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Mail'd up in fhame, with papers on my back:
And follow'd with a rabble that rejoice

To fee my tears, and hear my deep-fetch'd groans.
The ruthless flint doth cut my tender feet;
And when I start, the cruel people laugh;
And bid me be advised how I tread.

Ah Humphry, can I bear this fhameful yoak?
Trow'ft thou, that e'er I'll look upon the world,
Or count them happy, that enjoy the fun?
No: dark fhall be my light, and night my day..
To think upon my pomp, fhall be my hell.
Sometime I'll fay, I am Duke Humphry's wife,
And he a Prince, and ruler of the land;
Yet fo he rul'd, and fuch a Prince he was,
That he stood by, whilst I, his forlorn Dutchefs,
Was made a wonder and a pointing stock
To every idle, rafcal follower.

But be thou mild, and blush not at my shame,,
Nor ftir at nothing, till the ax of death
Hang over thee, as, fure, it shortly will,
For Suffolk, (he that can do all in all
With her, that hateth thee and hates us all)
And York, and impious Beauford, that false priest,.
Have all lim❜d bushes to betray thy wings;
And fly thou, how thou can'ft, they'll tangle thee ::
But fear not thou, until thy foot be fnar'd,
Nor never seek prevention of thy foes.

Glo. Ay, Nell, forbear; thou aim'st all awry.
I must offend, before I be attainted:

And, had I twenty times fo many foes,

And each of them had twenty times their power,
All these could not procure me any fcathe,
So long as I am loyal, true, and crimeless.
Would it have me rescue thee from this reproach ♪
Why, yet thy fcandal were not wip'd away;
But I in danger for the breach of law.
Thy greatest help is quiet, gentle Nell;
I pray thee, fort thy heart to patience;
Thefe few days wonder will be quickly worn.

Enter

Enter a Herald.

Her. I fummon your grace to his majesty's parliament holden at Bury, the first of this next month."

Glo. And my confent ne'er afk'd herein before? This is clofe dealing. Well, I will be there;

[Exit Herald.

My Nell, I take my leave: and master Sheriff,
Let not her penance exceed the King's commiffion.
Sher. An't pleafe your grace, here my commiffion stays:
And Sir John Stanley is appointed now,

To take her with him to the Isle of Man.

Glo. Muft you, Sir John, protect my Lady here? Stan. So am I giv'n in charge, may't pleafe your grace.. Glo. Entreat her not the worse, in that I pray You use her well; the world may laugh again; And I may live to do you kindness, if

You do it her and fo, Sir John, farewel.

:

Elean. What gone, my Lord, and bid me not farewel♪ Glo. Witness my tears, I cannot ftay to speak.

[Exit Gloucefter. Elean. 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 afraid, 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 us'd according to your state.

Elean. That's bad enough, for I am but reproach: And fhall I then be us'd reproachfully?

Stan. No; like a Dutchefs, and Duke Humphry's Lady,

According to that ftate you fhall be us'd.

Elean. Sheriff, farewel, and better than I fare;
Although thou haft been conduct of my shame.
Sher. It is my office, Madam; pardon me.
Elean. Ay, ay, farewel; thy office is discharg'd.

Come, Stanley, shall we go?

Stan. Madam, your penance done, throw off this fheet, And go we to attire you for your journey.

Elean.

Elean. My fhame will not be shifted with No, it will hang upon my richest robes, And fhew itself, attire me how I can.

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Go, lead the way, I long to fee my prifon.

[Exeunt.

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SCENE, at Bury.

Enter King Henry, Queen, Cardinal, Suffolk, York, Buckingham, Salisbury and Warwick, to the Parliament.

K. HENRY.

Lord of Glo Aer

'Tis not his wont to be the hindmost man, Whate'er occafion keeps him from us now.

Q. Mar. Can you not fee, or will you not obferve The strangeness of his alter'd countenance? With what a majesty he bears himself,

How infolent of late he is become,

How peremptory and unlike himself!

We know the time, fince 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 fubmiffion.
But meet him now, and be it in the morn,
When ev'ry one will give the time of day,
He knits his brow, and fhews an angry eye;
And paffeth by with ftiff unbowed knee,
Difdaining duty that to us belongs.
Small curs are not regarded, when they grin;
But great men tremble, when the lion roars;
And Humphry is no little man in England.
First note, that he is near you in descent;
And, fhould you fall, he is the next will mount.
Me feemeth then, it is no policy,

(Refpecting what a ranc'rous mind he bears,
And his advantage following your decease)
That he fhould come about your royal perfon,
Or be admitted to your Highness' council.

By

By flatt'ry hath he won the common hearts;
And when he'll please to make commotion,
'Tis to be fear'd they all will follow him.
Now 'tis the spring, and weeds are shallow-rooted,
Suffer them now, and they'll o'er-grow the garden;
And choak the herbs for want of husbandry.
The reverent care, I bear unto my Lord,
Made me collect thefe dangers in the Duke.
If it be fond, call it a woman's fear:
Which fear, if better reafons can fupplant,
I will fubfcribe, and fay, I wrong'd the Duke.
My Lords of Suffolk, Buckingham, and York,
Reprove my allegation, if you can ;

Or elfe conclude my words effectual.

Suf. Well hath your Highness feen into this Duke. And had I first been put to speak my mind,

I think, I fhould have told your Grace's tale.
The Dutchess, by his fubornation,

Upon my life, began her devilish practices:
Or if he were not privy to thofe faults,
Yet, by reputing of his high descent,
As next the King he was fucceffive heir,
And fuch high vaunts of his nobility,
Did inftigate the beldam brain-fick Dutchefs
By wicked means to frame our Sov'reign's fall.
Smooth runs the water, where the brook is deep;
And in his fimple shew he harbours treason.
The fox barks not, when he would steal the lamb.
No, no, my Sovereign, Glo'fter is a man
Unfounded yet, and full of deep deceit.

Car. Did he not, contrary to form of law,
Devife ftrange deaths for small offences done?
York. And did he not, in his Protectorship,
Levy great fums of money through the realm
For foldiers pay in France, and never fent it?
By means whereof, the towns each day revolted.

Buck. Tut, these are petty faults, to faults unknown; Which time will bring to light in smooth Duke Humphry. K. Henry. My Lords, at once; the care you have of us, To mow down thorns that would annoy our foot, Is worthy praife; but fhall I fpeak my confcience?

Our

Our kinfman Glofer is as innocent

From meaning treafon to our royal perfon,
As is the fucking lamb or harmless dove:

The Duke is virtuous, mild, and too well given
To dream on evil, or to work my downfall. [affiance?
Q. Mar. Ah! what's more dang'rous than this fond
Seems he a dove his feathers are but borrow'd,
For he's difpofed as the hateful raven.

Is he a lamb? his fkin is, furely, lent him,
For he's inclin'd as is the ravenous wolf.
Who cannot steal a fhape, that means deceit ?
Take heed, my Lord; the welfare of us all
Hangs in the cutting fhort that fraudful man.
Enter Somerset.

Som. All health unto my gracious Sovereign!
K. Henry. Welcome, Lord Somerset; what news from
Som. That all your intereft in thofe territories [France?
Is utterly bereft you; all is loft.
[be done!
K. Henry. Cold news, Lord Somerset ; but God's will
York. Cold news for me: for I had hope of France,
As firmly as I hope of fertile England.
Thus are my bloffoms blafted in the bud,
And caterpillars eat my leaves away.
But I will remedy this gear ere long,
Or fell my title for a glorious grave.

Enter Gloucester.

[Afide.

Glo. All happiness unto my Lord the King! Pardon, my Liege, that I have staid fo long. Suf. Nay, Glofter, know, thou art come too foon, Unless thou wert more loyal than thou art;

I do arreft thee of high treafon here.

Glo. Well, Suffolk, yet thou shalt not fee me blush, Nor change my countenance for this arreft: A heart unfpotted is not easily daunted. The pureft fpring is not fo free from mud, As I am clear from treason to my Sovereign. Who can accuse me? wherein am I guilty?

[France;

York. 'Tis thought, my Lord, that you took bribes of

And, being Protector, ftaid the foldiers pay;

By

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