Enter a Messenger.

'Mess. Great lords, from Ireland am I come amain,
To signify that rebels there are up,
And put the Englishmen unto the sword;
Send succours, lords, and stop the rage betime,
Before the wound do grow incurable;

For, being green, there is great hope of help. Car. A breach, that craves a quick expedient21 stop!

What counsel give you in this weighty cause? York. That Somerset be sent as regent thither: ''Tis meet, that lucky ruler be employ'd; 'Witness the fortune he hath had in France. 'Som. If York, with all his far fet22 policy, 'Had been the regent there instead of me, He never would have staid in France so long. · York. No, not to lose it all, as thou hast done: I rather would have lost my life betimes, Than bring a burden of dishonour home, By staying there so long, till all were lost. Show me one scar charácter'd on thy skin: Men's flesh preserv'd so whole, do seldom win. Q. Mar. Nay then, this spark will prove a raging fire,

* If wind and fuel be brought to feed it with:*No more, good York:-sweet Somerset, be still:Thy fortune, York, hadst thou been regent there, Might happily have prov'd far worse than his. York. What, worse than naught? nay, then a shame take all!

'Som. And in the number, thee, that wishest shame! 'Car. My lord of York, try what your fortune is. The uncivil kernes of Ireland are in arms, And temper clay with blood of Englishmen: To Ireland will you lead a band of men, 'Collected choicely, from each county some, And try your hap against the Irishmen?

21 Expeditions. 22 Far fetched.

York. I will, my lord, so please his majesty. Suf. Why, our authority is his consent; And, what we do establish, he confirms : Then, noble York, take thou this task in hand. York. I am content: Provide me soldiers, lords, 'Whiles I take order for mine own affairs.

Suf. A charge, Lord York, that I will see perform'd.

But now return we to the false Duke Humphrey. 'Car. No more of him; for I will deal with him, That, henceforth, he shall trouble us no more. And so break off: the day is almost spent: 'Lord Suffolk, you and I must talk of that event. York. My lord of Suffolk, within fourteen days, • At Bristol I expect my soldiers;

'For there Ill ship them all for Ireland.

Suf. I'll see it truly done, my lord of York.

[Exeunt all but YORK.

York. Now, York, or never, steel thy fearful thoughts,

And change misdoubt to resolution:

Be that thou hop'st to be; or what thou art Resign to death, it is not worth the enjoying: Let pale-fac'd fear keep with the mean-born man, And find no harbour in a royal heart.

Faster than spring-time showers, comes thought on thought;

And not a thought, but thinks on dignity.
My brain, more busy than the labouring spider,
Weaves tedious snares to trap mine enemies.
Well, nobles, well, 'tis politicly done,

To send me packing with an host of men:
I fear me, you but warm the starved snake,
Who, cherish'd in your breasts, will sting your
hearts.

"Twas men I lack'd, and you will give them me: I take it kindly: yet, be well assur'd

You put sharp weapons in a madman's hands.
Whiles I in Ireland nourish a mighty band,
I will stir up in England some black storm,

* Shall blow ten thousand souls to heaven, or hell:
And this fell tempest shall not cease to rage
* Until the golden circuit on my head23,
Like to the glorious sun's transparent beams,
Do calm the fury of this mad-bred flaw 24,
And, for a minister of my intent,

I have seduc'd a head-strong Kentishman,
John Cade of Ashford,

• To make commotion, as full well he can,
Under the title of John Mortimer.

In Ireland have I seen this stubborn Cade Oppose himself against a troop of kernes25; And fought so long, till that his thighs with darts Were almost like a sharp-quill'd porcupine: And, in the end being rescu'd, I have seen him Caper upright like a wild Mórisco26, *Shaking the bloody darts, as he his bells. * Full often, like a shag-hair'd crafty kerne, Hath he conversed with the enemy;

* And undiscover'd come to me again, *And given me notice of their villanies. This devil here shall be my substitute; For that John Mortimer, which now is dead,

23 Thus in Macbeth :

All that impedes thee from the golden round,
Which fate and metaphysical aid doth seem
To have thee crown'd withal.'

In King Henry IV. Part II. the crown
rigol

is called 'this golden

24 A flaw is a violent gust of wind. See Hamlet, Act v. Sc. 1:

patch a wall to expel the winter's flaw.'

25 Kernes were Irish peasantry, who served as light armed foot soldiers. In King Richard II. they are called 'rough rugheaded kernes. See note on that passage, vol. v. p. 36.

26 A dancer in a morris dance, originally, perhaps, meant to imitate a Moorish dance, and thence named. The bells sufficiently indicate that the English morris dancer is intended. It appears from Blount's Glossography, and some of our old writers, that the dance itself was called a morisco. Florio, in the first edition of his Italian Dictionary, defines Moresca, a kind of morice or antique dance, after the Moorish or Ethiopian_fashion.' The reader who would know more on this curious subject will do well to consult Mr. Douce's very interesting dissertation, printed in the second volume of his Illustrations of Shakspeare.

In face, in gait, in speech, he doth resemble: By this I shall perceive the commons' mind, How they affect the house and claim of York. i Say, he be taken, rack'd, and tortured: I know, no pain, they can inflict upon him, Will make him say-1 mov'd him to those arms. Say, that he thrive (as 'tis great like he will), Why, then from Ireland come I with my strength, And reap the harvest which that rascal sow'd: For, Humphrey being dead, as he shall be, And Henry put apart, the next for me.

[Exit.

SCENE II1. Bury. A Room in the Palace.
Enter certain Murderers, hastily.

1 Mur. Run to my lord of Suffolk; let him know, We have despatch'd the duke, as he commanded. 2 Mur. O, that it were to do!-What have we done?

Didst ever hear a man so penitent?

Enter SUFFolk.

'1 Mur. Here comes my lord.

• Suf.

Now, sirs, have you

Ay, my good lord, he's dead.

Despatch'd this thing?

1 Mur.

Suf. Why, that's well said. Go, get you to
my house;

'I will reward you for this venturous deed.
The king and all the peers are here at hand:-
Have you laid fair the bed? are all things well,
According as I gave directions?

'Mur. "Tis, my good lord.

[Exeunt Murderers.

The directions concerning this scene stand thus in the quarto copyThen the curtains being drawne, Duke Humphrey is discovered in his bed, and two men lying on his breast, and smothering him in his bed. And then enter the Duke of Suffolk to them.

Enter KING HENRY, QUEEN MARGARET, CARDINAL BEAUFORT, SOMERSET, Lords and Others.

6

K. Hen. Go, call our uncle to our presence

straight:

Say, we intend to try his grace to-day,

If he be guilty, as 'tis published.

Suf. I'll call him presently, my noble lord.

[Exit. K. Hen. Lords, take your places;-And, I pray you all,

Proceed no straiter 'gainst our uncle Gloster,
Than from true evidence, of good esteem,
He be approv'd in practice culpable.

Q. Mar. God forbid any malice should prevail,
That faultless may condemn a nobleman!
Pray God, he may acquit him of suspicion!
K. Hen. I thank thee, Margaret; these words

content me much.

Re-enter Suffolk.

How now? why look'st thou pale? why tremblest thou?

'Where is our uncle? what is the matter, Suffolk? Suf. Dead in his bed, my lord; Gloster is dead. Q. Mar. Marry, God forefend!

*Car. God's secret judgment:-I did dream tonight,

*The duke was dumb, and could not speak a word. [The King swoons. Q. Mar. How fares my lord?-Help, lords! the king is dead.

Som. Rear up his body; wring him by the nose2. Q. Mar. Run, go, help, help!-0, Henry, ope thine eyes!

2 As nothing further is spoken either by Somerset or the cardinal, or by any one else, to show that they continue in the pre. sence, it is to be presumed that they take advantage of the confusion occasioned by the king's swooning, and slip out unobserved. The next news we hear of the cardinal, he is at the point of death.