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  • Title: Henry VI, Part 2 (Folio 1, 1623)

    • Copyright Internet Shakespeare Editions. This text may be freely used for educational, non-proift purposes; for all other uses contact the Coordinating Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Not Peer Reviewed

    Henry VI, Part 2 (Folio 1, 1623)

    The second Part of Henry the Sixt.123

    355That shall make answere to such Questions,
    As by your Grace shall be propounded him.
    Elianor. It is enough, Ile thinke vpon the Questions:
    When from Saint Albones we doe make returne,
    Wee'le see these things effected to the full.
    360Here Hume, take this reward, make merry man
    With thy Confederates in this weightie cause.
    Exit Elianor.
    Hume. Hume must make merry with the Duchesse Gold:
    Marry and shall: but how now, Sir Iohn Hume?
    365Seale vp your Lips, and giue no words but Mum,
    The businesse asketh silent secrecie.
    Dame Elianor giues Gold, to bring the Witch:
    Gold cannot come amisse, were she a Deuill.
    Yet haue I Gold flyes from another Coast:
    370I dare not say, from the rich Cardinall,
    And from the great and new-made Duke of Suffolke;
    Yet I doe finde it so: for to be plaine,
    They (knowing Dame Elianors aspiring humor)
    Haue hyred me to vnder-mine the Duchesse,
    375And buzze these Coniurations in her brayne.
    They say, A craftie Knaue do's need no Broker,
    Yet am I Suffolke and the Cardinalls Broker.
    Hume, if you take not heed, you shall goe neere
    To call them both a payre of craftie Knaues.
    380Well, so it stands: and thus I feare at last,
    Humes Knauerie will be the Duchesse Wracke,
    And her Attainture, will be Humphreyes fall:
    Sort how it will, I shall haue Gold for all. Exit.

    Enter three or foure Petitioners, the Armorers
    385Man being one.

    1. Pet. My Masters, let's stand close, my Lord Pro-
    tector will come this way by and by, and then wee may
    deliuer our Supplications in the Quill.
    2. Pet. Marry the Lord protect him, for hee's a good
    390man, Iesu blesse him.

    Enter Suffolke, and Queene.

    Peter. Here a comes me thinkes, and the Queene with
    him: Ile be the first sure.
    2. Pet. Come backe foole, this is the Duke of Suffolk,
    395and not my Lord Protector.
    Suff. How now fellow: would'st any thing with me?
    1. Pet. I pray my Lord pardon me, I tooke ye for my
    Lord Protector.
    Queene. To my Lord Protector? Are your Supplica-
    400tions to his Lordship? Let me see them: what is thine?
    1. Pet. Mine is, and't please your Grace, against Iohn
    Goodman, my Lord Cardinals Man, for keeping my House,
    and Lands, and Wife and all, from me.
    Suff. Thy Wife too? that's some Wrong indeede.
    405What's yours? What's heere? Against the Duke of
    Suffolke, for enclosing the Commons of Melforde. How
    now, Sir Knaue?
    2. Pet. Alas Sir, I am but a poore Petitioner of our
    whole Towneship.
    410Peter. Against my Master Thomas Horner, for saying,
    That the Duke of Yorke was rightfull Heire to the
    Crowne.
    Queene. What say'st thou? Did the Duke of Yorke
    say, hee was rightfull Heire to the Crowne?
    415Peter. That my Mistresse was? No forsooth: my Master
    said, That he was, and that the King was an Vsurper.
    Suff. Who is there?
    Enter Seruant.
    Take this fellow in, and send for his Master with a Purse-
    420uant presently: wee'le heare more of your matter before
    the King. Exit.
    Queene. And as for you that loue to be protected
    Vnder the Wings of our Protectors Grace,
    Begin your Suites anew, and sue to him.
    425Teare the Supplication.
    Away, base Cullions: Suffolke let them goe.
    All. Come, let's be gone. Exit.
    Queene. My Lord of Suffolke, say, is this the guise?
    Is this the Fashions in the Court of England?
    430Is this the Gouernment of Britaines Ile?
    And this the Royaltie of Albions King?
    What, shall King Henry be a Pupill still,
    Vnder the surly Glosters Gouernance?
    Am I a Queene in Title and in Stile,
    435And must be made a Subiect to a Duke?
    I tell thee Poole, when in the Citie Tours
    Thou ran'st a-tilt in honor of my Loue,
    And stol'st away the Ladies hearts of France;
    I thought King Henry had resembled thee,
    440In Courage, Courtship, and Proportion:
    But all his minde is bent to Holinesse,
    To number Aue-Maries on his Beades:
    His Champions, are the Prophets and Apostles,
    His Weapons, holy Sawes of sacred Writ,
    445His Studie is his Tilt-yard, and his Loues
    Are brazen Images of Canonized Saints.
    I would the Colledge of the Cardinalls
    Would chuse him Pope, and carry him to Rome,
    And set the Triple Crowne vpon his Head;
    450That were a State fit for his Holinesse.
    Suff. Madame be patient: as I was cause
    Your Highnesse came to England, so will I
    In England worke your Graces full content.
    Queene. Beside the haughtie Protector, haue we Beauford
    455The imperious Churchman; Somerset, Buckingham,
    And grumbling Yorke: and not the least of these,
    But can doe more in England then the King.
    Suff. And he of these, that can doe most of all,
    Cannot doe more in England then the Neuils:
    460Salisbury and Warwick are no simple Peeres.
    Queene. Not all these Lords do vex me halfe so much,
    As that prowd Dame, the Lord Protectors Wife:
    She sweepes it through the Court with troups of Ladies,
    More like an Empresse, then Duke Humphreyes Wife:
    465Strangers in Court, doe take her for the Queene:
    She beares a Dukes Reuenewes on her backe,
    And in her heart she scornes our Pouertie:
    Shall I not liue to be aueng'd on her?
    Contemptuous base-borne Callot as she is,
    470She vaunted 'mongst her Minions t'other day,
    The very trayne of her worst wearing Gowne,
    Was better worth then all my Fathers Lands,
    Till Suffolke gaue two Dukedomes for his Daughter.
    Suff. Madame, my selfe haue lym'd a Bush for her,
    475And plac't a Quier of such enticing Birds,
    That she will light to listen to the Layes,
    And neuer mount to trouble you againe.
    So let her rest: and Madame list to me,
    For I am bold to counsaile you in this;
    480Although we fancie not the Cardinall,
    Yet must we ioyne with him and with the Lords,
    Till we haue brought Duke Humphrey in disgrace.
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