_Glou._ Ah, gracious lord, these days are dangerous: Virtue is choked with foul ambition And charity chased hence by rancour’s hand; Foul subornation is predominant   ·bca145· And equity exiled your highness’ land. I know their complot is to have my life, And if my death might make this island happy And prove the period of their tyranny, I would expend it with all willingness:   ·bca150· But mine is made the prologue to their play; For thousands more, that yet suspect no peril, Will not conclude their plotted tragedy. Beaufort’s red sparkling eyes blab his heart’s malice, And Suffolk’s cloudy brow his stormy hate;   ·bca155· Sharp Buckingham unburthens with his tongue The envious load that lies upon his heart; And dogged York, that reaches at the moon, Whose overweening arm I have pluck’d back, By false accuse doth level at my life:   ·bca160· And you, my sovereign lady, with the rest, Causeless have laid disgraces on my head And with your best endeavour have stirr’d up   [bca163] My liefest liege to be mine enemy: Ay, all of you have laid your heads together--   ·bca165· Myself had notice of your conventicles--   [bca166] And all to make away my guiltless life.   [bca167] I shall not want false witness to condemn me, Nor store of treasons to augment my guilt;   [bca169] The ancient proverb will be well effected:   [bca170] ‘A staff is quickly found to beat a dog.’ _Car._ My liege, his railing is intolerable:   [bca172] If those that care to keep your royal person From treason’s secret knife and traitors’ rage   [bca174] Be thus upbraided, chid and rated at,   ·bca175· And the offender granted scope of speech, ’Twill make them cool in zeal unto your grace. _Suf._ Hath he not twit our sovereign lady here With ignominious words, though clerkly couch’d, As if she had suborned some to swear   ·bca180· False allegations to o’erthrow his state? _Queen._ But I can give the loser leave to chide. _Glou._ Far truer spoke than meant: I lose, indeed; Beshrew the winners, for they play’d me false!   [bca184] And well such losers may have leave to speak.   ·bca185· _Buck._ He’ll wrest the sense and hold us here all day: Lord cardinal, he is your prisoner. _Car._ Sirs, take away the duke, and guard him sure.   [bca188] _Glou._ Ah! thus King Henry throws away his crutch Before his legs be firm to bear his body.   ·bca190· Thus is the shepherd beaten from thy side And wolves are gnarling who shall gnaw thee first. Ah, that my fear were false! ah, that it were!   [bca193] For, good King Henry, thy decay I fear. [_Exit, guarded._   [bca194] _King._ My lords, what to your wisdoms seemeth best,   [bca195] Do or undo, as if ourself were here. _Queen._ What, will your highness leave the parliament?