Shakespeare's First Folio Part 366

Ex[it]. Hum[frey]

Eli. Yes my good Lord, Ile follow presently.

Follow I must, I cannot go before, While Gloster beares this base and humble minde.

Were I a Man, a Duke, and next of blood, I would remoue these tedious stumbling blockes, And smooth my way vpon their headlesse neckes.

And being a woman, I will not be slacke To play my part in Fortunes Pageant.

Where are you there? Sir Iohn; nay feare not man, We are alone, here's none but thee, & I.

Enter Hume.

Hume. Iesus preserue your Royall Maiesty

Elia. What saist thou? Maiesty: I am but Grace

Hume. But by the grace of G.o.d, and Humes aduice, Your Graces t.i.tle shall be multiplied

Elia. What saist thou man? Hast thou as yet confer'd With Margerie Iordane the cunning Witch, With Roger Bollingbrooke the Coniurer?

And will they vndertake to do me good?

Hume. This they haue promised to shew your Highnes A Spirit rais'd from depth of vnder ground, That shall make answere to such Questions, As by your Grace shall be propounded him

Elianor. It is enough, Ile thinke vpon the Questions: When from Saint Albones we doe make returne, Wee'le see these things effected to the full.

Here Hume, take this reward, make merry man With thy Confederates in this weightie cause.

Exit Elianor

Hume. Hume must make merry with the d.u.c.h.esse Gold: Marry and shall: but how now, Sir Iohn Hume?

Seale vp your Lips, and giue no words but Mum, The businesse asketh silent secrecie.

Dame Elianor giues Gold, to bring the Witch: Gold cannot come amisse, were she a Deuill.

Yet haue I Gold flyes from another Coast: I dare not say, from the rich Cardinall, And from the great and new-made Duke of Suffolke; Yet I doe finde it so: for to be plaine, They (knowing Dame Elianors aspiring humor) Haue hyred me to vnder-mine the d.u.c.h.esse, And buzze these Coniurations in her brayne.

They say, A craftie Knaue do's need no Broker, Yet am I Suffolke and the Cardinalls Broker.

Hume, if you take not heed, you shall goe neere To call them both a payre of craftie Knaues.

Well, so it stands: and thus I feare at last, Humes Knauerie will be the d.u.c.h.esse Wracke, And her Attainture, will be Humphreyes fall: Sort how it will, I shall haue Gold for all.

Enter.

Enter three or foure Pet.i.tioners, the Armorers Man being one.

1.Pet. My Masters, let's stand close, my Lord Protector will come this way by and by, and then wee may deliuer our Supplications in the Quill

2.Pet. Marry the Lord protect him, for hee's a good man, Iesu blesse him.

Enter Suffolke, and Queene.

Peter. Here a comes me thinkes, and the Queene with him: Ile be the first sure

2.Pet. Come backe foole, this is the Duke of Suffolk, and not my Lord Protector

Suff. How now fellow: would'st any thing with me?

1.Pet. I pray my Lord pardon me, I tooke ye for my Lord Protector

Queene. To my Lord Protector? Are your Supplications to his Lords.h.i.+p? Let me see them: what is thine?

1.Pet. Mine is, and't please your Grace, against Iohn Goodman, my Lord Cardinals Man, for keeping my House, and Lands, and Wife and all, from me

Suff. Thy Wife too? that's some Wrong indeede.

What's yours? What's heere? Against the Duke of Suffolke, for enclosing the Commons of Melforde. How now, Sir Knaue?

2.Pet. Alas Sir, I am but a poore Pet.i.tioner of our whole Townes.h.i.+p

Peter. Against my Master Thomas Horner, for saying, That the Duke of Yorke was rightfull Heire to the Crowne

Queene. What say'st thou? Did the Duke of Yorke say, hee was rightfull Heire to the Crowne?

Peter. That my Mistresse was? No forsooth: my Master said, That he was, and that the King was an Vsurper

Suff. Who is there?

Enter Seruant.

Take this fellow in, and send for his Master with a Purseuant presently: wee'le heare more of your matter before the King.

Enter.

Queene. And as for you that loue to be protected Vnder the Wings of our Protectors Grace, Begin your Suites anew, and sue to him.

Teare the Supplication.

Away, base Cullions: Suffolke let them goe

All. Come, let's be gone.

Enter.

Queene. My Lord of Suffolke, say, is this the guise?

Is this the Fas.h.i.+ons in the Court of England?

Is this the Gouernment of Britaines Ile?

And this the Royaltie of Albions King?

What, shall King Henry be a Pupill still, Vnder the surly Glosters Gouernance?

Am I a Queene in t.i.tle and in Stile, And must be made a Subiect to a Duke?

I tell thee Poole, when in the Citie Tours Thou ran'st a-tilt in honor of my Loue, And stol'st away the Ladies hearts of France; I thought King Henry had resembled thee, In Courage, Courts.h.i.+p, and Proportion: But all his minde is bent to Holinesse, To number Aue-Maries on his Beades: His Champions, are the Prophets and Apostles, His Weapons, holy Sawes of sacred Writ, His Studie is his Tilt-yard, and his Loues Are brazen Images of Canonized Saints.

I would the Colledge of the Cardinalls Would chuse him Pope, and carry him to Rome, And set the Triple Crowne vpon his Head; That were a State fit for his Holinesse

Suff. Madame be patient: as I was cause Your Highnesse came to England, so will I In England worke your Graces full content

Queene. Beside the haughtie Protector, haue we Beauford The imperious Churchman; Somerset, Buckingham, And grumbling Yorke: and not the least of these, But can doe more in England then the King

Suff. And he of these, that can doe most of all, Cannot doe more in England then the Neuils: Salisbury and Warwick are no simple Peeres

Queene. Not all these Lords do vex me halfe so much, As that prowd Dame, the Lord Protectors Wife: She sweepes it through the Court with troups of Ladies, More like an Empresse, then Duke Humphreyes Wife: Strangers in Court, doe take her for the Queene: She beares a Dukes Reuenewes on her backe, And in her heart she scornes our Pouertie: Shall I not liue to be aueng'd on her?

Contemptuous base-borne Callot as she is, She vaunted 'mongst her Minions t' other day, The very trayne of her worst wearing Gowne, Was better worth then all my Fathers Lands, Till Suffolke gaue two Dukedomes for his Daughter

Suff. Madame, my selfe haue lym'd a Bush for her, And plac't a Quier of such enticing Birds, That she will light to listen to the Layes, And neuer mount to trouble you againe.

So let her rest: and Madame list to me, For I am bold to counsaile you in this; Although we fancie not the Cardinall, Yet must we ioyne with him and with the Lords, Till we haue brought Duke Humphrey in disgrace.

As for the Duke of Yorke, this late Complaint Will make but little for his benefit: So one by one wee'le weed them all at last, And you your selfe shall steere the happy Helme.

Enter.

Sound a Sennet.