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BUCKINGHAM。 All in this presence are thy betters； Warwick。
WARWICK。 Warwick may live to be the best of all。 SALISBURY。 Peace；
son！ And show some reason； Buckingham； Why Somerset should be
preferr'd in this。 QUEEN。 Because the King； forsooth； will have it so。
GLOUCESTER。 Madam； the King is old enough himself To give his
censure。 These are no women's matters。 QUEEN。 If he be old enough；
what needs your Grace To be Protector of his Excellence？ GLOUCESTER。
Madam； I am Protector of the realm； And at his pleasure will resign my
place。 SUFFOLK。 Resign it then； and leave thine insolence。 Since thou
wert king… as who is king but thou？… The commonwealth hath daily run to
wrack； The Dauphin hath prevail'd beyond the seas； And all the peers and
nobles of the realm Have been as bondmen to thy sovereignty。
CARDINAL。 The commons hast thou rack'd； the clergy's bags Are lank
and lean with thy extortions。 SOMERSET。 Thy sumptuous buildings and
thy wife's attire Have cost a mass of public treasury。 BUCKINGHAM。
Thy cruelty in execution Upon offenders hath exceeded law； And left thee
to the mercy of the law。 QUEEN。 Thy sale of offices and towns in France；
If they were known； as the suspect is great； Would make thee quickly hop
without thy head。 Exit GLOUCESTER。 The QUEEN drops QUEEN her
fan Give me my fan。 What； minion； can ye not？ ＇She gives the DUCHESS
a box on the ear＇ I cry your mercy； madam； was it you？ DUCHESS。 Was't
I？ Yea； I it was； proud Frenchwoman。 Could I come near your beauty with
my nails； I could set my ten commandments in your face。 KING HENRY。
Sweet aunt； be quiet； 'twas against her will。 DUCHESS。 Against her will；
good King？ Look to 't in time； She'll hamper thee and dandle thee like a
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baby。 Though in this place most master wear no breeches； She shall not
strike Dame Eleanor unreveng'd。 Exit BUCKINGHAM。 Lord Cardinal； I
will follow Eleanor； And listen after Humphrey； how he proceeds。 She's
tickled now； her fume needs no spurs； She'll gallop far enough to her
destruction。 Exit
Re…enter GLOUCESTER
GLOUCESTER。 Now； lords； my choler being overblown With
walking once about the quadrangle； I come to talk of commonwealth
affairs。 As for your spiteful false objections； Prove them； and I lie open to
the law； But God in mercy so deal with my soul As I in duty love my king
and country！ But to the matter that we have in hand： I say； my sovereign；
York is meetest man To be your Regent in the realm of France。 SUFFOLK。
Before we make election； give me leave To show some reason； of no little
force； That York is most unmeet of any man。 YORK。 I'll tell thee； Suffolk；
why I am unmeet： First； for I cannot flatter thee in pride； Next； if I be
appointed for the place； My Lord of Somerset will keep me here Without
discharge； money； or furniture； Till France be won into the Dauphin's
hands。 Last time I danc'd attendance on his will Till Paris was besieg'd；
famish'd； and lost。 WARWICK。 That can I witness； and a fouler fact Did
never traitor in the land commit。 SUFFOLK。 Peace； headstrong Warwick！
WARWICK。 Image of pride； why should I hold my peace？
Enter HORNER； the Armourer； and his man PETER； guarded
SUFFOLK。 Because here is a man accus'd of treason： Pray God the
Duke of York excuse himself！ YORK。 Doth any one accuse York for a
traitor？ KING HENRY。 What mean'st thou； Suffolk？ Tell me； what are
these？ SUFFOLK。 Please it your Majesty； this is the man That doth accuse
his master of high treason； His words were these： that Richard Duke of
York Was rightful heir unto the English crown； And that your Majesty was
an usurper。 KING HENRY。 Say； man； were these thy words？ HORNER。
An't shall please your Majesty； I never said nor thought any such matter。
God is my witness； I am falsely accus'd by the villain。 PETER。 ＇Holding
up his hands＇ By these ten bones； my lords； he did speak them to me in the
garret one night； as we were scouring my Lord of York's armour。 YORK。
Base dunghill villain and mechanical； I'll have thy head for this thy
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King Henry VI； Part 2
traitor's speech。 I do beseech your royal Majesty； Let him have all the
rigour of the law。 HORNER‘。 Alas； my lord； hang me if ever I spake the
words。 My accuser is my prentice； and when I did correct him for his fault
the other day； he did vow upon his knees he would be even with me。 I
have good witness of this； therefore I beseech your Majesty； do not cast
away an honest man for a villain's accusation。 KING HENRY。 Uncle； what
shall we say to this in law？ GLOUCESTER。 This doom； my lord； if I may
judge： Let Somerset be Regent o'er the French； Because in York this
breeds suspicion； And let these have a day appointed them For single
combat in convenient place； For he hath witness of his servant's malice。
This is the law； and this Duke Humphrey's doom。 SOMERSET。 I humbly
thank your royal Majesty。 HORNER。 And I accept the combat willingly。
PETER。 Alas； my lord； I cannot fight； for God's sake； pity my case！ The
spite of man prevaileth against me。 O Lord； have mercy upon me； I shall
never be able to fight a blow！ O Lord； my heart！ GLOUCESTER。 Sirrah；
or you must fight or else be hang'd。 KING HENRY。 Away with them to
prison； and the day of combat shall be the last of the next month。 Come；
Somerset； we'll see thee sent away。 Flourish。 Exeunt
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SCENE IV。 London。 The DUKE OF GLOUCESTER'S garden
Enter MARGERY JOURDAIN； the witch； the two priests； HUME and
SOUTHWELL； and BOLINGBROKE
HUME。 Come； my masters； the Duchess； I tell you； expects
performance of your promises。 BOLINGBROKE。 Master Hume； we are
therefore provided； will her ladyship behold and hear our exorcisms？
HUME。 Ay； what else？ Fear you not her courage。 BOLINGBROKE。 I
have heard her reported to be a woman of an invincible spirit； but it shall
be convenient； Master Hume； that you be by her aloft while we be busy
below； and so I pray you go； in God's name； and leave us。 ＇Exit HUME＇
Mother Jourdain； be you prostrate and grovel on the earth； John Southwell；
read you； and let us to our work。
Enter DUCHESS aloft； followed by HUME
DUCHESS。 Well said； my masters； and welcome all。 To this gear； the
sooner the better。 BOLINGBROKE。 Patience； good lady； wizards know
their times： Deep night； dark night； the silent of the night； The time of
night when Troy was set on fire； The time when screech…owls cry and ban…
dogs howl； And spirits walk and ghosts break up their graves… That time
best fits the work we have in hand。 Madam； sit you； and fear not： whom
we raise We will make fast within a hallow'd verge。
＇Here they do the ceremonies belonging； and make the circle；
BOLINGBROKE or SOUTHWELL reads： 'Conjuro te；' &c。 It thunders
and lightens terribly； then the SPIRIT riseth＇
SPIRIT。 Adsum。 MARGERY JOURDAIN。 Asmath； By the eternal
God； whose name and power Thou tremblest at； answer that I shall ask；
For till thou speak thou shalt not pass from hence。 SPIRIT。 Ask what thou
wilt； that I had said and done。 BOLINGBROKE。 ＇Reads＇ 'First of the king：
what shall of him become？' SPIRIT。 The Duke yet lives that Henry shall
depose； But him outlive； and die a violent death。 ＇As the SPIRIT speaks；
SOUTHWELL writes the answer＇ BOLINGBROKE。 'What fates await the
Duke of Suffolk？' SPIRIT。 By water shall he die and take his end。
BOLINGBROKE。 'What shall befall the Duke of Somerset？' SPIRIT。 Let
him shun castles： Safer shall he be upon the sandy plains Than where
castles mounted stand。 Have done； for more I hardly can endure。
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BOLINGBROKE。 Descend to darkness and the burning lake； False fiend；
avoid！ Thunder and lightn