Sound trumpets, alarum to the combatants. [Alarum. They fight, and PETER strikes down his master.

Hor. Hold, Peter, hold! I confess, I confess treason.

[Dies. York. Take away his weapon: - Fellow, thank God, and the good wine in thy master's way.

Peter. O God! have I overcome mine enemies in this presence? O Peter, thou hast prevailed in right!

K. Hen. Go, take hence that traitor from our sight;

And bid me be advised how I tread.
Ah, Humphrey, can I bear this shameful yoke?
Trow'st thou, that e'er I'll look upon the world;
Or count them happy, that enjoy the sun?
No; dark shall be my light, and night my day;
To think upon my pomp, shall be my
hell.
Sometime I'll say, I am duke Humphrey's wife;
And he a prince, and ruler of the land:
Yet so he rul'd, and such a prince he was,
As he stood by, whilst I, his forlorn duchess,
Was made a wonder, and a pointing stock,
To every idle rascal follower.

For, by his death, we do perceive his guilt:
And God, in justice, hath reveal'd to us
The truth and innocence of this poor fellow,
Which he had thought to have murder'd wrong-
fully.

Come, fellow, follow us for thy reward.

Ten, my lord.

Glo. Ten is the hour that was appointed me, To watch the coming of my punish'd duchess; Uneath may she endure the flinty streets, To tread them with her tender-feeling feet. Sweet Nell, ill can thy noble mind abrook The abject people, gazing on thy face, With envious looks still laughing at thy shame; That erst did follow thy proud chariot wheels, When thou didst ride in triumph through the streets. But, soft! I think, she comes; and I'll prepare My tear-stain'd eyes to see her miseries.

Enter the Duchess of GLOSTER, in a white sheet, with papers pinn'd upon her back, her feet bare, and a taper burning in her hand; Sir JOHN STANLEY, a Sheriff, and Officers.

Serv. So please your grace, we'll take her from the sheriff.

Glo. No, stir not, for your lives; let her pass by. Duch. Come you, my lord, to see my open

shame?

Now thou dost penance too. Look, how they gaze!
See, how the giddy multitude do point,

And nod their heads, and throw their eyes on thee !
Ah, Gloster, hide thee from their hateful looks;
And, in thy closet pent up, rue my shame,
And ban thine enemies, both mine and thine.

Glo. Be patient, gentle Nell; forget this grief.
Duch. Ah, Gloster, teach me to forget myself:
For, whilst I think I am thy married wife,
And thou a prince, protector of this land,
Methinks, I should not thus be led along,
Mail'd up in shame, with papers on my back;
And follow'd with a rabble, that rejoice
To see my tears, and hear my deep-fet groans.
The ruthless flint doth cut my tender feet;
And, when I start, the envious people laugh,

Glo. Ah, Nell, forbear; thou aimest all awry; I must offend, before I be attainted: And had I twenty times so many foes, And each of them had twenty times their power, All these could not procure me any scathe, So long as I am loyal, true, and crimeless. Would'st have me rescue thee from this reproach Why, yet thy scandal were not wip'd away, But I in danger for the breach of law. Thy greatest help is quiet, gentle Nell : I pray thee, sort thy heart to patience; These few days' wonder will be quickly worn.

your grace.

Glo. Entreat her not the worse, in that I pray You use her well: the world may laugh again: And I may live to do you kindness, if You do it her. And so, sir John, farewell.

Duch. What gone, my lord; and bid me not farewell?

Glo. Witness my tears, I cannot stay to speak. [Exeunt GLOSTER and Servants. Duch. Art thou gone too? All comfort go with thee! For none abides with me: my joy is—death; Death, at whose name I oft have been afeard, Because I wish'd this world's eternity. Stanley, I pr'ythee, go, and take me nence; I care not whither, for I beg no favour, Only convey me where thou art commanded. Stan. Why, madam, that is to the isle of Man ; There to be used according to your state.

Duch. That's bad enough, for I am but reproach And shall I then be us'd reproachfully?

Enter to the Parliament, KING HENRY, QUEEN MARGARET, CARDINAL BEAUFORT, SUFFOLK, YORK, BUCKINGHAM, and others.

K. Hen. I muse, my lord of Gloster is not come : 'Tis not his wont to be the hindmost man, Whate'er occasion keeps him from us now.

Q. Mar. Can you not see? or will you not observe The strangeness of his alter'd countenance? With what a majesty he bears himself; How insolent of late he is become, How proud, peremptory, and unlike himself?

We know the time, since he was mild and affable; And, if we did but glance a far-off look, Immediately he was upon his knee,

;

That all the court admir'd him for submission
But meet him now, and, be it in the morn,
When every one will give the time of day,
He knits his brow, and shows an angry eye,
And passeth by with stiff unbowed knee,
Disdaining duty that to us belongs.
Small curs are not regarded, when they grin;
But great men tremble, when the lion roars;
And Humphrey is no little man in England.
First, note, that he is near you in descent;
And should you fall, he is the next will mount.
Me seemeth then, it is no policy,-
Respecting what a rancorous mind he bears,
And his advantage following your decease,
That he should come about your royal person,
Or be admitted to your highness' council.
By flattery hath he won the commons' hearts;
And, when he please to make commotion,
'Tis to be fear'd, they all will follow him.
Now 'tis the spring, and weeds are shallow-rooted;
Suffer them now, and they'll o'ergrow the garden,
And choke the herbs for want of husbandry.
The reverent care, I bear unto my lord,
Made me collect these dangers in the duke.
If it be fond, call it a woman's fear;
Which fear if better reasons can supplant,
I will subscribe and say
I wrong'd the duke.
My lord of Suffolk, Buckingham, and York,-

Reprove my allegation, if you can ;

Or else conclude my words effectual.

And such high vaunts of his nobility,

Did instigate the bedlam brain-sick duchess,
By wicked means to frame our sovereign's fall.
Smooth runs the water, where the brook is deep;
And in his simple show he harbours treason.
The fox barks not, when he would steal the lamb.
No, no, my sovereign; Gloster is a man
Unsounded yet, and full of deep deceit.

Car. Did he not, contrary to form of law,
Devise strange deaths for small offences done?
York. And did he not, in his protectorship,
Levy great sums of money through the realm,
For soldiers' pay in France, and never sent it?
By means whereof, the towns each day revolted.
Buck. Tut! These are petty faults to faults un-
known,

Which time will bring to light in smooth duke Humphrey.

K. Hen. My lords, at once: The care you have of us,

To mow down thorns that would annoy our foot,
Is worthy praise: But shall I speak my conscience?
Our kinsman Gloster is as innocent
From meaning treason to our royal person,
As is the sucking lamb, or harmless dove:
The duke is virtuous, mild; and too well given,
To dream on evil, or to work my downfall.

Q. Mar. Ah, what's more dangerous than this fond affiance!

Seems he a dove? his feathers are but borrow'd,
For he's disposed as the hateful raven.

Is he a lamb? his skin is surely lent him,
For he's inclin'd as are the ravenous wolves.
Who cannot steal a shape, that means deceit ?
Take heed, my lord; the welfare of us all
Hangs on the cutting short that fraudful man.

Enter SOMERSET.

Som. All health unto my gracious sovereign!
K. Hen. Welcome, lord Somerset.
What news

from France?

Som. That all your interest in those territories Is utterly bereft you; all is lost.

K. Hen. Cold news, lord Somerset: But God's

will be done!

Suf. Nay, Gloster, know, that thou art come too

soon,

Unless thou wert more loyal than thou art :
I do arrest thee of high treason here.

Glo. Well, Suffolk, yet thou shalt not see me
blush,

Nor change my countenance for this aest;
A heart unspotted is not easily daunted.
The purest spring is not so free from mud,
As I am clear from treason to my sovereign:
Who can accuse me? wherein am I guilty?

York. 'Tis thought, my lord, that you took bribes
of France,

And, being protector, stay'd the soldiers' pay;
By means whereof, his highness hath lost France.
Glo. Is it but thought so? What are they, that
think it?

I never robb'd the soldiers of their pay,
Nor ever had one penny bribe from France.
So help me God, as I have watch'd the night,
Ay, night by night,-in studying good for England!
That doit that e'er I wrested from the king,
Or any groat I hoarded to my use,
Be brought against me at my trial day!
No! many a pound of mine own proper store,
Because I would not tax the needy commons,
Have I dispursed to the garrisons,

And never ask'd for restitution.

Car. It serves you well, my lord, to say so much. Glo. I say no more than truth, so help me God! York. In your protectorship, you did devise Strange tortures for offenders, never heard of, That England was defam'd by tyranny.

Glo. Why, 'tis well known, that whiles I was
protector,

ity was all the fault that was in me;
For I should melt at an offender's tears,
Anu owly words were ransome for their fault.
Unless it were a bloody murderer,

Or foul felonious thief, that fleec'd poor passengers,
I never gave them cóndign punishment:
Murder, indeed, that bloody sin, I tortur'd
Above the felon, or what trespass else.

Suf. My lord, these faults are easy, quickly
answer'd:

But mightier crimes are laid unto your charge,
Whereof you cannot easily purge yourself.
I do arrest you in his highness' name;
And here commit you to my lord cardinal
To keep, until your further time of trial.

K. Hen. My lord of Gloster, 'tis my special hope,
That you will clear yourself from all suspects;
My conscience tells me, you are innocent.

Glo. Ah, gracious lord, these days are dangerous! Virtue is chok'd with foul ambition, And charity chas'd hence by rancour's hand; Foul subornation is predominant, And equity exíl'd your highness' land. I know, their complot is to have my life; And, if my death might make this island happy, And prove the period of their tyranny, I would expend it with all willingness: But mine is made the prologue to their play; For thousands more, that yet suspect no peril, Will not conclude their plotted tragedy. Beaufort's red sparkling eyes blab his heart's malice, And Suffolk's cloudy brow his stormy hate; Sharp Buckingham unburdens with his tongue The envious load that lies upon his heart; And dogged York, that reaches at the moon,

Whose overweening arm I have pluck'd back,
By false accuse doth level at my life: -
And you, my sovereign lady, with the rest,
Causeless have laid disgraces on my head;
And, with your best endeavour, have stirr'd up
My liefest liege to be mine enemy: -
Ay, all of you have laid your heads together,
Myself had notice of your conventicles,
And all to make away my guiltless life :

shall not want false witness to condemn me,
Nor store of treasons to augment my guilt;
The ancient proverb will be well affected,
A staff is quickly found to beat a dog.

Car. My liege, his railing is intolerable : If those, that care to keep your royal person From treason's secret knife, and traitors' rage, Be thus upbraided, chid, and rated at, And the offender granted scope of speech, 'Twill make them cool in zeal unto your grace.

Suf. Hath he not twit our sovereign lady here, With ignominious words, though clerkly couch'd, As if she had suborned some to swear False allegations to o'erthrow his state?

Q. Mar. But I can give the loser leave to chide. Glo. Far truer spoke, than meant: I lose, indeed;

Beshrew the winners, for they played me false !
And well such losers may have leave to speak.
Buck. He'll wrest the sense, and hold us here all
day:

Lord cardinal, he is your prisoner.

Car. Sirs, take away the duke, and guard him

Ah, that my fear were false! ah, that it were!
For, good king Henry, thy decay I fear.

[Exeunt Attendants, with GLOSTER. K. Hen. My lords, what to your wisdoms seemeth best,

Do, or undo, as if ourself were here.

Q. Mar. What, will your highness leave the parliament ?

K. Hen. Ay, Margaret; my heart is drown'd with grief,

Whose flood begins to flow within mine eyes;
My body round engirt with misery ;
For what's more miserable than discontent?
Ab, uncle Humphrey in thy face I see
The map of honour, truth, and loyalty;
And yet, good Humphrey, is the hour to come,
That e'er I prov'd thee false, or fear'd thy faith.
What low'ring star now envies thy estate,
That these great lords, and Margaret our queen,
Do seek subversion of thy harmless life?
Thou never didst them wrong, nor no man

wrong:

And as the butcher takes away the calf,
And binds the wretch, and beats it when it strays,
Bearing it to the bloody slaughter-house;
Even so, remorseless, have they borne him hence.
And as the dam runs lowing up and down,
Looking the way her harmless young one went,
And can do nought but wail her darling's loss;
Even so myself bewails good Gloster's case,
With sad unhelpful tears; and with dimm'd eyes
Look after him, and cannot do him good;

So mighty are his vowed enemies.

His fortunes I will weep; and, 'twixt each groan, Say Who's a traitor, Gloster he is none.

[Exit.

Q. Mar. Free lords, cold snow melts with the sun's hot beams.

Henry my lord is cold in great affairs,
Too full of foolish pity: and Gloster's show
Beguiles him, as the mournful crocodile
With sorrow snares relenting passengers;
Or as the snake, roll'd in a flowering bank,
With shining checker'd slough, doth sting a child,
That, for the beauty, thinks it excellent.

Believe me, lords, were none more wise than I,
(And yet, herein, I judge mine own wit good,)
This Gloster should be quickly rid the world,
To rid us from the fear we have of him.

Car. That he should die, is worthy policy:
But yet we want a colour for his death:
Tis meet he be condemn'd by course of law.
Suf. But, in my mind, that were no policy:
The king will labour still to save his life;
The commons haply rise to save his life;
And we yet have but trivial argument,
More than mistrust, that shows him worthy death.
York. So that by this, you would not have him
die.

Suf. Ah, York, no man alive so fain as I. York. 'Tis York that hath more reason for his death.

But, my lord cardinal, and you, my lord of Suffolk,

Say as you think, and speak it from your souls,
Wer't not all one, an empty eagle were set
To guard the chicken from a hungry kite,
As place duke Humphrey for the king's protector?
Q. Mar. So the poor chicken should be sure of
death.

Suf. Madam, 'tis true: And wer't not madness then,

To make the fox surveyor of the fold?
Who being accus'd a crafty murderer,
His guilt should be but idly posted over,
Because his purpose is not executed.
No; let him die, in that he is a fox,
By nature prov'd an enemy to the flock,
Before his chaps be stain'd with crimson blood;
As Humphrey, prov'd by reasons, to my liege.
And do not stand on quillets, how to slay him:
Be it by gins, by snares, by subtilty,
Sleeping or waking, 'tis no matter how,
So he be dead; for that is good deceit
Which mates him first, that first intends deceit.
Q. Mar. Thrice-noble Suffolk, 'tis resolutely
spoke.

Suf. Not resolute, except so much were done; For things are often spoke, and seldom meant: But, that my heart accordeth with my tongue, Seeing the deed is meritorious,

And to preserve my sovereign from his foe, -
Say but the word, and I will be his priest.

stop!

What counsel give you in this weighty cause?
York. That Somerset be sent as regent thither;
'Tis meet, that lucky ruler be employ'd;
Witness the fortune he hath had in France,

Som. If York, with all his far-fet policy,
Had been the regent there instead of me,
He never would have staid in France so long.
York. No, not to lose it all, as thou hast done :
I rather would have lost my life betimes,
Than bring a burden of dishonour home,
By staying there so long, till all were lost.
Show me one scar charácter'd on thy skin:
Men's flesh preserv'd so whole, do seldom win.

Q. Mar. Nay then, this spark will prove a raging

fire,

If wind and fuel be brought to feed it with: No more, good York; - sweet Somerset, be still ;Thy fortune, York, hadst thou been regent there, Might happily have prov'd far worse than his.

York. What, worse than naught? nay, then a shame take all !

Som. And in the number, thee, that wishest shame!

Car. My lord of York, try what your fortune is. The uncivil Kernes of Ireland are in arms, And temper clay with blood of Englishmen : To Ireland will you lead a band of men, Collected choicely, from each county some, And try your hap against the Irishmen ?

York. I will, my lord, so please his majesty. Suf. Why, our authority is his consent; And, what we do establish, he confirms: Then, noble York, take thou this task in hand. York. I am content: Provide me soldiers, lords, Whiles I take order for mine own affairs.

Suf. A charge, lord York, that I will see per

form'd.

But now return we to the false duke Humphrey.

Car. No more of him; for I will deal with him,
That, henceforth, he shall trouble us no more.
And so break off; the day is almost spent:
Lord Suffolk, you and I must talk of that event.
York. My lord of Suffolk, within fourteen days
At Bristol I expect my soldiers;

For there I'll ship them all for Ireland,
Suf. I'll see it truly done, my lord of York.

[Exeunt all but YORK. York. Now, York, or never, steel thy fearful thoughts,

And change misdoubt to resolution :

Suffolk,

Ere you can take due orders for a priest :

Say, you consent, and censure well the deed,
And I'll provide his executioner,

I tender so the safety of my liege.

Suf. Here is my hand, the deed is worthy doing. Q. Mar. And so say I.

York. And I and now we three have spoke it, It skills not greatly who impugns our doom.

Resign to death, it is not worth the enjoying:
Let pale-fac'd fear keep with the mean-born rian,
And find no harbour in a royal heart.
Faster than spring-time showers, comes thought on