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SCENE V.-London. A Room in the Palace.

Enter KING HENRY, in conference with SUFFOLK; GLOSTER and
EXETER following.

K. Hen. Your wondrous rare description, noble earl,
Of beauteous Margaret hath astonish'd me:
Her virtues, graced with external gifts,

Do breed love's settled passions in my heart:
And like as rigor of tempestuous gusts
Provokes the mightiest hulk against the tide,
So am I driven, by breath of her renown,
Either to suffer shipwreck, or arrive
Where I may have fruition of her love.

Suf. Tush, my good lord,—this superficial tale
Is but a preface of her worthy praise;
The chief perfections of that lovely dame
Would make a volume of enticing lines,
Able to ravish any dull conceit:
And, which is more, she is not so divine,
So full replete with choice of all delights,
But, with as humble lowliness of mind,
She is content to be at your command,
To love and honor Henry as her lord.

K. Hen. My lord protector, give consent,
That Margaret may be England's royal queen,
Glo. So should I give consent to flatter sin.
You know, my lord, your highness is betroth'd
Unto another lady of esteem:

How shall we, then, dispense with that contract,
And not deface your honor with reproach?

Suf. As doth a ruler with unlawful oaths;

Or one that, at a triumph having vow'd
To try his strength, forsaketh yet the lists
By reason of his adversary's odds:

A poor earl's daughter is unequal odds,

And therefore may be broke without offence.

Glo. Why, what, I pray, is Margaret more than that?

Her father is no better than an earl,

Although in glorious titles he excel.

Suf. Yes, my good lord, her father is a king,

The king of Naples and Jerusalem;
And of such great authority in France,
As his alliance will confirm our peace,
And keep the Frenchmen in allegiance.

Glo. And so the earl of Armagnac may do,
Because he is near kinsman unto Charles.

Exe. Beside, his wealth doth warrant liberal dower; Where Reignier sooner will receive, than give.

Suf. A dower, my lords! disgrace not so your king, That he should be so abject, base, and poor,

To choose for wealth, and not for perfect love.
Henry is able to enrich his queen,

And not to seek a queen to make him rich:
So worthless peasants bargain for their wives,
As market-men for oxen, sheep, or horse.
Marriage is a matter of more worth,
Than to be dealt in by attorneyship;

Not whom we will, but whom his grace affects,
Must be companion of his nuptial ties:
And therefore, lords, since he affects her most,
It most of all these reasons bindeth us,
In our opinions she should be preferr❜d.
For what is wedlock forced, but a curse,
An age of discord and continual strife?
Whereas the contrary bringeth bliss,
And is a pattern of celestial peace.

Whom should we match with Henry, being a king,
But Margaret, that is daughter to a king?
Her peerless feature, joined with her birth,
Approves her fit for none but for a king:
Her valiant courage and undaunted spirit
(More than in women commonly is seen)
Will answer our hope in issue of a king.

Then yield, my lords; and here conclude with me
That Margaret shall be queen, and none but she.

K. Hen. Whether it be through force of your report, My noble lord of Suffolk, or for that

My tender youth was never yet attaint
With any passion of inflaming love,
I cannot tell; but this I am assur'd,

I feel such sharp dissension in my breast,
Such fierce alarums both of hope and fear,
As I am sick with working of my thoughts.

Take, therefore, shipping; post, my lord, to France;
Agree to any covenants, and procure
That lady Margaret do vouchsafe to come
To cross the seas to England, and be crown'd
King Henry's faithful and anointed queen:
For your expenses and sufficient charge,
Among the people gather up a tenth.
Be gone, I say; for, till you do return,
I rest perplexed with a thousand cares.-
And you, good uncle, banish all offence:
If you do censure me by what you were,

Not what you are, I know it will excuse
This sudden execution of my will.

And so, conduct me where, from company,
I may revolve and ruminate my grief.

Glo. Ay, grief, I fear me, both at first and last.

[Exit.

[Exeunt GLOSTER and EXETER. Suf. Thus Suffolk hath prevail'd; and thus he goes, As did the youthful Paris once to Greece, With hope to find the like event in love, But prosper better than the Trojan did. Margaret shall now be queen, and rule the king; But I will rule both her, the king, and realm.

[Exit.

THE HISTORY OF

KING HENRY VI.

PART IL

THE Second Part of Henry VI. appears to be an enlargement and improvement of an older play written by the author, in the earlier period of his dramatic career. That play was printed under the title of "The first part of the Contention betwixt the two famous houses of Yorke and Lancaster, with the death of the goode Duke Humphrey: And the banishment and death of the Duke of Suffolke, and the Tragicall end of the proud Cardinal of Winchester, with the notable Rebellion of Jack Cade: And the Duke of Yorke's first claim unto the Crowne." This enumeration of the leading transactions of the Play are all strictly in accordance with historical facts, and the chief personages in the action are marked with strong and distinct accuracy in the delineation. About ten years are comprised in the action of the play. It opens with the marriage of Henry and Margaret, 1445, and closes with the first battle fought at St. Albans, and won by the York faction, in 1455.

PERSONS REPRESENTED.

KING HENRY THE SIXTH.

HUMPHREY, DUKE OF GLOSTER, his Uncle.

CARDINAL BEAUFORT, Bishop of Winchester Great Uncle to the KING.

RICHARD PLANTAGENET, Duke of York.

EDWARD and RICHARD, his Sons.

DUKE OF SOMERSET,

DUKE OF SUFFolk,

DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM,

LORD CLIFFORD,

EARL OF SALISBURY,

Of the KING's Party.

Of the York Faction.

YOUNG CLIFFORD, his Son,

EARL OF WARWICK,

LORD SCALES, Governor of the Tower. LORD SAY, Sir HUMPHREY STAFFORD, and WILLIAM STAFFORD, his Brother. Sir JOHN STANLEY.

WALTER WHITMORE.

A Sea-captain, Master, and Master's Mate.
Two Gentlemen, prisoners with SUFFOLK. VAux.
HUME and SOUTHWELL, Priests.

BOLINGBROKE, a Conjurer. A Spirit raised by him.
THOMAS HORNER, an Armorer. PETER, his Man.
Clerk of Chatham. Mayor of St. Albans.

SIMPCOX, an Impostor. Two Murderers.

JACK CADE, a Rebel.

GEORGE, JOHN, DICK, SMITH, the Weaver, MICHAEL, &c., CADE's Followers. ALEXANDER IDEN, a Kentish Gentleman.

MARGARET, Queen to KING HENRY.

ELEANOR, DUCHESS OF GLOSTER.

MARGERY JOURDAIN, a Witch. Wife to SIMPCOX.

Lords, Ladies, and Attendants; Herald; Petitioners, Aldermen, a Beadle, Sheriff, and Officers; Citizens, Prentices, Falconers, Guards, Soldiers, Messengers, &c.

SCENE,-In various Parts of ENGLAND.

ACT I.

SCENE I.-London. A Room of State in the Palace.

Flourish of Trumpets: then Hautboys. Enter, on one side, KING HENRY, DUKE OF GLOSTER, 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 from France, As procurator to your excellence,

To marry princess Margaret for your grace;

So, in the famous ancient city, Tours,

In presence of the kings of France and Sicil,

The dukes of Orleans, Calaber, Bretaigne, and Alençon,

Seven earls, twelve barons, and twenty reverend bishops,

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

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 substance
Of that great shadow I did represent;

The happiest gift that ever marquess gave,

The fairest queen that ever king receiv'd.

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,

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