Elean. Art thou gone too? all comfort go with thee! For none abides with me; my joy is death: Death, at whose name I oft 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 state you shall be us’d.

Elean. Sheriff, farewel, and better than I fare;
Although thou haft been conduct of my shame.
Sher. It is my office; madam, pardon me.
Elean. Ay, ay, farewel; thy office is difcharg'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 fhifted with my sheet: No, it will hang upon my richeft robes,

And fhew itself, attire me how I can.

Go, lead the way, I long to fee my prifon. [Exeunt.

ACT

SCENE, at Bury.

Enter King Henry, Queen, Cardinal, Suffolk, York, Buckingham, Salisbury and Warwick, to the Parliament.

K. HENRY.

Mufe, my Lord of Glo'fer is not come: 'Tis not his wont to be the hindmoft 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 majefty 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;
But great men tremble, when the lion roars;
And Humphry is no little man in England.
First note, that he is near you in defcent;
And, fhould 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 fhould come about your royal perfon,
Or be admitted to your Highness' council.

By

By flatt'ry hath he won the common hearts :
And when he'll please to make commotion,
'Tis to be fear'd, they all will follow him.
Now 'tis the spring, and weeds are fhallow-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,
Made 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 highnefs feen into this Duke.
And, had I first been put to fpeak 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, by reputing 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 Dutchefs
By wicked means to frame our fov'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 steal the lamb.
No, no, my fov'reign; Glo'fter is a man
Unfounded yet, and full of deep deceit.

Car. Did he not contrary to form of law,
Devise strange deaths for fmall offences done?
York. And did he not, in his protectorship,
Levy great fums of money through the realm
For foldiers pay in France, and never fent it?
By means whereof, the towns each day revolted.

Buck. Tut, thefe are petty faults to faults unknown; Which time will bring to light in smooth Duke Humphry. K. Henry. My Lords, at once, the care you have of us, To mow down thorns that would annoy our foot,

Is

Is worthy praife; but fhall I fpeak my confcience?
Our kinfman Glo'fter is as innocent

From meaning treafon to our royal perfon,
As is the fucking lamb or harmless dove:
The duke is virtuous, mild, and too well given
To dream on evil, or to work my downfall.

Q. Mar. Ah! what's more dang'rous than this fond affiance ?

Seems he a dove? his feathers are but borrow'd ;
For he's difpofed as the hateful Raven.
Is he lamb his fkin is, furely, lent him;
For he's inclin'd as is the ravenous wolf.
Who cannot steal a shape, that mean's deceit ?
Take heed, my Lord; the welfare of us all
Hangs on the cutting fhort that fraudful man.

Enter Somerfet.

Som. All health unto my gracious Sovereign! K.Hen. Welcome, Lord Somerfet; what news from France? Som. That all your int'reft in those territories Is utterly bereft you; all is loft.

K. Henry. Cold news, Lord Somerfet; but God's will be done!

York. Cold news for me: for I had hope of France, As firmly as I hope for fertile England. Thus are my blossoms blafted in the bud, And caterpillars eat my leaves away. But I will remedy this gear ere long, Or fell my title for a glorious grave.

Enter Gloucefter..

[Afide.

Glo. All happiness unto my Lord the King! Pardon, my Liege, that I have ftaid fo long. Suf. Nay, Glofter, know, that thou art come too foon, Unless thou wert more loyal than thou art;

I do arreft thee of high treafon here.

Glo. Well, Suffolk, yet thou shalt not see me blush, Nor change my countenance for this Arrest:

A heart unspotted is not easily daunted.

The

The pureft fpring is not fo free from mud,
As I am clear from treafon to my Sovereign.
Who can accufe me? wherein am I guilty?

York. 'Tis thought, my Lord, that you took bribe of
France.

And, being protector, ftaid the foldiers' pay;

By means whereof his highness hath loft France.

Glo. Is it but thought fo? what are they, that think it? I never robb'd the foldiers of their

pay,
Nor ever had one penny bribe from France.

So help me God! as I have watch'd the night,
Ay, night by night, in ftudying good for England.
That doit that e'er I wrefted from the King,
Or any groat I hoarded to my use,

Be brought against me at my trial day!
No; many a pound of my own proper ftore,
Because I would not tax the needy commons,
Have I difpurfed to the garrifons,

And never afked for reftitution.,

Car. It ferves you well, my Lord, to fay fo much. Glo. I fay no more than truth, fo help me God! York. In your protectorship you did devise

Strange tortures for offenders, never heard of;

That England was defam'd by tyranny.

Glo. Why, 'tis well known, that, whiles I was prote&tor,

Pity was all the fault that was in me:

For I fhould melt at an offender's tears;

And lowly words were ranfom for their fault:

Unless it were a bloody murderer,

Or foul felonious thief that fleec'd poor paffengers, I never gave them condign punishment.

Murder, indeed, that bloody fin, I tortur'd

Above the felon, or what trefpafs elfe.

Suf. My Lord, thefe faults are easy, quickly answer'd: But mightier crimes are laid unto your charge, Whereof you cannot eafily purge yourself. I do arreft you in his Highness name, And here commit you to my Lord Cardinal To keep, until your further time of trial.

K. Henry