KING HENRY VI.-PART II. ACT I. 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 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, Bretaigue, and Alençon, Seven earls, twelve barons, and 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 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, A world of earthly blessings to my soul, 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,— In courtly company, or at my beads,— With you mine alder-liefest sovereign, tearest. Gloss. Makes me the bolder to salute my king With ruder terms, such as my wit affords, And over-joy of heart doth minister. K. HEN. Her sight doth ravish; but her grace in speech, Her words y-clad with wisdom's majesty, Makes 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, 66 GLO. [Reads.] Imprimis, It is agreed between the French king, Charles, and William de la Poole, marquess of Suffolk, ambassador for Henry king of England, that the said Henry shall espouse the lady Margaret, daughter unto Reignier, king of Naples, Sicilia, and Jerusalem; and crown her queen of England, ere the thirtieth of May next ensuing.-Item,That the Duchy of Anjou and the county of Maine shall be released and delivered to the king her father ” K. HEN. Uncle, how now? GLO. Pardon me, gracious lord; Some sudden qualm hath struck me at the heart, And dimm'd mine eyes, that I can read no further. K. HEN. Uncle of Winchester, I pray, read on. CAR. "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 down; We here create thee the first duke of Suffolk, And girt thee with the sword. Cousin of York, Salisbury, and Warwick; We thank you all for this great favour done, Το [Exeunt KING, QUEEN, and SUFFOLK. GLO. Brave peers of England, pillars of the state, you duke Humphrey must unload his grief; Your grief, the common grief of all the land. What! did my brother Henry spend his youth, His valour, coin, and people, in the wars? Did he so often lodge in open field, In winter's cold, and summer's parching heat, Early and late, debating to and fro How France and Frenchmen might be kept in awe? Been crown'd in Paris, in despite of foes? 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, 't is ours; and we will keep it still. GLO. Ay, uncle, we will keep it, if we can; 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, She should have stay'd in France, and starv'd in France, CAR. My lord of Gloster, now you grow too hot; It was the pleasure of my lord the king. GLO. My lord of Winchester, I know your mind; "T is not my speeches that you do mislike, But 't is my presence that doth trouble you. We shall begin our ancient bickerings. CAR. So, there goes our protector in a rage. And no great friend, I fear me, to the king. With "God preserve the good duke Humphrey!" BUCK. Why should he then protect our sovereign, And all together with the duke of Suffolk, We'll quickly hoise duke Humphrey from his seat. [Exit. [Exit. SOM. Cousin of Buckingham, though 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'd, he 'll be protector. BUCK. Or thou, or I, Somerset, will be protector, Despite duke Humphrey, or the cardinal. [Exeunt BUCKINGHAM and SOMERSET, |