Glo. O Nell, sweet Nell, if thou dost love thy 'Your grace's title shall be multiplied. 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, my lord? tell me, and I'll requite it With sweet rehearsal of my morning's dream. Glo. Methought, this staff, mine office-badge in court, 'Was broke in twain, by whom I have forgot, 'And William de la Poole first duke of Suffolk. This was my dream; what it doth bode, God knows. Duch. Tut, this was nothing but an argument, That he that breaks a stick of Gloster's grove, Shall lose his head for his presumption. But list to me, my Humphrey, my sweet duke: Methought, I sat in seat of majesty, In the cathedral church of Westminster, And in that chair where kings and queens are crown'd; Where Henry, and dame Margaret, kneel'd to me, And on my head did set the diadem. Glo. Nay, Eleanor, then must I chide outright: *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, *To tumble down thy husband, and thyself, From top of honour to disgrace's feet? Away from me, and let me hear no more. Duch. What, what, my lord! are you so choleric 'With Eleanor, for telling but her dream? 'Glo. Nay, be not angry, I am pleas'd again. Enter a Messenger. Mess. My lord protector, 'tis his highness' pleasure, 'You do prepare to ride unto Saint Albans, 'Whereas the king and queen do mean to hawk. Glo. I go.-Come, Nell, thou wilt ride with us? 'Duch. Yes, good my lord, I'll follow presently. [Exeunt Gloster and Messenger. Follow I must, I cannot go before, * While Gloster bears this base and humble mind. *Were I a man, uke, and next of blood, * I would remove these tedious stumbling-blocks, *And smooth my way upon their headless necks : *And, being a woman, I will not be slack *To play my part in fortune's pageant. Where are you there? Sir John 3 nay, fear not, Duch. What say'st thou, man? hast thou as yet conferr'd With Margery Jourdain, the cunning witch; A spirit rais'd from depth of under ground, tions: When from Saint Albans we do make return, 'We'll see these things effected to the full. Here, Hume, take this reward; make merry, man, With thy confederates in this weighty cause. [Exit Duchess. *Hume. Hume must make merry with the duchess' gold; 'Marry, and shall. But how now, sir John Hume? Seal up your lips, and give no words but-mum! The business asketh silent secrecy. *Dame Eleanor gives gold, to bring the witch: *Gold cannot come amiss, were she a devil. Yet have I gold, flies from another coast: I dare not say, from the rich cardinal, And from the great and new-made duke of Suffolk; Yet I do find it so: for, to be plain, They, knowing dame Eleanor's aspiring humour, 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. 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, *Hume's knavery will be the duchess' wreck; And her attainture will be Humphrey's fall: *Sort how it will,4 I shall have gold for all. [Exit. SCENE III-The same. A room in the palace. Enter Peter, and others, with petitions. '1 Pet. My masters, let's stand close; my lord protector will come this way by and by, and then we may deliver our supplications in the quill.5 2 Pet. Marry, the Lord protect him, for he's a good man! Jesu bless him! Enter Suffolk, and Queen Margaret. *1 Pet. Here 'a comes, methinks, and the queen * with him: I'll be the first, sure. 2 Pet. Come back, fool; this is the duke of Suffolk, and not my lord protector. Suff. How now, fellow? would'st any thing with me? 1 Pet. I pray, my lord, pardon me! I took ye 'for my lord protector. 'Q. Mar. [Reading the superscription.] To my lord protector! are your supplications to his lordship? Let me see them: What is thine? 1 Pet. Mine is, an't please your grace, against John Goodman, my lord cardinal's man, for keeping my house, and lands, and wife and all, from me. Suff. Thy wife too? that is some wrong indeed.— 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 (4) Let the issue be what it will. (5) With great exactness and observance of form. master, Thomas Horner, for saying, That the duke ||* And plac'd a quire of such enticing birds, 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. That she will light to listen to the 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: Suff. Who is there? [Enter Servants.]-Take this Under the wings of our protector's grace, [Tears the petition.. guise, *Is this the fashion in the court of England? What, shall king Henry be a pupil still, * To number Ave-Maries on his beads: * His champions are--the prophets and apostles; * His weapons, holy saws2 of sacred writ; *His study is his tilt-yard, and his loves * Are brazen images of canoniz'd saints. * I would, the college of cardinals * Would choose him pope, and carry him to Rome, * And set the triple crown upon his head; * That were a state fit for his holiness. Suff. Madam, be patient: as I was cause Your highness came to England, so will I In England work your grace's full content. *Q. Mar. Beside the haught protector, have we Beaufort, * The imperious churchman; Somerset, Bucking ham, And grumbling York; and not the least of these, But can do more in England than the king. *Suff. And he of these, that can do most of all, *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 callat3 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. Suff. Madam, myself have lim'd a bush for her; (1) Scoundrels. (2) Sayings. (3) Drab, trull. (4) i. e. The complaint of Peter the armourer's man against his master 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, Buckingham, Salisbury, and Warwick. K. Hen. For my part, noble lords, I care not which; Or Somerset, or York, all's one to me. York. If York have ill demean'd himself in Then let him be denay'ds the regentship. Car. Ambitious Warwick, let thy betters speak. War. Warwick may live to be the best of all. * Sal. Peace, son;- -and show some reason, Buckingham, Why Somerset should be preferr'd in this. *Q. Mar. Because the king, forsooth, will have it so. grace To be protector of his excellence? Glo. Madam, I am protector of the realm; And, at his pleasure, will resign my place. Suff. 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 bor on the ear. I cry you mercy, madam; Was it you? (5) Denay is frequently used instead of deny among the old writers. (6) Censure here means simply judgment or opinion. '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: She shall not strike dame Eleanor unreveng'd. 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. * Suff. Before we make election, give me leave York. I'll tell thee, Suffolk, why I am unmeet. 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. Suff. Peace, headstrong Warwick! War. Image of pride, why should I hold my peace? Enter Servants of Suffolk, bringing in Horner and Peter. Suff. 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? Suff. 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 I do beseech your royal majesty, 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? Hor. And I accept the combat willingly. Glo. Sirrah, or you must fight, or else be hang'd. K. Hen. Away with them to prison: and the day Garden. Enter Margery Jourdain, Hume, * Hume. Come, my masters; the duchess, I tell 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 Southwell, read you; and let * us to our work. Enter Duchess, above. *Duch. Well said, my masters; and welcome Deep night, dark night, the silent of the night, howl, And spirits walk, and ghosts break up their graves, said nor thought any such matter: God is my wit-We will make fast within a hallow'd verge. 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: (1) The marks of her fingers and thumbs. (2) By exorcise Shakspeare invariably means to raise spirits, and not to lay them. 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; (3) Matter or business. (4) Village-dogs. For, till thou speak, thou shalt not pass from hence. *Spir. Ask what thou wilt:-That I had said and done! become? Boling. First, of the king. What shall of him Safer shall he be upon the sandy plains, 'Have done, for more I hardly can endure. Boling. Descend to darkness, and the burning lake: "False fiend, avoid! [Thunder and lightning. Spirit descends. Enter York and Buckingham, hastily, with their guards, and others. York. Lay hands upon these traitors, and their trash. 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; My lord protector will, I doubt it not, See you well guerdon'd' for these good deserts. *Duch. Not half so bad as thine to England's king, * Injurious duke; that threat'st where is no cause. *Buck. True, madam, none at all. What call you this? [Showing her the papers. Away with them; let them be clapp'd up close, And kept asunder:-You, madam, shall with us:Stafford, take her to thee. [Ex. Duch. from above. We'll see your trinkets here all forth-coming; • 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! Now, pray my lord, let's see the devil's writ. What have we here? [Reads. The duke yet lives, that Henry shall depose; But him outlive, and die a violent death. Why, this is just. * Aio te, acida, Romanos vincere posse. Tell me, what fate awaits the duke of Suffolk? Safer shall he be upon the sandy plains, * Come, come, my lords; These oracles are hardily attain'd, * And hardly understood." The king is now in progress toward Saint Albans, With him, the husband of this lovely lady; "Thither go these news, as fast as horse can carry And what a pitch she flew above the rest!-To see how God in all his creatures works! * Yea, man and birds, are fain3 of climbing high. Suff. 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 clouds. Q. Mar. And thy ambition, Gloster. K. Hen. I pr'ythee, peace, Good queen; and whet not on these furious peers, For blessed are the peace-makers on earth. Car. Let me be blessed for the peace I make, Against this proud protector, with my sword! Glo. 'Faith, holy uncle, 'would 'twere come to that! [Aside to the Cardinal. 'Car. Marry, when thou dar'st. [Aside. Glo. Make up no factious numbers for the matter, In thine own person answer thy abuse. [Aside. 'Car. Ay, where thou dar'st not peep: an if thou dar'st, This evening, on the east side of the grove. [Aside. 'K. Hen. How now, my lords? 'Car. Believe me, cousin Gloster, Had not your man put up the fowl so suddenly, We had had more sport.-Come with thy two hand sword. [Aside to Gloster (3) Fond. (4) . e. Thy mind is working on a crown. Glo. True, uncle. Car. Are you advis'd?-the east side of the grove? Glo. Cardinal, I am with you. [Aside. 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 fencel shall fail. *Car. Medice, teipsum; [Aside. '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, Glo. What means this noise? Suff. Come to the king, and tell him what miracle. Inhab. Forsooth, a blind man at Saint Alban's shrine, Within this half hour, hath receiv'd his sight; '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. *Cur. Here come the townsmen on 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. Wife. His wife, an't like your worship. have better told. K. Hen. Where wert thou born? 'Let me see thine eyes:-wink now; now open them: In my opinion yet thou see'st not well. Simp. Yes, master, clear as day; I thank God, and Saint Alban. Glo. Say'st thou me so? What colour is this cloak of? Simp. Red, master; red as blood. Glo. Why, that's well said: What colour is my gown of? Simp. Black, forsooth; coal-black, as jet. K. Hen. Why then, thou know'st what colour jet is of? Suff. And yet, I think, jet did he never see. Glo. But cloaks and gowns, before this day, a thus To name the several colours we do wear. 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. |