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.

Suf. 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 majesty,
This is the day appointed for the combat ;
And ready are the appellant 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, Here let them end it, and God defend the right!

York. I never saw a fellow worse bested, Or more afraid to fight, than is the appellant, 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 simi lar staff; accompanied by prentices drinking to him

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

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.

[6] Raught is the ancient preterite of the verb reach. STEEV.-Rather raft, or reft, the preterite of reave; unless reached were ever used with the sense of arracher, Fr. i. e. to snatch, take or pull violently away. RITSON.

[7] i. e. Let him pass out of your thoughts. Duke Humphrey had already left the stage. STEEVENS. [8] In a worse plight. JOHNSON.

[9] As, according to the old laws of duels, knights were to fight with the lance and sword; so those of inferior rank fought with an ebon staff or battoon, to the farther end of which was fixed a bag crammed hard with sand. To this custom Hudibras has alluded in these bumorous lines:

WARBURTON

Engag'd with money bags, as bold "As men with sand-bags did of old." [1] A common name for a sort of sweet wine. near Lisbon, where this wine was made. STEEVENS.

Charneco is the name of a village

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 my hammer :-and here, Tom, take all the money 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?

Peter. Peter, forsooth.

Sal. Peter! what more?

Peter. Thump.

Sal. Thump! then see thou thump thy master well. Hor. Masters, I am come hither, as it were, upon my man's instigation, to prove him a knave, and myself an honest man: and touching the duke of York,—will take my death, I never meant him any ill, nor the king, nor the queen: And therefore, Peter, have at thee with a downright blow, as Bevis of Southampton fell upon Ascapart.'

York. Despatch :-this knave's tongue begins to double. Sound trumpets, alarum to the combatants.

[Alarum. They fight, and PETER strikes down his Master.

Hor. Hold, Peter, hold! I confess, I confess treason. [Dies. York. Take away his weapon :-Fellow, thank God, and the good wine in thy master's way.

Peter. O God! have 1 overcome mine enemies in this presence? O Peter, thou hast prevailed in right!

K. Hen. Go, take hence that traitor from our sight; For, by his death, we do perceive his guilt :2

And God, in justice, hath reveal'd to us

The truth and innocence of this poor fellow,

2

[1] Ascaparte-the giant of the story-a name familiar to our ancestors, as mentioned by Dr. Donne:

"Those Ascaparts, men big enough to throw
"Charing-cross for à bar," &c. JOHNSON.

The figures of these combatants are still preserved on the gates of Southampton.
STEEVENS.

[2] According to the ancient use of the duel, the vanquished person not only lost Dis life but his reputation, and his death was always regarded as a certain evidence of his guilt. JOHNSON.

Which he had thought to have murder'd wrongfully.—
Come, fellow, follow us for thy reward.

The same. A Street.

SCENE IV.

[Exeunt.

Enter GLOSTER and Servants, in mourning cloaks.

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.'
-Sirs, what's o'clock ?

Serv. Ten, my lord.

Glo. Ten is the hour that was appointed me, To watch the coming of my punish'd duchess : Uneath may she endure the flinty streets,

4

To tread them with her tender-feeling feet.
Sweet Nell, ill can thy noble mind abrook
The abject people, gazing on thy face,
With envious looks still laughing at thy shame ;
That erst did follow thy proud chariot wheels,
When thou didst ride in triumph through the streets.
But, soft! I think, she comes; and I'll prepare
My tear-stain'd eyes to see her miseries.

Enter the Duchess of GLOSTER, in a white sheet, with papers pinn'd upon her back, her feet bare, and a taper burning in her hand; with Sir JOHN STANLEY, a Sheriff, and Officers.

Serv. So please your grace, we'll take her from the sheriff.

Glo. No, stir not, for your lives; let her pass by.
Duch. Come you, my lord, to see my open shame ?
Now thou dost penance too. Look, how they gaze!
See, how the giddy multitude do point,

And nod their heads, and throw their eyes on thee!
Ah, Gloster, hide thee from their hateful looks ;
And, in thy closet pent up, rue my shame,
And ban thine enemies, both mine and thine.
Glo. Be patient, gentle Nell; forget this grief.
Duch. Ah, Gloster, teach me to forget myself:

For, whilst I think I am thy married wife,

[3] To fleet is to change. STEEV.-Dr. Johnson supposes to fleet (as here used to be the same as to flit; that is, to be in a flux or transient state, to pass away.

MALONE.

[4] Eath is the ancient word for ease or easy, and is thus used by Spenser. eath is commonly used by the same author for not casily. STEEVENS.

And thou a prince, protector of this land,
Methinks, I should not thus be led along,
Mail'd up in shame,' with papers on my back;
And follow'd with a rabble, that rejoice

To see my tears, and hear my deep-fet groans.
The ruthless flint doth cut my tender feet;
And, when I start, the envious people laugh,
And bid me be advised how I tread.

Ah, Humphrey, can I bear this shameful yoke?
Trow'st thou, that e'er I'll look upon the world;
Or count them happy, that enjoy the sun?
No; dark shall be my light, and night my day;
To think upon my pomp, shall be my hell.
Sometime I'll say, I am duke Humphrey's wife;
And he a prince, and ruler of the land:
Yet so he rul'd, and such a prince he was,
As he stood by, whilst I, his forlorn duchess,
Was made a wonder, and a pointing-stock,
To every idle rascal follower.

But be thou mild, and blush not at my shame ;
Nor stir at nothing, till the axe of death
Hang over thee, as, sure, it shortly will.
For Suffolk, he that can do all in all

With her, that hateth thee, and hates us all,-
And York, and impious Beaufort, that false priest,
Have all lim'd bushes to betray thy wings,
And, fly thou how thou canst, they'll tangle thee:
But fear not thou, until thy foot be snar'd,
Nor never seek prevention of thy foes.

Glo. Ah, Nell, forbear; thou aimest all awry;

I must offend, before I be attainted :

And had I twenty times so many foes,

And each of them had twenty times their power,
All these could not procure me any scathe,"

So long as I am loyal, true, and crimeless.

Would'st have me rescue thee from this reproach?
Why, yet thy scandal were not wip'd away,

But I in danger for the breach of law.

Thy greatest help is quiet, gentle Nell:

[5] Wrapped up; bundled up in disgrace; alluding to the sheet of penance. JOHNSON. [6] i. e. deep-fetched. STEEVENS.

[7] Scathe is harm, or mischief. Chaucer, Spenser, and all our ancient writers. are frequent in their use of this word. STEEVENS.

[8] The poet has not endeavoured to raise much compassion for the Dutchess who indeed suffered but what she had deserved.

JOHNSON,

I pray thee, sort thy heart to patience;

These few days' wonder will be quickly worn.
Enter a Herald.

Her. I summon your grace to his majesty's parliament, holden at Bury the first of this next month.

Glo. And my consent ne'er ask'd herein before! This is close dealing.-Well, I will be there. [Ex. Her. My Nell, I take my leave :-and, master sheriff, Let not her penance exceed the king's commission.

She. An't please your grace, here my commission stays : And sir John Stanley is appointed now

To take her with him to the isle of Man.

Glo. Must you, sir John, protect my lady here? Stan. So am I given in charge, may't please your grace. Glo. Entreat not her 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 thee! For none abides with me: my joy is--death; Death, at whose name I oft have been afear'd, Because I wish'd this world's eternity.-Stanley, I pr'ythee, go, and take me hence; I care not whither, for I beg no favour, Only convey me where thou art commanded.

Stan. Why, madam, that is to the isle of Man ; There to be us'd according to your state.

Duch. That's bad enough, for I am but reproach: And shall I then be us'd reproachfully?

Stan. Like to a duchess, and duke Humphrey's lady,

According to that state you shall be used.

Duch. Sheriff, farewell, and better than I fare;
Although thou hast been conduct of my shame!
Sher. It is my office; and, madam, pardon me.
Duch. Ay, ay, farewell; thy office is discharg'd.-
Come, Stanley, shall we go?

Stan. Madam, your penance done, throw off this sheet,

And go we to attire you for our journey.
Duch. My shame will not be shifted with

No, it will hang upon my richest robes,

[9] i. e. The world may look again favourably upon me. JOHNSON.