Imatges de pàgina
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Which Obloquy fet Bars before my Tongue,
Elfe with the like I had requited him.
Therefore, good Uncle, for my Father's fake,
In honour of a true Plantagenet,

And for Alliance fake, declare the Cause,
My Father, Earl of Cambridge, loft his Head,

Mor. This Caufe, fair Nephew, that imprison'd me, And hath detain❜d me all my flow'ring Youth, Within a loathfome Dungeon, there to pine, Was curfed Inftrument of his Decease.

Plan. Discover more at large, what Cause that was, For I am ignorant, and cannot guess.

Mor. I will, if that my fading Breath permit,
And Death approach not, ere my Tale be done.
Henry the Fourth, Grandfather to this King,
Depos'd his Coufin Richard, Edward's Son,
The firft begotten, and the lawful Heir
Of Edward King, the third of that Descent.
During whofe Reign, the Piercies of the North,
Finding his Ufurpation moft unjust,

Endeavour'd my Advancement to the Throne,
The Reafon mov'd these warlike Lords to this,
Was, for that, young King Richard thus remov'd,
Leaving no Heir begotten of his Body,

I was the next by Birth and Parentage:
For by my Mother I derived am

From Lyonel Duke of Clarence, the third Son
To King Edward the Third; whereas he,
From John of Gaunt doth bring his Pedigree,
Being but the fourth of that Heroick Line.
But mark; as in this haughty great Attempt,
They laboured to Plant the rightful Heir,
I loft my Liberty, and they their Lives.
Long after this, when Henry the Fifth,
Succeeding his Father Bullingbroke, did Reign;
Thy Father, Earl of Cambridge, then deriv'd
From famous Edmund Langley, Duke of York,
Marrying my Sifter, that thy Mother was;
Again, in pity of my hard distress,
Levied an Army, weening to redeem,

And

And have inftall'd me in the Diadem:
But as the reft, so fell that noble Earl,
And was beheaded. Thus the Mortimers,
In whom the Title refted, were fuppreft.

Plan. Of which, my Lord, your Honour is the laft; -
Mor. True; and thou feeft, that I no Iffue have,
And that my fainting Words do warrant Death:
Thou art my Heir; the reft, I wish thee gather:
But yet be wary in thy ftudious Care.

Plan. Thy grave Admonishments prevail with me:
But yet, methinks, my Father's Execution
Was nothing less than bloody Tyranny.

Mor. With filence, Nephew, be thou politick:
Strong fixed is the House of Lancaster;
And like a Mountain, not to be remov❜d.
But now thy Uncle is removing hence,
As Princes do their Courts, when they are cloy'd
With long continuance in a fetled place.

Plan. Ŏ Uncle, would fome part of my young Years

Might but redeem the Paffage of your Age..

Mor. Thou doft then wrong me, as that flaughter doth, Which giveth many Wounds, when one will kill. Mourn not, except thou forrow for

Only give order for my Funeral.

my Good,

And fo farewel, and fair be all thy Hopes;

And profperous be thy Life in Peace and War.
Plan. And Peace, no War, befal thy parting Soul.

In Prifon haft thou spent a Pilgrimage,
And like a Hermite over-paft thy Days...
Well, I will lock his Counfel in my Breaft;
And what I do imagine, let that reft.
Keepers convey him hence, and I my felf
Will fee his Burial better than his Life.
Here dies the dusky Torch of Mortimer,
Choak'd with Ambition of the meaner fort.
And for thofe Wrongs, those bitter Injuries,
Which Somerfet hath offer'd to my Houfe,
I doubt not, but with Honour to redrefs.
And therefore hafte I to the Parliament,

[Diesi

Either

Either to be restored to my Blood,

Or make my Will th' advantage of my Good.

[Exit,

ACT III. SCENE I.

Flourish. Enter King Henry, Exeter, Gloucefter, Win chefter, Warwick, Somerfet, Suffolk, and Richard Plantagenet. Gloucefter offers to put up a Bill: Winchefter fnatches it, and tears it.

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Om't thou with deep premeditated Lines?
With written Pamphlets, ftudioufly devis'd?
Humphrey of Glofter, if thou canft accuse,
Or ought intend❜ft to lay unto my Charge,
Do it without invention, fuddenly,

As I with fudden, and extemporal Speech,
Purpose to answer what thou canst object.

Itience,

Glo. Prefumptuous Prieft, this place commands my Pa Or thou fhould'ft find thou haft dishonour'd me. Think not, although in Writing I preferr'd The manner of thy vile outragious Crimes, That therefore I have forg'd, or am not able Verbatim to rehearse the Method of my Pen. No, Prelate, fuch is thy audacious Wickedness, Thy leud, peftiferous, and diffentious Pranks, As very Infants prattle of thy Pride. Thou art a moft pernicious Ufurer, Froward by Nature, Enemy to Peace, Lafcivious, wanton, more than well befeems A Man of thy Profeffion, and Degree. And for thy Treachery, what's more manifeft? In that thou laid'ft a Trap to take my Life, As well at London Bridge, as at the Tower. Befide, I fear me, if thy Thoughts were fifted, The King, thy Soveraign, is not quite exempt From envious Malice of thy fwelling Heart. Win. Glofter, I do defie thee. Lords, vouchsafe To give me hearing what I fhall reply. If I were Covetous, Ambitious, or Perverse,

As

As he will have me; how am I fo poor?
Or how haps it, feek not to advance...
Or raise my felf? But keep my wonted Calling.
And for Diffention, who preferreth Peace
More than I do? except I be provok'd.
No, my good Lords, it is not that offends,
It is not that, that hath incens'd the Duke:
It is because no one should sway but he,
No one, but he, should be about the King;.
And that engenders Thunder in his Breaft,
And makes him roar thefe Accufations forth.
But he fhall know, Iam as good-
Glo. As good?

Thou Baftard of my Grandfather.

Win. Ay, Lordly Sir; for what are you, I pray, But one imperious in another's Throne?

Glo. Am not 1 Protector, fawcy Priest?
Win And am not I a Prelate of the Church?
Glo. Yet, as an Out-law in a Caftle keeps,
And useth it, to patronage his Theft.
Win. Unreverent Glocefter.

Glo. Thou art Reverend,

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Touching thy fpiritual Function, not thy Life,
Win. Rome fhall remedy this.

War. Roam thither then.

My Lord, it were your Duty to forbear.

Som. Ay, fee the Bishop be not over-born:
Methinks my Lord fhould be Religious,
And know the Office that belongs to fuch..

War. Methinks his Lord fhip fhould be humbler, It fitteth not a Prelate fo to plead.

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Som. Yes, when his holy State is touch'd fo near. War. State holy, or unhallow'd, what of that? Is not his Grace Protector to the King?

Rich. Plantagenet I see must hold his Tongue, Left it be faid, Speak, Sirrah, when you should, Muft your bold Verdict enter talk with Lords? Elfe would I have a fling at Winchester.

K. Henry. Uncles of Glofter and of Winchester, The fpecial Watchmen of our English Weal,

I would prevail, if Prayers might prevail,
To join your Hearts in Love and Amity..
Oh, what a Scandal is it to our Crown,
That two fuch Noble Peers as ye fhould jar!
Believe me, Lords, my tender Years can tell,
Civil Diffention is a viperous Worm,

That gnaws the Bowels of the Common-wealth.
[A noife within; Down with the Tawny Coats.
K. Henry. What Tumult's this?

War. An Uproar, I dare warrant,

Begun through malice of the Bishop's Men. :

[Anoife again, Stones, Stones.

Enter Major

Mayor. Oh, my good Lords, and virtuous Henry,

Pity the City of London, pity us:

The Bishop, and the Duke of Glofter's Men,
Forbidden late to carry any Weapon,
Have fill'd their Pockets full of peble Stones;
And banding themselves in contrary Parts,
Do pelt fo faft at one another's Pate,

That many have their giddy Brains knock'd out:
Our Windows are broke down in every Street,
And we, for fear, compell'd to fhut our Shops..
Enter in Skirmish with bloody Pates.

K. Henry. We charge you on Allegiance to our felves, To hold your flaughtering Hands, and keep the Peace: Pray, Uncle Glofter, mitigate this Strife.

1.Serv. Nay, if we be forbidden Stones, we'll fall to it with our Teethany

2 Serv. Do what ye dare, we are as refolute.

[Skirmish again. Glo. You of my Houfhold leave this peevith broil, And fet this unaccustom'a fight afide."

3 Serv. My Lord, we know your Grace to be a Man Juft, and upright; and for your Royal Birth,

Inferior to none, but to his Majefty?

And ere that we will fuffer fuch a Prince,
So kind a Father of the Common Weal,
To be difgraced by an Ink horn Mate,
We, and our Wives and Children, all will fight,

And

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