Act 1. Scene III

SCENE III. The palace.

Enter three or four Petitioners, PETER, the Armourer's man, being one
First Petitioner
My masters, let's stand close: my lord protector
will come this way by and by, and then we may deliver
our supplications in the quill.

Second Petitioner
Marry, the Lord protect him, for he's a good man!
Jesu bless him!

Enter SUFFOLK and QUEEN MARGARET

PETER
Here a' comes, methinks, and the queen with him.
I'll be the first, sure.

Second Petitioner
Come back, fool; this is the Duke of Suffolk, and
not my lord protector.

SUFFOLK
How now, fellow! would'st anything with me?

First Petitioner
I pray, my lord, pardon me; I took ye for my lord
protector.

QUEEN MARGARET
[Reading] 'To my Lord Protector!' Are your
supplications to his lordship? Let me see them:
what is thine?

First Petitioner
Mine is, an't please your grace, against John
Goodman, my lord cardinal's man, for keeping my
house, and lands, and wife and all, from me.

SUFFOLK
Thy wife, too! that's some wrong, indeed. What's
yours? What's here!

Reads

'Against the Duke of Suffolk, for enclosing the
commons of Melford.' How now, sir knave!

Second Petitioner
Alas, sir, I am but a poor petitioner of our whole township.

PETER
[Giving his petition] Against my master, Thomas
Horner, for saying that the Duke of York was rightful
heir to the crown.

QUEEN MARGARET
What sayst thou? did the Duke of York say he was
rightful heir to the crown?

PETER
That my master was? no, forsooth: my master said
that he was, and that the king was an usurper.

SUFFOLK
Who is there?

Enter Servant

Take this fellow in, and send for
his master with a pursuivant presently: we'll hear
more of your matter before the King.

Exit Servant with PETER

QUEEN MARGARET
And as for you, that love to be protected
Under the wings of our protector's grace,
Begin your suits anew, and sue to him.

Tears the supplication

Away, base cullions! Suffolk, let them go.

ALL
Come, let's be gone.

Exeunt

QUEEN MARGARET
My Lord of Suffolk, say, is this the guise,
Is this the fashion in the court of England?
Is this the government of Britain's isle,
And this the royalty of Albion's king?
What shall King Henry be a pupil still
Under the surly Gloucester's governance?
Am I a queen in title and in style,
And must be made a subject to a duke?
I tell thee, Pole, when in the city Tours
Thou ran'st a tilt in honour of my love
And stolest away the ladies' hearts of France,
I thought King Henry