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.

Glou. 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,
Be my last breathing in this mortal world.

My troublous dream this night doth make me sad.

Duch. What dreamed my lord? tell me, and I'll requite it
With sweet rehearsal of my morning's dream.

Glou. Methought this staff, mine office-badge in court,
Was broke in twain; by whom I have forgot,

But, as I think, it was by the cardinal;

20

25

17-22. O Nell, sweet Nell . . . make me sad] 8-11. My louely Nell, far be it from my heart, To thinke of Treasons gainst my soveraigne Lord, But I was troubled with a dreame to night, And God I pray, it do betide no ill. 23, 24. What dream'd morning's dream] 12-14. What drempt my Lord. Good Humphrey tell it me, And ile interpret it, and when thats done, Ile tell thee then, what I did dreame to night. 25-31. Methought this staff... God knows] 15-19. This night when I was laid in bed, I dreampt that This my in two, and on the ends were plac'd, The heads of the Cardinall of Winchester, And William de la Poule first Duke of Suffolke.

13. heaved it up] Occurs again (of hands) Venus and Adonis, 351, and Lucrece, ll. 111, 638; and (of a leg) Two Gentlemen of Verona, IV. iv. 40. In Peele's Edward I. (Dyce, 410, b), he uses it of another part of the human body:

"Lluellen, after much ado,

Should in spite heave up his chin And be the highest of his kin?" See, too, Spenser, Faerie Queene, vI. viii. 15: "His dreadfull hand he heaved up aloft."

21. my last breathing] my last (or latest) gasp, which occurs several times in these plays. See note, Part I. 1. ii. 127. Compare the two following quotations in New Eng. Dict.: "Forsake me not, I pray thee, in my last breathing (Hieron, Works, i. 736, 1608); and surrendered up his last breathings at his house" (Wood, Athen. Oxon. i. 260, 1691). Not in Q. Peele has "all the hope of life and breathing" in Jack Straw (Hazlitt's Dodsley, v. 408).

24. morning's dream] the true dream. An ancient superstition. So Ben Jonson, Love Restored :

...

Pantagruel, it will be recalled, directs Panurge "to try the Future good or bad luck of his Marriage by dreams, ... when the jolly and fair Aurora draweth aside the Curtains of the Night

bend your spirits wholly to the Task of sleeping sound" (iii. 13). 25. office-badge] Compare Peele, Honour of the Garter (587, a):— "his office-badge

Was a black rod, whereof he took his name."

26. in twain]" in two " in Q. Very much used by Shakespeare.

27. by the cardinal] See what Somerset says of the Cardinal, line 177 above. The two hang together and are additional to Q. Inserted perhaps to emphasise the Cardinal's hatred of Duke Humphrey, a leading motive of Part I. and II. See Part I. I. iv. and I. i. We have yet another insertion to the same effect in line 94 below; and see note at line 117 (scene iii.).

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.
This was my dream: what it doth bode, God knows.

30

Duch. 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:
Methought I sat in seat of majesty

35

In the cathedral church of Westminster,

And in that chair where kings and queens are crowned;

Where Henry and Dame Margaret kneeled to me,

40

And on my head did set the diadem.

Glou. 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,
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?

45

32-40. Tut! this was nothing . set the diadem] 20-28. Tush my Lord, this signifies nought but this That .. grove, Shall for th' offence, make forfeit of his head. But now my Lord, Ile tell you what I dreampt, Me thought I was in the... At . . . and seated in the chaire Where .. and at my feete Henry and Margaret with a Crowne of golde Stood readie to set it on my Princely head. 41-50. Nay, Eleanor. .. no more] 29-33. Fie Nell. Ambitious woman as thou art, Art thou in this land, And the of him, And wilt treason thus, Away I say

no more.

40. my head] The alteration from "my princely head" is worthy of note. Stukely speaks of "my lordly breast in Alcazar, II. ii. (427, b). And in Selimus (Grosart, xiv. 288): "scorn to stoupe or bend my Lordly knee."

42. Presumptuous dame !] See note, Part I. III. i. 8.

42. ill-nurtured] ill-bred, ill-natured. Occurs again Venus and Adonis, 134. Compare Greene, George-a-Greene (Grosart, xiv. 175) :—

Nay, good my Liege, ill-nurtured
we were, then:

Though we Yorkeshire men be
blunt of speech,

And little skill'd in court, or such
quaint fashions,

Yet nature teacheth vs duetie to our
king."
Compounds in "nurtured" are old, as
"all well-nurtered and gentle wedded

...

menne (Grafton's Continuation of Hardyng, p. 600, 1543).

45. at command] when you wish it, available. Compare Merry Wives of Windsor, Iv. iii. 12. Earlier in New Eng. Dict. Not in Q.

46. Above the reach] See Titus Andronicus, II. i. 4. Compare Peele, Battle of Alcazar, 1. i.: "whose pride doth swell to sway beyond his reach" (423, a). 46. compass] reach. Common in Shakespeare. Not in Q.

47. hammering] devising, designing. A favourite expression of Greene's, usually within the head, or brains added. See Philomela (xi. 117):

hammering thus betwixt feare and hope he built castles in the ayre"; and p. 159: "hamring how he might bring both Lutesio and her to confusion." The nearest parallel in Shakespeare is in Titus Andronicus, 11. iii. 39.

50

Away from me, and let me hear no more! Duch. 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 checked.

Glou. Nay, be not angry; I am pleased again.

Enter Messenger.

Mess. 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.
Glou. I go. Come, Nell, thou wilt ride with us?
Duch. Yes, my good lord, I'll follow presently.

55

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;

51-54. What, what with your Nell For . be rated thus.

65

be checked] 34-36. How now my Lord, What angry dreame. The next I haue Ile keepe to my selfe, and not 55. Nay again] 37, 38. Nay Nell, Ile give no credit to a dreame, but I would haue thee to thinke on no such things. 56-58. My lord mean to hawk] 39-41 (prose). And it please your grace, the King and Queene to morrow morning will ride a hawking to Saint Albones, and craves your company along with them. 59. I go... us] 42, 43. With all my heart, I will attend his grace: Come Nell, thou wilt go with us I am sure. Exet. Humphrey. 60-67. Yes, my good lord... Fortune's pageant] 44-46. Ile come after you, for I cannot go before, But ere it be long, Ile go before them all, Despight of all that seeke to crosse me thus.

Grafton (and Hall) refer to Gloucester's marriage with Eleanor Cobham the end of "The Thirde Yere" (1424-5) (he had been previously illegally united to Lady Iaquet or Iacomyne, wife of the Duke of Brabant): "he, by wanton affection blinded, toke to his wyfe Elianor Cobham daughter to the Lorde Cobham, of Sterborow, which before (as the fame went) was his soueraigne Lady and paramour, to his great slaunder and reproche. And if he were vnquieted wyth his other pretenced wyfe, truely he was ten tymes more vexed, by occasion of this woman, as you shall hereafter playnely perceyue: so that he beganne his mariage with euill, and ended it with worse" (Grafton, p. 561). 63. next of blood] Not again in Shakespeare. A very old expression, found in Robert de Brunne's Chronicle (circa 1330).

64. remove stumbling blocks] Compare Peele, Edward I. (ante 1588?): "'tis a deed of charity to remove this stumbling-block, a fair wench" (382, a). The compound word is old and familiar from its Biblical frequency. Not in Q.

65. smooth my way] Compare Henry V. 11. ii. 188: Every rub is smoothed on our way." Not in Q.

65. headless necks] This elaborately bloodthirsty line is too smooth for Greene, and not grandiose enough for Marlowe. Like a good many other lines, it recalls the hand of Peele (Battle of Alcazar). In the 1619 Quarto the line corresponding to this reads: "I'de reache to th' crowne, or make some hop headlesse" (Halliwell's edition for Shakespeare Library). New Eng. Dict. finds this "grimly jocular expression for beheading back as far as

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

Duch. 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.

Duch. What say'st thou, man? hast thou as yet conferred
With Margery Jourdain, the cunning witch,

And 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,

75

68, 69. Where are you . . . and I. Enter Hume.] 47, 48. Who is within there? Enter Sir Iohn Hum. What Sir Iohn Hum, what newes with you? 70. Hume] 49. Sir Iohn (and throughout). 70. your royal majesty] 49. your maiestie. 71. What... grace] 50. My Maiestie. Why man I .. grace. 72. Hume] 51. Hum (and throughout). 72, 73. But, by the .. be multiplied] 51, 52. I, but by the... state shall be aduanst ere long. 74-77. What sayst thou good?] 53-55 (prose). What hast thou conferd... Witch of Ely, with Roger Bullingbrooke and the rest, and good? 78-81. This they A spirit rais'd from.. propounded him] 56-58 (prose). Í have Madame, and they have promised me to raise a Spirite from ... that shall tell your grace all questions you demaund.

Robert de Brunne's Chronicle (circa 1330). See Greene, in his play, James the Fourth (Grosart, xiii. 255):—

"On paine of death, proud Bishop,
get you gone,

Vnlesse you headlesse mean to
hoppe away."

Compare The Troublesome Raigne of
King John (a play where Greene's
hand is evident); Hazlitt's Shake-
speare Library, p. 255: "Ile make
him hoppe headlesse" (1591). And in
The True Chronicle History of King
Leir (Shakespeare Library, p. 342):
"I will make him hop without a head"
(1593).

66, 67. slack to play] See quotation at common sort, Part III. v. v. 87.

...

68. Sir John] A common early designation for clerks in holy orders. See Grafton's Chronicle, i. 241: "Till the king had payde all which their Clergie had demaunded. yea every sawcy Sir Ihon for his part."

69. silence of the night (Contention)] See below, 1. iv. 16, note. For "backside of my orchard," compare "backside of the well," Peele, Old Wives Tale (455, a).

75, 76. Jourdain . . . Bolingbroke] See extract from Grafton at the beginning of Scene iv. below.

76. conjurer] See Part I. 1. i. 26.

77. do me good] enable me to succeed. Compare Merry Wives of Windsor, 1. iv. 152; and below, in this play, IV. iii. 17. Similarly in Golding's Ovid (bk. xiv. 1. 411): "Where for the thicknesse of the trees a horse myght doo no good." See below, III. i. 19. Do thee good' occurs twice in Soliman and Perseda.

That shall make answer to such questions
As by your grace shall be propounded him.
Duch. It is enough: I'll think upon the questions.
When from Saint Alban's we do make return
We'll see these things effected to the full.
Here, Hume, take this reward; make merry, man,
With thy confederates in this weighty cause.
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.

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

...

80

85

[Exit.

90

82-86. It is enough this weighty cause. Exit.] 59-67. Thanks, good Sir Iohn. Some two daies hence I gesse Will fit our time, then see that they be here: For now the King is riding to Saint Albones, And all the Dukes and Earles along with him, When they be gone, then safely they may come, And on the backside of my orchard here, There cast their Spelles in silence of the night, And so resolue vs of the thing we wish, Till when, drinke that for my sake, And so farwell. Exet Elnor. 87-91. Hume must. witch] 68-71. Now Sir Iohn Hum, No words but mum, Seale vp your lips, for you must silent be, These gifts ere long will make me mightie rich, The Duches she thinks now that all is well. 92, 93. Gold cannot... another coast] 72. But I have gold comes from another place. 94-99. I dare not in her brain] 73-80. From one that hyred me to set her on, To plot these Treasons gainst the King and Peeres, And that is the mightie Duke of

...

"Come we for thee from depth of under ground

To see him feast that gave me my deaths wound." Spenser has :

"Merlin whylome wont (they say) To make his wonne, low underneath the ground (Faerie Queene, III. iii. 7).

81. propounded] Not elsewhere in Shakespeare. Greene uses it of evidence in his Philomela (Grosart, xi. 187). The Duchess is fuller in her arrangements in the Quarto, for the obvious reason, that there is repetition to be avoided. See note at "silence of the night," 1. iv. 10 below. It is more artistic to shift these details to their place of action.

88, Marry and shall] See again 1 Henry IV. v. ii. 34, and Richard III. III. iv. 36. Compare Kyd's Spanish Tragedy (II. xiv. 156) (Boas): "I marry, my Lord, and shall."

89. Seal up] Frequent in Shakespeare, with "eyes, "mouth," etc.

89. mum] Note the rhyming couplet (Hum, mum) in the Quarto, 1. 68.