THE First part of the Contention betwixt the two famous hou ses of Yorke and Lancaster with the death of the good Duke Humphrey And the banishment and death of the Duke of Suffolke and the Tragical end of the prowd Cardinall of Winchester with the notable Rebellion of Iacke Cade And the Duke of Yorkes first clayme to the Crowne LONDON Printed by Valentine Simmes for Thomas Millington and are to be sold at his shop vnder S. Peters church in Cornewall 1600 The first part of the Contention of the two famous Houses of Yorke and Lancaster with the death of the good Duke Humphrey Enter at one doore King Henry the sixt and Humphrey Duke of Gloster the Duke of Somerset the Duke of Buckingham Cardinall Bewford and others Enter at the other doore the Duke of Yorke and the Marquesse of Suffolke and Queene Margaret and the Earle of Salisbury and Warwicke Suffolke AS by your high imperiall Maiesties command I had in charge at my depart for France As Procurator for your excellence To marry Princes Margaret for your grace So in the auncient famous Citie Towres In presence of the Kings of France Cyssile The Dukes of Orleance Calaber Brittaine and Alonson Seuen Earles twelue Barons and then the reuerend Bishops I did performe my taske and was espousde And now most humbly on my bended knees In sight of England and her royall Peeres Deliuer vp my title in the Queene Vnto your gracious excellence that are the substance Of that great shadow I did represent The haâ—â—â—â—st gift that euer Marquesse gaue The fairest Queene that euer King possest King Suffolke arise Welcom Queene Margaret to English Henries Court The greatest shew of kindnesse yet we can bestow Is this kind kisse O gracious God of heauen Lend me a heart repleate with thankfulnesse For in this beauteous face thou hast bestowd A world of pleasures to my perplexed soule Queene Th' excessiue loue I beare vnto your grace Forbids me to be lauish of my tongue Lest I should speake more then beseemes a woman Let this suffice my blisse is in your liking And nothing can make poore Margaret miserable Vnlesse the frowne of mightie Englands King King Her lookes did wound but now speech doth pierce Louely Queene Margaret sit downe by my side And vnckle Gloster and you lordly Peeres With one voice welcome my beloued Queene All. Long liue Queene Margaret Englands happinesse Queene We thanke you all Sound Trumpets Suffolke My lord Protector so it please your grace Here are the Articles confirm'd of peace Betweene our soueraigne and the French King Charles Till terme of eighteene months be full expirde Humphrey Inprimis It is agreed between the French king Charles and William de la Poole Marquesse of Suffolk embassador for Henry king of England that the said Henry shal wed and espouse the lady Margaret daughter to Raynard King of Naples Cyssels and Ierusalem and crown her Queen of England ere the 30. of the next moneth Item It is further agreed between them that the Dutches of Anioy and of Maine shal be released and deliuered ouer to the King her sa Duke Humprey left it fall Ki. How now vnkle what 's the matter that you stay so sodenly Hum. Pardon my Lord a sodain qualm came ouer my hart VVhich dimmes mine eies that I can see no more Vnckle of Winchester I pray you reade on Cardinal Item It is further agreed betweene them that the Dutches of Anioy and of Maine shal be released and deliuered ouer to the King her father and she sent ouer of the King of Englands owne proper cost and charges without dowry King They please vs well lord Marquesse kneel down we here create thee first Duke of Suffolke and girt thee with the sword Cosin of Yorke we here discharge your grace from being Regent in the parts of France till terme of 18 months be ful expirde Thankes vnckle Winchester Gloster Yorke and Buckingham Somerset Salsbury and Warwicke VVe thanke you all for this great fauour done In entertainement to my princely Queene Come let vs in and with all speede prouide To see her Coronation be performde Exit King Queene and Suffolke and Duke Humphrey staies all the rest Humph. Braue Peeres of England Pillers of the state To you Duke Humphrey must vnfolde his griefe VVhat did my brother Henry toyle himselfe And waste his subiects for to conquer France And did my brother Bedford spend his time To keepe in awe that stout vnruly Realme And haue not I and mine vnckle Bewford here Done all we could to keepe that land in peace And is all our labors then spent in vaine For Suffolke hethe new made duke that rules the roast Hath giuen away for our King Henries Queene The Dutches of Anioy and same vnto her father Ah lords fatall is this mariage canselling our states Reuersing Monuments of conquered France Vndoing all as none had nere beene done Card. VVhy how now cosin Gloster what needes this As if our King were bound vnto your will And might not do his will without your leaue Prowd Protector enuy in thine eies I see The big swolne venome of thy hatefull heart That dare presume gainst that thy soueraigne likes Hum. Nay my Lord t is not my words that troubles you But my presence prowd Prelate as thou art But I le be gone and giue thee leaue to speake Farewell my Lords and say when I am gone I prophecied France would be lost ere long Exit Duke Humphrey Card. There goes our protector in a rage My lords you know he is my great enemy And though he be Protector of the land And thereby couers his deceitfull thoughts For well you see if he but walke the streetes The common people swarme about him straight Crying Iesus blesse your royall excellence With God preserue the good Duke Humphrey And many things besides that are not knowne Which time will bring to light in smooth Duke Humphrey But I will after him and if I can I le lay a plot to heaue him from his seate Exit Cardinal Buck. But let vs watch this haughtie Cardinall Cosen of Somerset be rulde by me Wee le watch Duke Humphrey and the Cardinall too And put them from the marke they faine would hit Som. Thanks cosin Buckingham ioyne thou with me And both of vs with the Duke of Suffolke Wee le quickly heaue Duke Humphrey from his seate Buck. Content come let vs about it straight For either thou or I will be Pâ—â—â—â—ctor Exit Buckingham and Somerset Salsb Pride went before Ambition followes after Whilst these do seeke their owne preferments thus My lords let vs seeke for our countries good Oft haue I heard this haughtie Cardinal Sweare and forsweare himselfe and braue it out More like a Ruffin then a man of church Cosen Yorke the victories thou hast wonne In Ireland Normandie and in France Hath wonne thee immortall praise in England And thou braue Warwicke my thrice valiant sonne Thy simple plainnesse and thy
house-keeping Hath wonne thee credite amongst the couunon sort The reuerence of mine age and Neuels name Is of no little force if I commaund Then let vs ioyne all three in one for this That good Duke Humphrey may his state possesse But wherefore weepes Warwicke my noble sonne War For griefe that all is lost that Warwicke wonne Sonnes Anioy and Maine both giuen away at once Why Warwick did win them must that then which we won with our swords be giuen away with wordes Yorke As I haue read our Kings of England were woont to haue large dowries with their wiues but our king Henry giues away his owne Salsb Come sonnes away and looke vnto the maine War Vnto the Maine oh father Maine is lost VVhich Warwicke by maine force did win from France Maine chance father you meant but I meane Maine Which I wil win from France or els be slaine Exit Salsbury and Warwicke Yorke Anioy and Maine both giuen vnto the French Cold newes for me for I had hope of France Euen as I haue of fertill England A day will come when Yorke shall claime his owne And therefore I will take the Neuels parts And make a show of loue to prowd Duke Humphrey And when I spie aduantage claime the Crowne For that 's the golden marke I seeke to hit Nor shall prowd Lancaster vsurp my right Nor hold the scepter in his childish fist Nor weare the Diademe vpon his head Whose church-like humors fits not for a Crowne Then Yorke be still a while till time do serue Watch thou and wake when others be asleepe To prie into the secrets of the state Till Henry surfeiting in ioyes of loue With his new bride and Englands deare bought Queene And Humphrey with the Peeres be falne at iarres Then will I raise aloft the milke-white Rose With whose sweete smell the ayre shall be perfumde And in my Standard beare the Armes of Yorke To graffle with the house of Lancaster And force perforce I le make him yeeld the Crowne Whose bookish rule hath puld faire England downe Exit Yorke Enter Duke Humphrey and Dame Ellanor Cobham his wife Elnor Why droopes my Lord like ouer ripened corne Hanging the head at Cearies plenteous loade Whatseest thou Duke Humphrey King Henries Crowne Reach at it and if thine arme be too short Mine shall lengthen it Art not thou a Prince Vnckle to the King and his Protector Then what shouldst thou lacke that might content thy mind Humph. My louely Nell far be it from my heart To thinke of Treasons gainst my soueraigne lord But I was troubled with a dreame to night And God I pray it do betide no ill Elnor What drempt my lord Good Humphrey tel it me And I le interpret it and when that 's done I le tell thee then what I did dreame to night Humph. This night when I was laid in bed I dreampt that This my staffe mine Office badge in Court Was broke in two and on the ends were plac'd 〈…〉 of the Cardinall of Winchester 〈…〉 â—â—lliam de la Poole first Duke of Suffolke Elnor Tush my Lord this signifies nought but this That he that breakes a sticke of Glosters groue Shall for th' offence make forfeit of his head But now my lord I le tell you what I dreampt Me thought I was in the Cathedrall Church At Westminster and seated in the chaire Where the Kings and Queenes are crownde and at my feete Henry and Margaret with a crowne of gold Stood ready to set it on my princely head Humph. Fie Nell ambitious woman as thou art Art thou not second woman in this land And the Protectors wife belou'd of him And wilt thou still be hammering treason thus Away I say and let me heare no more Elnor How now my Lord what angry with your Nell For telling but her dreame the next I haue I le keepe to my selfe and not be rated thus Humph. Nay Nell I le giue no credit to a dreame But I would haue thee to thinke on no such things Enters a Messenger Messen And it please your grace the King and Queene tomorrow morning will ride a hawking to Saint Albones and craues your companie along with them Humph. With all my heart I will attend his grace Come Nell thou wilt go with vs I am sure exit Humphrey Elnor I le come after you for I cannot go before But ere it be long I le go before them all Despight of all that seeke to crosse me thus Who is within there Enter sir Iohn Hum. VVhat sir Iohn Hum what newes with you sir Iohn Iesus preserue your maiesty Elnor My maiestie why man I am but grace sir Iohn Yea but by the grace of God and Hums aduise Your graces state shall be aduanst ere long Elnor What hast thou conferd with Margery Iordane the cunning witch of Ely with Roger Bullinbrooke and the rest and will they vndertake to do me good sir Iohn I haue Madam and they haue promised me to raise a spirit from the depth of vnder ground that shall tell your grace all questions you demaund Elnor Thanks good sir Iohn some two daies hence I gesse Will fit our time then see that they be here For now the King is riding to Saint Albons And all the Dukes and Earles along with him When they be gone then safely they may come And on the backside of my Orchard here There cast their spells in silence of the night And so resolue of the thing we wish Till when drinke that for my saâ—â— and so farewell exit Elnor sir Iohn Now sir Iohn Hum no words but mum Seale vp your lips for you must silent be These gifts ere long will make me mighty rich The Dutches she thinkes now that all is well But I haue gold comes from another place From one that hyred me to set her on To plot these treasons gainst the King and Peeres And that is the mightie duke of Suffolke For he it is but I must not say so That by my meanes must worke the Dutches fall Who now by coniurations thinkes to raise But whist sir Iohn no more of that I trow For feare you lose your head before you go exit Enter two Petitioners and Peter the Armourer's man 1 Peti Come sirs let vs linger here abouts a while Vntill my Lord Protector come this way That we may shew his grace our seuerall causes 2 Peti I pray God saue the good Humphries life For but for him a many were vndone That can get no suâ—â—our in the Court But see where he comes with the Queene Enâ—â—r the Duke of Suffolke with the Queene and they take him for Duke Humphrey and giues him their writings 1 Peti Oh we are vndone this is the Duke of Suffolke Queen Now good felows whom wâ—â—ld you speak withal 2 Peti If it please your maiestie with my Lord Protectors Grace Queene Are your sutes to his grace let vs see them first Looke on them my Lord of Suffolke
sir God help me Humphrey How camâ—st thou lame Poore man With falling off on a plum-tree Humphrey Wart thou blind and would clime plum-trees Poore man Neuer but once sir in all my life My wife did long for plums Humphrey But tell me wart thou borne blind Poore man Yea truly sir Woman Yea indeed sir he was borne blind Humphrey What art thou his mother Woman His wife sir Humphrey Hadst thou beene his mother Thou couldst haue better told Why let me see I thinke thou canst not see yet Poore man Yes truly master as cleere as day Humphrey Saist thou so what colour 's his cloake Poore man Why red maister as red as bloud Humphrey And his cloake Poore man Why that 's greene Humphrey And what colour 's his hose Poore man Yellow maister yellow as gold Humphrey And what colours my gowne Poore man Blacke sir as blacke as ieat King Then belike he knowes what colour ieat is on Suffolke And I think ieat did he neuer see Humph. But cloakes and gownes ere this day many a one But tell me sirra what 's my name Poore man Alas master I know not Humphrey What 's his name Poore man I know not Humphrey Nor his poore No truly sir Hum. Nor his name poore No indeed master Hum. What 's thine owne name poore Sander and it please you maister Hum. Then Sander sit there the lyingest knaue in Christendome If thou hadst been borne blind thou mightst aswell haue knowne all our names as thus to name the seuerall colours we do weare Sight may distinguish of colours but sodainly to nominate them all it is impossible My lords same Albons here hath done a miracle and would you not thinke his cunning to be great that could restore this cripple to his legs againe poore man Oh maister I would you could Humphrey My maisters of Saint Albons Haue you not Beadles in your Towne And things called whips Mayor Yes my lord if it please your grace Hum. Then send for one presently Mayor Sirra go fetch the Beadle hither straight exit one Hum. Now fetch me a stoole hither by and by Now sirra if you meane to saue your selfe from whipping Leape me ouer this stoole and runne away Enter Beadle poore Alas master I am not able to stand alone You go about to torture me in vaine Hum. Well sir we must haue you find your legs Sirra Beadle whip him til he leape ouer that same stoole Beadle I will my Lord come on sirra off with your doublet quickly poore Alas master what shall I do I am not able to stand After the beadle hath hit him one girke he leapes ouer the stoole and runs away and they run after him crying a miracle a miracle Hum. A miracle a miracle let him be taken againe and whipt through euery market Towne till he comes at Barwicke where he was borne Maior It shal be done my Lord. exit Mayor Suff. My lord Protector hath done wonders to day He hath made the blind to see and the halt to go Hum. Yea but you did greater wonders when you made whole Dukedomes flie in a day Witnesse France King Haue done I say and let me heare no more of that Enter the Duke of Buckingham What newes brings Duke Humphrey of Buckingham Buck Ill newes for some my lord and this it is That prowd dame Elnor our Protectors wife Hath plotted Treasons gainst the King and Peeres By witchcrafts sorceries and coniurings Who by such meanes did raise a spirit vp To tell her what hap should betide the state But ere they had finisht their diuellish drift By Yorke and my selfe they were all surprizde And here 's the answer the diuell did make to them King First of the King what shall become of him Reads The Duke yet liues that Henry shall depose Yet him out liue and die a violent death Gods wil be done in all What fate awaits the Duke of Suffolke By water shall he die and take his end Suff. By water must the duke of Suffolke diet It must be so or els the diuell doth lie King Let Somerset shun castles For safer shall he be vpon the sandy plaines Then where castles mounted stand Car. Here 's good stuffe how now my lord protector This newes I thinke hath turnde your weapons point I am in doubt you le scarcely keepe your promise Humph. Forbeare ambitious prelate to vrge my griefe And pardon me my gracious soueraigne For here I sweare vnto your maiesty That I am guiltlesle of these hainous crimes Which my ambitious wife hath falsly done And for she would betray her soueraigne lord There renounce her from my bed and boord And leaue her open for the law to iudge Vnlesse she cleere her selfe of this foule deed King Come my lords this night wee le lodge in S. Albons And to morrow we will ride to London And trie the vtmost of these treasons forth Come vnkle Gloster along with vs My mind doth tell me thou art innocent exeunt omnes Enter the Duke of Yorke and the Earles of Salsbury and Warwicke Yorke My lords our simple supper ended thus Let me reueale vnto your honors here The right and title of the house of Yorke To Englands Crowne by lineall descent War Then Yorke begin and if thy claime be good The Neuills are thy subiects to commaund Yorke Then thus my lords Edward the third had seuen sonnes The first was Edward the blacke Prince Prince of Wales The second was Edmund of Langley Duke of Yorke The third was Lyonell Duke of Clarence The fourth was Iohn of Gaunt The Duke of Lancaster The fifth was Roger Mortemer Earle of March The sixt was sir Thomas of Woodstocke William of Winsore was the seuenth and last Now Edward the black prince he died before his father left behinde him Richard that afterwards was King crowned by the name of Richard the second and he died without an heire Edmund of Langly duke of Yorke died and left behind him two daughters Anne and Elinor Lyonel duke of Clarence died and left behind Alice Anne and Elinor that was after married to my father and by her I claime the Crowne as the true heyre to Lyonell Duke of Clarence the third sonne to Edward the third Now sir In the time of Richards raigne Henry of Bullenbrooke sonne and heire to Iohn of Gaunt the Duke of Lancaster fourth son to Edward the third he claimde the crown deposde the mirthful King and as you both know in Pomphret Castle harmles Richard was shamefully murthered and so by Richards death came the house of Lancaster vnto the Crowne Sals Sauing your tale my lord as I haue heard in the raigne of Bullenbrook the Duke of York did claime the Crown and but for Owen Glendor had bin King Yorke True but so it fortuned then by meanes of that monstrous rebell Glendor the noble Duke of Yorke was done to death and so euer since the heires of Iohn of Gaunt haue possessed the Crowne But if the issue of
their office as they should Elnor Come you my Lord to see my open shame Ah Gloster now thou doest penance too See how the giddie people looke at thee Shaking their heads and pointing at thee here Go get thee gone and hide thee from their sights And in thy pent vp studie rue my shame And ban thine enemies Ah mine and thine Hum. Ah Nell sweet Nell forget this extreame griefe And beare it patiently to ease thy heart Elnor Ah Gloster teach me to forget my selfe For whilst I thinke I am thy wedded wife Then thought of this doth kill my wofull heart The ruthlesse flints do cut my tender feete And when I start the cruell people laugh And bids me be aduised how I tread And thus with burning Tapor in my hand Malde vp in shame with papers on my backe Ah Gloster can I endure this and liue Sometime I le say I am Duke Humphreys wife And he a Prince Protector of the land But so he rulde and such a Prince he was As he stood by whilst I his forlorne Dutches Was led with shame and made a laughing stocke To euery idle rascall follower Hum. My louely Nell what wouldst thou haue me do Should I attempt to reseue thee from hence I should incurre the danger of the law And thy disgrace would not be shadowed so Elnor Be thou milde and stir not at my disgrace Vntill the axe of death hang ouen thy head As shortly sure it will For Suffolke he The new made Duke that may do al in all With her that loues him so and hates vs all And impious Yorke and Beuiford that false priest Haue all lymde bushes to betray thy wings And flie thou how thou can they will intangle thee Enter a Herald of Armes Herald I summon your grace vnto his highnes Parlament holden at saint Edmunds bury the first of the next month Humph. A Parlament and our consent neuer craude Therein before This is so deine Well we will be there exit Herald Maister Shiriffe I pray proceede no further against my lady then the course of law extends Shiriffe Please it your grace my office here doth end And I must deliuer her to sir Iohn Standly To be conducted into the I le of Man Humph. Must you sir Iohn conduct my lady Standly Yea my gracious lord for so it is decreede And I am so commaunded by the King Humph. I pray you sir Iohn vse her nere the worse In that I intreat you to vse her well The world may smile againe and I may liue To do you fauor if you do it her And so sir Iohn farewell Elnor What gone my lord and bid not me farewell Hum. Witnesse my bleeding heart I cannot stay to speake exit Humphrey and his men Elnor Then is he gone is noble Gloster gone And doth duke Humphrey now forsake me too Then let me haste from out faire Englands boundes Comâ— Standloy come and let vs haste away Standly Madame le ts go vnto some house here by Where you may shift yourselfe before we goe Elnor Ah good sir Iohn my shame cannot be hid Nor put away with casting off my sheete But come let vs go master Shiriffe farewell Thou hast but done thy office as thou shouldst exeunt omnes Enter to the Parlament Enter two Heralds before then the Duke of Buckingham and the Duke of Suffolke and then the Duke of Yorke and the Cardinall of Winchester and then the King and Queene and then the Earle of Salisbury and the Earle of Warwicke King I wonder our vnckle Gloster staies so long Queene Can you not see or will you not perceiue How that ambitious duke doth vse himselfe The time hath beene but now that time is past That none so humble as Duke Humphrey was But now let one meete him euen in the mome When euery one will giue the time of day And he will neither moue nor speake to vs See you not the Commons follow him In troupes crying God saue the good Duke Humphrey And with long life Iesus preserue his grace Honoring him as if he were a King Gloster is no little man in England And if he list to stir commotions T is likely that the people will follow him My lord if you imagine there is no such thing Then let it passe and call it a womans feare My lord of Suffolke Buckingham and Yorke Disproue my allegations if you can And by your speeches if you can reproue me I will subscribe and say I wrong de the Duke Suffolke Well hath your grace foreseene into that Duke And if I had beene licenst first to speake I thinke I should haue told your graces tale Smooth runs the brooke whereas the streame is deepest No no my soueraigne Gloster is a man Vnsounded yet and full of deepe deceit Enter the Duke of Somerset King Welcome Lord Somerset what newes from France Somer Cold newes my lord and this it is That all your holds and Townes within those Territories Is ouer come my Lord and all is lost King Cold newes indeede Lord Somerset But Gods will be done Yorke Cold newes for me for I had hope of France Euen as I haue of fertill England Enter Duke Humphrey Humph. Pardon my liege that I haue staid so long Suffolke Nay Gloster know that thou art come too soon Vnlesse thou proue more loyall then thou art We do arrest thee on high treason here Humph. Why Suffolkes duke thou shalt not see me blush Nor change my countenance for thine arrest Whereof am I guiltie who are my accusers York T is thought my lord your grace tooke bribes from France And stopt the souldiers of their pay By which his maiestie hath lost all France Humph. Is it but thought so and who are they that think so So God help me as I haue watcht the night Euer intending good for England still That pennie that euer I tooke from France Be brought against me at the iudgement day I neuer robd the souldiers of their pay Many a pound of mine owne proper cost Haue I sent ouer for the souldiers wants Because I would not racke the needie Commons Car. In your Protectorship you did deuise Strange torments for offendors by which meanes England hath beene defamde by tyrannie Hum. Why t is well knowne that whilst I was protector Pittie was all the fault that was in me A murtherer or foule felonious theefe That robs and murthers seely passengers I torturd aboue the rate of common law Suffolke Tush my lord these be things of no account But greater matters are laid vnto your charge I do arrest thee on high treason here And commit thee to my good Lord Cardinall Vntill such time as thou canst cleere thy selfe King Good vnckle obey to his arrest I haue no doubt but thou shalt cleere thy selfe My conscience tels me thou are innocent Humph. Ah gracious Henry these daies are dangerous And would my death might end these miseries And stay their moodes for good King Henries sake But