The complete works of William Shakspeare, with notes by the most emiinent commentators, pr. from the ed. of A. Chalmers, with illustr

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KING HENRY VI.

KING HENRY THE SIXTH.

PART II.

PERSONS REPRESENTED.

VAUX.

HUME and SOUTHWELL, two Priests.
BOLINGBROKE. a Conjurer.

A Spirit raised by him.

THOMAS HORNER, an Armourer.

PETER, his Man.

Clerk of Chatham.

Mayor of Saint Alban's.

SIMPCOX, an Impostor.-Two Murderers.
JACK CADE, a Rebel.

GEORGE. JOHN, DICK, SMITH, the Weaver; MI.
CHAEL, etc, his Followers.

ALEXANDER IDEN, a Kentish Gentleman.

MARGARET, Queen to King Henry.
ELEANOR, Duchess of Gloster.
MARGERY JOURDAIN, a Witch.
Wife to SIMPCOX.

Lords, Ladies, and Attendants; Petitioners, Aldermen, a Beadle, Sheriff, and Officers; Citizens, Prentices, Falconers, Guards, Soldiers, Messengers, etc.

SCENE,-Dispersedly in various parts of England.

ACT I.

SCENE L-London. A Room of State in the Palace. Furish of trumpets: then hautboys. Enter on ne side, King HENRY, Duke of GLOSTER, SALISBURY, WARWICK, and Cardinal BEAUFORT; on the other, Queen Margaret, led in by SUF FOLK YORK, SOMERSET, BUCKINGHAM, and others following.

Saf As by your high imperial majesty
I had in charge at my depart for France,
As procurator to your excellence,

To marry princess Margaret for your grace;
So in the famous ancient city Tours,

Is presence of the kings of France and Sicil,

The dukes of Orleans, Calaber, Bretaigne, and Alençon,

Seven earls, twelve barons, twenty reverend bishops,

I have perform'd my task, and was espous'd:
And humbly now upon my bended knee,
Is sight of England and her lordly peers,
Dever up my title in the queen

To your most gracious hands, that are the substance
Or that great shadow I did represent;
The sappiest gift, that ever marquess gave,
The fairest queen that ever king receiv'd.

K. Hen. Suffolk, arise.-Welcome, queen Margaret:

I can express no kinder sign of love,

Than this kind kiss.-O Lord, that lends me life,
Leud me a heart replete with thankfulness!
For thon hast given me in this beauteous face,
A world of earthly blessings to my soul,
sympathy of love unite our thoughts.

Q. Mar. Great king of England. and my gracious lord;

The mutual conference that my nund hath had-
day, by night; waking, and in my dreams;
Is curtly company, or at my beads,-
Wits you mine alder-liefest sovereign,
Makes me the bolder to salute my king
With ruder terms; such as my wit affords,
And over-joy of heart doth minister.

K. Hea. Her sight did ravish: but her grace in speech,

Her words y-clad with wisdon's majesty,
Makes me, from wondering, fall to weeping joys;
is the fulness of my heart's content.-
Laras, with one cheerful voice welcome my love.

All. Long live queen Margaret, England's happi

ness!

Q. Mar. We thank you all. (Flourish.) Suf. 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.

Glo. [Reads.] Imprimis, It is agreed between the French king, Charles, and William de la Poole, marquess of Suffolk, ambassador for Henry king of England that the said Henry shall espouse the lady Margaret, daughter unto Reignier king of Naples, Sicilia, and Jerusalem; and crown her queen of England, ere the thirtieth of May next ensuing.--Item, That the duchy of Anjou and the county of Maine shall be released and delivered to the king her fatherK. Hen. Uncle, how now? Glo. Pardon me, gracious lord; Some sudden qualm hath struck me at the heart, And dimm'd mine eyes, that I can read no further K. Hen. Uncle of Winchester, I pray, read on. Win. Item,-It is further agreed between them, -that the duchies of Anjou and Maine shall be released and delivered over to the king her father; and she sent over of the king of England's own proper cost and charges, without having dowry.

K. Hen. They please us well.-Lord marquess,
kneel down;

We here create thee the first duke of Suffolk,
And girt thee with the sword.-

Cousin of York, we here discharge your grace
From being regent in the parts of France,
Till term of eighteen months be full expir'd.-
Thanks, nucle Winchester, Gloster, York, and
Buckingham,

Somerset, Salisbury, and Warwick;
We thank you all for this great favour done,
In entertainment to my princely queen.
Come, let us in; and with all speed provide
To see her coronation be perform'd.

[Exeunt King, Queen, and Suffolk. Glo. Brave peers of England, pillars of the state, you duke Humphrey must unload his grief, Your grief, the common grief of all the land. What! did my brother Henry spend his youth, His valour, coin, and people, in the wars? Did he so often lodge in open field, In winter's cold, and summer's parching heat, To conquer France, his true inheritance? And did my brother Bedford toil his wits To keep by policy what Henry got?

Have you yourselves, Somerset, Buckingham,
Brave York, Salisbury, and victorious Warwick,
Receiv'd deep scars in France and Normandy?
Or bath my uncle Beaufort, and myself,
With all the learned council of the realm,
Studied so long, sat in the comcil house,
Early and late, debating to and tro

How France and Frenchmen might be kept in awe?
And hath his highness in his infancy
Been crown'd in Paris, in despite of foes?

And shall these labours, and these honours, die?
Shall Henry's conquest, Bedford's vigilance,
Your deeds of war, and all our counsel, die?
D peers of England, shameful is this league!
Fatal this marriage, cancelling your fame;
Blotting your nanies from books of memory;
Razing the characters of your renown;
Defacing monuments of conquer'd France;
Undoing all, as all had never been!

Car. Nephew, what means this passionate discourse?

This peroration with such circumstance?
For France, 'tis ours; and we will keep it still.

Glo. Ay, uncle, we will keep it, if we can;
But now it is impossible we should:

Suffolk, the new made duke, that rules the roast,
Hath given the duches of Aujou and Maine
Unto the poor king Reignier, whose large style
Agrees not with the leanness of his purse.

Sal. Now, by the death of him that died for all,
These counties were the keys of Normandy :---
But wherefore weeps Warwick, my valiant son?

War. For grief, for they are past recovery: For, were there hope to conquer them again, My sword should shed hot blood, mine eyes no tears. Anjou and Maine! myself did win them both; Those provinces these arms of mine did conquer: And are the cities, that I got with wounds, Deliver'd up again with peaceful words? Mort Dien!

York. For Suffolk's duke-may he be suffocate, That dims the honour of this warlike isle! France should have torn and rent my very heart, Before I would have yielded to this league. I never read but England's kings have had Large sums of gold, and dowries, with their wives: And our king Henry gives away his own, To match with her that brings no vantages. Glo. A proper jest, and never heard before, That Suffolk should demand a whole fifteenth, For costs and charges in transporting her:

She should have staid in France, and starv'd in France,

Before

Car. My lord of Gloster, now you grow too hot; It was the pleasure of my lord the king.

Exit.

Gio. My lord of Winchester, I know your mind: 'Tis not my speeches, that you do mislike; But tis my presence, that doth trouble you. Rancour will out: Proud prelate, in thy face I see thy fury if I longer stay, We shall begin our ancient bickerings.Lordings, farewell; and say, when I am gone, I prophesied-France will be lost ere long. Car. So, there goes our protector in a rage. "Tis known to you, he is mine enemy: Nay, more, an enemy unto you ail; And no great friend, I fear me, to the king. Consider, lords, he is the next of blood, And heir apparent to the English crown; Had Henry got an empire by his marriage, And all the wealthy kingdoms of the west, There's reason he should be displeas`d at it. Look to it, lords; let not his smoothing words Bewitch your hearts; be wise, and circumspect. What though the common people favour him, Calling him-Humphrey, the good duke of Gloster; Clapping their hands, and crying with loud voiceJesu maintain your royal excellence! With-God preserve the good duke Humphrey'

And greatness of his place be grief to us,
Yet let us watch the haughty cardinal;

His insolence is more intolerable

Thon all the princes in the land beside;
If Gloster be displac'd, he'll be protector.
Buck. Or taou, or 1, Somerset, will be protector,
Despite duke Humphrey, or the cardinal.

[Exeunt Buckingham and Somerset. Sal. Pride went before, ambition follows him. While these do labour for their own preferment, Behoves it us to labour for the realm.

I never saw but Humphrey duke of Gloster
Did bear him like a noble gentleman.
Oft have I seen the haughty cardinal-
More like a soldier, than a man o the church,
As stout, and proud, as he were lord of all,→
Swear like a ruffian, and demean himself
Unlike the ruler of a common-weal.
Warwick, my son, the comfort of my age!
Thy deeds, thy plainness, and thy house-keeping,
Hath won the greatest favour of the commons,
Excepting none but good duke Humphrey.-
And, brother York, thy acts in Ireland,
In bringing them to civil discipline;

Thy late exploits, done in the heart of France,
When thou wert regent for our sovereign.
Have made thee fear'd, and honour'd, of the

cause.

Sal. Then let's make haste away, and look anto 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;

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?
'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
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 tongue.
While his own lands are bargain'd for, and sold.
Methinks, the realms of England, France, and
Ireland,

Bear that proportion to my flesh and blood,
As did the fatal brand Aithea burn'd,

Into the prince's heart of Calydon.

Anjou and Maine, both given unto the French!
Cald news for me; for I had hope of France,
Even as I have of fertile England's soil.
Aday will come, when York shall claim his own;
A therefore I will take the Nevils' parts,
And make a shew of love to proud duke Humphrey,
vid when I spy advantage, claim the crown,
For that's the golden mark I seek to hit :
Nor shall proud Lancaster usurp my right,
Ner hold his sceptre in his childish fist,
Nur wear the diadem upon his head,

Whose church-like humours fit not for a crown.
т York, be still awhile, till time do serve :
Watch thou, and wake, when others be asleep,
Opry into the secrets of the state;

To Heary, surfeiting in joys of love,

With his new bride, and England's dear-bought

Hanging the head at Ceres' plenteous load?
Why doth the great duke Humprey knit his brows,
As frowning at the favours of the world?
Why are thine eyes fix'd to the sullen earth,
bing on that which seems to dim thy sight?
What see'st thou there? King Henry's diadem,
Enchas'd with all the honours of the world?
lis, gaze on, and grovel on thy face,

til thy head be circled with the same.
torta thy hand, reach at the glorious gold:
What, is't too short? I'll lengthen it with mine:
And having both together heav'd it up,
Well both together lift our heads to heaven;

And never more abase our sight so low,

As to vouchsafe one glance unto the ground.

Hast thou not worldly pleasure at command
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 cholerio
With Eleanor, for telling but her dream?
Next time, I'll keep my dreams unto myself,
And not be check'd.

Glo. Nay, be not angry, I am pleas'd again.
Enter a Messenger.

Mes. My lord protector,' tis his highness' pleasure,
You do prepare to ride unto Saint Alban's,
Whereas the king and queen do mean to hawk.
Glo. I go.-Come, Nell, thou wilt ride with us?
Duch. Yes, good my lord, I'll follow presently
[Exeunt Gloster and Messenger
Follow I must, I cannot go before,
While Gloster bears this base and humble mind.
Were I a man, a duke, and next of blood,

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, man,
We are alone; here's none but thee, and I.

Enter HUME.

conferr'd

With Margery Jourdain, the cunning witch;
And Roger Bolingbroke, the conjurer?
And will they undertake to do me good?
Hume. This they have promised,-to shew your
highness

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,

Glo. O Nell's sweet Nell, if thou dost love thy We'll see these things effected to the full.

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 troubious dream this night doth make me sad.
Duck. What dream'd my lord? tell me, and I'll
requite it

With sweet rehearsal of my morning's dream.

Here, Hume, take this reward; make merry, man,
With thy confederates in this weighty cause.
[Exit Duchess.

Hume. Hume must make merry with the duchess'

gold;

Marry, and shall. But how now, sir John Hume?
Seal up your lips, and give no words but-mum!
The business asketh silent secrecy.

Dame Eleanor gives gold, to bring the witch:

Glo. Methought, this staff, mine office-badge in Gold cannot come amniss, were she a devil.

court,

Was broke in twain; by whom, I have forgot, that, as I think, it was by the cardinal;

And on the pieces of the broken wand

Were plac'd the heads of Edmund duke of Somerset,
Aad William de la Poole first duke of Suffolk.
Tom was

was my dream; what it doth bode, God knows.
Duch. Tut, this was nothing but an argument,
That be, that breaks a stick of Gloster's grove,
Mail lose his head for his presumption.
Bet hast to me, my Humphrey, my sweet duke:
Nethought, I sat in seat of majesty,

1. the cathedral church of Westminster,

And in that chair where kings and queens are
crown'd;

Where Heary, and dame Margaret, kneel'd to me,
Ad on my head did set the diadem.

Gl. Nay, Eleanor, then must I chide outright:
Presumptuous dame, ill-nurtur'd Eleanor!
Art Lou not second woman in the realm;
And the protector's wife, belov'd of him?

Yet have I gold, flies from another coast:
I dare not say, from the rich cardinal,
And from the great and new-made duke of Suffolk,
Yet I do find it so: for, to be plain,
They, knowing dame Eleanor's aspiring humour,
Have hired me to undermine the duchess,
And buz these conjurations in her brain.
They say, a crafty knave does need no broker;
Yet am I Suffolk, and the cardinal's broker.
Hume, if you take not heed, you shall go near
To call them both-a pair of crafty knaves.
Well, so it stands: And thus, I fear, at last,
Hume's knavery will be the duchess' wreck;
And her attainture will be Humphrey's fall:
Sort how it will, I shall have gold for all.
SCENE III.-The same. A Room in the Palace

[Exit.

Enter PETER, and others, with petitions. 1 Pet. My masters, let's stand close; my lord protector will come this way by and by, and then we may deliver our supplications in the quilt.

2 Pet. Marry, the lord protect him, for he is a good man! Jesu bless him!

Enter SUFFOLK and Queen MARGARET. 1 Pet. Here a comes, methinks, and the queen with him: I'll be the first, sure.

2 Pet. Come back, fool; this is the duke of Suf folk, and not my lord protector. [me? Suf. How now, fellow? would'st any thing with Pet. I pray, my lord, pardon me! I took for my lord protector.

Q. Mar. (Reading the superscription.) To my lord protector! are your supplications to his lordship? Let me see them: What is thine?

i Pet. Mine is, an't please your grace, against John Goodman, my lord cardinal's man, for keeping my house, and lands, and wife, and all, trom me.

Suf. Thy wife too? that is some wrong, indeed.— What's your's?-What's here! (Reads.) Against the duke of Suffolk, for enclosing the commons of Melford.-How now, sir knave?

2 Pet. Alas, sir, I am but a poor petitioner of our whole township.

Peter. (Presenting his petition.) Against my master, Thomas Horner, for saying that the duke of York was rightful heir to the crown.

Q. Mar. What say'st thou? Did the duke of York say, he was rightful heir to the crown?

Peter. That my master was? No, forsooth: my master said, That he was; and that the king was

an usurper.

Suf. Who is there? (Enter Servants.)-Take
this fellow in, and send for his master with a pur-
Suivant presently:-we'll hear more of your matter
before the king. [Exeunt Servants, with Peter.
Q. Mar. And as for you, that love to be protected
Under the wings of our protector's grace,
Begin your suits anew, and sue to him.
(Tears the Petition.)
Away, base cullions!-Suffolk, let them go.

All. Come, let's be gone. [Exeunt Petitioners.
Q. Mar. 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 Gloster's governance?
Am 1 queen in title and in style,
And must be made a subject to a duke?
I tell thee, Poole, 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-prophets and apostles;
His weapons, holy saws of sacred writ;
His study is tilt-yard, and his loves
Are brazen images of canoniz'd saints.

I would the college of 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.

Q. Mar. Beside the haught 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.

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 la-

u.es,

More like an empress than duke Humphrey'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 callat as she is,
She vaunted 'mongst her minions tother 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, my self have lim'd a bush for her;
And plac'd a quire of such enticing birds,
That she will light to listen to their lays,
And never mount to trouble you again.
So, let her rest: And, madain, list 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 Humphrey 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 helm.
Enter King HENRY, YORK, and SOMERSET, c
versing with him; Duke and Duchess of GLA
TER, Cardinal BEAUFORT, BUCKINGHAM, SAL
BURY, and WARWICK,

K. Hen. For my part, noble lords, I care t
which;

Or Somerset, or York, all's one to me.
York. If York have ill demean'd himself in Frank
Then let him be deny'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
Dispute not that: York is the worthier.

Car. Ambitious Warwick, let thy betters spe
War. The cardinal's not my better in the field
Buck. All in this presence are thy betters, W

wick.

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 wreck:
The Dauphin hath prevail'd beyond the seas;
And all the peers and nobles of the realm
Have been as bondmen to thy sovereignty.
Car. The commons hast thou rack'd'; the clergy
hat
Are lank and lean with thy extortious.
Som. Thy sumptuous buildings, and thy wife
Have cost a mass of public treasury.

Buck. Thy cruelty in execution
Upon offenders, hath exceeded law,
And left thee to the mercy of the law.

Q. 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 Gloster. The Queen drops her f 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. Wast 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.
K. Hen. Sweet aunt, be quiet; 'twas against her

will.

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