Queen, and therefore, Peter, have at thee with a `down
York. Difpatch this knave's tongue begins to double. Sound trumpets, Alarum to the combatants.
[They fight, and Peter frikes bim down. Arm. Hold, Peter, hold; I confefs, I confefs treafon.
York. Take away his weapon: fellow, thank God, and the good wine in thy master's way.
Peter, O God, have I overcome mine enemy fence? O Peter, thou haft prevail'd in the right.
K. Henry, Go, and take hence that traitor from our fight, For by his death we do perceive his guilt.
And God in juftice hath reveal'd to us
The truth and innocence of this poor fellow,
Which he had thought to murder wrongfully.
Come, fellow, follow us for thy reward.
SCENE VII. The Street.
Enter Duke Humphry and bis Men, in Mourning Cloaks. Glou. Thus fometimes hath the brightest day a cloud; And after fummer evermore fucceeds
The barren winter with his nipping cold:
So cares and joys abound, as feafons fleet.
Sirs, what's a clock ?
Serv. Ten, my Lord.
Glou. Ten is the hour that was appointed me,
To watch the coming of my punish'd Dutchess :
Unneath may the endure the flinty streets,
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 through the streets.
But foft! I think fhe comes, and I'll prepare
My tear-ftrain'd eyes to fee her miferies.
Enter the Dutchess in a white Sheet, and a Taper burning in ber hand, with a Sheriff and Officers, and Sir John Stanley,
Serv. So please your Grace, we'll take her from the
Glou. 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, Glo'fter hide thee from their hateful looks,
And in thy closet pent up rue my fhame,
And ban our enemies, both mine and thine.
Glou. Be patient, gentle Nell, forget this grief. Elean. Ah, Glo'fter, teach me to forget my self: t, For whilft I think I am thy marry'd wife,
And thou a Prince, Protector of this land ;
Methinks I fhould 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 ruthless flint doth cut my tender feet,
And when I start the cruel people laugh,
And bid me be advised how I tread.
Ah, Humphry, can I bear this fhameful yoak?
Trow'st 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 ftood by, whilft I his forlorn Dutchefs
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 fhortly will.
For Suffolk, (he that can do all in all
With her that hateth thee and hates us all)
And York, and impious Beaufort that false priest,
Have all lim'd bushes to betray thy wings;
And fly thou how thou can't they'll tangle thee :
But fear thou not until thy foot be fnar'd,
Nor ever seek prevention of thy foes.
Glou. 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 these could not procure me any scathe,
So long as I am loyal, true, and crimeless.
Wouldft 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,
This few-days-wonder will be quickly worn.
Enter a Herald.
Her. I fummon your Grace to his Majefty's Parliament holden at Bury, the firft of this next month.
Glou. And my confent ne'er afk'd herein before? This is clofe 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. An't please your Grace, here my commiffion stays: And Sir John Stanley is appointed now,
To take her with him to the Isle of Man.
Glou. Muft you, Sir John, protect my Lady here? Stan. So am I giv'n in charge, may't please your Grace. Glou. Entreat her not the worse, 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?
Glou. Witness 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 cft 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 state.
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 shall be us'd.
Ekan. Sheriff, fare well, and better than I fare,
Although thou hast been conduct of my shame.
Sber. It is my office, Madam, pardon me.
Elean. Ay, ay, farewel; thy office is discharg'd.
Come, Stanley, fhall we go?
Stan. Madam, your penance done, throw off this sheet,
And go we to attire you for our journey.
Elean. My fhame will not be shifted with my sheet:
No, it will hang upon my richest robes,
And fhew itself, attire me how I can.
Go, lead the way, I long to fee my prison.
Enter King Henry, Queen Margaret, Cardinal, Suffolk, York, Buckingham, Salisbury and Warwick, to the Parliament. Mufe my Lord of Glo'fter is not come :
'Tis not his wont to be the hindmost man, Whate'er occafion keeps him from us now.
Q. Mar. Can you not fee? or will you not observe
The ftrangeness of his alter'd countenance?
With what a majesty he bears himself,
How infolent of late he is become,
How peremptory and unlike himself!
We know the time fince he was mild and affable,
And if we did but glance a far-off look,
Immediately he was upon his knee,
That all the Court admir'd him for fubmiffion.
But meet him now, and be it in the morn
When ev'ry one will give the time of day,
He knits his brow and fhews an angry eye,
And paffeth by with ftiff unbowed knee,
Difdaining duty that to us belongs.
Small curs are not regarded when they grin,
VOL. VI.
But great men tremble when the Lion roars,
And Humphry 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 feemeth then, it is no policy,
(Refpecting what a ranc'rous mind he bears,
And his advantage following your decease)
That he should come about your Royal perfon,
Or be admitted to your Highnefs? council.
By flatt'ry hath he won the Commons hearts :
And when he'll please to make commotion,
'Tis to be fear'd they all will follow him.
Now 'tis the fpring, and weeds are shallow-rooted,
Suffer them now, and they'll o'er-grow the garden,
And choak the herbs for want of husbandry.
The reverent care I bear unto my Lord
Makes me collect thefe dangers in the Duke.
If it be fond, call it a woman's fear:
Which fear if better reafons can fupplant,
I will fubfcribe, and fay I wrong'd the Duke,
My Lords of Suffolk, Buckingham, and York,
Reprove my allegation if you can,
Or elfe 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 fhould have told your Grace's tale.
The Dutchefs, by his fubornation,
Upon my life, began her devilish practices :
Or if he were not privy to thofe faults,
Yet the repeating of his high defcent
As next the King he was fucceffive heir,
And fuch high vaunts of his Nobility,
Did inftigate the bedlam brain-fick Dutchess,
By wicked means to frame our Sov'reign's fall.
Smooth runs the water where the brook is deep,
And in his fimple fhew he harbours treafon.
The Fox barks not when he would fteal the Lamb.
No, no, my Sov'reign, Glo'fter is a man
Unfounded yet, and full of deep deceit.
Car. Did he net, contrary to form of law,
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