K. Henry.
Stand forth, dame Eleanor Cobham, Gloster's wife:

In sight of God, and us, your guilt is great;
Receive the sentence of the law, for sins
Such as by God's book are adjudg'd to death.—
You four, from hence to prison back again; [To the other prisoners.
From thence, unto the place of execution:
The witch in Smithfield shall be burnt to ashes,
And you three shall be strangled on the gallows.—
You, madam, for you are more nobly born,
Despoiled of your honour in your life,
Shall, after three days open penance done,
Live in your country here, in banishment,
With sir John Stanley, in the isle of Man.

Elean.
Welcome is banishment, welcome were my death.

Glo.
Eleanor, the law, thou seest, hath judged thee;
I cannot justify whom the law condemns.— [Exeunt Eleanor, and the others, guarded.
Mine eyes are full of tears, my heart of grief.
Ah, Humphrey, this dishonour in thine age
Will bring thy head with sorrow to the ground!—
I beseech your majesty, give me leave to go;
^{4 note}Sorrow would solace, and mine age would ease.

K. Henry.
Stay, Humphrey duke of Gloster: ere thou go,
Give up thy staff; Henry will to himself
Protector be; and God shall be my hope,
My stay, my guide, and lanthorn to my feet:
And go in peace, Humphrey; no less belov'd,
Than when thou wert protector to thy king.

Q. Mar.
I see no reason, why a king of years
Should be to be protected like a child.—
^{5 note}

Give up your staff, sir, and the king his realm.

Glo.
My staff?—here, noble Henry, is my staff:
As willingly do I the same resign,
As e'er thy father Henry made it mine;
And even as willingly at thy feet I leave it,
As others would ambitiously receive it.
Farewel, good king: When I am dead and gone,
May honourable peace attend thy throne! [Exit Gloster.

Q. Mar.
Why, now is Henry king, and Margaret queen;
And Humphrey, duke of Gloster, scarce himself,
That bears so shrewd a maim; two pulls at once,—
His lady banish'd, and a limb lopp'd off.
^{6 note}


This staff of honour raught:—There let it stand,
Where best it fits to be, in Henry's hand.

Suf.
Thus droops this lofty pine, and hangs his sprays;
Thus Eleanor's pride dies in her youngest days.

York.
^{7 note}Lords, let him go.—Please it your majesty,
This is the day appointed for the combat;
And ready are the appellant and defendant,
The armourer and his man, to enter the lists,
So please your highness to behold the fight.

Q. Mar.
Ay, good my lord; for purposely therefore

Left I the court, to see this quarrel try'd.

K. Henry.
O' God's name, see the lists and all things fit;
Here let them end it, and God defend the right!

York.
I never saw a fellow ^{8 note}worse bested,
Or more afraid to fight, than is the appellant,
The servant of this armourer, my lords. Enter at one door the armourer and his neighbours, drinking to him so much that he is drunk; and he enters with a drum before him, and his staff ^{9 note}

1 Neigh.

Here, neighbour Horner, I drink to you in a cup of sack; And fear not, neighbour, you shall do well enough.

2 Neigh.

And here, neighbour, here's ^{1 note}

3 Neigh.

And here's a pot of good double beer, neighbour: drink, and fear not your man.

Arm.

Let it come, i'faith, and I'll pledge you all; And a fig for Peter!

1 Pren.

Here, Peter, I drink to thee; and be not afraid.

2 Pren.

Be merry, Peter, and fear not thy master: fight for credit of the prentices.

Peter.

I thank you all: drink, and pray for me, I pray you; for, I think, I have taken my last draught in this world.—Here, Robin, an if I die, I give thee my apron;—and, Will, thou shalt have my hammer: —and here, Tom, take all the money that I have.— O Lord, bless me, I pray God! for I am never able

to deal with my master, he hath learnt so much fence already.

Sal.

Come, leave your drinking, and fall to blows.— Sirrah, what's thy name?

Peter.

Peter, forsooth.

Sal.

Peter! what more?

Peter.

Thump.

Sal.

Thump! then see thou thump thy master well.

Arm.

Masters, I am come hither, as it were, upon my man's instigation, to prove him a knave, and myself an honest man: and touching the duke of York,— I will take my death, I never meant him any ill, nor the king, nor the queen; And therefore, Peter, have at thee with a downright blow, ^{1 note}

York.
Dispatch:—^{2 note}

Arm.

Hold, Peter, hold! I confess, I confess treason.

York.

Take away his weapon:—Fellow, thank God, and the good wine in thy master's way.

Peter.
O God! have I overcome mine enemy in this presence?
O Peter, thou hast prevailed in right!

K. Henry.
Go, take hence that traitor from our sight;
For, by his death, we do perceive his guilt^{3 note}:
And God, in justice, hath reveal'd to us
The truth and innocence of this poor fellow,
Which he had thought to have murder'd wrongfully.—
Come, fellow, follow us for thy reward. [Exeunt.

Previous section

Next section