And even as willing at thy feet I leave it,
As others would ambitioufly receive it.

Farewel, good King; when I am dead and gone.
May honourable peace attend thy throne. [Exit Glo'fter.
Q. Mar. Why now is Henry King, and Margret Queen.
And Humphry, Duke of Glo'fter, fcarce himself,
That bears fo fhrewd a maim; two pulls at once;
His Lady banish'd, and a limb lopt off:

This ftaff of honour raught, there let it ftand,
Where beft it fits to be, in Henry's hand..

Suf. Thus droops this lofty pine, and hangs his sprays;
Thus Eleanor's pride dies in her younger days.
York. Lords, let him go. Pleafe 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 lifts,
So please your Highnefs to behold the fight.

Q. Mar. Ay, good my Lord; for purpofely therefore Left I the court, to fee this quarrel try'd..

K. Henry. A' God's name fee the lifts and all things fit,
Here let them end it, and God guard the right..
York. I never faw a fellow worse bestead,

Or more afraid to fight, than is th' appellant!
The fervant of the armourer, my Lords.

Enter at one door the armourer and his neighbours, drinking to him fo much, that he is drunk; and he enters with a drum before him, and his staff with a fand-bag fastned to it (8); and at the other door his man, with a drum and a fand bag, and prentices drinking to him.

Neigh. Here, neighbour Horner, I drink to you in a cup of fack; and fear not, neighbour, you fhall do well enough.

(8) With a fand-bag faflen'd to it.] As, according to the old laws of duels, Knights were to fight with the lance and fword; fo those of inferior rank fought with an Ebon ftaff or batoon, to the farther end of which was fix'a a bag cram'd hard with fand. To this Custom Hudibras has alluded in thefe humorous lines:

Engag'd with money-bags, as bold
As men with fand-bags did of old.

Mr. Warburton.

2 Neigh

2 Neigh. And here, neighbour, here's acup of charneco. 3 Neigh. And here's a pot of good double beer, neighbour; drink, and fear not your man.

Arm. Let it come, i'faith, and I'll pledge you all; and a fig for Peter.

1 Pren. Here, Peter, I drink to thee, and be not afraid. 2 Pren. Be merry, Peter, and fear not thy master ; fight for the credit of the prentices.

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: if I die, I give thee my apron; and, Will, thou fhalt have my hammer; and here, Tom, take all the money that I have. O Lord, bless me I pray God; for I am never able to deal with my master, he hath learn'd fo much fence already.

Sal. Come, leave your drinking, and fall to blows. Sirrah, what's thy name?

Peter. Peter, forfooth.

Sal. Peter? what more?
Peter. Thump.

Sal. Thump? Then fee thou thump thy mafter well. Arm. Mafters, I am come hither as it were upon my man's inftigation, to prove him a knave and myself an honeft man and touching the Duke of York, I will take my death I never meant him any ill, nor the King, nor the Queen; and therefore, Peter, have at thee with a downright blow.

York. Difpatch: this knave's tongue begins to double. Sound trumpets; alarum to the combatants.

[They fight, and Peter frikes him down. Arm Hold, Peter, hold; I confefs, I confefs treason.

[Dies

York. Take away his weapon: fellow, thank God, and the good wine in thy mafter's way.

Peter. O God, have I overcome mine enemy in this O Peter, thou haft prevail'd in right. [prefence? K. Henry. Go, take hence that traitor from our fight, For by his death we do perceive his guilt. And God in justice hath revealed to us The truth and innocence of this poor fellow,

Which he had thought to murder wrongfully.
Come, fellow, follow us for reward.

TH

[Exeunt.

Enter Duke Humphry, and his men, in mourning cloaks. Glo. HUS fometimes hath the brightest day a cloud; And, after fummer, evermore fucceeds Barren winter with his wrathful nipping cold; So cares and joys abound, as feafons fleet. Sirs, what's a-clock ?

Serv. Ten, my Lord,

Glo. Ten is the hour that was appointed me,
To watch the coming of my punish'd Dutchefs:
Unneath may the endure the flinty ftreets,
To tread them with her tender-feeling feet.
Sweet Nell, ill can thy noble mind a-brook
The abject people gazing on thy face,
With envious looks ftill laughing at thy fhame;
That erft did follow thy proud chariot-wheels,
When thou didst ride in triumph thro' the streets.
But foft! I think, fhe comes; and I'll prepare
My tear-ftain'd eyes to fee her miseries.

Enter the Duchefs in a white feet, and a taper burning in
her hand, with Sir John Stanley, a Sheriff and Officers.
Serv.So pleafeyour grace, we'll take her from theSheriff.
Glo. No, ftir not for your lives, let her pafs by.
Elean. Come you, my Lord, to fee my open fhame?
Now thou doft penance too. Look, how they gaze!
See, how the giddy multitude do point,

And nod their heads, and throw their eyes on thee! Ah, Glofter, hide thee from their hateful looks;

And in thy clofet pent up, rue my fhame,

And ban our enemies both mine and thine.

Glo. Be patient, gentle Nell; forget this grief.
Elean. Ah Glofter, teach me to forget myfelf:
For whilft I think I am thy marry'd wife,
And thou a Prince, Protector of this land;
Methinks, I should not thus be led along,

Mail'd up in fhame, with papers on my back
And follow'd with a rabble, that rejoice

To fee my tears, and hear my deep-fetch'd groans.
The ruthlefs flint doth cut my tender feet;
And when I ftart, the cruel people laugh;
And bid me be advised how I tread.

Ah Humphry, can I bear this fhameful yoak?
Trow't thou, that e'er I'll look upon the world,
Or count them happy, that enjoy the fun?
No: dark fhall be my light, and night my day.
To think upon my pomp, fhall be my hell.
Sometime I'll fay, I am Duke Humphry's wife,
And he a Prince, and ruler of the land;
Yet fo he rul'd, and fuch a Prince he was,
That he stood by, whilft I, his forlorn Dutchess,
Was made a wonder and a pointing stock
To every idle, rafcal follower.

But be thou mild, and blush not at my fhame,
Nor ftir at nothing, till the ax of death
Hang over thee, as, fure, it thortly will,
For Suffolk, (he that can do all in all

With her, that hateth thee and hates us all)
And York, and impious Beauford, that falfe prieft,.
Have all lim'd bushes to betray thy wings;
And fly thou, how thou canft, they'll tangle thee:
But fear not thou, until thy foot be fnar'd,
Nor never feek prevention of thy foes.

Glo. Ah, Nell, forbear; thou aimeft all awry.
I must offend, before I be attainted:

And, had I twenty times fo many foes,

And each of them had twenty times their power,
All thefe could not procure me any fcathe,
So long as I am loyal, true, and crimeless.
Would it have me rescue thee from this reproach?
Why, yet thy fcandal were not wip'd away;
But I in danger for the breach of law.
Thy greatest help is quiet, gentle Nell;.
I pray thee, fort thy heart to patience;
Thefe few days wonder will be quickly worn..

Enter

Enter a Herald.

Her. I fummon your grace to his majefty's parliament holden at Bury, the first of this next month.

Glo. And my confent ne'er ask'd herein before? This is close dealing. Well, I will be there;

[Exit Herald.

My Nell, I take my leave: and mafter Sheriff,
Let not her penance exceed the King's commiffion.
Sher. And't pleafe your grace, here mycommiffion ftays:
And Sir John Stanley is appointed now,

To take her with him to the Isle of Man.

Glo. Muft you, Sir John, protect my Lady here? Stan. So am I giv'n in charge, may't pleafe your grace. Glo. Entreat her not the worfe, 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 fo, Sir John, farewel.

Elean. What gone, my Lord, and bid me not farewel? Glo. Witnefs my tears, I cannot ftay to speak.

[Exit Gloucefter. Elean. Art thou gone too? all comfort go with thee! For none abides with me; my joy is death;

Death, at whofe name I oft have been afraid,
Because I wish'd this world's eternity.
Stanley, I pr'ythee, 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 us'd according to your ftate..

Elean. That's bad enough, for I am but reproach: And fhall I then be us'd reproachfully?

Stan. No; like a Dutchefs, and Duke Humphry's Lady, According to that ftate you fhall be us'd.

Elean. Sheriff, farewel, and better than I fare;
Although thou haft been conduct of my shame.
Sher. It is my office; Madam, pardon me.
Elean. Ay, ay, farewel; thy office is difcharg'd.
Come, Stanley, fhall we go?

Stan. Madam, your penance done, throw off this fheet,

And go we to attire you for our journey.

Elean. My fhame will not be fhifted with my fheet:

No