Page:Henry VI Part 2 (1923) Yale.djvu/23

King Henry the Sixth, I. ii

As to vouchsafe one glance unto the ground.

Hum. 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.

Elea. What dream'd my lord? tell me, and I'll requite it

With sweet rehearsal of my morning's dream.

Hum. 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;

And on the pieces of the broken wand

Were plac'd 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.

Elea. 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

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.

Hum. Nay, Eleanor, then must I chide outright:

Presumptuous dame! ill-nurtur'd Eleanor!

Art thou not second woman in the realm,

And the protector's wife, belov'd of him?

Hast thou not worldly pleasure at command,

 18 canker: eating sore, ulcer

25 office-badge: mark of authority (as Protector)

32 argument: testimony, proof

38 that chair; cf. n.

42 ill-nurtur’d: ill-bred, rude 