For single combat in convenient place, For he hath witness of his servant's malice. This is the law, and this duke Humphrey's doom. Som. I humbly thank your royal majesty. Hor. And I accept the combat willingly. Pet. Alas! my lord, I cannot fight: for God's sake, pity my case! the spite of this man prevaileth against me. Ó, Lord have mercy upon me! I shall never be able to fight a blow. O Lord, my heart!

Glo. Sirrah, or you must fight or else be hang'd. K. Hen. Away with them to prison; and the day Of combat shall be the last of the next month.Come, Somerset, we'll see thee sent away. [Exeunt. SCENE IV.-The Same. The Duke of GLOSTER'S Garden.

Enter MARGERY JOURDAIN, HUME, SOUTHWELL, and BOLINGBROKE.

Hume. Come, my masters: the duchess, I tell you, expects performance of your promises.

Boling. Master Hume, we are therefore provided. Will her ladyship behold and hear our exorcisms? Hume. Ay; what else? fear you not her courage. Boling. I have heard her reported to be a woman of an invincible spirit: but it shall be convenient, master Hume, that you be by her aloft, while we be busy below; and so, I pray you, go in God's name, and leave us. [Exit HUME.] Mother Jourdain, be you prostrate, and grovel on the earth:-John Southwell, read you, and let us to our work.

Enter Duchess above.

Duch. Well said, my masters, and welcome all. To this geer; the sooner the better.

Boling. Patience, good lady; wizards know their times, Deep night, dark night, and silence of the night, The time of night when Troy was set on fire; The time when screech-owls cry, and ban-dogs howl, And spirits walk, and ghosts break ope their graves, That time best fits the work we have in hand. Madam, sit you, and fear not: whom we raise, We will make fast within a hallow'd verge. [Here they perform the Ceremonies belonging, and make the Circle: BOLINGBROKE, reads, Conjuro, te, &c. It thunders and lightens terribly; then the Spirit riseth.

Spir. Adsum.

M. Jourd. Asmath!

By the eternal God, whose name and power
Thou tremblest at, answer that I shall ask;
For till thou speak thou shalt not pass from hence.
Spir. Ask what thou wilt.-That I had said and done!
Boling. First, of the king: what shall of him become?
Spir. The duke yet lives that Henry shall depose;
But him outlive, and die a violent death.

[As the Spirit speaks, SOUTHWELL writes the answer. Boling. What fates await the duke of Suffolk?

SCENE I.-Saint Albans.

Spir. By water shall he die, and take his end.
Boling. What shall befall the duke of Somerset ?
Spir. Let him shun castles:

Safer shall he be on the sandy plains

Than where castles mounted stand.
Have done, for more I hardly can endure.
Boling. Descend to darkness, and the burning lake:
Foul fiend, avoid!

[Thunder and lightning. Spirit descends. Enter YORK and BUCKINGHAM, hastily, with their Guards. York. Lay hands upon these traitors, and their trash. Beldame, I think, we watch'd you at an inch.— What! madam, are you there? the king and commonweal

Are deeply indebted for this piece of pains:
My lord protector will, I doubt it not,

See you well guerdon'd for these good deserts.

Duch. Not half so bad as thine to England's king,
Injurious duke, that threat'st where is no cause.
Buck. True, madam, none at all. What call you
this?
[Showing her the Papers.
Away with them! let them be clapp'd up close,
And kept asunder.-You, madam, shall with us:
Stafford, take her to thee.- [Exit Duchess from above.
We'll see your trinkets here are all forth-coming;
All.-Away! [Exeunt Guards, with SOUTH.,BOLING., &c.
York. Lord Buckingham, methinks, you watch'd her
well:
A pretty plot, well chosen to build upon!
Now, pray, my lord, let's see the devil's writ.
What have we here?

"The duke yet lives that Henry shall depose;
But him outlive, and die a violent death."
Why, this is just

Aio te, Eacida, Romanos vincere posse.
Well, to the rest:

[Reads.

"Tell me, what fate awaits the duke of Suffolk ?—
By water shall he die, and take his end."-
"What shall betide the duke of Somerset ?-
Let him shun castles;

Safer shall he be on the sandy plains,
Than where castles mounted stand."
Come, come, my lords;

These oracles are hardly attain'd,
And hardly understood.

The king is now in progress towards Saint Albans;
With him the husband of this lovely lady:
Thither go these news, as fast as horse can carry them;
A sorry breakfast for my lord protector.

Buck. Your grace shall give me leave, my lord of York, To be the post in hope of his reward.

York. At your pleasure, my good lord.-Who's within there, ho!

Enter a Servant.

Invite my lords of Salisbury, and Warwick,
To sup with me to-morrow night.-Away! [Exeunt.

Enter King HENRY, Queen MARGARET, GLOSTER, Cardinal, and SUFFOLK, with Falconers hollaing.

Q. Mar. Believe me, lords, for flying at the brook, I saw not better sport these seven years' day; Yet, by your leave, the wind was very high, And, ten to one, old Joan had not gone out.

And what a pitch she flew above the rest.
To see how God in all his creatures works!
Yea, man and birds are fain of climbing high.

Suf. No marvel, an it like your majesty,
My lord protector's hawks do tower so well:
They know their master loves to be aloft,
And bears his thoughts above his falcon's pitch.
Glo. My lord, 'tis but a base ignoble mind,

Car. I thought as much: he'd be above the clouds. Glo. Ay, my lord cardinal; how think you by that? Were it not good your grace could fly to heaven? K. Hen. The treasury of everlasting joy!

Car. Thy heaven is on earth; thine eyes and thoughts Beat on a crown, the treasure of thy heart: Pernicious protector, dangerous peer,

That smooth'st it so with king and commonweal !

Glo. What, cardinal, is your priesthood grown so peremptory?

Tantæne animis cœlestibus iræ?

Churchmen so hot? good uncle, hide such malice;
And with such holiness you well can do it.

Suf. No malice, sir; no more than well becomes
So good a quarrel, and so bad a peer.

Glo. As who, my lord? Suf. Why, as you, my lord; An't like your lordly lord-protectorship. Glo. Why, Suffolk, England knows thine insolence. Q. Mar. And thy ambition, Gloster. K. Hen. I pr'ythee, peace, Good queen; and whet not on these furious peers, For blessed are the peacemakers on earth.

Car. Let me be blessed for the peace I make Against this proud protector with my sword. Glo. 'Faith, holy uncle, would 'twere come to that! [Aside to the Cardinal. Car. Marry, when thou dar'st. [Aside. Glo. Make up no factious numbers for the matter; In thine own person answer thy abuse. [Aside. Car. Ay, where thou dar'st not peep: an if thou dar'st, This evening on the east side of the grove. [Aside. K. Hen. How now, my lords! Car. Believe me, cousin Gloster, Had not your man put up the fowl so suddenly, We had had more sport.-Come with thy two-hand sword. [Aside to GLO.

Glo. True, uncle.

Protector, see to't well, protect yourself.

[Aside.

[Aside.

K. Hen. The winds grow high; so do your stomachs, lords.

How irksome is this music to my heart!
When such strings jar, what hope of harmony?

I pray, my lords, let me compound this strife.
Enter one, crying, "A Miracle!"

Glo. What means this noise?

Fellow, what miracle dost thou proclaim?

One. A miracle! a miracle!

Suf. Come to the king: tell him what miracle. One. Forsooth, a blind man at Saint Alban's shrine, Within this half hour hath receiv'd his sight; A man that ne'er saw in his life before.

K. Hen. Now, God be prais'd, that to believing souls Gives light in darkness, comfort in despair! Enter the Mayor of Saint Albans, and his Brethren; and SIMPCOX, borne between two persons in a Chair; his Wife and the Multitude following. Car. Here come the townsmen on procession, To present your highness with the man.

K. Hen. Great is his comfort in this earthly vale, Though by his sight his sin be multiplied.

Glo. Stand by, my masters; bring him near the king: His highness' pleasure is to talk with him.

K. Hen. Good fellow, tell us here the circumstance, That we for thee may glorify the Lord. What! hast thou been long blind, and now restor❜d? Simp. Born blind, an't please your grace. Wife. Ay, indeed, was he.

Suf. What woman is this?

Wife. His wife, an't like your worship.

Glo. Hadst thou been his mother, thou could'st have better told.

K. Hen. Where wert thou born?

Simp. At Berwick in the north, an't like your grace. K. Hen. Poor soul! God's goodness hath been great to thee:

Let never day nor night unhallow'd pass,
But still remember what the Lord hath done.

Q. Mar. Tell me, good fellow, cam'st thou here by chance,

Or of devotion, to this holy shrine?

Simp. God knows, of pure devotion; being call'd A hundred times, and oft'ner, in my sleep, By good Saint Alban; who said,—“ Sander, come; Come, offer at my shrine, and I will help thee."

Wife. Most true, forsooth; and many time and oft Myself have heard a voice to call him so. Car. What! art thou lame? Simp.

Ay, God Almighty help me!

Suf. How cam'st thou so? Simp.

A fall off of a tree.

Wife. A plum-tree, master.
Glo.
How long hast thou been blind?
Simp. O! born so, master.

Glo.
What! and would'st climb a tree?
Simp. But that in all my life, when I was a youth.
Wife. Too true; and bought his climbing very dear.
Glo. 'Mass, thou lov'dst plums well, that would'st

venture so.

Simp. Alas, good master, my wife desir'd some dam

sons,

And made me climb with danger of my life.

Glo. A subtle knave; but yet it shall not serve.— Let me see thine eyes:-wink now;-now open them.— In my opinion yet thou seest not well.

Simp. Yes, master, clear as day; I thank God, and Saint Alban.

Glo. Say'st thou me so? What colour is this cloak of? Simp. Red, master; red as blood.

Glo. Why, that's well said. What colour is my gown of?

Simp. Black, forsooth; coal-black as jet.

K. Hen. Why then, thou know'st what colour jet is of? Suf. And yet, I think, jet did he never see.

Glo. But cloaks, and gowns, before this day a many. Wife. Never, before this day, in all his life.

Glo. Tell me, sirrah, what's my name?

Simp. Alas! master, I know not.
Glo. What's his name?
Simp. I know not.

Glo. Nor his?

Simp. No, indeed, master.

Glo. What's thine own name?

[Pointing to one.

Simp. Sander Simpcox, an if it please you, master. Glo. Then, Sander, sit thou there, the lyingest knave In Christendom. If thou hadst been born blind, Thou might'st as well have known all ournames, as thus To name the several colours we do wear. Sight may distinguish of colours; but suddenly To nominate them all, it is impossible.My lords, Saint Alban here hath done a miracle; And would ye not think his cunning to be great, That could restore this cripple to his legs?

Simp. O, master, that you could!

And give her, as a prey to law, and shame,

run away.

Simp. Alas! master, I am not able to stand alone : You go about to torture me in vain.

Re-enter Attendant, and a Beadle with a whip. Glo. Well, sir, we must have you find your legs. Sirrah beadle, whip him till he leap over that same stool. Bead. I will, my lord.-Come on, sirrah; off with your doublet quickly.

Simp. Alas! master, what shall I do? I am not able to stand.

[After the Beadle hath hit him once, he leaps over the stool, and runs away; and the People follow and cry, "A Miracle!"

K. Hen. O God! seest thou this, and bearest so long? Q. Mar. It made me laugh to see the villain run. Glo. Follow the knave; and take this drab away. Wife. Alas! sir, we did it for pure need. Glo. Let them be whipp'd through every market town, Till they come to Berwick, from whence they came. [Exeunt Mayor, Beadle, Wife, &c. Car. Duke Humphrey has done a miracle to-day. Suf. True, made the lame to leap, and fly away. Glo. But you have done more miracles than I; You made in a day, my lord, whole towns to fly. Enter BUCKINGHAM.

K. Hen. What tidings with our cousin Buckingham? Buck. Such as my heart doth tremble to unfold. A sort of naughty persons, lewdly bent, Under the countenance and confederacy Of lady Eleanor, the protector's wife, The ringleader and head of all this rout, Have practis'd dangerously against your state, Dealing with witches, and with conjurers, Whom we have apprehended in the fact; Raising up wicked spirits from under ground, Demanding of king Henry's life and death, And other of your highness' privy council, As more at large your grace shall understand. [Giving a paper. Car. And so, my lord protector, by this means Your lady is forthcoming yet at London. This news, I think, hath turn'd your weapon's edge; 'Tis like, my lord, you will not keep your hour. Glo. Ambitious churchman, leave t' afflict my heart. Sorrow and grief have vanquish'd all my powers; And, vanquish'd as I am, I yield to thee,

Or to the meanest groom.

K. Hen. O God! what mischiefs work the wicked

ones;

Heaping confusion on their own heads thereby.
Q. Mar. Gloster, see here the tainture of thy nest;
And look thyself be faultless, thou wert best.

Glo. Madam, for myself, to heaven I do appeal,
How I have lov'd my king, and commonweal;
And, for my wife, I know not how it stands.
Sorry I am to hear what I have heard;
Noble she is, but if she have forgot

Honour, and virtue, and convers'd with such
As, like to pitch, defile nobility,

I banish her, my bed, and company,

SCENE II.-London. The Duke of YORK's Garden.
Enter YORK, SALISBURY, and WARWICK.
York. Now, my good lords of Salisbury and Warwick,
Our simple supper ended, give me leave,
In this close walk, to satisfy myself
In craving your opinion of my title,
Which is infallible, to England's crown.

Sal. My lord, I long to hear it at the full.
War. Sweet York, begin; and if thy claim be good,
The Nevils are thy subjects to command.
York. Then thus:-

:

Edward the third, my lords, had seven sons:
The first, Edward the Black Prince, prince of Wales;
The second, William of Hatfield; and the third,
Lionel, duke of Clarence; next to whom,
Was John of Gaunt, the duke of Lancaster;
The fifth was Edmond 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,
Seized 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 traitorously.

War. Father, the duke hath told the very 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

I claim the crown, had issue-Philippe, a daughter,
Who married Edmond Mortimer, earl of March,
Edmond had issue-Roger, earl of March :
Roger had issue-Edmond, Anne, and Eleanor.

Sal. This Edmond, in the reign of Bolingbroke,
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.

His eldest sister, Anne,
My mother, being heir unto the crown,
Married Richard, earl of Cambridge; who was
To Edmond Langley, Edward the third's fifth son, son.
By her I claim the kingdom: she was heir
To Roger, earl of March; who was the son
Of Edmond Mortimer; who married Philippe,
Sole daughter unto Lionel, duke of Clarence:
So, if the issue of the elder son

Succeed before the younger, I am king.

War. What plain proceeding is more plain than this? Henry doth claim the crown from John of Gaunt, 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
With honour of his birthright to the crown.

Both. Long live our sovereign Richard, England's king!

York. We thank you, lords. But I am not your king, 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 Humphrey. '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.

War. My heart assures me, that the earl of Warwick 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.-The Same. 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 Cobham, Gloster's wife.

In sight of God, and us, your guilt is great:
Receive the sentence of the law, for sin
Such as by God's book is adjudg'd to death.-
You four, from hence to prison back again;

[To JOURD., &c.

From thence, unto the place of execution:
The witch in Smithfield shall be burn'd to ashes,
And you three shall be strangled on the gallows.—
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.

Ere

Glo. Eleanor, the law, thou seest, hath judged thee: I cannot justify whom the law condemns[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. 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 protected like a child by peers.God and king Henry govern England's helm.

And Humphrey, duke of Gloster, scarce himself,
That bears so shrewd a maim: two pulls at once,-
His lady banish'd, and a limb lopp'd off;
This staff of honour raught:-there let it stand,
Where it best fits to be, in Henry's hand.

Suf. Thus droops this lofty pine, and hangs his sprays; Thus Eleanor's pride dies in her proudest days.

York. Lords, let him go.-Please it your majesty, This is the day appointed for the combat; And ready are the appellant and defendant, The armourer and his man, to enter 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 bestead, Or more afraid to fight, than is the appellant, The servant of this armourer, my lords. Enter, on one side, HORNER, and his Neighbours, 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: at the other side, PETER, with a drum and a similar staff; accompanied by Prentices drinking to him.

Neigh. Here, neighbour Horner, I drink to you in a cup of sack. And fear not, neighbour, you shall do well enough.

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 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 both, and fall to blows.