SC. III.
dac
Enter two Petitioners, and Peter the Armourers man.
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1. Peti.
Come sirs let vs linger here abouts a while,
Vntil my Lord Protector come this way,
That we may show his grace our seuerall causes.
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2. Peti.
I pray God saue the good Duke
Humphries life,
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For but for him a many were vndone,
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That cannot get no succour in the Court,
But see where he comes with the Oueene.
Enter 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.
Queene.
Now good-fellowes, whom would you speak withall?
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2. Peti.
If it please your Maiestie, with my Lord Protectors
Grace.
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Queene.
Are your sutes to his grace. Let vs see them first,
Looke on them my Lord of Suffolke.
Suffolke.
A complaint against the Cardinals man,
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What hath he done?
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2. Peti.
Marry my Lord, he hath stole away my wife,
And th’ are gone togither, and I know not where to finde them.
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Suffolke.
Hath he stole thy wife, thats some iniury indeed.
But what say you?
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Peter Thump.
Marry sir I come to tel you that my maister said,
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that the Duke of
Yorke
was true heire vnto the Crowne, and that the King was an vsurer.
Queene.
An vsurper thou wouldst say.
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Peter.
I forsooth an vsurper.
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Queene.
Didst thou say the King was an vsurper?
Peter.
No forsooth, I saide my maister saide so, th’ other day, when we were scowring the Duke of Yorks Armour in our garret.
Suffolke.
I marry this is something like,
Enter one or two.
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Sirra take in this fellow and keepe him close,
And send out a Purseuant for his maister straight,
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Weele here more of this before the King.
Exet with the Armourers man.
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Now sir what yours? Let me see it,
A complaint against the Duke of Suffolke
for enclosing the commons of long Melford.
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1. Peti.
I beseech your grace to pardon me, me, I am but a
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Messenger for the whole town-ship.
He teares the papers.
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Suffolke.
So now show your petitions to Duke
Humphrey.
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Villaines get you gone and come not neare the Court,
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Dare these pesants write against me thus.
Exet Petitioners.
Queene.
My Lord of Suffolke, you may see by this,
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The Commons loues vnto that haughtie Duke,
That seekes to him more then to King Henry:
Whose eyes are alwaies poring on his booke,
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And nere regards the honour of his name,
But still must be protected like a childe,
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And gouerned by that ambitious Duke,
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That scarse will moue his cap nor speake to vs,
And his proud wife, high minded Elanor,
That ruffles it with such a troupe of Ladies,
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As strangers in the Court takes her for the Queene.
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The other day she vanted to her maides,
That the very traine of her worst gowne,
Was worth more wealth then all my fathers lands,
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Can any griefe of minde be like to this.
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I tell thee
Poull, when thou didst runne at Tilt,
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And stolst away our Ladaies hearts in
France,
I thought King Henry had bene like to thee,
Or else thou hadst not brought me out of France.
Suffolke.
Madame content your selfe a litle while,
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As I was cause of your comming to England,
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So will I in England worke your full content:
And as for proud Duke Humphrey and his wife,
I haue set lime-twigs that will intangle them,
As that your grace ere long shall vnderstand.
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But staie Madame, here comes the King.
Enter King Henry, and the Duke of Yorke and the Duke of Somerset on both sides of the King, whispering with him, and enter Duke Humphrey, Dame Elnor, the Duke of Buckingham, the Earle of Salsbury, the Earle of Warwicke, and the Cardinall of Winchester.
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King.
My Lords I care not who be Regent in
France, or
York,
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or Somerset, alls wonne to me.
Yorke
My Lord, if Yorke haue ill demeande himselfe,
Let Somerset enioy his place and go to France.
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Somerset.
Then whom your grace thinke worthie, let him go,
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And there be made the Regent ouer the French.
Warwicke.
Whom soeuer you account worthie,
Yorke is the worthiest.
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Cardinall.
Pease
Warwicke. Giue thy betters leaue to speake.
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War.
The Cardinals not my better in the field.
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Buc.
All in this place are thy betters farre.
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War.
And
Warwicke may liue to be the best of all.
Queene.
My Lord in mine opinion, it were best that Somerset were Regent ouer France.
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Humphrey.
Madame onr King is old inough himselfe,
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To giue his answere without your consent.
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Queene.
If he be old inough, what needs your grace
To be Protector ouer him so long.
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Humphrey.
Madame I am but Protector ouer the land,
And when it please his grace, I will resigne my charge.
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Suffolke.
Resigne it then, for since that thou wast King,
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As who is King but thee. The common state
Doth as we see, all wholly go to wracke,
And Millions of treasure hath bene spent,
And as for the Regentship of France,
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I say
Somerset is more worthie then
Yorke.
Yorke.
Ile tell thee Suffolke why I am not worthie,
Because I cannot flatter as thou canst.
War.
And yet the worthie deeds that York hath done,
Should make him worthie to be honoured here.
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Suffolke. Peace headstrong Warwicke.
War.
Image of pride, wherefore should I peace?
Suffolke.
Because here is a man accusde of Treason,
Pray God the Duke of Yorke do cleare himselfe.
Ho, bring hither the Armourer and his man.
Enter the Armourer and his man.
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If it please your grace, this fellow here, hath accused his maister of high Treason, And his words were these.
That the Duke of Yorke
was lawfull heire vnto the Crowne, and that your grace was an vsurper.
Yorke.
I beseech your grace let him haue what punishment the 110
law will afford, for his villany.
King.
Come hether fellow, didst thou speake these words?
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Armour.
Ant shall please your Maiestie, I neuer said any such
matter, God is my witnesse,
I am falsly accused by this villain (here.
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Peter.
Tis no matter for that, you did say so.
Yorke.
I beseech your grace, let him haue the law.
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Armour.
Alasse my Lord, hang me if euer I spake the words, my accuser is my prentise, & when I did correct him for his fault the other day, he did vow upon his knees that he would
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be euen with me, I haue good witnesse of this, and therefore
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I beseech your Maiestie do not cast away an honest man for a villaines accusation.
King.
Vnckle Gloster, what do you thinke of this?
Humphrey.
The law my Lord is this by case, it rests suspitious,
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That a day of combat be appointed,
And there to trie each others right or wrong,
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Which shall be on the thirtith of this month,
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With
Eben staues, and
Standbags combatting
In Smythfield, before your Royall Maiestie. Exet Humphrey.
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Armour.
And I accept the Combat willingly.
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Peter.
Alasse my Lord, I am not able to fight.
Suffolke.
You must either fight sirra or else be hangde:
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Go take them hence againe to prison.
Exet with them.
The Queene lets fall her gloue, and hits
the Duches of Gloster, a boxe on the eare.
Queene.
Giue me my gloue. Why Minion can you not see? She strikes her.
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I cry you mercy Madame, I did mistake,
I did not thinke it had bene you.
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Elnor.
Did you not proud French-woman,
Could I come neare your daintie vissage with my nayles,
Ide set my ten commandments in your face.
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King.
Be patient gentle Aunt.
It was against her will.
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Elnor.
Against her will. Good King sheele dandle thee,
If thou wilt alwaies thus be rulde by her.
But let it rest. As sure as I do liue,
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She shall not strike dame Elnor vnreuengde.
Exet Elnor.
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King.
Beleeue me my loue, thou wart much to blame,
I would not for a thousand pounds of gold,
My noble vnckle had bene here in place.
Enter Duke Humphrey.
But see where he comes, I am glad he met her not.
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Vnckle Gloster, what answere makes your grace
Concerning our Regent for the Realme of France,
Whom thinks your grace is meetest for to send.
Humphrey.
My gratious Lord, then this is my resolue,
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For that these words the Armourer should speake,
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Doth breed suspition on the part of Yorke,
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Let
Somerset be Regent ouer the French,
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Till trials made, and
Yorke may cleare himselfe.
King.
Then be it so my Lord of Somerset.
We make your grace Regent ouer the French,
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And to defend our rights gainst forraine foes,
And so do good vnto the Realme of France.
Make hast my Lord, tis time that you were gone,
The time of Truse I thinke is full expirde.
Somerset.
I humbly thanke your royall Maiestie,
And take my leaue to poste with speed to France. 165
Exet Somerset.
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King.
Come vnckle
Gloster, now lets haue our horse,
For we will to Saint Albones presently,
Madame your Hawke they say, is swift of flight,
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And we will trie how she will flie to day.
Exet omnes.