DRAMATIS PERSONE. KING HENRY the Sixth, HUMPHREY, duke of Gloster, his uncle. CARDINAL BEAUFORT, bishop of Winchester, great-uncle to the King. RICHARD PLANTAGENET, duke of York. EDWARD and RICHARD, his sons. DUKE OF SOMERSET. DUKE OF SUFFOLK. DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM. LORD CLIFFORD. Young CLIFFORD, his son. EARL OF SALISBURY. EARL OF WARWICK. LORD SCALES. LORD SAY. SIR HUMPHREY STAFFORD, and WILLIAM STAFFORD, his brother. SIR JOHN STANLEY. VAUX. MATTHEW GOUGH. A Sea-captain, Master, and Master's-Mate, and WALTER WHITMORE. ALEXANDER IDEN, a Kentish gentleman. JOHN HUME and JOHN SOUTHWELL, two priests. ROGER BOLINGBROKE, a conjurer. THOMAS HORNER, an armorer. PETER, his man. Clerk of Chatham. Mayor of Saint Alban's. SAUNDER SIMPCOX, an impostor. JACK CADE, a rebel. GEORGE BEVIS, JOHN HOLLAND, DICK the butcher, SMITH the weaver, MICHAEL, &c., his followers. Two Murderers. MARGARET, Queen to King Henry. ELEANOR, duchess of Gloster. MARGERY JOURDAIN, a witch. Wife to Simpcox. Lords, Ladies, and Attendants, Petitioners, Aldermen, a Herald, a Beadle, Sheriff, and Officers, Citizens, Prentices, Falconers, Guards, Soldiers, Messengers, &c. A Spirit. SCENE-In various parts of England. SCENE I. London. A room of state in the palace. Flourish of trumpets: then hautboys. Enter, on one side, King HENRY, Duke of GLOSTER, SALISBURY, WARWICK, and Cardinal BEAUFORT; on the other, Queen MARGARET, led in by SUFFOLK; YORK, SOMERSET, BUCKINGHAM, and others, following. Suf. As by your high imperial majesty I had in charge(1) at my depart for France, As procurator to your excellence, To marry Princess Margaret for your grace; So, in the famous ancient city Tours, In presence of the Kings of France and Sicil, The Dukes of Orleans, Calaber, Bretagne, and Alençon,(2) 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 hands, that 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. K. Hen. Suffolk, arise.-Welcome, Queen Margaret: I can express no kinder sign of love Than this kind kiss.-O Lord, that lends me life, Lend me a heart replete with thankfulness! For thou hast given me, in this beauteous face, If sympathy of love unite our thoughts. Q. Mar. Great King of England, and my gracious lord,— The mutual conference that my mind hath had, By day, by night, waking and in my dreams, K. Hen. Her sight did ravish; but her grace in speech, Her words yclad with wisdom's majesty, Make me from wondering fall to weeping joys; Such is the fulness of my heart's content. Lords, with one cheerful voice welcome my love. All [kneeling] Long live Queen Margaret, England's happiness! Q. Mar. We thank you all. Suf. My lord protector, so it please your grace, Here are the articles of contracted peace [Flourish. Between our sovereign and the French king Charles, Glo. [reads] "Imprimis, It is agreed between the French king Car. [reads] "Item, It is further agreed between them, that the duchies of Anjou and Maine shall be released and delivered over to the king her father; and she sent over of the King of England's own proper cost and charges, without having any dowry." K. Hen. They please us well.-Lord marquess, kneel We here create thee the first Duke of Suffolk, We thank you all for this great favour done, [Exeunt King, Queen, and Suffolk. In winter's cold and summer's parching heat, Have you yourselves, Somerset, Buckingham, Early and late, debating to and fro How France and Frenchmen might be kept in awe? Crowned in Paris in despite of foes ?(6) And shall these labours and these honours die? Razing the characters of your renown, Defacing monuments of conquer'd France, Undoing all, as all had never been! Car. Nephew, what means this passionate discourse, This peroration with such circumstance? For France, 'tis ours; and we will keep it still. Suffolk, the new-made duke that rules the roast, Sal. Now, by the death of Him that died for all, War. For grief that they are past recovery: York. For Suffolk's duke, may he be suffocate, Glo. A proper jest, and never heard before, She should have stay'd in France, and starv'd in France, Before Car. My Lord of Gloster, now ye grow too hot: It was the pleasure of my lord the king. Glo. My Lord of Winchester, I know your mind; 'Tis not my speeches that you do mislike, |