And fet the triple crown upon his head!

That were a ftate fit for his holiness.

Suf. Madam, be patient; as I was the caufe Your Highness came to England, fo will I

In England work your Grace's full content.

Q.Mar. Befide the proud Protector, have we Beaufort Th' imperious churchman; Somerfet, 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 Nevills; Salifo'ry and Warwick are no fimple Peers.

Q.Mar. Not all these 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 callat as the is,
She vaunted 'mongst her minions t'other day,
The very train of her worft wearing gown
Was better worth than all my father's lands,
'Till Suffolk gave two Dukedoms for his Daughter.
Suf. Madam, my felf have lim'd a bush for her,
And plac'd a quire of fuch enticing birds,
That the will light to liften 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 must 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 last,
And you your self shall steer the happy helm,

SCENE VI.

To them enter King Henry, Duke Humphry, Cardinal, Buckingham, York, Somerfet, Salisbury, Warwick, and the Dutchefs.

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 himfelf in France, Then let him be deny'd the Regentship..

Som. If Somerfet 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 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, fon; and fhew fome reafon, Buckingham, Why Somerset should be preferr'd in this.

Q.Mar. Becaufe the King forfooth will have it fo." Glou. Madam, the King is old enough himself To give his cenfure: these are no woman's matters. Q.Mar. If he be old enough, what needs your Grace To be Protector of his Excellence?"

Glou. 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 common-wealth hath daily run to wreck.
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 treafury.

Buck. Thy cruelty in execution

Upon offenders hath exceeded law,

And left thee to the mercy of the law.

Q.Mar. Thy fale of offices and towns in France,

If they were known, as the fufpect is great,

Would

Would make thee quickly hop without thy head.

[Exit Glou.

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

[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. Againft her will, good King? look to't in time
She'll hamper thee and dandle thee like a baby:
Though in this place moft Mafter wears no breeches,
She shall not strike dame Eleanor unrevenged. [Exit Elean.
Buck. Lord Cardinal, 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
SCENE. VII. Re-enter Duke Humphry.
Glou. Now, Lords, my choler being over-blown
With walking once about the Quadrangle,
I come to talk of common-wealth affairs.
As for your fpiteful falfe objections,
Prove them, and I lye 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 fhew fome reafon of no little force,
That York is most unmeet of any man.
York. I'll tell thee, Suffolk, why I am unmeet:
Firft, 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, mony, or furniture,
'Till France be won into the Dauphin's hands.
Last time I danc'd attendance on his will,
"Till Paris was befieg'd, famifh'd and loft.

War.

War. That I can witness, 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 Armorer, and bis 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 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 mafter of high treafon :
His words were thefe: that Richard Duke of York
Was rightful beir unto the English crown,

And that your Majefty was an ufurper.

K. Henry. Say, man, were thefe 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 these 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 dunghil villain, and mechanical, I'll have thy head for this thy traitor's fpeech: I do befeech 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 beseech your Majefty, do not caft away) an honeft man for a villain's accufation.

K. Henry, Uncle, what shall we fay to this in law?
Glou. 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,

K. Henry. Then be it fo: my Lord of Somerset,
We make your Grace Regent over 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 fake pity my cafe; the spight of man prevaileth against me. O Lord, have mercy upon me! I fhall never be able to fight a blow: O Lord, my heart!

Glou. Sirrah, or you muft fight, or else be hang'd.

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

SCENE VIII.J

A Room prepared for the pretended Inchantments.
Enter Mother Jordan, Hume, Southwel, and Bolingbrook,
Hume. Come, my mafters; the Dutchefs, I tell you,
expects performance of your promifes.

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

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

Boling. I have heard her reported to be a woman of an invincible fpirit; but it fhall be convenient, Mafter Hume, that you be by her aloft, while we be bufie 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 Southwell, 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 timest
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 ghosts break up their graves;
That time beft fits the work we have in hand.
Madam, fit you and fear not; whom we raife
We will make faft within a hallow'd verge.
[Here they perform the ceremonies and make the circle;
Bolingbrook or Southwel reads, Conjuro te, &c. It
tbunders and lightens terribly; then the Spirit rifeth.

Spirit,