SCENE I.-London. A Room of State in the Palace. Flourish of Trumpets: then hautboys. Enter, on one side, KING HENRY, DUKE OF GLOUCESTER, SALISBURY, WARWICK, and CARDINAL BEAUFORT; on the other, QUEEN MARGARET, led in by SUFFOLK; YORK, SOMERSET, BUCKINGHAM, and Others, following.

Suf. As by your high imperial majesty
I had in charge at my depart for France,
As procurator to your excellence,

To marry Princess Margaret for your Grace; 4
So, in the famous ancient city, Tours,
In presence of the Kings of France and Sicil,
The Dukes of Orleans, Calaber, Britaine, and
Alençon,

Seven earls, twelve barons, and twenty reverend bishops,

I have perform'd my task, and was espous'd:

8

And humbly now upon my bended knee,
In sight of England and her lordly peers,
Deliver up my title in the queen
To your most gracious hands, that are the sub-
stance

Of that great shadow I did represent;
The happiest gift that ever marquess gave,
The fairest queen that ever king receiv'd.

12

16

K. Hen. Suffolk, arise. Welcome, Queen Margaret:

I can express no kinder sign of love

Than this kind kiss. O Lord! that lends me life,

Lend me a heart replete with thankfulness! 20
For thou hast given me in this beauteous face
A world of earthly blessings to my soul,
If sympathy of love unite our thoughts.

Q. Mar. Great King of England and my gracious lord,

24

The mutual conference that my mind hath had By day, by night, waking, and in my dreams,

In courtly company, or at my beads,
With you, mine alderliefest sovereign,
Makes me the bolder to salute my king
With ruder terms, such as my wit affords,
And over-joy of heart doth minister.

K. Hen. Her sight did ravish, but her grace in speech,

32

Her words y-clad with wisdom's majesty, Makes me from wondering fall to weeping joys; Such is the fulness of my heart's content. Lords, with one cheerful voice welcome my love. 36 All. Long live Queen Margaret, England's happiness!

Q. Mar. We thank you all.

[Flourish. Suf. My Lord Protector, so it please your Grace,

40

Here are the articles of contracted peace Between our sovereign and the French King Charles,

For eighteen months concluded by consent.

Glo. Imprimis, It is agreed between the French king, Charles, and William De la Pole, Marquess of Suffolk, ambassador for Henry King of England, that the said Henry shall espouse the Lady Margaret, daughter unto Reignier King of Naples, Sicilia, and Jerusalem, and crown her Queen of England ere the thirtieth of May next ensuing. Item, That the duchy of Anjou and the county of Maine shall be released and delivered to the king her father.[Lets the paper fall.

K. Hen. Uncle, how now! Glo. Pardon me, gracious lord; Some sudden qualm hath struck me at the heart And dimm'd mine eyes, that I can read no further.

56 K. Hen. Uncle of Winchester, I pray, read on. Car. Item, It is further agreed between them, that the duckies of Anjou and Maine shall be released and delivered over to the king her father; and she sent over of the King of England's own proper cost and charges, without having any dowry.

K. Hen. They please us well. Lord marquess, kneel down:

64

We here create thee the first Duke of Suffolk, And girt thee with the sword. Cousin of York, We here discharge your Grace from being regent

I' the parts of France, till term of eighteen

months

Be full expir'd. Thanks, uncle Winchester, Gloucester, York, Buckingham, Somerset, Salisbury, and Warwick;

68

In winter's cold, and summer's parching heat,
To conquer France, his true inheritance?
And did my brother Bedford toil his wits,
84
To keep by policy what Henry got?
Have you yourselves, Somerset, Buckingham,
Brave York, Salisbury, and victorious Warwick,
Receiv'd deep scars in France and Normandy?
Or hath mine uncle Beaufort and myself,
With all the learned council of the realm,
Studied so long, sat in the council-house
Early and late, debating to and fro
How France and Frenchmen might be kept in
awe?

89

92

In entertainment to my princely queen.

York. For Suffolk's duke, may he be suffocate, That dims the honour of this war-like isle! France should have torn and rent my very heart Before I would have yielded to this league. 128 I never read but England's kings have had Large sums of gold and dowries with their wives; And our King Henry gives away his own, To match with her that brings no vantages. 132 Glo. A proper jest, and never heard before, That Suffolk should demand a whole fifteenth For costs and charges in transporting her! She should have stay'd in France, and starv'd in France,

Before

136

144

149

'Tis not my speeches that you do mislike,
But 'tis my presence that doth trouble ye.
Rancour will out: proud prelate, in thy face
I see thy fury. If I longer stay
We shall begin our ancient bickerings.
Lordings, farewell; and say, when I am gone,
I prophesied France will be lost ere long. [Exit.
Car. So, there goes our protector in a rage.
'Tis known to you he is mine enemy,
Nay, more, an enemy unto you all,
And no great friend, I fear me, to the king.
Consider lords, he is the next of blood,
And heir apparent to the English crown:
Had Henry got an empire by his marriage,
And all the wealthy kingdoms of the west,
There's reason he should be displeas'd at it. 156
Look to it, lords; let not his smoothing words
Bewitch your hearts; be wise and circumspect.
What though the common people favour him,
Calling him, 'Humphrey, the good Duke of
Gloucester;'

152

160

188

I never saw but Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester,
Did bear him like a noble gentleman. 185
Oft have I seen the haughty cardinal
More like a soldier than a man o' the church,
As stout and proud as he were lord of all,
Swear like a ruffian and demean himself
Unlike the ruler of a commonweal.
Warwick, my son, the comfort of my age,
Thy deeds, thy plainness, and thy house-keeping,
Have won the greatest favour of the commons,
Excepting none but good Duke Humphrey:
And, brother York, thy acts in Ireland,
In bringing them to civil discipline,
Thy late exploits done in the heart of France,
When thou wert regent for our sovereign,
Have made thee fear'd and honour'd of the
people.

196

While they do tend the profit of the land. War. So God help Warwick, as he loves the land,

And common profit of his country!

York. [Aside.] And so says York, for he hath greatest cause.

208

Sal. Then let's make haste away, and look unto the main.

War. Unto the main! O father, Maine is lost!

That Maine which by main force Warwick did win,

And would have kept so long as breath did last: Main chance, father, you meant; but I meant Maine,

173

213

Which I will win from France, or else be slain.
[Exeunt WARWICK and SALISBURY.
York. Anjou and Maine are given to the
French;

Paris is lost; the state of Normandy
Stands on a tickle point now they are gone.
Suffolk concluded on the articles,

216

244

And, when I spy advantage, claim the crown,
For that's the golden mark I seek to hit.
Nor shall proud Lancaster usurp my right.
Nor hold the sceptre in his childish fist,
Nor wear the diadem upon his head,
Whose church-like humours fit not for a crown.
Then, York, be still awhile, till time do serve:
Watch thou and wake when others be asleep,
To pry into the secrets of the state;
Till Henry, surfeiting in joys of love,
With his new bride and England's dear-bought
queen,

252

And having both together heav'd it up,
We'll both together lift our heads to heaven,
And never more abase our sight so low
As to vouchsafe one glance unto the ground. 16
Glo. O Nell, sweet Nell, if thou dost love thy
lord,

Banish the canker of ambitious thoughts:
And may that thought, when I imagine ill
Against my king and nephew, virtuous Henry,
Be my last breathing in this mortal world!
My troublous dream this night doth make me sad.
Duch. What dream'd my lord? tell me, and

I'll requite it

21

With sweet rehearsal of my morning's dream. 24 Glo. Methought this staff, mine office-badge

in court,

That he that breaks a stick of Gloucester's grove
Shall lose his head for his presumption.
But list to me, my Humphrey, my sweet duke:
Methought I sat in seat of majesty

36

In the cathedral church of Westminster, And in that chair where kings and queens are crown'd;

Where Henry and Dame Margaret kneel'd to

me,

And on my head did set the diadem.

40

Glo. Nay, Eleanor, then must I chide outright:

Presumptuous dame! ill-nurtur'd Eleanor!
Art thou not second woman in the realm,
And the protector's wife, belov'd of him?
Hast thou not worldly pleasure at command,
Above the reach or compass of thy thought?
And wilt thou still be hammering treachery,

44

Glo. Nay, be not angry; I am pleas'd again. Enter a Messenger.

Mess. My Lord Protector, 'tis his highness' pleasure

56

You do prepare to ride unto Saint Alban's, Whereas the king and queen do mean to hawk.

Glo. I go. Come, Nell, thou wilt ride with us?

Duch. Yes, my good lord, I'll follow presently. 60 [Exeunt GLOUCESTER and Messenger. Follow I must; I cannot go before, While Gloucester 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! nay, fear not,

Have hired me to undermine the duchess
And buzz these conjurations in her brain.
They say, 'A crafty knave does need no broker;'
Yet am I Suffolk and the cardinal's broker. 101
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 104
Hume's knavery will be the duchess' wrack,
And her attainture will be Humphrey's fall.
Sort how it will I shall have gold for all. [Exit.