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Henry VI part two

Act III, Scene 1

The Abbey at Bury St. Edmund's.
 
[Sound a sennet. Enter KING HENRY VI, QUEEN MARGARET, CARDINAL, SUFFOLK, YORK, BUCKINGHAM, SALISBURY and WARWICK to the Parliament]
 
KING HENRY VI
          ,         ,          ,              ,    ,
      I muse | my Lord | of Glouce|ster is / not come:
            ,          ,        ,    .    T   T   T
      'Tis not | his wont | to be | the hindmost man,
           ,       ,        ,           ,        ,
      Whatere | occas|ion keeps | him from | us now.
 
QUEEN MARGARET
           ,         ,         ,        ,        ,
      Can^you | not^see?| Or will | ye not | observe
             ,          ,        ,         ,      ,
      The strange|ness of | his alt|ered count|enance?
             ,       ,     ,        ,          ,
      With what | a maj|esty | he bears | himself,
           ,     ,         ,        ,       ,
      How ins|olent | of late | he is | become,
            ,      ,       ,   2       2    ,         ,
      How proud,| how pe|remptory,| and unlike | himself.
           ,          ,      ,     2        ,         ,  2
      We know | the time | since he was | mild and | affable,
           ,       ,           ,     .  T   T    T
      And if | we did | but glance | a far-off look,
         ,   2   ,       ,      ,          ,
      Immed|iately | he was | upon | his knee,
            ,          ,         ,          ,        ,        ->
      That all | the court | admired | him for | submis||sion.
       ,      ,         ,          ,        2      ,
      But | meet him | now, and | be it | in the morn,
           ,       ,           ,          ,        ,
      When ev|ery one | will give | the time | of day,
           ,           ,          ,         ,      ,
      He knits | his brow,| and shows | an ang|ry eye,
           ,        ,          ,        ,       ,
      And pas|seth by | with stiff | unbow|ed knee,
           ,       ,      ,        ,       ,
      Disdain|ing du|ty that | to us | belongs.
        T     T   .   T       ,        ,           ,
      Small curs are not | regard|ed when | they grin,
       .    T    T    T        ,         ,      ,
      But great men trem|ble when | the li|on roars,
            ,      2    ,    ,        ,        ,
      And Humph|rey is no | little | man in | England.
        ,     ,                   ,         ,       ,
      First note,/ that he | is near | you in | descent,
             ,           ,     ,            ,           ,
      And should | you fall,| he as | the next | will mount.
          ,         ,        ,       ,    ,
      Me seem|eth then,| it is | no pol|icy,
          ,         ,        ,   2      ,         ,
      Respect|ing what | a ranc|orous mind | he bears,
           ,       ,        ,    2      ,        ,
      And his | advant|age fol|lowing your | decease,
            ,            ,       ,          ,        x
      That he | should come | about | your roy|al person,
       ,   2    ,        ,          ,          ,
      Or be ad|mitted | to your | highness'| council.
           ,    2    ,        ,         ,           ,
      By flat|tery hath | he won | the com|mons' hearts:
            ,          ,          ,        ,    ,
      And when | he please | to make | commo|tion,
            ,         ,           ,          ,       ,
      'Tis to | be feared | they all | will fol|low him.
       ,                ,           ,           ,       ,      ->
      Now 'tis | the spring,| and weeds | are shal|low-root||ed,
       ,     2      ,       2         ,    ,         ,
      Suf|fer them now,| and they'll^ore|grow the | garden,
            ,           ,           ,        ,      ,
      And choke | the herbs | for want | of hus|bandry.
            ,         ,        ,       ,        ,
      The reve|rent care | I bear | unto | my lord,
        ,            ,           ,        ,         ,
      Made me | collect | these dang|ers in | the duke.
          ,        ,      ,          ,         ,
      If^it | be fond,| call it | a wom|an's fear:
              ,        ,       ,        ,         ,
      Which fear,| if bet|ter reas|ons can | supplant,
          ,          ,          ,         ,            ,
      I will | subscribe,| and say | I wronged | the duke.
           ,        ,          ,      ,          ,
      My Lord | of Suf|folk, Buck|ingham,| and York,
          ,         ,    ,        ,        ,
      Reprove | my al|lega|tion, if | you can,
           ,         ,          ,        ,     ,
      Or else | conclude | my words | effec|tual.
 
SUFFOLK
        ,                ,         ,       ,          ,
      Well hath | your high|ness seen | into | this duke;
           ,        ,           ,         ,          ,
      And had | I first | been put | to speak | my mind,
          ,          ,            ,          ,         ,
      I think | I should | have told | your gra|ce's tale.
            ,             ,   ,     ,    ,
      The duch|ess, by / his sub|orna|tion,
       x          ,      ,          x          ,    2
      Upon my | life be|gan her | devilish | practices:  ??
          ,              ,   ,            ,      ,
      Or if | he were / not pri|vy to / those faults,
           ,      ,       ,         ,        ,
      Yet by | reput|ing of | his high | descent,
           ,          ,     ,           ,         ,
      As next | the king,| he was | succes|sive heir,
       .    T    T     T         ,       ,    ,
      And such high vaunts | of his | nobil|ity,
            ,     ,           x       T     T     Tx
      Did inst|igate | the bedlam | brain-sick duchess,  ??
           ,       ,          ,           ,            ,
      By wick|ed means | to frame | our sove|reign's fall.
         T     T   .   T        ,           ,          ,
      Smooth runs the wat|er, where | the brook | is deep,
            x       ,         ,        ,          ,
      And in his | simple | show he | harbors | treason.
           ,      T    T     T      2        ,           ,
      The fox | barks not, when | he would steal | the lamb.
       T   T   .  T             ,         ,      ,
      No, no, my sove|reign, Glouce|ster is | a man
          ,       ,          ,         ,        ,
      Unsound|ed yet,| and full | of deep | deceit.
 
CARDINAL
       ,        ,        ,           ,        ,
      Did he | not, con|trary | to form | of law,
       .  T     T       T           ,        ,        ,
      Devise strange deaths,| for small | offens|es done?
 
YORK
           ,        ,        ,        ,       ,
      And did | he not,| in his | protect|orship,
       Tx    T     T        ,        ,            ,
      Levy great sums | of mon|ey through | the realm,
           ,          ,          ,          ,         x
      For sol|diers' pay | in France,| and nev|er sent it?
           ,           ,         ,           ,       ,      ->
      By means | whereof,| the towns | each day | revolt||ed.
 
BUCKINGHAM
       ,         2     ,        ,           ,         ,
      Tut,| these are pet|ty faults | to faults | unknown.
              ,           ,          ,           ,            ,       2->
      Which time | will bring | to light | in smooth | Duke^Humph||rey.
 
KING HENRY VI
           ,          ,          ,          ,        ,
      My lords | at once:| the care | you have | of us,
       .  T    T     T            ,        ,          ,
      To mow down thorns | that would | annoy | our foot,
           ,        ,      ,       2      ,         ,
      Is worth|y praise:| but shall I | speak my | conscience,
            ,         ,         ,       ,     ,
      Our kins|man Glouce|ster is | as in|nocent,
             ,        ,       ,        ,        x
      From mean|ing treas|on to | our roy|al person,
          ,         ,        ,         ,         ,
      As is | the suck|ing lamb,| or harm|less dove:
            ,        ,    2      ,         ,           x
      The duke | is vir|tuous, mild,| and too | well^given,
           ,          x      2     ,     T   T   T
      To dream | on evil,| or to work | my downfall.
 
QUEEN MARGARET
            ,             ,   2       ,           ,     ,   2
      Ah what's | more* dang|erous, than | this fond | affiance?
        ,            ,          ,      2     ,     ,
      Seems he | a dove?| His feath|ers are but | borrowed,
            ,        ,      ,         ,        x
      For he's | dispos|ed as | the hate|ful raven.
       ,   2      ,           ,         ,        ,
      Is he a | lamb? His | skin is | surely | lent him,
            ,         ,         ,        ,   2      ,
      For he's | inclined | as is | the rav|enous wolf.
           ,        ,         ,            ,         ,
      Who can|not steal | a shape,| that means | deceit?
             ,         ,         ,        ,       ,
      Take^heed,| my lord,| the wel|fare^of | us all,
        ,             ,         ,            ,        ,
      Hangs on | the cut|ting short | that fraud|ful man.
 
[Enter SOMERSET]
 
SOMERSET
             ,        ,       ,         ,      ,
      All health | unto | my gra|cious sov|ereign.
 
KING HENRY VI
       ,               ,     ,           ,            ,
      Welcome | Lord* Som|erset:| What news | from France?
 
SOMERSET
            ,           ,        ,          ,       x
      That all | your inte|rest in | those ter|ritories,
          ,     ,       ,          ,         ,
      Is ut|terly | bereft | you: all | is lost.
 
KING HENRY VI
        ,    ,     ,   ,    ,         ,     ,       ,
      Cold news, Lord Somerset: but God's will be done.   ????
 
YORK
             ,         ,       ,         ,          ,
      Cold^news | for me:| for I | had hope | of France,
           ,      ,       ,           x       ,
      As firm|ly as | I hope | for fertile | England.
        ,             ,         ,       ,        ,
      Thus are | my blos|soms blast|ed in | the bud,
           ,     ,        ,          ,       ,
      And cat|erpil|lars eat | my leaves | away:
          ,         ,    ,          ,          ,
      But I | will rem|edy | this gear | ere long,
           ,        ,      ,       ,    2     ,
      Or sell | my tit|le for | a glor|ious grave.
 
[Enter GLOUCESTER]
 
GLOUCESTER
           ,      ,       ,        ,          ,
      All hap|piness | unto | my lord | the king:
       ,            ,          ,           ,          ,
      Pardon,| my liege,| that I | have stayed | so long.
 
SUFFOLK
              ,           ,           ,          ,          ,
      Nay* Glouce|ster, know | that thou | art come | too soon,
          ,           ,          ,       ,          ,
      Unless | thou wert | more loy|al than | thou art:
         ,       ,                ,    ,        ,
      I do | arrest | thee of / high treas|on here.
 
GLOUCESTER
        ,   ,                 T    T   T         ,
      Well Suf/folk, thou | shalt not see | me blush,
             ,          ,      ,           ,        ,
      Nor change | my count|enance | for this | arrest:
          ,         ,     2    ,     ,  2      ,
      A heart | unspot|ted is not | easily | daunted.
           ,         ,         ,         ,          ,
      The pur|est spring | is not | so free | from mud,
         ,        ,            ,       ,        ,         ->
      As I | am clear | from treas|on to | my sove||reign.
       ,       2    ,     ,         ,   2      ,
      Who | can accuse | me? Where|in am I | guilty?
 
YORK
              ,           ,
      'Tis thought,| my lord,
                                   ,      T     T    .    T
                             That you | took bribes of France,
            x         ,          ,          ,          ,
      And being | protect|or, stayed | the sol|diers' pay,
           ,           ,         ,                ,     ,
      By means | whereof,| his high|ness hath / lost France.
 
GLOUCESTER
       ,             ,        
      Is it | but thought | so?
                                 ,          ,              x
                               What | are they | that think it?
         ,        ,          ,         ,          ,
      I nev|er robbed | the sol|diers of | their pay,
          ,            ,   ,       ,             ,
      Nor^ev|er had / one pen|ny bribe | from France.
           ,        ,       ,           ,            ,
      So help | me God,| as I | have watched | the night,
       T     T    .   T         ,    2     ,         ,       2->
      Aye, night by night,| in stu|dying good | for Eng||land,
             ,          ,        ,        ,          ,
      That doit | that ere | I wrest|ed from | the king,
         ,      ,         ,       ,       ,
      Or an|y groat | I hoard|ed to | my use,
            ,          ,         ,       ,      ,
      Be brought | against | me at | my tri|al day.
       ,    2        ,               ,   ,        ,
      No: many | a pound | of mine^/own prop|er store,
          ,                ,   ,         ,        x
      Because | I would / not tax | the nee|dy commons,
           ,       ,       ,        ,      ,
      Have I | disburs|ed to | the gar|risons,
           ,       ,          ,     ,    ,
      And nev|er asked | for rest|itu|tion.
 
CARDINAL
            ,           ,         ,        ,         ,
      It serves | you well,| my lord,| to say | so much.
 
GLOUCESTER
         ,         ,           ,          ,        ,
      I say | no more | than truth,| so help | me God.
 
YORK
           ,        ,       ,         ,        ,
      In your | protect|orship,| you did | devise
         ,     ,           2    ,         ,        ,
      Strange tor/tures for of|fenders,| never | heard of,
            ,        ,        ,         ,     ,
      That Eng|land was | defamed | by tyr|anny.
 
GLOUCESTER
            ,           ,             ,     ,    2     ,
      Why 'tis | well^known,| that whiles | I was pro|tector,
       ,          ,          ,           ,        ,
      Pity | was all | the fault | that was | in me:
          ,            ,     ,         ,          ,
      For I | should melt | at an | offend|er's tears,
           ,       ,           ,       ,            ,
      And low|ly words | were rans|om for | their fault:
          ,         ,        ,      ,     ,
      Unless | it were | a bloo|dy murd|erer,
           ,       ,   2     ,             ,             ,        ,  ->
      Or foul | felon|ious thief,| that fleeced | poor* pas||sengers,
         ,       ,        2     ,     ,    2
      I nev|er gave | them condign | punishment.
       ,    2     ,            ,       ,        ,
      Murder in|deed, that | bloody | sin, I | tortured
         ,         ,       ,          ,         ,
      Above | the fel|on, or | what tres|pass else.
 
SUFFOLK
           ,                x       ,       ,        ,
      My lord,| these faults are | easy,| quickly | answered:
            ,    2     ,           ,             ,     ,
      But might|ier crimes | are laid | unto / your charge,
            ,        ,       ,   2    ,           ,
      Whereof | you can|not eas|ily purge | yourself.
         ,       ,         ,         ,          ,
      I do | arrest | you in | his high|ness' name,
            ,        ,         ,        ,     ,   2
      And here | commit | you to | my lord | cardinal
           ,       ,          ,         ,         ,
      To keep,| until | your furth|er time | of trial.
 
KING HENRY VI
           ,          ,           ,        ,         ,
      My lord | of Glouce|ster, 'tis | my spe|cial hope,
            ,           ,           ,          ,         ,
      That you | will clear | yourself | from all | suspense,
          ,            ,         ,         ,     ,
      My con|science tells | me you | are in|nocent.
 
GLOUCESTER
          ,          ,            ,         ,      ,
      Ah gra|cious lord,| these^days | are dang|erous:
       ,             ,            ,       ,    ,
      Virtue | is choked | with foul | ambi|tion,
           ,            ,     ,          ,         ,
      And char|ity / chased hence | by ranc|or's hand;
        T   T .  T       ,       ,     ,
      Foul suborna|tion is | predom|inant,
           ,         ,  ,           ,          ,
      And eq|uity / exiled | your high|ness' land.
          ,           ,    ,            ,         ,
      I know,| their com|plot is | to have | my life:
       ,    2       ,             ,          ,        ,
      And if my | death might*| make this | island | happy,
            ,          ,   2         ,    ,     ,
      And prove | the per|iod of / their tyr|anny,
      ,             ,               ,   ,        ,
      I would | expend | it with / all wil|lingness.
            ,         ,         ,    ,                ,
      But mine | is made | the pro|logue to | their play:
            ,          ,          ,        ,          x
      For thous|ands more,| that yet | suspect | no peril,
            ,         ,             ,       ,     ,
      Will not | conclude | their plot|ted trag|edy.
        ,         ,    ,         ,    ,        ,      ,
      Beaufort's red sparkling eyes blab his heart's malice,  ????
           ,           ,       ,          ,       ,
      And Suf|folk's clou|dy brow | his stor|my hate;
        ,     ,               ,        ,           ,
      Sharp Buck/ingham | unburd|ens with | his tongue,
           ,   2     ,           ,      ,          ,
      The env|ious load | that lies | upon | his heart:
           ,        ,           ,       ,         ,
      And dog|ged York,| that reach|es at | the moon,
             ,     ,       ,                ,      ,
      Whose ov|erween|ing arm | I have / plucked back,
           ,         ,          ,      ,        ,
      By false | accuse | doth lev|el at | my life.
           ,         ,         ,       ,          ,
      And you,| my sove|reign la|dy, with | the rest,
        ,                ,        ,       ,        ,
      Causeless | have laid | disgrac|es on | my head,
            ,           ,        ,                ,    ,
      And with | your best | endeav|or have / stirred up
           ,        ,         ,         ,   ,
      My lief|est liege | to be | mine en|emy:
       ,    ,      2             ,           ,       ,
      Aye, all / of you have | laid your | heads to|gether,
          ,         ,     2     ,         ,     ,
      Myself | had not|ice of your | convent|icles,
           ,         ,      ,         ,          ,
      And all | to make | away | my guilt|less life.
       2       ,      T    T    T    ,     2      ,
      I shall not | want false wit|ness, to con|demn me,
            ,          ,              ,   ,         ,
      Nor store | of treas|ons, to / augment | my guilt:
           ,        ,    ,      2       ,      ,
      The an|cient pro|verb will be | well ef|fected,  ??
          ,          ,        ,          ,       ,
      A staff | is quick|ly found | to beat | a dog.
 
CARDINAL
           ,          ,        ,      ,      ,
      My liege,| his rail|ing is | intol|erable.
           ,            ,         ,          ,        x
      If those | that care | to keep | your roy|al person
             ,         ,        ,           ,          ,
      From treas|on's sec|ret knife,| and trait|ors' rage,
           ,        ,         ,         ,      ,
      Be thus | upbraid|ed, chid | and rat|ed at,
       ,           ,        ,        ,           ,
      And the | offend|er grant|ed scope | of speech,
               ,           ,         ,       ,          ,
      'Twill make | them cool | in zeal | unto | your grace.
 
SUFFOLK
        ,             ,          ,         ,      ,
      Hath he | not twit | our sove|reign la|dy here
            ,    ,   2     ,              ,         ,
      With ig|nomi|nious words,| though clerk|ly couched?
          ,        ,         ,       ,        ___
      As if | she had | suborned | some to | swear  ??
        T    T . T              ,   ,           ,
      False allega|tions, to / orethrow | his state.
 
QUEEN MARGARET
          ,         ,         ,       ,          ,
      But I | can give | the los|er leave | to chide.
 
GLOUCESTER
            ,       ,            ,         ,        ,
      Far* tru|er spoke | than meant:| I lose | indeed,
          ,          ,         ,            ,          ,
      Beshrew | the win|ners, for | they played | me false,
            ,          ,       ,           ,          ,
      And well | such^lo|sers may | have leave | to speak.
 
BUCKINGHAM
              ,           ,           ,         ,         ,
      He'll wrest | the sense,| and hold | us here | all^day.
        ,    ,             ,         ,     ,
      Lord card/inal,| he is | your pris|oner.
 
CARDINAL
        T     T  . T          ,          ,           ,
      Sirs, take away | the duke,| and guard | him sure.
 
GLOUCESTER
            ,          ,        ,       ,           ,
      Ah, thus | King^Hen|ry throws | away | his crutch,
          ,          ,         ,         ,         ,    ->
      Before | his legs | be firm | to bear | his bo||dy.
        ,      2      ,         ,       ,          ,
      Thus | is the shep|herd beat|en from | thy side,
             ,           ,         ,            ,           ,
      And wolves | are gnarl|ing, who | shall gnaw | thee first.
            ,         ,           ,           ,         ,
      Ah* that | my fear | were false,| ah* that | it were;
            ,          ,       ,       ,        ,
      For good | King^Hen|ry, thy | decay | I fear.
 
[Exit, guarded]
 
KING HENRY VI
           ,       ,             ,         ,        ,
      My lords,| what to | your wis|doms seem|eth best,
       T   .  T T       ,        ,           ,
      Do, or undo,| as if | ourself | were here.
 
QUEEN MARGARET
        ,                 ,         ,          ,       ,
      What, will | your high|ness leave | the parl|iament?
 
KING HENRY VI
       ,   ,               ,           ,             ,
      Aye Marg/aret:| my heart | is drowned | with grief,
              ,         ,         ,        ,           ,
      Whose flood | begins | to flow | within | mine^eyes;
          ,      ,         ,          ,    ,
      My bo|dy round | engirt | with mis|ery:
             ,            ,     ,          ,       ,
      For what's | more mise|rable | than dis|content?
          ,       ,         ,         ,       ,
      Ah unc|le Humph|rey, in | thy face | I see
           ,        ,        ,          ,     ,
      The map | of hon|or, truth,| and loy|alty:
           ,           ,         ,         ,         ,
      And yet,| good Humph|rey, is | the hour | to come,
            ,         ,            ,           ,           ,
      That ere | I proved | thee false,| or feared | thy faith.
             ,        ,         ,       ,       ,
      What lour|ing star | now env|ies thy | estate?
             ,       T     T     .   T     ,          ,
      That these | great lords, and Marg|aret | our queen,
           ,        ,             ,    ,         ,
      Do seek | subver|sion of / thy harm|less life.
             x       ,            ,           T  T    T
      Thou never | didst them | wrong, nor | no man wrong:
           ,         ,        ,       ,          ,
      And as | the butch|er takes | away | the calf,
            ,            ,           ,          ,          ,
      And binds | the wretch,| and beats | it when | it strays,
        ,        ,            ,        ,         ,
      Bearing | it to | the bloo|dy slaught|er-house;
      ,       ,      ,             2       ,           ,
      Even | so re|morseless | have they borne | him hence:
           ,        ,          ,       ,         ,
      And as | the dam | runs^low|ing up | and down,
        ,    2       ,          ,          T    T    T
      Looking the | way her | harmless | young one went,
           ,          ,           ,          ,          ,
      And can | do nought | but wail | her darl|ing's loss;
        2   ,       ,        ,              ,            ,
      Even so | myself | bewails | good* Glouce|ster's case
            ,        ,        ,                   ,     ,
      With sad | unhelp|ful tears,| and with / dimmed eyes;
            ,      ,         ,       ,         ,
      Look^aft|er him,| and can|not do | him good:
           ,      ,         ,     ,     ,
      So migh|ty are | his vow|ed en|emies.
           ,        ,          ,           ,            ,
      His for|tunes I | will weep,| and 'twixt | each^groan,
       T     T   .   T          ,         ,        ,
      Say, who's a trait|or? Glouce|ster he | is none.
 
[Exeunt all but QUEEN MARGARET, CARDINAL, SUFFOLK, and YORK; SOMERSET remains apart]
 
QUEEN MARGARET
       __     ___
      Free | lords:  \\
        T    T    T       ,          T    T    T
      Cold snow melts | with the | sun's hot beams:
       ,           ,         ,         ,         ,
      Henry,| my lord,| is cold | in great | affairs,
            ,        ,         x           ,            ,
      Too full | of fool|ish pity:| and Glouce|ster's show
           ,           ,         ,         ,     ,
      Beguiles | him, as | the mourn|ful croc|odile
            ,         ,        ,        ,       ,
      With sor|row snares | relent|ing pas|sengers;
          ,         ,        ,             x         ,
      Or as | the snake,| rolled in | a flower|ing bank,
             ,        ,           ,            ,         ,
      With shin|ing check|ered slough | doth^sting | a child,
        ,              ,        ,         ,      ,
      That for | the beaut|y thinks | it ex|cellent.
          ,          ,            ,           ,         ,
      Believe | me lords,| were none | more wise | than I,
           ,         ,       ,           ,          ,
      And yet | herein | I judge | mine^own | wit^good;
              ,           ,          ,       ,          ,
      This Glouce|ster should | be quick|ly rid | the world,
          ,        ,         ,         ,        ,
      To rid | us of | the fear | we have | of him.
 
CARDINAL
            ,           ,        ,       ,    ,
      That he | should die,| is worth|y pol|icy,
           ,         ,       ,      ,          ,
      But yet | we want | a col|or for | his death:
             ,        ,         ,           ,         ,
      'Tis meet | he be | condemned | by course | of law.
 
SUFFOLK
           ,         ,      ,              ,    ,
      But^in | my* mind,| that were | no* pol|icy:
            ,          ,       ,          ,          ,
      The king | will lab|or still | to save | his life,
           ,        ,       ,         ,          ,
      The com|mons hap|ly rise,| to save | his life;
           ,         ,         ,    2   ,     ,
      And yet | we have | but triv|ial arg|ument,
        ,              ,            ,          ,        ,
      More than | mistrust,| that shows | him worth|y death.
 
YORK
           ,         ,                 ,    ,         ,
      So that | by this,| you would / not have | him die.
 
SUFFOLK
           ,        ,       ,         ,       ,
      Ah York,| no man | alive,| so fain | as I.
 
YORK
             ,           ,          ,       ,          ,
      'Tis York | that hath | more reas|on for | his death.
         2     ,     ,   2          ,         ,           x
      But my lord | cardinal,| and you | my Lord | of Suffolk,
       ,             ,           ,          ,           ,
      Say as | you think,| and speak | it from | your souls:
          2    ,         ,        ,      ,    2      ,
      Were it not | all^one,| an emp|ty eag|le were set,
           ,           ,        ,       ,        ,
      To guard | the chick|en from | a hun|gry kite,
           ,       ,    ,          2         ,        ,
      As place | Duke Humph/rey for the | king's pro|tector?
 
QUEEN MARGARET
                 ,    ,         ,          ,         ,
      So the / poor chick|en should | be sure | of death.
 
SUFFOLK
       ,            ,            x          ,         ,
      Madam |'tis true;| and were it | not mad|ness then,
           ,         ,        ,      ,         ,
      To make | the fox | survey|or of | the fold?
            x         ,         ,      ,     ,
      Who being | accused | a craf|ty murd|erer,
            ,             ,        ,      ,       x
      His guilt | should^be | but id|ly post|ed over,
          ,          ,      2    ,     ,   ,
      Because | his pur|pose is not | exe|cuted.
       ,            ,         ,        ,      ,
      No: let^|him die,| in that | he is | a fox,
          ,         ,         ,   ,     2      ,
      By na|ture proved | an en|emy | to the flock,
          ,          ,           ,             ,        ,
      Before | his chaps | be stained | with crim|son blood,
           ,          ,         ,        ,        ,
      As Hump|hrey proved | by reas|ons to | my liege.
           ,         ,          ,        ,           x
      And do | not stand | on quil|lets how | to slay him:
       ,           ,           ,         ,      ,
      Be it | by gins, | by snares,| by sub|tlety,
        ,            ,         ,        ,       ,
      Sleeping,| or wak|ing, 'tis | no mat|ter how,
          ,        ,          ,         ,        ,
      So he | be dead;| for that | is good | deceit,
              ,           ,            ,         ,         ,
      Which mates | him first,| that first | intends | deceit.
 
QUEEN MARGARET
              ,        x            ,     ,       ,
      Thrice^nob|le Suffolk,| 'tis res|olute|ly spoke.
 
SUFFOLK
           ,     ,        ,         ,           ,
      Not res|olute,| except | so much | were done,
             ,          ,       ,          ,        ,
      For things | are of|ten spoke,| and sel|dom meant,
            ,         ,        ,         ,          ,
      But that | my heart | accord|eth with | my tongue,
       ,             ,        ,    ,    ,
      Seeing | the deed | is mer|itor|ious,
       ,            ,          ,          ,         ,
      And to | preserve | my sove|reign from | his foe,
            ,          ,        ,         ,          ,
      Say* but | the word,| and I | will be | his priest.
 
CARDINAL
          ,           ,          ,         ,          x
      But I | would have | him dead,| my Lord | of Suffolk,
       ,              ,         ,       ,         ,
      Ere you | can take | due^ord|ers for | a priest:
       ,             ,         ,         ,          ,
      Say you | consent,| and cens|ure well | the deed,
            ,         ,         ,   ,     ,
      And I'll | provide | his ex|ecu|tioner,
         ,       ,         ,      ,        ,
      I tend|er so | the safe|ty of | my liege.
 
SUFFOLK
        ,    2       ,           ,        ,        ,
      Here is my | hand, the | deed is | worthy | doing.
 
QUEEN MARGARET
           ,       ,
      And so | say^I.   ????
 
YORK
          ,        ,         ,            ,
      And I:| and now | we three | have spoke it,   ????
            ,            ,       ,        ,           ,
      It skills | not* great|ly who | impugns | our doom.
 
[Enter a Post]
 
POST
              ,           ,        ,       ,       ,
      Great^lords,| from Ire|land am | I come | amain,
          ,     ,         ,        ,          ,
      To sig|nify,| that reb|els there | are up,
           ,         ,       ,       ,         ,
      And put | the Eng|lishmen | unto | the sword.
            ,          ,           ,          ,        ,
      Send suc|cors (lords)| and stop | the rage | betime,
          ,          ,          ,       ,    ,
      Before | the wound | do grow | uncur|able;
           ,       ,                  ,     ,         ,
      For be|ing green,| there is / great hope | of help.
 
CARDINAL
           ,             ,         ,        ,   2     ,
      A breach | that craves | a quick | exped|ient stop.
             ,        ,         ,          ,        ,
      What couns|el give | you in | this weigh|ty cause?
 
YORK
            ,     ,           x      ,        ,
      That Som|erset | be sent as | regent | thither:
             ,           ,     ,      ,        ,
      'Tis meet | that luck|y rul|er be | employed,
       ,             ,        ,         ,          ,
      Witness | the for|tune he | hath had | in France.
 
SOMERSET
           ,          ,         ,        ,    ,
      If York,| with all | his far-|fet pol|icy,
            ,         ,        ,         ,         ,
      Had been | the reg|ent there,| instead | of me,
          ,       ,             ,           ,          ,
      He nev|er would | have stayed | in France | so long.
 
YORK
       T   T   .   T        ,         ,           ,
      No, not to lose | it all,| as thou | hast done.
          ,       ,            ,         ,        ,
      I rath|er would | have lost | my life | betimes,
             ,        ,       ,       ,       ,
      Than bring | a burd|en of | dishon|or home,
           ,        ,          ,          ,           ,
      By stay|ing there | so long,| till all | were lost.
        ,        T    T      x          ,         ,
      Show me | one scar, charac|tered^on | thy skin,
        T     T    .   T           ,         ,       ,
      Men's flesh preserved | so whole,| do sel|dom win.
 
QUEEN MARGARET
       ,                ,            ,        ,        ,
      Nay then,| this spark | will prove | a rag|ing fire,
           ,          ,          ,           ,         ,
      If wind | and fuel | be brought,| to feed | it with:
           ,            ,            ,     ,         ,
      No more,| good* York;| sweet* Som|erset | be still.
           ,          ,            ,          ,        ,
      Thy for|tune, York,| hadst thou | been reg|ent there,
             ,     ,           ,            ,           ,
      Might^hap|pily | have proved | far* worse | than his.
 
YORK
               ,             ,      ,          .   T     T   T
      What*, worse | than nought?| nay, then | a shame take all.
 
SOMERSET
           ,        ,         ,           ,        ,
      And in | the num|ber, thee,| that wish|est shame.
 
CARDINAL
           ,         ,     ,               ,        ,
      My Lord | of York,| try what | your for|tune is.
         2   ,       ,         ,        ,         ,
      The unciv|il kerns | of Ire|land are | in arms,
           ,        ,           ,         ,       ,
      And temp|er clay | with blood | of Eng|lishmen.
          ,         ,          ,        ,        ,
      To Ire|land will | you lead | a band | of men,
          ,         ,         ,           ,       ,
      Collec|ted choice|ly, from | each count|y some,
           ,          ,        ,          ,     ,
      And try | your hap | against | the Ir|ishmen?
 
YORK
          ,         ,          ,          ,     ,
      I will,| my lord,| so please | his maj|esty.
 
SUFFOLK
       ,             ,    ,       ,         ,
      Why, our | author|ity | is his | consent,
            ,        ,      ,         ,        ,
      And what | we do | estab|lish, he | confirms:
        T     Tx    T      ,                ,         ,
      Then, noble York,| take thou | this task | in hand.
 
YORK
         ,        ,         ,        ,           ,
      I am | content:| provide | me sol|diers, lords,
             ,     ,   ,                 ,        ,
      Whiles I | take ord/er for | mine own | affairs.
 
SUFFOLK
           ,            ,         ,         ,          ,
      A charge,| Lord^York,| that I | will see | performed.
           ,        ,     ,   2        ,           ,
      But now | return | we to the | false Duke^|Humphrey.
 
CARDINAL
           ,        ,        ,          ,          ,
      No more | of him:| for I | will deal | with him,
             ,     ,                ,       ,        ,
      That hence|forth he | shall troub|le us | no more:
           ,          ,         ,        ,        ,
      And so | break^off,| the day | is al|most spent,
              x         2    ,          ,         ,       ,
      Lord Suffolk,| you and I | must talk | of that | event.
 
YORK
           ,          x          ,      T   T    T
      My Lord | of Suffolk,| within | fourteen days
           ,      ,       ,        ,     ,
      At Brist|ol I | expect | my sol|diers;
            ,            ,          ,         ,    ,
      For there | I'll ship | them all | for Ir|eland.
 
SUFFOLK
            ,        ,       ,         ,         ,
      I'll see | it tru|ly done,| my Lord | of York.
 
[Exeunt all but YORK]
 
YORK
       T    T    .  T        ,           ,          ,
      Now York, or nev|er, steel | thy fear|ful thoughts,
             ,          ,         ,    ,    ,
      And change | misdoubt | to res|olu|tion;
           ,           ,         ,        ,          ,
      Be that | thou hopst | to be,| or what | thou art;
          ,         ,       2    ,      ,      2    ,
      Resign | to death,| it is not | worth the en|joying:
       .    T    T     T      ,      2        T    T   T
      Let pale-faced fear | keep with the | mean-born man,
            ,        ,       ,      ,       ,
      And find | no har|bor in | a roy|al heart.
       ,    2          T     T     Tx              ,            ,
      Faster than | spring-time showers,| comes^thought | on thought,
           ,         ,             ,         ,     ,
      And not | a thought | but thinks | on dig|nity.
           ,             x        2     ,    2    ,
      My brain | more* busy | than the lab|oring spi|der,
      <-   ,       ,          ,          ,         ,     ,
        Weaves || tedi|ous snares | to trap | mine en|emies.
        T    Tx      T      ,      ,         ,
      Well nobles, well:| 'tis po|litic|ly done,
           ,         ,        ,        ,        ,
      To send | me pack|ing with | a host | of men:
          ,         ,          ,          ,        ,
      I fear | me, you | but warm | the starv|ed snake,
       ,    ,                     ,             ,             ,
      Who cher/ished in | your breasts,| will sting | your hearts.
             ,         ,          ,           ,          ,
      'Twas men | I lacked,| and you | will give | them me;
          ,         ,       ,         ,        ,
      I take | it kind|ly: yet | be well | assured,
           ,      ,    ,               ,           ,
      You put | sharp weap/ons in | a mad|man's* hands.
             ,       ,        ,      2    ,       ,
      Whiles^I | in Ire|land nour|ish a migh|ty band,
      ,     2       ,       ,          T    T     T
      I will stir|^up in | England | some black storm,
              ,          ,         ,           x          ,
      Shall blow | ten thous|and souls | to heaven,| or hell:
                   ,    ,        ,           ,          ,
      And this / fell temp|est shall | not cease | to rage,
         ,          ,      ,        ,        ,
      Until | the gold|en cir|cuit on | my head,
        ,            ,    2     ,           ,        ,
      Like to | the glor|ious sun's | transpar|ent beams,
            ,         ,   2     ,     T    T    T
      Do* calm | the fu|ry of this | mad-bred flaw.
           ,       ,     ,        ,       ,
      And for | a min|ister | of my | intent,
      ,     2     ,         T    T    T       ,
      I have se|duced a | headstrong Kent|ishman,
        ,    ,      ,
      John Cade of Ashford,  ????
           ,        ,              ,    ,        ,
      To make | commo|tion, as / full well | he can,
       ,           ,            ,    ,    ,
      Under | the tit|le of / John Mort|imer.
          ,         ,        ,           ,         ,
      In Ire|land have | I seen | this stub|born Cade
          ,         ,        ,         ,          ,
      Oppose | himself | against | a troop | of kerns,
             ,          ,           ,           ,            ,
      And fought | so long,| till that | his thighs | with darts
            ,        ,    .   T      T     T       ,
      Were al|most like | a sharp-quilled por|pentine:
           ,        ,      2    ,        ,          ,
      And in | the end | being res|cued, I | have seen
           ,      ,   ,        2      ,      ,
      Him cap|er up|right, like^a | wild Mo|risco,  ??
       ,              ,       ,         ,         ,
      Shaking | the bloo|dy darts,| as he | his bells.
            ,        ,    .   T     T     T       ,
      Full^of|ten, like | a shag-haired craf|ty kern,
            ,        ,       ,         ,   ,
      Hath^he | convers|ed with | the en|emy,
           ,     ,          ,        ,      ,
      And un|discov|ered, come | to me | again,
            x         ,       ,          ,      ,
      And given | me not|ice of | their vil|lanies.
            ,       ,           ,       ,       ,
      This dev|il here | shall be | my sub|stitute;
                   ,    ,    ,           ,         ,
      For that / John Mort|imer,| which now | is dead,
           ,         ,          ,          ,       ,       ->
      In face,| in gait,| in speech | he doth | resem||ble.
       ,         ,        2     ,          ,          ,
      By | this, I | shall perceive | the com|mons' mind,
       ,             ,          ,           ,          ,
      How they | affect | the house | and claim | of York.
       T   T  T    ,         ,           ,
      Say he be | taken,| racked, and | tortured,
          ,         ,      ,     2     ,      ,
      I know | no pain | they can in|flict u|pon him,
             ,         ,        ,          ,           ,
      Will make | him say,| I moved | him to | those^arms.
       ,               ,          ,      T     T   .   T
      Say that | he thrive,| as 'tis | great like he will,
            ,          ,         ,        ,           ,
      Why then | from Ire|land come | I with | my strength,
            ,         ,         ,           ,        ,
      And reap | the harv|est which | that ras|cal sowed.
            ,         ,       ,        ,          ,
      For Humph|rey; be|ing dead,| as he | shall be,
           ,      ,       ,          ,         ,
      And Hen|ry put | apart:| the next | for me.
 
[Exit]

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