Re-enter Duke Humphry.

Glo. 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 lye 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:
I fay, my Sovereign, York is meetest man
To be your Regent in the Realm of France.
Suf. Before we make election, give me leave
To fhew fome reason of no little force,
That York is most unmeet of any man.

York. I'll tell thee, Suffolk, why I am unmeet:
Firft, for I cannot flatter thee in pride;
Next, if I be appointed for the Place,
My lord of Somerfet will keep me here
Without discharge, mony or furniture,
Till France be won into the Dauphin's hands.
Last time, I danc'd attendance on his will,
Till Paris was befieg'd, famish'd and loft.
War. That I can witnefs, and a fouler fact
Did never traitor in the land commit.

Suf. Peace, head-ftrong Warwick.

War. Image of pride, why should 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 Fork excufe himself!

York. Doth any one accufe York for a traitor? K. Henry. What mean'ft thou, Suffolk? tell me, what are these?

Suf. Please it your Majefty, this is the man,

That doth accufe his mafter of high treason: 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 thefe thy words? Arm. An't fhall please your Majefty, I never faid nor thought

thought any fuch matter: God is my witness, I am falfly accus'd by the villain.

Pet. By these ten bones, my lord, he did fpeak them to me in the garret one night, as we were scow'ring my lord of York's armour.

York. Bafe dunghil villain, and mechanical,

I'll have thy head for this thy traitor's speech:
I do befeech your royal Majesty,

Let him have all the rigor of the Law.

Arm. Alas, my lord, hang me, if ever I fpake 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 witness of this; therefore, I beseech your Majefty, do not caft away an honeft man for a villain's accufation.

K. Henry. Uncle, what fhall we fay to this in Law? Glo. This doom, my lord, if I may judge: Let Somerfet be Regent o'er the French, Because in York this breeds fufpicion. And let these have a day appointed them For fingle Combat in convenient place; For he hath witnefs of his fervant's malice. This is the law, and this Duke Humphry's doom. K. Henry. Then be it fo: My Lord of Somerset, (2) We make your Grace Regent over the French. Som. I humbly thank your royal Majesty. Arm. And I accept the Combat willingly.

Peter. Alas, my lord, I cannot fight; for God's fake, pity my cafe; the fpight 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 elfe be hang'd. K. Henry. Away with them to prifon; and the day of Combat fhall be the laft of the next month. Somerfet, we'll fee thee fent away.

Come,

[Flour. Exeunt,

(2) K, Henry. Then be it fo, &c.] Thefe two Lines 1 have inferted from the Old Quarto; and, as1think, very neceffarily. For, without them, the King has not declar'd his Affent to Gloucester's Opinion: and the Duke of Somerfet is made to thank him for the Regency, before the King has deputed him to it.

SCENE,

SCENE, the Witch's Cave.

Enter Mother Jordan, Hume, Southwel, and Bolingbrook,

Hume.

OME, my mafters; the Dutchefs, I tell you, expects performance of your promises. Boling. Mafter Hume, we are therefore provided: will her lady fhip behold and hear our exorcifms? Hume. Ay, what else? fear not her courage.

Boling. I have heard her reported to be a woman of an invincible spirit; but it fhall be convenient, Master Hume, that you be by her aloft, while we be bufy below; and fo I pray you, go in God's name, and leave us. [Exit Hume. Mother Jordan, be proftrate and grovel on the earth; John Southwel, read you, and let us to our work. Enter Eleanor, above.

Elean. Well faid, my mafters, and welcome to all: to this geer, the fooner the better.

Boling. Patience, good lady: wizards know their times. Deep night, dark night, the filent of the night, The time of night when Troy was fet on fire,

3

The time, when fcreech-owls cry, and ban-dogs howl;
When fpirits walk, and ghofts break up their graves;
That time beft fits the work we have in hand.
Madam, fit you, and fear not; whom we raise,
We will make faft within a hollow'd verge.

[Here they perform the Ceremonies, and make the circle;
Bolingbrook or Southwel reads, Conjuro te, &c. It
thunders and lightens terribly; then the Spirit rifeth.
Spirit. Adfum.

M. Jord. Afmuth, by the eternal God, whofe name And power thou trembleft at, tell what I ask;

For till thou fpeak, thou shalt not pafs from hence. Spirit. Ask what thou wilt. That I had faid, and done!

Boling. First, of the King: What fhall of him become? Spirit. The Duke yet lives, that Henry fhall depofe: But him out-live, and die a violent death.

[As the Spirit fpeaks, they write the answer.

Boling. Tell me, what fates await the Duke of
Suffolk?

Spirit. By Water shall he die, and take his end.
Boling. What fhall befal the Duke of Somerset?
Spirit. Let him fhun Castles,

Safer Thall he be on the fandy plains,

Then where Caftles mounted stand.

Have done, for more I hardly can endure.

Boling. Defcend to darkness, and the burning lake: Falfe fiend, avoid!

[Thunder and Lightning. Spirit defcends. Enter the Duke of York, and the Duke of Buckingham, with their Guard, and break in.

York. Lay hands upon thefe traitors, and their trash : Beldame, I think, we watch'd you at an inch. What, Madam, are you there? the King and Realm Are deep indebted for this piece of pains; My lord Protector will, I doubt it not,

See you well guerdon'd for thefe good deferts.

Elean. Not half fo bad as thine to England's King, Injurious Duke, that threat'ft where is no caufe.

Buck. True, Madam, none at all: What call you this? Away with them, let them be clap'd up close,

And kept apart. You, Madam, shall with us.

Stafford, take her to thee.

We'll fee your Trinkets here forth-coming all.

[Exeunt Guards with Jordan, Southwel, &c.

York. Lord Buckingham, methinks, you watch'd her A pretty Plot, well chofe to build upon.

Now, pray, my lord, let's fee the devil's Writ.

What have we here?

The Duke yet lives, that Henry fhall depofe;

But him out-live, and die a violent death.

[well;

[Reads.

Why, this is juft, Aio te, Eacida, Romanos vincere poffe.

Well, to the rest:

Tell me, what fate awaits the Duke of Suffolk?

By water fhall be die, and take his end.

What fhall betide the Duke of Somerset?

Let him fhun Caftles,

Safer

Safer fhall be be on the fandy plains,
Than where cafiles mounted ftand.
Come, come, my lords;

Thefe Oracles are hardily attain'd, (3)

And hardly understood.

The King is now in progress tow'rds St. Albans ;
With him, the husband of this lovely lady :

Thither go these news, as fast as horfe can carry them;
A forry breakfast for my lord Protector.

Buck. Your Grace fhall give me leave, my lord of
York,

To be the Poft, in hope of his reward.
York. At your pleasure, my good lord.
Who's within there, ho?

Enter a Serving-man.

Invite my lords of Salisbury and Warwick,

To fup with me to morrow night. Away! [Exeunt.

(3) These Oracles are hardly attain'd,

And hardly understood.] Not only the Lameness of the Verfifi cation, but the Imperfection of the Senfe too, made me suspect this paffage to be corrupt. The Meaning is very poor, as it ftands in all the printed Copies; but I have formerly, by the Addition of a fingle Letter, both help'd the Verse and the Sentiment. Tork, feizing the Parties and their Papers, fays, he'll fee the Devil's Writ; and finding the Wizard's Answers intricate and ambiguous, he makes this general Comment upon fuch fort of Intelligence, as I have reftor'd the Text:

Thefe Oracles are hardily attain'd,

And hardly understood.

i. e. A great Rifque and Hazard is run to obtain them, (viz. going to the Devil for them, as 'twas pretended and suppos'd:) and likewife the incurring fevere Penalties by the Statute-Law against fuch Practices; and yet, after these hardy Steps taken, the Informations are fo perplex'd that they are hardly to be understood.

**

ACT