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That she will light to listen to their 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 Humphreyin disgrace.
As for the duke of York, this late complaint'
Will make but little for his benefit:

So, one by one, we'll weed them all at last, And you yourself shall steer the happy helm.

To them enter King Henry, Duke Humphrey, Cardinal Beaufort, Buckingham, York, Salisbury, Warwick, and the Dutchess of Gloster. K. Henry. For my part, noble lords, I care not which;

Or Somerset, or York, all's one to me. [France, York. If York have ill demean'd himself in Then let him be deny'd the regentship.

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Could I come near your beauty with my nails, I'd set my ten commandments in your face. K. Henry. Sweet aunt, be quiet; 'twas against her will. [in time; Elean. Against her will!-Good king, look to't She'll hamper thee, and dandle thee like a baby: Tho' in this place most master wears no breeches, 10 She shall not strike dame Eleanor unreveng'd. [Exit Eleanor.

15

Buck. Lord cardinal, I will follow Eleanor,
And listen after Humphrey, how he proceeds:
She's tickled now; her fume can need no spurs,
She'll gallop fast enough to her destruction.
[Exit Buckingham.
Re-enter Duke Humphrey.

Glo. Now, lords, my choler being over-blown
With walking once about the quadrangle,
20I come to talk of commonwealth affairs.
As for your spightful false objections,
Prove them, and I lie open to the law:
But God in mercy deal so 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.

Som. If Somerset be unworthy of the place, Let York be regent, I will yield to him.' [no, War. Whether your grace be worthy, yea, or Dispute not that; York is the worthier. Car. Ambitious Warwick, let thy betters speak. 25 War. The cardinal's not my better in the field. Buck. All in this presence are thy betters, Warwick.

War. Warwick may live to be the best of all. Sal. Peace, son;-and shew some reason, 30 Buckingham,

Why Somerset should be preferr'd in this. [so. 2. Mar. Because the king, forsooth, will have it Glo. Madam, the king is old enough himself To give his censure: these are no women's 35 [grace your

matters.

2. Mar. If he be old enough, what needs To be protector of his excellence?

Glo. Madam, I am protector of the realm; And, at his pleasure, will resign my place.

Suf. 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.

[attire,

40

45

Som. Thy sumptuous buildings, and thy wife's 50
Have cost a mass of publick treasury.

Buck. Thy cruelty in execution,
Upon offenders, hath exceeded law,
And left thee to the mercy of the law. [France,
2. Mar. Thy sale of offices, and towns in 55
If they were known, as the suspect is great,-
Would make thee quickly hop without thy head.

[Exit Gloster. The Queen drops her fun.
Give me my fan: What, minion! can you not?
[Gives the Dutchess a box on the car. 60

I cry you mercy, madam; Was it you?

Suf. Before we make election, give me leave To shew 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 ine 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 can I witness; and a fouler fact Did never traitor in the land commit. Suf. Peace, head-strong Warwick!

War. Image of pride, why should I hold my

peace?

Enter Horner the Armourer, and his Man Peter, guarded.

Suf. 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. Henry. What mean'st thou, Suffolk? tell me: What are these?

Suf. 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. Henry. Say, man, were these thy words? Arm. An't shall please your majesty, I never said nor thought any such matter: God is my witness, I am falsely accus'd by the villain.

Peter. By these ten bones, my lord, [holding up

1i. e. the complaint of Peter the armourer's man against his master, for saying that York was the rightful king. 2 i. e. judgement or opinion.

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:-5
I do beseech your royal majesty,
Let him have all the rigour of the law.

Arm. 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 10
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.

Boling. Patience, good lady; wizards know

their times:

Deep night, dark night, the silent' of the night, The time of night when Troy was set on fire; The time when scritch-owls cry, and ban-dogs2 howl,

When spirits walk, and ghosts break up theirgraves, That time best fits the work we have in hand. Madam, sit you, and fear not; whom we raise, We will make fast within a hallow'd verge. [Here they perform the ceremonies, and make the circle; Bolingbroke, or Southwel reads, Conjuro te, &c.

It thunders and lightens terribly; then the spirit riseth. Spirit. Adsum.

M. Jourd. Asmath,

By the eternal God, whose name and power Thou tremblest at, answer that I shall ask; 20 For, 'till thou speak, thou shalt not pass from hence. Spirit. Ask what thou wilt:-That I had said and done!

K.Henry. Uncle, what shall we say to this in law: 15 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.Henry. 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. Arm. And I accept the combat willingly. Peter. Alas, my lord, I cannot fight; for God's sake, pity my case! the spight of a man prevaileth against me. O Lord, have mercy upon me! I shall never be able to fight a blow: O Lord, my 30 heart!

Glo. Sirrah, or you must fight, or else be hang'd. K. Henry. Away with them to prison: and

the day

25

Of combat shall be the last of the next month.-35 Come, Somerset, we'll see thee sent away. [Flourish. Exeunt.

SCENE IV. Duke Humphrey's Garden. Enter Mother Jourdain, Hume, Southwel, and 40 Bolingbroke.

Hume. Come, my masters; the dutchess, I tell you, expects performance of your promises.

Boling. Master Hume, we are therefore provided: Will her ladyship behold and hear our 45 exorcisms?

Hume. Ay; what else? fear you not her courage.

come?

Boling. First, of the king. What shall of him beReading out of a paper. Spirit. The duke yet lives, that Henry shall depose;

But him out-live, and die a violent death.

[As the spirit speaks, they write the answer, Boling. What fates await the duke of Suffolk? Spirit. By water shall he die, and take his end. Boling. What shall befall the duke of Somerset ? Spirit. Let him shun castles;

Safer shall he be upon the sandy plains,
Than where castles mounted stand.
Have done, for more I hardly can endure. [lake:
Boling. Descend to darkness, and the burning
False fiend, avoid!

[Thunder and lightning. Spirit descends. Enter the Duke of York, and the Duke of Buckingham, with their guard, and breuk 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 commonweal

Are deep indebted for this piece of pains;
My lord protector will, I doubt it not,
See you well guerdon'd for these good deserts.
Elean. Not half so bad as thine to England's

king,

Boling. I have heard her reported to be a woman of an invincible spirit: But it shall be con-50 venient, master Hume, that you be by her aloft, Injurious duke; that threat'st where is no cause. while we be busy below; and so, I pray you, go Buck. True,madam, none at all. What call you in God's name, and leave us [Exit Hume]. Mother [Shewing her the papers. Jourdain, be you prostrate, and grovel on the Away with them; let them be clapp'd up close, earth: John Southwel, read you; and let us to 55 And kept asunder:-You, madam, shall with our work.

Enter Eleanor, above,

Elean. Well said, my masters; and welcome all. To this geer; the sooner the better.

this?

us:

Stafford, take her to thee.

We'll see your trinkets here forth-coming all; Away![Exeunt guardswithJourdain, Southwel, &c.

1Silent for silence. Mr. Steevens says, that the etymology of the word ban-dogs is unsettled. They seem, however, to have been designed by poets to signify some terrific beings whose office it was to make night hideous.

i. e. rewarded.

Pp

York.

[graphic]

Now, pray, my lord, let's see the devil's writ. What have we here?

[Reads. 5

The duke yet lives, that Henry shall depose;
But him out-live, and die a violent death. [posse.
Why, this is just, Aio te, Eacida, Romanos vincere
Well, to the rest:

Tell me what fate awaits the duke of Suffolk?
By water shall he die, and take his end.
What shall betide the duke of Somerset ?
Let him shun castles;

Safer shall he be on the sandy plains,
Than where castles mounted stand.

10

The king is now in prog With him the husband" Thither go these news A sorry breakfast for in Buck. Your grace sha To be the post, in hope York. At your pleasu Who's within there, ho Enter a S

Invite my lords of Salis Tos o sup with me to-mor

SCENE I.

At Saint Albans.

ACT II.

Enter King Henry, Queen, Gloster, Cardinal, and Suffolk, with Falconers hallooing. 2. Mar. BELIEVE me, lords, for flying at

the brook',

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.Henry.But what a point,my lord, your falcon

made,

And what a pitch she flew above the rest!-To see how God in all his creatures works! Yea, man and birds are fain' of climbing high.

Suf. 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.

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135

Suf. Why, as yoursel An't like your lordly lo Glo. Why, Suffolk, E 2. Mar. And thy amb K. Henry. I pr'ythee, And whet not on these For blessed are the pea

Car. Let me be blesse Against this proud prote Glo. Faith, holy uncle

come to that!

Car. Marry, when tho Glo. Make up no factio the matter,

40 in thine own person answ Car. Ay, where thou da an if thou dar'

[that? 45

Glo. Ay, my lord cardinal; How think you by Were it not good, your grace could fly to heaven? K. Henry. The treasury of everlasting joy! Car. Thy heaven is on earth; thine eyes and thoughts

This evening, on the casts K. Henry. How now, n Car. Believe me, cous Had not your man put u We'd had more sport.sword.

Glo. True, uncle. 50 Are you advis'd?-the c Cardinal, I am with you. K. Henry. Why, how Glo. Talking of hawk

Beat' on a crown, the treasure of thy heart;
Pernicious protector, dangerous peer,
That smooth'st it so with king and commonweal!
Glo. What, cardinal, is your priesthood grown so
Tantæne animis cælestibus ira? [peremptory? 55
Churchmen so hot? good uncle, hide such malice;
With such holiness can you do it?

lord. Now,byGod's mother,pr. Or all my fence' shall fai Car. [aside] Medice, to

2 The meaning,

This is the falconer's term for hawking at water-fowl. son, is, that the wind being high, it was ten to one that the old hawk had fi which hawks often play their masters in windy weather; while Dr. Percy signifies, that the wind was so high, it was ten to one that old Joan would not the game. Utrum horum macis, accipe. i. e. glad. To bait or beat (bath 'Fence is the art of defence.

Act 2. Scene 1.]

SECOND PART OF KING HENRY VI.

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Suf. Come to the king, and tell him what miracle.
One. Forsooth, a blindman at saint Alban's shrine,
Within this half-hour, hath receiv'd his sight;
A man, that ne'er saw in his life before. [souls
K.Henry. Now, God be prais'd! that to believing 15
Gives light in darkness, comfort in despair!
Enter the Mayor of Saint Albans, and his brethren,
bearing Simpcox between two in a chair, Simp-
cox's wife following.

Το

Car. Here come the townsmen on procession, 20
o present your highness with the man.
K.Henry.Great is his comfort in this earthlyvale,
Though by his sight his sin be multiply'd. [king.

Glo. Stand by, my masters, bring him near the
His highness' pleasure is to talk with him. [stance, 25
K. Henry. Good fellow, tell us here the circum-
That we for thee may glorify the Lord.
What, hast thou been long blind, and now restor❜d?
Simp. Born blind, an't please your grace.
Wife. Ay, indeed was he.

Suf. What woman is this?

Wife. His wife, an't like your worship.
Glo. Had'st thou been his mother, thou could'st
have better told.

and saint Alban.

579

Simp. Yes, master, clear as day; I thank God,
[cloak of?
Glo. Say'st thou me so? What colour is this
Simp. Red, master; red as blood. [gown of?
Glo. Why, that's well said; what colour is my
Simp. Black, forsooth; coal-black, as jet.
K. Henry. Why then, thou know'st what co-
lour jet is of?

Suf. And yet, I think, jet did he never sec.
Glo. But cloaks, and gowns, before this day, a

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Glo. Then, Saunder, sit there, the lyingest knave
In Christendom. If thou hadst been born blind,
Thou might'st as well have known all our names,
as thus

To name the several colours we do wear.
Sight may distinguish colours; but suddenly
To nominate them all, it is impossible.-
My lords, saint Alban here hath done a miracle;
30 Would ye not think that cunning to be great,
That could restore this cripple to his legs again?
Simp. O, master, that you could!

K. Henry. Where wert thou born? [grace. 35
Simp. At Berwick in the north, an't like your
K.Henry, Poor soul! God's goodness hath been
great to thee:

40

Let never day nor night unhallow'd pass,
But still remember what the Lord hath done.
Queen. Tell me, good fellow, cam'st thou here
Or of devotion, to this holy shrine? [by chance,
Simp. God knows, of pure devotion; being call'd
A hundred times, and oftener, in my sleep
By good saint Alban; who said,-Saunder, come; 45
Come, offer at my shrine, and I will help thee.
Wife. Most true,forsooth; and many time and oft
Myself have heard a voice to call him so.
Car. What, art thou lame?

Simp. Ay, God Almighty help me!
Suf. How cam'st thou so?

Simp. A fall off of a tree.

Wife. A plum-tree, master.

Glo. How long hast thou been blind?
Sip. O, born so, master.

Glo. My masters of saint Alban's,
Have you not beadles in your town, and things
Call'd whips?

Mayor. Yes, my lord, if it please your grace.
Glo. Then send for one presently.
Mayor. Sirrah,go fetch thebeadlehitherstraight.
[Exit Messenger.
Glo. Now fetch me a stool hither by-and-by.
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.

Enter a Beadle, with whips.

Glo. Well, sir, we must have you find your legs. Sirrah, beadle,whip him 'till he leap over that same stool.

Bead. I will, my lord.-Come on, sirrah; off · 50 with your doublet quickly.

1551

Glo. What, and would'st climb a tree?
Simp. But that in all my life, when I was a youth.
Wife.Tootrue;andboughthisclimbingverydear.
Gio. Mass, thou lov'dst plums well, that would'st
venture so.
[damsons, 60

Simp. Alas, good master, my wife desir'd some
And made me climb, with danger of my life.
Glo. A subtle knave! but yet it shall not serve.-

Simp. Alas, inaster, what shall I do? I am not

able to stand.

[After the Beadle hath hit him once, he leaps over the stool, and runs away; and the people follow and cry, A Miracle! K. Henry. O God, seest thou this, and bear'st so long?

Queen. It made me laugh, to see the villain run. Glo. Follow the knave; and take this drab away. Wife. Alas, sir, we did it for pure need. [town Glo. Let then be whipt through every market Until they come to Berwick, whence they came. [Exit Beadle, with the woman, &c.

Glo. But you have done more miracles than I; You made, in a day, my lord, whole towns to fly. Enter Buckingham.

K. Henry. What tidings with our cousin Buckingham?

The first, Edward the Black Prince, prince of
Wales;

The second, William of Hatfield; and the third,
Lionel, duke of Clarence; next to whom

5 Was John of Gaunt, the duke of Lancaster:
The fifth was Edmund Langley, duke of York;
The sixth was Thomas of Woodstock, duke of
Gloster;

William of Windsor was the seventh, and last.
10 Edward, the Black Prince, dy'd before his father;
And left behind him Richard, his only son,
Who,after Edward the third's death, reign'd king;
'Till Henry Bolingbroke, duke of Lancaster,
The eldest son and heir of John of Gaunt,
15 Crown'd by the name of Henry the fourth,
Seiz'd on the realm; depos'd the rightful king;
Sent his poor queen to France, from whence she

Buck. Such as my heart doth tremble to unfold.
A sort of naughty persons, lewdly bent,-
Under the countenance and confederacy
Of lady Eleanor, the protector's wife,
The ring-leader and head of all this rout,-
Have practis'd dangerously against your state,
Dealing with witches, and with conjurers:
Whom we have apprehended in the fact;
Raising up wicked spirits from under ground,
Demanding of king Henry's life and death,
And other of your highness' privy council,
As more at large your grace shall understand.
Car. And so, my lord protector, by this means
Your lady is forth-coming yet at London?.
This news,I think, bath turn'd your weapon's edge; 20
'Tis like, my lord, you will not keep your hour.
[Aside to Gloster.

Glo. Ambitious churchman, leave to afflict my
heart!

Sorrow and grief have vanquish'd all my powers; 25
And, vanquish'd as I am, I yield to thee,
Or to the meanest groom.

[ed ones;
K.Henry.O God,what mischiefs work the wick-
Heaping confusion on their own heads thereby!
Queen. Gloster, see here the tainture of thy nest; 30
And, look, thyself be faultless, thou wert best.

Glo. Madam, for myself, to heaven I do appeal,
How I have lov'd my king, and common-weal:
And, for my wife, I know not how it stands;
Sorry I am to hear what I have heard:
Noble she is; but, if she have forgot
Honour and virtue, and convers'd with such
As, like to pitch, defile nobility,
I banish her my bed and company;
And give her, as a prey, to law, and shame,
That hath dishonour'd Gloster's honest name.
K. Henry. Well, for this night, we will repose
us here:

To-morrow, toward London, back again,
To look into this business thoroughly,

And call these foul offenders to their answers;
And poise the cause in justice' equal scales,
Whose beam stands sure, whose rightful cause
prevails.
[Flourish. Exeunt.
SCENE II.

The Duke of York's Garden.
Enter York, Salisbury, and Warwick.

York. Now, my good lords of Salisbury and
Warwick,

Our simple supper ended, give me leave,
In this close waik, to satisfy myself,
In craving your opinion of my title,
Which is infallible, to England's crown.

came,

And him to Pomfret; where, as both you know,
Harmless Richard was murder'd traitorously.
War. Father, the duke hath told the truth;
Thus got the house of Lancaster the crown.
York. Which now they hold by force, and not
by right;

heir.

For Richard, the first son's heir, being dead,
The issue of the next son should have reign'd.
Sal. But William of Hatfield dies! without an
[whose line
York. The third son, duke of Clarence, (from
I claim the crown) had issue-Philippe,a daughter,
Who married Edmund Mortimer, earl of March.
Edmund had issue-Roger, earl of March:
Roger had issue-Edmund, Anne, and Eleanor.

Sal. This Edmund, in the reign of Bolingbroke,
33 As I have read, laid claim unto the crown;
And, but for Owen Glendower, had been king,
Who kept him in captivity, 'till he dy'd.
But, to the rest.

York. His eldest sister, Anne,

40 My mother, being heir unto the crown,
Married Richard earl of Cambridge; who was son
To Edmund Langley, Edward the third's fifth son.
By her I claim the kingdom: She then was heir
To Roger, earl of March; who was the son
45 Of Edmund Mortimer; who married Philippe,
Sole daughter unto Lionel, duke of Clarence:
So, if the issue of the elder son
Succeed before the younger, I am king.
[this?
War. What plain proceeding is more plain than
50 Henry doth claim the crown from John of Gaunt,
The fourth sen; York claimeth 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.—
55 Then, father Salisbury, kneel we both together;
And, in this private plot, be we the first,
That shall salute our rightful sovereign
With honour of his birth-right to the crown.
Both.Longlive oursovereignRichard, England's

Sul. My lord, I long to hear it at full. [good,
War. Sweet York, begin: and if thy claim be 60|
The Nevils are thy subjects to command.
York. Then thus:-

Edward the third, my lords, had seven sons:

king!

[king York. We thank you, lords. But I am not your 'Till I be crown'd; and that my sword be stain'd With heart-blood of the house of Lancaster:

i. e. wickedly. ? That is, your lady is in custody.

And

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