Did never traitor in the land commit.

SUFFOLK Peace, headstrong Warwick.

WARWICK

Image of pride, why should I hold my peace?

Enter, guarded, Horner the armourer and Peter his man

SUFFOLK

Because here is a man accused of treason—

Pray God the Duke of York excuse himself!

YORK

Doth anyone 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

He indicates Peter

That doth accuse his master (indicating Horner) 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 (to Horner) 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 accused by the villain.

PETER ⌈raising 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 traitor’s speech !

(To King Henry) 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 (to Gloucester)

Uncle, what shall we say to this in law?

GLOUCESTER

This doom, my lord, if I may judge by case:

Let Somerset be regent o’er the French,

Because in York this breeds suspicion.

(Indicating Horner and Peter)

And let these have a day appointed them

For single combat in convenient place,

For he (indicating Horner) hath witness of his servant’s

malice.

This is the law, and this Duke Humphrey’s doom.

KING HENRY

Then be it so. (To Somerset) My lord of Somerset,

We make you regent o‘er the realm of France

There to defend our rights ’gainst foreign foes.

SOMERSET

I humbly thank your royal majesty.

HORNER

And I accept the combat willingly.

PETER ⌈to Gloucester⌉ 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 hanged.

KING HENRY

Away with them to prison, and the day

Of combat be the last of the next month.

Come, Somerset, we’ll see thee sent away.

Flourish. Exeunt

1.4 Enter Margery Jordan, a witch; Sir John Hume and John Southwell, two priests; and Roger Bolingbroke, a conjuror

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 Jordan, be you prostrate and grovel on the earth.

She lies down upon her face.

⌈Enter Eleanor, the Duchess of Gloucester, aloft⌉

John Southwell, read you and let us to our work.

DUCHESS Well said, my masters, and welcome all. To this gear the sooner the better.

⌈Enter Hume aloft⌉

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 bandogs 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 hallowed verge.

Here do the ceremonies belonging, and make the circle. Southwell reads ‘Coniuro te’, &c. It thunders and lightens terribly, then the spirit Asnath riseth

ASNATH Adsum.

WITCH Asnath,

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.

ASNATH

Ask what thou wilt, that I had said and done.

BOLINGBROKE (reads)

‘First, of the King: what shall of him become ?’

ASNATH

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 (reads)

‘Tell me what fate awaits the Duke of Suffolk.’

ASNATH

By water shall he die, and take his end.

BOLINGBROKE (reads)

‘What shall betide the Duke of Somerset?’

ASNATH

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.

BOLINGBROKE

Descend to darkness and the burning lake! False fiend, avoid!

Thunder and lightning. The spirit sinks down again

Enter, breaking in, the Dukes of York and

Buckingham with their guard, among them Sir

Humphrey Stafford

YORK

Lay hands upon these traitors and their trash.

⌈Bolingbroke, Southwell, and Jordan are taken

prisoner. Buckingham takes the writings from

Bolingbroke and Southwell⌉

(To Jordan) Beldam, I think we watched you at an inch.

(To the Duchess) What, madam, are you there? The

King and common weal

Are deep indebted for this piece of pains.

My lord Protector will, I doubt it not,

See you well guerdoned 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—