A C T I.

S C Ε Ν Ε Ι.

The palace.

A

Flourish of trumpets: then hautboys. Enter King Henry,

Duke Humphry, Salisbury, Warwick, and Beaufort, on the one side: the Queen, Suffolk, York, Somerset,

and Buckingham, on the other. Suf.* S by your high imperial Majesty (France,

I had in charge at my depart for
As procurator for your Excellence,

To marry Princess Marg'ret for your
So in the famous ancient city Tours, [Grace;
In presence of the Kings of France and Sicil,
The Dukes of Orleans, Calaber, Bretagne, Alanson,
Seven Earls, twelve Barons, twenty reverend Bishops,
I have perform’d my task, and was espous'd:
And humbly now upon my bended knee,
In fight of England and her lordly peers,
Deliver up my title in the Queen

[presenting the Queen to the Kings To

your most gracious hand, that are the substance Of that great shadow I did represent; The happiest gift that ever Marquis gave, The fairest Queen that ever King receiv'd.

K. Henry. Suffolk, arise. Welcome, Queen Margaret; I can express no kinder sign of love, Than this kind kiss. O Lord, that lend'st me life, Lend me a heart replete with thankfulness.! For thou hast giv'n 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 The mutual conf'rence that my mind hath had, [Lord, By day, by night, waking, and in my dreams, In courtly company, or at my beads, With you mine alder-lieviest Sovereign ; Makes me the bolder to falute my King With ruder terms ;

wit affords, And over-joy of heart doth minister, * Vide Hall's Chronicle, fol. 66. year 23. init. Mr. Pope.

, Henrs.

such as my

K. Henry. Her fight did ravilh, but her grace in
Her words y-clad with wildom's majetty, [ipeech,
Make me from wond'ring fall to weeping joys,
Such is the fulness of my heart's content.
Lords, with one chcarful voice welcome my love.
All kneel. Long live Queen Marg'ret, England's

happiness!
2. Mar. We thank you all.

[Flourish.
Suf- My Lord Protector, so it please your Grace,
Here are the articles of contracted peace,
Between our Sovereign and the French King Charles,
For eighteen months concluded by consent.

Glo. [reads.] Imprimis, It is agreed betwveen the French King, Charles, and William de la Pole Marquis of Srfolk, Ambassador for Henry King of England, that the

said Henry shall.espouse the Lady Margaret, daughter unto Reignier King of Naples, Sicilia, and Jerufalem, and crotun her Queen of England, ere the thirtieth of May next enfuing.

Item, That the duchy of Anjou, and the county of Maine, fhall be released and delivered to the King her father.

[Lets fall the paper. K. Henry. Uncle, how now?

Glo. Pardon me, gracious Lord; Some sudden qualm hath struck me to the heart, And dimm'd mine eyes that I can read no further.'

K. Henry. Uncle of Winchester, I pray, read on.

Win. Item, That the duchies of Anjou and Maine Mall be released and delivered to the King her father, and she fent over of the King of England's own proper soft and charges, without having any dowry. K. Henry. They please us well. Lord Marquis,

kneel you down;
We here create thee the first Duke of Suffolk,
And gird thee with the sword. Cousin of York,
We here discharge your Grace from being Regent
I'th' parts of France, till term of eighteen months
Be full expir'd. Thanks, uncle Winchester,
Glo'ster, York, Buckingham, and Somerset,
Salisbury, and Warwick;
We thank you for all this

great

favour done, In entertainment to my princely Queen.

Come,

Come let us in, and with all speed provide
To see her coronation be perform’d.

[Exeunt King, Queen, and Suffolk.
SCE N E II. Manent the rest.
Glo. Brave Peers of England, pillars of the state,
To you Duke Humphry muft unload his grief,
Your grief, the common grief of all the land.
What? did my brother Henry spend his youth,
His valour, coin, and people, in the wars?
Did he so often lodge in open field,
In winter's cold, and summer's parching heat,
To conquer France, his true inheritance ?
And did my brother Bedford toil his wits
To keep by policy what Henry got ?
Have you yourselves, Somerset, Buckingham,
Brave York, and Salisbury, victorious Warwick,
Receiv'd deep scars in France and Normandy?
Or hath mine uncle Beaufort, and myself,
With all the learned counsel of the realm,
Studied so long, fat in the council-house,
Early and late, debating to and fro,
How France and Frenchmen might be kept in awe!
And was his Highness in his infancy
Crowned in Paris, in defpight of foes?
And shall these labours and these honours die !
Shall Henry's conquest, Bedford's vigilance,
Your deeds of war, and all our countel, die ?
O Peers of England, shameful is this league,
Fatal this marriage ; cancelling your fame,
Blotting your names from books of memory;
Razing the characters of your renown,
Defacing monuments of conquer'd France,
Undoing all, as all had never been.

Car. Nephew, what means this paffionate difcourfe? This peroration with such circumstances ? For France, 'tis ours; and we will keep it still.

Glo. Ay, uncle, we will keep it if we can: But now it is impoffible we should. Suffolk, the new-inade Duke, that rules the roast, Hath giv'n the duchy of Anjou and Maine Unto the poor King Reignier, whose large style

Agrees Agrees not with the leanness of his purse.

Sal. Now, by the death of him who dy'd for all, These counties were the keys of Normandy. But wherefore weeps Warwick, my valiant son ?

War. For grief that they are past recovery. For were there hope to conquer them again, My sword should thed hot blood, mine eyes no tears. Anjou and Maine ! myself did win them both, Those provinces these arms of mine did conquer. And are the cities that I got with wounds, Delivered up again with peaceful words ? *

York. France ihould have torn and rent my very heart, Before I would have yielded to this league. 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.

Glo. A proper jest, and never heard before, That Suffolk Thould demand a whole fifteenth, For cost and charges in transporting her. She sbould have staid in France, and starv'd in France, Before

Car. My Lord of Glo'ster, now ye grow too hot: It was the pleasure of my Lord the King.

Glo. My Lord of Winchefter, I know your mind
'Tis not my speeches that you do mislike,
But 'tis my presence that doth trouble yon.
Rancour will out, proud prelate ; in thy face,
I see thy fury: if I longer stay,
We shall begin our ancient bickerings.
Lordings, farewel ; and say, when I am gone,
I prophesy'd, 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,
Confider, Lords, he is the next of blood,
And heir-apparent to the English crowl.

peaceful words?
York. For Suffolk's Duke, may he be fuffocate,
That dims the horuur of this wa, like ille!
France should have toilts &C.

Had

Had Henry got an empire by his marriage,
And all the wealthy kingdoms of the eait,
There's reason he thould be difpleas'd at it.
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 Humphry, the good Duke of Gloster,
Clapping their hands, and crying with loud voice,
Jeļu muintain your Royal Excellence!
With, God preserve the good Duke Humphry!
I fear'me, Lords, for all this flattering gloss,
He will be found a dangerous Protector.

Buck. Why should he then protect our sovereign,
He being of age to govern of himself?
Cousin of Somerset, join you with me,
And all together with the Duke of Suffolk,
We'll quickly hoist Duke Humphry from his feat.

Gar. This weighty business will not brook delay; I'll to the Duke of Suffolk presently.

[Exit. Son. Cousin of Buckingham, though Humphry's And greatness of his place, be grief to us, (pride, Yet let us watch the haughty Cardinal. His insçlence is more intolerable Than all the princes in the land beside. If Glo'ster be displace’d, he'll be Protector.

Buck. Or Somerset, or I, will be Protector, Despight Duke Humphry, or the Cardinal.

[Exe. Buckingham and Somerset, Sal. Pride went before, ambition follows him. While these do labour for their own preferment, Behoves it us to labour for the realm. I never faw, but Humphry Duke of Glo'ster Did bear him like a noble gentleman. Oft have I seen the haughty Cardinal More like a soldier, than a man o'th' church, As stout and proud as he were lord of all, Swear like a ruffian, and demean himself Unlike the ruler. of a common-weal. 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 Humphry.