By treason, falsehood and by treachery, Our great progenitors had conquered?
O, Warwick, Warwick! I foresee with grief The utter loss of all the realm of France.
War. Be patient, York: if we conclude a peace,
It shall be with such strict and severe covenants
As little shall the Frenchmen gain thereby.
Enter CHARLES, ALENÇON, Bastard, REIGNIER and others. Char. Since, lords of England, it is thus agreed That peaceful truce shall be proclaim'd in France, We come to be informed by yourselves
What the conditions of that league must be.
York. Speak, Winchester; for boiling choler chokes 120 The hollow passage of my poison'd voice,
By sight of these our baleful enemies.
Win. Charles, and the rest, it is enacted thus: That, in regard King Henry gives consent, Of mere compassion and of lenity.
To ease your country of distressful war, And suffer you to breathe in fruitful peace, You shall become true liegemen to his crown: And, Charles, upon condition thou wilt swear To pay him tribute, and submit thyself, Thou shalt be placed as viceroy under him, And still enjoy thy regal dignity.
Alen. Must he be then as shadow of himself?
Retain but privilege of a private man? This proffer is absurd and reasonless.
Char. 'Tis known already that I am possess'd With more than half the Gallian territories, And therein reverenced for their lawful king: Shall I, for lucre of the rest unvanquish'd, Detract so much from that prerogative, As to be call'd but viceroy of the whole? No, lord ambassador, I'll rather keep That which I have than, coveting for more,
Be cast from possibility of all.
York. Insulting Charles! hast thou by secret means Used intercession to obtain a league,
And, now the matter grows to compromise,
Stand'st thou aloof upon comparison? Either accept the title thou usurp'st, Of benefit proceeding from our king And not of any challenge of desert,
Or we will plague thee with incessant wars. Reig. My lord, you do not well in obstinacy To cavil in the course of this contract: If once it be neglected, ten to one We shall not find like opportunity.
Alen. To say the truth, it is your policy To save your subjects from such massacre And ruthless slaughters as are daily seen By our proceeding in hostility;
And therefore take this compact of a truce,
Although you break it when your pleasure serves.
War. How say'st thou, Charles? shall our condition stand?
Only reserved, you claim no interest
In any of our towns of garrison.
York. Then swear allegiance to his majesty, As thou art knight, never to disobey Nor be rebellious to the crown of England, Thou, nor thy nobles, to the crown of England. So, now dismiss your army when ye please; Hang up your ensigns, let your drums be still, For here we entertain a solemn peace.
SCENE V. London. The palace.
Enter SUFFOLK in conference with the KING, GLOUCESTER and EXETER.
King. 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 rigour 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, Had I sufficient skill to utter them, 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; Command, I mean, of virtuous chaste intents, To love and honour Henry as her lord.
King. And otherwise will Henry ne'er presume. Therefore, my lord protector, give consent That Margaret may be England's royal queen. Glou. 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 honour 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:
The poor earl's daughter is unequal odds,
And therefore may be broke without offence.
Giou. 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 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.
Glou. And so the earl of Armagnac may do,
Because he is near kinsman unto Charles.
Ere. Beside, his wealth doth warrant a liberal dower, Where Reignier sooner will receive than give.
Suf. A dower, my lord! 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 bed:
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 hell, 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; For Henry, son unto a conqueror, Is likely to beget more conquerors, If with a lady of so high resolve
As is fair Margaret he be link'd in love.
Then yield, my lords; and here conclude with me That Margaret shall be queen, and none but she. King. 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 assured,
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. Glou. Ay, grief, I fear me, both at first and last. [Exeunt Gloucester and Exeter. Suf. Then 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.
KING HENRY the Sixth. HUMPHREY, Duke of Gloucester, 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.
Young CLIFFORD, his son. EARL OF SALISBURY. EARL OF WARWICK. LORD SCALES. LORD SAY.
SIR HUMPHREY STAFFORD, and WILLIAM STAFFORD, his brother. SIR JOHN STANLEY. VAUX.
MATTHEW GOFFE.
A Sea-captain, Master, and Mas- ter's-Mate, and WALTER WHIT- MORE.
Two Gentlemen, prisoners with Suffolk.
JOHN HUME and JOHN SOUTHWELL, priests.
BOLINGBROKE, a conjurer. THOMAS HORNER, an armourer. PETER, his man.
Clerk of Chatham. Mayor of St. Alban's.
SIMPCOX, an impostor. ALEXANDER IDEN, a Kentish gen- tleman.
JACK CADE, a rebel.
GEORGE BEVIS, JOHN HOLLAND, DICK the butcher, SMITH, the weaver, MICHAEL, &c., followers of Cade.
MARGARET, Queen to King Henry. MARGARET JOURDAIN, a witch. ELEANOR, Duchess of Gloucester. Wife to Simpcox.
Lords, Ladies, and Attendants, Petitioners, Aldermen, a Her- ald, a Beadle, Sheriff, and Offi- cers, Citizens, 'Prentices, Fal- coners, Guards, Soldiers, Mes- sengers, &c.
SCENE I. London. The palace.
Flourish of trumpets: then hautboys.
Enter the KING, HUMPHREY, Duke of GLOUCESTER, SALISBURY, WARWICK, and CARDINAL BEAUFORT, on the one side; the QUEEN, SUFFOLK, YORK, SOMERSET, and BUCKINGHAM, on the other.
Suf. As by your high imperial majesty I had in charge at my depart for France,
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