SCENE VII.

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 fo with my foul,
As I in duty love my King and Country!
-But to the matter that we have in hand.
I say, 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 difcharge, mony 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 loft.
War. That I can witness; and a fouler face
Did never traitor in the land commit.
Suf. Peace, head-ftrong 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. Doth any one accuse Tork for a traitor?"

K. Henry. K. Henry. What mean'st thou, Suffolk? tell me, what are these ?

Suf. Please it your Majesty, this is the man, That doth accufe his master of high treason. His words were thefe; "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 faid nor thought any fuch matter. God is my witness, I am falsly accus'd by the villain.

Peter. By these ten bones, my Lord, [holding up his hands] 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 fervant's malice.
This is the law, and this Duke Humphry's doom.
K. Henry. Then be it fo. My Lord of Somerset,

9 K. Henry. Then be it fo, &c.] These two Lines I have inferted from the old Quarto; and, as I

We

think, very neceffarily. For, without them, the King has not de clared his Affent to Gloucefter's C3 Opinion:

We make your Grace Lord 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 case; 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 prison; and the day of Combat shall be the last of the next month. Come, Somerset, we'll see thee sent away.

SCENE

[Flourish. Exeunt.

VIII.

The Witch's Cave.
Enter Mother Jordan, Hume, Southwel, and
Bolingbrook.

Hume.

OME, masters; the Dutchess, I tell you, 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 bufy below; and fo I pray you, go in God's name, and leave us. [Exit. Hume.) Mother Jordan, be prostrate and grovel on the earth; John Southwel, read you, and let us to our work.

Enter Eleanor, above,

Elean. Well faid, my masters, and welcome to all, To this geer, the fooner the better.

Opinion and the Duke of So profit is made to thank him for

the Regency, before the King has deputed him to it. THEOBALD Boling,

:

!

1

Boling. Patience, good lady. Wizards know the

times.

*Deep night, dark night, the filent of the night,
The time of night when Troy was set on fire,
The time, when fcreech-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.

Here they perform the Ceremonies, and make the circle;
Bolingbrook or Southwel reads, Conjuro te, &c.
It thunders and lightens terribly, then the Spirit
rifeth.

Spirit. Adfum.

M. Ford. Afmuth, by the eternal God, whose name
And power thou tremblest at, tell what I afk;
For till thou speak, thou shalt not pass from hence.

Spirit. Afk what thou wilt. That I had faid, and
done!

Boling. First, of the King. What shall of him be

come?

Spirit. The Duke yet lives, that Henry shall depose, But him out-live, and die a violent death.

[As the Spirit speaks, they write the answer. Boling. Tell me, what fates await the Duke of Suffolk ?

Spirit. By water shall he die, and take his end.
Boling. What shall befal the Duke of Somerset ?
Spirit. Let him shun Castles.

Safer shall he be on the sandy plains,

Deep night, dark night, the filent of the night.] The filent of the night is a classical expreffion and means an interlunar night. Amica filentia LuSo Pliny, Inter omnes verò convenit, utiliffimè in coitu ejus fterni, quem diem alii interlunii,

ne.

alii filentis Luna appellant. Lib.
xvi. cap. 39. In imitation of
this language, Milton fays,

The Sun to me is dark
And filent as the Moon,
When she deserts the night,
Hid in ber vacant interlunar

C4

Cave.

WARBURTON,

Than

Than where Castles mounted stand.

...d

Iave done, for more I hardly can endure.

Boling, Descend to darkness, and the burning lake: False fiend, avoid!

:

[Thunder and Lightning. Spirit descends.

Enter the Duke of York, and the Duke of Buckingham, with their Guard, and break in.

York. Lay hands upon these traitors, and their trash. -Beldame, I think, we watch'd you at an inch. -What, Madam, are you there? the King and Realm Are deep indebted for this piece of pains. My Lord Protector will, I doubt it not, See you well guerdon'd for these good deferts.

Elean. Not half fo bad as thine to England's King. Injurious Duke, that threat'st where is no cause. Buck. True, Madam, none at all. What call you

this?

Away with them, let them be clap'd up close,
And kept apart. You, Madam, shall with us,
Stafford, take her to thee.

We'll fee your Trinkets here forth-coming all.

[Exeunt Guards with Jordan, Southwel, &c, York. Lord Buckingham, methinks, you watch'd

her well.

A pretty Plot, well chose to build upon.
Now, pray, my Lords, let's see the devil's Writ.
What have we here?

The Duke yet lives, that Henry shall depofe;

But him out-live, and die a violent death.

[Reads,

Why, this is just, Aio te, Eacida. Romanos vincere

poffe.

Well, to the rest,

2 Lo

Lord Ruckingham, methinks, &c.] This repetition of the prophefies, which is altogether unneceßary, after what the spec

tators had heard in the Scene immediately preceding, is not to be found in the first edition of this Play.

POPE.
Tell

: