Henry VI, Part II, William Shakespeare [readict txt] 📗

all. Salisbury

Peace, son! and show some reason, Buckingham,
Why Somerset should be preferred in this.

Queen Because the king, forsooth, will have it so. Gloucester

Madam, the king is old enough himself
To give his censure: these are no women’s matters.

Queen

If he be old enough, what needs your grace
To be protector of his excellence?

Gloucester

Madam, I am protector of the realm;
And, at his pleasure, will resign my place.

Suffolk

Resign it then and leave thine insolence.
Since thou wert king⁠—as who is king but thou?⁠—
The commonwealth hath daily run to wreck;
The Dauphin hath prevail’d beyond the seas;
And all the peers and nobles of the realm
Have been as bondmen to thy sovereignty.

Cardinal

The commons hast thou rack’d; the clergy’s bags
Are lank and lean with thy extortions.

Somerset

Thy sumptuous buildings and thy wife’s attire
Have cost a mass of public treasury.

Buckingham

Thy cruelty in execution
Upon offenders hath exceeded law
And left thee to the mercy of the law.

Queen

Thy sale of offices and towns in France,
If they were known, as the suspect is great,
Would make thee quickly hop without thy head. Exit Gloucester. The Queen drops her fan.
Give me my fan: what, minion! can ye not? She gives the Duchess a box on the ear.
I cry you mercy, madam; was it you?

Duchess

Was’t I! yea, I it was, proud Frenchwoman:
Could I come near your beauty with my nails,
I’ld set my ten commandments in your face.

King Sweet aunt, be quiet; ’twas against her will. Duchess

Against her will! good king, look to’t in time;
She’ll hamper thee, and dandle thee like a baby:
Though in this place most master wear no breeches,
She shall not strike Dame Eleanor unrevenged. Exit.

Buckingham

Lord cardinal, I will follow Eleanor,
And listen after Humphrey, how he proceeds:
She’s tickled now; her fume needs no spurs,
She’ll gallop far enough to her destruction. Exit.

Re-enter Gloucester. Gloucester

Now, lords, my choler being over-blown
With walking once about the quadrangle,
I come to talk of commonwealth affairs.
As for your spiteful false objections,
Prove them, and I lie open to the law:
But God in mercy so deal with my soul,
As I in duty love my king and country!
But, to the matter that we have in hand:
I say, my sovereign, York is meetest man
To be your regent in the realm of France.

Suffolk

Before we make election, give me leave
To show some reason, of no little force,
That York is most unmeet of any man.

York

I’ll tell thee, Suffolk, why I am unmeet:
First, for I cannot flatter thee in pride;
Next, if I be appointed for the place,
My Lord of Somerset will keep me here,
Without discharge, money, or furniture,
Till France be won into the Dauphin’s hands:
Last time, I danced attendance on his will
Till Paris was besieged, famish’d, and lost.

Warwick

That can I witness; and a fouler fact
Did never traitor in the land commit.

Suffolk Peace, headstrong Warwick! Warwick Image of pride, why should I hold my peace? Enter Horner, the Armourer, and his man Peter, guarded. Suffolk

Because here is a man accused of treason:
Pray God the Duke of York excuse himself!

York Doth any one accuse York for a traitor? King What mean’st thou, Suffolk; tell me, what are these? Suffolk

Please it your majesty, this is the man
That doth accuse his master of high treason:
His words were these: that Richard Duke of York
Was rightful heir unto the English crown,
And that your majesty was a usurper.

King Say, man, were these thy words? Horner An’t shall please your majesty, I never said nor thought any such matter: God is my witness, I am falsely accused by the villain. Peter By these ten bones, my lords, he did speak them to me in the garret one night, as we were scouring my Lord of York’s armour. York

Base dunghill villain and mechanical,
I’ll have thy head for this thy traitor’s speech.
I do beseech your royal majesty,
Let him have all the rigour of the law.

Horner Alas, my lord, hang me, if ever I spake the words. My accuser is my ’prentice; and when I did correct him for his fault the other day, he did vow upon his knees he would be even with me: I have good witness of this: therefore I beseech your majesty, do not cast away an honest man for a villain’s accusation. King Uncle, what shall we say to this in law? Gloucester

This doom, my lord, if I may judge:
Let Somerset be regent o’er the French,
Because in York this breeds suspicion:
And let these have a day appointed them
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.

Somerset I humbly thank your royal majesty. Horner And I accept the combat willingly. Peter Alas, my lord, I cannot fight; for God’s sake, pity my case. The spite of man prevaileth against me. O Lord, have mercy upon me! I shall never be able to fight a blow. O Lord, my heart! Gloucester Sirrah, or you must fight, or else be hang’d. King 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. Flourish. Exeunt. Scene IV

Gloucester’s garden.

Enter Margaret Jourdain, Hume, Southwell, and Bolingbroke. Hume Come, my masters; the duchess, I tell you, expects performance of your promises. Bolingbroke Master Hume, we are therefore provided: will her ladyship behold and hear our exorcisms? Hume Ay, what else? fear you not her courage. Bolingbroke 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 aloft, Hume following. Duchess Well said, my masters; and welcome all. To this gear the sooner the better. Bolingbroke

Patience, good lady;