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The palace.
[Enter three or four Petitioners, PETER, the Armorer's man, being one]
FIRST PETITIONER
My masters, let's stand close, my lord protector will come this way by and
by, and then we may deliver our supplications in the quill.
SECOND PETITIONER
Marry the Lord protect him, for he's a good man, Jesu bless him.
[Enter SUFFOLK and QUEEN MARGARET]
PETER
Here he comes methinks, and the queen with him: I'll be the first
sure.
SECOND PETITIONER
Come back fool, this is the Duke of Suffolk, and not my lord protector.
SUFFOLK
How now fellow: wouldst anything with me?
FIRST PETITIONER
I pray my lord pardon me, I took ye for my lord protector.
QUEEN MARGARET
To my Lord Protector? Are your supplications to his lordship? Let me see
them: what is thine?
FIRST PETITIONER
Mine is, and it please your grace, against John Goodman, my lord cardinal's
man, for keeping my house, and lands, and wife and all, from me.
SUFFOLK
Thy wife too? That's some wrong indeed. What's yours? What's here?
Against the Duke of Suffolk, for enclosing the commons of Melford. How now,
sir knave?
SECOND PETITIONER
Alas sir, I am but a poor petitioner of our whole township.
PETER
Against my master Thomas Horner, for saying, that the Duke of York was
rightful heir to the crown.
QUEEN MARGARET
What sayst thou? did the Duke of York say, he was rightful heir to the crown?
PETER
That my master was? no forsooth: my master said, that he was, and that the
king was an usurper.
SUFFOLK
Who is there?
[Enter Servant]
Take this fellow in, and send for his master with a pursuivant presently:
we'll hear more of your matter before the King.
[Exit Servant with PETER]
QUEEN MARGARET
, ,
, ,
, ->
And as | for you | that love | to be |
protect||ed
, 2 ,
, , ,
und|er the wings | of our | protect|or's grace,
, ,
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,
Begin | your suits | anew,| and sue | to him.
, ,
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2 ,
Away,| base cul/lions:| Suffolk | let them go.
[Tears the supplication]
ALL
Come, let's be gone.
[Exeunt]
QUEEN MARGARET
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,
My Lord | of Suf|folk, say,| is this | the guise?
,
, x ,
,
Is this | the fash|ion in the | court of |
England?
,
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Is this | the gov|ernment | of Brit|ain's isle?
,
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2 ,
And this | the roy|alty | of Al|bion's king?
,
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What, shall | King Hen/ry be | a pup|il still,
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Under | the sur|ly Glouce|ster's gov|ernance?
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Am I | a queen | in tit|le and | in style,
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And must | be made | a sub|ject^to | a duke?
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I tell | thee Pole,| when in | the ci|ty Tours
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Thou ranst | a tilt | in hon|or of | my love,
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And stolst | away | the lad|ies' hearts | of
France;
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I thought | King^Hen|ry had | resem|bled thee,
, , , ,
,
In cour|age, court|ship, and | propor|tion:
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But all | his mind | is bent | to hol|iness,
, , ,
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To num|ber Av|e-Mar|ies on | his beads:
,
, 2 , ,
x
His cham|pions,| are the proph|ets and
| apostles, ??
,
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His weap|ons, ho|ly saws | of sac|red writ,
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,
His stu|dy is | his tilt-|yard, and | his loves
x ,
, T . T
T
Are brazen | imag|es of | canonized saints.
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I would | the col|lege of | the card|inals
,
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Would choose | him pope,| and car|ry him | to
Rome,
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And set | the trip|le crown | upon | his head;
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That were | a state | fit for | his hol|iness.
SUFFOLK
, , ,
T T T
Madam | be pa/tient: as | I was cause
,
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Your high|ness came | to Eng|land, so | will I
,
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In Eng|land work | your gra|ce's full | content.
QUEEN MARGARET
, , 2
, 2
, ,
Beside | the haugh|ty protect|or, have we /
Beaufort ??
2 , 2
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, , 2
The imper|ious church|man; Som|erset,|
Buckingham,
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,
And grum|bling York:| and not | the least | of
these,
,
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But can | do more | in Eng|land than | the king.
SUFFOLK
, ,
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And he | of these,| that can | do most | of all,
, 2 ,
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Cannot do | more in | England | than the |
Nevils:
x 2
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,
Salisbury | and War|wick are / no simp|le peers.
QUEEN MARGARET
, ,
, , ,
Not all | these lords | do vex | me half | so
much,
, ,
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,
As that / proud dame,| the lord | protect|or's
wife:
x
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She sweeps it | through the | court with | troops
of | ladies,
T T .
T , ,
,
More like an emp|ress than / Duke Humph/rey's
wife:
,
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Strangers | in court,| do take | her for | the
queen:
,
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She bears | a duke's | reve|nues on | her back,
,
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And in | her heart | she scorns | our pov|erty:
, ,
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Shall I | not^live | to be | avenged | on her?
, 2
, T Tx T
,
Contemp|tuous base-|born callet as | she is,
, 2
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2 , ,
She vaunt|ed amongst | her min|ions the oth|er
day,
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The ve|ry train | of her / worst wear|ing gown,
,
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Was bet|ter worth | than all | my fath|er's
lands,
,
, T T T
2 , ->
Till Suf|folk gave | two dukedoms | for his
daugh||ter.
SUFFOLK
x
, ,
, ,
madam,| myself | have limed | a bush | for her,
,
, , ,
,
And placed | a quire | of such | entic|ing birds,
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That she | will light | to list|en to | the lays,
,
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,
And nev|er mount | to troub|le you | again.
, ,
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So let | her rest:| and mad|am list | to me,
, ,
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,
For I | am bold | to couns|el you | in this;
, ,
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Although | we fan|cy not | the card|inal,
,
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Yet must | we join | with him | and with | the
lords,
,
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Till we | have brought | Duke^Humph|rey in |
disgrace.
,
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As for | the Duke | of York,| this late |
complaint
,
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Will make | but lit|tle for | his ben|efit:
,
, , ,
,
So one | by one,| we'll weed | them all | at
last,
, ,
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,
And you | yourself | shall steer | the hap|py
helm.
[Sound a sennet. Enter KING HENRY VI, GLOUCESTER, CARDINAL, BUCKINGHAM,
YORK, SOMERSET, SALISBURY, WARWICK, and the DUCHESS]
KING HENRY VI
. T T T
, ,
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For my part, nob|le lords,| I care | not which,
, , ,
T T . T
Or Som|erset,| or York,| all's one to me.
YORK
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If York | have ill | demeaned | himself | in
France,
,
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Then let | him be | denied | the reg|entship.
SOMERSET
, , 2
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If Som|erset | be unworth|y of | the place,
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Let York | be reg|ent, I | will yield | to him.
WARWICK
,
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Whether | your grace | be worth|y, yea | or no,
, T
T T 2 , ,
Dispute | not that, York | is the worth|ier.
CARDINAL
,
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Ambi|tious War|wick, let | thy bet|ters speak.
WARWICK
, 2 ,
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The card|inal's not | my bet|ter in | the field.
BUCKINGHAM
, 2
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All in this | presence | are thy | betters,|
Warwick.
WARWICK
,
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Warwick | may live | to be | the best | of all.
SALISBURY
T T .
T , ,
,
Peace son, and show | some reas|on Buck|ingham
, ,
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Why Som|erset | should be | preferred | in this?
QUEEN MARGARET
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Because | the king | forsooth | will have | it
so.
GLOUCESTER
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, ,
,
Madam,| the king | is old | enough | himself
,
, , 2 ,
x
To give | his cens|ure: these | are no wom|en's
matters.
QUEEN MARGARET
,
, , ,
,
If he | be old | enough,| what needs | your grace
,
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To be | protect|or of | his ex|cellence?
GLOUCESTER
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Madam,| I am | protect|or of | the realm,
,
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And at / his pleas|ure will | resign | my place.
SUFFOLK
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Resign | it then, and leave | thine^ins|olence.
, ,
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Since^thou | wert king;| as who | is king,| but
thou?
, ,
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The com|monwealth | hath dai|ly run | to wreck,
,
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The Dauph|in hath | prevailed | beyond | the
seas,
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And all | the peers | and nob|les of | the realm
,
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Have been | as bond|men to | thy sove|reignty.
CARDINAL
, ,
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,
The com|mons hast | thou racked,| the cler|gy's
bags
, ,
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Are lank | and lean | with thy | extor|tions.
SOMERSET
, 2 ,
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,
Thy sump|tuous build|ings, and | thy wife's |
attire
,
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,
Have cost | a mass | of pub|lic trea|sury.
BUCKINGHAM
,
, , , ,
Thy cru|elty | in ex|ecu|tion
,
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Upon | offend|ers, hath | exceed|ed law,
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And left | thee to | the mer|cy of | the law.
QUEEN MARGARET
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Thy sale | of of|fices | and towns | in France,
, ,
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If they | were known,| as the / suspect | is
great,
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Would make | thee quick|ly hop | without | thy
head.
, 2
T T T
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Give me my | fan: what, min|ion, can | ye not?
,
, ,
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I cry | you mer|cy, mad|am: was | it you?
DUCHESS
2 , T
T Tx, T T
Tx
Was it I?| yea, I it was,| proud Frenchwoman:
, ,
, ,
,
Could^I | come near | your beaut|y with | my
nails,
,
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I'd set | my ten | command|ments in | your face.
KING HENRY VI
, ,
, , ,
Sweet^aunt | be qui|et; 'twas | against | her
will.
DUCHESS
, ,
, , 2
,
Against | her will,| good* king?| Look to it | in
time,
,
, , ,
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She'll hamper thee, and dandle thee like a baby:
??
, 2
, , ,
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Though in this | place most^|master | wear no |
breeches,
, 2
, , , ,
She shall not | strike
Dame^|Elea|nor^un|revenged.
[Exit]
BUCKINGHAM
, , 2
, , ,
Lord card/inal,| I will fol|low El|eanor,
,
, ,
, 2 ,
And list|en aft|er Humph|rey, how | he proceeds:
,
, , T T
T
She's^tick|led now,| her fume | needs no spurs,
,
, , , 2
,
She'll gal|lop far | enough | to her
de|struction.
[Exit. Enter GLOUCESTER]
GLOUCESTER
,
, , ,
,
Now lords,| my chol|er be|ing ov|er-blown,
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With walk|ing once | about | the quad|rangle,
,
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I come | to talk | of com|monwealth | affairs.
,
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As for | your spite|ful false | objec|tions,
,
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,
Prove them,| and I | lie op/en to | the law:
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,
But God | in mer|cy so | deal with | my soul,
,
, , ,
, ->
As I | in du|ty love | my king | and coun||try.
, 2
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But | to the mat|ter that | we have | in hand:
, , , ,
,
I say,| my sove|reign, York | is meet|est man
,
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, ,
To be | your reg|ent in | the realm | of France.
SUFFOLK
, ,
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Before | we make | elec|tion, give | me leave
, ,
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To show | some reas|on, of | no lit|tle force,
,
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That York | is most | unmeet | of an|y man.
YORK
, ,
, ,
,
I'll tell | thee, Suf|folk, why | I am | unmeet.
,
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, ,
First, for | I can|not flat|ter thee | in pride:
,
, ,
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Next, if | I be | appoint|ed for | the place,
, ,
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,
My Lord | of Som|erset | will keep | me here,
, , ,
, ,
Without | discharge,| money,| or furn|iture,
,
, , , ,
Till France | be won | into | the Dauph|in's
hands:
T T . T
, ,
,
Last time I danced | attend|ance on | his will,
, ,
, ,
,
Till Par|is was | besieged,| famished,| and lost.
WARWICK
,
, ,
, ,
That can | I wit|ness, and | a foul|er fact
, ,
, ,
,
Did nev|er trait|or in | the land | commit.
SUFFOLK
T T T
,
Peace headstrong | Warwick. \\
WARWICK
, ,
, ,
,
Image | of pride,| why should | I hold | my
peace?
[Enter HORNER, the Armorer, and his man PETER, guarded]
SUFFOLK
, , 2
, ,
,
Because | here is a | man ac|cused of | treason,
T T .
T ,
, ,
Pray God the Duke | of York | excuse | himself.
YORK
, ,
, , 2
,
Doth^a|ny one | accuse | York for a | traitor?
KING HENRY VI
, ,
, ,
,
What meanst | thou, Suf|folk? Tell | me, what |
are these?
SUFFOLK
,
, , ,
,
Please it | your maj|esty,| this is | the man
,
, ,
2 , ,
That doth | accuse | his mast|er of high |
treason:
,
, , ,
,
His words | were these:| that Rich|ard, Duke | of
York,
, ,
, ,
,
Was right|ful heir | unto | the Eng|lish crown,
, ,
, , 2 ,
And that | your maj|esty | was a u|surper.
KING HENRY VI
Say man, were these thy words?
HORNER
And it 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 armor.
YORK
T T T
, 2 ,
,
Base dunghill | villain,| and mechan|ical,
, ,
, , ,
I'll have | thy head | for this | thy trait|or's
speech.
,
, , ,
,
I do | beseech | your roy|al maj|esty,
,
, ,
, ,
Let him | have all | the rig|or 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 HENRY VI
,
, ,
, ,
Uncle,| what shall | we say | to this | in law?
GLOUCESTER
T T T ,
, ___
This doom, my | lord, if | I may | judge:
, ,
, x ,
Let Som|erset | be reg|ent over | the French,
, ,
, ,
,
Because | in York | this breeds | suspi|cion;
,
, , ,
,
And let | these^have | a day | appoint|ed them
, , ,
, ,
For sing|le com|bat, in | conven|ient place,
,
, ,
, x
For he | hath wit|ness of | his serv|ant's
malice:
,
, ,
, ,
This is | the law,| and this | Duke^Humph|rey's
doom.
SOMERSET
,
, , ,
,
I hum|bly thank | your roy|al maj|esty.
HORNER
, ,
, , ,
And I | accept | the com|bat wil|lingly.
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 hanged.
KING HENRY VI
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]