Ill plant Plantagenet, root him up who dares :Resolve thee, Richard; claim the English crown. [Warwick leads York to the throne, who seats himself. 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? Flourish. Enter King Henry, Clifford, Northum-Thy father was, as thou art, duke of York; berland, 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! 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 carl of Westmoreland. North. Well hast thou spoken, cousin; be it so. To make a shambles of the parliament-house! [They advance to the Duke. of York. York. "Twas my inheritance, as the earldom was. Clif. Whom should he follow, but his natural 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. I am the son of Henry the Fifth, Who made the dauphin and the French to stoop, War. Talk not of France, sith' thou hast lost it all. Father, tear the crown from the usurper's head. Let's fight it out, and not stand cavilling thus. York. Sons, peace! K. Hen. Peace thou! and give king Henry leave to speak. War. Plantagenet shall speak first:-hear him, 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. 'K. Hen. An if he may, then am I lawful king: York. He rose against him, being his sovereign, Exe. No; for he could not so resign his crown, Exe. My conscience tells me he is lawful king. North. Yes, Warwick, I remember it to my grief; 'War. Depos'd he shall be, in despite of all. I send thee, Warwick, such a messenger, (1) Since. Which makes thee thus presumptuous and proud,- Clif King Henry, be thy title right or wrong, (2) i. e. Detrimental to the general rights of hereditary royalty. 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 ; '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? Ah, wretched man! would I had died a maid, And never seen thee, never born thee son, *Seeing thou hast prov'd so unnatural a father! Hath he deserv'd to lose his birthright thus? Hadst 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, 'Let me, for this my life-time, reign as king. York. Confirm the crown to me, and to mine heirs,* And thou shalt reign in quiet whilst thou liv'st. K. Hen. I am content: Richard Plantagenet, Clif. What wrong is this unto the prince your son? Clif. Come, cousin, let us tell the queen these Whom I unnaturally shall disinherit. 'The crown to thee, and to thine heirs for ever; 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 arc 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. 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 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;-pardon me, sweet son; *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! 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: The northern lords, that have forsworn thy colours, 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. [Exe. Queen Mar. 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, and of my son! * The loss of those three lords 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 Edward and Richard, you shall stay with me ;Wakefield, in Yorkshire. Enter Edward, Rich-My brother Montague shall post to London : ard, and Montague. Rich. Brother, though I be youngest, give me Edw. No, I can better play the orator. 'York. Why, how now, sons and brother, at a strife? What is your quarrel? how began it first? Rich. About that which concerns your grace, 'The crown of England, father, which is yours. York. Mine, boy? not till king Henry be dead. Rich. Your right depends not on his life, or death. *Ed. Now you are heir, therefore enjoy it now: * By giving the house of Lancaster leave to breathe, * It will outrun you, father, in the end. York. I took an oath, that he should quietly reign. 'Edo. But, for a kingdom, any oath may be broken: 'I'd break a thousand oaths, to reign one year. 'Rich. No; God forbid, your grace should be forsworn. 'York. I shall be, if I claim by open war. 'Rich. I'll prove the contrary, if you'll hear me speak. 'York. Thou canst not, son; it is impossible. 'Rich. An oath is of no moment, being not took 'Before a true and lawful magistrate, That hath authority over him that swears: How sweet a thing it is to wear a crown; * And all that poets feign of bliss and joy. * Until the white rose, that I wear, be died * Even in the lukewarm blood of Henry's heart. Let noble Warwick, Cobham, and the rest, *Whom we have left protectors of the king, With powerful policy strengthen themselves, *And trust not simple Henry, nor his oaths. * Mont. Brother, I go; I'll win them, fear it not *And thus most humbly I do take my leave. [Ex. Enter Sir John and Sir Hugh Mortimer. York. Sir John, and sir Hugh Mortimer, mine uncles! 'You are come to Sandal in a happy hour; The army of the queen mean to besiege us. Sir John. She shall not need, we'll meet her in the field. "York. What, with five thousand men? Rich. Ay, with five hundred, father, for a need. A woman's general; what should we fear? [A march afar off. 'Edw. I hear their drums; let's set our men in order; And issue forth, and bid them battle straight. 'York. Five men to twenty !-though the odds be great, I doubt not, uncle, of our victory. Many a battle have I won in France, SCENE III.-Plains near Sandal Castle. Alarums: Excursions. Enter Rutland, and his Tutor. 'Rut. Ah, whither shall I fly to 'scape their hands? Ah, tutor! look, where bloody Clifford comes! Enter Clifford, and Soldiers. Clif. Chaplain, away! thy priesthood saves thy As for the brat of this accursed duke, life. Whose father slew my father, he shall die. Tut. Ah, Clifford! murder not this innocent child, York. Richard, enough; I will be king, or Lest thou be hated both of God and man. dic. [Exit, forced off by Soldiers Clif. How now! is he dead already? Or, is it fear, That makes him close his eycs?—I'll open them. Rut. So looks the pent-up lion o'er the wretch That trembles under his devouring paws: And so he walks, insulting o'er his prey; And so he comes to rend his limbs asunder.Ah, gentle Clifford, kill me with thy sword, And not with such a cruel threat'ning look. Sweet Clifford, hear me speak before I die ;am too mean a subject for thy wrath, Be thou reveng'd on men, and let me live. Clif. In vain thou speak'st, poor boy; my father's blood Hath stopp'd the passage where thy words should enter. |