'Duch. What, what, my lord! are you so cho

lerick

'With Eleanor, for telling but her dream?
'Next time, I'll keep my dreams unto myself,
And not be check'd.

Glo. Nay, be not angry, I am pleas'd again.

Enter a Messenger.

Mess. My lord protector, 'tis his highness' plea

sure,

'You do prepare to ride unto Saint Albans, 'Whereas the king and queen do mean to hawk. Glo. I go.-Come, Nell, thou wilt ride with us? Duch. Yes, good my lord, I'll follow presently. [Exeunt GLOSTER and Messenger.

'Follow I must, I cannot go before,

* While Gloster bears this base and humble mind. * Were I a man, a duke, and next of blood, * I would remove these tedious stumbling-blocks, * And smooth my way upon their headless necks: * And, being a woman, I will not be slack

* To play my part in fortune's pageant.

Where are you there? Sir John !9 nay, fear not,

man,

'We are alone; here's none but thee, and I.

Enter HUME.

Hume. Jesu preserve your royal majesty!

'Duch. What say'st thou, majesty! I am but grace. Hume. But, by the grace of God, and Hume's advice,

For where.

9 A title frequently bestowed on the clergy.

Your grace's title shall be multiplied.

Duch. What say'st thou, man? hast thou as yet conferr'd

With Margery Jourdain, the cunning witch;

And Roger Bolingbroke, the conjurer?

And will they undertake to do me good?

Hume. This they have promised,-to show your highness

A spirit rais'd from depth of under ground, 'That shall make answer to such questions,

As by your grace shall be propounded him.

Duch. It is enough; I'll think upon the questions:

• When from Saint Albans we do make return, 'We'll see these things effected to the full. 'Here, Hume, take this reward; make merry, man, "With thy confederates in this weighty cause.

[Exit Duchess. * Hume. Hume must make merry with the duchess' gold;

. Marry, and shall.

But how now, Sir John Hume? 'Seal up your lips, and give no words but-mum!

‹ The business asketh silent secrecy.

* Dame Eleanor gives gold, to bring the witch:
* Gold cannot come amiss, were she a devil.
'Yet have I gold, flies from another coast:
I dare not say, 'from the rich cardinal,

And from the great and new-made duke of Suffolk;

< Yet I do find it so: for, to be plain,

They, knowing dame Eleanor's aspiring humour, 'Have hired me to undermine the duchess,

And buz these conjurations in her brain.

* They say, A crafty knave does need no broker;

* Yet am I Suffolk and the cardinal's broker.

* Hume, if you take not heed, you shall go near * To call them both-a pair of crafty knaves. *Well, so it stands: And thus, I fear, at last, * Hume's knavery, will be the duchess' wreck; * And her attainture will be Humphrey's fall: *Sort how it will,' I shall have gold for all. [Exit.

Enter PETER, and Others, with Petitions.

1 Pet. My masters, let's stand close; my lord 'protector will come this way by and by, and then 'we may deliver our supplications in the quill.2

2 Pet. Marry, the Lord protect him, for he's a ' good man! Jesu bless him!

Enter SUFFOLK, and Queen MARGARET.

* 1 Pet. Here 'a comes, methinks, and the queen with him: I'll be the first, sure.

'2 Pet. Come back, fool; this is the duke of Suffolk, and not my lord protector.

me?

Suf. How now, fellow? would'st any thing with

1 Pet. I pray, my lord, pardon me! I took ye 'for my lord protector.

'Q. Mar. [Reading the superscription.] To my

Let the issue be what it will.

2 With great exactness and observance of form.

lord protector! are your supplications to his lord'ship? Let me see them: What is thine?

1 Pet. Mine is, an't please your grace, against 'John Goodman, my lord cardinal's man, for keeping my house, and lands, and wife and all, from

me.

Suf. Thy wife too? that is some wrong, indeed.— What's your's?-What's here! [Reads.] Against the duke of Suffolk, for enclosing the commons of Melford. -How now, sir knave?

2 Pet. Alas, sir, I am but a poor petitioner of our whole township.

Peter. [Presenting his petition.] Against my master, Thomas Horner, for saying, That the duke of York was rightful heir to the crown.

'Q. Mar. What say'st thou? Did the duke of York say,, he was rightful heir to the crown? /

Peter. That my master was? No, forsooth: my 'master said, That he was; and that the king was an usurper.

Suf. Who is there? [Enter Servants.]-Take this fellow in, and send for his master with a pursuivant presently:-we'll hear more of your matter before the king. [Exeunt Servants, with PETER. Q. Mar. And as for you, that love to be pro

tected

'Under the wings of our protector's grace,

Begin your suits anew, and sue to him.

[Tears the Petition.

Away, base cullions !'-Suffolk, let them go.

* All. Come, let's be gone. [Exeunt Petitioners.

1

■ Scoundrels.

* Q. Mar. My lord of Suffolk, say, is this the

guise,

Is this the fashion in the court of England?
* Is this the government of Britain's isle,
* And this the royalty of Albion's king?
* What, shall king Henry be a pupil still,
* Under the surly Gloster's governance ?
* Am I a queen in title and in style,

* And must be made a subject to a duke?
'I tell thee, Poole, when in the city Tours
'Thou ran'st a tilt in honour of my love,
' And stol'st away the ladies' hearts of France;
'I thought king Henry had resembled thee,
'In courage, courtship, and proportion :
'But all his mind is bent to holiness,

* To number Ave-Maries on his beads:

* His champions are-the prophets and apostles;
* His weapons, holy saws of sacred writ;
* His study is his tilt-yard, and his loves

* Are brazen images of canoniz'd saints.
I would, the college of cardinals

* Would choose him pope, and carry him to Rome, * And set the triple crown upon his head;

* That were a state fit for his holiness.

Suf. Madam, be patient: as I was cause 'Your highness came to England, so will I

'In England work your grace's full content.

Q. Mar. Beside the haught protector, have we
Beaufort,

* The imperious churchman; Somerset, Bucking

ham,

2 Sayings.