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

Woman:

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,
to't in time;

look

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. [Exit BUCKINGHAM,

Re-enter GLOSTER.

Glo. Now, Lords, my choler being overblown

* With walking once about the quadrangle, * I come to talk of commonwealth affairs.

*

As for your spiteful false objections, *Prove 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 Did 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 HOR~ NER 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 accus'd 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.

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. O, 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 perforinance of your pro

* miscs.

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 naine, and leave us. [Exit Hume.] Mother Jourdain, be you 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 scritch-owls cry, and bandogs 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 Southwell, reads, Conjuro te, &c. It thunders and lightens terribly; then the spirit

riseth.

* Spir. Adsum.

*M. Jourd. Asmath,

* By the eternal God, whose name and power *Thou tremblest at, answer that I shall ask ; For, till thou speak, thou shalt not pass from hence.

*Spir. Ask what thou wilt:

That I had

said and done!

Boling. First, of the King. What shall of

him become?

[Reading out of a paper.

Spir. The Duke yet lives, that Henry shall

depose;

But him outlive, and die a violent death.

[As the Spirit speaks, Southwell writes the

answer.

Boling. What fate awaits the Duke of Suf folk?

Spir. By water shall he die, and take his end. Boling. What shall befall the Duke of So

merset?

Spir. Let him shun castles;

Safer shall he be upon the sandy plains,

Than where castles mounted stand.

Have done, for more I hardly can endure. Boling. Descend to darkness, and the burn ing lake: