We'll both together lift our heads to heaven; Glo. O Nell, sweet Nell, if thou dost love thy lord, Banish the canker of ambitious thoughts: And may that thought, when I imagine ill Against my king and nephew, virtuous Henry, Be my last breathing in this mortal world! My troublous dream this night doth make me sad. Duch. What dream'd my lord? tell me, and I'll requite it With the 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, Were plac'd the heads of Edmond duke of Somerset, This was my dream; what it doth bode, God knows. Glo. Nay, Eleanor, then must I chide outright: Glo. Nay, be not angry, I am pleas'd again. Enter a Messenger. Mes. My lord protector, 'tis his highness' pleasure, Follow I must, I cannot go before, I would remove these tedious stumbling blocks, A spirit rais'd from depth of under ground, [Exit DUCHESS. Hume. Hume must make merry with the duchess' gold; Marry, and shall. But how now, sir John Hume? Dame Eleanor gives gold, to bring the witch: [Exit. 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!" 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 all, from me. Suf. Thy wife too? that is some wrong, indeed.What's yours? What's here! [Reads.] Against the duke of Suffolk, for enclosing the commons of Melford.-How now, sir knave? 2 Pet. Alas, sir, I am but a poor petitioner of our Where are you there? Sir John! nay, fear not, man, whole township. We are alone; here's none but thee, and I. Enter HUME. Hume. Jesu preserve your royal majesty! With Margery Jourdain, the cunning witch; 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, Begin your suits anew, and sue to him. [Tears the petition. His champions are--the prophets and apostles; I would, the college of cardinals Would choose him pope, and carry him to Rome, Suf. Madam, be patient: as I was cause [fort, Q. Mar. Beside the haught protector, have we Beau. The imperious churchman; Somerset, Buckingham, And grumbling York: and not the least of these, 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, Yet must we join with him, and with the lords, York. If York have ill demean'd himself in France, 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. Car. 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 shew some reason, BuckingWhy Somerset should be preferr'd in this. [ham, 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 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 Are lank and lean with thy extortions. [bags Som. Thy sumptuous buildings, and thy wife's attire, Have cost a mass of public treasury. Buck. Thy cruelty in execution, Upon offenders, hath exceeded law, And left thee to the mercy of the law. Q. Mar. Thy sale of offices, and towns in France,If they were known, as the suspect is great.Would make thee quickly hop without thy head. I [Exit GLOSTER. The QUEEN drops her fan. Give me my fan: What, minion! can you not? [Gives the DUCHESS a box on the ear. cry you mercy, madam; Was it you? Duch. Was 't I? yea, I it was, proud Frenchwoman: Could I come near your beauty with my nails, I'd set my ten commandments in your face. K. Hen. Sweet aunt, be quiet; 'twas against her [time; will. Duch. Against her will! Good king, look to't in She'll hamper thee, and dandle thee like a baby: Though in this place most master wear no breeches, She shall not strike dame Eleanor unreveng'd. [Eait DUCHESS. 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 GLOster. Glo. Now, lords, my choler being over-blown, To shew some reason, of no little force, K. Hen. Formy part, noble lords, I care not which; First, for I cannot flatter thee in pride: Next, if I be appointed for the place, My lord of Somerset will keep me here, War. That I can witness; and a fouler fact Suf. Peace, head-strong Warwick! War. Image of pride, why should I hold my peace? Enter Servants of SUFFOLK, bringing in HORNER and PETER. 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. Hen. 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. Hen. Say, man, were these thy words? Hor. An't shall please your majesty, I never said nor thought any such matter: God is my witness, am falsely accused by the villain. I Pet. By these ten bones, my lords, [holding up 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 :I do beseech your royal majesty, Let him have all the rigour of the law. : Hor. 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 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 vil lain's accusation. K. Hen. Uncle, what shall we say 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 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. Hen. 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. Hor. And I accept the combat willingly. Pet. Alas, my lord, I cannot fight; for God's sake, pity my case! the spite of man prevaileth against me. O Lord, have mercy upon me! I shall never he able to fight a blow: O Lord, my heart! Glo. Sirrah, or you must fight, or else be hang'd. K. Hen. Away with them to prison: and the day Of combat shall be the last of the next month. Come, Somerset, we'll see thee sent away. [Exeunt. SCENE IV. The same.- -The Duke of Gloster's Garden. Enter MARGERY JOURDAIN, HUME, SOUTHWELL, and BOLINGBroke. Hume. Come, my masters; the duchess, I tell you, expects performance of your promises. Boling. Master Hume, we are therefore provided: Will her ladyship behold and hear our exorcisms? Hume. Ay, What else? fear you not her courage. Boling. I have heard her reported to be a woman of an invincible spirit: But it shall be convenient, master Hume, that you be by her aloft, while we be busy below; and so, I pray you, go in God's name, and leave us. [Exit HUME.] Mother Jourdain, be you prostrate, and grovel on the earth:-John Southwell, read you; and let us to our work. Enter DUCHESS, above. Duch. Well said, my masters; and welcome all. To this geer; the sooner the better. Boling. Patience, good lady; wizards know their Deep night, dark night, the silent of the night, [times: The time of night when Troy was set on fire; The time when screech-owls cry, and ban dogs howl, And spirits walk, and ghosts break up their graves, 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 appertaining, and make the circle; BOLINGBROKE, or SOUTHWELL, reads, Conjuro te, &c. It thunders and lightens terribly; then the Spirit riseth.] Spir. Adsum. M. Jourd. Asmath. By the eternal God, whose name and power [As the Spirit speaks, SOUTHWELL writes the answer. False fiend, avoid! [Thunder and lightning. Spirit descends. Enter YORK and BUCKINGHAM, hastily, with their Guards, and others. 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 commonAre deeply indebted for this piece of pains; [weal My lord protector will, I doubt not, See you well guerdon'd for these good deserts. Duch. Not half so bad as thine to England's king, Injurious duke; that threat'st where is no cause. Buck. True, madam, none at all. What call you this? [Shewing her the papers. And kept asunder :-You, madam, shall with us :— Away with them; let them be clapp'd up close, Stafford, take her to thee. We'll see your trinkets here all forth-coming; The duke yet lives, that Henry shall depose; Aio te, Eacida, Romanos vincere posse. Tell me, what fate awaits the duke of Suffolk? Car. What shall betide the duke of Somerset ? Let him shun castles; Safer shall he be upon the sandy plains, Come, come, my lords; These oracles are hardily attain'd, And hardly understood." The king is now in progress toward St. Alban's, these news, as fast as horse can carry them; [York, York. At your pleasure, my good lord.-Who's within there, ho! Enter a Servant. Invite my lords of Salisbury, and Warwick, ACT II. SCENE I.-Saint Alban's. Enter KING HENRY, QUEEN MARGARET, GLOSTER, K. Hen. 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. Cur. I thought as much; he'd be above the clouds. Glo. Ay, my lord cardinal; How think you by that? Were it not good, your grace could fly to heaven? K. Hen. The treasury of everlasting joy! Car. Thy heaven is on earth; thine eyes and thoughts 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 peTantæne animis cælestibus iræ? [rémptory? Churchmen so hot? good uncle, hide such malice; With such holiness can you do it? Suf. No malice, sir; no more than well becomes So good a quarrel, and so bad a peer. Glo. As who, my lord? Suf. Why, as you, my lord; An't like your lordly lord-protectorship. Glo. Why, Suffolk, England knows thine insolence. Q. Mar. And thy ambition, Gloster. K. Hen. I pr'ythee, peace, Good queen; and whet not on these furious peers, For blessed are the peacemakers on earth. Car. Let me be blessed for the peace I make, Against this proud protector, with my sword! Glo. 'Faith, holy uncle, would 'twere come to that! [Aside to the CARDINAL. [Aside. Car. Marry, when thou dar'st. Glo. Make up no factious numbers for the matter, In thine own person answer thy abuse. [Aside. Car. Ay,where thou dar'st not peep: an if thou dar'st, This evening, on the east side of the grove. [Aside. K. Hen. How now, my lords? Believe me, cousin Gloster, Had not your man put up the fowl so suddenly, We had had more sport.-Come with thy two-hand [Aside to GLO. sword. [souls Suf. Come to the king, and tell him what miracle. Within this half hour, hath receiv'd his sight; Inhab. Forsooth, a blind man at Saint Alban's shrine, A man, that ne'er saw in his life before. K. Hen. Now, God be prais'd! that to believing Gives light in darkness, comfort in despair! Enter the Mayor of Saint Alban's and his brethren ; and SIMPCOX, borne between two persons in a chair; his wife and a great multitude following. Car. Here come the townsmen on procession, To present your highness with the man. K. Hen. Great is his comfort in this earthly vale, Although by his sight his sin be multiplied. Glo. Stand by, my masters, bring him near the king, His highness' pleasure is to talk with him. K. Hen. Good fellow, tell us here the circumstance, 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 K. Hen. Where wert thou born? [better told. Simp. At Berwick in the north, an't like your grace. K. Hen. Poor soul! God's goodness hath been great Let never day nor night unhallow'd pass, [to thee: But still remember what the Lord hath done. Q. Mar. Tell me, good fellow, cam'st thou here by Or of devotion, to this holy shrine ? [chance, Simp. God knows, of pure devotion: being call'd A hundred times, and oftener, in my sleep By good Saint Alban; who said,-Simpcox, come, 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. Suf. How cam'st thou so? Simp. Ay, God Almighty help me! A fall off of a tree. And made me climb, with danger of my life. Glo. A subtle knave! but yet it shall not serve. Let me see thine eyes:-wink now; now open them:In my opinion, yet thou see'st not well. Simp. Yes, master, clear as day; I thank God, and Glo. Say'st thou me so? What colour is this cloak of? Simp. I know not. Glo. Nor his? Simp. No, indeed, master. Glo. What's thine own name? Simp. Saunder Simpcox, an if it please you, master. Glo. Then, Saunder, sit thou there, the lying'st knave In Christendom. If thou hadst been born blind, My lords, Saint Alban here hath done a miracle; Glo. My masters of Saint Alban's, have you not beadles in your town, and things called whips? May. Yes, my lord, if it please your grace. Glo. Then send for one presently. May. Sirrah, go fetch the beadle hither straight. [Exit an Attendant. Glo. Now fetch me a stool hither by and by. [A stool brought out.] 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. Re-enter Attendant, with the Beadle. 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 with your doublet quickly. Simp. Alas, master, 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. Hen. O God, see'st thou this, and bear'st so long? Q. Mar. 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. Glo. Let them be whipped through every market town, till they come to Berwick, whence they came. [Exeunt Mayor, Beadle, Wife, &c. Car. Duke Humphrey has done a miracle to-day. Suf. True; made the lame to leap, and fly away. Glo. But you have done more miracles than I; You made, in a day, my lord, whole towns to fly. Enter BUCKINGHAM. K. Hen. What tidings with our cousin Buckingham? 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, Car. And so, my lord protector, by this means Your lady is forthcoming yet at London. This news, I think, hath turn'd your weapon's edge; '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: And, vanquish'd as I am, I yield to thee, Or to the meanest groom. [ones; K. Hen. O God, what mischiefs work the wicked Heaping confusion on their own heads thereby ! Q. Mar. Gloster, see here the tainture of thy nest. And, look, thyself be faultless, thou wert best. Glo. Madam, for myself, to heaven I do appeal, I banish her my bed, and company; K. Hen. Well, for this night, we will repose us here: SCENE II.-London. The Duke of York's Garden. [wick, Sal. My lord, I long to hear it at full. The Nevils are thy subjects to command. War. Sweet York, begin: and if thy claim be good, York. Then thus Edward the Third, my lords, had seven sons: Edward, the Black Prince, died before his father; Crown'd by the name of Henry the Fourth, War. Father, the duke hath told the truth; |