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And when I start the envious People laugh,
And bid me be advised how I tread.
Ah Humphry, can I bear this fhameful Yoak?
Trowelt thou, that e'er I'll look the World,
upon
Or count them happy that enjoy the Sun?
No: Dark fhall be my Light, and Night my Day.
To think upon my Pomp, fhall be my Hell,
Sometime I'll fay I am Duke Humphry's Wife,
And he a Prince, and Ruler of the Land:
Yet fo he rul'd, and such a Prince he was,
As he stood by, whilft I, his forlorn Dutchess,
Was made a Wonder, and a pointing Stock
Το every idle Rafcal Follower.

But be thou mild, and blush not at my Shame,
Nor ftir at nothing, 'till the Ax of Death
Hang over thee, as fure it fhortly will.
For Suffolk, he that can do all in all

With her, that hateth thee, and hates us all,
And York, and impious Beauford, that false Priest,
Have all lim'd Bushes to betray thy Wings,
And fly thou how thou can't, they'll tangle thee:
But fear thou not until thy Foot be fnar'd,
Nor ever seek prevention of thy Foes.

Glo. Ah, Nell, forbear; thou aimest all awry.
I must offend before I be attainted:

And had I twenty times fo many Foes,

And each of them had twenty times their Power,
All thefe could not procure me any scathe,
So long as I am Loyal, True, and Crimeless.
Would't have me rescue thee from this Reproach?
Why yet thy Scandal were not wip'd away,
But I in danger for the breach of Law.
Thy greatest help is quiet, gentle Nell:
I pray thee fort thy Heart to patience,

Thefe few Days wonder will be quickly worn.

Enter a Herald.

Her. I fummon your Grace to his Majefty's Parliament Holden at Bury, the firft of this next Month.

Glo. And my Confent ne'er ask'd herein before?
This is close dealing. Well, I will be there;
VOL, IV.
N

My

My Nell, I take my leave: And Master Sheriff,
Let not her Penance exceed the King's Commiffion.
Sher. And't please your Grace, here my Commiffion ftays:
And Sir John Stanly is appointed now,

To take her with him to the Isle of Man.

Glo. Muft you, Sir John, protect my Lady here? Stanly. So am I given in charge, may't pleafe your Grace. Glo. Entreat her not the worfe, in that, I pray You ufe her well; the World may laugh again, And I may live to do you kindness, if you do it her: And fo, Sir John, farewel.

Elean. What gone, my Lord, and bid me not farewel? Glo. Witness my Tears, I cannot stay to speak.

[Exit Gloucefter. Elean. Art thou gone too? all Comfort go with thee,

For none abides with me; my Joy is Death;

Death, at whose Name I oft have been afear'd,
Because I wish'd this World's Eternity.
Stanly, I prithee go, and take me hence,
I care not whither, for I beg no Favour;
Only convey me where thou art commanded.

Stan. Why Madam, that is to the Isle of Man,
There to be us'd according to your State.

Elean. That's bad enough, for I am but Reproach: And fhall I then be us'd reproachfully?

Stan. No; like a Dutchefs, and Duke Humphry's Lady, According to that State you fhall be us❜d.

Elean. Sheriff farewel, and better, than I, fare,

Although thou haft heen Conduct of my Shame.

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Sher. It is my Office, and, Madam, pardon me.
Elean. Ay, ay, farewel, thy Office is discharg❜d.

Come Stanly, fhall we go?

Stan. Madam, your Penance done,

Throw off this Sheet,

And go we to attire you for our Journey.

Elean. My Shame will not be fhifted with my Sheet: No, it will hang upon my richett Robes, And fhew it felf, attire me how I can. Go, lead the way, I long to fee my Prison.

[Exeunt.

Enter

Enter King Henry, Queen, Cardinal, Suffolk, York, Buckingham, Salisbury and Warwick, to the Parliament. K. Henry. I mufe my Lord of Glo'fter is not come: 'Tis not his wont to be the hindmost Man,

Whate'er occafion keeps him from us now.

Q. Mar. Can you not fee? or will ye not observe
The Itrangeness of his alter'd Countenance?
With what a Majefty he bears himself,
How infolent of late he is become,

How proud, how peremptory and unlike himself!
We know the time fince he was Mild and Affable,
And if we did but glance a far-off Look,
Immediately he was upon his Knee,

That all the Court admir'd him for Submiffion
But meet him now, and be it in the Morn,
When every one will give the time of Day,
He knits his Brow, and fhews an angry Eye,
And paffeth by with stiff unbowed Knee,
Difdaining Duty that to us belongs.
Small Curs are not regarded when they grin,
But great Men tremble when the Lion roars,
And Humphry is no little Man in England.
First note, that he is near you in Descent,
And fhould you fall, he is the next will mount,
Me feemeth then, it is no Policy,

Respecting what a Rancorous Mind he bears,
And his advantage following your decease,
That he fhould come about your Royal Perfon,
Or be admitted to your Highnefs Council.
By Flatery hath he won the Commons Hearts:
And when he please to make Commotion,
'Tis to be fear'd they all will follow him.
Now 'tis the Spring, and Weeds are shallow rooted,
Suffer them now, and they'll o'er-grow the Garden,
And choak the Herbs for want of Husbandry.
The reverent Care I bear unto my Lord,
Made me collect thefe dangers in the Duke
If it be fond, call it a Woman's fear:
Which fear, it better Reafons can fupplant,
I will fubfcribe, and fay I wrong'd the Duke:

My Lord of Suffolk, Buckingham, and York,
Reprove my Allegation, if you can,

Or elfe conclude my Words effectual.

Suf. Well hath your Highnefs feen into this Duke.
And had I first been put to speak my Mind,

I think I fhould have told your Grace's Tale.
The Dutchefs, by his Subornation,

Upon my Life began her devilish Practices:
Or if he were not privy to thofe Faults,
Yet by repeating of his high Defcent,
As next the King, he was fucceffive Heir,
And fuch high Vaunts of his Nobility,
Did inftigate the Bedlam brain-fick Dutchess,
By wicked means to frame our Sovereign's Fall.
Smooth runs the Water where the Brook is deep,
And in his fimple fhew he harbours Treason.
The Fox barks not when he would fteal the Lamb.
No, no, my Sovereign, Glo'fter is a Man
Unfounded yet, and full of deep Deceit.

Car. Did he not, contrary to form of Law,
Devife ftrange Deaths, for fmall Offences done?
York. And did he not, in his Protectorship,
Levy great fums of Mony through the Realm,
For Soldiers pay in France, and never fent it?
By means whereof the Towns each day revolted.

Buck. Tut, thefe are petty faults to faults unknown,
Which time will bring to light in fmooth Duke Humphry.
K. Henry My Lords at once; the care you have of us,
To mow down Thorns that would annoy our Foot,
Is worthy Praife; but fhall I fpeak my Confcience,
Our Kinsman Glofter is as innocent

om meaning Treafen to our Royal Perfon,

As is the fucking Lamb, or harmless Dove:
The Duke is virtuous, mild, and too well given,
To dream on Evil, or to work my Downfal.

[ance?

2. Mar. Ah! what's more dangerous, than this fond affiSeems he a Dove? His Feathers are but borrow'd, For he's difpofed as the hateful Raven. Is he a Lamb? His Skin is furely lent him, For he's inclin'd as is the ravenous Wolf.

Whe

Who cannot steal a fhape, that means deceit ?
Take heed, my Lord, the welfare of us all,
Hangs on the cutting fhort that fraud ful Man.

Enter Somerfet.

Som. All Health unto my gracious Sovereign. [France? K. Henry, Welcome, Lord Some fet; what News from Som. That all our Intereft in thofe Territories,

Is utterly bereft you; all is loft.

['done..
K. Henry. Cold News, Lord Somerset; but God's Will be
York. Cold News for me: for I had hope of France,
As firmly as I hope for fertile England..

Thus are my Blossoms blasted in the Bud,
And Caterpillars eat my Leaves away.
But I will remedy this gear ere long,
Or fell my Title for a glorious Grave.
Enter Gloucefter.

Glo. All happiness unto my Lord the King:
Pardon, my Liege, that I have ftaid fo long.

[Afides

Suf. Nay, Glofter, know that thou art come too foon Unless thou wert more Loyal thần thou art;

I do arreft thee of High Treafon here.

Glo. Well Suffolk, yet thou shalt not fee me blush,
Nor change my Countenance for this Arrest:
A Heart unfpotted is not easily daunted.
The pureft Spring is not fo free from Mud,
As I am clear from Treafon to my Sovereigns
Who can accuse me? wherein am I guilty?
Tork. "Tis thought, my Lord,

That you took Bribes of France,

And being Protector, ftaid the Soldiers Pay,
By means whereof his Highness hath loft France.
Glo. Is it but thought fo?

What are they that think it?

I never robb'd the Soldiers of their Pay,
Nor never had one penny Bribe from France.
So help me God, as I have watch'd the Night,
Ay, Night by Night, in ftudying good for England.
That Doit that e'er I wrefted from the King,
Or any Groat I hoarded to my use,

Be brought againft me at my Trial day.

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