Let not her penance exceed the king's commission. Sher. An't please your grace, here stays: my And sir John Stanley is appointed now commission To take her with him to the isle of Man. Glo. Must you, sir John, protect my lady here? grace. Glo. Entreat her not the worse, in that I pray You use her well: the world may laugh again;8 And I may live to do you kindness, if You do it her. And so, sir John, farewell. Duch. What gone, my lord; and bid me not farewell? • Glo. Witness my tears, I cannot stay to speak. [Exeunt GLOSTER and Servants. Duch. Art thou gone too? * All comfort go with thee! * For none abides with me: my joy is-death; · 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 used according to your state. * *Duch. That's bad enough, for I am but reproach: And shall I then be us'd reproachfully? * Stan. Like to a duchess, and duke Humphrey's lady, According to that state you shall be used. i.e. The world may look again favourably on me. Duch. Sheriff, farewell, and better than I fare; 'Although thou hast been conduct of my shame! Sher. It is my office; and, madam, pardon me. 'Duch. Ay, ay, farewell; thy office is discharg'd.'Come, Stanley, shall we go? 'Stan. Madam, your penance done, throw off this sheet, 'And go we to attire you for our journey. Duch. My shame will not be shifted with my * No, it will hang upon my richest robes, [Exeunt. ACT III. SCENE I. The Abbey at Bury. Enter to the Parliament, King HENRY, Queen MARGARET, Cardinal BEAUFORT, SUFFOLK, YORK, BUCKINGHAM, and Others. I ' K. Hen. I muse, my lord of Gloster is not come : "Tis not his wont to be the hindmost man, 'Whate'er occasion keeps him from us now. 'Q. Mar. Can you not see? or will you not observe 'The strangeness of his alter'd countenance? 'With what a majesty he bears himself; 'How insolent of late he is become, 'How proud, peremptory, and unlike himself? 'We know the time, since he was mild and affable; And, if we did but glance a far-off look, That all the court admir'd 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, 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. First, note, that he is near you in descent; And should you fall, he is the next will mount. • Me seemeth then, it is no policy,— Respecting what a rancorous mind he bears, ⚫ And his advantage following your decease, That he should come about your royal person, 'Or be admitted to your highness' council. By flattery hath he won the commons' hearts; " And, when he please to make commotion, ''Tis to be fear'd, they all will follow him. '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. "If it be fond,3 call it a woman's fear; 'Which fear if better reasons can supplant, 6 'I will subscribe and say-I wrong'd the duke. My lord of Suffolk,-Buckingham,-and York, Reprove my allegation, if you can; 2 i. e. Assemble by observation. 3 Foolish. '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, * Upon my life, began her devilish practices: * Or if he were not privy to those faults, *Yet, by reputing of his high descent,4 * (As next the king, he was successive heir,) * And such high vaunts of his nobility, * 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; * And in his simple show he harbours treason. The fox barks not, when he would steal the lamb. No, no, my sovereign; Gloster 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, * 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 un known, * Which time will bring to light in smooth duke Humphrey. * K. Hen. 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? 4 i, e. Valuing himself on his high descent. * Our kinsman Gloster is as innocent * From meaning treason to our royal person, * 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. * Q. Mar. Ah, what's more dangerous than this fond affiance! * Seems he a dove? his feathers are but borrow'd, * For he's disposed as the hateful raven. * Is he a lamb? his skin is surely lent him, For he's inclin'd as are the ravenous wolves. * Who cannot steal a shape, that means deceit? * Take heed, my lord; the welfare of us all * Hangs on the cutting short that fraudful man. Enter SOMERSET. *Som. All health unto my gracious sovereign! K. Hen. Welcome, lord Somerset. What news from France? Som. That all your interest in those territories Is utterly bereft you; all is lost. K. Hen. Cold news, lord Somerset: But God's will be done! York. Cold news for me; for I had hope of France, As firmly as I hope for fertile England. *Thus are my blossoms blasted in the bud, 5 Gear was a general word for things or matters. [Aside. |