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Enchased with all the honours of the world?

  If so, gaze on, and grovel on thy face

  Until thy head be circled with the same.

  Put forth thy hand, reach at the glorious gold.

  What, is’t too short? I’ll lengthen it with mine;

  And having both together heaved 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.

  GLOUCESTER

  O Nell, sweet Nell, if thou dost love thy lord,

  Banish the canker of ambitious thoughts!

  And may that hour when I imagine ill

  Against my king and nephew, virtuous Henry,

  Be my last breathing in this mortal world! !

  My troublous dream this night doth make me sad.

  DUCHESS

  What dreamed my lord? Tell me and I’ll requite it

  With sweet rehearsal of my morning’s dream.

  GLOUCESTER

  Methought this staff, mine office-badge in court,

  Was broke in twain—by whom I have forgot,

  But, as I think, it was by th’ Cardinal—

  And on the pieces of the broken wand

  Were placed the heads of Edmund, Duke of Somerset,

  And William de la Pole, first Duke of Suffolk.

  This was my dream—what it doth bode, God knows.

  DUCHESS

  Tut, this was nothing but an argument

  That he that breaks a stick of Gloucester’s grove

  Shall lose his head for his presumption.

  But list to me, my Humphrey, my sweet duke:

  Methought I sat in seat of majesty

  In the cathedral church of Westminster,

  And in that chair where kings and queens are

  crowned,

  Where Henry and Dame Margaret kneeled to me,

  And on my head did set the diadem.

  GLOUCESTER

  Nay, Eleanor, then must I chide outright.

  Presumptuous dame! Ill-nurtured Eleanor!

  Art thou not second woman in the realm,

  And the Protector’s wife beloved 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 me, and let me hear no more!

  DUCHESS

  What, what, my lord? Are you so choleric

  With Eleanor for telling but her dream?

  Next time I’ll keep my dreams unto myself

  And not be checked.

  GLOUCESTER

  Nay, be not angry; I am pleased again. Enter a Messenger

  MESSENGER

  My Lord Protector, ’tis his highness’ pleasure

  You do prepare to ride unto Saint Albans,

  Whereas the King and Queen do mean to hawk.

  GLOUCESTER

  I go. Come, Nell, thou wilt ride with us ?

  DUCHESS

  Yes, my good lord, I’ll follow presently.

  Exeunt Gloucester and the Messenger

  Follow I must; I cannot go before

  While Gloucester bears this base and humble mind.

  Were I am an, a duke, and next of blood,

  I would remove these tedious stumbling blocks

  And smooth my way upon their headless necks.

  And, being a woman, I will not be slack

  To play my part in fortune’s pageant.

  (Calling within) Where are you there? Sir John! Nay,

  fear not man.

  We are alone. Here’s none but thee and I.

  Enter Sir John Hume

  HUME

  Jesus preserve your royal majesty.

  DUCHESS

  What sayst thou? ‘Majesty’ ? I am but ‘grace’.

  HUME

  But by the grace of God and Hume’s advice

  Your grace’s title shall be multiplied.

  DUCHESS

  What sayst thou, man? Hast thou as yet conferred

  With Margery Jordan, the cunning witch of Eye,

  With Roger Bolingbroke, the conjuror?

  And will they undertake to do me good?

  HUME

  This they have promisèd: to show your highness

  A spirit raised 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 Albans we do make return,

  We’ll see these things effected to the full.

  Here, Hume (giving him money), take this reward.

  Make merry, man,

  With thy confederates in this weighty cause.

  Exit

  HUME

  Hume must make merry with the Duchess’ gold;

  Marry, and shall. But how now, Sir John Hume?

  Seal up your lips, and give no words but mum ;

  The business asketh silent secrecy.

  Dame Eleanor gives gold to bring the witch.

  Gold cannot come amiss were she a devil.

  Yet have I gold flies from another coast—

  I dare not say from the rich Cardinal

  And from the great and new-made Duke of Suffolk,

  Yet I do find it so; for, to be plain,

  They, knowing 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.

  Hume, if you take not heed you shall go near

  To call them both a pair of crafty knaves.

  Well, so it stands; and thus, I fear, at last

  Hume’s knavery will be the Duchess’ wrack,

  And her attainture will be Humphrey’s fall.

  Sort how it will, I shall have gold for all.

  Exit

  1.3 Enter Peter, the armourer’s man, with two or three other Petitioners

  FIRST PETITIONER My masters, let’s stand close. My Lord Protector will come this way by and by and then we may deliver our supplications in the quill.

  SECOND PETITIONER Marry, the Lord protect him, for he’s a good man, Jesu bless him.

  Enter the Duke of Suffolk and Queen Margaret

  ⌈FIRST PETITIONER ⌉Here a comes, methinks, and the Queen with him. I’ll be the first, sure.

  He goes to meet Suffolk and the Queen

  SECOND PETITIONER Come back, foot—this is the Duke of Suffolk and not my Lord Protector.

  SUFFOLK (to the First Petitioner) How now, fellow—wouldst anything with me?

  FIRST PETITIONER I pray, my lord, pardon me—I took ye for my Lord Protector.

  QUEEN MARGARET ⌈seeing his supplication, she reads⌉ ‘Tomy Lord Protector’—are your supplications to his lordship ? Let me see them.

  ⌈She takes First Petitioner’s supplication⌉

  What is thine?

  FIRST PETITIONER Mine is, an’t please your grace, against John Goodman, my lord Cardinal’s man, for keeping my house and lands and wife and all from me.

  SUFFOLK Thy wife too ? That’s some wrong indeed. ⌈To the Second Petitioners⌉ What’s yours?

  He takes the supplication

  What’s here? (Reads) ‘Against the Duke of Suffolk for

  enclosing the commons of Melford’ ! ⌈To the Second

  Petitioner⌉ How now, Sir Knave?

  SECOND PETITIONER Alas, sir, I am but a poor petitioner of our whole township.

  PETER ⌈offering his petition⌉ Against my master, Thomas Horner, for saying that the Duke of York was rightful heir to the crown.

  QUEEN MARGARET What sayst thou? Did the Duke of York say
he was rightful heir to the crown?

  PETER That my master was ? No, forsooth, my master said that he was and that the King was an usurer.

  QUEEN MARGARET An usurper thou wouldst say.

  PETER Ay, forsooth—an usurper.

  SUFFOLK (calling within) Who is there?

  Enter a servant

  Take this fellow in and send for his master with a pursuivant presently. (To Peter) We’ll hear more of your matter before the King. Exit the servant with Peter

  QUEEN MARGARET (to the Petitioners)

  And as for you that love to be protected

  Under the wings of our Protector’s grace,

  Begin your suits anew and sue to him.

  ⌈She⌉ tears the supplication

  Away, base cullions! Suffolk, let them go.

  ALL PETITIONERS Come, let’s be gone. Exeunt Petitioners

  QUEEN MARGARET

  My lord of Suffolk, say, is this the guise?

  Is this the fashions in the court of England ?

  Is this the government of Britain’s isle,

  And this the royalty of Albion’s king?

  What, shall King Henry be a pupil still

  Under the surly Gloucester’s governance?

  Am I a queen in title and in style,

  And must be made a subject to a duke?

  I tell thee, Pole, when in the city Tours

  Thou rann‘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 courage, courtship, and 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-yard, and his loves

  Are brazen images of canonized 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

  Madam, be patient—as I was cause

  Your highness came to England, so will I

  In England work your grace’s full content.

  QUEEN MARGARET

  Beside the haught Protector have we Beaufort

  The imperious churchman, Somerset, Buckingham,

  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 Nevilles:

  Salisbury and Warwick are no simple peers.

  QUEEN MARGARET

  Not all these lords do vex me half so much

  As that proud dame, the 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 avenged on her?

  Contemptuous base-born callet 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 lands,

  Till Suffolk gave two dukedoms for his daughter.

  SUFFOLK

  Madam, myself have limed a bush for her,

  And placed a choir of such enticing birds

  That she will light to listen to their lays,

  And never mount to trouble you again.

  So let her rest; and, madam, list 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 York, this late complaint

  Will make but little for his benefit.

  So one by one we’ll weed them all at last,

  And you yourself shall steer the happy helm.

  Sound a sennet. ⌈Enter King Henry with the Duke

  of York and the Duke of Somerset on either side of

  him whispering with him. Also enter Duke

  Humphrey of Gloucester, Dame Eleanor the

  Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke of Buckingham, the

  Earls of Salisbury and Warwick, and Cardinal

  Beaufort Bishop of Winchesteri ⌉

  KING HENRY

  For my part, noble lords, I care not which:

  Or Somerset or York, all’s one to me.

  YORK

  If York have ill demeaned himself in France

  Then let him be denied the regentship.

  SOMERSET

  If Somerset be unworthy of the place,

  Let York be regent—I will yield to him.

  WARWICK

  Whether your grace be worthy, yea or no,

  Dispute not that: York is the worthier.

  CARDINAL BEAUFORT

  Ambitious Warwick, let thy betters speak.

  WARWICK

  The Cardinal’s not my better in the field.

  BUCKINGHAM

  All in this presence are thy betters, Warwick.

  WARWICK

  Warwick may live to be the best of all.

  SALISBURY

  Peace, son; (to Buckingham) and show some reason, Buckingham,

  Why Somerset should be preferred in this.

  QUEEN MARGARET

  Because the King, forsooth, will have it so.

  GLOUCESTER

  Madam, the King is old enough himself

  To give his censure. These are no women’s matters.

  QUEEN MARGARET

  If he be old enough, what needs your grace

  To be Protector of his excellence?

  GLOUCESTER

  Madam, I am Protector of the realm,

  And at his pleasure will resign my place.

  SUFFOLK

  Resign it then, and leave thine insolence.

  Since thou wert king—as who is king but thou?—

  The commonwealth hath daily run to wrack,

  The Dauphin hath prevailed beyond the seas,

  And all the peers and nobles of the realm

  Have been as bondmen to thy sovereignty.

  CARDINAL BEAUFORT (to Gloucester)

  The commons hast thou racked, the clergy’s bags

  Are lank and lean with thy extortions.

  SOMERSET (to Gloucester)

  Thy sumptuous buildings and thy wife’s attire

  Have cost a mass of public treasury.

  BUCKINGHAM (to Gloucester)

  Thy cruelty in execution

  Upon offenders hath exceeded law

  And left thee to the mercy of the law.

  QUEEN MARGARET (to Gloucester)

  Thy sale of offices and towns in France—

  If they were known, as the suspect is great—

  Would make thee quickly hop without thy head.

  Exit Gloucester

  Queen Margaret lets fall her fan

  (To the Duchess)

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

  She gives the Duchess a box on the ear

  I cry you mercy, madam! Was it you ?

  DUCHESS

  Was’t I? Yea, I it was, proud Frenchwoman!

  Could I come near your beauty with my nails,

  I’d set my ten commandments in your face.

  KING HENRY

  Sweet aunt, be quiet—’twas against her will.

  DUCHESS

  Against her will? Good King, look to’t in time!

  She’ll pamper thee and dandle thee like a baby.

  Though in this place most master wear no breeches,

  She shall not
strike Dame Eleanor unrevenged ! Exit

  BUCKINGHAM (aside to Cardinal Beaufort)

  Lord Cardinal, I will follow Eleanor

  And listen after Humphrey how he proceeds.

  She’s tickled now, her fury needs no spurs—

  She’ll gallop far enough to her destruction. Exit

  Enter Duke Humphrey of Gloucester

  GLOUCESTER

  Now, lords, my choler being overblown

  With walking once about the quadrangle,

  I come to talk of commonwealth affairs.

  As for your spiteful false objections,

  Prove them, and I lie open to the law.

  But God in mercy so deal with my soul

  As I in duty love my King and country.

  But to the matter that we have in hand—

  I say, my sovereign, York is meetest man

  To be your regent in the realm of France.

  SUFFOLK

  Before we make election, give me leave

  To show some reason of no little force

  That York is most unmeet of any man.

  YORK

  I’ll tell thee, Suffolk, why I am unmeet:

  First, for I cannot flatter thee in pride;

  Next, if I be appointed for the place,

  My lord of Somerset will keep me here

  Without discharge, money, or furniture,

  Till France be won into the Dauphin’s hands.

  Last time I danced attendance on his will

  Till Paris was besieged, famished, and lost.

  WARWICK

  That can I witness, and a fouler fact

  Did never traitor in the land commit.

  SUFFOLK Peace, headstrong Warwick.

  WARWICK

  Image of pride, why should I hold my peace?

  Enter, guarded, Horner the armourer and Peter his man

  SUFFOLK

  Because here is a man accused of treason—

  Pray God the Duke of York excuse himself!

  YORK

  Doth anyone accuse York for a traitor?

  KING HENRY

  What mean’st thou, Suffolk? Tell me, what are these?

  SUFFOLK

  Please it your majesty, this is the man

  He indicates Peter

  That doth accuse his master (indicating Horner) 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 HENRY (to Horner) Say, man, were these thy words?

  HORNER An’t shall please your majesty, I never said nor thought any such matter. God is my witness, I am falsely accused by the villain.