68

  I pray thee, sort thy heart to patience;

  69

  These few days’ wonder will be quickly worn.

  70

  Enter a Herald.

  HERALD

  I summon your Grace to his Majesty’s Parliament

  71

  Holden at Bury the first of this next month.

  72

  GLOUCESTER

  And my consent ne’er asked herein before?

  73

  This is close dealing. Well, I will be there.

  74

 

  My Nell, I take my leave.—And, master sheriff,

  75

  Let not her penance exceed the King’s commission.

  76

  SHERIFF

  An ’t please your Grace, here my commission stays,

  77

  And Sir John Stanley is appointed now

  78

  To take her with him to the Isle of Man.

  79

  GLOUCESTER

  Must you, Sir John, protect my lady here?

  80

  STANLEY

  So am I given in charge, may ’t please your Grace.

  81

  GLOUCESTER

  Entreat her not the worse in that I pray

  82

  You use her well. The world may laugh again,

  83

  And I may live to do you kindness, if

  84

  You do it her. And so, Sir John, farewell.

  85

  DUCHESS

  What, gone, my lord, and bid me not farewell?

  86

  GLOUCESTER

  Witness my tears. I cannot stay to speak.

  87

  Gloucester exits

  DUCHESS

  Art thou gone too? All comfort go with thee,

  88

  For none abides with me. My joy is death—

  89

  Death, at whose name I oft have been afeard,

  90

  Because I wished this world’s eternity.—

  91

  Stanley, I prithee, go, and take me hence.

  92

  I care not whither, for I beg no favor;

  93

  Only convey me where thou art commanded.

  94

  STANLEY

  Why, madam, that is to the Isle of Man,

  95

  There to be used according to your state.

  96

  DUCHESS

  That’s bad enough, for I am but reproach.

  97

  And shall I, then, be used reproachfully?

  98

  STANLEY

  Like to a duchess and Duke Humphrey’s lady;

  99

  According to that state you shall be used.

  100

  DUCHESS

  Sheriff, farewell, and better than I fare,

  101

  Although thou hast been conduct of my shame.

  102

  SHERIFF

  It is my office; and, madam, pardon me.

  103

  DUCHESS

  Ay, ay, farewell. Thy office is discharged.

  104

 

  Come, Stanley, shall we go?

  105

  STANLEY

  Madam, your penance done, throw off this sheet,

  106

  And go we to attire you for our journey.

  107

  DUCHESS

  My shame will not be shifted with my sheet.

  108

  No, it will hang upon my richest robes

  109

  And show itself, attire me how I can.

  110

  Go, lead the way. I long to see my prison.

  111

  They exit.

  HENRY VI

  Part 2

  * * *

  ACT 3

 

  * * *

 

  Sound a sennet. Enter King Queen

  Cardinal, Suffolk, York, Buckingham, Salisbury, and

  Warwick, to the Parliament.

  KING HENRY

  I muse my lord of Gloucester is not come.

  1

  ’Tis not his wont to be the hindmost man,

  2

  Whate’er occasion keeps him from us now.

  3

  QUEEN MARGARET

  Can you not see, or will you not observe,

  4

  The strangeness of his altered countenance?

  5

  With what a majesty he bears himself,

  6

  How insolent of late he is become,

  7

  How proud, how peremptory, and unlike himself?

  8

  We know the time since he was mild and affable;

  9

  And if we did but glance a far-off look,

  10

  Immediately he was upon his knee,

  11

  That all the court admired him for submission.

  12

  But meet him now, and, be it in the morn

  13

  When everyone will give the time of day,

  14

  He knits his brow and shows an angry eye

  15

  And passeth by with stiff unbowèd knee,

  16

  Disdaining duty that to us belongs.

  17

  Small curs are not regarded when they grin,

  18

  But great men tremble when the lion roars—

  19

  And Humphrey is no little man in England.

  20

  First, note that he is near you in descent,

  21

  And, should you fall, he is the next will mount.

  22

  Meseemeth then it is no policy,

  23

  Respecting what a rancorous mind he bears

  24

  And his advantage following your decease,

  25

  That he should come about your royal person

  26

  Or be admitted to your Highness’ Council.

  27

  By flattery hath he won the Commons’ hearts;

  28

  And when he please to make commotion,

  29

  ’Tis to be feared they all will follow him.

  30

  Now ’tis the spring, and weeds are shallow-rooted;

  31

  Suffer them now, and they’ll o’ergrow the garden

  32

  And choke the herbs for want of husbandry.

  33

  The reverent care I bear unto my lord

  34

  Made me collect these dangers in the Duke.

  35

  If it be fond, call it a woman’s fear,

  36

  Which fear, if better reasons can supplant,

  37

  I will subscribe and say I wronged the Duke.

  38

  My of Suffolk, Buckingham, and York,

  39

  Reprove my allegation if you can,

  40

  Or else conclude my words effectual.

  41

  SUFFOLK

  Well hath your Highness seen into this duke,

  42

  And, had I first been put to speak my mind,

  43

  I think I should have told your Grace’s tale.

  44

  The Duchess by his subornation,

  45

  Upon my life, began her devilish practices;

  46

  Or if he were not privy to those faults,

  47

  Yet, by reputing of his high descent—

  48

  As next the King he was successive heir,

  49

  And such high vaunts of his nobility—

  50

  Did instigate the bedlam brainsick duchess

  51

  By wicked means to frame our sovereign’s fall.

  52

  Smooth runs the water where the brook is deep,

  53

  And in his simple show he harbors treason.

  54

  The fox barks not when he would steal the lamb.

  55

  No, no, my sovereign, Gloucester is a man

  56

  Unsounded yet and full of deep deceit.

  57

  CARDINAL

  Did he not, contrary to form of law,

  58

  Devise strange deaths for small offenses done?

  59

  YORK

  And did he not, in his protectorship,

  60

  Levy great sums of money through the realm

  61

  For soldiers’ pay in France, and never sent it,

  62

  By means whereof the towns each day revolted?

  63

  BUCKINGHAM

  Tut, these are petty faults to faults unknown,

  64

  Which time will bring to light in smooth Duke

  65

  Humphrey.

  66

  KING HENRY

  My lords, at once: the care you have of us

  67

  To mow down thorns that would annoy our foot

  68

  Is worthy praise; but, shall I speak my conscience,

  69

  Our kinsman Gloucester is as innocent

  70

  From meaning treason to our royal person

  71

  As is the sucking lamb or harmless dove.

  72

  The Duke is virtuous, mild, and too well given

  73

  To dream on evil or to work my downfall.

  74

  QUEEN MARGARET

  Ah, what’s more dangerous than this fond affiance?

  75

  Seems he a dove? His feathers are but borrowed,

  76

  For he’s disposèd as the hateful raven.

  77

  Is he a lamb? His skin is surely lent him,

  78

  For he’s inclined as is the ravenous wolves.

  79

  Who cannot steal a shape that means deceit?

  80

  Take heed, my lord; the welfare of us all

  81

  Hangs on the cutting short that fraudful man.

  82

  Enter Somerset.

  SOMERSET

  All health unto my gracious sovereign!

  83

  KING HENRY

  Welcome, Lord Somerset. What news from France?

  84

  SOMERSET

  That all your interest in those territories

  85

  Is utterly bereft you. All is lost.

  86

  KING HENRY

  Cold news, Lord Somerset; but God’s will be done.

  87

  YORK,