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What council give you in this weighty cause?

YORK.

That Somerset be sent as regent thither.

'T is meet that lucky ruler be employ'd;

Witness the fortune he hath had in France.

SOMERSET.

If York, with all his far-fet policy,

Had been the regent there instead of me,

He never would have stay'd in France so long.

YORK.

No, not to lose it all as thou hast done;

I rather would have lost my life betimes

Than bring a burden of dishonour home

By staying there so long till all were lost.

Show me one scar character'd on thy skin;

Men's flesh preserv'd so whole do seldom win.

QUEEN.

Nay then, this spark will prove a raging fire,

If wind and fuel be brought to feed it with.

No more, good York.—Sweet Somerset, be still.—

Thy fortune, York, hadst thou been regent there,

Might happily have prov'd far worse than his.

YORK.

What, worse than nought? nay, then a shame take all!

SOMERSET.

And, in the number, thee that wishest shame!

CARDINAL.

My Lord of York, try what your fortune is.

The uncivil kerns of Ireland are in arms,

And temper clay with blood of Englishmen.

To Ireland will you lead a band of men,

Collected choicely, from each county some,

And try your hap against the Irishmen?

YORK.

I will, my lord, so please his majesty.

SUFFOLK.

Why, our authority is his consent,

And what we do establish he confirms.—

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

YORK.

I am content.—Provide me soldiers, lords,

Whiles I take order for mine own affairs.

SUFFOLK.

A charge, Lord York, that I will see perform'd.

But now return we to the false Duke Humphrey.

CARDINAL.

No more of him; for I will deal with him

That henceforth he shall trouble us no more.

And so break off; the day is almost spent.—

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

YORK.

My Lord of Suffolk, within fourteen days

At Bristol I expect my soldiers;

For there I'll ship them all for Ireland.

SUFFOLK.

I'll see it truly done, my Lord of York.

[Exeunt all but York.]

YORK.

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

And change misdoubt to resolution.

Be that thou hop'st to be, or what thou art

Resign to death; it is not worth the enjoying.

Let pale-fac'd fear keep with the mean-born man,

And find no harbour in a royal heart.

Faster than spring-time showers comes thought on thought,

And not a thought but thinks on dignity.

My brain more busy than the labouring spider

Weaves tedious snares to trap mine enemies.

Well, nobles, well, 't is politicly done,

To send me packing with an host of men;

I fear me you but warm the starved snake,

Who, cherish'd in your breasts, will sting your hearts.

'T was men I lack'd, and you will give them me;

I take it kindly, yet be well-assur'd

You put sharp weapons in a madman's hands.

Whiles I in Ireland nourish a mighty band,

I will stir up in England some black storm

Shall blow ten thousand souls to heaven or hell;

And this fell tempest shall not cease to rage

Until the golden circuit on my head,

Like to the glorious sun's transparent beams,

Do calm the fury of this mad-bred flaw.

And for a minister of my intent,

I have seduc'd a headstrong Kentishman,

John Cade of Ashford,

To make commotion, as full well he can,

Under the tide of John Mortimer.

In Ireland have I seen this stubborn Cade

Oppose himself against a troop of kerns,

And fought so long till that his thighs with darts

Were almost like a sharp-quill'd porpentine;

And, in the end being rescu'd, I have seen

Him caper upright like a wild Morisco,

Shaking the bloody darts as he his bells.

Full often, like a shag-hair'd crafty kern,

Hath he conversed with the enemy,

And undiscover'd come to me again

And given me notice of their villainies.

This devil here shall be my substitute;

For that John Mortimer, which now is dead,

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

By this I shall perceive the commons' mind,

How they affect the house and claim of York.

Say he be taken, rack'd, and tortured,

I know no pain they can inflict upon him

Will make him say I mov'd