1 Pet. I pray, my Lord, pardon me; I took ye for my Lord Protector.

Q. Mar. To my Lord Protector. [reading] Are your fupplications to his Lordship? let me fee them; what is thing?

1 Pet. Mine is, an't please your Grace, against John Goodman, my Lord Cardinal's man, for keeping my houfe and lands, and wife, and all from me.

Suf. Thy wife too? that's fome wrong indeed. What's your's? what's here? [Reads.] Against the Duke of Suffolk, for inclufing the commons of Long Melford. How now, Sir Knave?

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

Suf. [reads.] Against my mafier, Thomas Horner, for faying, that the Duke of York was rightful heir to

the crown.

2. Mar. What! did the Duke of York fay, he was rightful heir to the crown?

Peter. That my mafter was? no, forfooth; my ma fter faid, that he was; and that the King was an ufurper.

Suf. Who is there? Take this fellow in, and fend for his mafter with a purfuivant, prefently; we'll hear more of your matter before the King.

[Exit Peter guarded. 2. Mar. And as for you that fove to be protected Under the wings of our Protector's Grace,

Begin your fuits anew, and fue to him.

[Tears the fupplications,

Away, bafe cullions: Suffolk, let them go.

All. Come, let's be

gone. [Exeunt Petitioners. 2. Mar. My Lord of Suffolk, fay, is this the guife? Is this the fashion in the court of England?

Is this the government of Britain's ifle?
And this the royalty of Albion's King?
What! fhall King Henry be a pupil itill,
Under the furly Glo'ler's governance?
Am I a Queen in title and in ftyle,
And must be made a fubject to a Duke?
I tell thee, Pole, when in the city Tours
Thou ran't a tilt in honour of my love,

And

i

And ftol'ft away the ladies' hearts of France;
I thought King Henry had refembled thee
In courage, courtship, and proportion.
But all his mind is bent to holiness,
To number Ave Maries on his beads
His champions are the prophets and apostles;
His weapons, holy faws of facred writ;
His ftudy is his tilt-yard; and his loves
Are brazen images of canoniz'd faints,
I would the college of the Cardinals
Would chufe him Pope, and carry him to Rome,
And fet the triple crown upon his head;
That were a ftate fit for his holinefs!

Suf. Madam, be patient; as I was the cause
Your Highness came to England, fo will I
In England work your Grace's full content.

2. Mar. Befide the proud Protector, have we Beaufort Th' imperious churchman; Somerfet, Buckingham,, And grumbling York; and not the leaft of thefe But can do more in England than the King. * Suf. And he of thefe that can do most of all, Cannot do more in England than the Nevills; Salisb'ry and Warwick are no fimple Peers.

2. Mar. Not all thefe Lords do vex me half fo much, As that proud dame, the Lord Protector's wife. She fweeps it through the court with troops of ladies, More like an Empreis than Duke Humphry's wife. Strangers in court do take her for the Queen; She bears a Duke's revenues on her back, And in her heart fhe fcorus our poverty. Shall I not live to be aveng'd on her? Contemptuous, bafe-born callot, as fhe is, She vaunted 'mongft her minions t'other day, The very train of her worft-wearing gown Was better worth than all my father's lands, Till Suffolk gave two dukedoms for his daughter! Suff. Madam, myfelf have lim'd a bufh for her, And place'd a quire of fuch enticing birds, That the will light to listen to their lays, And never mount to trouble you again. So let her reft; and, Madam, lift to me; For I am bold to counfel you in this; B 2

Although

Although we fancy not the Cardinal,

Y

Yet mult we join with him and with the Lords,
Till we have brought Duke Humphry in difgrace.
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 realm.

To them enter King Henry, Duke Humphry, Cardinal, Buckingham, York, Somerfet, Salisbury, Warwick, and the Duchefs of Gloucefter.

K. Henry. Formy part, Noble Lords, I care not which, Or Somerfet, or York, all's one to me.

York. If York have ill demean'd himfelf in France, Then let him be deny'd the regentship.

Som. If Somerfet be unworthy of the place, Let York be Regent, I will yield to him.

War. Whether your Grace be worthy, yea or no, Difpute not that; York is the worthier.

Car. Ambitious Warwick, let thy betters fpeak. War. The Cardinal's not my better in the field. Buck. All in this prefence are thy betters, Warwick. War. Warwick may live to be the best of all. Sal. Peace, fon; and fhew fome reafon, Buckingham, Why Somerfet fhould be preferr'd in this.

2. Mar. Because the King, forfooth, will have it fo. Glo. Madam, the King is old enough himself To give his cenfure: thefe are no woman's matters. 2. 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 refign my place.

Suf. Refign it then, and leave thine infolence.

Since thou wert King, (as who is King but thou?);
The commonwealth hath daily run to wreck.
The Dauphin hath prevail'd beyond the feas,
And all the peers and nobles of the realm
Have been as bondmen to thy fov'reignty.

Gar. The commons haft thou rack'd; the clergy's bags Are lank and lean with thy extortions.

Som.

Som. Thy fumptuous buildings, and thy wife's attire, Have coft a mafs of public treasury.

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

2. Mar. Thy fale of offices and towns in France, If they were known as the fufpect is great, Would make thee quickly hop without thy head. [Exit Glo. Give me my fan; what, minion? can ye not? [She gives the Duchefs a box on the ear.

I cry you mercy, Madam; was it you?

Elean. Was't I? yea, I it was, proud Frenchwoman? Could I come near your beauty with my nails, I'd fet my ten commandments in your face.

K. Henry. Sweet aunt, be quiet; 'twas against her will.

Elean. Against her will, good King? look to't in time, She'll hamper thee and dandle thee like a baby: Though in this place moft mafter wears no breeches, She fhall not frike Dame Eleanor unrevenged.

[Exit Eleanor.

Buck. Lord Cardinal, I'll follow Eleanor,
And liften after Humphry, how he proceeds:
She's tickled now, her fume can need no fpurs;
She'll gallop faft enough to her deftruction. [Exit Buck,
SCENE VII. Re-enter Duke Humphry.

Gl. Now, Lords, my choler being over-blown
With walking once about the quadrangle,
I come to talk of commonwealth-affairs..
As for your fpightful falfe 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:
1 fay, my Sovereign, York is meeteft man
To be your Regent in the realm of France. -
Suf. Before we make election, give me leave:
To fhew fome reafon of no little force,
That York is moft unmeet of any man.

York. I'll tell thee, Suffolk, why I am unmeet.

B 3

Firft,.

First, for I cannot flatter thee in pride;
Next, if I be appointed for the place,.
My Lord of Somerfet will keep me here
Without difcharge, money, or furniture,
Till France be won into the Dauphin's hands.
Last time I dance'd attendance on his will,
Till Paris was besiege'd, famish'd, and loft.
War. That I can witness; and a fouler fact
Did never traitor in the land commit.

Suf. Feace, head-itrong Warwick!

War. Image of pride, why fhould I hold my peace! Enter Horner the armourer, and his man Peter, guarded,

Suf. Because here is a man accus'd of treafon., Pray God the Duke of York excufe himself! York. Doth any one accufe York for a traitor? K. Henry. What mean't thou, Suffolk tell me what are these?

Suf. Pleafe it your Majefty, this is the man That doth accufe his master of high treafon. His words were thefe: That Richard Duke of York Was rightful heir unto the English crown, "And that your Majefty was an ufurper

K. Henry. Say, man; were there thy words? Arm. An't fhall please your Majefty, I never faid nor thought any fuch matter; God is my witness, I ain faliely accufed by the villain.

Pet. By thefe ten bones, my Lord, he did speak them to me in the garret one night, as we were fcouring my Lord of York's armour.

Tork. Bafe dunghill villain, and mechanical, I'll have thy head for this thy traitor's fpeech. I do befeech your Royal Majefty,

Let him have all the rigour of the law.

Arm. Alas, my Lord, hang me if ever I spake the words. My accufer 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 witnefs of this; therefore I befeech your Majefty, do not caft away an hone man for a villain's accufation. K. Henry. Uncle, what fhall we fay to this in law? Gle. This doom, my Lord, if I may judge.

Let