Suf. As by your high imperial majesty

I had in charge at my depart for France,

As procurator to your excellence,

life,

20

So, in the famous ancient city, Tours,

In presence of the Kings of France and Sicil,

The Dukes of Orleans, Calaber, Britaine, and

For thou hast given me in this beauteous face
A world of earthly blessings to my soul,
If sympathy of love unite our thoughts.

Alençon,

Seven earls, twelve barons, and twenty reverend bishops,

Q. Mar. Great King of England and my gracious lord,

24

8

I have perform'd my task, and was espous'd:

The mutual conference that my mind hath had By day, by night, waking, and in my dreams,

In courtly company, or at my beads, With you, mine alderliefest sovereign, Makes me the bolder to salute my king With ruder terms, such as my wit affords, And over-joy of heart doth minister.

K. Hen. Her sight did ravish, but her grace in speech,

32

Her words y-clad with wisdom's majesty, Makes me from wondering fall to weeping joys; Such is the fulness of my heart's content.

Lords, with one cheerful voice welcome my love.

36

All. Long live Queen Margaret, England's happiness!

Q. Mar. We thank you all.

[Flourish.

Suf. My Lord Protector, so it please your Grace,

40

Here are the articles of contracted peace Between our sovereign and the French King

Charles,

For eighteen months concluded by consent.

Glo. Imprimis, It is agreed between the French king, Charles, and William De la Pole, Marquess of Suffolk, ambassador for Henry King of England, that the said Henry shall espouse the Lady Margaret, daughter unto Reignier King of Naples, Sicilia, and Jerusalem, and crown her Queen of England ere the thirtieth of May next ensuing. Item, That the duchy of Anjou and the county of Maine shall be released and delivered to the king her father.[Lets the paper fall.

K. Hen. Uncle, how now!
Glo.

Pardon me, gracious lord; Some sudden qualm hath struck me at the heart And dimm'd mine eyes, that I can read no further. 56

K. Hen. Uncle of Winchester, I pray, read on. Car. 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, with out having any dowry.

K. Hen. They please us well. Lord marquess, kneel down:

64

We here create thee the first Duke of Suffolk, And girt thee with the sword. Cousin of York, We here discharge your Grace from being regent

[Exeunt KING, QUEEN, and SUFFOLK, Glo. Brave peers of England, pillars of the state,

76

80

84

To you Duke Humphrey must unload his grief,
Your grief, the common grief of all the land.
What! did my brother Henry spend his youth,
His valour, coin, and people, in the wars?
Did he so often lodge in open field,
In winter's cold, and summer's parching heat,
To conquer France, his true inheritance?
And did my brother Bedford toil his wits,
To keep by policy what Henry got?
Have you yourselves, Somerset, Buckingham,
Brave York, Salisbury, and victorious Warwick,
Receiv'd deep scars in France and Normandy?
Or hath mine uncle Beaufort and myself,
With all the learned council of the realm,
Studied so long, sat in the council-house
Early and late, debating to and fro
How France and Frenchmen might be kept in

I' the parts of France, till term of eighteen months

These counties were the keys of Normandy. 115 But wherefore weeps Warwick, my valiant son? War. For grief that they are past recovery: For, were there hope to conquer them again, My sword should shed hot blood, mine eyes

68

Anjou and Maine! myself did win them both; Those provinces these arms of mine did conquer: And are the cities, that I got with wounds,

York. For Suffolk's duke, may he be suffocate, That dims the honour of this war-like isle! France should have torn and rent my very heart Before I would have yielded to this league. 128 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. 132

Glo. 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

136

We shall begin our ancient bickerings.
Lordings, farewell; and say, when I am gone,
I prophesied France will be lost ere long. [Exit.
Car. So, there goes our protector in a rage.

149

176

And greatness of his place be grief to us,
Yet let us watch the haughty cardinal:
His insolence is more intolerable
Than all the princes in the land beside:
If Gloucester be displac'd, he'll be protector.
Buck. Or thou, or I, Somerset, will be pro-
tector,

Despite Duke Humphrey or the cardinal.

180

185

188

[Exeunt BUCKINGHAM and SOMERSET. Sal. Pride went before, ambition follows him. While these do labour for their own preferment, Behoves it us to labour for the realm. I never saw but Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, Did bear him like a noble gentleman. Oft have I seen the haughty cardinal More like a soldier than a man o' the church, As stout and proud as he were lord of all, Swear like a ruffian and demean himself Unlike the ruler of a commonweal. Warwick, my son, the comfort of my age, Thy deeds, thy plainness, and thy house-keeping, Have won the greatest favour of the commons, Excepting none but good Duke Humphrey: And, brother York, thy acts in Ireland, In bringing them to civil discipline, Thy late exploits done in the heart of France, When thou wert regent for our sovereign, Have made thee fear'd and honour'd of the

people.

196

200

'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.
Consider lords, he is the next of blood,
And heir apparent 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. 156
Look to it, lords; let not his smoothing words
Bewitch your hearts; be wise and circumspect.
What though the common people favour him,
Calling him, 'Humphrey, the good Duke of

Gloucester;'

160

Clapping their hands, and crying with loud voice,
'Jesu maintain your royal excellence!'
With 'God preserve the good Duke Humphrey!'
I fear me, lords, for all this flattering gloss, 164
He will be found a dangerous protector.

Buck. Why should he then protect our sovereign,

He being of age to govern of himself?
Cousin of Somerset, join you with me,
And all together, with the Duke of Suffolk,
We'll quickly hoise Duke Humphrey from his

168

And would have kept so long as breath did last: Main chance, father, you meant; but I meant

Maine,

213

seat.

Car. This weighty business will not brook delay;

Which I will win from France, or else be slain. [Exeunt WARWICK and SALISBURY. York. Anjou and Maine are given to the French;

I'll to the Duke of Suffolk presently. [Exit. Som. Cousin of Buckingham, though Humphrey's pride

173

Paris is lost; the state of Normandy
Stands on a tickle point now they are gone.
Suffolk concluded on the articles,

216

And having both together heav'd it up,
We'll both together lift our heads to heaven,
And never more abase our sight so low
As to vouchsafe one glance unto the ground. 16
Glo. O Nell, sweet Nell, if thou dost love thy
lord,

Banish the canker of ambitious thoughts:
And may that thought, when I imagine ill
Against my king and nephew, virtuous Henry,
Be my last breathing in this mortal world!
My troublous dream this night doth make me sad.
Duch. What dream'd my lord? tell me, and
I'll requite it

21

With sweet rehearsal of my morning's dream. 24 Glo. Methought this staff, mine office-badge in court,

Was broke in twain; by whom I have forgot,
But, as I think, it was by the cardinal;
And on the pieces of the broken wand
Were plac'd the heads of Edmund Duke of

Somerset,

28

SCENE II. The Same. A Room in the DUKE OF GLOUCESTER'S House.

Enter GLOUCESTER and his DUCHESS. Duch. Why droops my lord, like over-ripen'd

Presumptuous dame! ill-nurtur'd Eleanor!
Art thou not second woman in the realm,
And the protector's wife, belov'd of him?
Hast thou not worldly pleasure at command,
Above the reach or compass of thy thought?
And wilt thou still be hammering treachery,

44

mour,

Have hired me to undermine the duchess
And buzz these conjurations in her brain.
They say, 'A crafty knave does need no broker;'
Yet am I Suffolk and the cardinal's broker. 101
Hume, if you take not heed, you shall go near
To call them both a pair of crafty knaves.
Well, so it stands; and thus, I fear, at last 104
Hume's knavery will be the duchess' wrack,
And her attainture will be Humphrey's fall.
Sort how it will I shall have gold for all. [Exit.