6

*

4

*

* Reprove my allegation, if you can ; • Or else conclude

my words effectual. . • Suf. Well hath your highness seen into this

duke; And had I first been put to speak my mind, I think, I should have told your grace's tale.3 * The duchess, by his subornation, * Upon my life began her devilish practices : * Or if he were not privy to those faults, * Yet, by reputing of his high descent, * (As next the king, he was successive heir,) * And such high vaunts of his nobility, * Did instigate the bedlam brain-sick duchess,

By wicked means to frame our sovereign's fall. Smooth runs the water, where the brook is deep; * And in his simple show he harbours treason. The fox barks not, when he would steal the lamb. No, no, my sovereign ; Gloster is a man Unsounded yet, and full of deep deceit.

* Car. Did he not, contrary to form of law, * Devise strange deaths for small offences done?

York. And did he not, in his protectorship, * Levy great sums of money through the realm, * For soldiers' pay in France, and never sent it? * By means whereof, the towns each day revolted, * Buck. Tut! These are petty faults to faults un

known, * Which time will bring to light in smooth duke

Humphrey. * K. Hen. My lords, at once: The care you have

of us,

* To mow down thorns that would annoy our foot, ,

* Is worthy praise : But shall I speak my conscience? * Our kinsman Gloster is as innocent * From meaning treason to our royal person, * As is the sucking lamb, or harmless dove: * The duke is virtuous, mild ; and too well given, * To dream on evil, or to work my downfall.

, * Q. Mar. Ah, what's more dangerous than this

fond affiance ! * Seems he a dove? his feathers are but borrow'd, * For he's disposed as the hateful raven. * Is he a lamb? his skin is surely lent him, * For he's inclin'd as are the ravenous wolves. * Who cannot steal a shape, that means deceit? * Take heed, my lord ; the welfare of us all

1 * Hangs on the cutting short that fraudful man.

a

a

Enter SOMERSRT. * Som. All health into my gracious sovereign! K. Hen. Welcome, lord Somerset. What news

from France ? • Som. That all your interest in those territories • Is utterly bereft you; all is lost. K. Hèn. Cold news, lord Somerset : But God's

will be done! York. Cold news for me; for I had hope of France, As firmly as I hope for fertile England.

I * Thus are my blossoms blasted in the bud, * And caterpillars eat my leaves away : * But I will remedy this gears ere long, * Or sell my title for a glorious grave. [Aside.

Enter GLOSTER. * All happiness unto my lord the king! Pardon, my liege, that I have staid so long.

$ — this gear-] Gear was a generał word for things or matters.

Suf. Nay, Gloster, know, that thou art come too

soon,

Unless thou wert more loyal than thou art : I do arrest thee of high treason here.

Glo. Well, Suffolk, yet thou shalt not see me blush,

Nor change my countenance for this arrest;
* A heart unspotted is not easily daunted.
* The purest spring is not so free from mud,
* As I am clear from treason to my sovereign:
Who can accuse me? wherein am I guilty?

York. "Tis thought, my lord, that you took bribes of France,

And, being protector, staied the soldiers' pay;
By means whereof, his highness hath lost France.
Glo. Is it but thought so? What are they that
think it?

'I never robb'd the soldiers of their pay,
'Nor ever had one penny bribe from France.
'So help me God, as I have watch'd the night,—
Ay, night by night,-in studying good for Eng-
land!

That doit that e'er I wrested from the king, 'Or any groat I hoarded to my use,

"Be brought against me at my trial day!
'No! many a pound of mine own proper store,
"Because I would not tax the needy commons,
"Have I dispursed to the garrisons,

And never ask'd for restitution.

* Car. It serves you well, my lord, to say so much.

*Glo. I say no more than truth, so help me God! York. In your protectorship, you did devise Strange tortures for offenders, never heard of, That England was defam'd by tyranny.

Glo. Why, 'tis well known, that whiles I was protector,

Pity was all the fault that was in me;

* For I should melt at an offender's tears,

* And lowly words were ransome for their fault. • Unless it were a bloody murderer,

Or foul felonious thief that fleec'd poor passengers, 'I never gave them condign punishment: 'Murder, indeed, that bloody sin, I tortur'd "Above the felon, or what trespass else.

Suf. My lord, these faults are easy, quickly

answer'd:

But mightier crimes are laid unto your charge, "Whereof you cannot easily purge yourself. 'I do arrest you in his highness' name; And here commit you to my lord cardinal To keep, until your further time of trial. "K. Hen. My lord of Gloster, 'tis my special hope, That you will clear yourself from all suspects; My conscience tells me, you are innocent.

Glo. Ah, gracious lord, these days are dangerous? *Virtue is chok'd with foul ambition,

* And charity chas'd hence by rancour's hand; * Foul subornation is predominant,

* And equity exíl'd your highness' land. * I know, their complot is to have my

life;

And, if my death might make this island happy, And prove the period of their tyranny,

"I would expend it with all willingness:

But mine is made the prologue to their play; For thousands more, that yet suspect no peril, • Will not conclude their plotted tragedy.

"Beaufort's red sparkling eyes blab his heart's malice, 'And Suffolk's cloudy brow his stormy hate;

Sharp Buckingham unburdens with his tongue

The envious load that lies upon his heart;

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these faults are easy,] Easy is an adjective used ad

'And dogged York, that reaches at the moon,
"Whose overweening arm I have pluck'd back,
By false accuse' doth level at my life :-

*

*

And you, my sovereign lady, with the rest,
Causeless have laid disgraces on my head;

* And, with your best endeavour, have stirr❜d up
My liefest liege to be mine enemy :—
* Ay, all of
you have laid your heads together,
Myself had notice of your conventicles,
I shall not want false witness to condemn me,
Nor store of treasons to augment my guilt;
The ancient proverb will be well affected,-
A staff is quickly found to beat a dog.

* Car. My liege, his railing is intolerable:
* If those that care to keep your royal person
* From treason's secret knife, and traitors' rage,
* Be thus upbraided, chid, and rated at,
* And the offender granted scope of speech,

"Twill make them cool in zeal unto your grace. Suf. Hath he not twit our sovereign lady here, 'With ignominious words, though clerkly couch'd, As if she had suborned some to swear

• False allegations to o'erthrow his state?

'Q. Mar. But I can give the loser leave to chide. Glo. Far truer spoke, than meant: I lose, indeed;

Beshrew the winners, for they played me false ! * And well such losers may have leave to speak. Buck. He'll wrest the sense, and hold us here all day:

• Lord cardinal, he is your prisoner.

‹ Car. Sirs, take away the duke, and guard him

sure.

Glo. Ah, thus king Henry throws away his crutch,