Is but a preface of her worthy praise; The chief perfections of that lovely dame, Had I sufficient skill to utter them, Would make a volume of enticing lines, Able to ravish any dull conceit: And, which is more, she is not so divine, So full-replete with choice of all delights, But with as humble lowliness of mind She is content to be at your command; Command, I mean, of virtuous chaste intents, To love and honor Henry as her lord. King. And otherwise will Henry ne'er presume. Therefore, my lord protector, give consent That Margaret may be England's royal queen. Glou. So should I give consent to flatter sin.

21

You know, my lord, your highness is betroth'd
Unto another lady of esteem:

30

How shall we then dispense with that contract, And not deface your honor with reproach? Suf. As doth a ruler with unlawful oaths; Or one that, at a triumph having vow'd To try his strength, forsaketh yet the lists By reason of his adversary's odds:

A poor earl's daughter is unequal odds,

And therefore may be broke without offense. Glou. Why, what, I pray, is Margaret more than that?

Her father is no better than an earl,
Although in glorious titles he excel.

Suf. Yes, my lord, her father is a king,

39. "Yes, my lord"; so F. 1; Ff. 2, 3, 4, "Yes, my good lord";

40

The King of Naples and Jerusalem;
And of such great authority in France,
As his alliance will confirm our peace,
And keep the Frenchman in allegiance..
Glou. And so the Earl of Armagnac may do,
Because he is near kinsman unto Charles.
Exe. Beside, his wealth doth warrant a liberal
dower,

Where Reignier sooner will receive than give.
Suf. A dower, my lords! disgrace not so your king,
That he should be so abject, base and poor,
To choose for wealth and not for perfect love.
Henry is able to enrich his queen,

51

And not to seek a queen to make him rich:
So worthless peasants bargain for their wives,
As market-men for oxen, sheep, or horse.
Marriage is a matter of more worth
Than to be dealt in by attorneyship;

60

Not whom we will; but whom his grace affects,
Must be companion of his nuptial bed:
And therefore, lords, since he affects her most,
It most of all these reasons bindeth us,
In our opinions she should be preferr❜d.
For what is wedlock forced but a hell,
An age of discord and continual strife?
Whereas the contrary bringeth bliss,

Anon. conj. "Yes, yes, my lord," or "Why, yes, my lord"; Dyce, “O,
yes, my lord"; Vaughan, "Yes, my lord-more.”—I. G.

55. "Marriage"; so F. 1; Ff. 2, 3, 4, read "But marriage"; perhaps we should read “marriage.”—I. G.

56. "attorneyship," that is, by the intervention of another man's choice; or the discretional agency of another.-H. N. H.

64. "bringeth," the reading of F. 1; Ff. 2, 3, 4, "bringeth forth";

And is a pattern of celestial peace.

Whom should we match with Henry, being a king,

But Margaret, that is daughter to a king?

Inder peerless feature, joined with her birth,
bu Approves her fit for none but for a king:
Her valiant courage and undaunted spirit,
More than in women commonly is seen,
Will answer our hope in issue of a king;
For Henry, son unto a conqueror,
Is likely to beget more conquerors,
If with a lady of so high resolve

70

As is fair Margaret he be link'd in love.
Then yield, my lords; and here conclude with

me

That Margaret shall be queen, and none but she.

80

King. Whether it be through force of your report,
My noble Lord of Suffolk, or for that
My tender youth was never yet attaint
With any passion of inflaming love,
I cannot tell; but this I am assured,
I feel such sharp dissension in my breast,
Such fierce alarums both of hope and fear,
As I am sick with working of my thoughts.
Take, therefore, shipping; post, my lord, to
France;

Agree to any covenants, and procure

That Lady Margaret do vouchsafe to come

perhaps the difficulty of the line is due to the quadrisyllabic nature of the word "contrary”—“cónteráry.”—I. G.

To cross the seas to England, and be crown'd 90
King Henry's faithful and anointed queen:
For your expenses and sufficient charge,
Among the people gather up a tenth.
Be gone, I say; for, till you do return,
I rest perplexed with a thousand cares.
And you, good uncle, banish all offense:
If you do censure me by what
you were,
Not what you are, I know it will excuse
This sudden execution of my will.

And so, conduct me where, from company, 100 I may revolve and ruminate my grief. [Exit. Glou. Aye, grief, I fear me, both at first and last. [Exeunt Gloucester and Exeter. Suf. Thus Suffolk hath prevail'd; and thus he

goes,

As did the youthful Paris once to Greece,
With hope to find the like event in love,
But prosper better than the Trojan did.
Margaret shall now be queen, and rule the
king;

But I will rule both her, the king and realm.

[Exit.

90. "To cross"; Walker, "Across."-I. G. 97. To "censure" is here simply to judge. "If in judging me you consider the past frailties of your own youth."-H. N. H.

108. Suffolk set forth on this expedition in October, 1444. Thus stands the account in Holinshed: "The earle of Suffolke was made marquesse of Suffolke, which marquesse, with his wife and manie honorable personages of men and women, richlie adorned both with apparell and jewels, having with them manie costlie chariots and gorgeous horslitters, sailed into France for the conveiance of the nominated queene into the realme of England. For king Reiner, hir father, for all his long stile, had too short a pursse to send his daughter honorablie to the king hir spouse."-H. N. H.

GLOSSARY

By ISRAEL GOLLANCZ, M.A.