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PlayShakespeare.com: The Ultimate Free Shakespeare Resource
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Duke of Suffolk (William de la Pole), of the Lancastrian party, is an English nobleman who fell passionately in love with Margaret when he met her, and being unable to wed her as he was already married, arranged for her to marry King Henry so he could keep her close (see Henry VI, Part One). 

In doing so he agreed to extremely disadvantageous terms for England in the treaty between England and Margaret’s father. He is a masculine, seductive man, but also a conniving, power-hungry courtier, and insanely prideful and disdainful of common people. He detests both Gloucester and the Duke of York, and schemes to bring about their downfalls. He is willing to partner with his enemies to bring down another one, and joins with York to arrange for Gloucester’s death. Having already arranged for the Duchess of Gloucester’s trafficking with magicians, and for her discovery, he also takes the murder of Gloucester into his own hands. He is unable to face down Warwick’s accusations, however, and is banished. He is hated by the people for what he has done to national prestige and for killing the Duke; even pirates despise him, and execute him on finding out who he is. His head then spends a great deal of time being fondled by Margaret.

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