ELEANOR

Why droops my Lord Like over ripened corn, Hanging the head at Cearies plenteous load? Whatseest thou Duke Humphrey King Henries Crown? Reach at it, and if thine arm be too short, Mine shall lengthen it. Art not thou a Prince, Uncle to the King and his Protector? Then what shouldst thou lack that might content thy mind? What drempt my lord? Good Humphrey tell it me, And isle interpret it, and when thats done, I'll tell thee then what I did dream to night. Tush my Lord, this signifies nought but this, That he that breaks a stick of Gloucesters grove, Shall for offence make forfeit of his head. But now my lord, isle tell you what I dreamt, Me thought I was in the Cathedral Church At Westminster, and seated in the chair Where the Kings and Queens are crowned, and at my feet Henry and Margaret with a crown of gold, Stood ready to set it on my princely head. How now my Lord! what, angry with your Nell For telling but her dream? the next I have I'll keep to my self and not be rated thus. I'll come after you, for I cannot go before, But ere it be long isle go before them all, Despite of all that seek to cross me thus, Who is within there? What sir John Hum, what news with you? My majesty, why man I am but grace, What hast thou conferred with Margery Jordan, the cunning witch of Ely, with Roger Bullinbrooke and the rest, and will they undertake to do me good? Thanks good sir John, some two days hence I guess Will fit our time, then see that they be here: For now the King is riding to Saint Albons, And all the Dukes and Earls along with him: When they be gone, then safely they may come, And on the backside of my Orchard here, There cast their spells in silence of the night, And so resolve of the thing we wish, Till when, drink that for my sa , and so farewell. Did you not, proud Frenchwoman, Could I come near your dainty visage with my nails, I'de set my ten commandments in your face. Here sir John take this scroll of paper here, Wherein is writ the questions you shall ask, And I will stand upon this Tower here, And hear the spirit what it says to you, And to my questions, write the answers down. Against her will good King sheele dandle thee, If thou wilt always thus be ruled by her: But let it rest, as sure as I do live, She shall not strike dame Elnor vnreuengde. Come you my Lord to see my open shame? Ah Gloucester, now thou dost penance too, See how the giddy people look at thee, Shaking their heads, and pointing at thee here, Go get thee gone, and hide thee from their sights And in thy penned up study rue my shame, And ban thine enemies: Ah mine and thine. Ah Gloucester, teach me to forget my self, For while I think I am thy wedded wife, Then thought of this, does kill my woeful heart, The ruthless flints do cut my tender feet, And when I start, the cruel people laugh, And bids me be advised how I tread, And thus with burning Tapor in my hand, Malde up in shame with papers on my back, Ah Gloucester, can I endure this and live? Sometime I'll say I am Duke Humphreys wife, And he a Prince, Protector of the land, But so he ruled, and such a Prince he was, As he stood by, while I his forlorn Duchess, Was led with shame, and made a laughing stock, To every idle rascal follower. Be thou mild, and stir not at my disgrace, Until the axe of death hang oven thy head, As shortly sure it will: For Suffolk he, The new made Duke that may do all in all With her that loves him so, and hates us all, And impious York and Beuiford that false priest, Have all lymde bushes to betray thy wings, And fly thou how thou can they will entangle thee. What? gone my lord, and bid not me farewell? Then is he gone, is noble Gloucester gone, And does duke Humphrey now forsake me too? Then let me haste from out fair England's bounds, Come Standloy, come, and let us haste away. Ah good sir John my shame cannot be hid, Nor put away, with casting off my sheet: But come, let us go, master Sheriff farewell, Thou hast but done thy office as thou shouldst.