The duke of Somerset returns from France to the English court with Margaret who is to be King Henry’s Queen. Duke Humphrey, Lord Protector of the young king is saddened by the marriage contract which surrenders two French provinces to Margaret’s father’s rule. The Earl of Warwick also dislikes the agreement, and the English lords argue their respective rights to be Lord Protector as York considers his position in opposition to the King’s Lancastrian party. Duke Humphrey and his wife Eleanor discuss their future and as the Duke goes to join the King’s hunting party Eleanor consults the witch Margery Jourdain.

The Queen and Suffolk hear the people’s disputes over the King’s right to his throne and Margaret privately voices to Suffolk her concern over Henry’s religious inclinations, and Lady Eleanor’s attitude to herself as Queen. When Humphrey’s support for York as regent in France is questioned by parliament the King decides Somerset should go to France instead. Eleanor’s planned witchcraft raises a prophetic spirit before York and Buckingham interrupt. 

The King and Queen are out hawking with Humphrey and his brother Cardinal Beaufort when a poorman, Simpcox, comes to the King claiming he has been cured of blindness at the nearby shrine. Duke Humphrey tests Simpcox and his wife and proves he was neither blind before nor is he lame now. Humphrey regrets his wife’s witchcraft and asks for justice for her, while the King promises that the law will prevail. York, Salisbury and Warwick recount the Yorkist claim to the throne to which Warwick swears allegiance.

Eleanor is condemned to penance, and banishment, and the King asks for Humphrey’s resignation as Lord Protector. This is willingly done, before Humphrey sadly watches his wife’s penance and makes his peace with her before she goes into exile to the Isle of Man. At the King’s Parliament Queen Margaret, warns her husband of the Duke’s power. She is joined by Suffolk and York who try to change the King’s good opinion of his uncle, and Humphrey is arrested despite his claims of innocence. The King, frustrated leaves the nobles and Margaret to decide Humphrey‘s fate. 

News comes of rebellion in Ireland and when York is chosen to lead a force against the rebels, he suspects a plot to remove him from power in England and he plans to stir up a rebellion, to be led by Jack Cade in Kent. Henry calls for a trial of Humphrey and learns the Duke is already dead. 

Margaret defends Suffolk and rages against her husband’s naivety as Warwick brings Humphrey’s murdered body to court, and challenges Suffolk to combat for his part in the deed. Salisbury intervenes, and Henry banishes Suffolk. Margaret and Suffolk mourn their impending separation when news comes of Beaufort’s imminent death and the King goes with Warwick to the dying man who is tortured by memories of his past wrongdoing. While crossing the channel Suffolk is captured and killed by a pirate, Walter Whitmore who sends the earl’s his head to Queen Margaret. 

The King leaves Margaret mourning the death of her beloved Suffolk to continue with state affairs and the developing rebellion in Kent. There Jack Cade leads a band of working men who support Cade’s declared claim to the English throne. Challenged by Stafford and soldiers the rebels win the fight and continue towards London, where they take possession of the bridge and the city. Lord Say confronts Cade but is killed before Buckingham and Old Clifford offer the King’s pardon, reminding the rebels that the king’s father King Henry V was their former hero. Cade realises his followers are fickle and changing their allegiance to him and escapes as they are pardoned. While on the run Cade hides in an orchard where he is challenged and killed by the owner, Iden, who takes the head to the King and is rewarded with a knighthood and a thousand marks. 

When York returns from Ireland with an army to challenge for the throne, he is persuaded by Buckingham that his enemy Somerset is in prison. York comes to the King where he is confronted by Margaret with Somerset. York, with his sons Edward and Richard of Gloucester, claims the throne, and other noblemen align themselves with Buckingham, Clifford and his son on King Henry’s side while Warwick and Salisbury favour Richard of York. In the ensuing battle at St. Albans Clifford and Somerset are killed and Henry flees with Margaret back to London, while Warwick and Salisbury proclaim York as king.

© Marian J. Pringle
Shakespeare Birthplace Trust