Follow I must; I cannot go before, While Gloucester bears this base and humble mind. Were I a man, 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. Where are you there? Sir John! nay, fear not, man, We are alone; here's none but thee and I. Enter HUME. HUME. Jesus preserve your royal majesty! Your grace's title shall be multiplied. DUCH. What say'st thou, man? hast thou as yet conferr'd With Margery Jourdain, the cunning witch, And will they undertake to do me good? A spirit raised from depth of under-ground, DUCH. 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. Here, Hume, take this reward; make merry, man, With thy confederates in this weighty cause. [Exit. B HUME. Hume must make merry with the duchess' gold; Marry, and shall. But, how now, Sir John Hume! Dame Eleanor gives gold to bring the witch : 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, Hume, if you take not heed, you shall go near SCENE III. The palace. Enter three or four Petitioners, PETER, the [Exit. FIRST PETIT. 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. SEC. PETIT. Marry, the Lord protect him, for he's a good man! Jesu bless him! Enter SUFFOLK and QUEEN. PETER. Here a' comes, methinks, and the queen with him. I'll be the first, sure. SEC. PETIT. Come back, fool; this is the Duke of Suffolk, and not my lord protector. SUF. How now, fellow! wouldst any thing with me? FIRST PETIT. I pray, my lord, pardon 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? FIRST PETIT. Mine is, an't please your grace, against John Goodman, my lord cardinal's man, for keeping my house, and lands, and wife and all, from me. SUF. Thy wife too! that's some wrong indeed. What's yours? What's here! [Reads] Against the Duke of Suffolk, for enclosing the commons of Melford. How now, sir knave! SEC. PETIT. Alas, sir, I am but a poor petitioner of our whole township. PETER. [Giving his petition] Against my master, Thomas 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?, no, forsooth: my master said that he was, and that the king was an usurper. Take SUF. Who is there? [Enter Servant.] this fellow in, and 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 you, that love to be protected Under the wings of our protector's grace, Begin your suits anew, and sue to him. Away, base cullions! Suffolk, let them go. ALL. Come, let's be gone. [Tears the supplications. [Exeunt. QUEEN. My Lord of Suffolk, say, is this the guise, And must be made a subject to a duke? But all his mind is bent to holiness, Would choose him pope and carry him to Rome, And set the triple crown upon his head : SUF. Madam, be patient: as I was cause QUEEN. Beside the haughty 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. SUF. And he of these that can do most of all Cannot do more in England than the Nevils : Salisbury and Warwick are no simple peers. QUEEN. Not all these lords do vex me half so much As that proud dame, the lord protector's wife. |