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Lay hands upon these traitors and their trash.—

Beldam, I think we watch'd you at an inch.

What, madam, are you there? the king and commonweal

Are deeply indebted for this piece of pains;

My lord protector will, I doubt it not,

See you well guerdon'd for these good deserts.

DUCHESS.

Not half so bad as thine to England's king,

Injurious duke, that threatest where's no cause.

BUCKINGHAM.

True, madam, none at all; what call you this?—

Away with them! let them be clapp'd up close,

And kept asunder.—You, madam, shall with us.—

Stafford, take her to thee.—

[Exeunt above, Duchess and Hume, guarded.]

We'll see your trinkets here all forthcoming.—

All, away!

[Exeunt guard with Jourdain, Southwell, etc.]

YORK.

Lord Buckingham, methinks you watch'd her well;

A pretty plot, well chosen to build upon!

Now, pray, my lord, let's see the devil's writ.

What have we here?

[Reads] 'The duke yet lives that Henry shall depose.

But him outlive and die a violent death.'

Why, this is just

'Aio te, Aeacida, Romanos vincere posse.'

Well, to the rest:

'Tell me what fate awaits the Duke of Suffolk?

By water shall he die and take his end.

What shall betide the Duke of Somerset?

Let him shun castles;

Safer shall he be upon the sandy plains

Than where castles mounted stand.'—

Come, come, my lords;

These oracles are hardly attain'd,

And hardly understood.

The king is now in progress towards Saint Alban's,

With him the husband of this lovely lady.

Thither go these news, as fast as horse can carry them;

A sorry breakfast for my lord protector.

BUCKINGHAM.

Your Grace shall give me leave, my

Lord of York,

To be the post, in hope of his reward.

YORK.

At your pleasure, my good lord.—

Who's within there, ho!

[Enter a Servingman.]

Invite my Lords of Salisbury and Warwick

To sup with me to-morrow night. Away!

[Exeunt.]

ACT II

SCENE I. Saint Alban's.

[Enter the KING, QUEEN, GLOUCESTER, CARDINAL, and SUFFOLK, with FALCONERS halloing.]

QUEEN.

Believe me, lords, for flying at the brook,

I saw not better sport these seven years' day;

Yet, by your leave, the wind was very high,

And, ten to one, old Joan had not gone out.

KING.

But what a point, my lord, your falcon made,

And what a pitch she flew above the rest!

To see how God in all His creatures works!

Yea, man and birds are fain of climbing high.

SUFFOLK.

No marvel, an it like your majesty,

My lord protector's hawks do tower so well;

They know their master loves to be aloft,

And bears his thoughts above his falcon's pitch.

GLOUCESTER.

My lord, 't is but a base ignoble mind

That mounts no higher than a bird can soar.

CARDINAL.

I thought as much; he would be above the clouds.

GLOUCESTER.

Ay, my lord cardinal? how think you by that?

Were it not good your grace could fly to heaven?

KING.

The treasury of everlasting joy.

CARDINAL.

Thy heaven is on earth; thine eyes and thoughts

Beat on a crown, the treasure of thy heart,

Pernicious protector, dangerous peer,

That smooth'st it so with king and commonweal.

GLOUCESTER.

What, cardinal, is your priesthood grown peremptory?

Tantaene animis coelestibus irae?

Churchmen so hot? good uncle, hide such malice;

With such holiness can you do it?

SUFFOLK.

No malice, sir; no more than well becomes

So good a quarrel and so bad a peer.

GLOUCESTER.

As who, my lord?

SUFFOLK.

Why, as you, my lord,

An 't like your lordly lord-protectorship.

GLOUCESTER.

Why, Suffolk, England knows thine insolence.

QUEEN.

And thy ambition, Gloucester.

KING.

I prithee, peace, good queen,

And whet not on these furious peers;

For blessed are the peacemakers on earth.

CARDINAL.

Let me be blessed for the peace I make

Against this proud protector, with my sword!

GLOUCESTER.

[Aside to Cardinal.] Faith, holy uncle, would 't were come to that!

CARDINAL.

[Aside to Gloucester.] Marry, when thou dar'st.

GLOUCESTER.

[Aside to Cardinal.] Make up no factious numbers

for the matter;

In thine own person answer thy abuse.