Som. Thy fumptuous buildings, and thy wife's attire, Have coft a mafs of public treasury.

Buck. Thy cruelty in execution Upon offenders hath exceeded law, And left thee to the mercy of the law.

2. Mar. Thy fale of offices and towns in France, If they were known as the fufpect is great, Would make thee quickly hop without thy head. [Exit Glo. Give me my fan; what, minion? can ye not? [She gives the Duchefs a box on the ear.

I cry you mercy, Madam; was it you?

Elean. Was't I? yea, I it was, proud Frenchwoman? Could I come near your beauty with my nails, I'd fet my ten commandments in your face.

K. Henry. Sweet aunt, be quiet; 'twas against her will.

Elean. Against her will, good King? look to't in time, She'll hamper thee and dandle thee like a baby: Though in this place moft mafter wears no breeches, She fhall not strike Dame Eleanor unrevenged.

[Exit Eleanor.

Buck. Lord Cardinal, I'll follow Eleanor,
And liften after Humphry, how he proceeds:
She's tickled now, her fume can need no fpurs;
She'll gallop fast enough to her destruction. [ Exit Buck.
SCENE VII. Re-enter Duke Humphry.

Glo. Now, Lords, my choler being over-blown
With walking once about the quadrangle,
I come to talk of commonwealth-affairs.
As for your pightful falfe objections,
Prove them, and I lie open to the law.
But God in mercy deal fo with my foul,"
As I in duty love my King and country!
But to the matter that we have in hand:
1 fay, my Sovereign, York is meetest man
To be your Regent in the realm of France.
Suf. Before we make election, give me leave
To thew fome reafon of no little force,
That York is most unmeet of any man.

York. I'll tell thee, Suffolk, why I am unmeet.

VOL. V.

Firft, 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.
Laft time I dance'd attendance on his will,
Till Paris was befiege'd, famifh'd, and loft.
War. That I can witnefs; and a fouler fact
Did never traitor in the land commit.

Suf. Peace, head-ftrong Warwick!

War. Image of pride, why fhould I hold my peace! Enter Horner the armourer, and his man Peter, guarded. Suf. Because here is a man accus'd of treafon. Pray God the Duke of York excufe himself! York. Doth any one accufe York for a traitor ? K. Henry. What mean'ft thou, Suffolk ? tell me what are thefe ?

Suf. Please it your Majefty, this is the man. That doth accuse his master of high treafon. His words were thefe: " That Richard Duke of York "Was rightful heir unto the English crown, "And that your Majesty was an ufurper.

K. Henry. Say, man; were thefe thy words?t Arm. An't fhall please your Majefty, I never faid nor thought any fuch matter: God is my witnefs, I am falfely accufed by the villain.

Pet. By these ten bones, my Lord, he did fpeak them to me in the garret one night, as we were fouring my Lord of York's armour.

Tork. Bafe dunghill villain, and mechanical, h I'll have thy head for this thy traitor's fpeech. I do befeech your Royal Majefty,

Let him have all the rigour of the law.

"

Arm. Alas, my Lord, hang me if ever I fpake the words. My accufer 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 witnefs of this; therefore I beseech your Majesty, do not cast away an honest man for а villain's accufation. K. Henry. Uncle, what fhall we fay to this in law? Glo. This doon, my Lord, if I may judge.

Let

Let Somerset be Regent o'er the French,
Because in York this breeds fufpicion.
And let these have a day appointed them
For fingle combat in convenient place;
For he hath witnefs of his fervant's malice.
This is the law, and this Duke Humphry's doom
K. Henry. Then be it fo; my Lord of Somerfet,
We make your Grace Regent over the French.
Som. I humbly thank your royal Majefty.
Arm. And I accept the combat willingly.

Peter. Alas! my Lord, I cannot fight; for God's fake pity my cafe; the spight of man prevaileth against me O Lord have mercy upon me! I fhall never be able to fight a blow: O Lord, my heart!

Glo. Sirrah, or you muft fight, or elfe be hang'd.' K. Henry. Away with them to prifon, and the day of combat fhall be the laft of the next month. Come, Somerset, we'll fee thee fent away. [Flourish. Exeunt.

SCENE: VIII. The witch's cave.

Enter Mother Jordan, Hume, Southwel, and Bolingbrook.

Hume Come, my mafters? the Duchefs, I tell you, expects performance of your promises.

Boling. Mafter Hume, we are therefore provided. Will her Ladyship behold and hear our exorcisms? Hume. Ay, what else? fear not her courage.

:

Baling. I have heard her reported to be a woman of an invincible fpirit, but it fhall be convenient, Mafeer Hume, that you be by her aloft, while we be bufy below; and fo I pray you, go in God's name, and leave us. [Exit Hume.] Mother Jordan, be proftrate and grovel on the earth; John Southwel, read you, and let us to our work.

Enter Eleanor above.

Elean. Well faid, my mafters, and welcome to all! to this geer, the fooner the better.

Boling. Patience, good lady; wizards know their Deep night, dark night, the filent of the night*, [times *The fuent of the night, is a claffical expreffion; and means an interlunar night.

The time of night when Troy was fet on fire, UTÁ
The time when fcreech-owls cry, and ban-dogs howl;
When spirits walk, and ghofts break up their graves;
That time beft fits the work we have in hand.
Madam, fit you, and fear not; whom we raife,
We will make faft within a hallow'd verge."

[Here they perform the ceremonies, and make the circle:
Bolingbrook or Southwel reads, Conjuro te, &c.
It thunders and lightens terribly; then the fpiritrifeth.
Spirit. Adfum.

M. Jord. Afmuth, by the eternal God, whofe name And power thou trembleft at, tell what I afk: For till thou fpeak, thou fhalt not pass from hence. Spirit. Afk what thou wilt.-That I had faid, and done!

Boling, Firft, of the King: what fhall of him become? Spirit. The Duke yet lives that Henry shall depose; But him outlive, and die a violent death.

[As the Spirit fpeaks, they write the answer. Boling. Tell me, what fates await the Duke of Suffolk?

Spirit. By water fhall he die, and take his end. Boling. What shall befal the Duke of Somerfet ? Spirit. Let him fhun caftles.

Safer fhall he be on the fandy plains,

Than where caftles mounted stand.

Have done, for more I hardly can endure.

Boling. Defcend to darkness, and the burning lake: Falfe fiend, avoid!

[Thunder and lightning. Spirit defcends.

Enter the Duke of York, and the Duke of Buckingham, with their guard, and break in.

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 realm Are deep indebted for this piece of pains; My Lord Protector will, I doubt it not, See you well guerdon'd for thefe good deferts. Elean. Not half fo bad as thine to England's King, Injurious Duke, that threat'ft where is no caufe. Buek. True,Madam, none at all. What call you this?

Away

Away with them, let them be clapp'd up close,
And kept apart. You, Madam, fhall with us.
Stafford, take her to thee.

We'll fee your trinkets here forthcoming all.

[Exeunt Guard with Jordan, Southwel, &c. Tork. The King is now in progrefs tow'rds St. Alban's; With him the hufband of this lovely lady:

Thither go thefe news, as fast as horse can carry them; A forry breakfast for my Lord Protector.

Buck. Your Grace fhall give me leave, my Lord of

To be the poft, in hope of his reward.

York. At your pleasure, my good Lord. Who's within there, ho?

Enter a Serving-man.

Invite my Lords of Salisbury and Warwick,
To fup with me to-morrow night, Away!

[York,

Southwel, etc.

[Exeunt.

York. Lord Buckingham, methinks, you watch'd her well.

A pretty plot, well chofe to build upon.

Now pray, my Lird, let's fee the devil's writ,

"What have we here?

The Duke yet lives that Henry shall depofe ;.

But bim outlive, and die a violent death.

Why, this is juft, Aio te,

Well, to the reft:

acida, Romanos vincere prsse.

Tell me what fate awaits the Duke of Suffolk ?

By water fhall be die, and take bis end.

What fhall betide the Duke of Somerfet ??

Let bim fhun cafiles.

Safer fall he be on the fandy plains,

Than where cafiles mounted ftand.

Come, come, my Lords;

Thefe oracies are hardily attain'd.

And hardly understood.

The King is now, etc.

This repetition of the prophecies, which is altogether unneceffary, after what the fpectators had heard in the fene immediately preceding, is not to be found in the hift edition of this play. Mr. Pope.

ACT