Since thou wert King; as who is King, but thou?
The Common-wealth hath dayly run to wrack,
The Dolphin hath prevayl'd beyond the Seas,
And all the Peeres and Nobles of the Realme
Have beene as Bond-men to their Soveraigntie.

Card. The Commons hast thou rackt, the Clergies Bags
Are lanke and leane with thy Extortions.

Som. Thy sumptuous Buildings, and thy Wives Attyre Have cost a masse of publique Treasurie.

Buck. Thy Crueltie in execution
Upon Offendors, hath exceeded Law,
And left thee to the mercy of the Law.

Queene. Thy sale of Offices and Townes in France,
If they were knowne, as the suspect is great,
Would make thee quickly hop without thy Head.

Give me my Fanne: what, Mynion, can ye not?

Exit Humphrey.

She gives the Duchesse a box on the eare.

I cry you mercy, Madame: was it you?

Duch. Was't I? yea, I it was, prowd French-woman:
Could I come neere your Beautie with my Nayles,

I could set my ten Commandements in your face.
King. Sweet Aunt be quiet, 'twas against her will.
Duch. Against her will, good King? looke to't in time
Shee❜le hamper thee, and dandle thee like a Baby:
Though in this place most Master weare no Breeches,
She shall not strike Dame Elianor unreveng'd.

Buck. Lord Cardinall, I will follow Elianor,
And listen after Humfrey, how he proceedes :
Shee's tickled now, her Fume needs no spurres,
Shee'le gallop farre enough to her destruction.

Enter Humfrey.

Exit Elianor.

Exit Buckingham.

Humf. Now Lords, my Choller being over-blowne,

With walking once about the Quadrangle,

I come to talke of Common-wealth Affayres.
As for your spightfull false Objections,
Prove them, and I lye open to the Law:
But God in mercie so deale with my Soule,
As I in dutie love my King and Countrey.
But to the matter that we have in hand:
I say, my Soveraigne, Yorke is meetest man
To be your Regent in the Realme of France.
Suff. Before we make election, give me leave
To shew some reason, of no little force,
That Yorke is most unmeet of any man.

Yorke. Ile tell thee, Suffolke, 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 keepe me here,
Without Discharge, Money, or Furniture,
Till France be wonne into the Dolphins hands:
Last time I danc't attendance on his will,

Till Paris was besieg'd, famisht, and lost.

Warw. That can I witnesse, and a fouler fact

Did never Traytor in the Land commit.

Suff. Peace head-strong Warwicke.

Warw. Image of Pride, why should I hold my peace?

Enter Armorer and his Man.

Suff. Because here is a man accused of Treason,

Pray God the Duke of Yorke excuse himselfe.

Yorke. Doth any one accuse Torke for a Traytor?

King. What mean'st thou, Suffolke? tell me, what are these?

Suff. Please it your Majestie, this is the man

That doth accuse his Master of High Treason;

His words were these: That Richard, Duke of Yorke,

Was rightfull Heire unto the English Crowne,

And that your Majestie was an Usurper.

King. Say man, were these thy words?

Armorer. And't shall please your Majestie, I never sayd nor thought any such matter; God is my witnesse, I am falsely accus'd by the Villaine.

Peter. By these tenne bones, my Lords, hee did speake them to me in the Garret one Night, as wee were scowring my Lord of Yorkes Armor.

Yorke. Base Dunghill Villaine, and Mechanicall,
Ile have thy Head for this thy Traytors speech:
I doe beseech your Royall Majestie,

Let him have all the rigor of the Law.

Armorer. 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 witnesse of this; therefore I beseech your Majestie, doe not cast away an honest man for a Villaines

accusation.

King. Unckle, what shall we say to this in law?
Humf. This doome, my Lord, if I may judge:
Let Somerset be Regent o're the French,
Because in Yorke this breedes suspition;
And let these have a day appointed them
For single Combat, in convenient place,
For he hath witnesse of his servants malice:
This is the Law, and this Duke Humfreyes doome.
Som. I humbly thanke your Royall Majestie.

Armorer. And I accept the Combat willingly.

Peter. Alas, my Lord, I cannot fight; for Gods sake pitty my case the spight of man prevayleth against me. O Lord have mercy upon me, I shall never be able to fight a blow: O Lord my heart.

Humf. Sirrha, or you must fight, or else be hang'd.

King. Away with them to Prison: and the day of Combat, shall be the last of the next moneth. Come Somerset, wee'le see thee sent away. Flourish. Exeunt.

Enter the Witch, the two Priests, and Bullingbrooke.

Hume. Come my Masters, the Duchesse I tell you expects performance of your promises.

Bulling. Master Hume, we are therefore provided: will her Ladyship behold and heare our Exorcismes?

Hume. I, what else? feare you not her courage.

Bulling. 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 wee be busie below; and so I pray you goe in Gods Name, and leave us. Exit Hume. Mother Jordan, be you prostrate, and grovell on the Earth; John Southwell reade you, and let us to our worke.

Enter Elianor aloft.

Elianor. Well said my Masters, and welcome all: To this geere, the sooner the better.

Bullin. Patience, good Lady, Wizards know their times:
Deepe Night, darke Night, the silent of the Night,
The time of Night when Troy was set on fire,

The time when Screech-owles cry, and Bandogs howle,
And Spirits walke, and Ghosts breake up their Graves;
That time best fits the worke we have in hand.
Madame, sit you, and feare not: whom wee rayse,
Wee will make fast within a hallow'd Verge.

Here doe the Ceremonies belonging, and make the Circle, Bullingbrooke or Southwell reades, Conjuro te, &c. It Thunders and Lightens terribly: then the Spirit riseth.

Spirit. Ad sum.

Witch. Asmath, by the eternall God,

Whose name and power thou tremblest at,

Answere that I shall aske: for till thou speake,

Thou shalt not passe from hence.

Spirit. Aske what thou wilt; that I had sayd, and done.

Bulling. First of the King: What shall of him become?
Spirit. The Duke yet lives, that Henry shall depose:
But him out-live, and dye a violent death.

Bulling. What fates await the Duke of Suffolke?
Spirit. By Water shall he dye, and take his end.
Bulling. What shall befall the Duke of Somerset ?
Spirit. Let him shun Castles,

Safer shall he be upon the sandie Plaines,

Then where Castles mounted stand.

Have done, for more I hardly can endure.

Bulling. Discend to Darknesse, and the burning Lake:

False Fiend avoide.

Thunder and Lightning. Exit Spirit.

Enter the Duke of Yorke and the Duke of Buckingham with their Guard, and breake in.

Yorke. Lay hands upon these Traytors, and their trash :
Beldam I thinke we watcht you at an ynch.

What Madame, are you there? the King & Commonweale
Are deepely indebted for this peece of paines;

My Lord Protector will, I doubt it not,

See you well guerdon'd for these good deserts.

Elianor. Not halfe so bad as thine to Englands King, Injurious Duke, that threatest where's no cause.

Buck. True Madame, none at all: what call Away with them, let them be clapt up close,

And kept asunder: you Madame shall with us.

Stafford take her to thee.

you this?

Wee'le see your Trinkets here all forth-comming.

All away.

Yorke. Lord Buckingham, me thinks you watcht her well: A pretty Plot, well chosen to build upon.

Now pray my Lord, let's see the Devils Writ.

Exit.

What have we here?

Reades.

The Duke yet lives, that Henry shall depose :
But him out-live, and dye a violent death.