| ACT I SCENE II | Gloucester's House. | |
| [Enter GLOUCESTER and his DUCHESS] |
| DUCHESS | Why droops my lord, like over-ripen'd corn, |
| Hanging the head at Ceres' plenteous load? |
| Why doth the great Duke Humphrey knit his brows, |
| As frowning at the favours of the world? |
| Why are thine eyes fixed to the sullen earth, | 5 |
| Gazing on that which seems to dim thy sight? |
| What seest thou there? King Henry's diadem, |
| Enchased with all the honours of the world? |
| If so, gaze on, and grovel on thy face, |
| Until thy head be circled with the same. | 10 |
| Put forth thy hand, reach at the glorious gold. |
| What, is't too short? I'll lengthen it with mine: |
| And, having both together heaved it up, |
| We'll both together lift our heads to heaven, |
| And never more abase our sight so low | 15 |
| As to vouchsafe one glance unto the ground. |
| GLOUCESTER | O Nell, sweet Nell, if thou dost love thy lord, |
| Banish the canker of ambitious thoughts. |
| And may that thought, when I imagine ill |
| Against my king and nephew, virtuous Henry, | 20 |
| Be my last breathing in this mortal world! |
| My troublous dream this night doth make me sad. |
| DUCHESS | What dream'd my lord? tell me, and I'll requite it |
| With sweet rehearsal of my morning's dream. |
| GLOUCESTER | Methought this staff, mine office-badge in court, | 25 |
| Was broke in twain; by whom I have forgot, |
| But, as I think, it was by the cardinal; |
| And on the pieces of the broken wand |
| Were placed the heads of Edmund Duke of Somerset, |
| And William de la Pole, first duke of Suffolk. | 30 |
| This was my dream: what it doth bode, God knows. |
| DUCHESS | Tut, this was nothing but an argument |
| That he that breaks a stick of Gloucester's grove |
| Shall lose his head for his presumption. |
| But list to me, my Humphrey, my sweet duke: | 35 |
| Methought I sat in seat of majesty |
| In the cathedral church of Westminster, |
| And in that chair where kings and queens are crown'd; |
| Where Henry and dame Margaret kneel'd to me |
| And on my head did set the diadem. | 40 |
| GLOUCESTER | Nay, Eleanor, then must I chide outright: |
| Presumptuous dame, ill-nurtured Eleanor, |
| Art thou not second woman in the realm, |
| And the protector's wife, beloved of him? |
| Hast thou not worldly pleasure at command, | 45 |
| Above the reach or compass of thy thought? |
| And wilt thou still be hammering treachery, |
| To tumble down thy husband and thyself |
| From top of honour to disgrace's feet? |
| Away from me, and let me hear no more! | 50 |
| DUCHESS | What, what, my lord! are you so choleric |
| With Eleanor, for telling but her dream? |
| Next time I'll keep my dreams unto myself, |
| And not be cheque'd. |
| GLOUCESTER | Nay, be not angry; I am pleased again. | 55 |
| [Enter Messenger] |
| Messenger | My lord protector, 'tis his highness' pleasure |
| You do prepare to ride unto Saint Alban's, |
| Where as the king and queen do mean to hawk. |
| GLOUCESTER | I go. Come, Nell, thou wilt ride with us? |
| DUCHESS | Yes, my good lord, I'll follow presently. | 60 |
[Exeunt GLOUCESTER and Messenger] |
| Follow I must; I cannot go before, |
| While Gloucester bears this base and humble mind. |
| Were I a man, a duke, and next of blood, |
| I would remove these tedious stumbling-blocks |
| And smooth my way upon their headless necks; | 65 |
| And, being a woman, I will not be slack |
| To play my part in Fortune's pageant. |
| Where are you there? Sir John! nay, fear not, man, |
| We are alone; here's none but thee and I. |
| [Enter HUME] |
| HUME | Jesus preserve your royal majesty! | 70 |
| DUCHESS | What say'st thou? majesty! I am but grace. |
| HUME | But, by the grace of God, and Hume's advice, |
| Your grace's title shall be multiplied. |
| DUCHESS | What say'st thou, man? hast thou as yet conferr'd |
| With Margery Jourdain, the cunning witch, | 75 |
| With Roger Bolingbroke, the conjurer? |
| And will they undertake to do me good? |
| HUME | This they have promised, to show your highness |
| A spirit raised from depth of under-ground, |
| That shall make answer to such questions | 80 |
| As by your grace shall be propounded him. |
| DUCHESS | It is enough; I'll think upon the questions: |
| When from St. Alban's we do make return, |
| We'll see these things effected to the full. |
| Here, Hume, take this reward; make merry, man, | 85 |
| With thy confederates in this weighty cause. |
| [Exit] |
| HUME | Hume must make merry with the duchess' gold; |
| Marry, and shall. But how now, Sir John Hume! |
| Seal up your lips, and give no words but mum: |
| The business asketh silent secrecy. | 90 |
| Dame Eleanor gives gold to bring the witch: |
| Gold cannot come amiss, were she a devil. |
| Yet have I gold flies from another coast; |
| I dare not say, from the rich cardinal |
| And from the great and new-made Duke of Suffolk, | 95 |
| Yet I do find it so; for to be plain, |
| They, knowing Dame Eleanor's aspiring humour, |
| Have hired me to undermine the duchess |
| And buz these conjurations in her brain. |
| They say 'A crafty knave does need no broker;' | 100 |
| Yet am I Suffolk and the cardinal's broker. |
| Hume, if you take not heed, you shall go near |
| To call them both a pair of crafty knaves. |
| Well, so it stands; and thus, I fear, at last |
| Hume's knavery will be the duchess' wreck, | 105 |
| And her attainture will be Humphrey's fall: |
| Sort how it will, I shall have gold for all. |
| [Exit] |
The Essential Student History Quiz (with answers and illustrations)