King Henry VI, Part 2 | Page 6

to me, my Humphrey, my sweet duke:?Methought I sat in seat of majesty?In the cathedral church of Westminster?And in that chair where kings and queens are crown'd,?Where Henry and Dame Margaret kneel'd to me?And on my head did set the diadem.
GLOSTER.?Nay, Eleanor, then must I chide outright.?Presumptuous dame, ill-nurtur'd Eleanor,?Art thou not second woman in the realm,?And the protector's wife, belov'd of him??Hast thou not worldly pleasure at command,?Above the reach or compass of thy thought??And wilt thou still be hammering treachery,?To tumble down thy husband and thyself?From top of honour to disgrace's feet??Away from me, and let me hear no more!
DUCHESS.?What, what, my lord! are you so choleric?With Eleanor for telling but her dream??Next time I'll keep my dreams unto myself,?And not be check'd.
GLOSTER.?Nay, be not angry; I am pleas'd again.
[Enter Messenger.]
MESSENGER.?My lord protector, 't is his highness' pleasure?You do prepare to ride unto Saint Alban's,?Whereas the king and queen do mean to hawk.
GLOSTER.?I go.--Come, Nell, thou wilt ride with us?
DUCHESS.?Yes, my good lord, I'll follow presently.
[Exeunt Gloster and Messenger.]
Follow I must; I cannot go before?While Gloster bears this base and humble mind.?Were I a man, a duke, and next of blood,?I would remove these tedious stumbling-blocks?And smooth my way upon their headless necks;?And, being a woman, I will not be slack?To play my part in Fortune's pageant.--?Where are you there? Sir John! nay, fear not, man,?We are alone; here's none but thee and I.
[Enter HUME.]
HUME.?Jesus preserve your royal majesty!
DUCHESS.?What say'st thou? majesty! I am but grace.
HUME.?But, by the grace of God, and Hume's advice,?Your grace's title shall be multiplied.
DUCHESS.?What say'st thou, man? hast thou as yet conferr'd?With Margery Jourdain, the cunning witch,?With Roger Bolingbroke, the conjurer??And will they undertake to do me good?
HUME.?This they have promised,--to show your highness?A spirit rais'd from depth of underground,?That shall make answer to such questions?As by your Grace shall be propounded him.
DUCHESS.?It is enough; I'll think upon the questions.?When from Saint Alban's we do make return,?We'll see these things effected to the full.?Here, Hume, take this reward; make merry, man,?With thy confederates in this weighty cause.
[Exit.]
HUME.?Hume must make merry with the duchess' gold,?Marry, and shall. But, how now, Sir John Hume!?Seal up your lips, and give no words but mum;?The business asketh silent secrecy.?Dame Eleanor gives gold to bring the witch;?Gold cannot come amiss, were she a devil.?Yet have I gold flies from another coast.?I dare not say, from the rich cardinal?And from the great and new-made Duke of Suffolk,?Yet I do find it so; for, to be plain,?They, knowing Dame Eleanor's aspiring humour,?Have hired me to undermine the duchess?And buzz these conjurations in her brain.?They say ' A crafty knave does need no broker;'?Yet am I Suffolk and the cardinal's broker.?Hume, if you take not heed, you shall go near?To call them both a pair of crafty knaves.?Well, so its stands; and thus, I fear, at last?Hume's knavery will be the duchess' wrack,?And her attainture will be Humphrey's fall.?Sort how it will, I shall have gold for all.
[Exit.]
SCENE III. London. The palace.
[Enter PETER and other PETITIONERS.]
1 PETITIONER.?My masters, let's stand close; my lord protector?will come this way by and by, and then we may deliver our?supplications in the quill.
2 PETITIONER.?Marry, the Lord protect him, for he's a good?man! Jesu bless him!
[Enter SUFFOLK and QUEEN.]
PETER.?Here 'a comes, methinks, and the queen with him.?I'll be the first, sure.
2 PETITIONER.?Come back, fool; this is the Duke of Suffolk and?not my lord protector.
SUFFOLK.?How now, fellow! wouldst any thing with me?
1 PETITIONER.?I pray, my lord, pardon me; I took ye for my lord?protector.
QUEEN.?[Reading] 'To my Lord Protector!' Are your supplications?to his lordship? Let me see them; what is thine?
1 PETITIONER.?Mine is, an 't please your grace, against John?Goodman, my lord cardinal's man, for keeping my house and lands, and wife and all, from me.
SUFFOLK.?Thy wife too! that's some wrong, indeed.--What's?yours?--What's here! [Reads] 'Against the Duke of Suffolk for enclosing?the commons of Melford.'--How now, sir knave!
2 PETITIONER.?Alas, sir, I am but a poor petitioner of our?whole township.
PETER.?[Giving his petition] Against my master, Thomas Horner,?for saying that the Duke of York was rightful heir to the crown.
QUEEN.?What say'st thou? did the Duke of York say he was?rightful heir to the crown?
PETER.?That my master was? no, forsooth; my master said that he?was, and that the king was an usurper.
SUFFOLK.?Who is there? [Enter Servant.] Take this fellow in, and?send for his master with a pursuivant presently.--We'll hear more of your matter before the king.
[Exit Servant with Peter.]
QUEEN.?And as for you, that love to be protected?Under the wings of our protector's grace,?Begin your suits anew and sue to him.
[Tears the supplications.]
Away, base cullions!--Suffolk, let them go.
ALL.?Come, let's be gone.
[Exeunt.]
QUEEN.?My Lord of Suffolk, say, is this the guise,?Is this the fashion in the court of England??Is this the government of Britain's isle,?And this the royalty of Albion's king??What, shall King Henry be