And doggèd158 York, that reaches at the moon,

  Whose overweening159 arm I have plucked back,

  By false accuse doth level160 at my life.—

  To Queen Margaret

  And you, my sovereign lady, with the rest,

  Causeless162 have laid disgraces on my head,

  And with your best endeavour have stirred up

  My liefest liege164 to be mine enemy:

  Ay, all of you have laid your heads together —

  Myself had notice of your conventicles166 —

  And all to make away my guiltless life.

  I shall not want168 false witness to condemn me,

  Nor store169 of treasons to augment my guilt:

  The ancient proverb will be well effected:

  ‘A staff is quickly found to beat a dog.’

  CARDINAL    My liege, his railing172 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 at175,

  And the offender granted scope176 of speech,

  ’Twill make them cool in zeal177 unto your grace.

  SUFFOLK    Hath he not twit178 our sovereign lady here

  With ignominious words, though clerkly couched179,

  As if she had subornèd180 some to swear

  False allegations to o’erthrow his state181?

  QUEEN MARGARET    But I can give the loser leave to chide.

  GLOUCESTER    Far truer spoke than meant: I lose indeed:

  Beshrew the winners, for they played me false184,

  And well such losers may have leave to speak.

  BUCKINGHAM    He’ll wrest the sense186 and hold us here all day.

  Lord Cardinal, he is your prisoner.

  CARDINAL    Sirs, take away the duke, and guard him sure188.

  GLOUCESTER    Ah, thus King Henry throws away his crutch

  Before his legs be firm to bear his body.

  Thus is the shepherd beaten from thy side,

  And wolves are gnarling192 who shall gnaw thee first.

  Ah, that my fear were false: ah, that it were:

  For, good King Henry, thy decay194 I fear.

  Exit Gloucester [guarded]

  KING HENRY VI    My lords, what to your wisdoms seemeth best,

  Do or undo, as if ourself were here.

  QUEEN MARGARET    What, will your highness leave the parliament?

  KING HENRY VI    Ay, Margaret: my heart is drowned with grief,

  Whose flood begins to flow within mine eyes:

  My body round engirt200 with misery:

  For what’s more miserable than discontent?—

  Ah, uncle Humphrey, in thy face I see

  The map203 of honour, truth and loyalty:

  And yet, good Humphrey, is the hour to come

  That e’er I proved thee false or feared thy faith205.

  What louring star now envies thy estate206,

  That these great lords and Margaret our queen

  Do seek subversion208 of thy harmless life?

  Thou never didst them wrong, nor no man wrong:

  And as the butcher takes away the calf,

  And binds the wretch, and beats it when it strays211,

  Bearing it to the bloody slaughterhouse,

  Even so remorseless have they borne him hence:

  And as the dam214 runs lowing up and down,

  Looking the way her harmless young one went,

  And can do naught but wail her darling’s loss,

  Even so myself bewails good Gloucester’s case

  With sad unhelpful tears, and with dimmed eyes

  Look after him, and cannot do him good:

  So mighty are his vowèd220 enemies.

  His fortunes I will weep, and ’twixt221 each groan

  Say ‘Who’s a traitor? Gloucester he is none.’

  Exit [with Buckingham, Salisbury and Warwick]

  QUEEN MARGARET    Free223 lords, cold snow melts with the sun’s hot beams:

  Henry my lord is cold224 in great affairs,

  Too full of foolish pity: and Gloucester’s show225

  Beguiles him as the mournful crocodile

  With sorrow snares relenting passengers227,

  Or as the snake rolled in a flow’ring bank,

  With shining chequered slough229, doth sting a child

  That for the beauty thinks it excellent.

  Believe me, lords, were none more wise than I—

  And yet herein I judge mine own wit232 good—

  This Gloucester should be quickly rid233 the world,

  To rid us from the fear we have of him.

  CARDINAL    That he should die is worthy235 policy:

  But yet we want a colour236 for his death:

  ’Tis meet237 he be condemned by course of law.

  SUFFOLK    But, in my mind, that were238 no policy:

  The king will labour still239 to save his life,

  The commons haply rise240, to save his life:

  And yet we have but trivial argument241,

  More than mistrust242, that shows him worthy death.

  YORK    So that, by this243, you would not have him die.

  SUFFOLK    Ah, York, no man alive so fain244 as I.

  Aside

  YORK    ’Tis York that hath more reason for his death.—

  Aloud

  But, my lord cardinal, and you my lord of Suffolk,

  Say as you think, and speak it from your souls:

  Were’t not all one, an empty248 eagle were set

  To guard the chicken from a hungry kite249,

  As place Duke Humphrey for the king’s Protector?

  QUEEN MARGARET    So the poor chicken should be sure of death.

  SUFFOLK    Madam, ’tis true: and were’t not madness then

  To make the fox surveyor of the fold253,

  Who being accused a crafty murderer,

  His guilt should be but idly posted over255,

  Because his purpose is not executed256?

  No: let him die, in that he is a fox,

  By nature proved an enemy to the flock,

  Before his chaps259 be stained with crimson blood,

  As Humphrey, proved by reasons, to my liege260.

  And do not stand on quillets261 how to slay him:

  Be it by gins, by snares, by subtlety262,

  Sleeping or waking, ’tis no matter how,

  So264 he be dead: for that is good deceit

  Which mates265 him first that first intends deceit.

  QUEEN MARGARET    Thrice-noble Suffolk, ’tis resolutely spoke.

  SUFFOLK    Not resolute, except267 so much were done:

  For things are often spoke and seldom meant:

  But that my heart accordeth269 with my tongue,

  Seeing the deed is meritorious270,

  And to preserve my sovereign from his foe,

  Say but the word, and I will be his priest272.

  CARDINAL    But I would have him dead, my lord of Suffolk,

  Ere you can take due orders for a priest274:

  Say you consent and censure275 well the deed,

  And I’ll provide his executioner,

  I tender so277 the safety of my liege.

  SUFFOLK    Here is my hand, the deed is worthy doing.

  QUEEN MARGARET    And so say I.

  YORK    And I: and now we three have spoke it,

  It skills not greatly who impugns our doom281.

  Enter a Post

  POST    Great lords, from Ireland am I come amain282

  To signify283 that rebels there are up

  And put the Englishmen unto the sword.

  Send succours, lords, and stop the rage betime285,

  Before the wound do grow uncurable:

  For, being green287, there is great hope of help.

  CARDINAL    A breach288 that craves a quick expedient stop!

  What counsel give you in this weighty cause289?

  YORK    That Somerset be sent as regent thither:

  ’Tis meet that lucky ruler be employed:291

  Witness the fortune he hath had in France.

  SOMERSET    If York, with all his far-fet293 policy,

  Had been the regent there instead of me,

  He never would have stayed in France so long.

  YORK    No, not to lose it all, as thou hast done.

  I rather would have lost my life betimes297

  Than bring a burden of dishonour home

  By staying there so long till all were lost.

  Show me one scar charactered300 on thy skin:

  Men’s flesh301 preserved so whole do seldom win.

  QUEEN MARGARET    Nay, then, this spark will prove a raging fire

  If wind and fuel be brought to feed it with:

  No more, good York: sweet Somerset, be still:

  Thy fortune, York, hadst thou been regent there,

  Might happily306 have proved far worse than his.

  YORK    What, worse than naught? Nay, then a shame take all!

  SOMERSET    And, in the number308, thee that wishest shame.

  CARDINAL    My lord of York, try309 what your fortune is:

  The uncivil kerns310 of Ireland are in arms

  And temper clay311 with blood of Englishmen.

  To Ireland will you lead a band of men,

  Collected choicely313, from each county some,

  And try your hap314 against the Irishmen?

  YORK    I will, my lord, so please his majesty.

  SUFFOLK    Why, our authority is his consent,

  And what we do establish he confirms:

  Then, noble York, take thou this task in hand.

  YORK    I am content: provide me soldiers, lords,

  Whiles I take order320 for mine own affairs.

  SUFFOLK    A charge, Lord York, that I will see performed.

  But now return we to the false Duke Humphrey.

  CARDINAL    No more of him: for I will deal with him

  That henceforth he shall trouble us no more:

  And so break off: the day is almost spent.

  Lord Suffolk, you and I must talk of that event.

  YORK    My lord of Suffolk, within fourteen days

  At Bristol I expect my soldiers,

  For there I’ll ship them all for Ireland.

  SUFFOLK    I’ll see it truly done, my lord of York.

  Exeunt [leaving] York

  YORK    Now, York, or never, steel thy fearful thoughts,

  And change misdoubt332 to resolution:

  Be that333 thou hop’st to be, or what thou art

  Resign to death: it is not worth th’enjoying:

  Let pale-faced fear keep with the mean-born335 man,

  And find no harbour336 in a royal heart.

  Faster than springtime showers comes thought on thought,

  And not a thought but thinks on dignity338.

  My brain, more busy than the labouring spider,

  Weaves tedious340 snares to trap mine enemies.

  Well, nobles, well: ’tis politicly341 done,

  To send me packing with an host of men:

  I fear me343 you but warm the starvèd snake,

  Who, cherished in your breasts, will sting your hearts.344

  ’Twas men I lacked and you will give them me:

  I take it kindly: yet be well assured

  You put sharp weapons in a madman’s hands.

  Whiles I in Ireland nourish348 a mighty band,

  I will stir up in England some black storm

  Shall350 blow ten thousand souls to heaven or hell:

  And this fell351 tempest shall not cease to rage

  Until the golden circuit352 on my head,

  Like to the glorious sun’s transparent beams,

  Do calm the fury of this mad-bred flaw354.

  And for a minister of my intent355,

  I have seduced a headstrong Kentishman,

  John Cade of Ashford357,

  To make commotion358, as full well he can,

  Under the title of John Mortimer359.

  In Ireland have I seen this stubborn Cade

  Oppose himself against a troop of kerns,

  And fought so long, till that his thighs with darts362

  Were almost like a sharp-quilled porcupine:

  And in the end, being rescued, I have seen

  Him caper upright like a wild Morisco365,

  Shaking the bloody darts as he his bells366.

  Full often, like a shag-haired367 crafty kern,

  Hath he conversèd with the enemy,

  And, undiscovered, come to me again

  And given me notice370 of their villainies.

  This devil here shall be my substitute:

  For that John Mortimer, which now is dead372,

  In face, in gait373, in speech, he doth resemble.

  By this I shall perceive the commons’374 mind,

  How they affect375 the house and claim of York.

  Say he be taken, racked376 and torturèd,

  I know no pain they can inflict upon him

  Will make him say I moved378 him to those arms.

  Say that he thrive, as ’tis great like379 he will,

  Why then from Ireland come I with my strength

  And reap the harvest which that rascal381 sowed.

  For Humphrey being dead, as he shall be,

  And Henry put apart383, the next for me.

  Exit

  [Act 3 Scene 2]

  running scene 10

  Enter two or three [Murderers] running over the stage, from the murder of Duke Humphrey [Gloucester]

  FIRST MURDERER    Run to my lord of Suffolk: let him know

  We have dispatched2 the duke, as he commanded.

  SECOND MURDERER    O, that it were to do3! What have we done?

  Didst ever hear a man so penitent?

  Enter Suffolk

  FIRST MURDERER    Here comes my lord.

  SUFFOLK    Now, sirs, have you dispatched this thing?

  FIRST MURDERER    Ay, my good lord, he’s dead.

  SUFFOLK    Why, that’s well said. Go, get you to my house:

  I will reward you for this venturous9 deed:

  The king and all the peers are here at hand.

  Have you laid fair11 the bed? Is all things well,

  According as I gave directions?

  FIRST MURDERER    ’Tis, my good lord.

  SUFFOLK    Away! Be gone.

  Exeunt [Murderers]

  Sound trumpets. Enter the King [Henry VI], the Queen [Margaret], Cardinal, Somerset, with Attendants

  KING HENRY VI    Go call our uncle to our presence straight15:

  Say we intend to try his grace today

  If he be guilty, as ’tis publishèd17.

  SUFFOLK    I’ll call him presently, my noble lord.

  Exit

  KING HENRY VI    Lords, take your places: and, I pray you all,

  Proceed no straiter20 gainst our uncle Gloucester

  Than from true evidence of good esteem21

  He be approved in practice culpable22.

  QUEEN MARGARET    God forbid any malice should prevail,

  That faultless may condemn a noble man24:

  Pray God he may acquit him25 of suspicion!

  KING HENRY VI    I thank thee, Meg: these words content me much.

  Enter Suffolk

  How now? Why look’st thou pale? Why tremblest thou?

  Where is our uncle? What’s the matter, Suffolk?

  SUFFOLK    Dead in his bed, my lord: Gloucester is dead.

  QUEEN MARGARET    Marry, God forfend30!

  CARDINAL    God’s secret judgement: I did dream tonight31

  The duke was dumb and could not speak a word.

  King [Henry VI] swoons

  QUEEN MARGARET    How fares my lord?— Help, lords, the king is dead!

  SOMERSET    Rear up his body: wring34 him by the nose.

  QUEEN MARGARET    Run, go, help, help! O Henry, ope thine eyes!

  SUFFOLK    He doth revive again: madam, be patient.

  KING HENRY VI    O heavenly God!

  QUEEN MARGARET    How fares my gracious lord?

  SUFFOLK    Comfort, my sovereign: gracious Henry, comfort.

  KING HENRY VI    What, doth my lord of Suffolk comfort me?

  Came he right now to sing a raven’s note41,

  Whose dismal tune bereft42 my vital powers:

  And thinks he that the chirping of a wren,

  By crying comfort from a hollow44 breast,

  Can chase away the first-conceivèd45 sound?

  Hide not thy poison with such sugared words:

  Lay not thy hands on me: forbear I say,

  Their touch affrights48 me as a serpent’s sting.

  Thou baleful49 messenger, out of my sight:

  Upon thy eyeballs murderous tyranny

  Sits in grim majesty, to fright the world.

  Look not upon me, for thine eyes are wounding:

  Yet do not go away: come, basilisk53,

  And kill the innocent gazer with thy sight:

  For in the shade of death I shall find joy:

  In life, but double death, now Gloucester’s dead.