Henry doth claim the crown from John of
Gaunt,

The fourth son; York claims it from the third.
Till Lionel's issue fails, his should not reign:
It fails not yet; but flourishes in thee,
And in thy sons, fair slips of such a stock.---
Then, father Salisbury, kneel we both to-
gether;

And, in this private plot,* be we the first,
That shall salute our rightful sovereign
With honour of his birthright to the crown.
Both. Long live our sovereign Richard,
England's king!

York. We thank you, lords. But I am not
your king
[stain'd
Till I be crown'd; and that my sword be
With heart-blood of the house of Lancaster.
And that's not suddenly to be perform'd;
But with advice, and silent secrecy.
Do you, as I do, in these dangerous days,
Wink at the duke of Suffolk's insolence,
At Beaufort's pride, at Somerset's ambition,
At Buckingham, and all the crew of them,
Till they have snar'd the shepherd of the flock,
That virtuous prince, the good duke Hum-
phrey :

'Tis that they seek; and they in seeking that, Shall find their deaths, if York can prophesy.

Sal. My lord, break we off; we know your mind at full.

War. My heart assures me, that the earl of Warwick

Shall one day make the duke of York a king. York. And, Nevil, this I do assure myself,Richard shall live to make the earl of Warwick

The greatest man in England, but the king. [Exeunt.

SCENE III.-The same.-A Hall of Justice. Trumpets sounded. Enter King HENRY, Queen MARGARET, GLOSTER, YORK, SUFFOLK, and SALISBURY; the Duchess of GLOSTER, MARGERY JOURDAIN, SOUTHWELL, HUME, and BOLINGBROKE, under guard.

K. Hen. Stand forth, dame Eleanor Cob-
ham, Gloster's wife:

In sight of God, and us, your guilt is great;
Receive the sentence of the law, for sins
Such as by God's book are adjudg'd to death.---

• Sequestered spot.

You four, from hence to prison back again; [To JOURD. &c.

From thence, unto the place of execution: The witch in Smithfield shall be burn'd to ashes,

And you three shall be strangled on the gallows.

You, madam, for you are more nobly born,
Despoiled of your honour in your life,
Shall, after three days' open penance done,
Live in your country here, in banishment,
With Sir John Stanley, in the isle of Man.
Duch. Welcome is banishment, welcome
were my death.

Glo. Eleanor, the law, thou seest, hath judg'd thee;

I cannot justify whom the law condemns.[Exeunt the DUCHESS, aud the other prisoners, guurded.

Mine eyes are full of tears, my heart of grief. Ah, Humphrey, this dishonour in thine age Will bring thy head with sorrow to the ground!

I beseech your majesty, give me leave to go; Sorrow would solace, and mine age would

ease.*

K. Hen. Stay, Humphrey duke of Gloster: ere thou go,

Give up thy staff; Henry will to himself
Protector be: and God shall be my hope,
My stay, my guide, and lantern to my feet;
And go in peace, Humphrey; no less belov'd,
Than when thou wert protector to thy king.

Q. Mar. I see no reason, why a king of years

Should be to be protected like a child.-
God and king Henry govern England's helm:
Give up your staff, Sir, and the king his
realm.

Glo. My staff?-here, noble Henry, is my staff:

As willingly do I the same resign,
As e'er thy father Henry made it mine;
And even as willingly at thy feet I leave it,
As others would ambitiously receive it.
Farewell, good king: When I am dead and
gone,

May honourable peace attend thy throne!

[Exit.

Q. Mar. Why, now is Henry king, and Margaret queen;

And Humphrey, duke of Gloster, scarce himself,

That bears so shrewd a maim; two pulls at

once

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 This is the day appointed for the combat; majesty, 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. Mur. 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;

I. c. Sorrow requires solace, and age requires ess?. + Reached.

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-bug fastened to it; a drum before him; at the other side, PETER, with a drum and a similar 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.t

3 Neigh. And here's a pot of good double beer, neighbour: drink, and fear not your

not afraid.

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 [Dies.

treason.

York. Take away his weapon:-Fellow, Thank God, and the good wine in thy master's

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

streets.

Enter the Duchess of GLOSTER, in a white shee‹, with papers pinned upon her back, her feet bare, and a taper burning in her hand; 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. Čome you, my lord, to see my open shame? Igaze! Now thou dost penance too. Look, how they 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 bang thine enemies, both mine and thine. Glo. Be patient, gentle Nell; forget this grief.

Duch. Ah, Gloster, teach me to forget my. self:

For, whilst I think I am thy married wife,
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

* Change. + Not easily. ↑ Malicious. Curss Wrapped up in disgrace; alluding to the sheet of per Deep-fetched.

ance.

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 re-
proach?

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:
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.
[Exit HERALD.
My Nell, I take my leave:-and, master she-
riff,
[sion.
Let not her penance exceed the king's commis-
Sher. An't please your grace, here my com-
mission 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 her not the worse, in that I pray You use her well: the world may laugh again;t 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 afeard,
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 used according to your state.
Duch. That's bad enough, for I am but re-
proach:

And shall I then be us'd reproachfully?
Stan. Like to a duchess, and duke Hum-

phrey's lady,

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 my
sheet:

No, it will hang upon my richest robes,
And show itself, attire me how I can.
Go, lead the way; I long to see my prison.
[Exeunt.

ACT III.

SCENE I.-The Abbey at Bury. Enter to the Parliament, King HENRY, Queen MARGARET, Cardinal BEAUFORT, SUFFOLK, YORK, BUCKINGHAM, and others.

come:

K. Hen. I muse, my lord of Gloster is not 'Tis not his wont to be the hindmost man, Whate'er occasion keeps him from us now. Q. Mar. Can you not see? or will you not observe

The strangeness of his alter'd countenance?
With what a majesty he bears himself;
How insolent of late he is become,
How proud, peremptory, and unlike himself?
We know the time, since he was mild and
affable;

And, if we did but glance a far-off look,
Immediately he was upon his knee,
That all the court admir'd him for submission
But, meet him now, and, be it in the morn,
When every one will give the time of day,
He knits his brow, and shows an angry eye,
And passeth by with stiff unbowed knee,
Disdaining duty that to us belongs.
Small curs are not regarded, when they grin
But great men tremble, when the lion roars;
And Humphrey is no little man in England.
First, note, that he is near you in descent;
And should you fall, he is the next will mount.
Me seemeth then, it is no policy,
Respecting what a rancorous mind he bears,
And his advantage following your decease,-
That he should come about your royal person,
Or be admitted to your highness' council.
By flattery hath he won the commons' hearts;
"Tis to be fear'd, they all will follow him.
And, when he please to make commotion,
Now 'tis the spring, and weeds are shallow-
rooted;
[den,
Suffer them now, and they'll o'ergrow the gar-
And choke the herbs for want of husbandry.
The reverent care, I bear unto my lord,
Made me collect these dangers in the duke.
If it be fond,‡ call it a woman's fear;
Which fear, if better reasons can supplant,
will subscribe and say-I wrong'd the duke.
My lord of Suffolk,- Buckingham, — and
York,-

Reprove my allegation, if you can;
Or else conclude my words effectual.

Suf. Well hath your highness seen into this
And, had I first been put to speak my mind,
duke;
I think, I should have told your grace's tale.
The duchess, by his subornation,
Upon my life, began her devilish practices:
Or if he were not privy to those faults,
Yet, by reputing of his high descent,
(As next the king, he was successive heir,)
And such high vaunts of his nobility,
Did instigate the bedlam brain-sick duchess,
By wicked means to frame our sovereign's fall.
Wonder. I. e. Assemble by observation.
+ Foolish.

I.e. Valuing himself on his high descent.

Smooth runs the water, where the brook is deep; |
And in his simple show he harbours treason.
The fox barks not, when he would steal the
lamb.

No, no, my sovereign; Gloster is a man
Unsounded yet, and full of deep deceit.
Car. Did he not, contrary to form of law,
Devise strange deaths for small offences done?
York. And did he not, in his protectorship,
Levy great sums of money through the realm,
For soldiers' pay in France, and never sent it?
By means whereof, the towns each day re-
volted.

Buck. Tut! these are petty faults to faults unknown,

Which time will bring to light in smooth duke Humphrey.

K. Hen. My lords, at once: The care you have of us,

To mow down thorns that would annoy our
foot,
[science?
Is worthy praise: But shall I speak my con-
Our kinsman Gloster is as innocent
From meaning treason to our royal person,
As is the sucking lamb, or harmless dove:
The duke is virtuous, mild; and too well
given,

To dream on evil, or to work my downfall.
Q. Mar. Ah, what's more dangerous than
this fond affiance!
[row'd,
Seems he a dove? his feathers are but bor-
For he's disposed as the hateful raven.
Is he a lamb? his skin is surely lent him,
For he's inclin'd as are the ravenous wolves.
Who cannot steal a shape, that means deceit;
Take heed my lord; the welfare of us all
Hangs on the cutting short that fraudful man.
Enter SOMERset.

Som. All health unto my gracious sovereign!
K. Hen. Welcome, lord Somerset. What

I never robb'd the soldiers of their pay,
Nor ever had one penny bribe from France.
So help me God, as I have watch'd the night,
Ay, night by night,-in studying good for Eng-
land!
That doit that e'er I wrested from the king,
Or any groat I hoarded to my use,
Be brought against me at my trial day!
No! many a pound of mine own proper store,
Because I would not tax the needy commons,
Have I dispursed to the garrisons,
And never ask'd for restitution.

Car. It serves you well, my lord, to say so much.

Glo. I say no more than truth, so help me God!

York. In your protectorship, you did devise Strange tortures for offenders, never heard of, That England was defam'd by tyranny.

Glo. Why, 'tis well known, that whiles I was protector,

Pity was all the fault that was in me;
For I should melt at an offender's tears,
And lowly words were ransom for their fault.
Unless it were a bloody murderer, [sengers,
Or foul felonious thief that fleec'd poor pas-
I never gave them condign punishment:
Murder, indeed, that bloody sin, I tortur'd
Above the felon, or what trespass else.

Suf. My lord, these faults are easy,* quickly answer'd:

But mightier crimes are laid unto your charge,
Whereof you cannot easily purge yourself.
I do arrest you in his highness' name;
And here commit you to my lord cardinal
To keep, until your further time of trial.

K. Hen. My lord of Gloster, 'tis my special hope,

news from France?

Glo. All happiness unto my lord the king! Pardon, my liege, that I have staid so long. Suf. Nay, Gloster, know, that thou art come

too soon, Unless thou wert more loyal than thou art : I do arrest thee of high treason here.

Glo. Well, Suffolk, yet thou shalt not see me blush,

Nor change my countenance for this arrest;
A heart unspotted is not easily daunted.
The purest spring is not so free from mud,
As I am clear from treason to my sovereign:
Who can accuse me? wherein am I guilty?
York. "Tis thought, my lord, that you took
bribes of France,

And, being protector, stayed the soldiers' pay;
By means whereof, his highness hath lost
France.

Glo. Is it but thougnt so? What are they that think it?

*Gear was a general word for things or matters.

Foul subornation is predominant,
And equity exil'd your highness' land.
I know, their complot is to have my life;
And, if my death might make this island happy,
And prove the period of their tyranny,
I would expend it with all willingness:
But mine is made the prologue to their play;
For thousands more, that yet suspect no peril,
Will not conclude their plotted tragedy.
Beaufort's red sparkling eyes blab his heart's
malice,

And Suffolk's cloudy brow, his stormy hate;
Sharp Buckingham unburdens with his tongue
The envious load that lies upon his heart;
And dogged York, that reaches at the moon,
Whose overweening arm I have pluck'd back,
By false accuset doth level at my life:-
And you, my sovereign lady, with the rest,
Causeless have laid disgraces on my head;
And, with your best endeavour, have stirr'd up
My liefest, liege to be mine enemy:-
Ay, all of you have laid your heads together
Myself had notice of your conventicles,
I shall not want false witness to condemn me,
Nor store of treasons to augment my guilt;
The ancient proverb will be well affected,-
A staff is quickly found to beat a dog.

Car. My liege, his railing is intolerable: If those that care to keep your royal person From treason's secret knife, and traitor's rage, Be thus upbraided, chid, and rated at, And the offender granted scope of speech, "Twill make them cool in zeal unto your grace. * Fer casily. + For accusation. + Dearect.

Suf. Hath he not twit our sovereign lady here, [couch'd, With ignominious words, though clerkly As if she had suborned some to swear False allegations to o'erthrow his state?

Q. Mur. But I can give the loser leave to chide.

Glo. Far truer spoke than meant: I lose indeed ;

Beshrew the winners, for they play'd me false! And well such losers may have leave to speak. Buck. He'll wrest the sense, and hold us here all day :—

Lord cardinal, he is your prisoner.

Car. Sirs, take away the duke, and guard him sure.

Glo. Ah, thus king Henry throws away his
crutch,

Before his legs be firm to bear the body:
Thus is the shepherd beaten from thy side,
And wolves are gnarling who shall gnaw thee
first.

Ah, that my fear were false! ah, that it were!
For, good king Henry, thy decay I fear.

[Exeunt ATTENDANTS, with GLOSTER. K. Hen. My lords, what to your wisdoms seemeth best,

Do, or undo, as if ourself were here. Q. Mar. What, will your highness leave the parliament?

K. Hen. Ay, Margaret; my heart is drown'd with grief,

Whose flood begins to flow within mine eyes;
My body round engirt with misery;
For what's more miserable than discontent?
Ah, uncle Humphrey! in thy face I see
The map of honour, truth, and loyalty;
And yet, good Humphrey, is the hour to come,
That e'er I prov'd thee false, or fear'd thy faith.
What low'ring star now envies thy estate,
That these great lords, and Margaret our
queen,

Do seek subversion of thy harmless life?
Thou never didst them wrong, nor no man

Look after him, and cannot do him good;
So mighty are his vowed enemies. [groan,
His fortunes I will weep; and 'twixt each
Say-Who's a traitor? Gloster he is none. [Exit.
Q. Mar. Free lords, cold snow melts with
the sun's hot beams.

Henry my lord is cold in great affairs,
Too full of foolish pity; and Gloster's show
Beguiles him, as the mournful crocodile
With sorrow snares relenting passengers;
Or as the snake, roll'd in a flowering bank,*
With shining checker'd slough,† doth sting a
child,

That, for the beauty, thinks it excellent.
Believe me, lords, were none more wise than I,
(And yet, herein, I judge mine own wit good,
This Gloster should be quickly rid the world,
To rid us from the fear we have of him.

I. . In the flowers growing on a bank. + Skin.

Car. That he should die, is worthy policy; But yet we want a colour for his death: 'Tis meet, he be condemn'd by course of law. Suf. But, in my mind, that were no policy: The king will labour still to save his life, The commons haply rise to save his life; And yet we have but trivial argument, More than mistrust, that shows him worthy death.

York. So that, by this, you would not have him die.

Suf. Ah, York, no man alive so fain as I. York. "Tis York that hath more reason for his death.

But, my lord cardinal, and you, my lord of
Suffolk,-
[souls,-
Say as you think, and speak it from your
Wer't not all one, an empty eagle were set
To guard the chicken from a hungry kite,
As place duke Humphrey for the king's pro-

tector?

Q. Mar. So the poor chicken should be sure of death.

Suf. Madam, 'tis true: And wer't not madness then,

To make the fox surveyor of the fold?
Who being accus'd a crafty murderer,
His guilt should be but idly posted over,
Because his purpose is not executed.
No; let him die, in that he is a fox,
By nature prov'd an enemy to the flock,
Before his chaps be stain'd with crimson blood;
As Humphrey, prov'd by reasons, to my liege,
And do not stand on quillets, how to slay him:
Be it by gins, by snares, by subtilty,
Sleeping or waking, 'tis no matter how,
So he be dead; for that is good deceit
Which matest him first, that first intends de-
Q. Mar. Thrice-noble Suffolk, 'tis resolutely
spoke.

[ceit.

Suf. Not resolute, except so much were done; For things are often spoke, and seldom meant: But, that my heart accordeth with my tongue,Seeing the deed is meritorious,

And to preserve my sovereign from his foe,Say but the word, and I will be his priest,

Car. But I would have him dead, my lord

of Suffolk,

Ere you can take due orders for a priest:
Say, you consent, and censure well the deed,
And I'll provide his executioner,

I tender so the safety of my liege.

Suf. Here is my hand, the deed is worthy doing.

Q. Mar. And so say I.

York. And I and now we three have spoke

it,

It skills not greatly who impugns our docm. Enter a MESSENGER.

Mess. Great lords, from Ireland am I come amain,

To signify-that rebels there are up,
And put the Englishmen unto the sword:
Send succours, lords, and stop the rage betime,
Before the wound do grow incurable;
For, being green, there is great hope of help.
Cur. A breach, that craves a quick expedient
stop!

What counsel give you in this weighty cause?
York. That Somerset be sent as regent

thither: