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 Humphrey's wife; Strangers in court do take her for the queen : She vaunted 'mongst her minions t' other day, And plac'd a quire of such enticing birds, Yet must we join with him, and with the lords, grace. As for the duke of York, this late complaint Enter KING HENRY, YORK, and SOMERSET; K. Hen. For my part, noble lords, I care not which; Or Somerset, or York, all's one to me. Then let him be denay'd the regentship. Som. If Somerset be unworthy of the place, 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 presence are thy betters, Warwick. War. Warwick may live to be the best of all. * Denay'-denied. So, in Twelfth Night"My love can give no place, bide no denay." Sal. Peace, son; and show some reason, Buckingham, Why Somerset should be preferr'd in this. Q. Mar. Because the king, forsooth, will have it so. Glo. Madam, the king is old enough himself To give his censure; these are no women's matters. Q. 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 : Are lank and lean with thy extortion. Have cost a mass of public treasury. Buck. Thy cruelty in execution, Q. Mar. Thy sale of offices, and towns in If they were known, as the suspect is great, [Exit GLOSTER. The QUEEN drops her fan. Give me my fan: What, minion! can you not? [Gives the DUCHESS a box on the ear. I cry you mercy, madam; was it you? Duch. Was 't I? yea, I it was, proud French She shall not strike dame Eleanor unreveng'd. [Exit DUCHESS. Buck. Lord cardinal, I will follow Eleanor, And listen after Humphrey, how he proceeds: She's tickled now: her fume needs no spurs, a She'll gallop far enough to her destruction. [Exit BUCKINGHAM. Re-enter GLOSTER. Glo. Now, lords, my choler being over-blown, First, for I cannot flatter thee in pride: War. That can I witness; and a fouler fact War. Image of pride, why should I hold my peace ? Enter Servants of SUFFOLK, bringing in HORNER and PETER. Suf. Because here is a man accus'd of trea son: Pray God, the duke of York excuse himself! York. Doth any one accuse York for a traitor? K. Hen. What mean'st thou, Suffolk? Tell me : What are these? Suf. Please it your Majesty, this is the man Was rightful heir unto the English crown; K. Hen. Say, man, were these thy words? a The first folio has fume needs; the second, fume can need. b Far. So the original. Pope's reading is fast. said nor thought any such matter: God is my witness, I am falsely accused by the villain. Pet. By these ten bones,a my lords, [holding up his hands] he did speak them to me in the garret one night, as we were scouring 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. Hor. 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 accusation. K. Hen. Uncle, what shall we say to this in law? Glo. This doom, my lord, if I may judge. Som. I humbly thank your royal majesty. Pet. Alas, my lord, I cannot fight; for God's sake, pity my case! the spite 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. Hen. Away with them to prison: and the "K. Hen. Then be it so. My lord of Somerset, We make your grace lord regent o'er the French." The lines were found by Theobald in 'The First Part of the Contention,' and he introduced them because he thought that "duke Humphrey's doom" required the confirmation of King Henry. But Henry, having given the power of deciding to Gloster, both in the case of the armourer and of the regency, might be intended by the poet, on his revisal of the play, to speak by the mouth of the Protector. The scene as it stands is an exhibition of the almost kingly authority of Gloster immediately before his fall. Mr. Dyce restores the lines, because "the king has not given the power of deciding to Gloster, but merely puts a question to him." Mr. Grant White holds that "the terms of that question clearly imply that Gloster is to decide the matter, and he pronounces doom, with the mere ceremonious expression of deference, if I may judge.' And that his judgment was considered final is plain." Spir. The duke yet lives that Henry shall depose; But him outlive, and die a violent death. [As the Spirit speaks, SOUTHWELL writes the answer. Boling. What fates await the duke of Suffolk ? ' Spir. By water shall he die, and take his end. Boling. What shall befall the duke of Somerset ? ' Spir. Let him shun castles; Safer shall he be upon the sandy plains, False fiend, avoid! [Thunder and lightning. Spirit descends. Enter YORK and BUCKINGHAM, hastily, with their Guards, and others. 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 commonweal Are deeply indebted for this piece of pains; king, Injurious duke; that threat'st where is no cause. Buck. True, madam, none at all. What call you this? [Showing her the papers. Away with them; let them be clapp'd up close, And kept asunder :-You, madam, shall with us: Stafford, take her to thee. [Exit DUCHESS from above. We'll see your trinkets here all forthcoming; All, away! [Exeunt Guards, with SOUTH., BOLING., &c. York. Lord Buckingham, methinks, you watch'd her well: A pretty plot, well chosen to build upon : Now, pray, my lord, let's see the devil's writ. What have we here? [Reads. 'The duke yet lives that Henry shall depose; But him outlive, and die a violent death.' Why, this is just, Aio te, Eacida, Romanos vincere posse. Well, to the rest : 'Tell me, what fate awaits the duke of Suffolk ? By water shall he die, and take his end.What shall betide the duke of Somerset ? THE connexion between the last scene of the First Part of Henry VI. and the first scene of the Second Part is as perfect as if they each belonged to one play. The concluding words of that last scene show us Suffolk departing for France for the accomplishment of the anxious wish of Henry "That lady Margaret do vouchsafe to come In the first lines of the Second Part we find Suf- G |