Glo. O Nell, sweet Nell, if thou dost love thy lord, Banish the canker of ambitious thoughts: 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, But, as I think, it was by the cardinal; And on the pieces of the broken wand With Margery Jourdain, the cunning witch; 'Hume. This they have promised, to show your highness A spirit rais'd from depth of under ground, When from Saint Albans we do make return, Were plac'd the heads of Edmond duke of Here, Hume, take this reward, make merry, man, 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. With thy confederates in this weighty cause. [Exit Duchess. Somerset, 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, * Hume. Hume must make merry with the duchess' gold; 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. Mess. My lord protector, 'tis his highness' 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, a duke, 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! nay, fear not, 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 lord'ship? 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. 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. Suff. Who is there? [Enter Servants.] -Take this fellow in, and send for his master with a pursuivant presently:-we'll hear more of your matter before the king. [Exeunt Servants, with Peter. Q. Mar. And as for you, that love to be protected • Under the wings of our protector's grace, • Begin your suits anew, and sue to him. [Tears the petition. • Away, base cullions!!-Suffolk, let them go. * All. Come, let's be gone. [Exeunt Petitioners. * Is this the fashion in the court of England? * And must be made a subject to a duke? I tell thee, Poole, when in the city Tours • Thou ran'st a tilt in honour of my love, • In courage, courtship, and proportion: • But all his mind is bent to holiness, * To number Ave-Maries on his beads: * His champions are the prophets and apostles; * His weapons, holy saws of sacred writ; * His study is his tilt-yard, and his loves * Åre brazen images of canoniz'd saints. * I would, the college of cardinals * Would choose him pope, and carry him to Rome, Suff. Madam, be patient: as I was cause In Beaufort, * The imperious churchman; Somerset, Buckingham, * 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. *That she will light to listen to the lays, So, one by one, we'll weed them all at last, 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. Som. If Somerset be unworthy of the place, Dispute not that: York is the worthier. Car. Ambitious Warwick, let thy betters speak. Buck. All in this presence are thy betters, War * Sal. Peace, son; and show some reason, Buckingham, * Q. Mar. Because the king, forsooth, will have wiek. War. Warwick may live to be the best of all. * Why Somerset should be preferr'd in this. it so. Glo. Madam, the king is old enough himself To give his censure:6 these are no women's mat ters. Q. Mar. If he be old enough, what need your grace To be protector of his excellence? 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 Q. Mar. Not all these lords do vex me half so Are lank and lean with thy extortions. 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 * 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 • 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. Suff Peace, headstrong Warwick! War. Image of pride, why should I hold my peace? Enter Servants of Suffolk, bringing in Horner and Peter. • 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? 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. K. Hen Away with them to prison: and the day Of combat shall be the last of the next month. *Come. Somerset, we'll see thee sent away. [Exe. SCENE IV. The same. The duke of Gloster's Garden. Enter Margery Jourdain, Hume, Southwell, and Bolingbroke. * Hume. Come, my masters; the duchess, I tell * you, expects performance of your promises. * Boling. Master Hume, we are therefore pro*vided: Will her ladyship behold and hear our * exorcisms ?2 * 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. 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. [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. * 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. * 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 Safer shall he be upon the sandy plains, False fiend, avoid! [Thunder and lightning. Spirit descends. Enter York and Buckingham, hastily, with their guards, and others. Enter a Servant. ACT II. SCENE I-Saint Albans. Enter King Henry, Queen Margaret, Gloster, Cardinal, and Suffolk, with Falconers hollaing. Q. Mar. Believe me, lords, for flying at the brook,2 'I saw not better sport these seven years' day: Yet, by your leave, the wind was very high; And, ten to one, old Joan had not gone out. 'K. Hen. But what a point, my lord, your fal con made, Suff. No marvel, an it like your majesty, '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 com-That mounts no higher than a bird can soar. monweal Are deeply indebted for this piece of pains; 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; Let him shun castles; Safer shall he be upon the sandy plains, Than where castles mounted stand. * Come, come, my lords; • These oracles are hardily attain'd, * And hardly understood. The king is now in progress toward Saint Albans, Thither go these news, as fast as horse can carry A sorry breakfast for my lord protector. Buck. Your grace shall give me leave, my lord To be the post, in hope of his reward. (1) Rewarded. 'Car. I thought as much; he'd be above the clouds. Glo. Ay, my lord cardinal; How think you by Were it not good, your grace could fly to heaven? thoughts Why, as you, my lord; An't like your lordly lord-protectorship. Glo. Why, Suffolk, England knows thine inso lence. Q. Mar. And thy ambition, Gloster. I pr'ythee, peace, 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 (3) Fond. (2) The falconer's term for hawking at water-fowl. (4) i. c. Thy mind is working on a crown. Inhab. Forsooth, a blind man at Saint Alban's 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 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, Glo. Say'st thou me so? What colour is this cloak of? Simp. Red, master; red as blood. jet is of? Suff. And yet, I think, jet did he never see. Glo. But cloaks and gowns, before this day, a * That we for thee may glorify the Lord. In Christendom. If thou hadst been born blind, What, hast thou been born blind, and now restor'd? Thou might'st as well have known our names, as Simp. Born blind, an't please your grace. thus Suff. What woman is this? To name the several colours we do wear. Wife. Ay, indeed, was he. Wife. His wife, an't like your worship. Glo. Had'st thou been his mother, thou could'st My lords, Saint Alban here hath done a miracle; have better told. And would ye not think that cunning to be great, 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. |