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;
Salisbry and Warwick are no fimple Peers.

Q Mar. 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 Humphry's wife:
Strangers in court do take her for the Queen;
She bears a Duke's revenues on her back,
And in her heart she scorns our poverty.
Shall I not live to be aveng'd on her
Contemptuous, base-born, callot as she is,
She vaunted 'mongst her minions t' other day,
The very train of her worst wearing gown
Was better worth than all my father's lands;
Till Suffolk gave two dukedoms for his daughter!

Suf. Madam, myself have lim'd a bush for her,

And plac'd a quire of such enticings birds,
That the will light to listen to their lays;
And never mount to trouble you again. ag
So, let her rest; and, Madam, lift to me;
For I am bold to counsel you in this;
Although we fancy not the Cardinal,

Yet must we join with him and with the Lords,
Till we have brought Duke Humphry in disgrace.
As for the Duke of York, this late complaint
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 realm.

To them enter King Henry, Duke Humphry, Cardinal,
Buckingham, York, Salisbury, Warwick, and the
Dutchess of Gloucester.

K. Henry. 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 deny'd the regentship.

Som. If Somerset be unworthy of the place,

Les

Let York be regent, I will yield to him.
War. Whether your Grace be worthy, yea or no,
Dispute not that; York is the worthier.

Car. Ambitious Warwick, let thy betters speak. War. The Cardinal's not my better in the field. Buck. All in this prefence are thy betters, Warwick. War. Warwick may live to be the best of all. Sal. Peace, Son; and shew some reason, Buckingham, Why Somerset should be preferr'd in this.

2. Mar. Because the King, forsooth, will have it so. Glo. Madam, the King is old enough himself To give his censure: these are no woman's matters. 2. Mar. If he be old enough, what needs your Grace To be Protector of his Excellence ?

Glo. Madam, I am Protector of the realm;
And, at his pleasure, will resign my place.

Suf. Resign it then, and leave thine insolence.
Since thou wert King, (as who is King, but thou?)
The commonwealth hath daily run to wrack.
The Dauphin hath prevail'd beyond the feas,
And all the Peers, and nobles of the realm,
Have been as bond-men to thy sov'reignty.

Car. The commons haft thou rack'd; the clergy's bags Are lank and lean with thy extortions.

Som. Thy sumptuous buildings, and thy wife's attire, Have cost a mass of publick treasury. Buck. Thy cruelty in execution Upon offenders have exceeded law; And left thee to the mercy of the law.

2. Mar. 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.

[Exit Glo.

Give me my fan; what, minion? can ye not ?

[She gives the Dutchess a box on the ear.

I cry you mercy, Madam; was it you?

Elean. Was't I? yea, I it was, proud French-woman :

Could I come near your beauty with my nails,
I'd fet my ten commandments in your face.

K. Henry. Sweet aunt, be quiet; 'twas against her will.

Elean.

Elean. 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 master wears no breeches, She shall not ftrike dame Eleanor unrevenged.

[Exit Eleanor.

Buck. Lord Card'nal, I'll follow Eleanor, And liften after Humphry, how he proceeds: She's tickled now, her fume can need no spurs; She'll gallop fast enough to her destruction.

[Exit Buckingham.

Re-enter Duke Humphry.

Glo. Now, Lords, my choler being over-blown
With walking once about the quadrangle,
I come to talk of commonwealth affairs.
As for your spightful false objections,
Prove them, and I lie open to the law.
But God in mercy deal so with my foul,
As I in duty love my King and country!
But to the matter that we have in hand:
I fay, my Sovereign, York is meetest man
To be your regent in the realm of France.

Suf. Before we make election, give me leave
To thew some reason of no little force,
That York is most unmeet of any man.

York. I'll tell thee, Suffolk, why I am unmeet:
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 befieg'd, famish'd and loft.
War. That I can witness, and a fouler fact
Did never traitor in the land commit.

Suf. Peace, head-strong Warwick.
War. Image of pride, why should I hold my peace?
Enter Horner the Armourer, and his Man Peter, guarded.
Suf. Because here is a man accus'd of treason:
Pray God, the Duke of York excuse himself! -

York

York. Doth any one accuse York for a traitor?
K. Henry. What mean'st thou, Suffolk ? tell me, what

are these?

Suf. Please it your Majesty, this is the man, That doth accuse his matter of high treason : His words were these; "that Richard Duke of York "Was rightful heir unto the English crown; And that your Majesty was an ufurper. K. Henry. Say, man; were these thy words? Arm. An't shall please your Majesty, I never said nor thought any such matter; God is my witness, I am falfly accus'd by the villain.

Peter. By these ten bones, my Lord, he did speak them to me in the garret one night, as we were scow'ring my Lord of York's armour.

York. Base dunghill villain, and mechanical, I'll have thy head for this thy traitor's speech : I do beseech your royal Majesty,

Let him have all the rigour of the law.

Arm. Alas, my Lord, hang me, if ever I spake the words. My accuser is my prentice, and when I did correct him for his fault the other day, he did vow upon his knees he would be even with me. I have good witness of this; therefore I beseech your Majesty, do not cast away an honest man for a villain's accufation.

K. Henry. Uncle, what shall we say to this in law?
Glo. This doom, my Lord, if I may judge:

Let Somerset be regent o'er the French,
Because in York this breeds fufpicion.
And let these have a day appointed them
For fingle combat in convenient place;
For he hath witness of his servant's malice.
This is the law, and this Duke Humphry's doom.

K. Henry. Then be it so: My Lord of Somerset, (4)

(4) K. Henry. Then be it fo, &c.] These two lines I have inserted from the old quarto; and, as I think, very necessarily. For without them, the King has not declared his affent to Gloucester's opinion: and the Duke of Somerset is made to thank him for the regency, before the King has deputed him to it.

I

We

We make your Grace regent over the French.
Som. I humbly thank your royal Majefty.
Arm. And I accept the combat willingly.

Peter. Alas, my Lord, I cannot fight; for God's fake, pity my cafe; the spight of man prevaileth against me. O Lord have mercy upon me! I shall never be able to fight a blow: O Lord, my heart!

Glo. Sirrah, or you must fight, or else be hang'd. K. Henry. Away with them to prifon; and the day of combat shall be the last of the next month.

Somerset, we'll see thee sent away.

Come, [Flourish. Exeunt.

SCENE, the Witch's Cave.

Enter Mother Jordan, Hume, Southwel, and Bolingbroke. I tell you,

Hume.

C

Ome, my masters; the Dutchess,

expects performance of your promises. Boling. Master Hume, we are therefore provided: will her Ladyship behold and hear our exorcifms? Hume. Ay, what else? fear not her courage.

Boling. I have heard her reported to be a woman 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. [Exit Hume.] Mother Jordan, be prostrate and grovel on the earth; John Southivel, read you, and let us to our work.

Enter Eleanor above.

Elean. Well said, my masters, and welcome to all : to this geer, the sooner the better.

Boling. Patience, good Lady; wizards know their times: Deep night, dark night, the filent of the night, 'The time of night when Troy was set on fire, The time, when screech-owls cry, and ban-dogs howl; When spirits walk, and ghosts break up their graves ; That time best fits the work we have in hand. Madam, fit you, and fear not: whom we raise, We will make fast within a hallow'd verge.

2

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