The king thy fovereign is not quite exempt

From envious malice of thy fwelling heart.

Win. Glofter, I do defy thee. —Lords, vouchsafe
To give me hearing what I shall reply.
If I were covetous, perverfe, ambitious,
As he will have me; how am I fo poor?
How haps it then, I seek not to advance
Or raise myself, 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 which hath incens'd the duke:
It is, because no one fhould fway but he;
No one but he should be about the king;
And that engenders thunder in his breast,
And makes him roar thefe accufations forth.
But he fhall know I am as good

Glou. As good?

Thou baftard of my grandfather!

Win. Ay, lordly fir; for what are you,

But one imperious in another's throne?

Glou. Am not I then protector, faucy prieft?
Win. And am not I a prelate of the church?
Glou. Yes, as an outlaw in a castle keeps,

And useth it to patronage his theft.
Win. Unrev'rend Glofter!

Glou. Thou art reverend

Touching thy fpiritual function, not thy life.

Win. This Rome fhall remedy.

Glou. Go thither then.

War. My lord, it were your duty to forbear. [to Winchester.

Som. I'll fee the bishop be not over-born:

Methinks, my lord fhould be religious,

And know the office that belongs to fuch.

War. Methinks, his lordship should be humbler then; It fitteth not a prelate so to plead.

Som.

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 fee, muft hold his tongue,
Left it be faid, Speak, firrah, when you should;
Muft your bold verdict enter talk with lords?
Elfe would I have a fling at Winchefter.

K. Henry. Uncles of Glofter and of Winchester,
The special watchmen of our English weal;
I would prevail, if prayers might prevail,
To join your hearts in love and amity.
O, what a scandal is it to our crown,
That two fuch noble peers as ye should jar!
Believe me, lords, my tender years can tell,
Civil diffention is a vip'rous worm,

That gnaws the bowels of the commonwealth.

[afide.

[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.

[a noife again, ftones! ftones!

SCENE II.

Enter Mayor.

Mayor. O my good lords, and virtuous Henry,

Pity the city London, pity us;

The bishop's and the duke of Glofter's men,

Forbidden late to carry any weapon,

Have fill'd their pockets full of pebblestones ;
And, banding themselves in contrary parts,
Do pelt fo faft at one another's pates,
That many have their giddy brains knock'd out:
Our windows are broke down in ev'ry street,
And we for fear compell'd to fhut our fhops.

F 2

Enter

Enter feveral in fkirmish with bloody pates.

K. Henry. We charge you on allegiance to ourselves, To hold your flaught'ring 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 teeth.

2 Serv. Do what ye dare, we are as refolute. [Skirmish again. Glou. You of my household, leave this peevish broil, And set this unaccuftom'd fight aside.

3 Serv. My lord, we know your grace to be a man
Juft and upright; and, for your royal birth,
Inferiour to none but his majefty:

And, ere that we will fuffer fuch a prince,
So kind a father of the commonweal,

To be difgraced by an inkhorn mate,

We, and our wives, and children, all will fight,
And have our bodies flaughter'd by thy foes.

I Serv. Ay, and the very parings of our nails
Shall pitch a field when we are dead.

Glou. Stay, ftay,

And, if you love me as you fay you do,

Let me perfuade you to forbear a while,

[begin again.

K. Henry. O, how this difcord doth afflict my foul!
Can you, my lord of Winchester, behold

My fighs and tears, and will not once relent?
Who fhould be pitiful, if you be not?

Or who should study to prefer a peace,

If holy churchmen take delight in broils?

War. My lord protector, yield; — yield, Winchefter;
Except you mean with obftinate repulse

To flay your fovereign, and deftroy the realm.
You fee what mischief, and what murder too,
Hath been enacted through your enmity:
Then be at peace, except ye thirst for blood.
Win. He fhall fubmit, or I will never yield.

Glou.

Glow. Compaffion on the king commands me ftoop, Or I would fee his heart out, ere the priest

Should ever get that privilege of me.

War. Behold, my lord of Winchester, the duke Hath banish'd moody discontented fury,

As by his smoothed brows it doth appear.

Why look you still so stern and tragical ?

Glou. Here, Winchester, I offer thee my hand.

K. Henry. Fie, uncle Beaufort! I have heard you preach, That malice was a great and grievous fin:

And will not you maintain the thing you teach,

But prove a chief offender in the fame?

War. Sweet king!

the bishop hath a kindly gird.

For fhame, my lord of Winchester! relent;
What, fhall a child inftruct you what to do?

Win. Well, duke of Glofter, I will yield to thee;
Love for thy love, and hand for hand I give.

Glou. Ay; but, I fear me, with a hollow heart. -
See here, my friends, and loving countrymen,
This token ferveth for a flag of truce

Betwixt ourselves, and all our followers:

So help me god, as I diffemble not!

Win. So help me god, as I intend it not!

K. Henry. O loving uncle, gentle duke of Glofter, How joyful am I made by this contract!

Away, my mafters, trouble us no more,

But join in friendship as your lords have done.

1 Serv. Content, I'll to the furgeons.

2 Serv. So will I.

3 Serv. And I'll fee what phyfick the tavern affords. [Exeunt.

War. Accept this fcroll, moft gracious fovereign,

Which in right of Richard Plantagenet

We do exhibit to your majesty.

Glou.

Glou. Well urg'd, my lord of Warwick; for, sweet prince,
An if your grace mark ev'ry circumstance,

You have great reafon to do Richard right:
Efpecially, for those occafions

At Eltham place I told your majesty.

K. Henry. And those occafions, uncle, were of force:
Therefore, my loving lords, our pleasure is,
That Richard be reftored to his blood.

War. Let Richard be restored to his blood,
So fhall his father's wrongs be recompens❜d.
Win. As will the reft, fo willeth Winchester.

K. Henry. If Richard will be true, not that alone
But all the whole inheritance I give

That doth belong unto the house of York,
From whence you spring by lineal descent.
Rich. Thy humble fervant vows obedience,

And faithful service till the point of death.

K. Henry. Stoop then, and set your knee against my foot,
And, in reguerdon of that duty done,

I gird thee with the valiant sword of York.
Rife, Richard, like a true Plantagenet;
And rise created princely duke of York.

may fall!

Rich. And fo thrive Richard, as thy foes
And as my duty springs, fo perish they
That grudge one thought against your majesty!

All. Welcome, high prince, the mighty duke of York !
Som. Perish, base prince, ignoble duke of York!
Glou. Now will it beft avail your majefty,

To cross the feas, and to be crown'd in France:
The prefence of a king engenders love

Amongst his subjects, and his loyal friends,

As it difanimates his enemies.

[afide.

K. Henry. When Glo'fter fays the word, king Henry goes;

For friendly counsel cuts off many foes.

Glou. Your fhips already are in readiness.

[Exeunt.

Manet