Suf. Madam, be patient; as I was cause Your highness came to England, so will ] In England work your grace's full content. * Q. Mar. Beside the haught protector, have, we Beaufort,

*The imperious churchman; Somerset, Buckingham,

* And grumbling York: and not the least of these, * But can do more in England than the king. *Suf. And he of these, that can do most of all, * Cannot do more in England than the Nevils: * Salisbury and Warwick are no simple peers. 6 Q. Mar. Not all these lords do vex me half so much,

As that proud dame, the lord protector's wife. She sweeps it through the court with troops of ladies,

More like an empress than Duke Humphrey's wife; Strangers in court do take her for the queen: *She bears a duke's revenues on her back,

And in her heart she scorns her poverty: * Shall I not live to be aveng'd on her? * Contemptuous base-born callat as she is, She vaunted 'mongst her minions t'other day, The very train of her worst wearing-gown Was better worth than all my father's lands, * Till Suffolk gave two dukedoms5 for his daughter. Suf. Madam, myself have lim'd a bush for her; *And plac'd a quire of such enticing birds, *That she will light to listen to the lays, * And never mount to trouble you again. So, let her rest; And, madam, list to me: For I am bold to counsel you in this. Although we fancy not the cardinal,

Yet must we join with him, and with the lords,

The duchies of Anjou and Maine, which Henry surrendered to Reignier on his marriage with Margaret. See Sc. i.

In the original play :

I have set limetwigs that will entangle them.'

P. 119.

To be protector of his excellence?

Glo. Madam, I am protector of the realm; And, at his pleasure, will resign my place. Suf. Resign it then, and leave thine insolence. Since thou wert king (as who is king, but thou?) The commonwealth hath daily run to wreck: *The Dauphin hath prevail'd beyond the seas; * And all the peers and nobles of the realm * Have been as bondmen to thy sovereignty.

* Cur. The commons hast thou rack'd; the clergy's bags

* Are lank and lean with thy extortions.

*Som. Thy sumptuous buildings, and thy wife's attire,

Have cost a mass of public treasury.

* Buck. Thy cruelty in execution, *Upon offenders, hath exceeded law,

And left thee to the mercy of the law.

* Q. Mar. 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 GLOSTER. The Queen drops her Fan. Give me my fan: What, minion! can you not? [Gives the Duchess a box on j the ear. I cry you mercy, madam; Was it you?

• Duch. Was't I? yea, I it was, proud French

woman;

Could I come near your beauty with my nails, I'd set my ten commandments in your face10.

10 This appears to have been a popular phrase for the hands or ten fingers. Thus in Selimus, Emperor of the Turks, 1594:I would set a tap abroach and not live in fear of my wife's ten commandments. Again, in Westward Hoe, 1607: Your harpy has set his ten commandments on my back." 'When Xantippe had pulled awaye her housbandes cope from his backe, even in the open streete, and his his familiar compaignons gave ing to avenge suche a naughtie touche or pranim a by warn

with his tenne comandementes. Gayly saied (quod he), Yea, Marie, that while she and I bee towzing a toplying together ye may crye to us, one, now go to Socrates, an other, held thy ne own Xantippe, Erasmus's Apothegms, by Nicholas Udal.

K. Hen. Sweet aunt, be quiet; 'twas against her will.

Duch. Against her will! Good king, look to't in time;

She'll hamper thee, and dandle thee like a baby: * Though in this place most master wear no breeches, She shall not strike dame Eleanor unreveng'd. [Exit Duchess.

* Buck. 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 fast enough to her destruction. [Exit BUCKINGHAM,

Re-enter GLOSTER.

* Glo. Now, lords, my choler being over-blown, *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. Suf. 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. * War. That I can witness; and a fouler fact * Did never traitor in the land commit. Suf. Peace, headstrong Warwick!

War. Image of pride, why should I hold my peace?