I did imagine what would be her refuge.
War. Well, go to; we will have no bastards
live;

Especially, since Charles must father it.

Puc. You are deceiv'd; my child is nore of bis ;

Shep. Out, out 1-My lords, an please you, 'tis It was Alençon, that enjoy'd my love.

It shall be with such strict and severe

cove

War. Be patient, York: if we conclude aj SCENE V.-London.-A Room in the Palace.
peace,
Enter King HENRY, in conference with Sur-
FOLK; GLOSTER and EXETER following.
K. Hen. Your wondrous rare description,
noble earl,

nants,
As little shall the Frenchmen gain thereby.
Enter CHARLES, attended; ALENGON, BAS-
TARD, REIGNIER, and others.

Char. Since, lords of England, it is thus
agreed,

That peaceful truce shall be proclaim'd in
France,

We come to be informed by yourselves
What the conditions of that league must be.
York. Speak, Winchester; for boiling choler
chokes

The hollow passage of my poison'd voice,
By sight of these our baleful enemies.

Win. Charles, and the rest, it is enacted
thus:

That-in regard king Henry gives consent,
Of mere compassion, and of lenity,
To ease your country of distressful war,
And suffer you to breathe in fruitful peace,-
You shall become true liegemen to his crown:
And, Charles, upon condition thou wilt swear
To pay him tribute, and submit thyself,
Thou shalt be plac'd as viceroy under him,
And still enjoy thy regal dignity.

Alen. Must he be then as shadow of him-
self,

Adorn his temples with a coronet, +
And yet, in substance and authority,
Retain but privilege of a private man?
This proffer is absurd and reasonless.

Char. 'Tis known, already, that I am pos-
sess'd

With more than half the Gallian territories,
And therein reverenc'd for their lawful king:
Shall I, for lucre of the rest unvanquish'd,
Detract so much from that prerogative,
As to be call'd but viceroy of the whole ?
No, lord ambassador; I'll rather keep
That which I have, than, coveting for more,
Be cast from possibility of all.

York. Insulting Charles! hast thou by secret

means

Used intercession to obtain a league ;
And, now the matter grows to compromise,
Stand'st thou aloof upon comparison?
Either accept the title thou usurp'st,
Of benefit proceeding from our king,
And not of any challenge of desert,

Or we will plague thee with incessant wars.
Reig. My lord, you do not well in obstinacy
To cavil in the course of this contract:
If once it be neglected, ten to one,
We shall not find like opportunity.

Alen. To say the truth, it is your policy,
To save your subjects from such massacre,
And ruthless slaughters, as are daily seen
By our proceeding in hostility:

And therefore take this compact of a truce, Although you break it when your pleasure [Aside, to CHARLES. War. How say'st thou, Charles? shall our condition stand?

serves.

Of beauteous Margaret hath astonish'd me:
Her virtues, graced with external gifts,
Do breed love's settled passions in my heart:
And like as rigour in tempestuous gusts
Provokes the mightiest hulk against the tide ;
So am I driven, by breath of her renown,
Either to suffer shipwreck, or arrive
Where I may have fruition of her love.

Suff. Tush! my good lord! this superficial tale
Is but a preface of her worthy praise:
The chief perfections of that lovely dame,
(Had I sufficient skill to utter them,)
Would make a volume of enticing lines,
Able to ravish any dull conceit.
And which is more, she is not so divine,
So full replete with choice of all delights,
But, with as humble lowliness of mind,
She is content to be at your command;
Command, I mean, of virtuous chaste intents,
To love and honour Henry as her lord.

K. Hen, And otherwise will Henry ne'er

presume.

Therefore, my lord protector, give consent,
That Margaret may be England's royal queen.

Glo. So should I give consent to flatter sin.
You know, my lord, your highness is betroth'd
Unto another lady of esteem;

How shall we then dispense with that contract,
And not deface your honour with reproach?

Suff. As doth a ruler with unlawful oaths;
Or one, that, at a triumph⚫ having vow'd
To try his strength, forsaketh yet the lists
By reason of his adversary's odds:
A poor earl's daughter is unequal odds,
And therefore may be broke without offence.
Glo. Why what, I pray is Margaret more than
that?

Her father is no better than an earl,
Although in glorious titles he excel.
Suff. Yes, my good lord, her father is a king;
The King of Naples and Jerusalem;
And of such great authority in France,
As his alliance will confirm our peace,
And keep the Frenchmen in allegiance.

Glo. And so the earl of Armagnac may do,
Because he is near kinsman unto Charles.

Ere. Beside, his wealth doth warrant liberal

king,

That he should be so abject, base, and poor,
To choose for wealth, and not for perfect love.
Henry is able to enrich his queen,
And not to seek a queen to make him rich:
So worthless peasants bargain for their wives,
As market-men for oxen, sheep, or horse
Marriage is a matter of more worth,
Than to be dealt in by attorneyship, +
Not whom we will, but whom bis grace affects,
Must be companion of his nuptial bed:
And therefore, lords, since he affects her most,
It most of all these reasons bindeth us,
In our opinions she should be preferr'd.
For what is wedlock forced, but a hell,
An age of discord and continual strife?
Whereas the contrary bringeth forth bliss,
And is a pattern of celestial peace. [king,
Whom should we match with Henry, being a
But Margaret, that is daughter to a king?
Her peerless feature, joined with her birth,
Approves her fit for none, but for a king:
Her valiant courage, and undaunted spirit,
(More than in women commonly is seen,)
Will answer our hope in issue of a king;

A triumph then signified a public exhibition; such as a mask, or revel. By the discretional agency of another

For Henry, son unto a conquerer
Is likely to beget more conquerors,
If with a lady of so high resolve,

As is fair Margaret, he be link'd in love.
Then yield, my lords; and here conclude with
me,

That Margaret shall be queen, and none but

she.

K. Hen. Whether it be through force of your
report,

My noble lord of Suffolk; or for what
My tender youth was never yet attaint
With any passion of inflaming love,
I cannot tell but this I am assur'd,
I feel such sharp dissention in my breast,
Such fierce alarums both of hope and fear,
As I am sick with working of my thoughts.
Take, therefore, shipping; post, my lord
France:

Agree to any covenants: and procure
That lady Margaret do vouchsafe to come
To cross the seas to England, and be crown'd
King Henry's faithful and anointed queen :

For your expenses and sufficient charge,
Among the people gather up a tenth.
Be gone, I say: for, till you do return,
I rest perplexed with a thousand cares.-
And you, good uncle, banish all offence :
If you do censure me by what you were,
Not what you are, I know it will excuse
This sudden execution of my will.
And so conduct me, where from company,
I may revolve and ruminate my grief. [Exit.
Glo. Ay, grief, I fear me, both at first and
last. [Exeunt GLOSTER and EXETER.
Suff. Thus Suffolk hath prevail'd: and thus he
goes,

As did the youthful Paris once to Greece;
With hope to find the like event in love,
But prosper better than the Trojan did.
to Margaret shall now be queen, and rule the

king;

But I will rule both her, the king, and realm.
[Exit.

• Judge.

3 R

SECOND PART

OF

KING HENRY VI.

LITERARY AND HISTORICAL NOTICE.

SHAKSPEARE is said to have formed this and the succeeding part of Henry VI. from a dramatic production entitled, The Contention of the two famous Houses of York and Lancaster; “altering, retrenching, or amplify. ing," as his genius or his judgment suggested. The present drama embraces the transactions of ten years, commencing with the king's marriage, A D. 1445, and closing with the battle of St. Alban's, won by the York faction, A. D. 1455.

Of the King's
Party.

JACK CADE, a Rebel.

LORD CLIFFORD,

YOUNG CLIFFORD, his Son,

GEORGE, JOHN, DICK, SMITH, the Weaver,
MICHAEL, &c. his Followers.

EARL OF SALISBURY, Of the York Faction- ALEXANDER IDEN, a Kentish Gentleman.

WARWICK,

LORD SCALES, Governor of the Tower.
LORD SAY.

SIR HUMPHREY STAFFORD, and his Brother.
SIR JOHN STANLEY.

A SEA-CAPTAIN, MASTER, MASTER'S MATE, and
WALTER WHITMORE.

TWO GENTLEMEN, Prisoners with Suffolk.
A HERALD.-VAUX.

HUME and SOUTHWELL, two Priests.

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, &c.

SCENE, dispersedly in various parts of England.

ACT I.

the Palace.

I have perform'd my task, and was espous'd: And humbly now upou my bended knee, SCENE 1-London.-A Room of State in In sight of England and her lordly peers, Deliver up my title in the queen To your most gracious hands, that are the subOf that great shadow I did represent; The happiest gift that ever marquis gave, The fairest queen that ever king receiv'd.

Flourish of Trumpets: then Hautboys. Enter, on one side, King HENRY, Duke of GLOSTER, SALISBURY, WARWICK, and Cardinal BEAUFORT; on the other, Queen MARGARET, led in by SUFFOLK; YORK, SOMERSET, BUCKINGHAM, and others, following.

Suf. 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,
In presence of the kings of France and Sicil,
The dukes of Orleans, Calaber, Bretaigne, and
Alençon,
[bishops,
Seven earls, twelve barons, twenty reverend

stance

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,

Lend me a heart replete with thankfulness !
For thou hast given me, in this beauteous

face,

A world of earthly blessings to my soul,
If sympathy of love unite our thoughts.

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