That time best fits the work we have in hand.

  22

  Madam, sit you, and fear not. Whom we raise

  23

  We will make fast within a hallowed verge.

  24

  Here do the ceremonies belonging, and

  make the circle. Bolingbroke or Southwell reads

  “Conjuro te, etc.” It thunders and lightens terribly;

  then the Spirit riseth.

  SPIRIT  Adsum.

  25

  JOURDAIN  Asmath,

  26

  By the eternal God, whose name and power

  27

  Thou tremblest at, answer that I shall ask,

  28

  For till thou speak, thou shalt not pass from hence.

  29

  SPIRIT

  Ask what thou wilt. That I had said and done!

  30

  BOLINGBROKE,
  writes>

  First of the King: What shall of him become?

  31

  SPIRIT

  The duke yet lives that Henry shall depose,

  32

  But him outlive and die a violent death.

  33

  BOLINGBROKE,

  What fates await the Duke of Suffolk?

  34

  SPIRIT

  By water shall he die and take his end.

  35

  BOLINGBROKE

  What shall befall the Duke of Somerset?

  36

  SPIRIT  Let him shun castles.

  37

  Safer shall he be upon the sandy plains

  38

  Than where castles mounted stand.

  39

  Have done, for more I hardly can endure.

  40

  BOLINGBROKE

  Descend to darkness and the burning lake!

  41

  False fiend, avoid!

  42

  Thunder and lightning. Spirit exits,

  Enter the Duke of York and the Duke of Buckingham

  with their Guard and

  break in.

  YORK

  Lay hands upon these traitors and their trash.

  43

 
  accomplices and seize their papers.>

  Beldam, I think we watched you at an

  44

  inch.

  45

    What, madam, are you

  46

  there? The King and commonweal

  47

  Are deeply indebted for this piece of pains.

  48

  My Lord Protector will, I doubt it not,

  49

  See you well guerdoned for these good deserts.

  50

  DUCHESS

  Not half so bad as thine to England’s king,

  51

  Injurious duke, that threatest where’s no cause.

  52

  BUCKINGHAM

  True, madam, none at all. What call you this?

  53

 

  Away with them! Let them be clapped up close

  54

  And kept asunder.—You, madam, shall with us.—

  55

  Stafford, take her to thee.

  56

 

  We’ll see your trinkets here all forthcoming.

  57

  All away!

  58

 

  exit
  exit, under guard, aloft.>

  YORK

  Lord Buckingham, methinks you watched her well.

  59

  A pretty plot, well chosen to build upon!

  60

  Now, pray, my lord, let’s see the devil’s writ.

  61

 

  What have we here?

  62

  <(Reads.)> The duke yet lives that Henry shall depose,

  63

  But him outlive and die a violent death.

  64

  Why, this is just Aio Aeacida,

  65

  Romanos vincere posse. Well, to the rest:

  66

  <(Reads.)> Tell me what fate awaits the Duke of

  67

  Suffolk?

  68

  By water shall he die and take his end.

  69

  What shall betide the Duke of Somerset?

  70

  Let him shun castles;

  71

  Safer shall he be upon the sandy plains

  72

  Than where castles mounted stand.

  73

  Come, come, my these oracles

  74

  Are hardly attained and hardly understood.

  75

  The King is now in progress towards Saint Albans;

  76

  With him the husband of this lovely lady.

  77

  Thither goes these news as fast as horse can carry

  78

  them—

  79

  A sorry breakfast for my Lord Protector.

  80

  BUCKINGHAM

  Your Grace shall give me leave, my lord of York,

  81

  To be the post, in hope of his reward.

  82

  YORK  At your pleasure, my good lord.

  83

 

  Who’s within there, ho!

  84

  Enter a Servingman.

  Invite my lords of Salisbury and Warwick

  85

  To sup with me tomorrow night. Away!

  86

  They exit.

  HENRY VI

  Part 2

  * * *

  ACT 2

 

  * * *

 

  Enter King Queen
  Lord> Protector, Cardinal, and Suffolk,
  Attendants,> with Falconers hallowing.

  QUEEN MARGARET

  Believe me, lords, for flying at the brook

  1

  I saw not better sport these seven years’ day.

  2

  Yet, by your leave, the wind was very high,

  3

  And, ten to one, old Joan had not gone out.

  4

  KING HENRY,

  But what a point, my lord, your falcon made,

  5

  And what a pitch she flew above the rest!

  6

  To see how God in all his creatures works!

  7

  Yea, man and birds are fain of climbing high.

  8

  SUFFOLK

  No marvel, an it like your Majesty,

  9

  My Lord Protector’s hawks do tower so well;

  10

  They know their master loves to be aloft

  11

  And bears his thoughts above his falcon’s pitch.

  12

  GLOUCESTER

  My lord, ’tis but a base ignoble mind

  13

  That mounts no higher than a bird can soar.

  14

  CARDINAL

  I thought as much. He would be above the clouds.

  15

  GLOUCESTER

  Ay, my Lord Cardinal, how think you by that?

  16

  Were it not good your Grace could fly to heaven?

  17

  KING HENRY

  The treasury of everlasting joy.

  18

  CARDINAL,

  Thy heaven is on Earth; thine eyes and thoughts

  19

  Beat on a crown, the treasure of thy heart.

  20

  Pernicious Protector, dangerous peer,

  21

  That smooth’st it so with king and commonweal!

  22

  GLOUCESTER

  What, cardinal, is your priesthood grown

  23

  peremptory?

  24

  Tantaene animis caelestibus irae?

  25

  Churchmen so hot? Good uncle, hide such malice.

  26

  With such holiness, can you do it?

  27

  SUFFOLK

  No malice, sir, no more than well becomes

  28

  So good a quarrel and so bad a peer.

  29

  GLOUCESTER

  As who, my lord?

  30

  SUFFOLK Why, as you, my lord,

  31

  An ’t like your lordly Protectorship.

  32

  GLOUCESTER

  Why, Suffolk, England knows thine insolence.

  33

  QUEEN MARGARET

  And thy ambition, Gloucester.

  34

  KING HENRY I prithee peace,

  35

  Good queen, and whet not on these furious peers,

  36

  For blessèd are the peacemakers on earth.

  37

  CARDINAL

  Let me be blessèd for the peace I make

  38

  Against this proud Protector with my sword!

  39

  GLOUCESTER,