Henry VI, Part II by William Shakespeare
Act 1 - Scene 3
The palace.
First Petitioner : My masters, let's stand close: my lord protector
[p]will come this way
by and by, and then we may deliver
[p]our supplications in the quill.
Second Petitioner : Marry, the Lord protect him, for he's a good man!
[p]Jesu bless him!
Peter : Here a' comes, methinks, and the queen with him.
[p]I'll be the first,
sure.
Second Petitioner : Come back, fool; this is the Duke of Suffolk, and
[p]not my lord
protector.
First Petitioner : I pray, my lord, pardon me; I took ye for my lord
[p]protector.
First Petitioner : Mine is, an't please your grace, against John
[p]Goodman, my lord
cardinal's man, for keeping my
[p]house, and lands, and wife and all,
from me.
Second Petitioner : Alas, sir, I am but a poor petitioner of our whole township.
Peter : [Giving his petition] Against my master, Thomas
[p]Horner, for saying
that the Duke of York was rightful
[p]heir to the crown.
Peter : That my master was? no, forsooth: my master said
[p]that he was, and
that the king was an usurper.
All : Come, let's be gone.
Eleanor : Was't I! yea, I it was, proud Frenchwoman:
[p]Could I come near your
beauty with my nails,
[p]I'd set my ten commandments in your face.
Eleanor : Against her will! good king, look to't in time;
[p]She'll hamper thee,
and dandle thee like a baby:
[p]Though in this place most master wear
no breeches,
[p]She shall not strike Dame Eleanor unrevenged.
Thomas Horner : An't shall please your majesty, I never said nor
[p]thought any such
matter: God is my witness, I am
[p]falsely accused by the villain.
Peter : By these ten bones, my lords, he did speak them to
[p]me in the garret
one night, as we were scouring my
[p]Lord of York's armour.
Thomas Horner : Alas, my lord, hang me, if ever I spake the words.
[p]My accuser is my
'prentice; and when I did correct
[p]him for his fault the other day,
he did vow upon his
[p]knees he would be even with me: I have
good
[p]witness of this: therefore I beseech your majesty,
[p]do not
cast away an honest man for a villain's
[p]accusation.
Thomas Horner : And I accept the combat willingly.
Peter : Alas, my lord, I cannot fight; for God's sake, pity
[p]my case. The
spite of man prevaileth against me. O
[p]Lord, have mercy upon me! I
shall never be able to
[p]fight a blow. O Lord, my heart!
Previous: Act 1 - Scene 2
Next: Act 1 - Scene 4
