Main chance, father, you meant; but I meant Maine; [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: The peers agreed; and Henry was well pleas'd, Unto the prince's heart of Calydon,t Anjou and Maine, both given unto the French! A day will come, when York shall claim his own; And make a show of love to proud duke Humphrey, For that's the golden mark I seek to hit : Whose church-like humours fit not for a crown. Till Henry, surfeiting in joys of love, With his new bride, and England's dear-bought queen, Then will I raise aloft the milk-white rose, With whose sweet smell the air shall be perfum'd; [Exit. SCENE II.-The same. A Room in the Duke of GLOSTER'S House. Enter GLOSTER and the DUCHESS. Duch. Why droops my lord, like over-ripen'd corn, As to vouchsafe one glance unto the ground. 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 With sweet rehearsal of my morning's dream. Glo. Methought, this staff, mine office-badge in court, Was broke in twain, by whom, I have forgot, But, as I think, it was by the cardinal; And on the pieces of the broken wand Were placed the heads of Edmund duke of Somerset, This was my dream; what it doth bode, God knows. That he that breaks a stick of Gloster'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, 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. Glo. Nay, Eleanor, then must I chide outright : *Ill-educated. And wilt thou still be hammering treachery, Duch. What, what, my lord! are you so choleric Glo. Nay, be not angry, I am pleased again. Enter a MESSENGER. Mess. My lord protector, 'tis his highness' pleasure, [Exeunt GLOSTER and MESSENGER. I would remove these tedious stumbling-blocks, To play my part in fortune's pageant. Where are you there? Sir John!+ nay, fear not, man, 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, 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 raised 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; Dame Eleanor gives gold, to bring the witch: * Where. † A title frequently bestowed on the clergy. Gold cannot come amiss, were she a devil. And from the great and new-made duke of Suffolk; They, knowing dame Eleanor's aspiring humour, SCENE III.-The same. A Room in the Palace. Enter PETER, and others, with Petitions. [Exit. 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.t 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, Suf. How now, fellow? would'st anything with me? 1 Pet. I pray, my lord, pardon me! I took ye for my tector. lord pro Q. Mar. [Reading the superscription.] To my lord protector! are your supplications to his lordship? 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. *End how it will. + Written petitions. Q. Mar. Why 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 protected Under the wings of our protector's grace, Begin your suits anew, and sue to him. Away, base cullions!-Suffolk, let them go. All. Come, let's be gone. [Tears the Petition. [Exeunt PETITIONERS. Q. Mar. My lord of Suffolk, say, is this the guise, His champions are-the prophets and apostles: His study is his tilt-yard, and his loves Would choose him pope, and carry him to Rome, 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. Qu. Mar. Beside the haught protector, have we Beaufort, The imperious churchman; Somerset, Buckingham, And grumbling York: and not the least of these, But can do more in England than the king. Suf. And he of these, that can do most of all, Q. Mar. Not all these lords do vex me half so much, |