Sal. Peace, son ;— and show some reason, Buck

ingham, Why Somerset should be preferr'd in this.

Q. Mar. Because the king, forsooth, will have it so. Glo. Madam, the king is old enough himself To give his censure: these are no women's matters.

Q. Mar. If he be old enough, what needs your grace To be protector of his excellence?

Glo. Madam, I am protector of the realm ;
And, at his pleasure, will resign my place.

Suf. Resign it then, and leave thine insolence.
Since thou wert king, (as who is king, but thou ?)
The commonwealth hath daily run to wreck:
The Dauphin hath prevaiļd beyond the seas;
And all the peers and nobles of the realm
Have been as bondmen to thy sovereignty.

Car. The commons hast thou rack’d: the clergy's bags Are lank and lean with thy extortions.

Som. Thy sumptuous buildings, and thy wife's attire, Have cost a mass of public treasury.

Buck. Thy cruelty in execution, Upon offenders, hath exceeded law, And left thee to the mercy of the law.

Q. Mar. Thy sale of offices, and towns in France, If they were known, as the suspect is great,Would make thee quickly hop without thy head.

[Exit Gloster. The Queen drops her Fan. Give me my fan: What, minion! can you not?

[Gives the Duchess a box on the Ear. I cry you mercy, madam; Was it you?

Duch. Was't I? yea, I it was, proud Frenchwoman;

Could I come near your beauty with my nails,
I'd set my ten commandments in your face.

K. Hen. Sweet aunt, be quiet; 'twas against her will.

Duch. Against her will! Good king, look to't in time; She'll hamper thee, and dandle thee like a baby: Though in this place most master wear no breeches, She shall not strike dame Eleanor unreveng’d.

[Exit Duchess. Buck. Lord cardinal, I will follow Eleanor, And listen after Humphrey, how he proceeds : She's tickled now; her fume can need no spurs, She'll gallop fast enough to her destruction.

[Erit BUCKINGHAM.

Re-enter Gloster.
Glo. Now, lords, my choler being over-blown,
With walking once about the quadrangle,
I come to talk of commonwealth affairs.
As for your spiteful false objections,
Proye them, and I lie open to the law :
But God in mercy so deal with my soul,
As I in duty love my king and country!
But, to the matter that we have in hand :
I say, my sovereign, York is meetest man
To be your regent in the realm of France.

Suf. Before we make election, give me leave
To show some reason, of no little force,
That York is most unmeet of any man.

York. I'll tell thee, Suffolk, why I am unmeet.
First, for I cannot flatter thee in pride :
Next, if I be appointed for the place,
My lord of Somerset will keep me here,

Without discharge, money, or furniture,
Till France be won into the Dauphin's hands.
Last time, I danc'd attendance on his will,
Till Paris was besieg’d, famish’d, and lost.

War. That I can witness; and a fouler fact
Díd never traitor in the land commit.

Suf. Peace, head-strong Warwick !
War. Image of pride, why should I hold my peace

Enter Servants of Suffolk, bringing in Horner and

Peter.
Suf. Because here is a man accus'd of treason:
Pray God, the duke of York excuse himself!

York. Doth any one accuse York for a traitor ?

K. Hen. What mean'st thou, Suffolk ? tell me: What are these?

Suf. Please it your majesty, this is the man That doth accuse his master of high treason : His words were these;—that Richard, duke of York, Was rightful heir unto the English crown; And that your majesty was an usurper.

K. Hen. Say, man, were these thy words?

Hor. An't shall please your majesty, I never said nor thought any such matter: God is my witness, I am falsely accused by the villain.

Pet. By these ten bones, my lords, [Holding up his Hands.] he did speak them to me in the garret one night, as we were scouring my lord of York's armour.

York. Base dunghill villain, and mechanical,
I'll have thy head for this thy traitor's speech :-
I do beseech your royal majesty,
Let him have all the rigour of the law.

et. Be by the

Hor. Alas, my lord, 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 he would be even with me: I have good witness of this; therefore, I beseech your majesty, do not cast away an honest man for a villain's accusation.

K. Hen. Uncle, what shall we say to this in law?

Glo. This doom, my lord, if I may judge.
Let Somerset be regent o'er the French,
Because in York this breeds suspicion :
And let these have a day appointed them
For single combat in convenient place;
For he hath witness of his servant's malice:
This is the law, and this duke Humphrey's doom.

K. Hen. Then be it so. My lord of Somerset,
We make your grace lord regent o'er the French.

Som. I humbly thank your royal majesty.
Hor. And I accept the combat willingly.

Pet. Alas, my lord, I cannot fight; for God's sake, pity my case! the spite of man prevaileth against me. 0, 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 else be hang’d.

K. Hen. Away with them to prison : and the day Of combat shall be the last of the next month.· Come, Somerset, we'll see thee sent away. (Exeunt.

SCENE IV.—The same. The Duke of Gloster's Garden.

Enter MARGERY JOURDAIN, Hume, Southwell, and

BOLINGBROKE. Hume. Come, my masters; the duchess, I tell you, expects performance of your promises.

Boling. Master Hume, we are therefore provided : Will her ladyship behold and hear our exorcisms?

Hume. Ay; What else ? fear you not her courage.

Boling. I have heard her reported to be a woman of an invincible spirit: But it shall be convenient, master Hume, that you be by her aloft, while we be busy below; and so, I pray you, go in God's name, and leave us. [Exit. Hume.] Mother Jourdain, be thou prostrate, and grovel on the earth :-John Southwell, read you ; and let us to our work.

Enter Duchess above. Duch. Well said, my masters; and welcome all. To this geer; the sooner the better.

Boling. Patience, good lady; wizards know their times. Deep night, dark night, the silent of the night, The time of night when Troy was set on fire; The time when screech-owls cry, and ban-dogs howl, And spirits walk, and ghosts break up their graves, That time best fits the work we have in hand. Madam, sit you, and fear not; whom we raise, We will make fast within a hallow'd verge. [Here they perform the Ceremonies appertaining, and make the Circle ; BOLINGBROKE, or South WELL, reads,