223Main-chance father you meant, but I meant Maine,

224Which I will win from France, or else be slaine.

226Yorke. Aniou and Maine are giuen to the French,

227Paris is lost, the state of Normandie

228Stands on a tickle point, now they are gone:

229Suffolke concluded on the Articles,

230The Peeres agreed, and Henry was well pleas'd,

231To change two Dukedomes for a Dukes faire daughter.

232I cannot blame them all, what is't to them?

233'Tis thine they giue away, and not their owne.

234Pirates may make cheape penyworths of their pillage,

235And purchase Friends, and giue to Curtezans,

236Still reuelling like Lords till all be gone,

237While as the silly Owner of the goods

238Weepes ouer them, and wrings his haplesse hands,

239And shakes his head, and trembling stands aloofe,

240While all is shar'd, and all is borne away,

241Ready to sterue, and dare not touch his owne.

242So Yorke must sit, and fret, and bite his tongue,

243While his owne Lands are bargain'd for, and sold:

244Me thinkes the Realmes of England, France, & Ireland,

245Beare that proportion to my flesh and blood,

246As did the fatall brand Althaea burnt,

247Vnto the Princes heart of Calidon:

248Aniou and Maine both giuen vnto the French?

249Cold newes for me: for I had hope of France,

250Euen as I haue of fertile Englands soile.

251A day will come, when Yorke shall claime his owne,

252And therefore I will take the Neuils parts,

253And make a shew of loue to proud Duke Humfrey,

254And when I spy aduantage, claime the Crowne,

255For that's the Golden marke I seeke to hit:

256Nor shall proud Lancaster vsurpe my right,

257Nor hold the Scepter in his childish Fist,

258Nor weare the Diadem vpon his head,

259Whose Church-like humors fits not for a Crowne.

260Then Yorke be still a-while, till time do serue:

261Watch thou, and wake when others be asleepe,

262To prie into the secrets of the State,

263Till Henrie surfetting in ioyes of loue,

264With his new Bride, & Englands deere bought Queen,

265And Humfrey with the Peeres be falne at iarres:

266Then will I raise aloft the Milke-white-Rose,

267With whose sweet smell the Ayre shall be perfum'd,

268And in in my Standard beare the Armes of Yorke,

269To grapple with the house of Lancaster,

270And force perforce Ile make him yeeld the Crowne,

271Whose bookish Rule, hath pull'd faire England downe.

274Elia. Why droopes my Lord like ouer-ripen'd Corn,

275Hanging the head at Ceres plenteous load?

276Why doth the Great Duke Humfrey knit his browes,

277As frowning at the Fauours of the world?

278Why are thine eyes fixt to the sullen earth,

279Gazing on that which seemes to dimme thy sight?

280What seest thou there? King Henries Diadem,

281Inchac'd with all the Honors of the world?

282If so, Gaze on, and grouell on thy face,

283Vntill thy head be circled with the same.

284Put forth thy hand, reach at the glorious Gold.

285What, is't too short? Ile lengthen it with mine,

286And hauing both together heau'd it vp,

287Wee'l both together lift our heads to heauen,

288And neuer more abase our sight so low,

289As to vouchsafe one glance vnto the ground.

290Hum. O Nell, sweet Nell, if thou dost loue thy Lord,

291Banish the Canker of ambitious thoughts:

292And may that thought, when I imagine ill

293Against my King and Nephew, vertuous Henry,

294Be my last breathing in this mortall world.

295My troublous dreames this night, doth make me sad.

296Eli. What dream'd my Lord, tell me, and Ile requite it

297With sweet rehearsall of my mornings dreame?

298Hum. Me thought this staffe mine Office-badge in

299 Court

300Was broke in twaine: by whom, I haue forgot,

301But as I thinke, it was by'th Cardinall,

302And on the peeces of the broken Wand

303Were plac'd the heads of Edmond Duke of Somerset,

304And William de la Pole first Duke of Suffolke.

305This was my dreame, what it doth bode God knowes.

306Eli. Tut, this was nothing but an argument,

307That he that breakes a sticke of Glosters groue,

308Shall loose his head for his presumption.

309But list to me my Humfrey, my sweete Duke:

310Me thought I sate in Seate of Maiesty,

311In the Cathedrall Church of Westminster,

312And in that Chaire where Kings & Queens wer crownd,

313Where Henrie and Dame Margaret kneel'd to me,

314And on my head did set the Diadem.

315Hum. Nay Elinor, then must I chide outright:

316Presumptuous Dame, ill-nurter'd Elianor,

317Art thou not second Woman in the Realme?

318And the Protectors wife belou'd of him?

319Hast thou not worldly pleasure at command,

320Aboue the reach or compasse of thy thought?

321And wilt thou still be hammering Treachery,

322To tumble downe thy husband, and thy selfe,

323From top of Honor, to Disgraces feete?

324Away from me, and let me heare no more.

325Elia. What, what, my Lord? Are you so chollericke

326With Elianor, for telling but her dreame?

327Next time Ile keepe my dreames vnto my selfe,

328And not be check'd.

329Hum. Nay be not angry, I am pleas'd againe.

331Mess. My Lord Protector, 'tis his Highnes pleasure,

332You do prepare to ride vnto S. Albons,

333Where as the King and Queene do meane to Hawke.

334Hu. I go. Come Nel thou wilt ride with vs? Ex. Hum

335Eli. Yes my good Lord, Ile follow presently.

336Follow I must, I cannot go before,

337While Gloster beares this base and humble minde.

338Were I a Man, a Duke, and next of blood,

339I would remoue these tedious stumbling blockes,

340And smooth my way vpon their headlesse neckes.

341And being a woman, I will not be slacke

342To play my part in Fortunes Pageant.

343Where are you there? Sir Iohn; nay feare not man,

344We are alone, here's none but thee, & I. Enter Hume.

345Hume. Iesus preserue your Royall Maiesty.

346Elia. What saist thou? Maiesty: I am but Grace.

347Hume. But by the grace of God, and Humes aduice,

348Your Graces Title shall be multiplied.

349Elia. What saist thou man? Hast thou as yet confer'd

350With Margerie Iordane the cunning Witch,

351With Roger Bollingbrooke the Coniurer?

352And will they vndertake to do me good?

353Hume. This they haue promised to shew your Highnes

354A Spirit rais'd from depth of vnder ground,