Of purpose to obscure my noble birth. Shep. 'Tis true, I gave a noble to the priest The morn that I was wedded to her mother. Kneel down and take my blessing, good my girl. Wilt thou not stoop? Now cursed be the time Of thy nativity! I would the milk Thy mother gave thee when thou suck'dst her breast, Had been a little ratsbane for thy sake! 31 [Exit. York. Take her away; for she hath lived too long, To fill the world with vicious qualities. May never glorious sun reflex his beams Upon the country where you make abode; But darkness and the gloomy shade of death Environ you, till mischief and despair 90 Drive you to break your necks or hang your- Puc. First, let me tell you whom you have Thou foul accursed minister of hell! 40 Not me begotten of a shepherd swain, Spare for no faggots, let there be enow: 50 Puc. Will nothing turn your unrelenting hearts? Then, Joan, discover thine infirmity, 60 York. Now heaven forfend! the holy maid with child! War. The greatest miracle that e'er ye wrought: Is all your strict preciseness come to this? York. She and the Dauphin have been juggling: I did imagine what would be her refuge. War. Well, go to; we'll have no bastards live; Especially since Charles must father it. 70 Enter CARDINAL BEAUFORT, Bishop of Winchester, attended. Car Lord regent, I do greet your excellence With letters of commission from the king. For know, my lords, the states of Christendom, Moved with remorse of these outrageous broils, Have earnestly implored a general peace Betwixt our nation and the aspiring French; And here at hand the Dauphin and his train 100 Approacheth, to confer about some matter. York. Is all our travail turn'd to this effect? After the slaughter of so many peers, So many. captains, gentlemen and soldiers, That in this quarrel have been overthrown And sold their bodies for their country's benefit, Shall we at last conclude effeminate peace? Have we not lost most part of all the towns, By treason, falsehood and by treachery, Our great progenitors had conquered? O, Warwick, Warwick! I foresee with grief The utter loss of all the realm of France. War. Be patient, York: if we conclude a It shall be with such strict and severe covenants As little shall the Frenchmen gain thereby. peace, Enter CHARLES, ALENÇON, Bastard, REIGNIER, and others. Char. Since, lords of England, it is thus agreed That peaceful truce shall be proclaim'd in France, York. Speak, Winchester; for boiling choler chokes The hollow passage of my poison'd voice, 120 Car. Charles, and the rest, it is enacted thus: That, in regard King Henry gives consent, Puc. You are deceived; my child is none of Of mere compassion and of lenity, his: It was Alençon that enjoy'd my love. York. Alençon !. that notorious Machiavel! It dies, an if it had a thousand lives. Puc. O, give me leave, I have deluded you: 'Twas neither Charles nor yet the duke I named, But Reignier, king of Naples, that prevail'd. War. A married man! that's most intolerable. To ease your country of distressful war, 130 Alen. Must he be then as shadow of himself? Adorn his temples with a coronet, Char. 'Tis known already that I am possess'd York. Insulting Charles! hast thou by secret means Used intercession to obtain a league, And, now the matter grows to compromise, She is content to be at your command; King. And otherwise will Henry ne'er pre sume. Therefore, my lord protector, give consent Glou. So should I give consent to flatter sin. How shall we then dispense with that contract, Suf. As doth a ruler with unlawful oaths; 30 A poor earl's daughter is unequal odds, 150 And therefore may be broke without offence. Or we will plague thee with incessant wars. Alen. To say the truth, it is your policy 160 And therefore take this compact of a truce, SCENE V. London. The palace. Enter SUFFOLK in conference with the KING, King. Your wondrous rare description, noble my heart: Of beauteous Margaret hath astonish'd me: Her father is no better than an earl, Suf. Yes, my lord, her father is a king, 40 Glou. And so the Earl of Armagnac may do, Because he is near kinsman unto Charles. Exe. Beside, his wealth doth warrant a liberal dower, Where Reignier sooner will receive than give. That he should be so abject. base and poor, And not to seek a queen to make him rich: An age 60 of discord and continual strife? Suf. Tush, my good lord, this superficial tale If with a lady of so high resolve Is but a preface of her worthy praise; And, which is more, she is not so divine, II 70 As is fair Margaret he be link'd in love. report, My noble Lord of Suffolk, or for that 80 I cannot tell; but this I am assured, I feel such sharp dissension in my breast, Agree to any covenants, and procure 90 100 [Exit. If you do censure me by what you were, As did the youthful Paris once to Greece, [Exit. ACT I. SCENE I. London. The palace. Flourish of trumpets: then hautboys. Enter the KING, HUMPHREY, Duke of GLOUCESTER, SALISBURY, WARWICK, and CARDINAL BEAUFORT, on the one side; the QUEEN, SUFFOLK, YORK, SOMERSET, and BUCKINGHAM, on the other. Suf. As by your high imperial majesty To marry Princess Margaret for your grace, In presence of the Kings of France and Sicil, Seven earls, twelve barons and twenty reverend bishops, I have perform'd my task and was espoused: To your most gracious hands, that are the sub stance Of that great shadow I did represent; King. Suffolk, arise. Welcome, Queen Margaret: BOLINGBROKE, a conjurer. THOMAS HORNER, an armourer. his man. PETER, Clerk of Chatham. Mayor of Saint Alban's. ALEXANDER IDEN, a Kentish gentleman. GEORGE BEVIS, JOHN HOLLAND, DICK the butcher, SMITH the weaver, MICHAEL, &c., followers of Cade. Two Murderers. MARGARET, Queen to King Henry. Lords, Ladies, and Attendants, Petitioners, Al- A Spirit. SCENE: England. 20 I can express no kinder sign of love 30 King. Her sight did ravish; but her grace in speech, Her words y-clad with wisdom's majesty, Lords, with one cheerful voice welcome my love. Queen. We thank you all. Suff. My lord protector, so it please your grace, 40 Here are the articles of contracted peace Between our sovereign and the French king Charles, For eighteen months concluded by consent. Glou. [Reads] 'Imprimis, It is agreed between the French king Charles, and William de la Pole, 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'- [Lets the paper fall. King. Uncle, how now! Glou. Pardon me, gracious lord; Some sudden qualm hath struck me at the heart And dimm'd mine eyes, that I can read no further. King. Uncle of Winchester, I pray, read on. 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.' King. They please us well. Lord marquess, kneel down: We here create thee the first duke of Suffolk, We thank you all for this great favour done, 70 [Exeunt King, Queen, and Suffolk. Glou. Brave peers of England, pillars of the state, To you Duke Humphrey must unload his grief, 80 In winter's cold and summer's parching heat, How France and Frenchmen might be kept 90 in 100 Car. Nephew, what means this passionate discourse, This peroration with such circumstance? Anjou and Maine! myself did win them both; 121 York. For Suffolk's duke, may 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, 130 To match with her that brings no vantages. Glou. A proper jest, and never heard before,. That Suffolk should demand a whole fifteenth For costs and charges in transporting her! She should have stayed in France and starved in France, Before 'Tis not my speeches that you do mislike, But 'tis my presence that doth trouble ye. Rancour will out: proud prelate, in thy face I see thy fury: if I longer stay, 140 We shall begin our ancient bickerings. Nay, more, an enemy unto you all, And no great friend, I fear me, to the king. 150 159 Clapping their hands, and crying with loud voice, Buck. Why should he, then, protect our sovereign, He being of age to govern of himself? |