Richard Plantagenet, duke of York. Earl of Warwick, Earl of Pembroke, Lord Hastings, Lord Stafford, Sir John Mortimer, Sir Hugh Mortiiner, uncles to the duke of York. Henry, earl of Richmond, a youth. Lord Rivers, brother to Lady Grey. Sir William Stanley. Sir John Montgomery. Sir John Somerville. Tutor to Rutland. Mayor of York. Lieutenant of the Tower. A Nobleman. Two Keepers. A Huntsman. A Son that has killed his father. A Father that has killed his son. Queen Margaret. Lady Grey, afterwards queen to Edward IV. his sons. Bona, sister to the French queen. Soldiers, and other attendants on King Henry and the duke of York's Scene, during part of the third act, in France, ACT I. War. And so do I.-Victorious prince of York, SCENE I.-London. The Parliament House. Which now the house of Lancaster usurps, Warwick. I WONDER, how the king escap'd our hands. York. While we pursu'd the horsemen of the north, He slily stole away, and left his men : Whereat the great lord of Northumberland, Whose warlike ears could never brook retreat, 'Cheer'd up the drooping army; and himself, 'Lord Clifford, and lord Stafford, all a-breast, Charg'd our main battle's front, and, breaking in, "Were by the swords of common soldiers slain. Edw. Lord Stafford's father, duke of Buckingham, 'Is either slain, or wounded dangerous: I cleft his beaver with a downright blow; "That this is true, father, behold his blood. [Showing his bloody sword. Mont. And, brother, here's the earl of Wiltshire's blood, [To York, showing his. Whom I encounter'd as the battles join'd. Rich. Speak thou for me, and tell them what I did. [Throwing down the duke of Somerset's head. York. Richard hath best deserv'd of all my vow by heaven, these eyes shall never close. This is the palace of the fearful king, And this is the regal scat: possess it, York: For this is thine, and not king Henry's heirs'. York. Assist me then, sweet Warwick, and I will; 'For hither we have broken in by force. Norf. We'll all assist you; he, that flies, shall die. York. Thanks, gentle Norfolk.-Stay by me, my lords; 'Unless he seek to thrust you out by force. [They retire. * York. The queen this day, here holds her parliament, But little thinks we shall be of her council: War. The bloody parliament shall this be call'd, "York. Then leave me not, my lords; be resolute; I mean to take possession of my right. War. Neither the king, nor he that loves him best, The proudest he that holds up Lancaster, Dares stir a wing, if Warwick shake his bells,1 (1) Hawks had sometimes little bells hung on them, perhaps to dare the birds; that is, to fright them from rising. ན་ Ill plant Plantagenet, root him up who dares :Resolve thee, Richard; claim the English crown. [Warwick leads York to the throne, who seats himself. Flourish. Enter King Henry, Clifford, Northumberland, Westmoreland, Exeter, and others, with red roses in their hats. K. Hen. My lords, look where the sturdy rebel sits, Even in the chair of state! belike, he means (Back'd by the power of Warwick, that false peer,) To aspire unto the crown, and reign as king.Earl of Northumberland, he slew thy father;And thine, lord Clifford; and you both have vow'd revenge On him, his sons, his favourites, and his friends. North. If I be not, heavens, be reveng'd on me! Clif. The hope thereof makes Clifford mourn in steel. West. What, shall we suffer this? let's pluck him down: 'My heart for anger burns, I cannot brook it. K. Hen. Be patient, gentle earl of Westmoreland. Clif. Patience is for poltroons, and such as he; He durst not sit there had your father liv'd. My gracious lord, here in the parliament Let us assail the family of York. North. Well hast thou spoken, cousin; be it so. To make a shambles of the parliament-house! York. 'Twas my inheritance, as the earldom was. Clif. Whom should he follow, but his natural king? War. True, Clifford; and that's Richard, duke of York. 'K. Hen. And shall I stand, and thou sit in my throne? 'York. It must and shall be so. Content thyself. War. Be duke of Lancaster, let him be king. West. He is both king and duke of Lancaster: And that the lord of Westmoreland shall maintain. War. And Warwick shall disprove it. You forget, That we are those, which chas'd you from the field, And slew your fathers, and with colours spread March'd through the city to the palace gates. "North. Yes, Warwick, I remember it to my grief; And, by his soul, thou and thy house shall rue it. West. Plantagenet, of thee, and these thy sons, Thy kinsmen, and thy friends, I'll have more lives, Than drops of blood were in my father's veins. Clif. Urge it no more; lest that, instead of words, I send thee, Warwick, such a messenger, (1) Since. York. Will you, we show our title to the crown? 'If not, our swords shall plead it in the field. K. Hen. What title hast thou, traitor, to the erown? Thy grandfather, Roger Mortimer, earl of March: Thy father was, as thou art, duke of York; am the son of Henry the Fifth, Who made the dauphin and the French to stoop, And seiz'd upon their towns and provinces. War. Talk not of France, sith' thou hast lost it all. K. Hen. The lord protector lost it, and not I; When I was crown'd, I was but nine months old.. Rich. You are old enough now, and yet, methinks you lose : Father, tear the crown from the usurper's head. Edw. Sweet father, do so; set it on your head. Mont. Good brother, [To York.] as thou lov'st and honour'st arms, Let's fight it out, and not stand cavilling thus. Rich. Sound drums and trumpets, and the king will fly. York. Sons, peace! K. Hen. Peace thou! and give king Henry leave to speak. War. Plantagenet shall speak first:-hear him, lords; And be you silent and attentive too, Wherein my grandsire, and my father, sat? War. But prove it, Henry, and thou shalt be king. crown. York. 'Twas by rebellion against his king. K. Hen. I know not what to say; my title's weak. Tell me, may not a king adopt an heir? York. What then? 'K. Hen. An if he may, then am I lawful king: 'For Richard, in the view of many lords, Resign'd the crown to Henry the Fourth; Whose heir my father was, and I am his. York. He rose against him, being his sovereign, And made him to resign his crown perforce. War. Suppose, my lords, he did it unconstrain'd, Think you, 'twere prejudicial to his crown ?2 Exe. No; for he could not so resign his crown, But that the next heir should succeed and reign. K. Hen. Art thou against us, duke of Exeter? Exe. His is the right, and therefore pardon me. * York. Why whisper you, my lords, and answer not? Exe. My conscience tells me he is lawful king. K. Hen. All will revolt from me, and turn to him. North. Plantagenet, for all the claim thou lay'st, Think not, that Henry shall be so depos'd. 'War. Depos'd he shall be, in despite of all. North. Thou art deceiv'd: 'tis not thy southern power, 'Of Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, nor of Kent,Which makes thee thus presumptuous and proud,Can set the duke up, in despite of me. Clif. King Henry, be thy title right or wrong, Lord Clifford vows to fight in thy defence: May that ground gape, and swallow me alive, worth-Where I shall kneel to him that slew my father! (2) e. Detrimental to the general rights of hereditary royalty. K. Hen. O Clifford, how thy words revive my York. Henry of Lancaster, resign thy crown:- [He stamps, and the soldiers show themselves. 'K. Hen. My lord of Warwick, hear me but one word ; 'Q. Mar. Nay, go not from me, I will follow thee. K. Hen. Be patient, gentle queen, and I will stay. 'Q. Mar. Who can be patient in such extremes? * Seeing thou hast prov'd so unnatural a father! 'Let me, for this my life-time, reign as king. K. Hen. I am content: Richard Plantagenet, Clif. What wrong is this unto the prince your son? Clif. How hast thou injured both thyself and us! Clif. Come, cousin, let us tell the queen these son, Whom I unnaturally shall disinherit. But, be it as it may :-I here entail The crown to thee, and to thine heirs for ever; Conditionally, that here thou take an oath To cease this civil war, and, whilst I live, To honour me as thy king and sovereign; And neither by treason, nor hostility, *To seek to put me down, and reign thyself. York. This oath I willingly take, and will per[Coming from the throne. War. Long live king Henry!-Plantagenet, embrace him. form. 'K. Hen. And long live thou, and these thy for- York. Now York and Lancaster are reconcil'd. castle. I Rather than made that savage duke thine heir, * And disinherited thine only son. *Prince. Father, you cannot disinherit me : The earl of Warwick, and the duke, enforc'd shame to hear thee speak. Ah, timorous wretch! * But thou preferr'st thy life before thine honour: The northern lords, that have forsworn thy colours, Q. Mar. Thou hast spoke too much already; get K. Hen. Gentle son Edward, thou wilt stay with me? Q. Mar. Ay, to be murder'd by his enemies. I'll see your grace; till then, I'll follow her. Hath made her break out into terms of rage! |