The works of William Shakspeare, life, glossary &c. repr. from the early eds. and compared with recent commentators

The first, Edward the Black Prince, prince of With honour of his birthright to the crown.

[third,

Wales;
The second, William of Hatfield; and the
Lionel, duke of Clarence; next to whom,
Was John of Gaunt, the duke of Lancaster;
The fifth was Edmund Langley, duke of York;
The sixth was Thomas of Woodstock, duke of
Gloster;

William of Windsor was the seventh, and last.
Edward, the Black Prince, died before his
father;

And left behind him Richard, his only son;
Who, after Edward the third's death, reign'd
as king;

Till Henry Bolingbroke, duke of Lancaster,
The eldest son and heir of John of Gaunt,
Crown'd by the name of Henry the Fourth,
Seiz'd on the realm, depos'd the rightful king,
Sent his poor queen to France, from whence

she came,

And him to Pomfret,-where, as all you know,
Harmless Richard was murder'd trait'rously.

War. Father, the duke has told the truth:
Thus got the house of Lancaster the crown.

York. Which now they hold by force, and
not by right;

For Richard, the first son's heir, being dead,
The issue of the next son should have reign'd.
Sal. But William of Hatfield died without
an heir.

York. The third son, duke of Clarence,
(from whose line
[daughter,
I claim the crown,) had issue-Philippe, a
Who married Edmund Mortimer, earl of
March:

Edmund had issue-Roger, earl of March;
Roger had issue-Edmund, Anne, and Eleanor.
Sal. This Edmund, in the reign of Boling-
broke,

As I have read, laid claim unto the crown;
And but for Owen Glendower, had been king,
Who kept him in captivity till he died.
But, to the rest.

York.

was son

His eldest sister, Anne,

Both. Long live our sov'reign Richard,
England's king!
[your king
York. We thank you, lords. But I am not
Till I be crown'd, and that my sword be stain'd
With heart-blood of the house of Lancaster;
And that's not suddenly to be perform'd,
But with advice, and silent secrecy.
Do you, as I do, in these dangerous days,
Wink at the duke of Suffolk's insolence,
At Beaufort's pride, at Somerset's ambition,
At Buckingham, and all the crew of them,
Till they have snar'd the shepherd of the flock,
That virtuous prince, the good duke Hum-
phrey :

'Tis that they seek; and they, in seeking that,
Shall find their deaths, if York can prophesy.
Sal. My lord, break we off; we know your
mind at full.
[of Warwick
War. My heart assures me, that the eari
Shall one day make the duke of York a king.
York. And, Nevil, this I do assure myself,-
Richard shall live to make the earl of Warwick
The greatest man in England, but the king.
[Exeunt.

SCENE III.-London. A Hall of Justice. Trumpets sounded. Enter King Henry, Queen Margaret, Gloster, York, Suffolk, and Salisbury; the Duchess of Gloster, Margery Jourdain, Southwell, Hume, and Bolingbroke, under guard.

K. Hen. Stand forth, dame Eleanor Cob-
ham, Gloster's wife :

In sight of God, and us, your guilt is great ;
Receive the sentence of the law, for sins
Such as by God's book are adjudg'd to death.
[To Jourd., &c.] You four, from hence to
prison back again;

From thence, unto the place of execution:
The witch in Smithfield shall be burn'd to
ashes,
[lows.
And you three shall be strangled on the gal-
You, madam, for you are more nobly born,
Despoiled of your honour in your life,
Shall, after three days' open penance done,
Live in your country here, in banishment,
With Sir John Stanley, in the Isle of Man.
Duch. Welcome is banishment; welcome
were my death.

My mother, being heir unto the crown,
Married Richard, earl of Cambridge; who
[son.
To Edmund Langley, Edward the third's fifth
By her I claim the kingdom: she was heir
To Roger, earl of March; who was the son
[thee:
Of Edmund Mortimer; who married Philippe, Glo. Eleanor, the law, thou seest, hath judged
Sole daughter unto Lionel, duke of Clarence: I cannot justify what the law condemns.-
So, if the issue of the elder son

Succeed before the younger, I am king.
War. What plain proceeding is more plain
than this?
[Gaunt,
Henry doth claim the crown from John of
The fourth son; York claims it from the third.
Till Lionel's issue fails, his should not reign:
It fails not yet, but flourishes in thee,
And in thy sons, fair slips of such a stock.—
Then, father Salisbury, kneel we together;
And, in this private plot, be we the first,
That shall salute our rightful sovereign

[Exeunt the Duchess, and the other
Prisoners, guarded.
Mine eyes are full of tears, my heart of grief.
Ah, Humphrey, this dishonour in thine age
Will bring thy head with sorrow to the ground!
I beseech your majesty, give me leave to go;
Sorrow would solace, and mine age would ease.
K. Hen. Stay, Humphrey duke of Gloster:

ere thou go,

Give up thy staff: Henry will to himself
Protector be; and God shall be my hope,
My stay, my guide, and lantern to my feet:

And go in peace, Humphrey; no less belov'd,
Than when thou wert protector to thy king.
Q. Mar. I see no reason why a king of years
Should be to be protected like a child.
God and king Henry govern England's helm !
Give up your staff, sir, and the king his realm.
Glo. My staff!-here, noble Henry, is my
As willingly do I the same resign, [staff:
As e'er thy father Henry made it mine;
And even as willingly at thy feet I leave it,
As others would ambitiously receive it. [gone,
Farewell, good king: when I am dead and
May honourable peace attend thy throne.

majesty,

This is the day appointed for the combat; And ready are the appellant and defendant, The armourer and his man, to enter the lists, So please your highness to behold the fight.

Q. Mar. Ay, good my lord; for purposely therefore

Left I the court, to see this quarrel tried.
K. Hen. O' God's name, see the lists and all
things fit:

Here let them end it; and God defend the right!
York. I never saw a fellow worse bested,
Or more afraid to fight, than is the appellant,
The servant of this armourer, my lords.
Enter, on one side, Horner, and his Neigh-

bours, drinking to him so much that he is
drunk; and he enters bearing his staff
with a sand-bag fastened to it; a drum
before him on the other side, Peter, with
a drum and a similar staff; accompa-
nied by Prentices drinking to him.

if I die, I give thee my apron and, Will, thou shalt have my hammer :-and here, Tom, take all the money that I have.-O Lord, bless me, I pray God, for I am never able to deal with my master, he hath learnt so much fence already.

Sal. Come, leave your drinking, and fall to blows.-Sirrah, what's thy name? Peter. Peter, forsooth.

Sal. Peter! what more? Peter. Thump. Sal. Thump! then see thou thump thy master well.

Hor. Masters, I am come hither, as it were, upon my man's instigation, to prove him a knave, and myself an honest man: and touching the duke of York, I will take my death, I never meant him any ill, nor the king, nor the queen and therefore, Peter, have at thee with a downright blow.

York. Despatch :- this knave's tongue begins to double.

Sound, trumpets, alarum to the combatants. [Alarum. They fight, and Peter strikes down his Master.

Hor. Hold, Peter, hold! I confess, I confess treason. [Dies. York. Take away his weapon. Fellow, thank God, and the good wine in thy master's

SCENE IV.-London. A Street. Enter Gloster and Servants, in mourning cloaks.

Glo. Thus sometimes hath the brightest day a cloud;

1 Neigh. Here, neighbour Horner, I drink And after summer evermore succeeds

to you in a cup of sack and fear not, neigh-Barren winter, with his wrathful nipping cold: bour, you shall do well enough. So cares and joys abound, as seasons fleet.Sirs, what's o'clock?

2 Neigh. And here, neighbour, here's a cup of charneco.

3 Neigh. And here's a pot of good double beer, neighbour: drink, and fear not your

man.

Hor. Let it come, i' faith, and I'll pledge you all; and a fig for Peter!

1 Pren. Here, Peter, I drink to thee; and be not afraid.

2 Pren. Be merry, Peter, and fear not thy master: fight for credit of the prentices.

Peter. I thank you all drink, and pray for me, I pray you; for, I think, I have taken my last draught in this world.-Here, Robin, an

Enter the Duchess of Gloster, in a white I pray thee, sort thy heart to patience; sheet, with papers pinned upon her back, These few days' wonder will be quickly worn. her feet bare, and a taper burning in Enter a Herald. her hand; Sir John Stanley, a Sheriff, and Officers.

Her. I summon your grace to his majesty's parliament, holden at Bury the first of this next month. [before! Glo. And my consent ne'er ask'd herein This is close dealing.-Well, I will be there. [Exit Herald. [gaze! My Nell, I take my leave:-and, master sheriff, Let not her penance exceed the king's commission.

Serv. So please your grace, we'll take her
from the sheriff.
[pass by.
Glo. No, stir not, for your lives; let her
Duch. Come you, my lord, to see my open
shame?

Now thou dost penance too. Look how they
See how the giddy multitude do point, [thee!
And nod their heads, and throw their eyes on
Ah, Gloster, hide thee from their hateful looks,
And, in thy closet pent up, rue my shame,
And ban thine enemies, both mine and thine!
Glo. Be patient, gentle Nell; forget this
grief.
[myself!

Duch. Ah, Gloster, teach me to forget
For, whilst I think I am thy married wife,
And thou a prince, protector of this land,
Methinks I should not thus be led along,
Mail'd up in shame, with papers on my back,
And follow'd with a rabble, that rejoice
To see my tears, and hear my deep-fet groans.
The ruthless flint doth cut my tender feet;
And when I start, the envious people laugh,
And bid me be advised how I tread.
Ah, Humphrey ! can I bear this shameful
yoke?
[world,
Trow'st thou, that e'er I'll look upon the
Or count them happy that enjoy the sun?
No; dark shall be my light, and night my day;
To think upon my pomp, shall be my hell.
Sometime I'll say, I am duke Humphrey's
wife;

And he a prince, and ruler of the land;
Yet so he rul'd, and such a prince he was,
As he stood by, whilst I, his forlorn duchess,
Was made a wonder and a pointing-stock
To every idle rascal follower.
[shame;
But be thou mild, and blush not at my
Nor stir at nothing, till the axe of death
Hang over thee, as, sure, it shortly will;
For Suffolk,-he that can do all in all
With her that hateth thee, and hates us all,-
And York, and impious Beaufort, that false
priest,

Have ali ini'd bushes to betray thy wings; And, fly thou how thou canst, they'll tangle thee:

But fear not thou, until thy foot be snar'd,
Nor never seek prevention of thy foes. [awry ;
Glo. Ah, Nell, forbear! thou aimest all
I must offend before I be attainted;
And had I twenty times so many foes, [power,
And each of them had twenty times their
All these could not procure me any scathe,
So long as I am loyal, true, and crimeless.
Wouldst have me rescue thee from this re-

proach?

Why, yet thy scandal were not wip'd away,
But I in danger for the breach of law.
Thy greatest help is quiet, gentle Nell:

Stan. So am I given in charge, may't please your grace.

Glo. Entreat her not the worse, in that I You use her well:

[pray The world may laugh again; and I may live To do you kindness, if you do it her, And so, Sir John, farewell.

Duch. What, gone, my lord, and bid me not farewell!

Glo. Witness my tears, I cannot stay to speak. [Exeunt Gloster and Servants. Duch. 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 afear'd,
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.
Duch. That's bad enough, for I am but
reproach,

And shall I, then, be us'd reproachfully? Stan. Like to a duchess, and duke Humphrey's lady;

According to that state you shall be us'd. Duch. Sheriff, farewell, and better than I. fare; shame! Although thou hast been conduct of my Sher. It is my office; and, madam, pardon

ACT III.

Smooth runs the water where the brook is deep;

And in his simple show he harbours treason. The fox barks not when he would steal the lamb.

SCENE I.-The Abbey at Bury. Sennet. Enter to the Parliament, King No, no, my sovereign; Gloster is a man Henry, Queen Margaret, Cardinal Beau- Unsounded yet, and full of deep deceit. fort, Suffolk, York, Buckingham, and [come:

others.

K. Hen. I muse my lord of Gloster is not 'Tis not his wont to be the hindmost man, Whate'er occasion keeps him from us now. Q. Mar. Can you not see? or will you not observe

[self?

The strangeness of his alter'd countenance?
With what a majesty he bears himself;
How insolent of late he is become,
How proud, how peremptory, and unlike him-
We know the time since 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 submission;
But meet him now, and, be it in the morn,
When every one will give the time of day,
He knits his brow, and shows an angry eye,
And passes by with stiff unbowed knee,
Disdaining duty that to us belongs.
Small curs are not regarded when they grin;
But great men tremble when the lion roars :
And Humphrey is no little man in England.
First, note, that he is near you in descent,
And, should you fall, he is the next will mount.
Me seemeth, then, it is no policy,-
Respecting what a rancorous mind he bears,
And his advantage following your decease,-
That he should come about your royal person,
Or be admitted to your highness' council.
By flattery hath he won the commons' hearts;
And when he please to make commotion,
'Tis to be fear'd they all will follow him.
Now 'tis the spring, and weeds are shallow-
rooted;
[garden,

Suffer them now, and they'll o'ergrow the
And choke the herbs for want of husbandry.
The reverent care I bear unto my lord
Made me collect these dangers in the duke.
If it be fond, call it a woman's fear;
Which fear if better reasons can supplant,
I will subscribe, and say I wrong'd the duke.
My lord of Suffolk, Buckingham, - and
Reprove my allegation, if you can, [York,-
Or else conclude my words effectual. [duke;
Suf. Well hath your highness seen into this
And had I first been put to speak my mind,
I think I should have told your grace's tale.
The duchess, by his subornation,
Upon my life, began her devilish practices:
Or if he were not privy to those faults,
Yet, by reputing of his high descent,—
As, next the king, he was successive heir,
And such high vaunts of his nobility,-
Did instigate the bedlam brain-sick duchess,
By wicked means to frame our sovereign's fall.

Car. Did he not, contrary to form of law, Devise strange deaths for small offences done? York. And did he not, in his protectorship, Levy great sums of money through the realm For soldiers' pay in France, and never sent it? By means whereof the towns each day revolted. Buck. Tut! these are petty faults to faults unknown,

Which time will bring to light in smooth duke Humphrey.

K Hen. My lords, at once-the care you have of us,

[foot, To mow down thorns that would annoy our Is worthy praise: but shall I speak my conOur kinsman Gloster is as innocent [science? From meaning treason to our royal person, As is the sucking 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 dangerous than this fond affiance !

Seems he a dove? his feathers are but borrow'd,
For he's disposed as the hateful raven :
Is he a lamb? his skin is surely lent him,
For he's inclin'd as is the rav'nous wolf.
Who cannot steal a shape, that means deceit?
Take heed, my lord; the welfare of us all
Hangs on the cutting short that fraudful man.
Enter Somerset.

Som. All health unto my gracious sovereign!
K. Hen. Welcome, lord Somerset. What

news from France?

And, being protector, stay'd the soldiers' pay;
By means whereof his highness hath lost
France.

Glo. Is it but thought so? What are they
that think it?

I never robb'd the soldiers 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 studying good for
England!

That doit that e'er I wrested from the king,
Or any groat I hoarded to my use,
Be brought against me at my trial day!
No; many a pound of mine own proper store,
Because I would not tax the needy commons,
Have I disbursed to the garrisons,
And never ask'd for restitution. [much.
Car. It serves you well, my lord, to say so
Glo. I say no more than truth, so 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 protector,

Whose overweening arm I have pluck'd back,
By false accuse doth level at my life:
And you, my sov'reign lady, with the rest,
Causeless have laid disgraces on my head,
And with your best endeavour have stirr'd up
My liefest liege to be mine enemy:
Ay, all of you have laid your heads together,
Myself had notice of your conventicles;
And all to make away my guiltless life.
I shall not want false witness to condemn me,
Nor store of treasons to augment my guilt;
The ancient proverb will be well effected,-
A staff is quickly found to beat a dog.

Car. My liege, his railing is intolerable:
If those that care to keep your royal person
From treason's secret knife, and traitor's rage,
Be thus upbraided, chid, and rated at,
And the offender granted scope of speech,
Twill make them cool in zeal unto your grace.
Suf. Hath he not twit our sov'reign lady
here,
[couch'd,
With ignominious words, though clerkly
As if she had subornèd some to swear
False allegations to o'erthrow his state?

Q. Mar. But I can give the loser leave to
chide.
[indeed ;-

Glo. Far truer spoke, than meant : I lose,
Beshrew the winners, for they play'd me false !
And well such losers may have leave to speak.
Buck. He'll wrest the sense, and hold us
here all day :-

Pity was all the fault that was in me;
For I should melt at an offender's tears,
And lowly words were ransom for their fault.
Unless it were a bloody murderer, [sengers,
Or foul felonious thief that fleeced poor pas-Lord
I never gave them condign punishment :
Murder, indeed, that bloody sin, I tortur'd
Above the felon, or what trespass else.

Suf. My lord, these faults are easy, quickly
answer'd:

But mightier crimes are laid unto your charge,
Whereof you cannot easily purge yourself.
I do arrest you in his highness' name;
And here commit you to my lord cardinal
To keep until your farther time of trial.

K. Hen. My lord of Gloster, 'tis my special
hope,

That you will clear yourself from all suspects:
My conscience tells me you are innocent.

Glo. Ah, gracious lord, these days are dan-
Virtue is chok'd with foul ambition, [gerous!
And charity chas'd hence by rancour's hand;
Foul subornation is predominant,
And equity exil'd your highness' land.
I know their complot is to have my life;
And, if my death might make this island happy,
And prove the period of their tyranny,
I would expend it with all willingness:
But mine is made the prologue to their play;
For thousands more, that yet suspect no peril,
Will not conclude their plotted tragedy.
Beaufort's red sparkling eyes blab his heart's
malice,

And Suffolk's cloudy brow his stormy hate;
Sharp Buckingham unburdens with his tongue
The envious load that lies upon his heart;
And dogged York, that reaches at the moon,

cardinal, he is your prisoner. Car. Sirs, take away the duke, and guard

him sure.

[crutch,
Glo. Ah, thus king Henry throws away his
Before his legs be firm to bear his body!
Thus is the shepherd beaten from thy side,
And wolves are gnarling who shall gnaw thee
first.

Ah, that my fear were false! ah, that it were!
For, good king Henry, thy decay I fear.

[Exeunt Attendants with Gloster. K. Hen. My lords, what to your wisdoms seemeth best,

Do, or undo, as if ourself were here.
Q. Mar. What, will your highness leave the
parliament ?
[with grief,
K. Hen. Ay, Margaret, my heart is drown'd
Whose flood begins to flow within mine eyes;
My body round engirt with misery ;

For what's more miserable than discontent?
Ah, uncle Humphrey, in thy face I see
The map of honour, truth, and loyalty!
And yet, good Humphrey, is the hour to come,
That e'er I prov'd thee false, or fear'd thy faith.
What low'ring star now envies thy estate,
That these great lords, and Margaret our
queen,

Do seek subversion of thy harmless life?
Thou never didst them wrong, nor no man

wrong:

And as the butcher takes away the calf,
And binds the wretch, and beats it when it
strays,

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The works of William Shakspeare, life, glossary &c. repr. from the ..., Part 73