ACT I. [life, SCENE 1.-London.-A Room of State in the Than this kind kiss.-O Lord, that lends me Palace. Flourish of Trumpets: then Hautboys. Enter, on one side, King HENRY, Duke of GLOSTER, SALISBURY, WARWICK, and Cardinal BEAUFORT; on the other, Queen MARGARET, led in by SUFFOLK; YORK, SOMERSET, BUCKINGHAM, and others, following. Suf. As by your high imperial majesty, I had in charge at my depart for France, As procurator to your excellence, To marry princess Margaret for your grace; So, in the famous ancient city, Tours, In presence of the kings of France and Sicil, The dukes of Orleans, Calaber, Bretaigne, and Alençon, [bishops, [stance Seven earls, twelve barons, twenty reverend I can express no kinder sign of love, K. Hen. Her sight did ravish: but her grace in speech, Her words y-clad with wisdom's majesty, Makes me, from wondering fall to weeping joys, Such is the fulness of my heart's content.Lords, with one cheerful voice, welcome my love. Ali. Long live queen Margaret, England's happiness! Q. Mar. We thank you all. [Flourish. Suf. My lord protector, so it please your grace, Here are the articles of contracted peace, Between our sovereign and the French king Charles, For eighteen months concluded by consent. Glo. [Reads.] Imprimis, It is agreed between the French King, Charles, and William de la Poole, marquis of Suffolk, ambassador for Henry king of England,-that the said Henry shall espouse the lady Margaret, daughter unto Reignier king of Naples, Sicilia, and Jerusalem; and crown her queen of England, ere the thirtieth of May next ensuing.Item,-That the dutchy of Anjou and the county of Maine, shall be released and delivered to the king her father K. Hen. Uncle, how now? Glo. Pardon me, gracious lord; Some sudden qualm hath struck me at the heart, And dimm'd mine eyes, that I can read no further. K. Hen. Uncle of Winchester, I pray, read on. Win. Item,-It is further agreed between them, that the dutchies of Anjou and Maine shall be released and delivered over to the king her father; and she sent over of the king of England's own proper cost and charges, without having dowry. K. Hen. They please us well.-Lord marquis, kneel down; We here create thee the first duke of Suffolk, Somerset, Salisbury, and Warwick; We thank you all for this great favour done, [Exeunt KING, QUEEN, and SUFFOLK. Glo. Brave peers of England, pillars of the state, To you duke Humphrey must unload his grief, In winter's cold, and summer's parching heat, Receiv'd deep scars in France and Normandy? And hath his highness in his infancy Shall Henry's conquest, Bedford's vigilance, Car. Nephew, what means this passionate discourse? This peroration with such circumstance?* Hath given the dutchies of Anjou and Maine These counties were the keys of Normandy: -- son? War. For grief, that they are past recovery: For, were there hope to conquer them again, My sword should shed hot blood, mine eyes no tears. Anjou and Maine! myself did win them both; Those provinces these arms of mine did conquer: And are the cities, that I got with wounds, York. For Suffolk's duke-may he be suffo. cate, That dims the honour of this warlike isle! France should have torn and rent my very heart, Before I would have yielded to this league. And our king Henry gives away his own, Glo. A proper jest, and never heard before, That Suffolk should demand a whole fifteenth, For costs and charges in transporting her! She should have staid in France, and starv'd in France, Before Car. My lord of Gloster, now you grow too hot; It was the pleasure of my lord the king. mind; Tis not my speeches that you do mislike, We shall begin our ancient bickerings.t- [Exit. Car. So, there goes our protector in a rage. 'Tis known to you he is mine enemy: Nay, more, an enemy unto you all; And no great friend, I fear me, to the king. Consider, lords, he is the next of blood, And heir apparent to the English crown; Had Henry got an empire by his marriage, And all the wealthy kingdoms of the west, There's reason he should be displeas'd at it. Look to it, lords; let not his smoothing words Bewitch your hearts; be wise, and circum I cannot blame them all; what is't to them? 'Tis thine they give away, and not their own. sove-Pirates may make cheap pennyworths of their pillage, I fear me, lords, for all this flattering gloss, He being of age to govern of himself?— seat. Car. This weighty business will not brook delay; I'll to the duke of Suffolk presently. [Exit. Som. Cousin of Buckingham, though Humphrey's pride, And greatness of his place be grief to us, Despight duke Humphrey, or the cardinal. Hath won the greatest favour of the commons, Join we together for the public good; While they do tend the profit of the land. And common profit of his country! York And so says York, for he hath greatest And purchase frienas, ana give to courtezans, | Anjou and Maine, both given unto the French! own; And therefore I will take the Nevil's parts, And, when I spy advantage, claim the crown, corn, Hanging the head at Ceres' plenteous load? Meleager; whose life was to continue only so long as a certain firebrand should last His mother Althea having thrown it into the fire, he expired in forment. Glo. O Nell, sweet Nell, if thou dost love thy lord, Banish the canker of ambitious thoughts: Duch. What dream'd my lord? tell me, and 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, 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, Glo. Nay, Eleanor, then must I chide out. right: Presumptuous dame, ill-nurtur'd* Eleanor! With Eleanor, for telling but her dream? Glo. Nay, be not angry, I am pleas'd again. Enter a MESSENGER. Mess. My lord protector, 'tis his highness' pleasure, You do prepare to ride unto Saint Albans, Whereast 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 1 a man, a duke, and next of blood, I would remove these tedious stumblingblocks, [necks: And smooth my way upon their headless 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, man, We are alone; here none but thee, and I. Duch. What say'st thou, majesty! I am but grace. Hume. But, by the grace of God, and Hume's advice, Your grace's title shall be multiplied. With Margery Jourdain, the cunning witch; Hume. This they have promised,-to show your highness A spirit rais'd from depth of under ground, Duch. It is enough; I'll think upon the ques tions: When from Saint Albans we do make return, With thy confederates in this weighty cause. chess' gold; Hume. Hume must make merry with the du- Yet I do find it so: for, to be plain, [mour, [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. + 2 Pet. Marry, the Lord protect him, for he's a good man! Jesu bless him! 1 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. Suf. 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 lordship? 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 a" from me. Let the issue be what it will. With great exactness and observance of form. Suf. Thy wife too? that is some wrong, in- | She vaunted 'mongst her minions t'other day, deed. What's yours?-What's here! [Reuds.] The very train of her worst wearing-gown Against the duke of Suffolk, for enclosing the Was better worth than all my father's lands, commons of Melford.-How now, sir knave? Till Suffolk gave two dukedoms for his daugh2 Pet. Alas, Sir, I am but a poor petitioner of our whole township. Peter. [Presenting his petition.] Against my master, Thomas Horner, for saying, That the duke of York was rightful heir to the crown. Q. 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. Suf. 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, [Tears the Petition. Away, base cullions!*-Suffolk, let them go. All. Come, let's be gone. [Exeunt PETITIONERS. Q. Mar. My lord of Suffolk, say, is this the guise, Is this the fashion in the court of England? [Rome, Suf. Madam, be patient: as I was cause Your highness came to England, so will I In England work your grace's full content. Q. Mar. Beside the haught protector, have we Beaufort, The imperious churchman; Somerset, Buckingham, [these, And grumbling York: and not the least of But can do more in England than the king. Suf. 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. Q. Mar. Not all these lords do vex me half so much, As that proud dame, the lord protector's wife. She sweeps it through the court with troops of ladies, [wife; More like an empress than duke Humphrey's 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 callatt as she is, + Sayings. + Drab, trull Scoundrels. ter. Suf. Madam, myself have lim'd a bush for her; And plac'd a quire of such enticing birds, As for the duke of York,-this late complaint* Enter King HENRY, YORK, and SOMERSET, conversing with him; Duke and Duchess of GLOSTER, Cardinal BEAUFORT, BUCKINGHAM, SALISBURY, and WARWICK. K. Hen. For my part, noble lords, I care not which; Or Somerset, or York, all's one to me. Then let him be denay'd+ the regentship. Som. If Somerset be unworthy of the place, Let York be regent, I will yield to him. War. Whether your grace be worthy, yea, or no, Dispute not that: York is the worthier. Cur. Ambitious Warwick, let thy betters speak. 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 show some reason, Buckingham, Why Somerset should be preferr'd in this. Q. Mar. Because the king, forsooth, will have it so. Glo. Madam, the king is old enough himself To give his censure: these are no women's matters. Q. Mar. If he be old enough, what needs your grace 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 inso lence. [thou? Since thou wert king, (as who is king, but 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. Have cost a mass of public treasury. 1. e. The complaint of Peter the armourer's mam against his master. + Denay is frequently used instead of deny among thie old writers + Censure here means simply judgement or opinion. |