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HISTORY OF KING HENRY THE SIXTHSECOND PART


by William Shakespeare


Dramatis Personae


KING HENRY THE SIXTH.
HUMPHREYDuke of Glosterhis uncle.
CARDINAL BEAUFORTBishop of Winchester
great-uncle to the King.
RICHARD PLANTAGENETDuke of York.
EDWARD and RICHARDhis sons.
DUKE OF SOMERSET.
DUKE OF SUFFOLK.
DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM.
LORD CLIFFORD.
YOUNG CLIFFORDhis son.
EARL OF SALISBURY.
EARL OF WARWICK.


LORD SCALES.
LORD SAY.
SIR HUMPHREY STAFFORDand WILLIAM


STAFFORDhis brother.
SIR JOHN STANLEY.
VAUX.
MATTHEW GOFFE.
A Sea-CaptainMasterand Master's-Mateand WALTER

WHITMORE.
Two Gentlemenprisoners with Suffolk.
JOHN HUME and JOHN SOUTHWELLpriests.
ROGER BOLINGBROKEa conjurer.
THOMAS HORNERan armourer. PETERhis man.
Clerk of Chatham. Mayor of Saint Albans.
SIMPCOXan impostor.
ALEXANDER IDENa Kentish gentleman.
JACK CADEa rebel.
GEORGE BEVISJOHN HOLLANDDICK the butcher

SMITH the weaverMICHAELetc.followers of Cade.
Two Murderers.

MARGARETQueen to King Henry.
ELEANORDuchess of Gloster.
MARGARET JOURDAINa witch.
Wife to Simpcox.

LordsLadiesand AttendantsPetitionersAldermena Herald
a BeadleSheriffand OfficersCitizensPrentices
FalconersGuardsSoldiersMessengers&c.

A Spirit.

SCENE: England.


ACT I


SCENE I.
London. The palace


[Flourish of trumpets: then hautboys. Enter the KINGGLOSTER
SALISBURYWARWICKand CARDINAL BEAUFORTon the
one side; the QUEENSUFFOLKYORKSOMERSETand
BUCKINGHAMon the other.]


SUFFOLK.
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
Soin the famous ancient city Tours
In presence of the Kings of France and Sicil
The Dukes of OrleansCalaberBretagneand Alencon
Seven earlstwelve baronsand twenty reverend bishops
I have perform'd my task and was espous'd
And humbly now upon my bended knee
In sight of England and her lordly peers
Deliver up my title in the queen
To your most gracious handsthat are the substance
Of that great shadow I did represent:
The happiest gift that ever marquess gave
The fairest queen that ever king receiv'd.


KING.
Suffolkarise.--WelcomeQueen Margaret.
I can express no kinder sign of love
Than this kind kiss.--O Lordthat lends me life
Lend me a heart replete with thankfulness!
For thou hast given me in this beauteous face
A world of earthly blessings to my soul
If sympathy of love unite our thoughts.


QUEEN.
Great King of England and my gracious lord
The mutual conference that my mind hath had
By dayby nightwaking and in my dreams
In courtly company or at my beads
With youmine alder-liefest sovereign
Makes me the bolder to salute my king
With ruder termssuch as my wit affords
And over-joy of heart doth minister.


KING.
Her sight did ravishbut her grace in speech
Her words yclad with wisdom's majesty
Makes me from wondering fall to weeping joys;
Such is the fulness of my heart's content.--
Lordswith one cheerful voice welcome my love.


ALL.
[Kneeling] Long live Queen MargaretEngland's
happiness!


QUEEN.
We thank you all.


[Flourish.]



SUFFOLK.
My Lord Protectorso 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.


GLOSTER.
[Reads] 'ImprimisIt is agreed between the French king
Charles and William de la PoleMarquess of Suffolkambassador
for Henry King of Englandthat the said Henry shall espouse the
Lady Margaretdaughter unto Reignier King of NaplesSicilia
and Jerusalemand crown her Queen of England ere the thirtieth
of May next ensuing. Itemthat the duchy of Anjou and the
county of Maine shall be released and delivered to the king her
father'--


[Lets the paper fall.]


KING.
Unclehow now!


GLOSTER.
Pardon megracious lord;
Some sudden qualm hath struck me at the heart
And dimm'd mine eyesthat I can read no further.


KING.
Uncle of WinchesterI prayread on.


CARDINAL.
[Reads] 'ItemIt is further agreed between them
that the duchies of Anjou and Maine shall be released and
delivered over to the king her fatherand she sent over of the
King of
England's own proper cost and chargeswithout having any dowry.'


KING.
They please us well.--Lord marquesskneel down.
We here create thee the first duke of Suffolk
And girt thee with the sword.--Cousin of York
We here discharge your grace from being regent
I' the parts of Francetill term of eighteen months
Be full expir'd.--Thanksuncle Winchester
GlosterYorkBuckinghamSomerset
Salisburyand Warwick;
We thank you all for this great favour done
In entertainment to my princely queen.
Comelet us inand with all speed provide
To see her coronation be perform'd.


[Exeunt KingQueenand Suffolk.]


GLOSTER.
Brave peers of Englandpillars of the state
To you Duke Humphrey must unload his grief
Your griefthe common grief of all the land.
What! did my brother Henry spend his youth
His valourcoinand peoplein the wars?
Did he so often lodge in open field
In winter's cold and summer's parching heat
To conquer Francehis true inheritance?
And did my brother Bedford toil his wits
To keep by policy what Henry got?



Have you yourselvesSomersetBuckingham
Brave YorkSalisburyand victorious Warwick
Receiv'd deep scars in France and Normandy?
Or hath mine uncle Beaufort and myself
With all the learned counsel of the realm
Studied so longsat in the council-house
Early and latedebating to and fro
How France and Frenchmen might be kept in awe
And had his highness in his infancy
Crowned in Paris in despite of foes?
And shall these labours and these honours die?
Shall Henry's conquestBedford's vigilance
Your deeds of warand all our counsel die?
O peers of Englandshameful is this league!
Fatal this marriagecancelling your fame
Blotting your names from books of memory
Razing the characters of your renown
Defacing monuments of conquer'd France
Undoing allas all had never been!


CARDINAL.
Nephewwhat means this passionate discourse
This peroration with such circumstance?
For France't is ours; and we will keep it still.


GLOSTER.
Ayunclewe will keep it if we can
But now it is impossible we should.
Suffolkthe new-made duke that rules the roast
Hath given the duchy of Anjou and Maine
Unto the poor King Reignierwhose large style
Agrees not with the leanness of his purse.


SALISBURY.
Nowby the death of Him that died for all
These counties were the keys of Normandy!--
But wherefore weeps Warwickmy valiant son?


WARWICK.
For grief that they are past recovery;
Forwere there hope to conquer them again
My sword should shed hot bloodmine 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
Deliver'd up again with peaceful words?
Mort Dieu!


YORK.
For Suffolk's dukemay he be suffocate
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.
I never read but England's kings have had
Large sums of gold and dowries with their wives;
And our King Henry gives away his own
To match with her that brings no vantages.


GLOSTER.
A proper jestand never heard before
That Suffolk should demand a whole fifteenth
For costs and charges in transporting her!
She should have staid in Franceand starv'd in France
Before--



CARDINAL.
My Lord of Glosternow ye grow too hot;
It was the pleasure of my lord the King.


GLOSTER.
My Lord of WinchesterI know your mind;
'T is not my speeches that you do mislike
But 't is my presence that doth trouble ye.
Rancour will out.
Proud prelatein thy face
I see thy fury; if I longer stay
We shall begin our ancient bickerings.--
Lordingsfarewell; and saywhen I am gone
I prophesied France will be lost ere long.


[Exit.]


CARDINAL.
Sothere goes our protector in a rage.
'T is known to you he is mine enemy
Naymorean enemy unto you all
And no great friendI fear meto the king.
Considerlordshe 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 itlords.
Let not his smoothing words
Bewitch your hearts; be wise and circumspect.
What though the common people favour him
Calling him 'Humphreythe good Duke of Gloster'
Clapping their handsand crying with loud voice
'Jesu maintain your royal excellence!'
With 'God preserve the good Duke Humphrey!'
I fear melordsfor all this flattering gloss
He will be found a dangerous protector.


BUCKINGHAM.
Why should hethenprotect our sovereign
He being of age to govern of himself?--
Cousin of Somersetjoin you with me
And all togetherwith the Duke of Suffolk
We'll quickly hoise Duke Humphrey from his seat.


CARDINAL.
This weighty business will not brook delay;
I'll to the Duke of Suffolk presently.


[Exit.]


SOMERSET.
Cousin of Buckinghamthough Humphrey's pride
And greatness of his place be grief to us
Yet let us watch the haughty cardinal;
His insolence is more intolerable
Than all the princes in the land beside;
If Gloster be displac'dhe 'll be protector.


BUCKINGHAM.
Or thou or ISomersetwill be protector
Despite Duke Humphrey or the cardinal.



[Exeunt Buckingham and Somerset.]


SALISBURY.
Pride went beforeambition follows him.
While these do labour for their own preferment
Behoves it us to labour for the realm.
I never saw but Humphrey Duke of Gloster
Did bear him like a noble gentleman.
Oft have I seen the haughty cardinal
More like a soldier than a man o' the church
As stout and proud as he were lord of all
Swear like a ruffian and demean himself
Unlike the ruler of a commonweal.--
Warwick my sonthe comfort of my age
Thy deedsthy plainnessand thy housekeeping
Hath won the greatest favour of the commons
Excepting none but good Duke Humphrey;--
Andbrother Yorkthy acts in Ireland
In bringing them to civil discipline
Thy late exploits done in the heart of France
When thou wert regent for our sovereign
Have made thee fear'd and honour'd of the people.--
Join we togetherfor the public good
In what we canto bridle and suppress
The pride of Suffolk and the cardinal
With Somerset's and Buckingham's ambition
Andas we maycherish Duke Humphrey's deeds
While they do tend the profit of the land.


WARWICK.
So God help Warwickas he loves the land
And common profit of his country!


YORK.
[Aside.] And so says Yorkfor he hath greatest cause.


SALISBURY.
Then let's make haste awayand look unto the main.


WARWICK.
Unto the main! O fatherMaine is lost;
That Maine which by main force Warwick did win
And would have kept so long as breath did last!
Main chancefatheryou meant; but I meant Maine
Which I will win from Franceor else be slain.


[Exeunt Warwick and Salisbury.]


YORK.
Anjou and Maine are given to the French;
Paris is lost; the state of Normandy
Stands on a tickle point now they are gone.
Suffolk concluded on the articles
The peers agreed; and Henry was well pleas'd
To changes two dukedoms for a duke's fair daughter.
I cannot blame them all: what is't to them?
'T is thine they give awayand not their own.
Pirates may make cheap pennyworths of their pillage
And purchase friendsand give to courtesans
Still revelling like lords till all be gone;
Whileas the silly owner of the goods
Weeps over them and wrings his hapless hands
And shakes his head and trembling stands aloof
While all is shar'd and all is borne away



Ready to starve and dare not touch his own.
So York must sit and fret and bite his tongue
While his own lands are bargain'd for and sold.
Methinks the realms of EnglandFranceand Ireland
Bear that proportion to my flesh and blood
As did the fatal brand Althaea burn'd
Unto the prince's heart of Calydon.
Anjou and Maine both given unto the French!
Cold news for mefor I had hope of France
Even as I have of fertile England's soil.
A day will come when York shall claim his own;
And therefore I will take the Nevils' parts
And make a show of love to proud Duke Humphrey
And when I spy advantageclaim the crown
For that 's the golden mark I seek to hit.
Nor shall proud Lancaster usurp my right
Nor hold the sceptre in his childish fist
Nor wear the diadem upon his head
Whose church-like humours fits not for a crown.
ThenYorkbe still awhile till time do serve;
Watch thou and wake when others be asleep
To pry into the secrets of the state;
Till Henrysurfeiting in joys of love
With his new bride and England's dear-bought queen
And Humphrey with the peers be fallen at jars.
Then will I raise aloft the milk-white rose
With whose sweet smell the air shall be perfum'd
And in my standard bear the arms of York
To grapple with the house of Lancaster;
Andforce perforceI 'll make him yield the crown
Whose bookish rule hath pull'd fair England down.


[Exit.]


SCENE II. The Duke of Gloster's House.


[Enter DUKE HUMPHREY and his wife ELEANOR]


DUCHESS.
Why droops my lordlike over-ripen'd corn
Hanging the head at Ceres' plenteous load?
Why doth the great Duke Humphrey knit his brows
As frowning at the favours of the world?
Why are thine eyes fix'd to the sullen earth
Gazing on that which seems to dim thy sight?
What see'st thou there? King Henry's diadem
Enchas'd with all the honours of the world?
If sogaze onand grovel on thy face
Until thy head be circled with the same.
Put forth thy handreach at the glorious gold.
Whatis't too short? I'll lengthen it with mine
Andhaving both together heav'd it up
We'll both together lift our heads to heaven
And never more abase our sight so low
As to vouchsafe one glance unto the ground.


GLOSTER.
O Nellsweet Nellif thou dost love thy lord
Banish the canker of ambitious thoughts;
And may that thought when I imagine ill
Against my king and nephewvirtuous Henry
Be my last breathing in this mortal world!



My troublous dreams this night doth make me sad.


DUCHESS.
What dream'd my lord? Tell meand I'll requite it
With sweet rehearsal of my morning's dream.


GLOSTER.
Methought this staffmine office-badge in court
Was broke in twain;--by whom I have forgot
Butas I thinkit was by the cardinal--
And on the pieces of the broken wand
Were plac'd the heads of Edmund Duke of Somerset
And William de la Polefirst duke of Suffolk.
This was my dream; what it doth bodeGod knows.


DUCHESS.
Tutthis was nothing but an argument
That he that breaks a stick of Gloster's grove
Shall lose his head for his presumption.
But list to memy Humphreymy sweet duke:
Methought I sat in seat of majesty
In the cathedral church of Westminster
And in that chair where kings and queens are crown'd
Where Henry and Dame Margaret kneel'd to me
And on my head did set the diadem.


GLOSTER.
NayEleanorthen must I chide outright.
Presumptuous dameill-nurtur'd Eleanor
Art thou not second woman in the realm
And the protector's wifebelov'd of him?
Hast thou not worldly pleasure at command
Above the reach or compass of thy thought?
And wilt thou still be hammering treachery
To tumble down thy husband and thyself
From top of honour to disgrace's feet?
Away from meand let me hear no more!


DUCHESS.
Whatwhatmy lord! are you so choleric
With Eleanor for telling but her dream?
Next time I'll keep my dreams unto myself
And not be check'd.


GLOSTER.
Naybe not angry; I am pleas'd again.


[Enter Messenger.]


MESSENGER.
My lord protector't is his highness' pleasure
You do prepare to ride unto Saint Alban's
Whereas the king and queen do mean to hawk.


GLOSTER.
I go.--ComeNellthou wilt ride with us?


DUCHESS.
Yesmy good lordI'll follow presently.


[Exeunt Gloster and Messenger.]


Follow I must; I cannot go before
While Gloster bears this base and humble mind.



Were I a mana dukeand next of blood
I would remove these tedious stumbling-blocks
And smooth my way upon their headless necks;
Andbeing a womanI will not be slack
To play my part in Fortune's pageant.--
Where are you there? Sir John! nayfear notman
We are alone; here's none but thee and I.


[Enter HUME.]


HUME.
Jesus preserve your royal majesty!


DUCHESS.
What say'st thou? majesty! I am but grace.


HUME.
Butby the grace of Godand Hume's advice
Your grace's title shall be multiplied.


DUCHESS.
What say'st thouman? hast thou as yet conferr'd
With Margery Jourdainthe cunning witch
With Roger Bolingbrokethe conjurer?
And will they undertake to do me good?


HUME.
This they have promised--to show your highness
A spirit rais'd from depth of underground
That shall make answer to such questions
As by your Grace shall be propounded him.


DUCHESS.
It is enough; I'll think upon the questions.
When from Saint Alban's we do make return
We'll see these things effected to the full.
HereHumetake this reward; make merryman
With thy confederates in this weighty cause.


[Exit.]


HUME.
Hume must make merry with the duchess' gold
Marryand shall. Buthow nowSir John Hume!
Seal up your lipsand give no words but mum;
The business asketh silent secrecy.
Dame Eleanor gives gold to bring the witch;
Gold cannot come amisswere she a devil.
Yet have I gold flies from another coast.
I dare not sayfrom the rich cardinal
And from the great and new-made Duke of Suffolk
Yet I do find it so; forto be plain
Theyknowing Dame Eleanor's aspiring humour
Have hired me to undermine the duchess
And buzz these conjurations in her brain.
They say ' A crafty knave does need no broker;'
Yet am I Suffolk and the cardinal's broker.
Humeif you take not heedyou shall go near
To call them both a pair of crafty knaves.
Wellso its stands; and thusI fearat last
Hume's knavery will be the duchess' wrack
And her attainture will be Humphrey's fall.
Sort how it willI shall have gold for all.



[Exit.]

SCENE III. London. The palace.

[Enter PETER and other PETITIONERS.]

1 PETITIONER.
My masterslet's stand close; my lord protector
will come this way by and byand then we may deliver our
supplications in the quill.


2 PETITIONER.
Marrythe Lord protect himfor he's a good
man! Jesu bless him!


[Enter SUFFOLK and QUEEN.]


PETER.
Here 'a comesmethinksand the queen with him.
I'll be the firstsure.


2 PETITIONER.
Come backfool; this is the Duke of Suffolk and
not my lord protector.


SUFFOLK.
How nowfellow! wouldst any thing with me?


1 PETITIONER.
I praymy lordpardon me; I took ye for my lord
protector.


QUEEN.
[Reading] 'To my Lord Protector!' Are your supplications
to his lordship? Let me see them; what is thine?


1 PETITIONER.
Mine isan 't please your graceagainst John
Goodmanmy lord cardinal's manfor keeping my house and lands
and wife and allfrom me.


SUFFOLK.
Thy wife too! that's some wrongindeed.--What's
yours?--What's here! [Reads] 'Against the Duke of Suffolk for
enclosing
the commons of Melford.'--How nowsir knave!


2 PETITIONER.
AlassirI am but a poor petitioner of our
whole township.


PETER.
[Giving his petition] Against my masterThomas Horner
for saying that the Duke of York was rightful heir to the crown.


QUEEN.
What say'st thou? did the Duke of York say he was
rightful heir to the crown?


PETER.
That my master was? noforsooth; my master said that he



wasand that the king was an usurper.


SUFFOLK.
Who is there? [Enter Servant.] Take this fellow inand
send for his master with a pursuivant presently.--We'll hear more
of your matter before the king.


[Exit Servant with Peter.]


QUEEN.
And as for youthat love to be protected
Under the wings of our protector's grace
Begin your suits anew and sue to him.


[Tears the supplications.]


Awaybase cullions!--Suffolklet them go.


ALL.
Comelet's be gone.


[Exeunt.]


QUEEN.
My Lord of Suffolksayis this the guise
Is this the fashion in the court of England?
Is this the government of Britain's isle
And this the royalty of Albion's king?
Whatshall King Henry be a pupil still
Under the surly Gloster's governance?
Am I a queen in title and in style
And must be made a subject to a duke?
I tell theePolewhen in the city Tours
Thou ran'st a tilt in honour of my love
And stol'st away the ladies' hearts of France
I thought King Henry had resembled thee
In couragecourtshipand proportion;
But all his mind is bent to holiness
To number Ave-Maries on his beads
His champions are the prophets and apostles
His weapons holy saws of sacred writ
His study is his tilt-yardand his loves
Are brazen images of canoniz'd saints.
I would the college of the cardinals
Would choose him pope and carry him to Rome
And set the triple crown upon his head;
That were a state fit for his holiness.


SUFFOLK.
Madambe patient; as I was cause
Your highness came to Englandso will I
In England work your grace's full content.


QUEEN.
Beside the haughty protectorhave we Beaufort
The imperious churchmanSomersetBuckingham
And grumbling York; and not the least of these
But can do more in England than the king.


SUFFOLK.
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.



QUEEN.
Not all these lords do vex me half so much
As that proud damethe lord protector's wife.
She sweeps it through the court with troops of ladies
More like an empress than Duke Humphrey's wife.
Strangers in court do take her for the queen;
She bears a duke's revenues on her back
And in her heart she scorns our poverty.
Shall I not live to be aveng'd on her?
Contemptuous base-born callat as she is
She vaunted 'mongst her minions t' other day
The very train of her worst wearing gown
Was better worth than all my father's land
Till Suffolk gave two dukedoms for his daughter.


SUFFOLK.
Madammyself have lim'd a bush for her
And plac'd a quire of such enticing birds
That she will light to listen to the lays
And never mount to trouble you again.
Solet her rest; andmadamlist 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 Humphrey in disgrace.
As for the Duke of Yorkthis late complaint
Will make but little for his benefit.
Soone by onewe'll weed them all at last
And you yourself shall steer the happy helm.


[Sennet. Enter the KINGDUKE HUMPHREYCARDINAL
BEAUFORTBUCKINGHAMYORKSOMERSETSALISBURY
WARWICKand the DUCHESS OF GLOSTER.]


KING.
For my partnoble lordsI care not which;
Or Somerset or Yorkall's one to me.


YORK.
If York have ill demean'd himself in France
Then let him be denay'd the regentship.


SOMERSET.
If Somerset be unworthy of the place
Let York be regent; I will yield to him.


WARWICK.
Whether your grace be worthyyea or no
Dispute not that; York is the worthier.


CARDINAL.
Ambitious Warwicklet thy betters speak.


WARWICK.
The cardinal's not my better in the field.


BUCKINGHAM.
All in this presence are thy bettersWarwick.


WARWICK.
Warwick may live to be the best of all.


SALISBURY.
Peaceson!--and show some reasonBuckingham



Why Somerset should be preferr'd in this.


QUEEN.
Because the kingforsoothwill have it so.


GLOSTER.
Madamthe King is old enough himself
To give his censure; these are no women's matters.


QUEEN.
If he be old enoughwhat needs your grace
To be protector of his excellence?


GLOSTER.
MadamI am protector of the realm
Andat his pleasurewill resign my place.


SUFFOLK.
Resign it thenand leave thine insolence.
Since thou wert king--as who is king but thou?--
The commonwealth hath daily run to wrack;
The Dauphin hath prevail'd beyond the seas;
And all the peers and nobles of the realm
Have been as bondmen to thy sovereignty.


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


SOMERSET.
Thy sumptuous buildings and thy wife's attire
Have cost a mass of public treasury.


BUCKINGHAM.
Thy cruelty in execution
Upon offenders hath exceeded law
And left thee to the mercy of the law.


QUEEN.
Thy sale of offices and towns in France
If they were knownas the suspect is great
Would make thee quickly hop without thy head.--


[Exit Gloster. The Queen drops her fan..]


Give me my fan. What minion! can ye not?


[She gives the Duchess a box on the ear.]


I cry your mercymadam; was it you?


DUCHESS.
Was 't I! yeaI it wasproud Frenchwoman.
Could I come near your beauty with my nails
I'd set my ten commandments in your face.


KING.
Sweet auntbe quiet; 't was against her will.


DUCHESS.
Against her will! good kinglook to 't in time;
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.



[Exit.]


BUCKINGHAM.
Lord cardinalI will follow Eleanor
And listen after Humphreyhow he proceeds.
She's tickled now; her fume needs no spurs
She'll gallop far enough to her destruction.


[Exit.]


[Re-enter GLOSTER.]


GLOSTER.
Nowlordsmy choler being overblown
With walking once about the quadrangle
I come to talk of commonwealth affairs.
As for your spiteful false objections
Prove themand I lie open to the law;
But God in mercy so deal with my soul
As I in duty love my king and country!
Butto the matter that we have in hand:
I saymy sovereignYork is meetest man
To be your regent in the realm of France.


SUFFOLK.
Before we make electiongive me leave
To show some reasonof no little force
That York is most unmeet of any man.


YORK.
I'll tell theeSuffolkwhy I am unmeet:
Firstfor I cannot flatter thee in pride;
Nextif I be appointed for the place
My Lord of Somerset will keep me here
Without dischargemoneyor furniture
Till France be won into the Dauphin's hands.
Last timeI danc'd attendance on his will
Till Paris was besieg'dfamish'dand lost.


WARWICK.
That can I witness; and a fouler fact
Did never traitor in the land commit.


SUFFOLK.
Peaceheadstrong Warwick!


WARWICK.
Image of pridewhy should I hold my peace?


[Enter HORNER and his man PETERguarded.]


SUFFOLK.
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?


KING.
What mean'st thouSuffolk? tell mewhat are these?


SUFFOLK.
Please it your majestythis 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.


KING.
Saymanwere these thy words?


HORNER.
An 't shall please your majestyI never said nor
thought any such matter; God is my witnessI am
falsely accused by the villain.


PETER.
By these ten bonesmy lordshe did speak them to
me in the garret one nightas 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.


HORNER.
Alasmy lordhang me if ever I spake the words. My
accuser is my prentice; and when I did correct him for his fault
the other dayhe did vow upon his knees he would be even with
me. I have good witness of this; therefore I beseech your
majestydo not cast away an honest man for a villain's
accusation.


KING.
Unclewhat shall we say to this in law?


GLOSTER.
This doommy lordif 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 lawand this Duke Humphrey's doom.


SOMERSET.
I humbly thank your royal Majesty.


HORNER.
And I accept the combat willingly.


PETER.
Alasmy lordI cannot fight; for God's sakepity my case.
The spite of man prevaileth against me. O Lordhave mercy
upon me! I shall never be able to fight a blow! O Lordmy heart!


GLOSTER.
Sirrahor you must fight or else be hang'd.


KING.
Away with them to prison; and the day of combat shall
be the last of the next month.--ComeSomersetwe'll see thee
sent away.


[Flourish. Exeunt.]



SCENE IV. Gloster's Garden

[Enter MARGERY JOURDAINHUMESOUTHWELLand BOLINGBROKE.]

HUME.
Comemy masters; the duchessI tell youexpects
performance of your promises.


BOLINGBROKE.
Master Humewe are therefore provided;
will her ladyship behold and hear our exorcisms?


HUME.
Aywhat else? fear you not her courage.


BOLINGBROKE.
I have heard her reported to be a woman of an invincible spirit:
but it shall be convenientMaster Humethat you be by her
aloft while we be busy below; and soI pray you goin God's
nameand leave us.--[Exit Hume.] Mother Jourdainbe you
prostrate and grovel on the earth.--John Southwellread you; and
let us to our work.


[Enter DUCHESS aloftHUME following.]


DUCHESS.
Well saidmy masters; and welcome all. To this gear
the sooner the better.


BOLINGBROKE.
Patiencegood ladywizards know their times:
Deep nightdark nightthe silent of the night
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.
Madamsit you and fear not; whom we raise
We will make fast within a hallow'd verge.


[Here they do the ceremonies belongingand make the circle;
Bolingbroke or Southwell readsConjuro teetc.
It thunders and lightens terribly; then the Spirit riseth.]


SPIRIT.
Adsum.


M. JOURDAIN.
Asmath
By the eternal Godwhose name and power
Thou tremblest atanswer that I shall ask;
For till thou speak thou shalt not pass from hence.
SPIRIT.
Ask what thou wilt. That I had said and done!


BOLINGBROKE.
[Reads] 'First of the king: what shall
of him become?'


SPIRIT.



The duke yet lives that Henry shall depose
But him outlive and die a violent death.


[As the Spirit speaksSouthwell writes the answer.]


BOLINGBROKE.
'What fates await the Duke of Suffolk?'


SPIRIT.
By water shall he die and take his end.


BOLINGBROKE.
[Reads] 'What shall befall the Duke of Somerset?'


SPIRIT.
Let him shun castles;
Safer shall he be upon the sandy plains
Than where castles mounted stand.
Have donefor more I hardly can endure.


BOLINGBROKE.
Descend to darkness and the burning lake!
False fiendavoid!


[Thunder and lightning. Exit Spirit.]


[Enter the DUKE OF YORK and the DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM
with their Guard and break in YORK.]


Lay hands upon these traitors and their trash.--
BeldamI think we watch'd you at an inch.
Whatmadamare you there? the king and commonweal
Are deeply indebted for this piece of pains;
My lord protector willI doubt it not
See you well guerdon'd for these good deserts.


DUCHESS.
Not half so bad as thine to England's king
Injurious dukethat threatest where's no cause.


BUCKINGHAM.
Truemadamnone at all; what call you this?--
Away with them! let them be clapp'd up close
And kept asunder.--Youmadamshall with us.--
Staffordtake her to thee.--


[Exeunt aboveDuchess and Humeguarded.]


We'll see your trinkets here all forthcoming.--
Allaway!


[Exeunt guard with JourdainSouthwelletc.]


YORK.
Lord Buckinghammethinks you watch'd her well;
A pretty plotwell chosen to build upon!
Nowpraymy lordlet's see the devil's writ.
What have we here?
[Reads] 'The duke yet lives that Henry shall depose.
But him outlive and die a violent death.'
Whythis is just
'Aio teAeacidaRomanos vincere posse.'
Wellto the rest:
'Tell me what fate awaits the Duke of Suffolk?



By water shall he die and take his end.
What shall betide the Duke of Somerset?
Let him shun castles;
Safer shall he be upon the sandy plains
Than where castles mounted stand.'--
Comecomemy lords;
These oracles are hardly attain'd
And hardly understood.
The king is now in progress towards Saint Alban's
With him the husband of this lovely lady.
Thither go these newsas fast as horse can carry them;
A sorry breakfast for my lord protector.


BUCKINGHAM.
Your Grace shall give me leavemy
Lord of York
To be the postin hope of his reward.


YORK.
At your pleasuremy good lord.--
Who's within thereho!


[Enter a Servingman.]


Invite my Lords of Salisbury and Warwick
To sup with me to-morrow night. Away!


[Exeunt.]


ACT II


SCENE I. Saint Alban's.


[Enter the KINGQUEENGLOSTERCARDINALand SUFFOLK
with FALCONERS halloing.]


QUEEN.
Believe melordsfor flying at the brook
I saw not better sport these seven years' day;
Yetby your leavethe wind was very high
Andten to oneold Joan had not gone out.


KING.
But what a pointmy lordyour falcon made
And what a pitch she flew above the rest!
To see how God in all His creatures works!
Yeaman and birds are fain of climbing high.


SUFFOLK.
No marvelan 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.


GLOSTER.
My lord't is but a base ignoble mind
That mounts no higher than a bird can soar.


CARDINAL.
I thought as much; he would be above the clouds.


GLOSTER.



Aymy lord cardinal? how think you by that?
Were it not good your grace could fly to heaven?


KING.
The treasury of everlasting joy.


CARDINAL.
Thy heaven is on earth; thine eyes and thoughts
Beat on a crownthe treasure of thy heart
Pernicious protectordangerous peer
That smooth'st it so with king and commonweal.


GLOSTER.
Whatcardinalis your priesthood grown peremptory?
Tantaene animis coelestibus irae?
Churchmen so hot? good unclehide such malice;
With such holiness can you do it?


SUFFOLK.
No malicesir; no more than well becomes
So good a quarrel and so bad a peer.


GLOSTER.
As whomy lord?


SUFFOLK.
Whyas youmy lord
An 't like your lordly lord-protectorship.


GLOSTER.
WhySuffolkEngland knows thine insolence.


QUEEN.
And thy ambitionGloster.


KING.
I pritheepeacegood queen
And whet not on these furious peers;
For blessed are the peacemakers on earth.


CARDINAL.
Let me be blessed for the peace I make
Against this proud protectorwith my sword!


GLOSTER.
[Aside to Cardinal.] Faithholy unclewould 't
were come to that!


CARDINAL.
[Aside to Gloster.] Marrywhen thou dar'st.


GLOSTER.
[Aside to Cardinal.] Make up no factious numbers
for the matter;
In thine own person answer thy abuse.


CARDINAL.
[Aside to Gloster.] Aywhere thou dar'st not peep;
an if thou dar'st
This eveningon the east side of the grove.


KING.
How nowmy lords!



CARDINAL.
Believe mecousin Gloster
Had not your man put up the fowl so suddenly
We had had more sport.--[Aside to Gloster.] Come with thy
two-hand sword.


GLOSTER.
Trueuncle.


CARDINAL.
[Aside to Gloster.] Are ye advis'd? the east side
of the grove?


GLOSTER.
[Aside to CARDINAL.] CardinalI am with you.


KING.
Whyhow nowuncle Gloster!


GLOSTER.
Talking of hawking; nothing elsemy lord.--
[Aside to Cardinal.] Nowby God's motherpriest
I'll shave your crown for this
Or all my fence shall fail.


CARDINAL.
[Aside to Gloster.] Mediceteipsum--
Protectorsee to 't wellprotect yourself.


KING.
The winds grow high; so do your stomachslords.
How irksome is this music to my heart!
When such strings jarwhat hope of harmony?
I praymy lordslet me compound this strife.


[Enter a Townsman of Saint Alban'scrying 'A miracle!']


GLOSTER.
What means this noise?
Fellowwhat miracle dost thou proclaim?


TOWNSMAN.
A miracle! A miracle!


SUFFOLK.
Come to the kingand tell him what miracle.


TOWNSMAN.
Forsootha blind man at Saint Alban's shrine
Within this half hourhath receiv'd his sight;
A man that ne'er saw in his life before.


KING.
NowGod be prais'dthat to believing souls
Gives light in darknesscomfort in despair!


[Enter the Mayor of Saint Alban's and his brethren
bearing SIMPCOXbetween two in a chairSIMPCOX's
Wife following.]


CARDINAL.
Here comes the townsmen on procession
To present your highness with the man.



KING HENRY.
Great is his comfort in this earthly vale
Although by his sight his sin be multiplied.


GLOSTER.
Stand bymy masters.
Bring him near the king;
His highness' pleasure is to talk with him.


KING.
Good fellowtell us here the circumstance
That we for thee may glorify the Lord.
Whathast thou been long blind and now restor'd?


SIMPCOX.
Born blindan 't please your grace.


WIFE.
Ay indeed was he.


SUFFOLK.
What woman is this?


WIFE.
His wifean 't like your worship.


GLOSTER.
Hadst thou been his motherthou couldst
have better told.


KING.
Where wert thou born?


SIMPCOX.
At Berwick in the northan 't like your grace.


KING.
Poor soulGod's goodness hath been great to thee;
Let never day nor night unhallow'd pass
But still remember what the Lord hath done.


QUEEN.
Tell megood fellowcam'st thou here by chance
Or of devotionto this holy shrine?


SIMPCOX.
God knowsof pure devotion; being call'd
A hundred times and oftenerin my sleep
By good Saint Albanwho said 'Simpcoxcome
Comeoffer at my shrineand I will help thee.'


WIFE.
Most trueforsooth; and many time and oft
Myself have heard a voice to call him so.


CARDINAL.
Whatart thou lame?


SIMPCOX.
AyGod Almighty help me!


SUFFOLK.
How cam'st thou so?



SIMPCOX.
A fall off of a tree.


WIFE.
A plum-treemaster.


GLOSTER.
How long hast thou been blind?


SIMPCOX.
Oborn somaster!


GLOSTER.
Whatand wouldst climb a tree?


SIMPCOX.
But that in all my lifewhen I was a youth.


WIFE.
Too true; and bought his climbing very dear.


GLOSTER.
Massthou lov'dst plums well that wouldst venture so.


SIMPCOX.
Alasgood mastermy wife desir'd some damsons
And made me climbwith danger of my life.


GLOSTER.
A subtle knave! but yet it shall not serve.--
Let me see thine eyes.--Wink now;--now open them.
In my opinion yet thou seest not well.


SIMPCOX.
Yesmasterclear as dayI thank God and Saint Alban.


GLOSTER.
Say'st thou me so? What colour is this cloak of?


SIMPCOX.
Redmasterred as blood.


GLOSTER.
Whythat's well said. What colour is my gown of?


SIMPCOX.
Blackforsoothcoal-black as jet.


KING.
Whythenthou know'st what colour jet is of?


SUFFOLK.
And yetI thinkjet did he never see.


GLOSTER.
But cloaks and gowns before this daya many.


WIFE.
Never before this day in all his life.


GLOSTER.
Tell mesirrahwhat's my name?


SIMPCOX.



AlasmasterI know not.


GLOSTER.
What's his name?


SIMPCOX.
I know not.


GLOSTER.
Nor his?


SIMPCOX.
Noindeedmaster.


GLOSTER.
What's thine own name?


SIMPCOX.
Saunder Simpcoxan if it please youmaster.


GLOSTER.
ThenSaundersit therethe lyingest knave in
Christendom. If thou hadst been born blindthou mightst as well
have known all our names as thus to name the several colours we
do wear. Sight may distinguish of colours; but suddenly to
nominate them allit is impossible.--My lordsSaint Alban here
hath done a miracle; and would ye not think his cunning to be
great that could restore this cripple to his legs again?


SIMPCOX.
O masterthat you could!


GLOSTER.
My masters of Saint Alban'shave you not beadles in
your townand things called whips?


MAYOR.
Yesmy lordif it please your grace.


GLOSTER.
Then send for one presently.


MAYOR.
Sirrahgo fetch the beadle hither straight.


[Exit an Attendant.]


GLOSTER.
Now fetch me a stool hither by and by.--Nowsirrah
if you mean to save yourself from whippingleap me over this
stool and run away.


SIMPCOX.
AlasmasterI am not able to stand alone;
You go about to torture me in vain.


[Enter a Beadle with whips.]


GLOSTER.
Wellsirwe must have you find your legs.--
Sirrah beadlewhip him till he leap over that same stool.


BEADLE.
I willmy lord.--Come onsirrah; off with your doublet



quickly.


SIMPCOX.
Alasmasterwhat shall I do? I am not able to stand.


[After the Beadle hath hit him oncehe leaps over
the stool and runs away; and they follow and cry
'A miracle!']


KING.
O Godseest Thou thisand bearest so long?


QUEEN.
It made me laugh to see the villain run.


GLOSTER.
Follow the knaveand take this drab away.


WIFE.
Alassirwe did it for pure need!


GLOSTER.
Let them be whipped through every market-town
till they come to Berwickfrom whence they came.


[Exeunt WifeBeadleMayoretc.]


CARDINAL.
Duke Humphrey has done a miracle to-day.


SUFFOLK.
True; made the lame to leap and fly away.


GLOSTER.
But you have done more miracles than I;
You made in a daymy lordwhole towns to fly.


[Enter BUCKINGHAM.]


KING.
What tidings with our cousin Buckingham?


BUCKINGHAM.
Such as my heart doth tremble to unfold.
A sort of naughty personslewdly bent
Under the countenance and confederacy
Of Lady Eleanorthe protector's wife
The ringleader and head of all this rout
Have practis'd dangerously against your state
Dealing with witches and with conjurers
Whom we have apprehended in the fact
Raising up wicked spirits from underground
Demanding of King Henry's life and death
And other of your highness' privy-council
As more at large your Grace shall understand.


CARDINAL.
[Aside to Gloster.] And somy lord protector
by this means
Your lady is forthcoming yet at London.
This newsI thinkhath turn'd your weapon's edge;
'T is likemy lordyou will not keep your hour.


GLOSTER.



Ambitious churchmanleave to afflict my heart.
Sorrow and grief have vanquish'd all my powers;
Andvanquish'd as I amI yield to thee
Or to the meanest groom.


KING.
O Godwhat mischiefs work the wicked ones
Heaping confusion on their own heads thereby!


QUEEN.
Glostersee here the tainture of thy nest;
And look thyself be faultlessthou wert best.


GLOSTER.
Madamfor myselfto heaven I do appeal
How I have lov'd my king and commonweal;
Andfor my wifeI know not how it stands.
Sorry I am to hear what I have heard;
Noble she is; but if she have forgot
Honour and virtueand convers'd with such
As like to pitch defile nobility
I banish her my bed and company
And give her as a prey to law and shame
That hath dishonoured Gloster's honest name.


KING.
Wellfor this night we will repose us here;
To-morrow toward London back again
To look into this business thoroughly
And call these foul offenders to their answers
And poise the cause in justice' equal scales
Whose beam stands surewhose rightful cause prevails.


[Flourish. Exeunt.]


SCENE II. London. The Duke of York's Garden.


[Enter YORKSALISBURYand WARWICK.]


YORK.
Nowmy good Lords of Salisbury and Warwick
Our simple supper endedgive me leave
In this close walk to satisfy myself
In craving your opinion of my title
Which is infallibleto England's crown.


SALISBURY.
My lordI long to hear it at full.


WARWICK.
Sweet Yorkbegin; and if thy claim be good
The Nevils are thy subjects to command.


YORK.
Then thus:
Edward the Thirdmy lordshad seven sons:
The firstEdward the Black PrincePrince of Wales;
The secondWilliam of Hatfield; and the third
Lionel Duke of Clarence; next to whom
Was John of Gauntthe Duke of Lancaster;
The fifth was Edmund LangleyDuke of York;
The sixth was Thomas of WoodstockDuke of Gloster;



William of Windsor was the seventh and last.
Edward the Black Prince died before his father
And left behind him Richardhis only son
Who after Edward the Third's death reign'd as king;
Till Henry BolingbrokeDuke of Lancaster
The eldest son and heir of John of Gaunt
Crown'd by the name of Henry the Fourth
Seiz'd on the realmdepos'd the rightful king
Sent his poor queen to Francefrom whence she came
And him to Pomfretwhereas all you know
Harmless Richard was murther'd traitorously.


WARWICK.
Fatherthe duke hath told the truth;
Thus got the house of Lancaster the crown.


YORK.
Which now they hold by force and not by right;
For Richardthe first son's heirbeing dead
The issue of the next son should have reign'd.


SALISBURY.
But William of Hatfield died without an heir.


YORK.
The third sonDuke of Clarencefrom whose line
I claim the crownhad issuePhilippea daughter
Who married Edmund MortimerEarl of March.
Edmund had issueRoger Earl of March;
Roger had issueEdmundAnneand Eleanor.


SALISBURY.
This Edmundin the reign of Bolingbroke
As I have readlaid claim unto the crown;
Andbut for Owen Glendowerhad been king
Who kept him in captivity till he died.
But to the rest.


YORK.
His eldest sisterAnne
My motherbeing heir unto the crown
Married Richard Earl of Cambridgewho was son
To Edmund LangleyEdward the Third's fifth son.
By her I claim the kingdom; she was heir
To Roger Earl of Marchwho was the son
Of Edmund Mortimerwho married Philippe
Sole daughter unto Lionel Duke of Clarence.
Soif the issue of the elder son
Succeed before the youngerI am king.


WARWICK.
What plain proceeding is more plain than this?
Henry doth claim the crown from John of Gaunt
The fourth son; York claims it from the third.
Till Lionel's issue failshis should not reign;
It fails not yetbut flourishes in thee
And in thy sonsfair slips of such a stock.--
Thenfather Salisburykneel we together;
And in this private plot be we the first
That shall salute our rightful sovereign
With honour of his birthright to the crown.


BOTH.
Long live our sovereign RichardEngland's king!



YORK.
We thank youlords. But I am not your king
Till I be crown'dand that my sword be stain'd
With heart-blood of the house of Lancaster;
And that's not suddenly to be perform'd
But with advice and silent secrecy.
Do you as I do in these dangerous days--
Wink at the Duke of Suffolk's insolence
At Beaufort's prideat Somerset's ambition
At Buckinghamand all the crew of them
Till they have snar'd the shepherd of the flock
That virtuous princethe good Duke Humphrey;
'T is that they seekand they in seeking that
Shall find their deathsif York can prophesy.


SALISBURY.
My lordbreak we off; we know your mind at full.


WARWICK.
My heart assures me that the Earl of Warwick
Shall one day make the Duke of York a king.


YORK.
AndNevilthis I do assure myself:
Richard shall live to make the Earl of Warwick
The greatest man in England but the king.


[Exeunt.]


SCENE III. A Hall of Justice.


[Sound trumpets. Enter the KINGthe QUEENGLOSTER
YORKSUFFOLKand SALISBURY; the DUCHESS OF GLOSTER
MARGERY JOURDAINSOUTHWELLHUMEand BOLINGBROKE
under guard.]


KING.
Stand forthDame Eleanor CobhamGloster's wife.
In sight of God and usyour guilt is great;
Receive the sentence of the law for sins
Such as by God's book are adjudg'd to death.--
You fourfrom hence to prison back again
From thence unto the place of execution.
The witch in Smithfield shall be burn'd to ashes
And you three shall be strangled on the gallows.--
Youmadamfor you are more nobly born
Despoiled of your honour in your life
Shallafter three days' open penance done
Live in your country here in banishment
With Sir John Stanleyin the Isle of Man.


DUCHESS.
Welcome is banishment; welcome were my death.


GLOSTER.
Eleanorthe lawthou seesthath judged thee;
I cannot justify whom the law condemns.--


[Exeunt Duchess and the other prisonersguarded..]


Mine eyes are full of tearsmy heart of grief.



AhHumphreythis dishonour in thine age
Will bring thy head with sorrow to the ground!--
I beseech your majestygive me leave to go;
Sorrow would solaceand mine age would ease.


KING.
StayHumphrey Duke of Gloster.
Ere thou go
Give up thy staff; Henry will to himself
Protector beand God shall be my hope
My staymy guideand lantern to my feet.
And go in peaceHumphreyno less belov'd
Than when thou wert protector to thy king.


QUEEN.
I see no reason why a king of years
Should be to be protected like a child.--
God and King Henry govern England's realm.
Give up your staffsirand the king his realm.


GLOSTER.
My staff? Herenoble Henryis my staff.
As willingly do I the same resign
As e'er thy father Henry made it mine;
And even as willingly at thy feet I leave it
As others would ambitiously receive it.
Farewellgood king; when I am dead and gone
May honourable peace attend thy throne!


[Exit.]


QUEEN.
Whynow is Henry kingand Margaret queen;
And Humphrey Duke of Gloster scarce himself
That bears so shrewd a maim; two pulls at once--
His lady banish'dand a limb lopp'd off.
This staff of honour raughtthere let it stand
Where it best fits to bein Henry's hand.


SUFFOLK.
Thus droops this lofty pine and hangs his sprays;
Thus Eleanor's pride dies in her youngest days.


YORK.
Lordslet him go.--Please it your majesty
This is the day appointed for the combat;
And ready are the appellant and defendant
The armourer and his manto enter the lists
So please your highness to behold the fight.


QUEEN.
Aygood my lord; for purposely therefore
Left I the courtto see this quarrel tried.


KING.
O' God's namesee the lists and all things fit.
Here let them end it; and God defend the right!


YORK.
I never saw a fellow worse bested
Or more afraid to fightthan is the appellant
The servant of his armourermy lords.


[Enter at one doorHORNER the Armourerand his



Neighboursdrinking to him so much that he is
drunk; and he enters with a drum before him and
his staff with a sand-bag fastened to it; and at the
other door PETERhis manwith a drum and sandbag
and Prentices drinking to him.]


1 NEIGHBOUR.
Hereneighbour HornerI drink to you in a cup of
sack; and fear notneighbouryou shall do well enough.


2 NEIGHBOUR.
And hereneighbourhere's a cup of charneco.


3 NEIGHBOUR.
And here's a pot of good double beerneighbour;
drinkand fear not your man.


HORNER.
Let it comei' faithand I'll pledge you all; and a
fig for Peter!


1 PRENTICE.
HerePeterI drink to thee; and be not afraid.


2 PRENTICE.
Be merryPeterand fear not thy master: fight
for credit of the prentices.


PETER.
I thank you all; drinkand pray for meI pray youfor I
think I have taken my last draught in this world.--HereRobin
an if I dieI give thee my apron;--andWillthou shalt have my
hammer;--and hereTomtake all the money that I have.--O Lord
bless me! I pray God! for I am never able to deal with my master
he hath learnt so much fence already.


SALISBURY.
Comeleave your drinking and fall to blows.--
Sirrahwhat's thy name?


PETER.
Peterforsooth.


SALISBURY.
Peter? what more?


PETER.
Thump.


SALISBURY.
Thump! then see thou thump thy master well.


HORNER.
MastersI am come hitheras it wereupon my man's instigation
to prove him a knave and myself an honest man; and touching the
Duke of YorkI will take my deathI never meant him any ill
nor the
kingnor the queen;--and thereforePeterhave at thee with a
downright
blow!


YORK.
Dispatch; this knave's tongue begins to double.--
Soundtrumpetsalarum to the combatants!



[Alarum. They fightand Peter strikes him down.]


HORNER.
HoldPeterhold! I confessI confess treason.


[Dies.]


YORK.
Take away his weapon.--Fellowthank Godand the good
wine in thy master's way.


PETER.
O Godhave I overcome mine enemies in this presence? O
Peterthou hast prevail'd in right!


KING.
Gotake hence that traitor from our sight
For by his death we do perceive his guilt;
And God in justice hath reveal'd to us
The truth and innocence of this poor fellow
Which he had thought to have murther'd wrongfully.--
Comefellowfollow us for thy reward.


[Sound a flourish. Exeunt.]


SCENE IV. A Street.


[Enter GLOSTER and his Servingmenin mourning cloaks.]


GLOSTER.
Thus sometimes hath the brightest day a cloud
And after summer evermore succeeds
Barren winterwith his wrathful nipping cold;
So cares and joys aboundas seasons fleet.
Sirswhat's o'clock?


SERVINGMEN.
Tenmy lord.


GLOSTER.
Ten is the hour that was appointed me
To watch the coming of my punish'd duchess.
Uneath may she endure the flinty streets
To tread them with her tender-feeling feet.--
Sweet Nellill can thy noble mind abrook
The abject people gazing on thy face
With envious lookslaughing at thy shame
That erst did follow thy proud chariot-wheels
When thou didst ride in triumph through the streets.--
Butsoft! I think she comes; and I'll prepare
My tear-stain'd eyes to see her miseries.


[Enter the DUCHESS OF GLOSTER in a white sheet
and a taper burning in her hand; with SIR JOHN STANLEY
the Sheriffand Officers.]


SERVINGMEN.
So please your Gracewe'll take her from the
sheriff.


GLOSTER.



Nostir not for your lives; let her pass by.


DUCHESS.
Come youmy lordto see my open shame?
Now thou dost penance too. Look how they gaze!
See how the giddy multitude do point
And nod their headsand throw their eyes on thee!
AhGlosterhide thee from their hateful looks
Andin thy closet pent uprue my shame
And ban thine enemiesboth mine and thine!


GLOSTER.
Be patientgentle Nell; forget this grief.


DUCHESS.
AhGlosterteach me to forget myself!
For whilst I think I am thy married wife
And thou a princeprotector of this land
Methinks I should not thus be led along
Mail'd up in shamewith papers on my back
And follow'd with a rabble that rejoice
To see my tears and hear my deep-fet groans.
The ruthless flint doth cut my tender feet
And when I startthe envious people laugh
And bid me be advised how I tread.
AhHumphreycan I bear this shameful yoke?
Trow'st thou that e'er I'll look upon the world
Or count them happy that enjoy the sun?
No; dark shall be my light and night my day;
To think upon my pomp shall be my hell.
Sometimes I'll sayI am Duke Humphrey's wife
And he a prince and ruler of the land;
Yet so he rul'd and such a prince he was
As he stood by whilst Ihis forlorn duchess
Was made a wonder and a pointing-stock
To every idle rascal follower.
But be thou mild and blush not at my shame
Nor stir at nothing till the axe of death
Hang over theeassureit shortly will;
For Suffolkhe that can do all in all
With her that hateth thee and hates us all
And Yorkand impious Beaufortthat false priest
Have all lim'd bushes to betray thy wings
Andfly thou how thou canstthey'll tangle thee;
But fear not thou until thy foot be snar'd
Nor never seek prevention of thy foes.


GLOSTER.
AhNellforbear! thou aimest all awry.
I must offend before I be attainted;
And had I twenty times so many foes
And each of them had twenty times their power
All these could not procure me any scath
So long as I am loyaltrueand crimeless.
Wouldst have me rescue thee from this reproach?
Whyyet thy scandal were not wip'd away
But I in danger for the breach of law.
Thy greatest help is quietgentle Nell.
I pray theesort thy heart to patience;
These few days' wonder will be quickly worn.


[Enter a Herald.]


HERALD.



I summon your grace to his majesty's parliament
Holden at Bury the first of this next month.


GLOSTER.
And my consent ne'er ask'd herein before!
This is close dealing.--WellI will be there.--


[Exit Herald.]


My NellI take my leave;--andmaster sheriff
Let not her penance exceed the king's commission.


SHERIFF.
An 't please your gracehere my commission stays
And Sir John Stanley is appointed now
To take her with him to the Isle of Man.


GLOSTER.
Must youSir Johnprotect my lady here?


STANLEY.
So am I given in chargemay 't please your grace.


GLOSTER.
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 soSir Johnfarewell!


DUCHESS.
Whatgonemy lordand bid me not farewell!


GLOSTER.
Witness my tearsI cannot stay to speak.


[Exeunt Gloster and Servingmen.]


DUCHESS.
Art thou gone too? all comfort go with thee!
For none abides with me; my joy is death
Deathat whose name I oft have been afeard
Because I wish'd this world's eternity.--
StanleyI pritheegoand take me hence;
I care not whitherfor I beg no favour
Only convey me where thou art commanded.


STANLEY.
Whymadamthat is to the Isle of Man;
There to be us'd according to your state.


DUCHESS.
That's bad enoughfor I am but reproach;
And shall I then be us'd reproachfully?


STANLEY.
Like to a duchessand Duke Humphrey's lady;
According to that state you shall be us'd.


DUCHESS.
Sherifffarewelland better than I fare
Although thou hast been conduct of my shame.


SHERIFF.



It is my office; andmadampardon me.


DUCHESS.
Ayayfarewell; thy office is discharg'd.--
ComeStanleyshall we go?


STANLEY.
Madamyour penance donethrow off this sheet
And go we to attire you for our journey.


DUCHESS.
My shame will not be shifted with my sheet;
Noit will hang upon my richest robes
And show itselfattire me how I can.
Golead the way; I long to see my prison.


[Exeunt.]


ACT III.


SCENE I. The Abbey at Bury St. Edmund's.


[Sound a sennet. Enter the KINGthe QUEENCARDINAL
BEAUFORTSUFFOLKYORKBUCKINGHAMSALISBURY
and WARWICK to the Parliament.]


KING.
I muse my Lord of Gloster is not come;
'Tis not his wont to be the hindmost man
Whate'er occasion keeps him from us now.


QUEEN.
Can you not see? or will ye not observe
The strangeness of his alter'd countenance?
With what a majesty he bears himself
How insolent of late he is become
How proudhow peremptoryand unlike himself?
We know the time since 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 submission;
But meet him nowand be it in the morn
When every one will give the time of day
He knits his browand shows an angry eye
And passeth by with stiff unbowed knee
Disdaining duty that to us belongs.
Small curs are not regarded when they grin
But great men tremble when the lion roars;
And Humphrey is no little man in England.
First note that he is near you in descent
And should you fallhe is the next will mount.
Me seemeth then it is no policy
Respecting what a rancorous mind he bears
And his advantage following your decease
That he should come about your royal person
Or be admitted to your highness' council.
By flattery hath he won the commons' hearts
And when he please to make commotion
'T is to be fear'd they all will follow him.
Now 't is the spring and weeds are shallow-rooted;
Suffer them nowand they'll o'ergrow the garden
And choke the herbs for want of husbandry.



The reverent care I bear unto my lord
Made me collect these dangers in the duke.
If it be fondcan it a woman's fear;
Which fear if better reasons can supplant
I will subscribe and say I wrong'd the duke.--
My Lord of SuffolkBuckinghamand York
Reprove my allegation if you can
Or else conclude my words effectual.


SUFFOLK.
Well hath your highness seen into this duke;
Andhad I first been put to speak my mind
I think I should have told your grace's tale.
The duchess by his subornation
Upon my lifebegan her devilish practices;
Orif he were not privy to those faults
Yetby reputing of his high descent
As next the king he was successive heir
And such high vaunts of his nobility
Did instigate the bedlam brain-sick duchess
By wicked means to frame our sovereign's fall.
Smooth runs the water where the brook is deep
And in his simple show he harbours treason.
The fox barks not when he would steal the lamb.--
Nonomy sovereign; Gloster is a man
Unsounded yet and full of deep deceit.


CARDINAL.
Did he notcontrary to form of law
Devise strange deaths for small offences done?


YORK.
And did he notin his protectorship
Levy great sums of money through the realm
For soldiers' pay in Franceand never sent it?
By means whereof the towns each day revolted.


BUCKINGHAM.
Tutthese are petty faults to faults unknown
Which time will bring to light in smooth Duke Humphrey.


KING.
My lordsat once: the care you have of us
To mow down thorns that would annoy our foot
Is worthy praise; butshall I speak my conscience
Our kinsman Gloster is as innocent
From meaning treason to our royal person
As is the sucking lamb or harmless dove.
The duke is virtuousmildand too well given
To dream on evil or to work my downfall.


QUEEN.
Ahwhat's more dangerous than this fond affiance!
Seems he a dove? his feathers are but borrow'd
For he's disposed as the hateful raven;
Is he a lamb? his skin is surely lent him
For he's inclin'd as is the ravenous wolf.
Who cannot steal a shape that means deceit?
Take heedmy lord; the welfare of us all
Hangs on the cutting short that fraudful man.


[Enter SOMERSET.]


SOMERSET.



All health unto my gracious sovereign!


KING.
WelcomeLord Somerset. What news from France?


SOMERSET.
That all your interest in those territories
Is utterly bereft you; all is lost.


KING.
Cold newsLord Somerset; but God's will be done!


YORK.
[Aside.] Cold news for mefor I had hope of France
As firmly as I hope for fertile England.
Thus are my blossoms blasted in the bud
And caterpillars eat my leaves away;
But I will remedy this gear ere long
Or sell my title for a glorious grave.


[Enter GLOSTER.]


GLOSTER.
All happiness unto my lord the king!
Pardonmy liegethat I have staid so long.


SUFFOLK.
NayGlosterknow that thou art come too soon
Unless thou wert more loyal than thou art.
I do arrest thee of high treason here.


GLOSTER.
WellSuffolkthou shalt not see me blush
Nor change my countenance for this arrest;
A heart unspotted is not easily daunted.
The purest spring is not so free from mud
As I am clear from treason to my sovereign.
Who can accuse me? wherein am I guilty?


YORK.
'T is thoughtmy lordthat you took bribes of France
Andbeing protectorstay'd the soldiers' pay
By means whereof his highness hath lost France.


GLOSTER.
Is it but thought so? what are they that think it?
I never robb'd the soldiers of their pay
Nor ever had one penny bribe from France.
So help me Godas I have watch'd the night
Aynight by nightin studying good for England!
That doit that e'er I wrested from the king
Or any groat I hoarded to my use
Be brought against me at my trial-day!
No; many a pound of mine own proper store
Because I would not tax the needy commons
Have I dispursed to the garrisons
And never ask'd for restitution.


CARDINAL.
It serves you wellmy lordto say so much.


GLOSTER.
I say no more than truthso help me God!



YORK.
In your protectorship you did devise
Strange tortures for offenders never heard of
That England was defam'd by tyranny.


GLOSTER.
Why't is well known thatwhiles I was protector
Pity was all the fault that was in me;
For I should melt at an offender's tears
And lowly words were ransom for their fault.
Unless it were a bloody murtherer
Or foul felonious thief that fleec'd poor passengers
I never gave them condign punishment.
Murther indeedthat bloody sinI tortur'd
Above the felon or what trespass else.


SUFFOLK.
My lordthese faults are easyquickly answer'd;
But mightier crimes are laid unto your charge
Whereof you cannot easily purge yourself.
I do arrest you in his highness' name
And here commit you to my lord cardinal
To keep until your further time of trial.


KING.
My Lord of Gloster't is my special hope
That you will clear yourself from all suspect;
My conscience tells me you are innocent.


GLOSTER.
Ahgracious lordthese days are dangerous.
Virtue is chok'd with foul ambition
And charity chas'd hence by rancour's hand;
Foul subornation is predominant
And equity exil'd your highness' land.
I know their complot is to have my life
And if my death might make this island happy
And prove the period of their tyranny
I would expend it with all willingness;
But mine is made the prologue to their play
For thousands morethat yet suspect no peril
Will not conclude their plotted tragedy.
Beaufort's red sparkling eyes blab his heart's malice
And Suffolk's cloudy brow his stormy hate;
Sharp Buckingham unburthens with his tongue
The envious load that lies upon his heart;
And dogged Yorkthat reaches at the moon
Whose overweening arm I have pluck'd back
By false accuse doth level at my life.--
And youmy sovereign ladywith the rest
Causeless have laid disgraces on my head
And with your best endeavour have stirr'd up
My liefest liege to be mine enemy.--
Ayall of you have laid your heads together--
Myself had notice of your conventicles--
And all to make away my guiltless life.
I shall not want false witness to condemn me
Nor store of treasons to augment my guilt;
The ancient proverb will be well effected--
'A staff is quickly found to beat a dog.'


CARDINAL.
My liegehis railing is intolerable;
If those that care to keep your royal person



From treason's secret knife and traitor's rage
Be thus upbraidedchidand rated at
And the offender granted scope of speech
'T will make them cool in zeal unto your grace.


SUFFOLK.
Hath he not twit our sovereign lady here
With ignominious wordsthough clerkly couch'd
As if she had suborned some to swear
False allegations to o'erthrow his state?


QUEEN.
But I can give the loser leave to chide.


GLOSTER.
Far truer spoke than meant; I loseindeed.
Beshrew the winnersfor they play'd me false!
And well such losers may have leave to speak.


BUCKINGHAM.
He'll wrest the sense and hold us here all day.--
Lord Cardinalhe is your prisoner.


CARDINAL.
Sirstake away the Dukeand guard him sure.


GLOSTER.
Ahthus King Henry throws away his crutch
Before his legs be firm to bear his body.
Thus is the shepherd beaten from thy side
And wolves are gnarling who shall gnaw thee first.
Ahthat my fear were false! ahthat it were!
Forgood King Henrythy decay I fear.


[Exitguarded.]


KING.
My lordswhat to your wisdoms seemeth best
Do or undoas if ourself were here.


QUEEN.
Whatwill your highness leave the parliament?


KING.
AyMargaret; my heart is drown'd with grief
Whose flood begins to flow within mine eyes
My body round engirt with misery
For what's more miserable than discontent?--
Ahuncle Humphrey! in thy face I see
The map of honourtruthand loyalty;
And yetgood Humphreyis the hour to come
That e'er I prov'd thee false or fear'd thy faith.
What lowering star now envies thy estate
That these great lords and Margaret our queen
Do seek subversion of thy harmless life?
Thou never didst them wrong nor no man wrong;
And as the butcher takes away the calf
And binds the wretch and beats it when it strays
Bearing it to the bloody slaughter-house
Even so remorseless have they borne him hence;
And as the dam runs lowing up and down
Looking the way her harmless young one went
And can do nought but wail her darling's loss
Even so myself bewails good Gloster's case



With sad unhelpful tearsand with dimm'd eyes
Look after himand cannot do him good
So mighty are his vowed enemies.
His fortunes I will weep and 'twixt each groan
Say 'Who's a traitor? Gloster he is none.'


[Exeunt all but QueenCardinal BeaufortSuffolk
and York; Somerset remains apart.]


QUEEN.
Free lordscold snow melts with the sun's hot beams.
Henry my lord is cold in great affairs
Too full of foolish pityand Gloster's show
Beguiles him as the mournful crocodile
With sorrow snares relenting passengers
Or as the snake roll'd in a flowering bank
With shining checker'd sloughdoth sting a child
That for the beauty thinks it excellent.
Believe melordswere none more wise than I--
And yet herein I judge mine own wit good--
This Gloster should be quickly rid the world
To rid us from the fear we have of him.


CARDINAL.
That he should die is worthy policy
But yet we want a colour for his death
'T is meet he be condemn'd by course of law.


SUFFOLK.
Butin my mindthat were no policy.
The king will labour still to save his life;
The commons haply rise to save his life
And yet we have but trivial argument
More than mistrustthat shows him worthy death.


YORK.
So thatby thisyou would not have him die.


SUFFOLK.
AhYorkno man alive so fain as I!


YORK.
'T is York that hath more reason for his death.--
Butmy lord cardinaland youmy Lord of Suffolk
Say as you thinkand speak it from your souls
Were 't not all one an empty eagle were set
To guard the chicken from a hungry kite
As place Duke Humphrey for the king's protector?


QUEEN.
So the poor chicken should be sure of death.


SUFFOLK.
Madam't is true; and were 't not madnessthen
To make the fox surveyor of the fold?
Who being accus'd a crafty murtherer
His guilt should be but idly posted over
Because his purpose is not executed.
No; let him diein that he is a fox
By nature prov'd an enemy to the flock
Before his chaps be stain'd with crimson blood
As Humphreyprov'd by reasonsto my liege.
And do not stand on quillets how to slay him.
Be it by ginsby snaresby subtlety



Sleeping or waking't is no matter how
So he be dead; for that is good deceit
Which mates him first that first intends deceit.


QUEEN.
Thrice-noble Suffolk't is resolutely spoke.


SUFFOLK.
Not resoluteexcept so much were done
For things are often spoke and seldom meant;
But that my heart accordeth with my tongue--
Seeing the deed is meritorious
And to preserve my sovereign from his foe--
Say but the wordand I will be his priest.


CARDINAL.
But I would have him deadmy Lord of Suffolk
Ere you can take due orders for a priest.
Say you consent and censure well the deed
And I'll provide his executioner
I tender so the safety of my liege.


SUFFOLK.
Here is my handthe deed is worthy doing.


QUEEN.
And so say I.


YORK.
And I; and now we three have spoke it
It skills not greatly who impugns our doom.


[Enter a Post.]


POST.
Great lordsfrom Ireland am I come amain
To signify that rebels there are up
And put the Englishmen unto the sword.
Send succourslordsand stop the rage betime
Before the wound do grow uncurable;
Forbeing greenthere is great hope of help.


CARDINAL.
A breach that craves a quick expedient stop!
What council give you in this weighty cause?


YORK.
That Somerset be sent as regent thither.
'T is meet that lucky ruler be employ'd;
Witness the fortune he hath had in France.


SOMERSET.
If Yorkwith all his far-fet policy
Had been the regent there instead of me
He never would have stay'd in France so long.


YORK.
Nonot to lose it all as thou hast done;
I rather would have lost my life betimes
Than bring a burden of dishonour home
By staying there so long till all were lost.
Show me one scar character'd on thy skin;
Men's flesh preserv'd so whole do seldom win.



QUEEN.
Nay thenthis spark will prove a raging fire
If wind and fuel be brought to feed it with.
No moregood York.--Sweet Somersetbe still.--
Thy fortuneYorkhadst thou been regent there
Might happily have prov'd far worse than his.


YORK.
Whatworse than nought? naythen a shame take all!


SOMERSET.
Andin the numberthee that wishest shame!


CARDINAL.
My Lord of Yorktry what your fortune is.
The uncivil kerns of Ireland are in arms
And temper clay with blood of Englishmen.
To Ireland will you lead a band of men
Collected choicelyfrom each county some
And try your hap against the Irishmen?


YORK.
I willmy lordso please his majesty.


SUFFOLK.
Whyour authority is his consent
And what we do establish he confirms.--
Thennoble Yorktake thou this task in hand.


YORK.
I am content.--Provide me soldierslords
Whiles I take order for mine own affairs.


SUFFOLK.
A chargeLord Yorkthat I will see perform'd.
But now return we to the false Duke Humphrey.


CARDINAL.
No more of him; for I will deal with him
That henceforth he shall trouble us no more.
And so break off; the day is almost spent.--
Lord Suffolkyou and I must talk of that event.


YORK.
My Lord of Suffolkwithin fourteen days
At Bristol I expect my soldiers;
For there I'll ship them all for Ireland.


SUFFOLK.
I'll see it truly donemy Lord of York.


[Exeunt all but York.]


YORK.
NowYorkor neversteel thy fearful thoughts
And change misdoubt to resolution.
Be that thou hop'st to beor what thou art
Resign to death; it is not worth the enjoying.
Let pale-fac'd fear keep with the mean-born man
And find no harbour in a royal heart.
Faster than spring-time showers comes thought on thought
And not a thought but thinks on dignity.
My brain more busy than the labouring spider
Weaves tedious snares to trap mine enemies.



Wellnobleswell't is politicly done
To send me packing with an host of men;
I fear me you but warm the starved snake
Whocherish'd in your breastswill sting your hearts.
'T was men I lack'dand you will give them me;
I take it kindlyyet be well-assur'd
You put sharp weapons in a madman's hands.
Whiles I in Ireland nourish a mighty band
I will stir up in England some black storm
Shall blow ten thousand souls to heaven or hell;
And this fell tempest shall not cease to rage
Until the golden circuit on my head
Like to the glorious sun's transparent beams
Do calm the fury of this mad-bred flaw.
And for a minister of my intent
I have seduc'd a headstrong Kentishman
John Cade of Ashford
To make commotionas full well he can
Under the tide of John Mortimer.
In Ireland have I seen this stubborn Cade
Oppose himself against a troop of kerns
And fought so long till that his thighs with darts
Were almost like a sharp-quill'd porpentine;
Andin the end being rescu'dI have seen
Him caper upright like a wild Morisco
Shaking the bloody darts as he his bells.
Full oftenlike a shag-hair'd crafty kern
Hath he conversed with the enemy
And undiscover'd come to me again
And given me notice of their villainies.
This devil here shall be my substitute;
For that John Mortimerwhich now is dead
In facein gaitin speechhe doth resemble.
By this I shall perceive the commons' mind
How they affect the house and claim of York.
Say he be takenrack'dand tortured
I know no pain they can inflict upon him
Will make him say I mov'd him to those arms.
Say that he thriveas 't is great like he will
Whythen from Ireland come I with my strength
And reap the harvest which that rascal sow'd;
For Humphrey being deadas he shall be
And Henry put apartthe next for me.


[Exit.]


SCENE II. Bury St. Edmund's. A Room of State.


[Enter certain Murderershastily.]


1 MURDERER.
Run to my Lord of Suffolk; let him know
We have dispatch'd the dukeas he commanded.


2 MURDERER.
O that it were to do! What have we done?
Didst ever hear a man so penitent?


[Enter SUFFOLK.]


1 MURDERER.
Here comes my lord.



SUFFOLK.
Nowsirshave you dispatch'd this thing?


1 MURDERER.
Aymy good lordhe's dead.


SUFFOLK.
Whythat's well said. Goget you to my house;
I will reward you for this venturous deed.
The king and all the peers are here at hand.
Have you laid fair the bed? Is all things well
According as I gave directions?


1 MURDERER.
'T ismy good lord.


SUFFOLK.
Away! be gone.


[Exeunt Murderers.]


[Sound trumpets. Enter the KINGthe QUEEN
CARDINAL BEAUFORTSOMERSETwith attendants.]


KING.
Gocall our uncle to our presence straight;
Say we intend to try his grace to-day
If he be guiltyas 't is published.


SUFFOLK.
I'll call him presentlymy noble lord.


[Exit.]


KING.
Lordstake your places; andI pray you all
Proceed no straiter 'gainst our uncle Gloster
Than from true evidence of good esteem
He be approv'd in practice culpable.


QUEEN.
God forbid any malice should prevail
That faultless may condemn a nobleman!
Pray God he may acquit him of suspicion!


KING.
I thank theeMeg; these words content me much.--


[Re-enter SUFFOLK.]


How now! why look'st thou pale? why tremblest thou?
Where is our uncle? what's the matterSuffolk?


SUFFOLK.
Dead in his bedmy lord; Gloster is dead.


QUEEN.
MarryGod forfend!


CARDINAL.
God's secret judgment!--I did dream to-night
The duke was dumb and could not speak a word.



[The King swoons.]


QUEEN.
How fares my lord?--Helplords! the king is dead.


SOMERSET.
Rear up his body; wring him by the nose.


QUEEN.
Rungohelphelp!--O Henryope thine eyes!


SUFFOLK.
He doth revive again.--Madambe patient.


KING.
O heavenly God!


QUEEN.
How fares my gracious lord?


SUFFOLK.
Comfortmy sovereign! gracious Henrycomfort!


KING.
Whatdoth my Lord of Suffolk comfort me?
Came he right now to sing a raven's note
Whose dismal tune bereft my vital powers
And thinks he that the chirping of a wren
By crying comfort from a hollow breast
Can chase away the first-conceived sound?
Hide not thy poison with such sugar'd words;
Lay not thy hands on me; forbearI say!
Their touch affrights me as a serpent's sting.
Thou baleful messengerout of my sight!
Upon thy eye-balls murtherous tyranny
Sits in grim majestyto fright the world.
Look not upon mefor thine eyes are wounding.
Yet do not go away; comebasilisk
And kill the innocent gazer with thy sight
For in the shade of death I shall find joy
In life but double deathnow Gloster's dead.


QUEEN.
Why do you rate my Lord of Suffolk thus?
Although the duke was enemy to him
Yet he most Christian-like laments his death;
And for myselffoe as he was to me
Might liquid tears or heart-offending groans
Or blood-consuming sighs recall his life
I would be blind with weepingsick with groans
Look pale as primrose with blood-drinking sighs
And all to have the noble duke alive.
What know I how the world may deem of me?
For it is known we were but hollow friends.
It may be judg'd I made the duke away;
So shall my name with slander's tongue be wounded
And princes' courts be fill'd with my reproach.
This get I by his death. Ay meunhappy!
To be a queenand crown'd with infamy!


KING.
Ahwoe is me for Glosterwretched man!


QUEEN.



Be woe for memore wretched than he is.
Whatdost thou turn away and hide thy face?
I am no loathsome leper; look on me.
What! art thoulike the adderwaxen deaf?
Be poisonous too and kill thy forlorn queen.
Is all thy comfort shut in Gloster's tomb?
Whythendame Margaret was ne'er thy joy.
Erect his statue and worship it
And make my image but an alehouse sign.
Was I for this nigh wrack'd upon the sea
And twice by awkward wind from England's bank
Drove back again unto my native clime?
What boded this but well forewarning wind
Did seem to say 'Seek not a scorpion's nest
Nor set no footing on this unkind shore?'
What did I thenbut curs'd the gentle gusts
And he that loos'd them forth their brazen caves
And bid them blow towards England's blessed shore
Or turn our stern upon a dreadful rock?
Yet Aeolus would not be a murtherer
But left that hateful office unto thee.
The pretty-vaulting sea refus'd to drown me
Knowing that thou wouldst have me drown'd on shore
With tears as salt as seathrough thy unkindness.
The splitting rocks cower'd in the sinking sands
And would not dash me with their ragged sides
Because thy flinty heartmore hard than they
Might in thy palace perish Margaret.
As far as I could ken thy chalky cliffs
When from thy shore the tempest beat us back
I stood upon the hatches in the storm
And when the dusky sky began to rob
My earnest-gaping sight of thy land's view
I took a costly jewel from my neck--
A heart it wasbound in with diamonds--
And threw it towards thy land; the sea receiv'd it
And so I wish'd thy body might my heart.
And even with this I lost fair England's view
And bid mine eyes be packing with my heart
And call'd them blind and dusky spectacles
For losing ken of Albion's wished coast.
How often have I tempted Suffolk's tongue
The agent of thy foul inconstancy
To sit and witch meas Ascanius did
When he to madding Dido would unfold
His father's acts commenc'd in burning Troy!
Am I not witch'd like her? or thou not false like him?
Ay meI can no more! dieMargaret!
For Henry weeps that thou dost live so long.


[Noise within. Enter WARWICKSALISBURYand many Commons.]


WARWICK.
It is reportedmighty sovereign
That good Duke Humphrey traitorously is murther'd
By Suffolk and the Cardinal Beaufort's means.
The commonslike an angry hive of bees
That want their leaderscatter up and down
And care not who they sting in his revenge.
Myself have calm'd their spleenful mutiny
Until they hear the order of his death.


KING.
That he is deadgood Warwick't is too true;



But how he died God knowsnot Henry.
Enter his chamberview his breathless corpse
And comment then upon his sudden death.


WARWICK.
That shall I domy liege.--StaySalisbury
With the rude multitude till I return.


[Exit.]


KING.
O Thou that judgest all thingsstay my thoughts
My thoughtsthat labour to persuade my soul
Some violent hands were laid on Humphrey's life!
If my suspect be falseforgive meGod
For judgment only doth belong to thee.
Fain would I go to chafe his paly lips
With twenty thousand kissesand to drain
Upon his face an ocean of salt tears
To tell my love unto his dumb deaf trunk
And with my fingers feel his hand unfeeling;
But all in vain are these mean obsequies;
And to survey his dead and earthy image
What were it but to make my sorrow greater?


[Re-enter WARWICK and othersbearing GLOSTER's
body on a bed.]


WARWICK.
Come hithergracious sovereignview this body.


KING.
That is to see how deep my grave is made;
For with his soul fled all my worldly solace
For seeing him I see my life in death.


WARWICK.
As surely as my soul intends to live
With that dread King that took our state upon him
To free us from his father's wrathful curse
I do believe that violent hands were laid
Upon the life of this thrice-famed duke.


SUFFOLK.
A dreadful oathsworn with a solemn tongue!
What instance gives Lord Warwick for his vow?


WARWICK.
See how the blood is settled in his face.
Oft have I seen a timely-parted ghost
Of ashy semblancemeagrepaleand bloodless
Being all descended to the labouring heart
Whoin the conflict that it holds with death
Attracts the same for aidance 'gainst the enemy
Which with the heart there cools and ne'er returneth
To blush and beautify the cheek again.
But seehis face is black and full of blood
His eyeballs further out than when he liv'd
Staring full ghastly like a strangled man;
His hair uprear'dhis nostrils stretch'd with struggling
His hands abroad display'das one that grasp'd
And tugg'd for life and was by strength subdu'd.
Lookon the sheets his hairyou seeis sticking;
His well-proportion'd beard made rough and rugged



Like to the summer's corn by tempest lodged.
It cannot be but he was murther'd here;
The least of all these signs were probable.


SUFFOLK.
WhyWarwickwho should do the duke to death?
Myself and Beaufort had him in protection;
And weI hopesirare no murtherers.


WARWICK.
But both of you were vow'd Duke Humphrey's foes
And youforsoothhad the good duke to keep;
'T is like you would not feast him like a friend
And 't is well seen he found an enemy.


QUEEN.
Then youbelikesuspect these noblemen
As guilty of Duke Humphrey's timeless death.


WARWICK.
Who finds the heifer dead and bleeding fresh
And sees fast by a butcher with an axe
But will suspect 't was he that made the slaughter?
Who finds the partridge in the puttock's nest
But may imagine how the bird was dead
Although the kite soar with unbloodied beak?
Even so suspicious is this tragedy.


QUEEN.
Are you the butcherSuffolk? Where's your knife?
Is Beaufort term'd a kite? Where are his talons?


SUFFOLK.
I wear no knife to slaughter sleeping men;
But here's a vengeful swordrusted with ease
That shall be scoured in his rancorous heart
That slanders me with murther's crimson badge.--
Sayif thou dar'stproud Lord of Warwickshire
That I am faulty in Duke Humphrey's death.


[Exeunt CardinalSomersetand others.]


WARWICK.
What dares not Warwickif false Suffolk dare him?


QUEEN.
He dares not calm his contumelious spirit
Nor cease to be an arrogant controller
Though Suffolk dare him twenty thousand times.


WARWICK.
Madambe still--with reverence may I say;
For every word you speak in his behalf
Is slander to your royal dignity.


SUFFOLK.
Blunt-witted lordignoble in demeanour!
If ever lady wrong'd her lord so much
Thy mother took into her blameful bed
Some stern untutor'd churland noble stock
Was graft with crab-tree slipwhose fruit thou art
And never of the Nevils' noble race.



WARWICK.
But that the guilt of murther bucklers thee
And I should rob the deathsman of his fee
Quitting thee thereby of ten thousand shames
And that my sovereign's presence makes me mild
I wouldfalse murtherous cowardon thy knee
Make thee beg pardon for thy passed speech
And say it was thy mother that thou meant'st
That thou thyself was born in bastardy;
And after all this fearful homage done
Give thee thy hire and send thy soul to hell
Pernicious blood-sucker of sleeping men!


SUFFOLK.
Thou shalt be waking while I shed thy blood
If from this presence thou dar'st go with me.


WARWICK.
Away even nowor I will drag thee hence.
Unworthy though thou artI'll cope with thee
And do some service to Duke Humphrey's ghost.


[Exeunt Suffolk and Warwick.]


KING.
What stronger breastplate than a heart untainted!
Thrice is he arm'd that hath his quarrel just
And he but nakedthough lock'd up in steel
Whose conscience with injustice is corrupted.


[A noise within.]


QUEEN.
What noise is this?


[Re-enter Suffolk and Warwickwith their weapons drawn.]


KING.
Whyhow nowlords! your wrathful weapons drawn
Here in our presence! dare you be so bold?
Whywhat tumultuous clamour have we here?


SUFFOLK.
The traitorous Warwick with the men of Bury
Set all upon memighty sovereign.


SALISBURY.
[To the Commonsentering.] Sirsstand apart;
the king shall know your mind.--
Dread lordthe commons send you word by me
Unless false Suffolk straight be done to death
Or banished fair England's territories
They will by violence tear him from your palace
And torture him with grievous lingering death.
They sayby him the good Duke Humphrey died;
They sayin him they fear your highness' death;
And mere instinct of love and loyalty
Free from a stubborn opposite intent
As being thought to contradict your liking
Makes them thus forward in his banishment.
They sayin care of your most royal person
That if your highness should intend to sleep
And charge that no man should disturb your rest
In pain of your dislike or pain of death



Yetnotwithstanding such a strait edict
Were there a serpent seenwith forked tongue
That slily glided towards your majesty
It were but necessary you were wak'd
Lestbeing suffer'd in that harmful slumber
The mortal worm might make the sleep eternal;
And therefore do they crythough you forbid
That they will guard youwhether you will or no
From such fell serpents as false Suffolk is
With whose envenomed and fatal sting
Your loving uncletwenty times his worth
They sayis shamefully bereft of life.


COMMONS.
[Within.] An answer from the kingmy Lord of Salisbury!


SUFFOLK.
'T is like the commonsrude unpolish'd hinds
Could send such message to their sovereign;
But youmy lordwere glad to be employ'd
To show how quaint an orator you are.
But all the honour Salisbury hath won
Is that he was the lord ambassador
Sent from a sort of tinkers to the king.


COMMONS.
[Within.] An answer from the kingor we will all break in!


KING.
GoSalisburyand tell them all from me
I thank them for their tender loving care
And had I not been cited so by them
Yet did I purpose as they do entreat
Forsuremy thoughts do hourly prophesy
Mischance unto my state by Suffolk's means;
And thereforeby His majesty I swear
Whose far unworthy deputy I am
He shall not breathe infection in this air
But three days longeron the pain of death.


[Exit Salisbury.]


QUEEN.
O Henrylet me plead for gentle Suffolk!


KING.
Ungentle queento call him gentle Suffolk!
No moreI say; if thou dost plead for him
Thou wilt but add increase unto my wrath.
Had I but saidI would have kept my word
But when I swearit is irrevocable.--
Ifafter three days' spacethou here be'st found
On any ground that I am ruler of
The world shall not be ransom for thy life.--
ComeWarwickcomegood Warwickgo with me;
I have great matters to impart to thee.


[Exeunt all but Queen and Suffolk.]


QUEEN.
Mischance and sorrow go along with you!
Heart's discontent and sour affliction
Be playfellows to keep you company!
There's two of you; the devil make a third!



And threefold vengeance tend upon your steps!


SUFFOLK.
Ceasegentle queenthese execrations
And let thy Suffolk take his heavy leave.


QUEEN.
Fiecoward woman and soft-hearted wretch
Has thou not spirit to curse thine enemy?


SUFFOLK.
A plague upon them! wherefore should I curse them?
Would curses killas doth the mandrake's groan
I would invent as bitter-searching terms
As curstas harsh and horrible to hear
Deliver'd strongly through my fixed teeth
With full as many signs of deadly hate
As lean-fac'd Envy in her loathsome cave.
My tongue should stumble in mine earnest words;
Mine eyes should sparkle like the beaten flint;
Mine hair be fix'd an endas one distract;
Ayevery joint should seem to curse and ban;
And even now my burthen'd heart would break
Should I not curse them. Poison be their drink!
Gallworse than gallthe daintiest that they taste!
Their sweetest shade a grove of cypress-trees!
Their chiefest prospect murthering basilisks!
Their softest touch as smart as lizards' stings!
Their music frightful as the serpent's hiss
And boding screech-owls make the consort full!
All the foul terrors in dark-seated hell--


QUEEN.
Enoughsweet Suffolk; thou torment'st thyself;
And these dread curseslike the sun 'gainst glass
Or like an overcharged gunrecoil
And turns the force of them upon thyself.


SUFFOLK.
You bade me banand will you bid me leave?
Nowby the ground that I am banish'd from
Well could I curse away a winter's night
Though standing naked on a mountain top
Where biting cold would never let grass grow
And think it but a minute spent in sport.


QUEEN.
Olet me entreat thee cease. Give me thy hand
That I may dew it with my mournful tears;
Nor let the rain of heaven wet this place
To wash away my woeful monuments.
Ocould this kiss be printed in thy hand
That thou mightest think upon these by the seal
Through whom a thousand sighs are breath'd for thee!
Soget thee gonethat I may know my grief;
'T is but surmis'd whiles thou art standing by
As one that surfeits thinking on a want.
I will repeal theeorbe well assur'd
Adventure to be banished myself;
And banished I amif but from thee.
Go; speak not to meeven now be gone.--
Ogo not yet!--Even thus two friends condemn'd
Embrace and kiss and take ten thousand leaves
Loather a hundred times to part than die.



Yet now farewell; and farewell life with thee!


SUFFOLK.
Thus is poor Suffolk ten times banished;
Once by the kingand three times thrice by thee.
'T is not the land I care forwert thou thence;
A wilderness is populous enough
So Suffolk had thy heavenly company;
For where thou artthere is the world itself
With every several pleasure in the world
And where thou art notdesolation.
I can no more; live thou to joy thy life
Myself no joy in nought but that thou liv'st.


[Enter VAUX.]


QUEEN.
Whither goes Vaux so fast? what newsI prithee?


VAUX.
To signify unto his majesty
That Cardinal Beaufort is at point of death;
For suddenly a grievous sickness took him
That makes him gasp and stare and catch the air
Blaspheming God and cursing men on earth.
Sometime he talks as if Duke Humphrey's ghost
Were by his sidesometime he calls the king
And whispers to his pillow as to him
The secrets of his overcharged soul;
And I am sent to tell his majesty
That even now he cries aloud for him.


QUEEN.
Go tell this heavy message to the king.--


[Exit Vaux.]


Ay me! what is this world! what news are these!
But wherefore grieve I at an hour's poor loss
Omitting Suffolk's exilemy soul's treasure?
Why onlySuffolkmourn I not for thee
And with the southern clouds contend in tears
Theirs for the earth's increasemine for my sorrows?
Now get thee hence.
The kingthou know'stis coming;
If thou be found by me; thou art but dead.


SUFFOLK.
If I depart from theeI cannot live;
And in thy sight to diewhat were it else
But like a pleasant slumber in thy lap?
Here could I breathe my soul into the air
As mild and gentle as the cradle-babe
Dying with mother's dug between its lips;
Wherefrom thy sightI should be raging mad
And cry out for thee to close up mine eyes
To have thee with thy lips to stop my mouth.
So shouldst thou either turn my flying soul
Or I should breathe it so into thy body
And then it liv'd in sweet Elysium.
To die by thee were but to die in jest;
From thee to die were torture more than death.
Olet me staybefall what may befall!



QUEEN.
Away! though parting be a fretful corrosive
It is applied to a deathful wound.
To Francesweet Suffolk; let me hear from thee
For whereso'er thou art in this world's globe
I'll have an Iris that shall find thee out.


SUFFOLK.
I go.


QUEEN.
And take my heart with thee.


SUFFOLK.
A jewellock'd into the wofull'st cask
That ever did contain a thing of worth.
Even as a splitted barkso sunder we;
This way fall I to death.


QUEEN.
This way for me.


[Exeunt severally.]


SCENE III. A Bedchamber.


[Enter the KINGSALISBURYand WARWICKto the CARDINAL in bed.]


KING.
How fares my lord? speakBeaufortto thy sovereign.


CARDINAL.
If thou be'st DeathI'll give thee England's treasure
Enough to purchase such another island
So thou wilt let me live and feel no pain.


KING.
Ahwhat a sign it is of evil life
Where death's approach is seen so terrible!


WARWICK.
Beaufortit is thy sovereign speaks to thee.


CARDINAL.
Bring me unto my trial when you will.
Died he not in his bed? where should he die?
Can I make men livewhether they will or no?
Otorture me no more! I will confess.--
Alive again? then show me where he is;
I'll give a thousand pound to look upon him.
He hath no eyesthe dust hath blinded them.
Comb down his hair; looklook! it stands upright
Like lime-twigs set to catch my winged soul.--
Give me some drink; and bid the apothecary
Bring the strong poison that I bought of him.


KING.
O Thou eternal Mover of the Heavens
Look with a gentle eye upon this wretch!
Obeat away the busy meddling fiend
That lays strong siege unto this wretch's soul
And from his bosom purge this black despair!



WARWICK.
See how the pangs of death do make him grin!


SALISBURY.
Disturb him not; let him pass peaceably.


KING.
Peace to his soulif God's good pleasure be!--
Lord cardinalif thou think'st on heaven's bliss
Hold up thy handmake signal of thy hope.--
He diesand makes no sign.--O Godforgive him!


WARWICK.
So bad a death argues a monstrous life.


KING HENRY.
Forbear to judgefor we are sinners all.--
Close up his eyes and draw the curtain close;
And let us all to meditation.


[Exeunt.]


ACT IV.


SCENE I. The Coast of Kent.


[Alarum. Fight at sea. Ordnance goes off. Enter a Captain
a Mastera Master's MateWALTER WHITMOREand
others; with them SUFFOLKand othersprisoners.]


CAPTAIN.
The gaudyblabbingand remorseful day
Is crept into the bosom of the sea;
And now loud-howling wolves arouse the jades
That drag the tragic melancholy night
Whowith their drowsyslowand flagging wings
Clip dead men's graves and from their misty jaws
Breathe foul contagious darkness in the air.
Therefore bring forth the soldiers of our prize;
Forwhilst our pinnace anchors in the Downs
Here shall they make their ransom on the sand
Or with their blood stain this discolour'd shore.--
Masterthis prisoner freely give I thee;--
And thou that art his matemake boot of this;--
The otherWalter Whitmoreis thy share.


1 GENTLEMAN.
What is my ransommaster? let me know?


MASTER.
A thousand crownsor else lay down your head.


MATE.
And so much shall you giveor off goes yours.


CAPTAIN.
Whatthink you much to pay two thousand crowns
And bear the name and port of gentlemen?--
Cut both the villains' throats;--for die you shall.
The lives of those which we have lost in fight
Be counterpois'd with such a petty sum!



1 GENTLEMAN.
I'll give itsir; and therefore spare my life.


2 GENTLEMAN.
And so will Iand write home for it straight.


WHITMORE.
I lost mine eye in laying the prize aboard--
[To Suffolk] And thereforeto revenge itshalt thou die;--
And so should theseif I might have my will.


CAPTAIN.
Be not so rash; take ransomlet him live.


SUFFOLK.
Look on my George; I am a gentleman.
Rate me at what thou wiltthou shalt be paid.


WHITMORE.
And so am I; my name is Walter Whitmore.
How now! why start'st thou? Whatdoth death affright?


SUFFOLK.
Thy name affrights mein whose sound is death.
A cunning man did calculate my birth
And told me that by water I should die.
Yet let not this make thee be bloody-minded;
Thy name is Gaultierbeing rightly sounded.


WHITMORE.
Gaultier or Walterwhich it isI care not.
Never yet did base dishonour blur our name
But with our sword we wip'd away the blot;
Thereforewhen merchant-like I sell revenge
Broke be my swordmy arms torn and defac'd
And I proclaim'd a coward through the world!


SUFFOLK.
StayWhitmore; for thy prisoner is a prince
The Duke of SuffolkWilliam de la Pole.


WHITMORE.
The Duke of Suffolk muffled up in rags!


SUFFOLK.
Aybut these rags are no part of the duke;
Jove sometime went disguis'dand why not I?


CAPTAIN.
But Jove was never slainas thou shalt be.


SUFFOLK.
Obscure and lowly swainKing Henry's blood
The honourable blood of Lancaster
Must not be shed by such a jaded groom.
Hast thou not kiss'd thy hand and held my stirrup?
Bare-headed plodded by my foot-cloth mule
And thought thee happy when I shook my head?
How often hast thou waited at my cup
Fed from my trencherkneel'd down at the board
When I have feasted with Queen Margaret?
Remember it and let it make thee crest-fallen
Ayand allay thus thy abortive pride



How in our voiding lobby hast thou stood
And duly waited for my coming forth.
This hand of mine hath writ in thy behalf
And therefore shall it charm thy riotous tongue.


WHITMORE.
Speakcaptainshall I stab the forlorn swain?


CAPTAIN.
First let my words stab himas he hath me.


SUFFOLK.
Base slavethy words are blunt and so art thou.


CAPTAIN.
Convey him henceand on our long-boat's side
Strike off his head.


SUFFOLK.
Thou dar'st notfor thy own.


CAPTAIN.
YesPole!


SUFFOLK.
Pole!


CAPTAIN.
Pool! Sir Pool! lord!
Aykennelpuddlesinkwhose filth and dirt
Troubles the silver spring where England drinks.
Now will I dam up this thy yawning mouth
For swallowing the treasure of the realm;
Thy lips that kiss'd the queen shall sweep the ground;
And thou that smil'dst at good Duke Humphrey's death
Against the senseless winds shalt grin in vain
Who in contempt shall hiss at thee again.
And wedded be thou to the hags of hell
For daring to affy a mighty lord
Unto the daughter of a worthless king
Having neither subjectwealthnor diadem.
By devilish policy art thou grown great
Andlike ambitious Syllaovergorg'd
With gobbets of thy mother's bleeding heart.
By thee Anjou and Maine were sold to France
The false revolting Normans thorough thee
Disdain to call us lordand Picardy
Hath slain their governorssurpris'd our forts
And sent the ragged soldiers wounded home.
The princely Warwickand the Nevils all
Whose dreadful swords were never drawn in vain
As hating thee are rising up in arms;
And now the house of Yorkthrust from the crown
By shameful murther of a guiltless king
And lofty proud encroaching tyranny
Burns with revenging firewhose hopeful colours
Advance our half-fac'd sunstriving to shine
Under the which is writ 'Invitis nubibus.'
The commons here in Kent are up in arms;
Andto concludereproach and beggary
Is crept into the palace of our king
And all by thee.--Away! convey him hence.


SUFFOLK.



O that I were a godto shoot forth thunder
Upon these paltryservileabject drudges!
Small things make base men proud; this villain here
Being captain of a pinnacethreatens more
Than Bargulus the strong Illyrian pirate.--
Drones suck not eagles' blood but rob bee-hives.
It is impossible that I should die
By such a lowly vassal as thyself.
Thy words move rage and not remorse in me.
I go of message from the queen to France;
I charge thee waft me safely cross the Channel.


CAPTAIN.
Walter--


WHITMORE.
ComeSuffolkI must waft thee to thy death.


SUFFOLK.
Gelidus timor occupat artus; it is thee I fear.


WHITMORE.
Thou shalt have cause to fear before I leave thee.
Whatare ye daunted now? now will ye stoop?


1 GENTLEMAN.
My gracious lordentreat himspeak him fair.


SUFFOLK.
Suffolk's imperial tongue is stern and rough
Us'd to commanduntaught to plead for favour.
Far be it we should honour such as these
With humble suit; norather let my head
Stoop to the block than these knees bow to any
Save to the God of heaven and to my king
And sooner dance upon a bloody pole
Than stand uncover'd to the vulgar groom.
True nobility is exempt from fear;
More can I bear than you dare execute.


CAPTAIN.
Hale him awayand let him talk no more.


SUFFOLK.
Comesoldiersshow what cruelty ye can
That this my death may never be forgot!
Great men oft die by vile bezonians:
A Roman sworder and banditto slave
Murther'd sweet Tully; Brutus' bastard hand
Stabb'd Julius Caesar; savage islanders
Pompey the Great; and Suffolk dies by pirates.


[Exeunt Whitmore and others with Suffolk.]


CAPTAIN.
And as for these whose ransom we have set
It is our pleasure one of them depart
Therefore come you with usand let him go.


[Exeunt all but the 1 Gentleman.]


[Re-enter WHITMORE with SUFFOLK'S body.]


WHITMORE.



There let his head and lifeless body lie
Until the queen his mistress bury it.


[Exit.]


1 GENTLEMAN.
O barbarous and bloody spectacle!
His body will I bear unto the king.
If he revenge it notyet will his friends;
So will the queenthat living held him dear.


[Exit with the body.]


SCENE II. Blackheath.


[Enter GEORGE BEVIS and JOHN HOLLAND.]


GEORGE.
Comeand get thee a swordthough made of
a lath; they have been up these two days.


HOLLAND.
They have the more need to sleep nowthen.


BEVIS.
I tell theeJack Cade the clothier means to dress the
commonwealthand turn itand set a new nap upon it.


HOLLAND.
So he had needfor 't is threadbare. WellI say
it was never merry world in England since gentlemen came up.


BEVIS.
O miserable age! virtue is not regarded in
handicraftsmen.


HOLLAND.
The nobility think scorn to go in leather aprons.


BEVIS.
Naymorethe king's council are no good workmen.


HOLLAND.
True; and yet it is saidlabour in thy vocation
which is as much to say aslet the magistrates be labouring
men; and therefore should we be magistrates.


BEVIS.
Thou hast hit it; for there's no better sign of a brave
mind than a hard hand.


HOLLAND.
I see them! I see them! There's Best's sonthe
tanner of Wingham--


BEVIS.
He shall have the skin of our enemiesto make dog's-
leather of.


HOLLAND.
And Dick the butcher--



BEVIS.
Then is sin struck down like an oxand iniquity's
throat cut like a calf.


HOLLAND.
And Smith the weaver--


BEVIS.
Argotheir thread of life is spun.


HOLLAND.
Comecomelet's fall in with them.


[Drum. Enter CADEDICK the ButcherSMITH the Weaver
and a Sawyerwith infinite numbers.]


CADE.
We John Cadeso term'd of our supposed father--


DICK.
[Aside.] Or ratherof stealing a cade of herrings.


CADE.
For our enemies shall fall before usinspired with the
spirit of putting down kings and princes--Command silence.


DICK.
Silence!


CADE.
My father was a Mortimer--


DICK.
[Aside.] He was an honest man and a good bricklayer.


CADE.
My mother a Plantagenet--


DICK.
[Aside.] I knew her well; she was a midwife.


CADE.
My wife descended of the Lacies--


DICK.
[Aside.] She wasindeeda pedler's daughterand sold
many laces.


SMITH.
[Aside.] But now of latenot able to travel with her
furred packshe washes bucks here at home.


CADE.
Therefore am I of an honourable house.


DICK.
[Aside.] Ayby my faiththe field is honourable; and
there was he bornunder a hedgefor his father had never a
house but
the cage.


CADE.
Valiant I am.



SMITH.
[Aside.] A' must needs; for beggary is valiant.


CADE.
I am able to endure much.


DICK.
[Aside.] No question of that; for I have seen him whipped
three market-days together.


CADE.
I fear neither sword nor fire.


SMITH.
[Aside.] He need not fear the swordfor his coat is of
proof.


DICK.
[Aside.] But methinks he should stand in fear of fire
being burnt i' the hand for stealing of sheep.


CADE.
Be bravethen; for your captain is braveand vows
reformation. There shall be in England seven halfpenny loaves
sold for a penny; the three-hooped pot shall have ten hoops; and
I will make it felony to drink small beer. All the realm shall be
in common; and in Cheapside shall my palfry go to grass; and
when I am kingas king I will be--


ALL.
God save your majesty!


CADE.
I thank yougood people;--there shall be no money; all shall
eat and drink on my scoreand I will apparel them all in one
liverythat they may agree like brothers and worship me their
lord.


DICK.
The first thing we dolet's kill all the lawyers.


CADE.
Naythat I mean to do. Is not this a lamentable thingthat
of the skin of an innocent lamb should be made parchmentthat
parchmentbeing scribbl'd o'ershould undo a man? Some say the
bee stings; but I say 't is the bee's waxfor I did but seal
once to a thingand I was never mine own man since.--How now!
who's there?


[Enter somebringing in the Clerk of Chatham.]


SMITH.
The clerk of Chatham; he can write and read and cast
accompt.


CADE.
O monstrous!


SMITH.
We took him setting of boys' copies.


CADE.
Here's a villain!



SMITH.
Has a book in his pocket with red letters in 't.


CADE.
Naythenhe is a conjurer.


DICK.
Nayhe can make obligations and write court-hand.


CADE.
I am sorry for 't.
The man is a proper manof mine honour;
unless I find him guiltyhe shall not die.--Come hithersirrah
I must examine thee; what is thy name?


CLERK.
Emmanuel.


DICK.
They use to write it on the top of letters.--'T will go
hard with you.


CADE.
Let me alone.--Dost thou use to write thy name? or hast
thou a mark to thyselflike a honestplain-dealing man?


CLERK.
SirI thank GodI have been so well brought up that I
can write my name.


ALL.
He hath confess'd; away with him! he's a villain and a
traitor.


CADE.
Away with himI say! hang him with his pen and inkhorn
about his neck.


[Exit one with the Clerk.]


[Enter MICHAEL.]


MICHAEL.
Where's our general?


CADE.
Here I amthou particular fellow.


MICHAEL.
Flyflyfly! Sir Humphrey Stafford and his brother
are hard bywith the king's forces.


CADE.
Standvillainstandor I'll fell thee down. He shall be
encountered with a man as good as himself; he is but a knight
is a'?


MICHAEL.
No.


CADE.
To equal himI will make myself a knight presently.--
[Kneels.] Rise up Sir John Mortimer.--[Rises.] Now have at him!



[Enter SIR HUMPHREY STAFFORD and his Brotherwith drum
and soldiers.]


STAFFORD.
Rebellious hindsthe filth and scum of Kent
Mark'd for the gallowslay your weapons down;
Home to your cottagesforsake this groom.
The king is mercifulif you revolt.


BROTHER.
But angrywrathfuland inclin'd to blood
If you go forward; therefore yieldor die.


CADE.
As for these silken-coated slavesI pass not;
It is to yougood peoplethat I speak
OVer whomin time to comeI hope to reign
For I am rightful heir unto the crown.


STAFFORD.
Villainthy father was a plasterer;
And thou thyself a shearmanart thou not?


CADE.
And Adam was a gardener.


BROTHER.
And what of that?


CADE.
Marrythis: Edmund MortimerEarl of March
Married the Duke of Clarence' daughterdid he not?


STAFFORD.
Aysir.


CADE.
By her he had two children at one birth.


BROTHER.
That's false.


CADE.
Aythere's the question; but I say 't is true.
The elder of thembeing put to nurse
Was by a beggar-woman stolen away
Andignorant of his birth and parentage
Became a bricklayer when he came to age.
His son am I; deny itif you can.


DICK.
Nay't is too true; therefore he shall be king.


SMITH.
Sirhe made a chimney in my father's houseand the bricks
are alive at this day to testify it; therefore deny it not.


STAFFORD.
And will you credit this base drudge's words
That speaks he knows not what?


ALL.
Aymarrywill we; therefore get ye gone.



BROTHER.
Jack Cadethe Duke of York hath taught you this.


CADE.
[Aside.] He liesfor I invented it myself.--Go tosirrah
tell the king from me thatfor his father's sakeHenry the
Fifthin whose time boys went to span-counter for French crowns
I am content he shall reign; but I'll be protector over him.


DICK.
And furthermorewe'll have the Lord Say's head for
selling the dukedom of Maine.


CADE.
And good reason; for thereby is England mainedand fain to go
with a staffbut that my puissance holds it up. Fellow kingsI
tell you that that Lord Say hath gelded the commonwealth and made
it an eunuch; and more than thathe can speak Frenchand
therefore he is a traitor.


STAFFORD.
O gross and miserable ignorance!


CADE.
Nayanswer if you can: the Frenchmen are our enemies;
go tothenI ask but this: can he that speaks with the tongue
of an enemy be a good counselloror no?


ALL.
Nono; and therefore we'll have his head.


BROTHER.
Wellseeing gentle words will not prevail
Assail them with the army of the king.


STAFFORD.
Heraldaway; and throughout every town
Proclaim them traitors that are up with Cade;
That those which fly before the battle ends
Mayeven in their wives' and children's sight
Be hang'd up for example at their doors.--
And you that be the king's friendsfollow me.


[Exeunt the two Staffordsand soldiers.]


CADE.
And you that love the commons follow me.
Now show yourselves men; 't is for liberty.
We will not leave one lordone gentleman;
Spare none but such as go in clouted shoon
For they are thrifty honest men and such
As wouldbut that they dare nottake our parts.


DICK.
They are all in order and march toward us.


CADE.
But then are we in order when we are most out of
order.--Comemarch forward.


[Exeunt.]



SCENE III. Another part of Blackheath.


[Alarums to the fightwherein both the STAFFORDS are slain.
Enter CADE and the rest.]


CADE.
Where's Dickthe butcher of Ashford?


DICK.
Heresir.


CADE.
They fell before thee like sheep and oxenand thou
behavedst thyself as if thou hadst been in thine own
slaughter-house; therefore thus will I reward thee:
the Lent shall be as long again as it isand thou
shalt have a licence to kill for a hundred lacking one.


DICK.
I desire no more.


CADE.
Andto speak truththou deservest no less.
This monument of the victory will I bear
[putting on Sir Humphrey's brigandine];
and the bodies shall be dragged at my horse heels till I do come
to Londonwhere we will have the mayor's sword borne before us.


DICK.
If we mean to thrive and do goodbreak open the gaols and
let out the prisoners.


CADE.
Fear not thatI warrant thee. Comelet's march towards
London.


[Exeunt.]


SCENE IV. London. The Palace.


[Enter the KING with a supplicationand the QUEEN with Suffolk's
headthe DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM and the LORD SAY.]


QUEEN.
Oft have I heard that grief softens the mind
And makes it fearful and degenerate;
Think therefore on revenge and cease to weep.
But who can cease to weep and look on this?
Here may his head lie on my throbbing breast;
But where's the body that I should embrace?


BUCKINGHAM.
What answer makes your grace to the rebels'
supplication?


KING.
I'll send some holy bishop to entreat;
For God forbid so many simple souls
Should perish by the sword! And I myself
Rather than bloody war shall cut them short
Will parley with Jack Cade their general.--



But stayI'll read it over once again.


QUEEN.
Ahbarbarous villains! hath this lovely face
Rul'dlike a wandering planetover me
And could it not enforce them to relent
That were unworthy to behold the same?


KING.
Lord SayJack Cade hath sworn to have thy head.


SAY.
Aybut I hope your highness shall have his.


KING.
How nowmadam!
Still lamenting and mourning for Suffolk's death?
I fear meloveif that I had been dead
Thou wouldst not have mourn'd so much for me.


QUEEN.
Nomy loveI should not mournbut die for thee.


[Enter a Messenger.]


KING.
How now! what news? why com'st thou in such haste?


MESSENGER.
The rebels are in Southwark; flymy lord!
Jack Cade proclaims himself Lord Mortimer
Descended from the Duke of Clarence' house
And calls your grace usurper openly
And vows to crown himself in Westminster.
His army is a ragged multitude
Of hinds and peasantsrude and merciless;
Sir Humphrey Stafford and his brother's death
Hath given them heart and courage to proceed.
All scholarslawyerscourtiersgentlemen
They call false caterpillarsand intend their death.


KING.
O graceless men! they know not what they do.


BUCKINGHAM.
My gracious lordretire to Killingworth
Until a power be rais'd to put them down.


QUEEN.
Ahwere the Duke of Suffolk now alive
These Kentish rebels would be soon appeas'd!


KING.
Lord Saythe traitors hate thee;
Therefore away with us to Killingworth.


SAY.
So might your grace's person be in danger.
The sight of me is odious in their eyes;
And therefore in this city will I stay
And live alone as secret as I may.


[Enter another Messenger.]



MESSENGER.
Jack Cade hath gotten London bridge;
The citizens fly and forsake their houses.
The rascal peoplethirsting after prey
Join with the traitorand they jointly swear
To spoil the city and your royal court.


BUCKINGHAM.
Then linger notmy lord; awaytake horse.


KING.
Come Margaret; Godour hopewill succour us.


QUEEN.
My hope is gonenow Suffolk is deceas'd.


KING.
Farewellmy lord; trust not the Kentish rebels.


BUCKINGHAM.
Trust nobodyfor fear you be betray'd.


SAY.
The trust I have is in mine innocence
And therefore am I bold and resolute.


[Exeunt.]


SCENE V. London. The Tower.


[Enter LORD SCALES upon the Towerwalking. Then enter two or
three Citizensbelow.]


SCALES.
How now! Is Jack Cade slain?


1 CITIZEN.
Nomy lordnor likely to be slain; for they
have won the bridgekilling all those that withstand them.
The lord mayor craves aid of your honour from the Tower
to defend the city from the rebels.


SCALES.
Such aid as I can spare you shall command
But I am troubled here with them myself;
The rebels have assay'd to win the Tower.
But get you to Smithfield and gather head
And thither I will send you Matthew Goffe.
Fight for your kingyour countryand your lives;
And sofarewellfor I must hence again.


[Exeunt.]


SCENE VI. London. Cannon Street.


[Enter JACK CADE and the restand strikes his staff on
London-stone.]


CADE.
Now is Mortimer lord of this city. And heresitting upon



London-stoneI charge and command thatof the city's costthe
conduit run nothing but claret wine this first year of our reign.
And now henceforward it shall be treason for any that calls me
other
than Lord Mortimer.


[Enter a Soldierrunning.]


SOLDIER.
Jack Cade! Jack Cade!


CADE.
Knock him down there.


[They kill him.]


SMITH.
If this fellow be wisehe'll never call ye Jack
Cade more; I think he hath a very fair warning.


DICK.
My lordthere's an army gathered together in Smithfield.


CADE.
Come thenlet's go fight with them. But firstgo and set
London bridge on fire; andif you canburn down the Tower too.
Comelet's away.


[Exeunt.]


SCENE VII. London. Smithfield.


[Alarums. MATTHEW GOFFE is slainand all the rest. Then enter
JACK CADEwith his company.]


CADE.
Sosirs.--Now go some and pull down the Savoy; others
to the inns of court; down with them all.


DICK.
I have a suit unto your lordship.


CADE.
Be it a lordshipthou shalt have it for that word.


DICK.
Only that the laws of England may come out of
your mouth.


HOLLAND.
[Aside.] Mass't will be sore lawthen; for he
was thrust in the mouth with a spearand 't is not whole yet.


SMITH.
[Aside.] NayJohnit will be stinking lawfor his
breath stinks with eating toasted cheese.


CADE.
I have thought upon itit shall be so. Awayburn
all the records of the realm. My mouth shall be the parliament
of England.



HOLLAND.
[Aside.] Then we are like to have biting statutes
unless his teeth be pulled out.


CADE.
And henceforward all things shall be in common.


[Enter a Messenger.]


MESSENGER.
My lorda prizea prize! here's the Lord
Saywhich sold the towns in France; he that made us pay
one and twenty fifteensand one shilling to the poundthe
last subsidy.


[Enter GEOGE BEVISwith the LORD SAY.]


CADE.
Wellhe shall be beheaded for it ten times.--Ahthou say
thou sergenaythou buckram lord! now art thou within point-
blank of our jurisdiction regal. What canst thou answer to my
majesty for giving up of Normandy unto Mounsieur Basimecuthe
dauphin of France? Be it known unto thee by these presenceeven
the presence of Lord Mortimerthat I am the besom that must
sweep the court clean of such filth as thou art. Thou hast most
traitorously corrupted the youth of the realm in erecting a
grammar school; and whereasbeforeour forefathers had no other
books but the score and the tallythou hast caused printing to
be usedandcontrary to the kinghis crownand dignitythou
hast built a paper-mill. It will be proved to thy face that thou
hast men about thee that usually talk of a noun and a verband
such abominable words as no Christian ear can endure to hear.
Thou hast appointed justices of peaceto call poor men before
them about matters they were not able to answer. Moreoverthou
hast put them in prisonand because they could not readthou
hast hanged them; whenindeedonly for that cause they have
been most worthy to live. Thou dost ride in a foot-clothdost
thou not?


SAY.
What of that?


CADE.
Marrythou oughtest not to let thy horse wear a cloak
when honester men than thou go in their hose and doublets.


DICK.
And work in their shirt too; as myselffor examplethat
am a butcher.


SAY.
You men of Kent--


DICK.
What say you of Kent?


SAY.
Nothing but this; 't is 'bona terramala gens.'


CADE.
Away with himaway with him! he speaks Latin.


SAY.
Hear me but speakand bear me where you will.



Kentin the Commentaries Caesar writ
Is term'd the civil'st place of all this isle.
Sweet is the countrybecause full of riches;
The people liberalvaliantactivewealthy;
Which makes me hope you are not void of pity.
I sold not MaineI lost not Normandy
Yetto recover themwould lose my life.
Justice with favour have I always done;
Prayers and tears have mov'd megifts could never.
When have I aught exacted at your hands
But to maintain the kingthe realmand you?
Large gifts have I bestow'd on learned clerks
Because my book preferr'd me to the king;
And seeing ignorance is the curse of God
Knowledge the wing wherewith we fly to heaven
Unless you be possess'd with devilish spirits
You cannot but forbear to murther me.
This tongue hath parley'd unto foreign kings
For your behoof--


CADE.
Tutwhen struck'st thou one blow in the field?


SAY.
Great men have reaching hands; oft have I struck
Those that I never sawand struck them dead.


GEORGE.
O monstrous coward! whatto come behind folks?


SAY.
These cheeks are pale for watching for your good.


CADE.
Give him a box o' the earand that will make 'em red
again.


SAY.
Long sitting to determine poor men's causes
Hath made me full of sickness and diseases.


CADE.
Ye shall have a hempen caudle thenand the help of
hatchet.


DICK.
Why dost thou quiverman?


SAY.
The palsyand not fearprovokes me.


CADE.
Nayhe nods at usas who should sayI'll be even with
you. I'll see if his head will stand steadier on a pole or
no. Take him awayand behead him.


SAY.
Tell me wherein have I offended most?
Have I affected wealth or honour? speak.
Are my chests fill'd up with extorted gold?
Is my apparel sumptuous to behold?
Whom have I injur'dthat ye seek my death?
These hands are free from guiltless bloodshedding
This breast from harbouring foul deceitful thoughts.



Olet me live!


CADE.
[Aside.] I feel remorse in myself with his wordsbut I'll bridle
it; he shall diean it be but for pleading so well for his
life.--
Away with him! he has a familiar under his tongue; he speaks not
o' God's name. Gotake him awayI sayand strike off his head
presently; and then break into his son-in-law's houseSir James
Cromerand strike off his headand bring them both upon two
poles hither.


ALL.
It shall be done.


SAY.
Ahcountrymen! if when you make your prayers
God should be so obdurate as yourselves
How would it fare with your departed souls?
And therefore yet relentand save my life.


CADE.
Away with him! and do as I command ye.--[Exeunt some with
Lord Say.] The proudest peer in the realm shall not
wear a head on his shoulders unless he pay me tribute; there
shall not a maid be married but she shall pay to me her
maidenhead ere they have it. Men shall hold of me in capite;
and we charge and command that their wives be as free as
heart can wish or tongue can tell.


DICK.
My lordwhen shall we go to Cheapsideand take up
commodities upon our bills?


CADE.
Marrypresently.


ALL.
Obrave!


[Re-enter one with the heads.]


CADE.
But is not this braver? Let them kiss one another
for they loved well when they were alive. Now part them again
lest they consult about the giving up of some more towns in
France.--Soldiersdefer the spoil of the city until night; for
with these borne before usinstead of maces will we ride
through the streetsand at every corner have them kiss.--Away!


[Exeunt.]


SCENE VIII. Southwark.


[Alarum and retreat. Enter CADE and all his rabblement.]


CADE.
Up Fish Street! down Saint Magnus' Corner! kill
and knock down! Throw them into Thames! [Sound a parley.]
What noise is this I hear? Dare any be so bold to sound retreat
or parley when I command them kill?



[Enter BUCKINGHAM and old CLIFFORDattended.]


BUCKINGHAM.
Ayhere they be that dare and will disturb thee.
KnowCadewe come ambassadors from the king
Unto the commons whom thou hast misled
And here pronounce free pardon to them all
That will forsake thee and go home in peace.


CLIFFORD.
What say yecountrymen? will ye relent
And yield to mercy whilst 't is offer'd you
Or let a rebel lead you to your deaths?
Who loves the king and will embrace his pardon
Fling up his capand say 'God save his Majesty!'
Who hateth him and honours not his father
Henry the Fifththat made all France to quake
Shake he his weapon at us and pass by.


ALL.
God save the king! God save the king!


CADE.
WhatBuckingham and Cliffordare ye so brave?--
And youbase peasantsdo ye believe him? will you needs be
hang'd with your about your necks? Hath my sword therefore
broke through London gatesthat you should leave me at the
White Hart in Southwark? I thought ye would never have given
out these arms till you had recovered your ancient freedom;
but you are all recreants and dastardsand delight to live in
slavery to the nobility. Let them break your backs with burthens
take your houses over your headsravish your wives and daughters
before your faces. For meI will make shift for one; and so
God's curse light upon you all!


ALL.
We'll follow Cadewe'll follow Cade!


CLIFFORD.
Is Cade the son of Henry the Fifth
That thus you do exclaim you'll go with him?
Will he conduct you through the heart of France
And make the meanest of you earls and dukes?
Alashe hath no homeno place to fly to;
Nor knows he how to live but by the spoil
Unless by robbing of your friends and us.
Were 't not a shame that whilst you live at jar
The fearful Frenchwhom you late vanquished
Should make a start o'er seas and vanquish you?
Methinks already in this civil broil
I see them lording it in London streets
Crying 'Villiaco!' unto all they meet.
Better ten thousand base-born Cades miscarry
Than you should stoop unto a Frenchman's mercy.
To Franceto Franceand get what you have lost;
Spare Englandfor it is your native coast.
Henry hath moneyyou are strong and manly;
God on our sidedoubt not of victory.


ALL.
A Clifford! a Clifford! we'll follow the king and
Clifford.


CADE.



Was ever feather so lightly blown to and fro as this
multitude? The name of Henry the Fifth hales them to an hundred
mischiefs and makes them leave me desolate. I see them lay their
heads together to surprise me. My sword make way for mefor
here is no staying.--In despite of the devils and hellhave
through the very middest of you! and heavens and honour be
witness
that no want of resolution in mebut only my followers' base and
ignominious treasonsmakes me betake me to my heels.


[Exit.]


BUCKINGHAM.
Whatis he fled?--Go someand follow him;
And he that brings his head unto the king
Shall have a thousand crowns for his reward.--


[Exeunt some of them.]


Follow mesoldiers; we'll devise a mean
To reconcile you all unto the king.


[Exeunt.]


SCENE IX. Kenilworth Castle.


[Sound trumpets. Enter KINGQUEENand SOMERSETon the
terrace.]


KING.
Was ever king that joy'd an earthly throne
And could command no more content than I?
No sooner was I crept out of my cradle
But I was made a king at nine months old.
Was never subject long'd to be a king
As I do long and wish to be a subject.


[Enter BUCKINGHAM and old CLIFFORD.]


BUCKINGHAM.
Health and glad tidings to your majesty!


KING.
WhyBuckinghamis the traitor Cade surpris'd?
Or is he but retir'd to make him strong?


[Enterbelowmultitudes with halters about their necks.]


CLIFFORD.
He is fledmy lordand all his powers do yield
And humbly thuswith halters on their necks
Expect your highness' doomof life or death.


KING.
Thenheavenset ope thy everlasting gates
To entertain my vows of thanks and praise!--
Soldiersthis day have you redeem'd your lives
And show'd how well you love your prince and country.
Continue still in this so good a mind
And Henrythough he be infortunate
Assure yourselveswill never be unkind.
And sowith thanks and pardon to you all



I do dismiss you to your several countries.


ALL.
God save the king! God save the king!


[Enter a Messenger.]


MESSENGER.
Please it your grace to be advertised
The Duke of York is newly come from Ireland
And with a puissant and a mighty power
Of gallowglasses and stout kerns
Is marching hitherward in proud array
And still proclaimethas he comes along
His arms are only to remove from thee
The Duke of Somersetwhom he terms a traitor.


KING.
Thus stands my state'twixt Cade and York distress'd
Like to a ship thathaving scap'd a tempest
Is straightway calm'd and boarded with a pirate;
But now is Cade driven backhis men dispers'd
And now is York in arms to second him.--
I pray theeBuckinghamgo and meet him
And ask him wha t's the reason of these arms.
Tell him I'll send Duke Edmund to the Tower;--
AndSomersetwe will commit thee thither
Until his army be dismiss'd from him.


SOMERSET.
My lord
I'll yield myself to prison willingly
Or unto deathto do my country good.


KING.
In any casebe not too rough in terms
For he is fierce and cannot brook hard language.


BUCKINGHAM.
I willmy lordand doubt not so to deal
As all things shall redound unto your good.


KING.
Comewifelet's inand learn to govern better;
For yet may England curse my wretched reign.


[Flourish. Exeunt.]


SCENE X. Kent. Iden's Garden.


[Enter CADE.]


CADE.
Fie on ambitions! fie on myselfthat have a sword
and yet am ready to famish! These five days have I hid me in
these woods and durst not peep outfor all the country is laid
for me; but now am I so hungry that if I might have a lease of
my life for a thousand years I could stay no longer. Wherefore
on a brick wall have I climb'd into this gardento see if I can
eat grassor pick a sallet another whilewhich is not amiss to
cool
a man's stomach this hot weather. And I think this word 'sallet'



was born to do me good; for many a timebut for a salletmy
brain-pain had been cleft with a brown bill; and many a time
when I have been dry and bravely marchingit hath served me
instead of a quart pot to drink in; and now the word 'sallet'
must serve me to feed on.


[Enter IDEN.]


IDEN.
Lordwho would live turmoiled in the court
And may enjoy such quiet walks as these?
This small inheritance my father left me
Contenteth meand worth a monarchy.
I seek not to wax great by others' waning
Or gather wealthI care not with what envy;
Sufficeth that I have maintains my state
And sends the poor well pleased from my gate.


CADE.
Here's the lord of the soil come to seize me for a
strayfor entering his fee-simple without leave.--Ahvillain
thou wilt betray meand get a thousand crowns of the king
by carrying my head to him; but I'll make thee eat iron like
an ostrichand swallow my sword like a great pinere thou
and I part.


IDEN.
Whyrude companionwhatsoe'er thou beI know
thee not! whythenshould I betray thee?
Is 't not enough to break into my garden
Andlike a thiefto come to rob my grounds
Climbing my walls in spite of me the owner
But thou wilt brave me with these saucy terms?


CADE.
Brave thee? ayby the best blood that ever was
broachedand beard thee too. Look on me well: I have eat
no meat these five days; yetcome thou and thy five men
and if I do not leave you all as dead as a door-nailI pray
God I may never eat grass more.


IDEN.
Nayit shall ne'er be saidwhile England stands
That Alexander Idenan esquire of Kent
Took odds to combat a poor famish'd man.
Oppose thy steadfast-gazing eyes to mine
See if thou canst outface me with thy looks.
Set limb to limb and thou art far the lesser;
Thy hand is but a finger to my fist
Thy leg a stick compared with this truncheon;
My foot shall fight with all the strength thou hast;
And if mine arm be heaved in the air
Thy grave is digg'd already in the earth.
As for wordswhose greatness answers words
Let this my sword report what speech forbears.


CADE.
By my valourthe most complete champion that
ever I heard!--Steelif thou turn the edgeor cut not out
the burly-boned clown in chines of beef ere thou sleep in
thy sheathI beseech God on my knees thou mayst be turn'd
to hobnails.--[Here they fight. Cade falls.] OI am slain!
famine and no other hath slain me; let ten thousand devils
come against meand give me but the ten meals I have lost



and I'd defy them all.--Withergarden; and be henceforth a
burying place to all that do dwell in this housebecause
the unconquered soul of Cade is fled.


IDEN.
Is't Cade that I have slainthat monstrous traitor?--
SwordI will hallow thee for this thy deed
And hang thee o'er my tomb when I am dead;
Ne'er shall this blood be wiped from thy point
But thou shalt wear it as a herald's coat
To emblaze the honour that thy master got.


CADE.
Idenfarewell; and be proud of thy victory. Tell Kent from
meshe hath lost her best manand exhort all the world to be
cowards; for Ithat never feared anyam vanquished by famine
not by valour.


[Dies.]


IDEN.
How much thou wrong'st meheaven be my judge.
Diedamned wretchthe curse of her that bare thee;
And as I thrust thy body in with my sword
So wish I I might thrust thy soul to hell.
Hence will I drag thee headlong by the heels
Unto a dunghill which shall be thy grave
And there cut off thy most ungracious head
Which I will bear in triumph to the king
Leaving thy trunk for crows to feed upon.


[Exit.]


ACT V.


SCENE I. Fields between Dartford and Blackheath.


[Enter YORKand his army of Irishwith drum and colours.]


YORK.
From Ireland thus comes York to claim his right
And pluck the crown from feeble Henry's head.
Ringbellsaloud; burnbonfiresclear and bright
To entertain great England's lawful king.
Ah! sancta majestas! who would not buy thee dear?
Let them obey that knows not how to rule;
This hand was made to handle nought but gold.
I cannot give due action to my words
Except a sword or sceptre balance it.
A sceptre shall it havehave I a soul
On which I'll toss the flower-de-luce of France.--


[Enter BUCKINGHAM.]


Whom have we here? Buckinghamto disturb me?
The king hath sent himsure: I must dissemble.


BUCKINGHAM.
Yorkif thou meanest wellI greet thee well.


YORK.
Humphrey of BuckinghamI accept thy greeting.



Art thou a messengeror come of pleasure?


BUCKINGHAM.
A messenger from Henryour dread liege
To know the reason of these arms in peace;
Or why thoubeing a subject as I am
Against thy oath and true allegiance sworn
Should raise so great a power without his leave
Or dare to bring thy force so near the court.


YORK.
[Aside.] Scarce can I speakmy choler is so great:
OI could hew up rocks and fight with flint
I am so angry at these abject terms;
And nowlike Ajax Telamonius
On sheep or oxen could I spend my fury.
I am far better born than is the king
More like a kingmore kingly in my thoughts;
But I must make fair weather yet a while
Till Henry be more weak and I more strong.--
BuckinghamI pritheepardon me
That I have given no answer all this while;
My mind was troubled with deep melancholy.
The cause why I have brought this army hither
Is to remove proud Somerset from the king
Seditious to his grace and to the state.


BUCKINGHAM.
That is too much presumption on thy part;
But if thy arms be to no other end
The king hath yielded unto thy demand.
The Duke of Somerset is in the Tower.


YORK.
Upon thine honouris he prisoner?


BUCKINGHAM.
Upon mine honourhe is prisoner.


YORK.
ThenBuckinghamI do dismiss my powers.--
SoldiersI thank you all; disperse yourselves;
Meet me to-morrow in Saint George's field
You shall have pay and everything you wish.--
And let my sovereignvirtuous Henry
Command my eldest sonnayall my sons
As pledges of my fealty and love
I'll send them all as willing as I live;
Landsgoodshorsearmouranything I have
Is his to useso Somerset may die.


BUCKINGHAM.
YorkI commend this kind submission;
We twain will go into his highness' tent.


[Enter KING and Attendants.]


KING.
Buckinghamdoth York intend no harm to us
That thus he marcheth with thee arm in arm?


YORK.
In all submission and humility
York doth present himself unto your highness.



KING.
Then what intends these forces thou dost bring?


YORK.
To heave the traitor Somerset from hence
And fight against that monstrous rebel Cade
Who since I heard to be discomfited.


[Enter IDENwith CADE's head.]


IDEN.
If one so rude and of so mean condition
May pass into the presence of a king
LoI present your grace a traitor's head
The head of Cadewhom I in combat slew.


KING.
The head of Cade!--Great Godhow just art Thou!--
Olet me view his visagebeing dead
That living wrought me such exceeding trouble.
Tell memy friendart thou the man that slew him?


IDEN.
I wasan 't like your majesty.


KING.
How art thou call'd? and what is thy degree?


IDEN.
Alexander Identhat's my name;
A poor esquire of Kentthat loves his king.


BUCKINGHAM.
So please it youmy lord't were not amiss
He were created knight for his good service.


KING.
Idenkneel down. [He kneels.] Rise up a knight.
We give thee for reward a thousand marks
And will that thou thenceforth attend on us.


IDEN.
May Iden live to merit such a bounty
And never live but true unto his liege!


[Rises.]


[Enter QUEEN and SOMERSET.]


KING.
SeeBuckinghamSomerset comes with the queen.
Gobid her hide him quickly from the duke.


QUEEN.
For thousand Yorks he shall not hide his head
But boldly stand and front him to his face.


YORK.
How now! is Somerset at liberty?
ThenYorkunloose thy long-imprisoned thoughts
And let thy tongue be equal with thy heart.
Shall I endure the sight of Somerset?
False king! why hast thou broken faith with me



Knowing how hardly I can brook abuse?
King did I call thee? nothou art not king
Not fit to govern and rule multitudes
Which dar'st notnonor canst not rule a traitor.
That head of thine doth not become a crown;
Thy hand is made to grasp a palmer's staff
And not to grace an awful princely sceptre.
That gold must round engirt these brows of mine
Whose smile and frownlike to Achilles' spear
Is able with the change to kill and cure.
Here is a hand to hold a sceptre up
And with the same to act controlling laws.
Give place; by heaventhou shalt rule no more
O'er him whom heaven created for thy ruler.


SOMERSET.
O monstrous traitor!--I arrest theeYork
Of capital treason 'gainst the king and crown.
Obeyaudacious traitor; kneel for grace.


YORK.
Wouldst have me kneel? first let me ask of these
If they can brook I bow a knee to man.--
Sirrahcall in my sons to be my bail.--


[Exit Attendant.]


I knowere thy will have me go to ward
They'll pawn their swords for my enfranchisement.


QUEEN.
Call hither Clifford; bid him come amain
To say if that the bastard boys of York
Shall be the surety for their traitor father.


[Exit Buckingham.]


YORK.
O blood-bespotted Neapolitan
Outcast of NaplesEngland's bloody scourge!
The sons of Yorkthy betters in their birth
Shall be their father's bail; and bane to those
That for my surety will refuse the boys!


[Enter EDWARD and RICHARD.]


See where they come; I'll warrant they'll make it good.


[Enter old CLIFFORD and his SON.]


QUEEN.
And here comes Clifford to deny their bail.


CLIFFORD.
Health and all happiness to my lord the king!


[Kneels.]


YORK.
I thank theeClifford; saywhat news with thee?
Naydo not fright us with an angry look.
We are thy sovereignCliffordkneel again;
For thy mistaking sowe pardon thee.



CLIFFORD.
This is my kingYorkI do not mistake;
But thou mistakes me much to think I do.--
To Bedlam with him! is the man grown mad?


KING.
AyClifford; a bedlam and ambitious humour
Makes him oppose himself against his king.


CLIFFORD.
He is a traitor; let him to the Tower
And chop away that factious pate of his.


QUEEN.
He is arrestedbut will not obey;
His sonshe saysshall give their words for him.


YORK.
Will you notsons?


EDWARD.
Aynoble fatherif our words will serve.


RICHARD.
And if words will notthen our weapons shall.


CLIFFORD.
Whywhat a brood of traitors have we here!


YORK.
Look in a glassand call thy image so;
I am thy kingand thou a false-heart traitor.--
Call hither to the stake my two brave bears
That with the very shaking of their chains
They may astonish these fell-lurking curs.
Bid Salisbury and Warwick come to me.


[Enter the EARLS OF WARWICK and SALISBURY.]


CLIFFORD.
Are these thy bears? we'll bait thy bears to death
And manacle the bear-herd in their chains
If thou dar'st bring them to the baiting-place.


RICHARD.
Oft have I seen a hot o'erweening cur
Run back and bite because he was withheld
Whobeing suffer'd with the bear's fell paw
Hath clapp'd his tail between his legs and cried;
And such a piece of service will you do
If you oppose yourselves to match Lord Warwick.


CLIFFORD.
Henceheap of wrathfoul indigested lump
As crooked in thy manners as thy shape!


YORK.
Naywe shall heat you thoroughly anon.


CLIFFORD.
Take heedlest by your heat you burn yourselves.


KING.
WhyWarwickhath thy knee forgot to bow?--



Old Salisburyshame to thy silver hair
Thou mad misleader of thy brainsick son!
Whatwilt thou on thy death-bed play the ruffian
And seek for sorrow with thy spectacles?
Owhere is faith? Owhere is loyalty?
If it be banish'd from the frosty head
Where shall it find a harbour in the earth?
Wilt thou go dig a grave to find out war
And shame thine honourable age with blood?
Why art thou oldand want'st experience?
Or wherefore dost abuse itif thou hast it?
For shame! in duty bend thy knee to me
That bows unto the grave with mickle age.


SALISBURY.
My lordI have consider'd with myself
The tide of this most renowned duke
And in my conscience do repute his grace
The rightful heir to England's royal seat.


KING.
Hast thou not sworn allegiance unto me?


SALISBURY.
I have.


KING.
Canst thou dispense with heaven for such an oath?


SALISBURY.
It is great sin to swear unto a sin
But greater sin to keep a sinful oath.
Who can be bound by any solemn vow
To do a murtherous deedto rob a man
To force a spotless virgin's chastity
To reave the orphan of his patrimony
To wring the widow from her custom'd right
And have no other reason for this wrong
But that he was bound by a solemn oath?


QUEEN.
A subtle traitor needs no sophister.


KING.
Call Buckinghamand bid him arm himself.


YORK.
Call Buckinghamand all the friends thou hast
I am resolv'd for death or dignity.


CLIFFORD.
The first I warrant thee if dreams prove true.


WARWICK.
You were best to go to bed and dream again
To keep thee from the tempest of the field.


CLIFFORD.
I am resolv'd to bear a greater storm
Than any thou canst conjure up to-day;
And that I'll write upon thy burgonet
Might I but know thee by thy household badge.


WARWICK.



Nowby my father's badgeold Nevil's crest
The rampant bear chain'd to the ragged staff
This day I'll wear aloft my burgonet
As on a mountain top the cedar shows
That keeps his leaves in spite of any storm
Even to affright thee with the view thereof.


CLIFFORD.
And from thy burgonet I'll rend thy bear
And tread it under foot with all contempt
Despite the bear-herd that protects the bear.


YOUNG CLIFFORD.
And so to armsvictorious father
To quell the rebels and their complices.


RICHARD.
Fie! charityfor shame! speak not in spite
For you shall sup with Jesu Christ to-night.


YOUNG CLIFFORD.
Foul stigmaticthat's more than thou canst
tell.


RICHARD.
If not in heavenyou'll surely sup in hell.


[Exeunt severally.]


SCENE II. Saint Alban's.


[Alarums to the battle. Enter WARWICK.]


WARWICK.
Clifford of Cumberland't is Warwick calls;
And if thou dost not hide thee from the bear
Nowwhen the angry trumpet sounds alarum
And dead men's cries do fill the empty air
CliffordI saycome forth and fight with me!
Proud northern lordClifford of Cumberland
Warwick is hoarse with calling thee to arms.--


[Enter YORK.]


How nowmy noble lord! whatall afoot?


YORK.
The deadly-handed Clifford slew my steed
But match to match I have encount'red him
And made a prey for carrion kites and crows
Even of the bonny beast he lov'd so well.


[Enter old CLIFFORD.]


WARWICK.
Of one or both of us the time is come.


YORK.
HoldWarwickseek thee out some other chase
For I myself must hunt this deer to death.



WARWICK.
ThennoblyYork; 't is for a crown thou fight'st.--
As I intendCliffordto thrive to-day
It grieves my soul to leave thee unassail'd.


[Exit.]


CLIFFORD.
What seest thou in meYork? why dost thou pause?


YORK.
With thy brave bearing should I be in love
But that thou art so fast mine enemy.


CLIFFORD.
Nor should thy prowess want praise and esteem
But that 't is shown ignobly and in treason.


YORK.
So let it help me now against thy sword
As I in justice and true right express it!


CLIFFORD.
My soul and body on the action both!


YORK.
A dreadful lay!--Address thee instantly.


[They fightand Clifford falls.]


CLIFFORD.
La fin couronne les oeuvres.


[Dies.]


YORK.
Thus war hath given thee peacefor thou art still.
Peace with his soulheavenif it be thy will!


[Exit.]


[Enter young CLIFFORD.]


YOUNG CLIFFORD.
Shame and confusion! all is on the rout;
Fear frames disorderand disorder wounds
Where it should guard.--O warthou son of hell
Whom angry heavens do make their minister
Throw in the frozen bosoms of our part
Hot coals of vengeance!--Let no soldier fly.
He that is truly dedicate to war
Hath no self-love; nor he that loves himself
Hath not essentially but by circumstance
The name of valour.--[Seeing his dead father.]
Olet the vile world end
And the premised flames of the last day
Knit earth and heaven together!
Now let the general trumpet blow his blast
Particularities and petty sounds
To cease!--Wast thou ordain'ddear father
To lose thy youth in peaceand to achieve
The silver livery of advised age
And in thy reverence and thy chair-daysthus
To die in ruffian battle?--Even at this sight



My heart is turn'd to stone; and while 't is mine
It shall be stony. York not our old men spares;
No more will I their babes; tears virginal
Shall be to me even as the dew to fire
And beauty that the tyrant oft reclaims
Shall to my flaming wrath be oil and flax.
Henceforth I will not have to do with pity;
Meet I an infant of the house of York
Into as many gobbets will I cut it
As wild Medea young Absyrtus did.
In cruelty will I seek out my fame.--
Comethou new ruin of old Clifford's house:
As did Aeneas old Anchises bear
So bear I thee upon my manly shoulders;
But then Aeneas bare a living load
Nothing so heavy as these woes of mine.


[Exitbearing off his father. Enter RICHARD and SOMERSET to
fight. SOMERSET
is killed.]


RICHARD.
Solie thou there;
For underneath an alehouse' paltry sign
The Castle in Saint Alban'sSomerset
Hath made the wizard famous in his death.
Swordhold thy temper; heartbe wrathful still;
Priests pray for enemiesbut princes kill.


[Exit.]


[Fight: excursions. Enter KINGQUEENand others.]


QUEEN.
Awaymy lord! you are slow; for shameaway!


KING HENRY.
Can we outrun the heavens? good Margaretstay.


QUEEN.
What are you made of? you'll nor fight nor fly;
Now is it manhoodwisdomand defence
To give the enemy wayand to secure us
By what we canwhich can no more but fly.


[Alarum afar off.]


If you be ta'enwe then should see the bottom
Of all our fortunes; but if we haply scape
As well we mayif not through your neglect
We shall to London getwhere you are lov'd
And where this breach now in our fortunes made
May readily be stopp'd.


[Enter young CLIFFORD.]


YOUNG CLIFFORD.
But that my heart's on future mischief set
I would speak blasphemy ere bid you fly.
But fly you must; uncurable discomfit
Reigns in the hearts of all our present parts.
Awayfor your relief! and we will live
To see their day and them our fortune give.
Awaymy lordaway!



[Exeunt.]

SCENE III. Fields near Saint Alban's.

[Alarum. Retreat. Enter YORKRICHARDWARWICKand Soldiers
with drum and colours.]


YORK.
Of Salisburywho can report of him
That winter lionwho in rage forgets
Aged contusions and all brush of time
Andlike a gallant in the brow of youth
Repairs him with occasion? This happy day
Is not itselfnor have we won one foot
If Salisbury be lost.


RICHARD.
My noble father
Three times to-day I holp him to his horse
Three times bestrid him; thrice I led him off
Persuaded him from any further act;
But stillwhere danger wasstill there I met him;
And like rich hangings in a homely house
So was his will in his old feeble body.
Butnoble as he islook where he comes.


[Enter SALISBURY.]


SALISBURY.
Nowby my swordwell hast thou fought to-day;
By the massso did we all.--I thank youRichard;
God knows how long it is I have to live
And it hath pleas'd him that three times to-day
You have defended me from imminent death.--
Welllordswe have not got that which we have;
'T is not enough our foes are this time fled
Being opposites of such repairing nature.


YORK.
I know our safety is to follow them;
Foras I hearthe king is fled to London
To call a present court of parliament.
Let us pursue him ere the writs go forth.--
What says Lord Warwick? shall we after them?


WARWICK.
After them! naybefore themif we can.
Nowby my handlords'twas a glorious day;
Saint Alban's battle won by famous York
Shall be eterniz'd in all age to come.--
Sound drums and trumpets!--and to London all;
And more such days as these to us befall!


[Exeunt.]