York. Which now they hold by force, and not by

right;

For Richard, the first son's heir being dead,

The issue of the next son should have reign'd.

Sal. But William of Hatfield died without an heir. York. The third son, duke of Clarence, (from whose line

I claim the crown,) had issue-Philippe, a daughter,
Who married Edmund Mortimer, earl of March;
Edmund had issue-Roger, earl of March;

Roger had issue-Edmund, Anne, and Eleanor.
Sal. This Edmund, in the reign of Bolingbroke,
As I have read, laid claim unto the crown:
And, but for Owen Glendower, had been king,
Who kept him in captivity, till he died.
But, to the rest.

York. His eldest sister, Anne,

My mother, being heir unto the crown,

Married Richard, earl of Cambridge; who was sou
To Edmund Langley, Edward the Third's fifth son.
By her I claim the kingdom: she was heir
To Roger, earl of March; who was the son
Of Edmund Mortimer; who married Philippe,
Sole daughter unto Lionel, duke of Clarence:
So, if the issue of the elder son

Succeed before the younger, I am king.

War. What plain proceedings are more plain than this?

Henry doth claim the crown from John of Gaunt,
The fourth son; York claims it from the third.
Till Lionel's issue fails, his should not reign:
It fails not yet; but flourishes in thee,
And in thy sons, fair slips of such a stock.-
Then, father Salisbury, kneel we both together;
And, in this private plot, be we the first,
That shall salute our rightful sovereign
With honour of his birthright to the crown.

Both. Long live our sovereign Richard, England's king!

York. We thank you, lords. But I am not your

king

Till I be crown'd; and that my sword be stain'd
With heart-blood of the house of Lancaster:
And that's not suddenly to be perform'd;
But with advice, and silent secresy.
Do you, as I do, in these dangerous days,
Wink at the duke of Suffolk's insolence,
At Beaufort's pride, at Somerset's ambition,
At Buckingham, and all the crew of them,
Till they have snar'd the shepherd of the flock,
That virtuous prince, the good duke Humphrey:
"Tis that they seek; and they, in seeking that,
Shall find their deaths, if York can prophesy.

Sal. My lord, break we off; we know your mind at full.

War. My heart assures me, that the earl of Warwick

Shall one day make the duke of York a king.
York. And, Nevil, this I do assure myself,-
Richard shall live to make the earl of Warwick
The greatest man in England, but the king. [Exeunt.

SCENE III.-The same. A hall of justice.

Trumpets sounded. Enter King HENRY, Queen MARGARET, Gloster, York, Suffolk, and Salisbury; the Duchess of Gloster, MARGERY JOURDAIN, SOUTHWELL, HUME, and BOLINGBROKE, under guard.

K. Hen. Stand forth, dame Eleanor Cobham, Gloster's wife:

In sight of God, and us, your guilt is great;
Receive the sentence of the law, for sins

Such as by God's book are adjudg'd to death.-
You four, from hence to prison back again;

[To Jourd. &c. From thence, unto the place of execution: The witch in Smithfield shall be burn'd to ashes, And you three shall be strangled on the gallows.— You, madam, for you are more nobly born, Despoiled of your honour in your life, Shall, after three days' open penance done, Live in your country here, in banishment, With sir John Stanley, in the isle of Man.

Duch. Welcome is banishment, welcome were my death.

Glo. Eleanor, the law, thou seest, hath judged thee;

I cannot justify whom the law condemns.

[Exeunt the Duchess, and the other pri-
soners, guarded.

Mine eyes are full of tears, my heart of grief.
Ah, Humphrey, this dishonour in thine age
Will bring thy head with sorrow to the ground!-
I beseech your majesty, give me leave to go;
Sorrow would solace, and mine age would ease.
K. Hen. Stay, Humphrey duke of Gloster: ere
thou go,

Give up thy staff; Henry will to himself
Protector be: and God shall be my hope,
My stay, my guide, and lantern to my feet;
And go in peace, Humphrey; no less belov❜d,
Than when thou wert protector to thy king.

Q. Mar. I see no reason, why a king of
years
Should be to be protected like a child.—
God and king Henry govern England's helm:
Give up your staff, sir, and the king his realm.
Glo. My staff?-here, noble Henry, is my staff:
As willingly do I the same resign,

As e'er thy father Henry made it mine;

And even as willingly at thy feet I leave it,
As others would ambitiously receive it.
Farewell, good king: When I am dead and gone,
May honourable peace attend thy throne!

[Exit. Q. Mar. Why, now is Henry king, and Margaret

queen;

And Humphrey, duke of Gloster, scarce himself,
That bears so shrewd a maim; two pulls at once,-
His lady banish'd, and a limb lopp'd off;

This staff of honour raught:-There let it stand,
Where it best fits to be, in Henry's hand.

Suf. Thus droops this lofty pine, and hangs his

sprays;

Thus Eleanor's pride dies in her youngest days.
York. Lords, let him go.-Please it your majesty,
This is the day appointed for the combat;
And ready are the appellant and defendant,
The armourer and his man, to enter the lists,
So please your highness to behold the fight.

Q. Mar. Ay, good my lord; for purposely therefore

Left I the court, to see this quarrel tried.

K. Hen. O' God's name, see the lists and all things fit; Here let them end it, and God defend the right! York. I never saw a fellow worse bested, Or more afraid to fight, than is the appellant, The servant of this armourer, my lords.

Enter, on one side, HORNER, and his Neighbours, drinking to him so much that he is drunk; and he enters bearing his staff with a sand-bag fastened to it; a drum before him: at the other side, PETER, with a drum and a similar staff; accompanied by Prentices drinking to him.

1 Neigh. Here, neighbour Horner, I drink to you in a cup of sack; And fear not, neighbour, you shall do well enough.

2 Neigh. And here, neighbour, here's a cup of charneco.

3 Neigh. And here's a pot of good double beer, neighbour: drink, and fear not your man.

Hor. Let it come, i'faith, and I'll pledge you all; And a fig for Peter!

1 Pren. Here, Peter, I drink to thee; and be not afraid.

2 Pren. Be merry, Peter, and fear not thy master; fight for credit of the prentices.

Peter. I thank you all: drink, and pray for me, I pray you; for, I think, I have taken my last draught in this world. Here, Robin, an if I die, I give thee my apron; and, Will, thou shalt have my hammer:and here, Tom, take all the money that I have.-O Lord, bless me, I pray God! for I am never able to deal with my master, he hath learnt so much fence already.

Sal. Come, leave your drinking, and fall to blows. -Sirrah, what's thy name?

Peter. Peter, forsooth.

Sal. Peter! what more?
Peter. Thump.

Sal. Thump! then see thou thump thy master well. Hor. Masters, I am come hither, as it were, upon my man's instigation, to prove him a knave, and myself an honest man: and touching the duke of York, -will take my death, I never meant him any ill, nor the king, nor the queen: And therefore, Peter, have at thee with a downright blow, as Bevis of Southampton fell upon Ascapart.

York. Despatch:-this knave's tongue begins to

double.

Sound trumpets, alarum to the combatants.

[Alarum. They fight, and Peter strikes down his Master.