THE

SECOND PART

OF

King HENRY VI.

A 2

of Somerset,

Duke of Suffolk,

Earl

}

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of Salifbury,
Earl of Warwick,
Lord Clifford, of the King's Party.
Lord Say.

Of the York Faction.

Lord Scales, Governor of the Tower.
Sir Humphry Stafford.

Young Stafford, his Brother.
Alexander Iden, a Kentish Gentleman.

Young Clifford, Son to the Lord Clifford.

Edward Plantagenet, Sons

to the Duke of York.

Vaux, A Sea Captain, and Walter Whitmore-Pirates.

A Herald.

Hume and Southwel, 2 Priests.

Bolingbrook, an Aftrologer.

A Spirit, attending on Jordan the Witch.

Thomas Horner, an Armourer.

Peter, his Man.

Clerk of Chatham.
Mayor of St. Albans.

Simpcox, an Impostor.

Jack Cade, Bevis, Michael, John Holland, Dick the
Butcher, Smith the Weaver, and several others, Rebels.
Margaret, Queen to King Henry VI. fecretly in love with
the Duke of Suffolk.

Dame Eleanor, Wife to the Duke of Gloucester.
Mother Jordan, a Witch employ'd by the Dutchess of Glou-
Wife to Simpcox.
[cefter.

Petitioners, Aldermen, a Beadle, Sheriff and Officers, Citizens, with Faulconers, Guards, Messengers, and other Attendants.

The SCENE is laid very dispersedly in several Parts of England.

&

The SECOND PART OF (1)

King HENRY VI.

ACT I.

SCENE, the Palace.

7

Flourish of trumpets: then, hautboys. Enter King Henry, Duke Humphry, Salisbury, Warwick, and Beauford on the one fide: The Queen, Suffolk, York, Somerset, and Buckingham on the other.

A

SUFFOLK.

S by your high imperial Majesty,
I had in charge at my depart for France,
As procurator for your excellence,
To marry Princess Marg'ret for your grace;

So

(1) The second part of K. Henry VI.] This and the third part of K. Henry VI. contain that troublesome period of this Prince's reign, which took in the whole contention betwixt the two houses of York and Lancaster: And under that title were these two plays first acted and publish'd. The present scene opens with K. Henry's marriage, which was in the 23d year of his reign; and closes with the first battle fought at St. Albans, and won by the York faction, in the 33d year of his reign. So that it comprizes the history and transactions of ten years. There are befides, as I have above hinted, some intermediate incidents crouded in; which transgress upon the order of time.

A 3

So in the famous ancient city, Tours,

In prefence of the Kings of France and Sicil,
The Dukes of Orleans, Calaber, Bretaigne, Alanfor,
Seven Earls, twelve Barons, twenty reverend Bishops,

I have perform'd my task, and was espous'd:

And humbly now upon my bended knee,
In fight of England and her lordly Peers,

Deliver up my title in the Queen

[Presenting the Queen to the King.

To your most gracious hand; that are the substance

Of that great shadow I did represent:

The happiest gift that ever Marquiss gave,

The fairest Queen that ever King receiv'd.

K. Henry. Suffolk, arife. Welcome, Queen Margaret;

I can exprefs no kinder sign of love,

Than this kind kiss. O Lord, that lend'st me life,
Lend me a heart replete with thankfulness !
For thou hast giv'n me, in this beauteous face,
A world of earthly blessings to my foul;
If fympathy of love unite our thoughts.

Q. Mar. Great King of England, and my gracious Lord,
'The mutual conf'rence that my mind hath had,
By day, by night, waking, and in my dreams,
In courtly company, or at my beads,
With you mine alder-liefest Sovereign;
Makes me the bolder to falute my King
With ruder terms; such as my wit affords,
And over-joy of heart doth minister.

K. Henry. Her fight did ravish, but her grace in speech, Her words y-clad with wisdom's majesty, Make me from wond'ring fall to weeping joys, Such is the fulness of my heart's content.

Lords, with one cheerful voice welcome my love.

All kneel. Long live Queen Marg'ret, England's hap

piness !

Q. Mar. We thank you all.

[Flourish.

time. For Eleanor Dutchess of Gloucester's conviction and banishment for forcery, (which are here introduc'd) happen'd in the 20th year of K. Henry VI. in the 3d year before his marriage with Queen Margaret.

Suff.

Suff. My Lord Protector, so it please your Grace,
Here are the articles of contracted peace,
Between our Sovereign and the French King Charles,
For eighteen months concluded by consent.

Gla. reads.] Imprimis, It is agreed between the French King, Charles, and William de-la Pole Marquiss of Suffolk, Ambassador for Henry King of England, that the faid Henry shall espouse the Lady Margaret, daughter unto Reignier King of Naples, Sicilia, and Jerufalem, and crown her Queen of England, ere the thirtieth of May next ensuing. (2)

Item. That the dutchy of Anjou, and the county of Maine, shall be released and delivered to the King her father. [Lets fall the paper.

K. Henry. Uncle, how now? Glo. Pardon me, gracious Lord; Some fudden qualm hath struck me to the heart, And dimm'd mine eyes, that I can read no further. K. Henry. Uncle of Winchester, I pray, read on. Win. Item, That the dutchies of Anjou and Maine Shall be released and delivered to the King her father, and the sent over of the King of England's own proper cost and charges, without having any dowry.

K. Henry. They please us well. Lord Marquiss, kneel

you down;

We here create thee the first Duke of Suffolk,
And gird thee with the sword. Cousin of York,
We here difcharge your Grace from being regent
I' th' parts of France, till term of eighteen months
Be full expir'd. Thanks, uncle Winchester,
Glo'fter, York, Buckingham, and Somerset,
Salisbury and Warwick;

We thank you for all this great favour done,
In entertainment to my princely Queen.
Come, let us in, and with all speed provide

(2) Ere the thirteenth of May next ensuing.] This is an error only of our modern impressions. I have fet the text right from the joint: authorities of the first old quarto, the first and second folio's, and the chronicles both of Hall and Holing shead.