Was broke in twain; by whom I cannot guess;
But, as I think, by the Cardinal. What it bodes
God knows; and on the ends were placed
The heads of Edmund duke of Somerset,
And William de la Pole first duke of Suffolk.

Eleanor. Tush my lord! this signifies nought but this,

That he that breaks a stick of Gloster's grove
Shall for the offence make forfeit of his head.

But now, my lord, I'll tell you what I dreamt:
Methought I was in the cathedral church
At Westminster, and seated in the chair

Where kings and queens are crown'd, and at my feet

Henry and Margaret with a crown of gold
Stood ready to set it on my princely head.

Hum. Fie, Nell. Ambitious woman as thou art,
Art thou not second woman in this land,
And the protector's wife? belov'd of him?
And wilt thou still be hammering treason thus?
Away, I say, and let me hear no more.

Eleanor. How now, my lord! what angry with your Nell

For telling but her dream? The next I have
I'll keep it to myself, and not be rated thus.

Hum. Nay, Nell, I'll give no credit to a dream, But I would have thee to think on no such things.

Hume's advice,

Your grace's state shall be advanc'd ere long.

Eleanor. What, hast thou conferred with Margery Jourdain the cunning witch of Eye, with Roger Bolingbroke, and the rest? aud will they undertake to do me good?

Sir John. I have, madam; and they have promised me to raise a spirit from depth of under ground, that shall tell your graco all questions you demand.

Eleanor. Thanks, good sir John.

Some two days hence I guess will fit our time,
Then see that they be here:

For now the king is riding to Saint Alban's,
And all the dukes and carls along with him.
When they be gone, then safely may they come,
And on the back side of my orchard here,
There cast their spells in silence of the night,
And so resolve us of the thing we wish;
Till when, drink that for my sake, and so farewell.
[Exit ELEANOR.

Sir John. Now, sir John Hume, no words but

mum.

Scal up your lips, for you must silent be: K 2

These gifts ere long will make me mighty rich.
The duchess she thinks now that all is well,
But I have gold comes from another place,
From one that hired me to set her on,

To plot these treasons 'gainst the king and peers;
And that is the mighty duke of Suffolk.
For he it is, but I must not say so,

That by my means must work the duchess' fall,
Who now by conjurations thinks to rise.
But wist, sir John, no more of that I trow,
For fear you lose your head before you go.

(SCENE III.)

Enter two Petitioners, and PETER the Armourer's

man.

1 Pet. Come, sirs, let's linger hereabout a while, Until my lord protector come this way, That we may show his grace our several causes. 2 Pet. I pray God save the good duke Humphrey's life,

For but for him a many were undone,
They cannot get no succour in the court.
But see where he comes with the queen.

2 Pet. If it please your majesty, with my lord protector's grace,

Queen. Are your suits to his grace? Let us sco them first.

Look on them, my lord of Suffolk.

Suff. A complaint against the Cardinal's man. What hath he done?

2 Pet. Marry, my lord, he hath stole away my wife, and they are gone together, and I know not where to find them.

Suff. Hath he stole thy wife? that's some injury indeed. But what say you?

Peter. Marry, sir, I come to tell you, that my master said that the duke of York was true heir to the crown, and that the king was an usurer. Queen. An usurper thou would'st say. Peter. Ay, forsooth, an usurper.

Queen. Didst thou say the king was an usurper? Peter. No, forsooth, I said my master said so, th' other day when we were scouring the duke of York's armour in our garret.

Suff. Ay, marry, this is something like, Who's within there?

Villains, get you gone, and come not near the

court.

Dare these peasants write against me thus?

[Exeunt Petitioners.
Queen. My lord of Suffolk, you may see by this
The commons' loves unto that haughty duke,
That seek to him more than to king Henry:
Whose eyes are always poring on his book,
And ne'er regards the honour of his name,
But still must be protected like a child,
And governed by that ambitious duke,
That scarce will move his cap to speak to us;
And his proud wife, high-minded Eleanor,
That ruffles it with such a troop of ladies,
As strangers in the court take her for queen:
She bears a duke's whole revenues on her back.
The other day she vaunted to her maids,
That the very train of her worst gown
Was worth more wealth than all my father's lands.
Can any grief of mind be like to this?

I tell thee Pole, when thou didst run at tilt,
And stol'st away our ladies' hearts in France,
I thought king Henry had been like to thee,
Or else thou hadst not brought me out of France.
Suff. Madam, content yourself a little while:
As I was cause of your coming into England,
So will I in England work your full content:
And as for proud duke Humphrey and his wife,
I have set lime-twigs that will entangle them,
As that your grace ere long shall understand.
But stay, madam, here comes the king.

Enter KING HENRY, and the Duke of YORK and the Duke of SOMERSET on both sides of the KING, whispering with him: Then entereth Duke HUMPHREY, Dame ELEANOR, the Duke of BUCKINGHAM, the Earl of SALISBURY, the Earl of WARWICK, and the Cardinal of WINCHESTER.

King. My lords, I care not who be regent in Franco,

Or York or Somerset, all's one to me.

York. My lord, if York have ill demean'd himself,

Let Somerset enjoy his place, and go to France.
Som. Then whom your grace thinks worthy, let

him go,

And there be made the regent over the French.
War. Whomsoever you account worthy,
York is the worthiest.

Card. Peace, Warwick, give thy betters leave to speak.

War. The Cardinal's not my better in the field. Buck. All in this place are thy betters far.

War. And Warwick may live to be best of all. Queen. My lord in mine opinion, it were best That Somerset were regent over France.

Hum. Madam, our king is old enough himself, To give his answer without your consent.

Queen. If he be old enough, what needs your grace

To be protector over him so long?

Hum. Madam, I am but protector o'er the land, And when it please his grace, I will resign my

charge.

Suf Resign it then, for since thou wast a king
(As who is king but thee?) the common state
Doth as we see, all wholly go to wrack,
And millions of treasure hath been spent.
And as for the regentship of France,

I say Somerset is more worthy than York.

York. I'll tell thee, Suffolk, why I am not worthy, Because I cannot flatter as thou canst.

War. And yet the worthy deeds that York hath dono

Should make him worthy to be honour'd here.

Arm. An't shall please your worship, I never said any such matter, God is my witness; I am falsely accused by this villain here.

Peter. 'Tis no matter for that, you did say so. York. I beseech your grace let him have the law.

Arm. Alas, master, hang me if ever I spake the words. My accuser is my prentice, and when I did correct him for his fault the other day, he did vow upon his knees that he would be even with me: have good witness of this, and therefore I beseech your worship do not cast away an honest man for a villain's accusation.

King. Uncle Gloster, what do you think of this? Hum. The law, my lord, is this (because it rests suspicious,)

That a day of combat be appointed,
And there to try each other's right or wrong,
With ebon staves and sandbags combating
In Smithfield, before your royal majesty.

[Exit HUMPHREY.

Arm. And I accept the combat willingly.
Peter. Alas, my lord, I am not able for to fight.
Suf. You must either fight, sirrah, or else be

hang'd:

Go take them hence again to prison.

[Exeunt with them. [The QUEEN lets fall her glove, and hits the Duchess of GLOSTER a box on the car.

Queen. Give me my glove. Why, minion, can you

not see?

[She strikes her.

I cry you mercy, madam, I did mistake;

I did not think it had been you.

Eleanor. Did you not, proud Frenchwoman?

Could I come near your dainty visage with my

Let Somerset be regent o'er the French,
Till trial's made, and York may clear himself.
King. Then be it so: my lord of Somerset,
We make your grace regent over the French,
And to defend our right 'gainst foreign foes,
And so do good unto the realm of France.
Make haste, my lord, 't is time that you were gone,
The time of truce is I think full expir'd.

Som. I humbly thank your royal majesty, And take my leave to post with speed to France. [Exit SOMERSET.

King. Come, uncle Gloster, now let's have our

horse,

For we will to St. Alban's presently.

Madam, your hawk, they say, is swift of flight, And we will try how she will fly to-day.

(SCENE IV.)

[Exeunt omnes.

Enter ELEANOR, with Sir JOHN HUME, ROGER BOLINGBROKE a Conjurer, and MARGERY JOURDAIN a Witch.

Eleanor. Here, sir John, take this scroll of paper here,

Wherein is writ the questions you shall ask,
And I will stand upon this tower here,
And hear the spirit what it says to you,
And to my questions write the answers down.
[She goes up to the tower.
Sir John. Now, sirs, begin, and cast your spells
about,

And charm the fiends for to obey your wills,
And tell dame Eleanor of the thing she asks.

Witch. Then, Roger Bolingbroke, about thy task,
And frame a circle here upon the earth,
Whilst I thereon all prostrate on my face
Do talk and whisper with the devils below,
And conjure them for to obey my will.

[She lies down upon her face. BOLINGBROKE makes a circle.

Boling. Dark night, dread night, the silence of

the night,

Wherein the furies mask in hellish troops,
Send up, I charge you, from Cocytus' lake

The spirit Ascalon to come to me,

To pierce the bowels of this centric earth,
And hither come in twinkling of an eye:
Ascalon, ascend, ascend.

It thunders and lightens, and then the Spirit

riseth up.

depose,

But him outlive, and die a violent death.

Boling. What fate awaits the duke of Suffolk?
Spirit. By water shall he die, and take his end.
Boling. What shall betide the duke of Somerset ?
Spirit. Let him shun castles:

Safer shall he be upon the sandy plains,
Than where castles mounted stand:
Now question me no more, for I must hence again.
[Ile sinks down again.
Boling. Then down, I say, unto the damned pool
Where Pluto in his fiery waggon sits,
Riding amidst the sing'd and parched smokes,
The road of Ditis by the river Styx:

There howl and burn for ever in those flames.
Rise, Jourdain, rise, and stay thy charming spells.
Zounds, we are betray'd!

Enter the Duke of YORK, and the Duke of BUCKING-
HAM, and others.

York. Come, sirs, lay hands on them, and bind them sure.

This time was well watch'd. What, madam, are you there?

This will be great credit for your husband,
That you are plotting treason thus with conjurers;
The king shall have notice of this thing.

[Exit ELEANOR above. Buck. See here, my lord, what the devil hath writ.

York. Give it me, my lord, I'll show it to the king:

Go, sirs, see them fast lock'd in prison.

[Exit with them. Buck. My lord, I pray you let me go post unto the king,

Unto St. Alban's, to tell this news.

York. Content. Away then, about it straight.
Buck. Farewell my lord.

York. Who's within there?

One. My lord.

[Exit BUCKINGHAM.

Enter One.

(SCENE I.)

Enter the KING and QUEEN with her hawk on her fist, and Duke HUMPHREY and SUFFOLK, and the CARDINAL, as if they came from hawking.

Queen. My lord, how did your grace like this last flight?

But as I cast her off the wind did rise,
And 't was ten to one old Joan had not gone out.
King. How wonderful the Lord's works are on
earth,

Even in these silly creatures of his hands!
Uncle Gloster, how high your hawk did soar,

And on a sudden sous'd the partridge down.
Suf. No marvel, if it please your majesty,
My lord protector's hawks do tower so well;
They know their master soars a falcon's pitch.
Hum. Faith, my lord, it's but a base inind,
That soars no higher than a bird can soar.
Card. I thought your grace would be above the
clouds.

Hum. Ay, my lord cardinal, were it not good
Your grace could fly to heaven?

Card. Thy heaven is on earth, thy words and

thoughts

Beat on a crown, proud protector, dangerous peer, To smooth it thus with king and commonwealth.

Hum. What, art lame too?

P. Man. Ay, indeed, sir, God help me.

Hum. How cam'st thou lame?

P. Man. With falling off a plum-tree.

Hum. Wert thou blind and would climb plumtrees?

P. Man. Never but once, sir, in all my life.

My wife did long for plums.

Hum. But tell me, wort thou born blind?

P. Man. Ay, truly, sir.

Woman. Ay, indeed, sir, he was born blind.
Hum. What, art thou his mother?

Woman. His wife, sir.

Hum. Hadst thou been his mother, Thou couldst have better told.

Why, let me see, I think thou canst not see yet.
P. Man. Yes, truly, master, as clear as day.
Hum. Say'st thou so? what colour's his cloak?
P. Man. Red, master, as red as blood.
Hum. And his cloak?

P. Man. Why, that's green.

Hum. And what colour's his hose?

P. Man. Yellow, master, yellow as gold.
Hum. And what colour's my gown?

P. Man. Black, sir, as black as jet.

King. Then belike he knows what colour jet is

on.

Suf. And yet I think jet did he never see.
Hum. But cloaks and gowns ere this day many a

one.

But tell me, sirrah, what's my name?

P. Man. Alas, master, I know not.
Hum. What's his name?

P. Man. I know not.
Hum. Nor his?

P. Man. No, truly, sir.
Hum. Nor his name

P. Man. No, indeed, master.
Hum. What's thine own name?

P. Man. Sander, an it please you, master. Hum. Then, Sander, sit there, the lyingest knave in Christendom. If thou hadst been born blind, thou mightst as well have known all our names as thus to name the several colours we do wear. Sight may distinguish of colours, but suddenly to nominate them all it is impossible. My lords, Saint Alban here hath done a miracle, and would you not think his cunning to be great, that could restore this cripple to his legs again?

P. Man. O, master, I would you could. Hum. My masters of Saint Alban's, have you not beadles in your town, and things called whips? Mayor. Yes, my lord, if it please your grace. Hum. Then send for one presently. Mayor. Sirrah, go fetch the beadle hither strait. [Exit One. Hum. Now fetch me a stool hither by and by. Now, sirrah, if you mean to save yourself from whipping, leap me over this stool, and run away.

King. Have done, I say, and let me hear no more of that.

Enter the Duke of BUCKINGHAM.

What news brings duke Humphrey of Buckingham?

Buck. Ill news for some, my lord, and this it is,—
That proud dame Eleanor our protector's wife,
Hath plotted treasons 'gainst the king and peers.
By witchcrafts, sorceries, and conjurings,
Who by such means did raise a spirit up,

To tell her what hap should betide the state;
But ere they had finished their devilish drift,
By York and myself they were all surpris'd;
And here's the answer the devil did make to them.
King. First, of the king, what shall become of
him?

(Reads.) The duke yet lives, that Henry shall de

pose,

Yet him outlive, and die a violent death.
God's will be done in-all.

What fate awaits the duke of Suffolk?

By water shall he die, and take his end.

Suf. By water must the duke of Suffolk die?
It must be so, or else the devil doth lie.
King. Let Somerset shun castles,

For safer shall he be upon the sandy plains,
Than where castles mounted stand.

Card. Here's good stuff, how now my lord pro tector?

This news I think hath turn'd your weapon's point;
I am in doubt you'll scarcely keep your promise.
Hum. Forbear, ambitious prelate, to urge my
grief,

And pardon me my gracious sovereign,
For here I swear unto your majesty,
That I am guiltless of these heinous crimes
Which my ambitious wife hath falsely done;
And for she would betray her sovereign lord,
I here renounce her from my bed and board,
And leave her open for the law to judge,
Unless she clear herself of this foul deed.

King. Come, my lords, this night we'll lodge in
Saint Alban's,

And to-morrow we will ride to London,
And try the utmost of these treasons forth.
Come, uncle Gloster, along with us,
My mind doth tell me thou art innocent.

(SCENE II.)

[Exeunt omnes.

Enter the Duke of YORK, and the Earls of SALISBURY and WARWICK,

York. My lords, our simple supper ended thus,
Let me reveal unto your honours here

The right and title of the house of York
To England's crown by lineal descent.

War. Then, York, begin; and if thy claim be good,

The Nevils are thy subjects to command.
York. Then thus, my lords:

Edward the third had seven sons;

The first was Edward the Black Prince, prince of Wales.

The second was William of Hatfield, who died young. The third was Lionel, duke of Clarence.

The fourth was John of Gaunt, the duke of Lancaster. The fifth was Edmund of Langley, duke of York. The sixth was William of Windsor, who died young. The seventh and last was sir Thomas of Woodstock, Duke of York.

Now Edward the Black Prince died before his father, leaving behind him two sons, Edward born at

Angoulême, who died young, and Richard, that was after crowned king by the name of Richard the second, who died without an heir. Lionel duke of Clarence died, and left him one only daughter, named Philippe, who was married to Edmund Mortimer, earl of March and Ulster and so by her I claim the crown, as the true heir to Lionel duke of Clarence, third son to Edward the third. Now, sir, in time of Richard's reign, Henry of Bolingbroke, son and heir to John of Gaunt, the duke of Lancaster, fourth son to Edward the third, he claimed the crown, deposed the mirthful king, and as both you know, in Pomfret castle harmless Richard was shamefully murdered, and so by Richard's death came the house of Lancaster unto the crown.

Sal. Saving your tale, my lord, as I have heard, in the reign of Bolingbroke the duke of York did claim the crown, and but for Owen Glendower had been king.

York. True: but so it fortuned then, by means of that monstrous rebel Glendower, the noble duke of York was put to death, and so ever since the heirs of John of Gaunt have possessed the crown. But if the issue of the elder should succeed before the issue of the younger, then am I lawful heir unto the kingdom.

War. What proceedings can be more plain? He claims it from Lionel duke of Clarence, the third son to Edward the third, and Henry from John of Gaunt the fourth son. So that till Lionel's issue fails, his should not reign.

It fails not yet, but flourisheth in thee,
And in thy sons, brave slips of such a stock.
Then, noble father, kneel we both together,
And in this private place, be we the first
To honour him with birthright to the crown.

Both. Long live Richard, England's royal king! York. I thank you both. But, lords, I am not your king, until this sword be sheathed even in the heart blood of the house of Lancaster.

War. Then, York, advise thyself, and take thy

time:

Claim thou the crown, and set thy standard up,
And in the same advance the milk-white rose,
And then to guard it, will I rouse the bear,
Environ'd with ten thousand ragged staves,
To aid and help thee for to win thy right,
Maugre the proudest lord of Henry's blood
That dares deny the right and claim of York.
For why, my mind presageth I shall live
To see the noble duke of York to be a king.

York. Thanks, noble Warwick; and York doth hope to see the earl of Warwick live to be the greatest man in England but the king. Come, let's go. [Exeunt omnes.

(SCENE III.)

Enter KING HENRY and the QUEEN, Duke HUMPHREY, the Duke of SUFFOLK, and the Duke of BUCKINGHAM, the CARDINAL, and Dame ELEANOR COBHAM led with the officers, and then enter to them the Duke of YORK, and the Earls of SALISBURY and WARWICK,

King. Stand forth, dame Eleanor Cobham, duchess of Gloster, and hear the sentence pronounced against thee for these treasons that thou hast committed against us, our state, and peers. First, for thy heinous crime, thou shalt two days in London do penance barefoot in the streets, with a white sheet about thy body, and a wax taper burning in thy hand. That done, thou shalt be banished for ever into the Isle of Man, there to end thy wretched