*And shame thine honourable age with blood? *K. Hen. Hast thou not sworn allegiance unto me? *Sal. I have. *K. Hen. Canst thou dispense with heaven for such an oath? *Sal. It is great sin, to swear unto a sin; *But greater sin, to keep a sinful oath. *Who can be bound by any solemn vow *To do a murderous deed, to rob a man, *To force a spotless virgin's chastity, To reave the orphan of his patrimony, *To wring the widow from her custom'd right; And have no other reason for this wrong, *But that he was bound by a solemn oath? Q. Mar. A subtle traitor needs no sophister. 'K. Hen. Call Buckingham, and bid him arm himself. 'York. Call Buckingham, and all the friends thou hast, 'I am resolv'd for death, or dignity. 'Clif. The first I warrant thee, if dreams prove true. 'War. You were best to go to bed, and dream again, To keep thee from the tempest of the field. Clif. I am resolv'd to bear a greater storm, Than any thou canst conjure up to-day: And that I'll write upon thy burgonet, 4) Might I but know thee by thy houshold badge. War. Now, by thy father's badge, old Nevil's crest, The rampant bear chain'd to the ragged staff, This day I'll wear aloft my burgonet, (As on a mountain-top the cedar shows, That keeps his leaves in spite of any storm,) Even to affright thee with the view thereof. Clif. And from thy burgonet I'll rend thy bear, And tread it under foot with all contempt, 'Despight the bearward that protects the bear. 'Y. Clif. And so to arms, victorious father, "To quell the rebels, and their 'complices. Rich. Fye! charity, for shame! speak not in spite, For you shall sup with Jesu Christ to-night. "Y. Clif. Foul stigmatic, 5) that's more than thou canst tell. 'Rich. If not in heaven, you'll surely sup in hell. [Exeunt severally. SCENE II. Saint Alban's. Alarums: Excursions. Enter WARWICK. War. Clifford of Cumberland, 'tis Warwick calls! And if thou dost not hide thee from the bear, Now, when the angry trumpet sounds alarm, And dead men's cries do fill the empty air, Clifford, I say, come forth and fight with me! Proud northern lord, Clifford of Cumberland, Warwick is hoarse with calling thee to arms. Enter YORK. 'How now, my noble lord? what all a-foot? 'York. The deadly-handed Clifford slew my steed; 'But match to match I have encounter'd him, 'And made a prey for carrion kites and crows 'Even of the bonny beast he lov'd so well. 'But that 'tis shown ignobly, and in treason. 'York. So let it help me now against thy sword, 'As I in justice and true right express it! 'Clif. My soul and body on the action both! "York. A dreadful lay!—6) address thee instantly. [They fight, and CLIFFORD falls. 'Clif. La fin couronne les œuvres. [Dies. 7) "York. Thus war hath given thee peace, for thou art still. 'Peace with his soul, heaven, if it be thy will. [Exil. *Hath no self-love; nor he, that loves himself, *Hath not essentially, but by circumstance, "The name of valour. O, let the vile world end, [Seeing his dead Father. *And the premised flames ) of the last day *Knit earth and heaven together! Now let the general trumpet blow his blast, *Particularities and petty sounds "To cease!) Wast thou ordain'd, dear father, "To lose thy youth in peace, and to achieve 10) "The silver livery of advised age; 1) *And, in thy reverence, and thy chair-days, thus To die in ruffian battle? Even at this sight, 'My heart is turned to stone: and, while 'tis mine, It shall be stony. York not our old men spares; No more will I their babes: tears virginal *Shall be to me even as the dew to fire; *And beauty, that the tyrant oft reclaims, *Shall to my flaming wrath be oil and flax. *Henceforth, I will not have to do with pity: *Meet I an infant of the house of York, *Into as many gobbets will I cut it, As wild Medea young Absyrtus did; 2) 'In cruelty will I seek out my fame. 'Come, thou new ruin of old Clifford's house: [Taking up the Body. 'As did Æneas old Anchises bear, 'So bear I thee upon my manly shoulders; "But then Æneas bare a living load, "Nothing so heavy as these woes of mine. [Erit. Enter RICHARD PLANTAGENET and SOMERSET, fighting, and SOMERSET is killed. Rich. So, lie thou there; 'For, underneath an alehouse' paltry sign, The Castle of Saint Alban's, Somerset Hath made the wizard famous in his death, 13) 'Q. Mar. Away, my lord! you are slow; for shame, *K. Hen. Can we outrun the heavens? good Margaret, stay. *Q. Mar. What are you made of? you'll not fight, *Now is it manhood, wisdom, and defence, Enter young CLIFFORD. That winter lion, who, in rage, forgets 'But still, where danger was, still there I met him; Enter SALISBURY. 'Sal. Now, by my sword, well hast thou fought to-day; 'By the mass so did we all. I thank you, Richard: *Y. Clif. But that my heart's on future mischief set,|| *”Tis not enough our foes are this time fled, SCENE III. [Exeunt. Fields near Saint Alban's. "York. Of Salisbury, who can report of him; : *Being opposites of such repairing nature. 19) - [Exeunt. King Edward IV. EDMUND, Earl of Rutland, GEORGE, afterwards Duke of Clarence, Earl of PEMBROKE, Lord HASTINGS, Lord STAFFORD, Sir JOHN MORTIMER, Sir HUGH MORTIMER, Uncles to the Duke of York. HENRY, Earl of Richmond. a Youth. Lord RIVERS, Brother to Lady Grey. Sir JOHN MONTGOMERY. Sir JOHN SOMERVILLE. his Sons. A Huntsman. of the Duke of York's A Son that has killed his Father. A Father that has killed his Son. Queen MARGARET. Lady GREY, afterwards Queen to Edward IV. Soldiers, and other Attendants on King Henry and during part of the third Act, in France; during all the Rest of the Play, ACT I. SCENE I. London. The Parliament-House. Drums. Some Soldiers of York's Party break in. Then, enter the Duke of YORK, EDWARD, RICHARD, NORFOLK, MONTAGUE, WARWICK, and others, with white Roses in their Hats. Warwick. I WONDER, how the king escap'd our hands. *York. Richard hath best deserv'd of all my sons. York. While we pursu'd the horsemen of the For this is thine, and not king Henry's heirs.' north, He slily stole away, and left his men: York. Assist me then, sweet Warwick, and I will; lords; And bashful Henry depos'd, whose cowardice 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. 2) 'I'll 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; 3) 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. K. Hen. Ab, know you not, the city favours them, And they have troops of soldiers at their beck? Exe. But when the duke is slain, they'il quickly fly. K. Hen. Far be the thought of this from Henry's heart, 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 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, As shall revenge his death, before I stir. 'War. Poor Clifford! how I scorn his worthless threats! 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 crown? Thy father was, as thou art, duke of York; Thy grandfather, Roger Mortimer, earl of March: I 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. Let's fight it out, and not stand cavilling thus. K. Hen. Peace thou! and give king Henry leave to speak. War. Plantagenet shall speak first: lords; hear him, York. 'Twas by rebellion against his king. 'K. Hen. An if he may, then am I lawful king: 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, Lord Clifford vows to fight in thy defence: May that ground gape, and swallow me alive, 'Where I shall kneel to him that slew my father! 'K. Hen. O Clifford, how thy words revive my heart! York. Henry of Lancaster, resign thy crown:What mutter you, or what conspire you, lords? War. Do right unto this princely duke of York; Or I will fill the house with armed men, And, o'er the chair of state, where now he sits, Write up his title with usurping blood. [He stamps, and the Soldiers show themselves. 'K. Hen. My lord of Warwick, hear me but one word; -7) 'Let me, for this my lifetime reign as king. York. Confirm the crown to me, and to mine heirs, Clif. What wrong is this unto the prince your son? Clif. Come, cousin, let us tell the queen these news. *West. Farewell, faint-hearted and degenerate king, *In whose cold blood no spark of honour bides. North. Be thou a prey unto the house of York, 'And die in bands for this unmanly deed! Clif. In dreadful war may'st thou be overcome! Or live in peace, abandon'd, and despis'd! [Exeunt NORTHUMBERLAND, CLIFFORD, and WESTMORELAND. *War. Turn this way, Henry, and regard them not. Exe. They seek revenge, ) and therefore will not yield. K. Hen. Ah, Exeter! War. Why should you sigh, my lord? K. Hen. Not for myself, lord Warwick, but my 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 perform. [Coming from the Throne. War. Long live king Henry! Plantagenet embrace him. K. Hen. And long live thou, and these thy forward sons! York. Now York and Lancaster are reconcil'd. Exe. Accurs'd be he, that seeks to make them foes! [Senet. The Lords come forward. 'York. Farewell, my gracious lord; I'll to my | castle. 9) War. And I'll keep London, with my soldiers. Norf. And I to Norfolk, with my followers. Mont. And I unto the sea, from whence I came. [Exeunt YORK, and his Sons, WARWICK, NORFOLK, MONTAGUE, Soldiers, and Attendants. *K. Hen. And I, with grief and sorrow, to the K. Hen. Be patient, gentle queen, and I will stay. 'Q. Mar. Who can be patient in such extremes? *Ah, wretched man! 'would I had died a maid, *And never seen thee, never borne thee son, *Seeing thou hast prov'd so unnatural a father! "Hath he deserv'd to lose his birthright thus? *Had'st thou but lov'd him half so well as I; "Or felt that pain which I did for him once; 'Or nourish'd him, as I did with my blood; *Thou wouldst have left thy dearest heart-blood there, *Rather than made ) that savage duke thine heir, *And disinherited thine only son. *Prince. Father, you cannot disinherit me: *If you be king, why should not I succeed? *K. Hen. Pardon me, Margaret; sweet son; pardon me, "The earl of Warwick, and the duke, enforc'd me. *Q. Mar. Enforc'd thee? art thou king, and wilt be forc'd? I shame to hear thee speak. Ah, timorous wretch! Thou hast undone thyself, thy son, and me; 'And given unto the house of York such head, As thou shalt reign but by their sufferance. *To entail him and his heirs unto the crown, *What is it, but to make thy sepulchre, 12) *And creep into it far before thy time? "Warwick is chancellor, and the lord of Calais; Stern Faulconbridge commands the narrow seas; The duke is made protector of the realm; 'And yet shalt thou be safe? such safety finds *The trembling lamb, environed with wolves. 'Had I been there, which am a silly woman, "The soldiers should have toss'd me on their pikes, 'Before I would have granted to that act. But thou preferr'st thy life before thine honour: 'And, seeing thou dost, I here divorce myself, 'Both from thy table, Henry, and thy bed, 'Until that act of parliament be repealed, 'Whereby my son is disinherited. The northern lords, that have forsworn thy colours, Will follow mine, if once they see them spread: "And spread they shall be, to thy foul disgrace, 'And utter ruin of the house of York. "Thus do I leave thee: - Come, son, let's away; "Our army's ready; come, we'll after them. K. Hen. Stay, gentle Margaret, and hear me speak. Q. Mar. Thou hast spoke too much already; get thee gone. K. Hen. Gentle son Edward, thou wilt stay with me? Q. Mar. Ay, to be murder'd by his enemies. Prince. When I return with victory from the field, I'll see your grace: till then, I'll follow her. Q. Mar. Come, son, away; we may not linger thus. [Exeunt Queen MARGARET, and the PRINCE. 'K. Hen. Poor queen! how love to me, and to her son, Hath made her break out into terms of rage! Reveng'd may she be on that hateful duke; *Whose haughty spirit, winged with desire, Will cost my crown, and, like an empty eagle, *Tire on the flesh of me, 13) and of my son! *The loss of those three lords 14) torments my heart: I'll write unto them, and entreat them fair; *Come, cousin, you shall be the messenger. *Exe. And I, I hope, shall reconcile them all. [Exeunt. SCENE II. A Room in Sandal Castle, near Wakefield, in Yorkshire. Enter EDWARD, RICHARD, and MONTAGUE. 'Rich. Brother, though I be youngest, give me leave. |