?

Her father is no better than an earl,
Although in glorious titles he excel.

Suf. Yes, my lord, her father is a king,
The King of Naples and Jerusalem;
And of such great authority in France
As his alliance will confirm our peace
And keep the Frenchmen in allegiance.

40

Glou. And so the Earl of Armagnac may do, Because he is near kinsman unto Charles.

45

Eze. Beside, his wealth doth warrant a liberal dower,

Where Reignier sooner will receive than give.

That he should be so abject, base, and poor,
To choose for wealth and not for perfect love. 50
Henry is able to enrich his queen

And not to seek a queen to make him rich.
So worthless peasants bargain for their wives,
As market-men for oxen, sheep, or horse.
Marriage is a matter of more worth
Than to be dealt in by attorneyship.

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60

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Not whom we will, but whom his Grace affects,
Must be companion of his nuptial bed.
And therefore, lords, since he affects her most,
[It] most of all these reasons bindeth us,
In our opinions she should be preferr'd.'
For what is wedlock forced but a hell,
An age of discord and continual strife?
Whereas the contrary bringeth bliss,
And is a pattern of celestial peace.
Whom should we match with Henry, being a king,
But Margaret, that is daughter to a king?
Her peerless feature, joined with her birth,
Approves her fit for none but for a king.
Her valiant courage and undaunted spirit,
More than in women commonly is seen,
Will answer our hope in issue of a king;
For Henry, son unto a conqueror,

Is likely to beget more conquerors,

If with a lady of so high resolve

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75

I feel such sharp dissension in my breast,
Such fierce alarums both of hope and fear,
As I am sick with working of my thoughts.
Take, therefore, shipping; post, my lord, to
France;

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Agree to any covenants, and procure
That Lady Margaret do vouchsafe to come
To cross the seas to England and be crown'd 90
King Henry's faithful and anointed queen.
For your expenses and sufficient charge,
Among the people gather up a tenth.
Be gone, I say; for, till you do return,
I rest perplexed with a thousand cares.
And you, good uncle, banish all offence.
If you do censure me by what you were,
Not what you are, I know it will excuse
This sudden execution of my will.
And so, conduct me where, from company,
I may revolve and ruminate my grief.
Glou. Ay, grief, I fear me, both at first and
last. [Exeunt Gloucester [and Exeter].
Suf. Thus Suffolk hath prevail'd; and thus
he goes,

And dimm'd mine eyes, that I can read no further.

King. Uncle of Winchester, I pray, read on. 56 Car. [Reads.] "Item, It is further agreed between them, that the duchies of Anjou and Maine shall be released and delivered over to the King her father, and she sent over of the King of England's own proper cost and charges, without having any dowry."

02

King. They please us well. Lord marquess, kneel down.

We here create thee the first Duke of Suffolk,
And gird thee with the sword. Cousin of York,
We here discharge your Grace from being regent
I' the parts of France, till term of eighteen
months

Be full expir'd. Thanks, uncle Winchester,
Gloucester, York, Buckingham, Somerset,
Salisbury, and Warwick;

We thank you all for this great favour done
In entertainment to my princely queen.
Come, let us in, and with all speed provide
To see her coronation be perform'd.

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[Exeunt King, Queen, and Suffolk. Glou. Brave peers of England, pillars of the

Defacing monuments of conquer'd France, Undoing all, as all had never been!

Car. Nephew, what means this passionate discourse,

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This peroration with such circumstance?
For France, 't is ours; and we will keep it still.
Glou. Ay, uncle, we will keep it, if we can;
But now it is impossible we should.

Suffolk, the new-made duke that rules the roast,

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Hath given the duchy of Anjou and Maine Unto the poor King Reignier, whose large style Agrees not with the leanness of his purse.

Sal. Now, by the death of Him that died for all,

These counties were the keys of Normandy. But wherefore weeps Warwick, my valiant son?

115

War. For grief that they are past recovery; For, were there hope to conquer them again, My sword should shed hot blood, mine eyes no

York. For Suffolk's duke, may he be suffocate,

That dims the honour of this warlike isle ! 125
France should have torn and rent my very heart,
Before I would have yielded to this league.
I never read but England's kings have had
Large sums of gold and dowries with their
wives;

And our King Henry gives away his own,
To match with her that brings no vantages.

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Glou. A proper jest, and never heard before, That Suffolk should demand a whole fifteenth For costs and charges in transporting her! She should have stay'd in France and starv'd in France,

Before

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Car. My Lord of Gloucester, now ye grow too hot.

It was the pleasure of my lord the King.
Glou. My Lord of Winchester, I know your

mind.

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'Tis not my speeches that you do mislike,
But 't is my presence that doth trouble ye.
Rancour will out. Proud prelate, in thy face
I see thy fury. If I longer stay,
We shall begin our ancient bickerings.
Lordings, farewell; and say, when I am gone,
I prophesied France will be lost ere long.

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[Exit.

Car. So, there goes our Protector in a rage. 'Tis known to you he is mine enemy, Nay, more, an enemy unto you all, And no great friend, I fear me, to the King, 150 Consider, lords, he is the next of blood, And heir apparent to the English crown. Had Henry got an empire by his marriage, And all the wealthy kingdoms of the west, There's reason he should be displeas'd at it. 155 Look to it, lords! Let not his smoothing words