Part 12

_Glou._ Ambitious churchman, leave to afflict my heart: Sorrow and grief have vanquish’d all my powers; And, vanquish’d as I am, I yield to thee,   [bba179] Or to the meanest groom.   ·bba180·

_King._ O God, what mischiefs work the wicked ones, Heaping confusion on their own heads thereby!   [bba182]

_Queen._ Gloucester, see here the tainture of thy nest, And look thyself be faultless, thou wert best.

_Glou._ Madam, for myself, to heaven I do appeal,   ·bba185· How I have loved my king and commonweal:   [bba186] And, for my wife, I know not how it stands; Sorry I am to hear what I have heard: Noble she is, but if she have forgot Honour and virtue and conversed with such   ·bba190· As, like to pitch, defile nobility, I banish her my bed and company And give her as a prey to law and shame, That hath dishonour’d Gloucester’s honest name.

_King._ Well, for this night we will repose us here:   ·bba195· To-morrow toward London back again, To look into this business thoroughly And call these foul offenders to their answers And poise the cause in justice’ equal scales,   [bba199] Whose beam stands sure, whose rightful cause prevails.   [bba200] [_Flourish. Exeunt._

## SCENE II. _London._ _The_ DUKE OF YORK’S _garden_.

_Enter_ YORK, SALISBURY, _and_ WARWICK.

_York._ Now, my good Lords of Salisbury and Warwick, Our simple supper ended, give me leave In this close walk to satisfy myself, In craving your opinion of my title, Which is infallible, to England’s crown.   ·bbb005·

_Sal._ My lord, I long to hear it at full.   [bbb006]

_War._ Sweet York, begin: and if thy claim be good,   [bbb007] The Nevils are thy subjects to command.

_York._ Then thus: Edward the Third, my lords, had seven sons:   ·bbb010· The first, Edward the Black Prince, Prince of Wales; The second, William of Hatfield, and the third, Lionel Duke of Clarence; next to whom Was John of Gaunt, the Duke of Lancaster; The fifth was Edmund Langley, Duke of York;   [bbb015] The sixth was Thomas of Woodstock, Duke of Gloucester;   [bbb016] William of Windsor was the seventh and last. Edward the Black Prince died before his father And left behind him Richard, his only son, Who after Edward the Third’s death reign’d as king;   [bbb020] Till Henry Bolingbroke, Duke of Lancaster, The eldest son and heir of John of Gaunt, Crown’d by the name of Henry the Fourth, Seized on the realm, deposed the rightful king, Sent his poor queen to France, from whence she came,   ·bbb025· And him to Pomfret; where, as all you know,   [bbb026] Harmless Richard was murder’d traitorously.   [bbb027]

_War._ Father, the duke hath told the truth;   [bbb028] Thus got the house of Lancaster the crown.

_York._ Which now they hold by force and not by right;   ·bbb030· For Richard, the first son’s heir, being dead, The issue of the next son should have reign’d.

_Sal._ But William of Hatfield died without an heir.

_York._ The third son, Duke of Clarence, from whose line   [bbb034] I claim the crown, had issue, Philippe, a daughter,   [bbb035] Who married Edmund Mortimer, Earl of March: Edmund had issue, Roger Earl of March; Roger had issue, Edmund, Anne and Eleanor.

_Sal._ This Edmund, in the reign of Bolingbroke, As I have read, laid claim unto the crown;   ·bbb040· And, but for Owen Glendower, had been king, Who kept him in captivity till he died. But to the rest.

_York._ His eldest sister, Anne,   [bbb043] My mother, being heir unto the crown, Married Richard Earl of Cambridge; who was son   ·bbb045· To Edmund Langley, Edward the Third’s fifth son. By her I claim the kingdom: she was heir To Roger Earl of March, who was the son Of Edmund Mortimer, who married Philippe, Sole daughter unto Lionel Duke of Clarence:   ·bbb050· So, if the issue of the elder son   [bbb051] Succeed before the younger, I am king.

_War._ What plain proceeding is more plain than this?   [bbb053] Henry doth claim the crown from John of Gaunt, The fourth son; York claims it from the third.   [bbb055] Till Lionel’s issue fails, his should not reign:   [bbb056] It fails not yet, but flourishes in thee   [bbb057] And in thy sons, fair slips of such a stock. Then, father Salisbury, kneel we together; And in this private plot be we the first   ·bbb060· That shall salute our rightful sovereign With honour of his birthright to the crown.

_Both._ Long live our sovereign Richard, England’s king!

_York._ We thank you, lords. But I am not your king   [bbb064] Till I be crown’d and that my sword be stain’d   ·bbb065· With heart-blood of the house of Lancaster; And that’s not suddenly to be perform’d, But with advice and silent secrecy. Do you as I do in these dangerous days: Wink at the Duke of Suffolk’s insolence,   ·bbb070· At Beaufort’s pride, at Somerset’s ambition, At Buckingham and all the crew of them, Till they have snared the shepherd of the flock, That virtuous prince, the good Duke Humphrey: ’Tis that they seek, and they in seeking that   ·bbb075· Shall find their deaths, if York can prophesy.

_Sal._ My lord, break we off; we know your mind at full.   [bbb077]

_War._ My heart assures me that the Earl of Warwick Shall one day make the Duke of York a king.

_York._ And, Nevil, this I do assure myself:   ·bbb080· Richard shall live to make the Earl of Warwick The greatest man in England but the king. [_Exeunt._

## SCENE III. _A hall of justice_.

_Sound trumpets. Enter the King, the_ QUEEN, GLOUCESTER, YORK, SUFFOLK, _and_ SALISBURY; _the_ DUCHESS OF GLOUCESTER, MARGERY JOURDAIN, SOUTHWELL, HUME, _and_ BOLINGBROKE, _under guard_.

_King._ Stand forth, Dame Eleanor Cobham, Gloucester’s wife:   [bbc001] In sight of God and us, your guilt is great: Receive the sentence of the law for sins   [bbc003] Such as by God’s book are adjudged to death. You four, from hence to prison back again;   ·bbc005· From thence unto the place of execution: The witch in Smithfield shall be burn’d to ashes, And you three shall be strangled on the gallows. You, madam, for you are more nobly born, Despoiled of your honour in your life,   ·bbc010· Shall, after three days’ open penance done, Live in your country here in banishment, With Sir John Stanley, in the Isle of Man.

_Duch._ Welcome is banishment; welcome were my death.   [bbc014]

_Glou._ Eleanor, the law, thou see’st, hath judged thee:   ·bbc015· I cannot justify whom the law condemns.   [bbc016] [_Exeunt Duchess and other prisoners, guarded._ Mine eyes are full of tears, my heart of grief. Ah, Humphrey, this dishonour in thine age Will bring thy head with sorrow to the ground! I beseech your majesty, give me leave to go;   [bbc020] Sorrow would solace and mine age would ease.   [bbc021]

_King._ Stay, Humphrey Duke of Gloucester: ere thou go,   [bbc022] Give up thy staff: Henry will to himself Protector be; and God shall be my hope, My stay, my guide and lanthorn to my feet:   ·bbc025· And go in peace, Humphrey, no less beloved Than when thou wert protector to thy king.

_Queen._ I see no reason why a king of years Should be to be protected like a child.   [bbc029] God and King Henry govern England’s realm.   [bbc030] Give up your staff, sir, and the king his realm.   [bbc031]

_Glou._ My staff? here, noble Henry, is my staff:   [bbc032] As willingly do I the same resign As e’er thy father Henry made it mine; And even as willingly at thy feet I leave it   [bbc035] As others would ambitiously receive it. Farewell, good king: when I am dead and gone, May honourable peace attend thy throne! [_Exit._

_Queen._ Why, now is Henry king, and Margaret queen; And Humphrey Duke of Gloucester scarce himself,   ·bbc040· That bears so shrewd a maim; two pulls at once; His lady banish’d, and a limb lopp’d off.   [bbc042] This staff of honour raught, there let it stand Where it best fits to be, in Henry’s hand.   [bbc044] _Suf._ Thus droops this lofty pine and hangs his sprays;   ·bbc045· Thus Eleanor’s pride dies in her youngest days.   [bbc046]

_York._ Lords, let him go. Please it your majesty, This is the day appointed for the combat; And ready are the appellant and defendant, The armourer and his man, to enter the lists,   [bbc050] So please your highness to behold the fight.

_Queen._ Ay, good my lord; for purposely therefore Left I the court, to see this quarrel tried.

_King._ O’ God’s name, see the lists and all things fit:   [bbc054] Here let them end it; and God defend the right!   [bbc055]

_York._ I never saw a fellow worse bested, Or more afraid to fight, than is the appellant, The servant of this armourer, my lords.   [bbc058]

_Enter at one door_, HORNER, _the Armourer, and his_ Neighbours, _drinking to him so much that he is drunk; and he enters with a drum before him and his staff with a sand-bag fastened to it; and at the other door_ PETER, _his man, with a drum and sand-bag, and_ ’Prentices _drinking to him_.

_First Neigh._ Here, neighbour Horner, I drink to you   [bbc059] in a cup of sack: and fear not, neighbour, you shall do well   ·bbc060· enough.

_Sec. Neigh._ And here, neighbour, here’s a cup of charneco.

_Third Neigh._ And here’s a pot of good double beer, neighbour: drink, and fear not your man.   ·bbc065·

_Hor._ Let it come, i’ faith, and I’ll pledge you all; and a fig for Peter!

_First ’Pren._ Here, Peter, I drink to thee: and be not afraid.

_Sec. ’Pren._ Be merry, Peter, and fear not thy master:   ·bbc070· fight for credit of the ’prentices.   [bbc071]

_Peter._ I thank you all: drink, and pray for me, I pray you; for I think I have taken my last draught in this world. Here, Robin, an if I die, I give thee my apron: and, Will,   [bbc074] thou shalt have my hammer: and here, Tom, take all the   ·bbc075· money that I have. O Lord bless me! I pray God! for I am never able to deal with my master, he hath learnt so much fence already.   [bbc078]

_Sal._ Come, leave your drinking, and fall to blows.   [bbc079] Sirrah, what’s thy name?   ·bbc080·

_Peter._ Peter, forsooth.

_Sal._ Peter! what more?

_Peter._ Thump.

_Sal._ Thump! then see thou thump thy master well.

_Hor._ Masters, I am come hither, as it were, upon my   ·bbc085· man’s instigation, to prove him a knave and myself an honest man: and touching the Duke of York, I will take my death,   [bbc087] I never meant him any ill, nor the king, nor the queen: and therefore, Peter, have at thee with a downright blow!   [bbc089]

_York._ Dispatch: this knave’s tongue begins to double.   ·bbc090· Sound, trumpets, alarum to the combatants!   [bbc091] [_Alarum. They fight, and Peter strikes him down._

_Hor._ Hold, Peter, hold! I confess, I confess treason. [_Dies._   [bbc092]

_York._ Take away his weapon. Fellow, thank God, and the good wine in thy master’s way.

_Peter._ O God, have I overcome mine enemy in this   [bbc095] presence? O Peter, thou hast prevailed in right!   [bbc096]

_King._ Go, take hence that traitor from our sight;   [bbc097] 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,   ·bbc100· Which he had thought to have murder’d wrongfully.   [bbc101] Come, fellow, follow us for thy reward. [_Sound a flourish. Exeunt._   [bbc102]

## SCENE IV. _A street_.

_Enter_ GLOUCESTER _and his Serving-men, in mourning cloaks_.

_Glou._ Thus sometimes hath the brightest day a cloud; And after summer evermore succeeds Barren winter, with his wrathful nipping cold:   [bbd003] So cares and joys abound, as seasons fleet.   [bbd004] Sirs, what’s o’clock?

_Serv._ Ten, my lord.   [bbd005]

_Glou._ 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   ·bbd010· The abject people gazing on thy face,   [bbd011] With envious looks, laughing at thy shame,   [bbd012] 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   ·bbd015· My tear-stain’d eyes to see her miseries.   [bbd016]

_Enter the_ DUCHESS OF GLOUCESTER _in a white sheet, and a taper burning in her hand; with_ SIR JOHN STANLEY, _the_ Sheriff, _and_ Officers.

_Serv._ So please your grace, we’ll take her from the sheriff.

_Glou._ 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!   ·bbd020· See how the giddy multitude do point, And nod their heads, and throw their eyes on thee! Ah, Gloucester, hide thee from their hateful looks, And, in thy closet pent up, rue my shame, And ban thine enemies, both mine and thine!   [bbd025]

_Glou._ Be patient, gentle Nell; forget this grief.

_Duch._ Ah, Gloucester, 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,   ·bbd030· 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.   [bbd033] The ruthless flint doth cut my tender feet, And when I start, the envious people laugh   ·bbd035· 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?   [bbd039] No; dark shall be my light and night my day;   ·bbd040· 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 ruled and such a prince he was As he stood by whilst I, his forlorn duchess,   [bbd045] Was made a wonder and a pointing-stock To every idle rascal follower. But be thou mild and blush not at my shame, Nor stir at nothing till the axe of death Hang over thee, as, sure, it shortly will;   ·bbd050· For Suffolk--he that can do all in all With her that hateth thee and hates us all-- And York and impious Beaufort, that false priest, Have all limed bushes to betray thy wings,   [bbd054] And, fly thou how thou canst, they’ll tangle thee:   ·bbd055· But fear not thou, until thy foot be snared, Nor never seek prevention of thy foes.

_Glou._ Ah, Nell, forbear! thou aimest all awry; I must offend before I be attainted; And had I twenty times so many foes,   ·bbd060· 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. Wouldst have me rescue thee from this reproach? Why, yet thy scandal were not wiped away,   ·bbd065· 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.   [bbd069]

_Enter a_ Herald.

_Her._ I summon your grace to his majesty’s parliament,   [bbd070] Holden at Bury the first of this next month.

_Glou._ And my consent ne’er ask’d herein before! This is close dealing. Well, I will be there.   [bbd073] [_Exit Herald._ My Nell, I take my leave: and, master sheriff, Let not her penance exceed the king’s commission.   [bbd075]

_Sher._ An’t please your grace, here my commission stays,   [bbd076] And Sir John Stanley is appointed now To take her with him to the Isle of Man.

_Glou._ Must you, Sir John, protect my lady here?   [bbd079]

_Stan._ So am I given in charge, may’t please your grace.   ·bbd080·

_Glou._ 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   [bbd083] You do it her: and so, Sir John, farewell!

_Duch._ What, gone, my lord, and bid me not farewell!   ·bbd085·

_Glou._ Witness my tears, I cannot stay to speak.   [bbd086] [_Exeunt Gloucester and Serving-men._

_Duch._ Art thou gone too? all comfort go with thee!   [bbd087] For none abides with me: my joy is death,-- Death, at whose name I oft have been afear’d,   [bbd089] Because I wish’d this world’s eternity.   ·bbd090· Stanley, I prithee, go, and take me hence; 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.   ·bbd095·

_Duch._ That’s bad enough, for I am but reproach: And shall I then be used reproachfully?

_Stan._ Like to a duchess, and Duke Humphrey’s lady;   [bbd098] According to that state you shall be used.

_Duch._ Sheriff, farewell, and better than I fare,   ·bbd100· Although thou hast been conduct of my shame.

_Sher._ It is my office; and, madam, pardon me.

_Duch._ Ay, ay, farewell; thy office is discharged. Come, Stanley, shall we go?

_Stan._ Madam, your penance done, throw off this sheet,   [bbd105] And go we to attire you for our journey.   [bbd106]

_Duch._ My shame will not be shifted with my sheet: No, it will hang upon my richest robes And show itself, attire me how I can. Go, lead the way; I long to see my prison. [_Exeunt._   ·bbd110·

## ACT III.

## SCENE I. _The Abbey at Bury St Edmund’s_.

_Sound a Sennet. Enter_ KING, QUEEN, CARDINAL BEAUFORT, SUFFOLK, YORK, BUCKINGHAM, SALISBURY _and_ WARWICK _to the Parliament_.

_King._ I muse my Lord of Gloucester is not come:   [bca001] ’Tis not his wont to be the hindmost man, Whate’er occasion keeps him from us now:

_Queen._ Can you not see? or will ye not observe   [bca004] The strangeness of his alter’d countenance?   ·bca005· With what a majesty he bears himself, How insolent of late he is become, How proud, how peremptory, and unlike himself?   [bca008] We know the time since he was mild and affable, And if we did but glance a far-off look,   [bca010] Immediately he was upon his knee, That all the court admired 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   ·bca015· 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.   ·bca020· First note that he is near you in descent, And should you fall, he as the next will mount. Me seemeth then it is no policy, Respecting what a rancorous mind he bears And his advantage following your decease,   ·bca025· That he should come about your royal person Or be admitted to your highness’ council. By flattery hath he won the commons’ hearts,   [bca028] And when he please to make commotion, ’Tis to be fear’d they all will follow him.   ·bca030· 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.   [bca035] 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,   [bca039] Reprove my allegation, if you can;   [bca040] Or else conclude my words effectual.

_Suf._ Well hath your highness seen into this duke; And, had I first been put to speak my mind, I think I should have told your grace’s tale. The duchess by his subornation,   ·bca045· Upon my life, began her devilish practices:   [bca046] Or, if he were not privy to those faults, Yet, by reputing of his high descent,   [bca048] As next the king he was successive heir, And such high vaunts of his nobility,   ·bca050· 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;   [bca053] And in his simple show he harbours treason. The fox barks not when he would steal the lamb.   ·bca055· No, no, my sovereign; Gloucester 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,   ·bca060· 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 unknown, Which time will bring to light in smooth Duke Humphrey.   ·bca065·

_King._ 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,   [bca068] Our kinsman Gloucester is as innocent From meaning treason to our royal person   ·bca070· 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.

_Queen._ Ah, what’s more dangerous than this fond affiance! Seems he a dove? his feathers are but borrow’d,   ·bca075· For he’s disposed as the hateful raven: Is he a lamb? his skin is surely lent him, For he’s inclined as is the ravenous wolf.   [bca078] Who cannot steal a shape that means deceit? Take heed, my lord; the welfare of us all   ·bca080· Hangs on the cutting short that fraudful man.

_Enter_ SOMERSET.

_Som._ All health unto my gracious sovereign!

_King._ Welcome, Lord Somerset. What news from France?

_Som._ That all your interest in those territories   [bca084] Is utterly bereft you; all is lost.   ·bca085·

_King._ Cold news, Lord Somerset: but God’s will be done!

_York._ [_Aside_] Cold news for me; for I had hope of France   [bca087] As firmly as I hope for fertile England.   [bca088] Thus are my blossoms blasted in the bud And caterpillars eat my leaves away;   ·bca090· But I will remedy this gear ere long, Or sell my title for a glorious grave.

_Enter_ GLOUCESTER.

_Glou._ All happiness unto my lord the king!   [bca093] Pardon, my liege, that I have stay’d so long.

_Suf._ Nay, Gloucester, know that thou art come too soon,   ·bca095· Unless thou wert more loyal than thou art: I do arrest thee of high treason here.

_Glou._ Well, Suffolk, thou shalt not see me blush   [bca098] Nor change my countenance for this arrest: A heart unspotted is not easily daunted.   ·bca100· 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,   [bca104] And, being protector, stayed the soldiers’ pay;   ·bca105· By means whereof his highness hath lost France.

_Glou._ Is it but thought so? what are they that think it?   [bca107] I never robb’d the soldiers of their pay, Nor ever had one penny bribe from France.   [bca109] So help me God, as I have watch’d the night,   ·bca110· 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,   [bca115] Because I would not tax the needy commons, Have I dispursed to the garrisons,   [bca117] And never ask’d for restitution.

_Car._ It serves you well, my lord, to say so much.

_Glou._ I say no more than truth, so help me God!   ·bca120·