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Protector will come this way by and by； and then we may deliver our
supplications in the quill。 SECOND PETITIONER。 Marry； the Lord
protect him； for he's a good man； Jesu bless him！
Enter SUFFOLK and QUEEN
FIRST PETITIONER。 Here 'a comes； methinks； and the Queen with
him。 I'll be the first； sure。 SECOND PETITIONER。 Come back； fool； this
is the Duke of Suffolk and not my Lord Protector。 SUFFOLK。 How now；
fellow！ Wouldst anything with me？ FIRST PETITIONER。 I pray； my lord；
pardon me； I took ye for my Lord Protector。 QUEEN。 ＇Reads＇ 'To my
Lord Protector！' Are your supplications to his lordship？ Let me see them。
What is thine？ FIRST PETITIONER。 Mine is； an't please your Grace；
against John Goodman； my Lord Cardinal's man； for keeping my house
and lands； and wife and all； from me。 SUFFOLK。 Thy wife too！ That's
some wrong indeed。 What's yours？ What's here！ ＇Reads＇ 'Against the
Duke of Suffolk； for enclosing the commons of Melford。' How now； sir
knave！ SECOND PETITIONER。 Alas； sir； I am but a poor petitioner of
our whole township。 PETER。 ＇Presenting his petition＇ Against my master；
Thomas Horner； for saying that the Duke of York was rightful heir to the
crown。 QUEEN。 What say'st thou？ Did the Duke of York say he was
rightful heir to the crown？ PETER。 That my master was？ No； forsooth。
My master said that he was； and that the King was an usurper。 SUFFOLK。
Who is there？ ＇Enter servant＇ Take this fellow in； and send for his master
with a pursuivant presently。 We'll hear more of your matter before the
King。 Exit servant with PETER QUEEN。 And as for you； that love to be
protected Under the wings of our Protector's grace； Begin your suits anew；
and sue to him。 ＇Tears the supplications＇ Away； base cullions！ Suffolk； let
them go。 ALL。 Come； let's be gone。 Exeunt QUEEN。 My Lord of Suffolk；
say； is this the guise； Is this the fashions in the court of England？ Is this the
government of Britain's isle； And this the royalty of Albion's king？ What；
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King Henry VI； Part 2
shall King Henry be a pupil still； Under the surly Gloucester's governance？
Am I a queen in title and in style； And must be made a subject to a duke？ I
tell thee； Pole； when in the city Tours Thou ran'st a tilt in honour of my
love And stol'st away the ladies' hearts of France； I thought King Henry
had resembled thee In courage； courtship； and proportion； But all his mind
is bent to holiness； To number Ave…Maries on his beads； His champions
are the prophets and apostles； His weapons； holy saws of sacred writ； His
study is his tilt…yard； and his loves Are brazen images of canonized saints。
I would the college of the Cardinals Would choose him Pope； and carry
him to Rome； And set the triple crown upon his head； That were a state fit
for his holiness。 SUFFOLK。 Madam； be patient。 As I was cause Your
Highness came to England； so will I In England work your Grace's full
content。 QUEEN。 Beside the haughty 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。
SUFFOLK。 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。
QUEEN。 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 our poverty； Shall I not live to be aveng'd on
her？ Contemptuous base…born callet 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 dukedoms for his
daughter。 SUFFOLK。 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； Till we have
brought Duke Humphrey in disgrace。 As for the Duke of York； this late
complaint Will make but little for his benefit。 So one by one we'll weed
them all at last； And you yourself shall steer the happy helm。
Sound a sennet。Enter the KING； DUKE HUMPHREY； CARDINAL
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King Henry VI； Part 2
BEAUFORT； BUCKINGHAM； YORK； SOMERSET； SALISBURY；
WARWICK； and the DUCHESS OF GLOUCESTER
KING HENRY。 For my part； noble lords； I care not which： Or
Somerset or York； all's one to me。 YORK。 If York have ill demean'd
himself in France； Then let him be denay'd the regentship。 SOMERSET。 If
Somerset be unworthy of the place； Let York be Regent； I will yield to him。
WARWICK。 Whether your Grace be worthy； yea or no； Dispute not that；
York is the worthier。 CARDINAL。 Ambitious Warwick； let thy betters
speak。 WARWICK。 The Cardinal's not my better in the field。
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 ra