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.
[Exeunt Warwick and Salisbury.
York. Anjou and Maine are given to the
French;

Paris is lost; the state of Normandy
Stands on a tickle point, now they are gone.
Suffolk concluded on the articles,

215

The peers agreed, and Henry was well pleas'd To change two dukedoms for a duke's fair daughter.

I cannot blame them all; what is 't to them? 220 'Tis thine they give away, and not their own; Pirates may make cheap pennyworths of their pillage

And purchase friends and give to courtezans, Still revelling like lords till all be gone; While as the silly owner of the goods

獎

Weeps over them and wrings his hapless hands And shakes his head and trembling stands aloof,.

While all is shar'd and all is borne away, Ready to starve and dare not touch his own; So York must sit and fret and bite his

As frowning at the favours of the world?
Why are thine eyes fix'd to the sullen earth, 5
Gazing on that which seems to dim thy sight?
What seest thou there? King Henry's diadem,
Enchas'd with all the honours of the world?
If so, gaze on, and grovel on thy face,
Until thy head be circled with the same.
Put forth thy hand, reach at the glorious gold.
What, is't too short? I'll lengthen it with
mine;

10

15

And, having both together heav'd it up,
We'll both together lift our heads to heaven,
And never more abase our sight so low
As to vouchsafe one glance unto the ground.
Glou. O Nell, sweet Nell, if thou dost love
thy lord,

Banish the canker of ambitious thoughts!
And may that thought, when I imagine ill
Against my king and nephew, virtuous Henry,
Be my last breathing in this mortal world!
My troublous dreams this night doth make me
sad.

Duch. What dream'd my lord? Tell
I'll requite it

21

me, and

With sweet rehearsal of my morning's dream. Glou. Methought this staff, mine office-badge

Presumptuous dame, ill-nurtur'd Eleanor,
Art thou not second woman in the realm,
And the Protector's wife, belov'd of him?
Hast thou not worldly pleasure at command, 45
Above the reach or compass of thy thought?
And wilt thou still be hammering treachery,
To tumble down thy husband and thyself
From top of honour to disgrace's feet?
Away from me, and let me hear no more!
Duch. What, what, my lord! are you so
choleric

With Eleanor, for telling but her dream?
Next time I'll keep my dreams unto myself,
And not be check'd.

50

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,

66

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,

Hume. Jesus preserve your royal Majesty! 70 Duch. What say'st thou? Majesty? I am but Grace.

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

75

With Margery Jordan, the cunning witch,
With Roger Bolingbroke, the conjurer?
And will they undertake to do me good?
Hume. This they have promised, to show
your Highness

80

A spirit rais'd from depth of under-ground,
That shall make answer to such questions
As by your Grace shall be propounded him.
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,

With thy confederates in this weighty cause. [Exit.

Hume. Hume must make merry with the Duchess' gold;

Marry, and shall. But, how now, Sir John Hume!

Queen. My Lord of Suffolk, say, is this the guise,

Is this the fashion in the court of England?
Is this the government of Britain's isle,
And this the royalty of Albion's king?
What, shall King Henry be a pupil still
Under the surly Gloucester's governance?
Am I a queen in title and in style,
And must be made a subject to a duke?
I tell thee, Pole, when in the city Tours
Thou ran'st a tilt in honour of my love
And stol'st away the ladies' hearts of France, #
I thought King Henry had resembled thee
In courage, courtship, and proportion.
But all his mind is bent to holiness,
To number Ave-Maries on his beads.
His champions are the prophets and apostles,
His weapons holy saws of sacred writ,
His study is his tilt-yard, and his loves
Are brazen images of canonized saints.
I would the college of the cardinals
Would choose him Pope and carry him to
Rome,

And set the triple crown upon his head.
That were a state fit for his holiness.

Suf. Madam, be patient. As I was cause
Your Highness came to England, so will I
In England work your Grace's full content.
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. She sweeps it through the court with troops of ladies,

More like an empress than Duke Humphrey's wife.

grace.

As for the Duke of York, this late complaint 100
Will make but little for his benefit.
So, one by one, we 'll weed them all at last,
And you yourself shall steer the happy helm.
Sound a sennet. Enter the KING, DUKE HUM-
PHREY, CARDINAL BEAUFORT, BUCKING-
HAM, YORK, [SOMERSET,] SALISBURY, WAR-
WICK, and the DUCHESS OF GLOUCESTER.

King. For my part, noble lords, I care not
which;

Or Somerset or York, all 's one to me.

105

135

Buck. Thy cruelty in execution Upon offenders hath exceeded law And left thee to the mercy of the law. Queen. Thy sale of offices and towns in France,

If they were known, as the suspect is great, Would make thee quickly hop without thy head.

140

[Exit Gloucester. [The Queen drops her fan.]

Give me my fan. What, minion! can ye not? She gives the Duchess a box on the

I

ear.

cry you mercy, madam; was it you? Duch. Was 't I! Yea, I it was, proud French

woman.

Could I come near your beauty with my nails,

I'd set my ten commandments in your face. 145 King. Sweet aunt, be quiet; 't was against her will.

Duch. Against her will! Good king, look to 't in time;

She'll hamper thee, and dandle thee like a baby.

Though in this place most masters wear no

breeches,

149

She shall not strike Dame Eleanor unreveng'd.

[Exit.

Buck. Lord Cardinal, I will follow Eleanor, And listen after Humphrey, how he proceeds.

She's tickled now; her fume needs no spurs, She'll gallop far enough to her destruction.

Re-enter GLOUCESTER.

[Exit.

First, for I cannot flatter thee in pride;
Next, if I be appointed for the place,
My Lord of Somerset will keep me here
Without discharge, money, or furniture,
Till France be won into the Dauphin's hands.
Last time, I danc'd attendance on his will
Till Paris was besieg'd, famish'd, and lost. 175
War. That can I witness; and a fouler
fact

Did never traitor in the land commit.
Suf. Peace, headstrong Warwick!

War. Image of pride, why should I hold my peace?

vided. Will her ladyship behold and hear our exorcisms?

Hume. Ay, what else? Fear you not her courage.

Boling. I have heard her reported to be a wo man of an invincible spirit; but it shall be convenient, Master Hume, that you be by her aloft, while we be busy below; and so, I pray you, go, in God's name, and leave us. [Erit Hume. Mother Jordan, be you prostrate and grovel on the earth; John Southwell, read you; and let us to our work.

15

Enter DUCHESS aloft [HUME following]. Duch. Well said, my masters, and welcome all. To this gear, the sooner the better. Boling. Patience, good lady; wizards know their times.

Deep night, dark night, the silent of the night, The time of night when Troy was set on fire, The time when screech-owls cry and ban-dogs howl

And spirits walk and ghosts break up their graves,

That time best fits the work we have in hand, Madam, sit you and fear not. Whom we raise, We will make fast within a hallow'd verge. [Here they do the ceremonies belong ing, and make the circle; Bolingbroke or Southwell reads, Conjuro te," etc. It thunders and lightens terribly; then the Spirit riseth.

Spir. Adsum.

M. Jord. Asmath,

By the eternal God, whose name and power Thou tremblest at, answer that I shall ask; For, till thou speak, thou shalt not pass from hence.

Spir. Ask what thou wilt. That I had said and done!

Boling. "First of the King: what shall of him become?" [Reading out of a paper. Spir. The duke yet lives that Henry shall depose;

But him outlive, and die a violent death. [As the Spirit speaks, Bolingbroke writes the answer.]

Boling. "What fates await the Duke of

Suffolk?"

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