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 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, Bretagne and Alençon, Seven earls, twelve barons and twenty reverend bishops, I have perform'd my task and was espoused: 10 To your most gracious hands, that are the sub stance Of that great shadow I did represent; I can express no kinder sign of love Than this kind kiss. O Lord, that lends me life, Queen. Great King of England and my gracious lord, The mutual conference that my mind hath had, King. Her sight did ravish; but her grace in speech, Her words y-clad with wisdom's majesty, Makes me from wondering fall to weeping Henry King of England, that the said Henry King. Uncle, how now! Pardon me, gracious lord; Some sudden qualm hath struck me at the heart And dimm'd mine eyes, that 1 can read no further. King. Uncle of Winchester, I pray, read on. Car. [Reads] Item, It is further agreed be tween 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, And gird thee with the sword. Cousin of York, We here discharge your grace from being re To you Duke Humphrey must unload his grief, 80 In winter's cold and summer's parching heat, Received deep scars in France and Normandy? 90 And shall these labors and these honors die ? 101 Blotting your names from books of memory, 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? Suffolk, the new-made duke that rules the roast, Hath given the duchy of Anjou and Maine 110 Unto the poor King Reignier, whose large style Agrees not with the leanness of his purse. Sal. Now, by the death of Him that died for all, These counties were the keys of Normandy. But wherefore weeps Warwick, my valiant son ? War. For grief that they are past recovery: For, were there hope to conquer them again, My sword should shed hot blood, mine eyes 'Tis not my speeches that you do mislike, 140 But 'tis my presence that doth trouble ye. Rancor will out: proud prelate, in thy face I see thy fury: if I longer stay, We shall begin our ancient bickerings. Lordings, farewell; and say, when I am gone, I prophesied France will be lost ere long. [Exit. Car. So, there goes our protector in a rage. Tis known to you he is mine enemy, Nay, more, an enemy unto you all, And no great friend. I fear me, to the king. 150 Consider, lords, he is the next of blood, And heir apparent to the English crown : Had Henry got an empire by his marriage, And all the wealthy kingdoms of the west, There's reason he should be displeased at it. Look to it, lords! let not his smoothing words Bewitch your hearts; be wise and circumspect. What though the common people favor him, Calling him 'Humphrey, the good Duke of Gloucester,' Clapping their hands, and crying with loud voice, 160 'Jesu maintain your royal excellence!' I fear me, lords, for all this flattering gloss, He being of age to govern of himself? seat. Car. This weighty business will not brook delay: 170 [Exit. I'll to the Duke of Suffolk presently. And greatness of his place be grief to us, Than all the princes in the land beside : Despite Duke Humphrey or the cardinal. While these do labor for their own preferment, I never saw but Humphrey Duke of Gloucester Hath won the greatest favor of the commons, In bringing them to civil discipline, 200 Join we together, for the public good, While they do tend the profit of the land. And common profit of his country! York. [Aside] And so says York, for he hath greatest cause. Sal. Then let's make haste away, and look unto the main. War. Unto the main! O father, Maine is lost; That Maine which by main force Warwick did win, And would have kept so long as breath did last ! Main chance, father, you meant; but I meant Maine, Which I will win from France, or else be slain, Paris is lost; the state of Normandy The peers agreed, and Henry was well pleased And therefore I will take the Nevils' parts 240 And make a show of love to proud Duke Humphrey, And, when I spy advantage, claim the crown, queen, 250 [jars: And Humphrey with the peers be fall'n at Then will I raise aloft the milk-white rose, With whose sweet smell the air shall be perfumed: And in my standard bear the arms of York, crown, Whose bookish rule hath pull'd fair England down. [Erit. SCENE II. The DUKE OF GLOUCESTER'S house. Enter DUKE HUMPHREY and his wife ELEANOR. Duch. Why droops my lord, like overripen'd corn, Hanging the head at Ceres' plenteous load? Why doth the great Duke Humphrey knit his brows, As frowning at the favors of the world? mine; 10 And, having both together heaved it up, Banish the canker of ambitious thoughts. Duch. What dream'd my lord? tell me, and I'll requite it With sweet rehearsal of my morning's dream. Glou. Methought this staff, mine office badge in court, Was broke in twain; by whom I have forgot, And William de la Pole, first duke of Suffolk. This was my dream: what it doth bode, God knows. 31 Duch. Tut, this was nothing but an argu Presumptuous dame, ill-nurtured Eleanor, With Eleanor, for telling but her dream? Glou. Nay, be not angry; I am pleased again. Enter Messenger. Mess. My lord protector, 'tis his highness' pleasure You do prepare to ride unto Saint Alban's, Where as the king and queen do mean to hawk. Glou. I go. Come, Nell, thou wilt ride with us? Duch. Yes, my good lord, I'll follow presently. 60 [Exeunt Gloucester and Messenger. 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 stumblingblocks [necks; And smooth my way upon their headless 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 but grace. 71 Hume. But, by the grace of God, and Hume's advice, 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, A spirit raised from depth of under-ground, When from St. Alban's we do make return, Enter three or four Petitioners, PETER, the Armorer's man, being one. 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. 10 Suf How now, fellow! would'st anything 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. 21 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. [Gwing his petition] Against my master, Thomas Horner, for saying that the Duke of York was rightful heir to the crown. Queen. 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 usurper. Suf. Who is there? [Enter Servant.] Take 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 40 Under the wings of our protector's grace, Begin your suits anew, and sue to him. [Tears the supplication. Away, base cullions! Suffolk, let them go. All. Come, let's be gone. [Exeunt. Queen. My Lord of Suffolk, say, is this the guise, Is this the fashion in the court of England? And must be made a subject to a duke? And stolest away the ladies' hearts of France, 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. She sweeps it through the court with troops of ladies, 80 More like an empress than Duke Humphrey's wife : Strangers in court do take her for the queen: 90 So, one by one, we'll weed them all at last, Sound a sennet. Enter the KING, DUKE HUM- BEAUYORK, SOMERSET, SALISBURY, WARWICK, and the DUCHESS OF GLOUCESTER. King. For my part, noble lords, I care not which; Or Somerset or York, all's one to me. York. If York have ill demean'd himself in France, Then let him be denay'd the regentship. Let York be regent; I will yield to him. |