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;
Saliff'ry and Warwick are no fimple Peers.

Q Mar. Not all thefe Lords do vex me half fo much,
As that proud dame, the Lord Protector's wife :
She fweeps it through the court with troops of Ladies,
More like an Emprefs than Duke Humphry's wife:
Strangers in court do take her for the Queen;
She bears a Duke's revenues on her back,
And in her heart fhe fcorns our poverty.
Shall I not live to be aveng'd on her ?
Contemptuous, bafe-born, callot as fhe is,
She vaunted 'mongft her minions t' other day,
The very train of her worst wearing gown
Was better worth than all my father's lands;
Till Suffolk gave two dukedoms for his daughter!
Suf. Madam, myfelf have lim'd a bufh for her,
And plac'd a quire of fuch enticings birds,
That the will light to listen to their lays;
And never mount to trouble you again.
So, let her reft; and, Madam, lift to me;
For I am bold to counsel you in this ;
Although we fancy not the Cardinal,

Yet muft we join with him and with the Lords,
Till we have brought Duke Humphry in difgrace.
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 laft:
And you yourself shall steer the happy realm.

To them enter King Henry, Duke Humphry, Cardinal,
Buckingham, York, Salisbury, Warwick, and the
Dutchess of Gloucester.

K. Henry. For my part, noble Lords, I care not which, Or Somerset, or York, all's one to me.

York. If York have ill demean'd himself in France,

Then let him be deny'd the regentship.

Som. If Somerfet be unworthy of the place,

Le

Let York be regent, I will yield to him.

War. Whether your Grace be worthy, yea or no, Difpute not that; York is the worthier.

Car. Ambitious Warwick, let thy betters fpeak. War. The Cardinal's not my better in the field. Buck. All in this prefence are thy betters, Warwick. War. Warwick may live to be the best of all. Sal. Peace, Son; and fhew fome reafon, Buckingham, Why Somerfet fhould be preferr'd in this.

2. Mar. Becaufe the King, forfooth, will have it fo. Glo. Madam, the King is old enough himself To give his cenfure: these are no woman's matters. 2. 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 pleafure, will refign my place.

Suf. Refign it then, and leave thine infolence.
Since thou wert King, (as who is King, but thou?)
The commonwealth hath daily run to wrack.
The Dauphin hath prevail'd beyond the feas,
And all the Peers, and nobles of the realm,
Have been as bond-men to thy fov'reignty.

Car. The commons haft thou rack'd; the clergy's bags Are lank and lean with thy extortions.

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

Buck. Thy cruelty in execution

Upon offenders have 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.

Give me my fan; what, minion? can ye not?

[Exit Glo.

[She gives the Dutchess a box on the ear.

I cry you mercy, Madam; was it you?

Elean. Was't I? yea, I it was, proud French-woman : 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.

Elean. Againft her will, good King? look to't in time, She'll hamper thee and dandle thee like a baby:

Though in this place most master wears no breeches,
She fhall not flrike dame Eleanor unrevenged.

[Exit Eleanor.

Buck. Lord Card'nal, I'll follow Eleanor,
And liften after Humphry, how he proceeds:
She's tickled now, her fume can need no fpurs;
She'll gallop faft enough to her destruction.

[Exit Buckingham.

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 spightful 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:
I 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
First, 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 danc'd attendance on his will,
Till Paris was befieg'd, famish'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 treason: Pray God, the Duke of York excufe himself!

York

York. Doth any one accufe York for a traitor?

K. Henry. What mean'ft thou, Suffolk ? tell me, what are these?

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

K. Henry. Say, man; were these thy words?

Arm. An't fhall please your Majefty, I never faid nor thought any fuch matter; God is my witness, I am falfly accus'd by the villain.

Peter. By thefe ten bones, my Lord, he did speak them to me in the garret one night, as we were fcow'ring my Lord of York's armour.

York. Bafe dunghill villain, and mechanical, I'll have thy head for this thy traitor's speech: I do beseech 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 witness of this; therefore I befeech your Majesty, do not caft away an honeft man for a villain's accufation.

K. Henry. Uncle, what fhall we fay to this in law? Glo. This doom, my Lord, if I may judge: 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 witness 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, (4)

(4) K. Henry. Then be it fo, &c.] These two lines I have inserted from the old quarto; and, as I think, very neceffarily. For without them, the King has not declared his affent to Gloucester's opinion: and the Duke of Somerfet is made to thank him for the regency, before the King has deputed him to it.

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 fpight of man prevaileth againft me. O Lord have mercy upon me! I fhall never be able to fight a blow: O Lord, my heart!—

Glo. Sirrah, or you must fight, or elfe be hang'd.

K. Henry. Away with them to prifon; and the day of combat fhall be the last of the next month. Come, Somerfet, we'll fee thee fent away. [Flourish. Exeunt.

SCENE, the Witch's Cave.

Enter Mother Jordan, Hume, Southwel, and Bolingbroke. Ome, my masters; the Dutchefs, I tell you,

Hume expects performance of your promifes

Boling. Mafter Hume, we are therefore provided: will her Ladyship behold and hear our exorcifms?

Hume. Ay, what else? fear not her courage.

Boling. I have heard her reported to be a woman of an invincible spirit; but it fhall be convenient, mafter Hume, that you be by her aloft, while we be busy 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 Southavel, 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 times: Deep night, dark night, the filent of the night, The time of night when Troy was fet on fire,

The time, when fcreech-owls cry, and ban-dogs howl;
When fpirits 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 raise,
We will make faft within a hallow'd verge.

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