Speeches (Lines) for Humphrey of Lancaster - Duke of Gloucester in "History of Henry VI, Part I"

Duke of Bedford. Hung be the heavens with black, yield day to night!
Comets, importing change of times and states,
Brandish your crystal tresses in the sky,
And with them scourge the bad revolting stars
That have consented unto Henry's death!
King Henry the Fifth, too famous to live long!
England ne'er lost a king of so much worth.

Humphrey of Lancaster - Duke of Gloucester. England ne'er had a king until his time.
Virtue he had, deserving to command:
His brandish'd sword did blind men with his beams:
His arms spread wider than a dragon's wings;
His sparking eyes, replete with wrathful fire,
More dazzled and drove back his enemies
Than mid-day sun fierce bent against their faces.
What should I say? his deeds exceed all speech:
He ne'er lift up his hand but conquered.

Winchester. He was a king bless'd of the King of kings.
Unto the French the dreadful judgement-day
So dreadful will not be as was his sight.
The battles of the Lord of hosts he fought:
The church's prayers made him so prosperous.

Humphrey of Lancaster - Duke of Gloucester. The church! where is it? Had not churchmen pray'd,
His thread of life had not so soon decay'd:
None do you like but an effeminate prince,
Whom, like a school-boy, you may over-awe.

Winchester. Gloucester, whate'er we like, thou art protector
And lookest to command the prince and realm.
Thy wife is proud; she holdeth thee in awe,
More than God or religious churchmen may.

Humphrey of Lancaster - Duke of Gloucester. Name not religion, for thou lovest the flesh,
And ne'er throughout the year to church thou go'st
Except it be to pray against thy foes.

Duke of Bedford. What say'st thou, man, before dead Henry's corse?
Speak softly, or the loss of those great towns
Will make him burst his lead and rise from death.

Humphrey of Lancaster - Duke of Gloucester. Is Paris lost? is Rouen yielded up?
If Henry were recall'd to life again,
These news would cause him once more yield the ghost.

Duke of Exeter. The Dauphin crowned king! all fly to him!
O, whither shall we fly from this reproach?

Humphrey of Lancaster - Duke of Gloucester. We will not fly, but to our enemies' throats.
Bedford, if thou be slack, I'll fight it out.

Duke of Bedford. I do remember it; and here take my leave,
To go about my preparation.

Humphrey of Lancaster - Duke of Gloucester. I'll to the Tower with all the haste I can,
To view the artillery and munition;
And then I will proclaim young Henry king.

Charles, King of France. Presently we'll try: come, let's away about it:
No prophet will I trust, if she prove false.

Humphrey of Lancaster - Duke of Gloucester. I am come to survey the Tower this day:
Since Henry's death, I fear, there is conveyance.
Where be these warders, that they wait not here?
Open the gates; 'tis Gloucester that calls.

First Warder. [Within] The Lord protect him! so we answer him:
We do no otherwise than we are will'd.

Humphrey of Lancaster - Duke of Gloucester. Who willed you? or whose will stands but mine?
There's none protector of the realm but I.
Break up the gates, I'll be your warrantize.
Shall I be flouted thus by dunghill grooms?
[Gloucester's men rush at the Tower Gates, and]
WOODVILE the Lieutenant speaks within]

Woodvile. What noise is this? what traitors have we here?

Humphrey of Lancaster - Duke of Gloucester. Lieutenant, is it you whose voice I hear?
Open the gates; here's Gloucester that would enter.

Woodvile. Have patience, noble duke; I may not open;
The Cardinal of Winchester forbids:
From him I have express commandment
That thou nor none of thine shall be let in.

Humphrey of Lancaster - Duke of Gloucester. Faint-hearted Woodvile, prizest him 'fore me?
Arrogant Winchester, that haughty prelate,
Whom Henry, our late sovereign, ne'er could brook?
Thou art no friend to God or to the king:
Open the gates, or I'll shut thee out shortly.

Winchester. How now, ambitious Humphry! what means this?

Humphrey of Lancaster - Duke of Gloucester. Peel'd priest, dost thou command me to be shut out?

Winchester. I do, thou most usurping proditor,
And not protector, of the king or realm.

Humphrey of Lancaster - Duke of Gloucester. Stand back, thou manifest conspirator,
Thou that contrivedst to murder our dead lord;
Thou that givest whores indulgences to sin:
I'll canvass thee in thy broad cardinal's hat,
If thou proceed in this thy insolence.

Winchester. Nay, stand thou back, I will not budge a foot:
This be Damascus, be thou cursed Cain,
To slay thy brother Abel, if thou wilt.

Humphrey of Lancaster - Duke of Gloucester. I will not slay thee, but I'll drive thee back:
Thy scarlet robes as a child's bearing-cloth
I'll use to carry thee out of this place.

Winchester. Do what thou darest; I beard thee to thy face.

Humphrey of Lancaster - Duke of Gloucester. What! am I dared and bearded to my face?
Draw, men, for all this privileged place;
Blue coats to tawny coats. Priest, beware your beard,
I mean to tug it and to cuff you soundly:
Under my feet I stamp thy cardinal's hat:
In spite of pope or dignities of church,
Here by the cheeks I'll drag thee up and down.

Winchester. Gloucester, thou wilt answer this before the pope.

Humphrey of Lancaster - Duke of Gloucester. Winchester goose, I cry, a rope! a rope!
Now beat them hence; why do you let them stay?
Thee I'll chase hence, thou wolf in sheep's array.
Out, tawny coats! out, scarlet hypocrite!
[Here GLOUCESTER's men beat out BISHOP OF]
WINCHESTER's men, and enter in the hurly-
burly the Mayor of London and his Officers]

Lord Mayor of London. Fie, lords! that you, being supreme magistrates,
Thus contumeliously should break the peace!

Humphrey of Lancaster - Duke of Gloucester. Peace, mayor! thou know'st little of my wrongs:
Here's Beaufort, that regards nor God nor king,
Hath here distrain'd the Tower to his use.

Winchester. Here's Gloucester, a foe to citizens,
One that still motions war and never peace,
O'ercharging your free purses with large fines,
That seeks to overthrow religion,
Because he is protector of the realm,
And would have armour here out of the Tower,
To crown himself king and suppress the prince.

Humphrey of Lancaster - Duke of Gloucester. I will not answer thee with words, but blows.

Officer. All manner of men assembled here in arms this day
against God's peace and the king's, we charge and
command you, in his highness' name, to repair to
your several dwelling-places; and not to wear,
handle, or use any sword, weapon, or dagger,
henceforward, upon pain of death.

Humphrey of Lancaster - Duke of Gloucester. Cardinal, I'll be no breaker of the law:
But we shall meet, and break our minds at large.

Lord Mayor of London. I'll call for clubs, if you will not away.
This cardinal's more haughty than the devil.

Humphrey of Lancaster - Duke of Gloucester. Mayor, farewell: thou dost but what thou mayst.

Winchester. Comest thou with deep premeditated lines,
With written pamphlets studiously devised,
Humphrey of Gloucester? If thou canst accuse,
Or aught intend'st to lay unto my charge,
Do it without invention, suddenly;
As I with sudden and extemporal speech
Purpose to answer what thou canst object.

Humphrey of Lancaster - Duke of Gloucester. Presumptuous priest! this place commands my patience,
Or thou shouldst find thou hast dishonour'd me.
Think not, although in writing I preferr'd
The manner of thy vile outrageous crimes,
That therefore I have forged, or am not able
Verbatim to rehearse the method of my pen:
No, prelate; such is thy audacious wickedness,
Thy lewd, pestiferous and dissentious pranks,
As very infants prattle of thy pride.
Thou art a most pernicious usurer,
Forward by nature, enemy to peace;
Lascivious, wanton, more than well beseems
A man of thy profession and degree;
And for thy treachery, what's more manifest?
In that thou laid'st a trap to take my life,
As well at London bridge as at the Tower.
Beside, I fear me, if thy thoughts were sifted,
The king, thy sovereign, is not quite exempt
From envious malice of thy swelling heart.

Winchester. Gloucester, I do defy thee. Lords, vouchsafe
To give me hearing what I shall reply.
If I were covetous, ambitious or perverse,
As he will have me, how am I so poor?
Or how haps it I seek not to advance
Or raise myself, but keep my wonted calling?
And for dissension, who preferreth peace
More than I do?--except I be provoked.
No, my good lords, it is not that offends;
It is not that that hath incensed the duke:
It is, because no one should sway but he;
No one but he should be about the king;
And that engenders thunder in his breast
And makes him roar these accusations forth.
But he shall know I am as good--

Humphrey of Lancaster - Duke of Gloucester. As good!
Thou bastard of my grandfather!

Winchester. Ay, lordly sir; for what are you, I pray,
But one imperious in another's throne?

Humphrey of Lancaster - Duke of Gloucester. Am I not protector, saucy priest?

Winchester. And am not I a prelate of the church?

Humphrey of Lancaster - Duke of Gloucester. Yes, as an outlaw in a castle keeps
And useth it to patronage his theft.

Winchester. Unreverent Gloster!

Humphrey of Lancaster - Duke of Gloucester. Thou art reverent
Touching thy spiritual function, not thy life.

Second Serving-Man. Do what ye dare, we are as resolute.

Humphrey of Lancaster - Duke of Gloucester. You of my household, leave this peevish broil
And set this unaccustom'd fight aside.

First Serving-Man. Ay, and the very parings of our nails
Shall pitch a field when we are dead.

Humphrey of Lancaster - Duke of Gloucester. Stay, stay, I say!
And if you love me, as you say you do,
Let me persuade you to forbear awhile.

Winchester. He shall submit, or I will never yield.

Humphrey of Lancaster - Duke of Gloucester. Compassion on the king commands me stoop;
Or I would see his heart out, ere the priest
Should ever get that privilege of me.

Warwick. Behold, my Lord of Winchester, the duke
Hath banish'd moody discontented fury,
As by his smoothed brows it doth appear:
Why look you still so stern and tragical?

Humphrey of Lancaster - Duke of Gloucester. Here, Winchester, I offer thee my hand.

Winchester. Well, Duke of Gloucester, I will yield to thee;
Love for thy love and hand for hand I give.

Humphrey of Lancaster - Duke of Gloucester. [Aside] Ay, but, I fear me, with a hollow heart.--
See here, my friends and loving countrymen,
This token serveth for a flag of truce
Betwixt ourselves and all our followers:
So help me God, as I dissemble not!

Warwick. Accept this scroll, most gracious sovereign,
Which in the right of Richard Plantagenet
We do exhibit to your majesty.

Humphrey of Lancaster - Duke of Gloucester. Well urged, my Lord of Warwick: or sweet prince,
And if your grace mark every circumstance,
You have great reason to do Richard right;
Especially for those occasions
At Eltham Place I told your majesty.

Duke/Earl of Somerset. [Aside] Perish, base prince, ignoble Duke of York!

Humphrey of Lancaster - Duke of Gloucester. Now will it best avail your majesty
To cross the seas and to be crown'd in France:
The presence of a king engenders love
Amongst his subjects and his loyal friends,
As it disanimates his enemies.

Henry VI. When Gloucester says the word, King Henry goes;
For friendly counsel cuts off many foes.

Humphrey of Lancaster - Duke of Gloucester. Your ships already are in readiness.

Henry VI. Is this the Lord Talbot, uncle Gloucester,
That hath so long been resident in France?

Humphrey of Lancaster - Duke of Gloucester. Yes, if it please your majesty, my liege.

Vernon. Well, miscreant, I'll be there as soon as you;
And, after, meet you sooner than you would.

Humphrey of Lancaster - Duke of Gloucester. Lord bishop, set the crown upon his head.

Winchester. God save King Henry, of that name the sixth!

Humphrey of Lancaster - Duke of Gloucester. Now, governor of Paris, take your oath,
That you elect no other king but him;
Esteem none friends but such as are his friends,
And none your foes but such as shall pretend
Malicious practises against his state:
This shall ye do, so help you righteous God!

Lord Talbot/Earl of Shrewsbury. Shame to the Duke of Burgundy and thee!
I vow'd, base knight, when I did meet thee next,
To tear the garter from thy craven's leg,
[Plucking it off]
Which I have done, because unworthily
Thou wast installed in that high degree.
Pardon me, princely Henry, and the rest
This dastard, at the battle of Patay,
When but in all I was six thousand strong
And that the French were almost ten to one,
Before we met or that a stroke was given,
Like to a trusty squire did run away:
In which assault we lost twelve hundred men;
Myself and divers gentlemen beside
Were there surprised and taken prisoners.
Then judge, great lords, if I have done amiss;
Or whether that such cowards ought to wear
This ornament of knighthood, yea or no.

Humphrey of Lancaster - Duke of Gloucester. To say the truth, this fact was infamous
And ill beseeming any common man,
Much more a knight, a captain and a leader.

Henry VI. Stain to thy countrymen, thou hear'st thy doom!
Be packing, therefore, thou that wast a knight:
Henceforth we banish thee, on pain of death.
[Exit FASTOLFE]
And now, my lord protector, view the letter
Sent from our uncle Duke of Burgundy.

Humphrey of Lancaster - Duke of Gloucester. What means his grace, that he hath changed his style?
No more but, plain and bluntly, 'To the king!'
Hath he forgot he is his sovereign?
Or doth this churlish superscription
Pretend some alteration in good will?
What's here?
[Reads]
'I have, upon especial cause,
Moved with compassion of my country's wreck,
Together with the pitiful complaints
Of such as your oppression feeds upon,
Forsaken your pernicious faction
And join'd with Charles, the rightful King of France.'
O monstrous treachery! can this be so,
That in alliance, amity and oaths,
There should be found such false dissembling guile?

Henry VI. What! doth my uncle Burgundy revolt?

Humphrey of Lancaster - Duke of Gloucester. He doth, my lord, and is become your foe.

Henry VI. Is that the worst this letter doth contain?

Humphrey of Lancaster - Duke of Gloucester. It is the worst, and all, my lord, he writes.

Basset. Confirm it so, mine honourable lord.

Humphrey of Lancaster - Duke of Gloucester. Confirm it so! Confounded be your strife!
And perish ye, with your audacious prate!
Presumptuous vassals, are you not ashamed
With this immodest clamorous outrage
To trouble and disturb the king and us?
And you, my lords, methinks you do not well
To bear with their perverse objections;
Much less to take occasion from their mouths
To raise a mutiny betwixt yourselves:
Let me persuade you take a better course.

Henry VI. Have you perused the letters from the pope,
The emperor and the Earl of Armagnac?

Humphrey of Lancaster - Duke of Gloucester. I have, my lord: and their intent is this:
They humbly sue unto your excellence
To have a godly peace concluded of
Between the realms of England and of France.

Henry VI. How doth your grace affect their motion?

Humphrey of Lancaster - Duke of Gloucester. Well, my good lord; and as the only means
To stop effusion of our Christian blood
And 'stablish quietness on every side.

Henry VI. Ay, marry, uncle; for I always thought
It was both impious and unnatural
That such immanity and bloody strife
Should reign among professors of one faith.

Humphrey of Lancaster - Duke of Gloucester. Beside, my lord, the sooner to effect
And surer bind this knot of amity,
The Earl of Armagnac, near knit to Charles,
A man of great authority in France,
Proffers his only daughter to your grace
In marriage, with a large and sumptuous dowry.

Henry VI. My lords ambassadors, your several suits
Have been consider'd and debated on.
And therefore are we certainly resolved
To draw conditions of a friendly peace;
Which by my Lord of Winchester we mean
Shall be transported presently to France.

Humphrey of Lancaster - Duke of Gloucester. And for the proffer of my lord your master,
I have inform'd his highness so at large
As liking of the lady's virtuous gifts,
Her beauty and the value of her dower,
He doth intend she shall be England's queen.

Henry VI. And otherwise will Henry ne'er presume.
Therefore, my lord protector, give consent
That Margaret may be England's royal queen.

Humphrey of Lancaster - Duke of Gloucester. So should I give consent to flatter sin.
You know, my lord, your highness is betroth'd
Unto another lady of esteem:
How shall we then dispense with that contract,
And not deface your honour with reproach?

Earl of Suffolk. 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 offence.

Humphrey of Lancaster - Duke of Gloucester. Why, what, I pray, is Margaret more than that?
Her father is no better than an earl,
Although in glorious titles he excel.

Earl of Suffolk. Yes, lord, her father is a king,
The King of Naples and Jerusalem;
And of such great authority in France
As his alliance will confirm our peace
And keep the Frenchmen in allegiance.

Humphrey of Lancaster - Duke of Gloucester. And so the Earl of Armagnac may do,
Because he is near kinsman unto Charles.

Henry VI. 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
To cross the seas to England and be crown'd
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 offence:
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,
I may revolve and ruminate my grief.

Humphrey of Lancaster - Duke of Gloucester. Ay, grief, I fear me, both at first and last.