shame And ruine and her Duke shall quickly follow He must have share of it in spite of him Qu. Oh! my La Poole that I were now in private aside To Kiss thee for this Plot Oh! 't is a rare one Humes carry on this Plot here 's Gold for thee Thou shalt have more Humes So the Gold tumbles in On every side of me but 't is no wonder aside I serve the Master of the Mines of the Devil And how in Hell he uses Slaves I know not He is an excellent Master in this World Exit Qu. Oh! Suffolk thou didst never look so lovely In all thy Life as now nor did I ever Feel such transporting pleasure in my Soul Now I shall be a Queen Suff. A glorious one I 'm sure the fairest England ever saw Qu. Oh! Suffolk bravest loveliest of Men I 'm trebly blest by thee thou dost delight My Love and my Revenge and my Ambition Now all the Ladies that in scorn of me Flatter'd and waited on proud Gloster's Wife Shall suddenly repent their sawcy follies Suff. The Duke 's of Somerset and Buckingham With the Insolent Cardinal shall all fall too As for the Duke of York this late Complaint Will make but little for his benefit So one by one we 'l tumble e'm all down Qu. And on the Ruines of 'em all we 'l revel Suff. And England at the Queen's command shall be Qu. I 'le Govern that and thou shalt govern me ACT II. The King and Queen sat in State Duke Humphry Cardinal Buckingham York Salisbury Warwick and the Duchess attending King FOr my own part my Lords I care not whether Rules France the Duke of Somerset or York All 's one to me they are both fitting Men. York Sir if I ill demean'd my self in France Then let me be deny'd the Regentship Som. Sir if I be unworthy of the place Then give the Duke of York the Regentship War Whether your Grace my Lord be worthy or not Dispute not that the Duke of York is worthier Car. Ambitious Warwick let your betters speak War The Cardinal 's not my betters in the Field Buck. My Lord all in this Presence are your betters War In Title not in Fortune or in Courage Sal. Peace Son King Oh! peace my Lords Do not you know What little pleasure I have in my Crown And Do you strive to make me wearier of it You take it ill if I refuse you Governments Yet you deny to let me Rule in quiet I wonder what you see in this vile World Worth the contending for Heaven has entrusted me With Three Great Kingdoms England France and Ireland And I must give Account of 'em to Heaven And not throw up my Charge for my own ease Else I wou'd gladly give e'm all to buy The holy Peace any of you may have Yet you disturb your selves and me for Rule Which I account a Pennance for my sins Qu. Is this a King that speaks or some poor Pilgrim That having lost his way seates himself ignorantly Down in a Throne and does not know 't is one And falls a Preaching to the gaping Multitude Oh! What a Prince is this to sway three Kingdoms Aside And what a Husband 's this for a young Queen Yo. Most Gratious Soveraign our chief contention Is to give you that ease which you delight in To lay the burden of your Government On Men whose Loyalty and great Abilities May bear e'm up both to your ease and glory Sal. And for the Government of France my Lord Of York no Man so fitting as your self And pray my Lord of Buckingham shew reason Why you prefer the Duke of Somerset Qu. Because 't is the King's Will to have it so Glou. Madam the King is old enough himself To speak his Mind these are no Womens matters Qu. If he be old enough What needs your Grace To be Protector of His Majesty Glou. Madam I am Protector of the Kingdom And at His pleasure will resign my Place Suff. Resign it then and leave your Insolence Since you were King As who is King but you The Common-wealth has daily run to ruine The Dauphin seiz'd our Provinces in France And you our Liberties and Honors here Car. The Commons you have Rack't the Clergies Bags Are lank and lean with your Extortions Som. You spend the Publick Treasure most profusely On Sumptuous Buildings for your Luxury And costly Attire for your Wive's Vanity Elia. So so my Dress becomes a Crime of State Shortly I do believe you will Arraign My Necklaces and Bodkins of High Treason You cannot do it by the Law of England ' Cause they have not their Equals here to try 'em by Buck. We may extort the Law as oft your Husband Has done to punish beyond bounds of Law Qu. And not content to waste the Publick Treasure Both on his own and his Wive's foolish Pride He has as the Suspition's very strong Made Sale of Offices and Towns in France Which if 't were prov'd shou'd make him lose his Head Glo. How am I baited beyond Human sufferance I will go out and coole lest I be tempted To act or speak any thing Unworthy of my self and of this Presence Exit King My Lords my Lords I see and grieve to see Too much Ill-mindedness in all this Fury We oft by Lightning read in darkest Night And by your Passions I read all your Natures Though you at other times can keep e'm dark But I have Read e'm when you thought it not And I my self scarce minded what I did I like the musing Hermit in the Desert Feel the cold nipping blasts of the rough Wind And hear the Howles of Wolves and Yelpes of Foxes Though I regard e'm not nor mind at all To shun e'm or to fortifie against e'm Card. I hope the King rankes not among the Wolves One of the Shepherds of the Sacred Flock King I shou'd be glad I had no cause at all Suff. I hope there 's none of us has spoken any thing But from deep sence of Loyalty and Honor Against a Traytor to the King and Kingdom King I 'le Judge so honourably of you all To think you only eccho Publick Rumor And Ecchoes that miscall the Passenger Injure him not but they that set e'm talking Publick Report then wrongs the Duke not you For if you know him false Why don't you prove it Then you do ill to do no more then Talke Qu. Sir subtle Men don't use to act their Wickedness In Roades in Markets or on Steeple tops But closely hid so hid that oft the Devil Who did employ e'm scarce knows what they mean Elia. Come Sir all this is spoken out of envy Low crawling envy envy that is chok'd With the great Dust the Train of my Robes make Whence came this beggarly Spirit into England It never can be of the English growth The late great Conquerors of Towns and Provinces Fallen to envy a Lady's Cloaths Oh! beggarly Some poor French Pedler brought this Spirit hither
' Mongst the small Wares they sell so dear to us Qu. Oh! how she taunts me this is meant to me Aside I will take an occasion to affront her Le ts fall her Fan. Give me my Fan What Minion Can you not She gives the Duchess a Box o' th' â—â—re I cry you Mercy Madam Was it you Elia. Yes it was I proud Daughter of a Beggar Strike me thy betters many times thy betters Bating the Dignity thc King bestows on thee No mar'le thou look'st with envy on my Jewels Thy Father cou'd not give thee Gold enough Only to Guild one of the Kings Prayer-Books The King was forc'd to give him two great Provinces That so it might not shamefully be said The Father of the Queen of England starves Qu. So so King Fye Madam Fye this is too much Pray Rule your self it was against her will Elia. Against her will no! Sir 't was with her will And shortly she will do as much to you But she shall never strike me unreveng'd Exit Elia. Buck. I will follow her my Lord Cardinal And listen after the Duke how he proceeds The Duchess Fury now will need no spurs She 'l gallop fast enough to her destruction Card. And let her gallop and the Devil speed her Ex. Buck. Enter Duke Humphry Glo. My Lords I 've walk'd away from all that passion Which your false spiteful Accusations Had kindled in my breast and now I come In a cold candid temper to advise you To spare your selves for me you cannot hurt Bring any Proofs of what you have accused me And I lye open to the Law as any Man At least I will do so for if you think My Office fences me I 'le throw it down But to the matters that we have in hand I say the Duke of York's the fittest person To be your Regent Sir in France Suff. Before Election's made let me shew reason why The Duke of York is most unfit of any Man York My Lord of Suffolk I will tell you why Because I scorn to be your Flatterer Next if I be appointed for the place Such is my Lord of Somersets ambition And hate to me that he will keep me here Without Discharge Money or Furniture Till France be wonn he had rather it were lost Than any one shou'd rule it but himself Last time I danc'd Attendance on his will Till Paris was besieg'd famish'd and lost War That I can witness and a blacker Treason Was ne'r committed Suff. Peace my Lord of Warwick Here 's one shall silence you and him you plead for Enter Armorer and his Man Peter York How Silence me Suff. Yes here is a Man accused Of Treason that relates to you my Lord. York Does any one accuse me for a Traytor King What do you mean my Lord What Men are these Suff. An 't please your Majesty this is the Man That does Accuse his Master of High Treason His words were these That Richard Duke of York Was the true lawful heir to the Crown of England And that your Majesty was an Usurper King Say Man Were these thy words Arm. An 't please your Majesty I never said nor thought any such matter Heaven is my witness I am falsely accus'd Pet. By these ten bones he spoke e'm to me one night my Lord in the Garret when we were scow'ring the Duke of York's Armour York Base Villain I will have thee hang'd for this Most Trayt'rous Speech I do beseech your Majesty Let him find all the rigour of the Law Ar. Hang me my Lord if ever I spoke these words My Accuser is my Prentice and I correcting him For his Fault the other day he Vow'd on 's knees He 'd be reveng'd on me I have good witness Therefore I beseech your Majesty cast not away An Honest Man for a Rogues Accusation One that has been a Rogue Sir all his Life A most notorious Rogue Sir I beseech you King Unckle What shall we say to this in Law Glo. If I may Judge Sir let the Duke of Somerset Be Regent o'r the French because the Duke Of York lies under violent suspition And let these have a day appointed e'm For single Combate ' cause the Armourer Has Witness of his Servants Threats and Malice This is the Law and this is Sir my Sentence King Let it be so Som. I humbly thank your Majesty Armo. And I accept the Combat willingly Pet. Alass my Lord I cannot fight oh pity me Oh Heaven have mercy on me I shall never Be able to strike a blow oh Lord my heart Why the Devil must I fight Is this my Reward for Witnessing I cannot fight Glo. Sirrah you must fight or be hang'd King Away with e'm to Prison till the Combat Come my Lord Duke I will dispatch you to France All go out but the Cardinal Card. I will not rest till I 've the Blood of Glocester He must be Lord Protector of the Kingdom And Lord it over me He thinks he is A better Man ' cause he is a King's Son And I but Son of the Duke of Lancaster He is the Son of Henry the Fourth And I of Henry's Father John of Gaunt But at my making there it seems did want Some Holy Ceremonies for want of which I 'm that the Rude Ill-manar'd Law calls Bastard And ' cause the Law has thrust me from Succession To the great Temporal Glories of my Father They wrap'd me up in a Priest's Robe and lay me Out of the World and in the way of Heaven They shou'd have drest poor Henry in this Child's Coat And laid him in the Cradle of the Church And hum'd him fast asleep with Holy Stories His little Soul was fitter for those things Well I will go to Heaven but in my way I at the Lord Protectorship will bayt Or I will lye abroad in stormes of Blood My Cosins themselves Legitimate may call Their Souls compar'd with mine are Bastards all Exit Enter Elianor Humes the Scene a Room in the Conjurer's House Elia. Where are your Instruments Humes They are both ready Preparing their dire Charms and Exorcisms Elia. Call e'm Enter Bullingbrook and the Witch Humes Come in this Madam is Roger Bullingbrook A Man of wonderful and dreadful Art He has a Key to the Infernal deep And let 's abroad what Spirit he will and when And when he will he Chains him up again This Woman equals him in Power and Art Her Name is Jordan Elia. Come begin your Charmes Bull. Dare you be present Madam Elia. Dare the Devil Come in my presence for I dare meet him Bull. Madam you may for Heaven fetters him And gives us Mortal Creatures Power to do so I gain'd my Art by Prayer and profound Study Then nothing fear Elia. I ne'r knew what fear was Bull. Go Mother Jordan get the Incense ready The Witch goes out Elia. Well said my Masters come begin begin Bull. Pray Patience Madam for we know our times Our time is in the Deep and Silent Night
save your self From Whipping leap o'r this Stool and run away Simp. Alass Master I am not able to stand alone You go about to Torture me in vain Glo. Well Sirrah I must have you find your Legs Whip him till he leap o'r that same Stool Simp. Master What shall I do I cannot stand Glo. Leap Sirrah Leap Simp. Oh! oh Beadle Whips him he leaps over the Stool and runs away and they cry a Miracle follow King Do'st thou behold thir Heaven and bear thus long Glo. Bring back the Rogue and take this Drabbe away Wife Alass we did it for pure need forsooth Glo. Let e'm be Whipt through every Market Town Till they come to Berwick from whence they came Car. Heark you Are not you a Company of Damn'd Fools To employ such a Silly Rogue as this Softly to a Fryer That has shewn all your Cheats to the whole World Fry My Lord they were known to all Wise Men before And such a Fool will serve to Couzen Fools And Fools are those that we must hope to stand by Exit Enter Buckingham King What Tidings brings my Lord of Buckingham Buc. Such as my heart does temble to relate My Lord Protector 's Wife has practis'd horridly And dangerously against your Majesties Life H 'as dealt with Hellish Conjurers and Witches To raise up wicked Spirits from under Ground To acquaint her with your destiny and Councel her How she may ayd your Fate and hasten it She 's enquir'd too of the Infernal Oracle The Fates of several of your Majesties Council We apprehended e'm all in the Fact Car. Ha! Is she fallen into our Trap that 's well Aside And she shall soon pluck her Duke Humphrey after My Lord Protector your good Lady finding She governs you thinks she can rule the Devil And have th' infernal Powers at her Command Heaven be Prais'd England's Protected well Your Grace is Lord Protector of the Kingdom Your Wife rules you the Devil is her Protector And so the Devil is England's Lord Protector I hope we shall displace his Devilship Glo. And put a worse Devil in if you succeed But these good Churchmen are the heavenly comforts You give your Kinsman in affliction You may insult for sorrow has so vanquisht me The basest Groom may trample on me now King What horrid things are practis'd in this World How vile ones heap confusion on their heads Qu My Lord my Lord you see your nest is tainted Look that your self be faultless you had best Glo. Madam I will not answer for a Woman For my own self to heaven I appeal Who knowes how I have lov'd my King and Country And for my Wife I know not how it stands Sorry I am to hear what I have heard Noble she is but if she have forgot Honor and Vertue I will forget her And banish her my Bed and my Acquaintance And give her up to the just punishment Which â—he deserves for so much wickedness And so dishonouring my honest Name King I will to London with what haste I can To look into this business thoroughly And call these foul offenders to their Answers Ex. Om. prae Suff. and the Qu. Qu. My dear dear Suffolk how thou every moment Heap'st new delights on me when thou didst get for me The English Crown thou didst not please me more Then now in getting me revenge on Elianor Treading on her methinks I walk in Triumph To a second and more pleasing Coronation Suff. I told you Madam I had snares for her You were impatient and cou'd not stay Till things cou'd ripen Qu. Oh! thou art my Sun My joyes and glories ripen grow and flourish Under thy beautiful and glorious beams Come le ts go see Dame Elianor in her shame The pleasing'st sight in the whole World next thee Suff. Next sight I 'le shew you shall be Gloster's fall The good fond Husband will be loth to stay Behind his Wife though she goes to destruction Qu. Sure thou wert made o' purpose for my Love Had heaven bid me ask for some great Merit A Gift that might have shewed bounty divine I wou'd have said Let Suffolk heaven be mine Ex. ACT III. Enter York Salisbury and Warwick The SCENE the Duke of York's House long Scrowles lying on a Table York NOw my good Lords of Salisbury and Warwick You have perus'd my Title to the Crown I pray deliver me both your opinions War My Lord 't is very plain the Right is yours King Henry claimes the Crown from John of Gaunt Fourth Son of Edward the Third Your Grace claims it From Lyonell Duke of Clarence the Third Son Till Lyonell's Issue fails his shou'd not Reign It failes not yet but flourishes in you â—nd in your Sons fair Branches of your Stock My Lord of Salisbury kneel we together And in this private Room be we the first That shall Salute our Lawful Soveraign With the honor of his Birth-right to the Crown Both. Long live our Sovereign Richard King of England York My Lords I give you both my hearty thanks But I am not your King till I be Crown'd And my Sword slayn'd in the heart blood of all The House of Lancaster and that 's not suddenly Nor very easily to be perform'd We must use Counsel Secresy and Courage Do you as I do in these dangerous days Wink at the Duke of Suffolk's Insolence At Beauford's Pride at Somerset's Ambition At Buckingham and all the Crew of e'm Till they have snar'd the good and wise Duke Humphry Whose Vertues are so many Guardian Angels Both to the King and Kingdom his destruction These ill Men seek and they in seeking that Shall find their own if I can Prophesie Sal. My Lord let us break off we know your Mind War There 's something great within my breast that tells me The Day is coming when the Earl of Warwick Shall make the Duke of York the King of England Yo. And I shall live to make the Earl of Warwick The greatest Man in England but the King Exit The SCENE the Court. Enter King and Queen Duke of Suffolk Duke of Glocester Cardinal Elianor a Prisoner King Madam stand forth and hear your Sentence from me In sight of heaven and me your guilt is great A Crime to which heavens Book adjudges Death Your Fellow Criminals shall suffer Death â—nd 't is notorious false reasoning â—ou shou'd be spar'd because you are great and Noble he World is us'd to such false Reasonings â—nd that 's the cause there is so little Truth in it But I observe but few of the World's Customs Nor will I now be lead away in this Then hear my Sentence since to your great Spirit There is no pain like shame I Sentence you To bear the tort'ring shame of open Pennance And since to live depos'd of all your Honors In some remote sad desolate obscurity Is to you pain like burying alive I Sentence you to spend your days in Banishment With Sir John Stanley in the Isle of Man
the Living cannot eat Nor drink nor sleep in quiet for the Dead The Dead that can do none of e'm must plague us Thou envious Ghost get to thy own abode I know not where it is in Heaven or Hell Oh! Hell Hell Hell I am tormented Oh! 1 Mur. Oh! gallant brave Infallibility Enter the King Salisbury Warwick King How does the Cardinal 2 Mur. Sir of a sudden He 's fallen into a fit of Infallible Madness Card. Ha! who are these Stand off stand off who are you Sal. This is your King Card. What King The King of Terrors Death is it he If thou be'st Death I 'le give thee Treasure enough to purchase all this Kingdom So thou wilt let me live and feel no pain King Ah! What a sign it is of evil life When Death's approach appears so terrible War My Lord my Lord Do you know your King Car. What King what King War King Henry Car. Ha! King Henry Sir bring me to my Trial when you will I am prepar'd died he not in his Bed Can I make men live whether they will no Oh! do not torture me I will confess Oh! King Poor wretch War What think you Sir Are not these signs Of horrid Guilt King Let us not Censure him Car. Alive again do you say Ha! shew him me I 'le give a Thousand Pound to look on him Stand by and let me see him there he is He has no Eyes the dust has blinded e'm Comb down his hair look look it stands upright Like Limetwigs set to catch my flying Soul I prethee do not carry me along with thee And I 'le do cruel Pennance all my life Hunger shall tear my Entrals Whips my Flesh Thorns my bare Feet my habit shall be Hair-cloth The Rock my Bed hard Roots my only food Foul Puddle all my drink if this suffice not I 'le sell my self a Slave among the Turks What dost thou say wilt thou consent to this King Oh! thou eternal Mercy cast an eye Of pity on this Wretch Oh! drive away from him The hungry Fiend that strives to gripe his Soul Card. Ha! Wilt thou not consent and must I die Oh! let me live and be a Slave a Dog What must I die Oh! this is very cruel War See how he grins Sir with the pangs of Death Sal. Disturb him not let him pass peaceably King Peace to his Soul if it be Heavens good pleasure Lord Cardinal If you have any hopes of Heaven Hold up your hand and give a joyful signal Sal. He gives us none King Oh! Heaven have mercy on him War He gives a dreadful signal of his Guilt King Forbear to judge him we are sinners all He 's dead close up his eyes and let us all To sad and devout Meditation Exeunt The Scene is drawn The Queen weeping A Lady attending Qu. How am I robb'd of all my joys in Youth That now my doleful Years will hang on me Like a great Family on a poor Bankrupt My hope is Destiny will ne're be able With this great weight of Misery upon me To drag me to the Prison of old Age Where we lie cold and dark as in the Grave And have as great a load of Earth upon us Where melancholy thoughts about us crawl Like Toads in Dungeons about Malefactors That Prison where through gates of Horror wrinkled Fate feeds us with the Water of our Tears But enough to quench the thirst of Sorrow For the old Well is then almost dried up Lady Oh! Madam you 'l bring Age on you in Youth If you weep thus Qu. I wou'd if I cou'd bring on me The only joy of Age to be near Death But I have a long Life to travel through Barren and comfortless as any Desert And I am spoil'd of all just at the entrance Enter another Lady 2 Lady Madam there 's a Gentleman without Come from aboard a Vessel where the Duke Of Suffolk lately was Qu. Oh! bring him Enter a Gentleman Oh! saw you lately Sir the Duke of Suffolk Gent. Yes Madam Qu. Oh! How does he Gent. Well I doubt not He is at the end of an unhappy Journey Qu. In France already Gent In a better Country Madam forgive my zeal to my dear Lord. I had the honour to be once his Servant And knowing well your Majesty did bear A very great respect to his great Merit Came to entreat you to revenge his Blood Qu. His Blood Gent. His Blood See Madam this was once The beauteous manly Visage of my Lord. Shews the Duke of Suffolk 's Head 1 Lady She faints she dies Oh! help for Heaven's sake 2 Lady She stirs she 's coming to her self again Qu. Why have you wak'd me from this pleasing slumber In which I had forgotten my vast misery Where is the bloody Spectacle you shewed me 1 Lady Away with it Qu. Shew it me again I say Oh! barbarous and bloody Spectacle Is this the Noble Duke Is this the man That was the pride of Nature England's Ornament But now is England's everlasting shame Oh! my dear murder'd Duke Is this the meeting Which we at parting promised to each other Love promis'd more than Destiny cou'd pay Who did this cursed deed Gent. A cursed Pyrate Who in the Rivers Mouth clapt him aboard And took the Duke and all of us his Prisoners The Duke they knew not till they spy'd his George And then he own'd himself and for his Ransome Offer'd what sums of Gold they wou'd demand He chanc'd to be one Walter Whitmore's Prize Who lost in Fight his eye Qu. And to revenge it He wou'd put out the Sun Gent. Yes kill the Duke And he was stirr'd to greater insolence By that damn'd Villain which they call'd their Captain Who said the Duke had murder'd good Duke Humphry Begger'd the King lost France and ruined England Nay his foul Tongue did not refuse to spit Dishonour on your Sacred Majesty And said the Duke had injur'd the King's Bed Qu. Impudent Villain Gent. For all which foul Crimes He said he wou'd revenge the King and Kingdom Qu. Bold bloody Villain Gent. The brave Duke on this Calling to mind his Birth was Calculated And it was told him he shou'd die by Water He thought at first the Fiend had quibbled with him And he shou'd die by one who was call'd Water But then remembring that he was at Sea He found the Devil had two strings to his Bow So Saw himself encompast round with Destiny Then lifting up his Eyes to Heaven he smil'd As if he in his noble thoughts derided The sport Fate makes with great mens Lives and Fortunes Then looking down with scorn on his base Enemies He gave a sigh at which he nam'd Queen Margaret And with that grace he acted every thing He bowed his Head and had it stricken off Qu. Oh! execrable Villains cou'd this face Which govern'd me not strike an awe in you Who were not worthy once to look up it And thou unfortunate gallant man Thy Wit thy Valour and
Glocester The FIRST PART ACT. I. Enter Humphry Duke of Glocester Duke of York Cardinal Beauford Duke of Somerset Duke of Buckingham Earl of Salisbury Earl of Warwick Glo. MY Lords you cannot but have seen of late Much discontent sit always on my Brow All Men that know me well must know no private Petty concernment can unfix my mind No some will think perhaps I speak too proudly I care not what they think I 'le speak my Mind Nothing has weight enough to press my spirits Less than the great Misfortunes of the Kingdom Card. So how my Lord Protector gracefully aside Ushers himself into these Lords esteem What bosom here now will not bid him wellcome I hate him but I will not let him know it Till I can let him know it to his ruine Glo. Ah! my Lords Did my valiant glorious Brother Henry the Fifth erect the Law of England Above the Roman or the Macedonian Do things that made the Continent all tremble When e're the favourable Winds unlockt The floating Gates of this our little World To let out that our brave Warriors to invade it That France not only did confess it self A Vassal to his Royal English Blood But the whole Empire of the World did seem To own it self the Birth right of his Valour Yo. Eternity shall ne'r wear out the Characters Of his Renown which his keen Sword engrav'd Glo. Ay yes his fame shall last but not his Empire He 's dead and with him his great Empire dies All that hiâ— Valour got all that the vigilance And wisdom of my Brother Bedford kept All that your selves and I have early and late Study'd to keep and kept some years with glory Crowning our King in Paris in his Infancy Making Proud France bow to an English Child All all these Labours Victories and Glories Are melting down in a soft beautious bosom Given away to purchase a Fair Face A fatal Marriage in one fatal minute Has spoyld the Work of many glorious years Card. Nephew you are more passionate than needs Erance is not gone nor shall it go so easily Glo. No 't is not gone indeed but all the sluces Are pulling up and it is going fast 'T is pouring out apace in Provinces The new made Duke of Suffolk gives whole Provinces To buy the King a Wife Anjou and Maine Are frankly given to the Queen 's poor Father King â—eignier whose high and flowing style Dwells far above the Banks of his low Purse But he must have these Provinces to fill it Of such low value in this Duke's esteem Is all the purchase of our Blood that he Wil give it all away for Blushing Cheeks Sal. Those Dukedoms were the Keys of Normandy My Lord of Warwick Weeps Why weeps my Son War Who wou'd not weep to see his own Blood cheapned And sold before his Face at a low rate I won those Provinces and what got With Wounds is given away with peaceful words Glo. Yes and to make it even ridiculous The Duke of Suffolk Asks a whole Fifteenth For Charges to Transport the Queen to England What Was there ne'r a Beauty in the World Besides the Queen yes sure there was in England Had the King so much doted upon Beauty He might have Married one of His fair Subjects And had more Beauty at a cheaper rate Card. My Lord of Glocester this is hot discourse And as I think to very little purpose Since what is done now cannot be recall'd And what is done was done to please the King Glo. My Lord of Winchester I understand you 'T is not my hot Discourse but Presence warms you You have a Fester'd Mind and 't will break out I saw it in your Face if I stay longer We shall begin our antient Bickerings But such small matters shall not trouble me I will be gone but e're I go I 'le Prophesy France will be lost but I desire to prove As False a Prophet as you are a Priest Exeunt Card. Affronted thus ' Pox o' these fumbling Robes aside How came my Warlike Spirit wrapt in these Formalities that hold my hands from Blood I 'm fitter for a Sword and I will use one Did you not hear the good Protector Lords Expect what usage you will have when I His Unckle and a Priest am thus abus'd You see how well his Enmity is heal'd And he has much the same kiâ—dness for you And indeed for the King He makes great shew Of Zeal for England and he has great zeal for it That is t' enjoy it he is heir apparent And the King cannot please him by a Marriage Unless he 'd Wed an Altar or a Cell Be not my Lords cheated with his smooth words What though the foolish common people dote on him Clapping their hands and shouting when they see him Crying Heaven save your Roâ—al Excellence And call him always the good Duke of Glocester They are Fools and know not Men nor what they love Uncheat e'm but however save the King Protect him from his dangerous Protector Buck. Why shou'd the King my Lords have a Protector He is of age I think to rule himself My Lord of Somerset joyn you with me We with the Duke of Suffolks ayd will hoyse Duke Humphry from his Seat Card. This weighty business Brooks no delay I 'le to the Duke of Suffolk Exit Som. Though the Protector 's Pride and Greatness vex us The Cardinal's Insâ—lence is more intolerable If Gloster be displac'd he 'l be Protector Buck. If Gloster falls or you or I 'le succeed Ex. Buck. and Sal. Sal. So so the Kingdom will thrive well no doubt When all will rend her for their private ends I never saw but the good Duke of Glocester Bore himself like a Noble Gentleman But I have seen the Cardinal demean himself More like a Soldier than a Priest he 'l often Swear like a Ruffian quarrel like a Hector Trample on all as he were Lord of all My worthy Son and you my Lord of York My valâ—aâ—t Brother let us joyn together And shâ—w the Kingdom has some good Men in it Who faithfully will serve their King and Country And ayd all others who promote that work And among those I reckon the Protector War So heaven help me as I love my Country Ex. Sal. War Yo. And so say I for I have greatest cause Anjou and Main are given to the French Two Dukedoms given for a Dukes fair Daughter Henry I blame thee not What is it to thee Thou dost not give away thine own but mine Pirates may make cheap penny-worths of their Pillage Whilst the poor injur'd owner stands aloofe And shakes his head and weeps and wrings his hands And sees his Goods all borne away and dares Not touch his own or scarcely call it his England and France and Ireland are my Kingdoms One day I may both claim and seize my own And from weak Henry's Head may pull the Crown These high fierce Tempests methinks make it shake What opportunity
Minion Trayterous Suffolk That I were now a Pestilence to cover her From head to foot with tort'ring deadly sores I will throw scorn on her as I pass by A thing a Woman hates worse than the Plague And I will undermine her Royal Glories If digging deep as lowest Hell will do it I 'le climbe the Throne or else to Hell I 'le fall If Heaven won't make me great the Devil shall Qu. Ha! Did you not observe my Lord of Suffolk With what contempt that Woman look'd upon me As she past by Suff. I saw it and I laugh'd at it Qu. Ho! call her back and fling her at my feet Suff. She shall fall shortly there and lower too If my Plots fail not Enter Petitioners Peter the Armorers Man being one 1. Pet. May it please your Grace Suff. What woud'st thou have with me 1. Pet. I think you be my Lord Protectors Grace If you be pray your Grace see my Petition 2. Pet. And mine 3 Pet. And mine an 't please your Grace Qu. So All Petitions to the Protector 's Grace The Kingdoms supplications all to him And all the Ladies follow his Wives Train The King and I are only Royal Cyphers Flourish'd and guilded only with fine Titles Come What are your Petitions let me see e'm 1. Pet. Mine is an 't please you Madam against John Goodman my Lord Cardinall's Man for keeping my House and my Lands and my Wife from me Suff. How thy Wife from thee too that 's very hard 1. Pet. Nay an 't please your Grace let him give me my House and my Lands and let him keep my Wife an' he will I do not care now he has had her so long Suff. What 's yours What 's here Against the Duke of Suffolk for Enclosing the Commons of Melford How now you Rascal 2. Pet. An 't please your Grace I am but a poor Petitioner of our whole Township Pet. Mine is against my Master Thomas Horner for saying the Duke of York is lawful Heir to the Crown Qu. How Pet. Yes and that the King is but an Usurper Qu. There 's a Villain indeed Suff. Who is there Enter a Servant Take this Fellow in and send for a Pursuivant presently We 'l hear more of this Matter before the King Qu. You here who shroud your selves under the Protector Begin your Suits anew and sue to him Tears their Petitionâ— This is the Duke of Suffolk I 'me your Queen 2 Pet. The Duke of Suffolk oh I am undone Qu. Away you Slaves ho turn these Fellows out Is this the Fashion in the Court of England Is this the Royalty of th' English King To be a Pupil to a Governour Am I a Queen yet Subject to a Duke Oh my La Poole when in the City Tours Thou rann'st a tilt in honour of my Love And stol'st away the Ladies hearts of France I from thy Graces copyed in my Mind A charming glorious Picture of King Henry I thought thy Courage Courtship and Proportion Had been brave Shadows of thy braver King But oh there ne'r was Woman so deceiv'd At the first sight of the Kings sad grave Look The golden Image of him in my mind Fell down upon my heart and almost broke it My heavy heart sunk in a Royal shadow And greater was the fall because before It stood on high and golden expectations Ah! never was so sad a fall as that From glorious Suffolk down to soft King Henry Suff. Madam be patient for I Married you Not to the poor weak King but to the brave Kingdom And that I 'le make a glorious Husband to you Qu Indeed the Marriage 'tween the King and me Is but a strange one for to speak the truth I 'm Wedded to the Throne more than to him And he is Married more to Heaven than me His Soul is Married to all the Saints in Heaven Heaven is the King 's spacious Seraglio There his heart lives that which he leaves below With me and with the Kingdom is a shadow Suff. He is indeed no more but a King's Ghost That walks in night it has been night in England E'r since that Glorious Sun his Father set And France and England like two metled Steeds bound startle break their reins and run away At sight of this pale Ghost nor will be Govern'd Qu. 'T were night with England I am sure with me If 't were not for my glorious La Poole If 't were not for thee England were Hell to me And I tormented with Infernal pains Under the Arrogance of the Protector Of Cardinal Beauford that imperious Church Man Of Somerset Buckingham and grumbling York For each of these is greater than the King Suff. And Salisbury and Warwick are as great as they Qu. Indeed for any thing that I can see The King 's the only Subject iâ— the Kingdom He obeys all and no one obeys him But all this does not vex me half so much As the intolerable insolence Of that proud Dame the Lord Protectors Wife She invades the Court each day with Troopes of Ladies And vanquishes my Glory so entirely That I appear a little falling Star And she a Comet upon whom all gaze Her very Habit does exceed in cost Th' expences of a little Princes Court She Swim's along the Court like a Guilt Ship New come from India laden all with Jewels And then she scorns to strike her Sayl to me But over-looks me like a little Pinke Laden with Toyes and Fripperies from France This slave to Pride that shou'd be slave to me Vaunted amongst her Minions the other day The very Train of her worst wearing Gown Was better worth then all my Fathers Lands Till Suffolk gave two Dukedoms for his Daughter Suff. Laugh at her Pride for Madam it shall shortly Be your Divertisement and her Destruction I 've dug a Pit for the fierce Lyoness Who greedy of Honor ranges to the very Suburbs of Hell for it and I 've turn'd loose Jackalls to tempt her to the Pit in shew Of guiding her to her desired Prey See here comes one of my Jackalls Sir John What News Enter Humes Humes Good News my Lord I have been with the Duchess And did Salute her in the Devil's Name With the Title of Majesty Suff. Ha! ha ha Laughs Qu. What do you mean Suff. Madam the Story will make you Laugh the Duchess Is going to the Devil for Preferment Qu. How To the Devil Suff. Yes and bribes this Gentleman To find out some of the Devil's Spyes and Agents To ayd her in a Correspondence with him Humes Madam it is most true and I 've found out One Margery Jordan an experienc'd Witch And Roger Bullingbrook a Conjurer And they pretend they 'l raise from Hell a Spirit Shall tell her all she 'l aske Qu. Sure they are Cheats Suff. They shall be Cheats to her and her Duke Humphry Two mortal Devils call'd York and Buckingham Shall send their Devil to Hell and carry her To what she more than Hell abhors to
Elia. Welcome my Banishment for I am sure My doleful days will not be many there Glo. Oh Wife What hast thou brought upon thy self Did not I timely warn thee of Ambition And say one day 't wou'd do some dismal deed The King has past a righteous Sentence on thee And none have reason to complain but I Who innocently suffer in thy shame My honor shares in all thy sad reproach And my love suffers in thy Banishment That I am punish'd equally with thee Though I am innocent and yet the King Does me no wrong at all no Elianor I 've reason to complain of none but thee Who woud'st not take the Counsels that I gave thee Out of dear Love to thee Elia. I see my folly Glo. Now hast thou brought dishonor on my age And shame and grief will sink me to my Grave Qu. My Lord my Lord you can be sensible Of your Wive's shame but not of the dishonor The King and I both suffer'd by her Insolence You weep ' cause she must suffer an houâ—s Pennance But she has made me suffer horrid Pennance E'er since I was her Queen both to my own And the King's shame and grief that you ne'r wept for She must walk barefoot now upon the stones Time was she trod on me I was her way Which I endur'd to the King's shame and mine And you for that had very small regret Gl. Madam if for her Crimes her too great Crimes The punishment the King has doom'd her â—o Be not enough pray Sentence her to more But let her know an end of punishment But if the Scale be full enough already As the just King who poiz'd it well conceives Do not be heaping till it grows injustice Qu. My Lord she deserves more then she shall suffer Only for the intolerable rudeness Wherewith she treated me her Queen to day To call me to my Face a Beggars Daughter Suppose I were that miserable Beggar Is it well done to tread on Poverty But when by Birth heaven made me a great Princess And the King's Love made me a great Queen her Queen For her to treat me so Was that well done Suff. Yes Madam 't was well done for his Designs Of making her your Queen your Majesty her subject That they had such Designs her present Crimes Are a sufficient proofe and they did well To bring you to subjection by degrees Car. All the reflection I shall make is this He who was Govern'd by so ill a Woman Is very unfit to be the Kingdoms Governor She was his Counsellor the Devil hers Conjecture then what his Designs must be Glo. Lord Cardinal I am sure of your good Word I see what all of you thirst for my ruine I had long since remov'd out of your way If duty to my King had not detain'd me I was afraid to trust him in your hands But I perceive my stay occasions him Perpetual trouble and the heavenly power Has an especial eye to Sacred Kings To his Protection then I 'le leave the King If the King will permit me and retire To bear the heavy burden of my griefs Qu. Pray do my Lord we 'l take you at your word I see no reason why a King of years Shou'd be Protected like a little Child Resign your Staffe and give the King his Kingdom The King by heaven's help may Govern it King Do do my Lord since they 'l all have it so I shall not want a Counsel or Protection For heaven is my hope my stay my guide And go in peace less powerful less great No less belov'd by me and all good Men. Enter York Glo. Then here most Sacred Sovereign is my Staffe As willingly do I resign it to you As e're your glorious Father made it mine As willingly I lay it at your feet As others wou'd ambitiously receive it Farewell good King may you when I am dead Never have cause to shed one tear for me When is your Royal Pleasure that my Wife Shall do her Pennance King Now immediately Glo. Come Elianor let us support our Sorrows Sorrow is natural to this Vale of Tears My fall will rather pleasure to me bring If it shall cause no sorrow to the King Exit Glocester Elianor with a Guard King Oh Lords you have made me part with a good Man I wish I may never have need of him York How Has the Duke resign'd the Government Qu. Yes Henry now is King and I am Queen And Humphry Duke of Glocester scarce himself Two of his stately Branches are lopt from him His Wife is Banish'd and his Staffe resign'd And he will shortly wither with the Mayme Yo. As I wou'd wish How have these haughty Lords asidâ— Most subtilly wrought their own destruction For now the King lies open to my Sword But they shall perish with him for their Villanies A Shout Enter Buckingham King Now What 's the News Buck. May it please your Majesty The Combate 'tween the Armourer and his Man The Appellant and Defendant has been fought According as your Majesty appointed Truth has prevail'd the Guilty Armourer Worsted by his Servant has confest the Treason King Where is the Fellow Buc. They are both without Come in Enter Armorer and his Man with a Guard King What Fellow did you speak the words Arm. Yes please your Majesty King Yet you deny'd ' em Ar. I was unwilling to be hang'd an 't please you King But not unwilling to destroy thy Soul By spilling of an innocent Fellows blood As thou hast done if right had not prevail'd Buck. Sir it was right indeed that did prevail I never saw poor Fellow so afraid As the Armorer's Servant was in all my life And yet he beate his Master by his Innocence Arm. It was my Conscience beate me and not he If my own Conscience had not fought against me I cou'd have beaten twenty such as he Pet. I do not know that for though I was afraid E're I came to it now I know what it is I do not care if I have t'other bout King There 's mischief in this Business I discern it Aside The Common People have been tamper'd with To try how they will like a change of Princes And to make way for it my right is question'd And my good Lord Protector sent away from me Oh! heaven if I be useful to my People Preserve me for their sakes from wicked Men If I be not extend thy Providence To them and let what will become of me Go lead that Traytor to the Death he merits Thou honest man whose truth and innocence Heaven has reveal'd by me shall be rewarded Exit Omnes prae Suffolk and the Queen Qu. Now it goes excellently well indeed This haughty Woman tumbled in the dirt So far beneath my feet I cannot tread upon her Duke Humphrey's charming Rod broken in pieces Wherewith he kept as in a Conjurers Circle The King and Kingdom both out of our reach Suff. Did not I promise you there shou'd be nothing
In England Madam that your Soul cou'd wish for I 'd not make yours Qu. And thou hast kept thy Word Suff. I think I promis'd you that wonderful That ravishing moment when I first beheld you When Fortune prodigally propitious to me With Lawrels crown'd my Sword my Arms with Beauty Flung Captive in my Arms such wondrous Beauty That when I saw it I cry'd out amaz'd Our thundring Canons sure has tore the Heavens And through the Chrystal breach an Angel's dropt Qu. And I when first I saw brave Suffolk shining In Armour Victory but most of all In his own Charms Oh! said I to my self I 'le wonder now no more the English Conquerors They are Angels all or Angels fight for ' em Suff. I most unworthy to support so bright A Heaven of Beauty did retire to gaze Whilst all my Soul came crowding to my eyes And thrusted till it almost crackt the Windows Then like a laden Thief that stole more Wealth Than he cou'd spend in all his Life runs back And lock't it up secure in every Room Qu. In vain is this rich guilding of that hour Which only was the portal of our Loves Since we are enter'd and possess the Palace How I then wonder'd and how since I lov'd Let all the Gardens Groves and happy Rooms That have been aiding to our Pleasures tell So full of Life and Soul our Joys have been We have almost scatter'd Life to all things round us A thousand times I 've thought the wanton Pictures Have striven to leap out of their Golden Frames That held 'em Captive and come share with us A thousand times methought I 've seen their Mouths Striving to break the painted shadows Bonds That held 'em bound in everlasting silence And burst into a Laughter and a Rapture Suff. I never minded Pictures when a Substance Of so much Beauty lay in my embraces Nor Venus's Picture no nor Venus's self Cou'd have extracted a regard from me Qu. How often has our Love in Groves and Gardens Fill'd every Creature near us with such Spirit That they have danc'd to Death as they were stung The Birds have chirp'd their little souls away The Turtles bill'd till they have no breath The Winds have sported wantonly around us Till they have swoun'd away into a Calm Suff. Yet all this Love and Beauty which cou'd make The sapless trunk of a dead Tree to bud Can put no warmth into the frozen King Qu. Oh! to my Arms He comes like depth of Winter With Cheeks all moist with Penitential Tears And Lips so cold each kiss gives me an Ague Suff. Alas How shou'd you expect them otherwise He comes from kissing Brazen Images And Bones and Sculs of Saints that were more cold When they were living than you 'l be when dead Qu. Well next to Love Revenge has sweetest taste Let us go take some private stand and see Dame Elianor in her ridiculous Pomp Walking the Streets in her White Garment barefoot Holding a burning Torch to light her shame A gaping Crowd and throng of hooting Boys Following her Train and the Belconies fill'd With laughing Ladies whom she onc'd contemn'd A shout Heark they are coming let 's not loose the Pleasure Exit The SCENE a Street Enter Duke Humphry and his Men in Mourning Cloaks Gl. Oh! What a Change is here in my condition Fallen from the highest Pinacle of Glory Down to the lowest depth of Shame and Ruine From being Ruler of the King and Kingdom To be the Scorn and Sport of common Fellows Oh! Elianor I 've wrong'd my self and thee By doting on thee beyond bounds of Reason Thy Errors did appear to me all Excellencies But thou poor Nell hast punishment enough I 'le not heap more on thee by my Complaints Alas how will thy tender Feet endure To kiss the rugged face of cutting Flints How hardly will thy noble Spirit brook The abject People gazing on thy Face With scornful looks deriding thy Disgrace Who lately followed thy proud shining Chariot And did not care what dirt the Wheels flung on 'em Might they be blest out with a look from thee A shout But soft I think she come's and I 'le prepare My Tear-stain'd Eyes to see her Miseries Serv. So please your Grace we 'll force her from the Sheriff Gl. No stir not for your lives she shall submit To what the King was pleas'd t' inflict upon her Enter the Duchess in a White Sheet a Taper burning in her Hand Sheriff and Officers El. Come you my Lord to see my open shame Can you endure it If you have no sense Of my great Sufferings pity your self For you in seeing my shame do Penance with me See how the gaping Multitude all point And nod their Heads and throw their Eyes on you Ah! my Lord hide you from their odious looks And shut up in your Closet mourn my shame And curse mine Enemies both mine and yours Gl. Be patient gentle Nell forget this grief El. First teach me to forget my self and you For whilst I think I am your Wife and you A Prince and Lord Protector of the Kingdom Methinks this shou'd not be my Garb and Pomp I shou'd not thus be lead along the Streets Wrapt up in shame with Papers on my Back And followed by a Rabble that rejoyce To see my Tears and hear my deep-fetch'd Groans The pitiless Flints gash deep my tender Feet And when I start the envious People laugh And bid me be advised how I tread Gl. What if they do my Love What matter is it They do but shew their low degenerate natures Wert thou condemn'd into a Wilderness Would'st thou expect to have the Tygers court thee The Lions flatter thee wild Beasts adore thee These Crowds are little better little gentler El. Oh! I cannot endure this heavy shame My Soul boyls under it and my Heart breaks I never will behold the Sun again Nor face of Humane Creature Dark obscurity Where never eye of Man nor voice of Fear Can penetrate shall cover me for ever Out of the sight and memory of the World And bury all the World too out of mind Nay if Love will not be too hard for me I will not let thee come into my mind For oh what deadly sorrow will it breed To think I am the Duke of Glocester's Wife And he a Prince and Governour of England Yet so he Rul'd and such a Prince he was As he stood by whilst his forlorn Duchess Was made a Wonder and a Pointing-stock To every idle rascal follower Gl. What wou'dst thou have me do El. Nay nothing nothing Be mild and tame and blush not at my shame Be stirr'd at nothing 'till the Ax of Death Fall on thy self as shortly sure it will For Suffolk he that can do all in all With that vile Woman who abhors us all And York and impious Beauford that false Priest Have all laid Snares which thou shalt never scape But fear not thou until thy Foot be snar'd Nor ever seek
thy delicate Form Were mighty faults which the World cou'd not bear No wonder the vile envy of the base Pursued thee when the Noble cou'd not bear thee They cursed thee as the Negroes do the Sun Because thy shining Glories blackned e'm For which Oh England thus I pray for thee May'st thou ne're breed brave Man or if thou dost Oh! let him be thy Ruine or thou his May all thy Witty men be sadly Vitious Let sloth devour their Fortunes Fools their Fame Lewdness their Souls their Bodies Foul Disease May thy Wise Men be Factious and head Fools If they be honest let e'm loose their Heads Let thy Brave Men against thy self be bravest Be Men at foreign Devils at Civil War Let all thy Pious Sons with zeal run mad And make Religion thy Reproach and Curse May'st thou have all Religions to confound thee And none to save thee Here a bloody Altar Oh! cruel England hast thou made for me Therefore these bloody Prayers I make for thee 2 Lady The King is coming Madam Enter the King King Oh! my Lord I bring thee frightful News the Kentishmen Are up in Arms headed by one Jack Cade A Fellow who proclaims himself Lord Mortimer Descended from the Duke of Clarence Line He is marching towards London in the head Of a rude rugged merciless crowd of Peasants And all the way he proclaims me Usurper And vows to Crown himself at Westminster And in this great distress to comfort me The tray'trous Duke of York with a great Power Is marching hither too and he proclaims He comes but to remove the Duke of Sommerset But most believe he secretly intends To reap the benefit of Cade's Rebellion That I am like a Ship beset with danger Threatned with Wracking by the Kentish Storm Or to be Boarded by that Pyrate York Qu. So so my Curse on England springs already Aside Oh! this were Musick to me were it not Allay'd by the sad weeping of my Son Heir of these Noble Kingdoms who methinks Sighs in my Ear Ah Mother for my sake Pity the helpless King my unfortunate Father He was Crown'd King when he was nine Months old But if you do not aid him his Misfortune Will never suffer me to be a King For thy sake Princely Boy I will assist him And something for his own he 's a good Man Though a weak King and it was my ambition Made Suffolk stain his hands in innocent Blood Which Crime forgive me Heaven and let the Duke Of Suffolk's Blood be all my Punishment Enter Sommerset and Buckingham Buck. Oh! fly Sir fly the Rebels are in Southwark The Citizens through fear forsake their Houses The Rascal People all joyn with the Traytors Threatning to spoil the City and your Court. Som. Take comfort Royal Sir we 'll all stand by you King Pray let as little Blood be shed as possible I 'le send a holy Bishop to entreat e'm To spare their Souls and Bodies I will promise e'm To mend my Government for I confess England may yet Curse my unfortuate Reign Qu. Come Sir take Spirit in you Men like Buildings Fall to the Ground if never Fire burn in e'm To harden e'm King 's a Royal Building That shou'd have no soft Clay in it at all Adversity has always reign'd upon you And made you soft but yield not Sir to Rebels Royalty like great Beauty must be chaste Rogues will have all if once they get a taste Exeunt Epilogue NOw some fine things perhaps you think to bear But he who did reform this Play does swear He 'll not bestow rich Trappings on a Horse That will want Breath to run a Three-days Course And be turn'd off by Gallants of the Town For Citizens and their Wives to Hackney on Not that a Barb that 's come of Shackspears breed Can e're want Mettle Courage Shape or Speed But you have Poetry so long rides Post That your delight in Riding now is lost And there is Reason for it I must own â—'ave Foundred all the Poets in the Town Alas their Strength and Courage may abate Vnder the Critique's Spur and the Fools Weight And Destiny is playing wanton Tricks Turning the Nation round to Politiques The Romish Beast has fear'd her from her Wits And thrown her in her old Convulsion Fits The same she had many Years since 't is said Then Poetry was a miserable Jade The Pulpit then Men fiercely did bestride And Musqueteers that Wooden Horse did ride Those damn'd Diseases by time purg'd away The Nation streight grew Young again and Gay Balls assign'd as Masquerades and Plays Were all the Business of those happy Days You flock'd to Plays as if they Jubilees were Things to be seen but once in Fifty Year Boxes i' th' Morning did with Beauty shine And Citizens then in the Pit did Dine The Wife with her good Husband did prevail To bring the Sucking Bottle full of Ale Then on her Knees cold Capon-legs were seen Her Husbands Capon-legs I do not mean Then we were pretious things purchas'd t is known By Cloaths and Suppers but these Days are done Yet they will come again Times cannot hold But whilst they mend Curse on it we grow old Then we may all who once were your delight Suâ— with Duke Humphry as you have done to Night FINIS HENRY the Sixth The Second Part. OR THE MISERY OF CIVIL WAR As it was Acted at the Dukes Theatre Written by Mr. CROWN LONDON Printed for R. Bentley and M. Magnes in Russel-Street in Covent-Garden 1681. PROLOGUE REligious Broyles to such a height are grown All the sweet sound of Poetry they drown Were Orpheus here his Lute might charm our Beasts Our Mastiffs not our Rabble or our Priests Good Heaven Sirs are there no other ways To damn the Pope but damning all our Plays To our Religion 't is no Praise at all That if our Wit must stand our Faith must fall All parties in a Play-House may agree The Stage is priviledg'd from Piety 'T is pleasant Sirs to see you fight and brawl About Religion but have none at all Most fiercely for the Road to Heav'n contend But never care to reach the Journeys end Though you lose Heaven you will keep the Way The Pope sha'n't have you though the Devil may These things such business for the Criticks find They 're not at leasure Poetry to mind Well for the Poet 't is they 're so employ'd Else this poor Work of his wou'd be destroy'd For by his feeble Skill 't is built alone The Divine Shakespear did not lay one Stone Besides this Tragedy a Rod will prove To whip us for a Fault we too much Love And have for ages liv'd call'd Civil Strife The English Nation like a Russian Wife Is to a gentle Husband always curst And loves him best who uses her the worst This Poet though perhaps in Colours faint Those scurvy Joys does in all Postures Paint Fools take in pelting out each others Brains A joy for which this Nation