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. War. I wonder how the king escap'd our hands. York. While we pursued the horsemen of the He slily stole away, and left his men : [north, 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 abreast, 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. Rich. Thus do I hope to shake king Henry's War. And so do I, victorious prince of York. Before I see thee seated in that throne Which now the house of Lancaster usurps, I vow by heaven, these eyes shall never close. This is the palace of the fearful king, And this the regal seat: 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 assist you; he that flies shall die. York. Thanks, gentle Norfolk,--Stay by me, my lords ; And, soldiers, stay, and lodge by me this night. War. And when the king comes offer him no Unless he seek to thrust you out by force. [violence, [They retire. York. The queen, this day, here holds her parliaBut little thinks we shall be of her council: [ment, By words, or blows, here let us win our right. Rich. Arm'd as we are, let's stay within this house. War. The bloody parliament shall this be call'd, Unless Plantagenet, duke of York, be king; And bashful Henry depos'd, whose cowardice Hath made us by-words to our enemies. 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, Dare stir a wing if Warwick shake his bells. 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, On him, his sons, his favourites, and his friends. 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. K. Hen. Ah, know you not the city favours them, And they have troops of soldiers at their beck? [fly. Exe. But when the duke is slain they 'll quickly K. Hen. Far be the thought of this from Henry's heart, To make a shambles of the parliament-house! [They advance to the Duke. of York. York. 'T was my inheritance, as the earldom was. Exe. Thy father was a traitor to the crown. War. Exeter, thou art a traitor to the crown, In following this usurping Henry. Clif. Whom should he follow but his natural king? War. True, Clifford; and that's Richard, duke of York. [throne? K. Hen. And shall I stand, and thou sit in my 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 As shall revenge his death before I stir. [threats! War. Poor Clifford ! how I scorn his worthless 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. 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. [fly. K. Hen. Peace thou! and give king Henry leave K. Hen. Think'st thou that I will leave my kingly Wherein my grandsire and my father sat? [throne, No first shall war unpeople this my realm; Ay, and their colours,-often borne in France, And now in England, to our heart's great sorrow, Shall be my winding sheet.-Why faint you, lords? My title's good, and better far than his. War. Prove it, Henry, and thou shalt be king. K. Hen. Henry the Fourth by conquest got the York. 'T was by rebellion against his king. [crown. 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 't were prejudical to his crown? 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: t' is not thy southern Of Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, nor of Kent,- [power, 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, 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 over 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 but one word; 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 news. West. Farewell, faint-hearted and degenerate king, In whose cold blood no spark of honour bides. [Exeunt North., Ciif., and West. 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. [ward sons! K. Hen. And long live thou, and these thy forYork. Now York and Lancaster are reconcil'd. Exe. Accurs'd be he that seeks to make them foes! [Sennet. The Lords come forward. York. Farewell, my gracious lord; I'll to my castle. War. And I'll keep London, with my soldiers. K. Hen. And I, with grief and sorrow, to the court. And yet shalt thou be safe? such safety finds The northern lords, that have forsworn thy colours, K. Hen. Stay,gentle Margaret, and hear me speak. K. Hen. Gentle son Edward, thou wilt stay with Q. Mar. Ay, to be murther'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 The loss of those three lords torments my heart : [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. Edw. No, I can better play the orator. Mont. But I have reasons strong and forcible. Enter York. York. Why, how now, sons and brother, at a strife? What is your quarrel? how began it first? Edw. No quarrel, but a slight contention. Rich. About that which concerns your grace, and The crown of England, father, which is yours. [us ; York. Mine, boy? not till king Henry be dead. Rich. Your right depends not on his life, or death. Edw. 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. Edw. But for a kingdom any oath may be broken: I would break a thousand oaths to reign one year. Rich. No; God forbid your grace should be forYork. I shall be if I claim by open war. [sworn. 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; You, Edward, shall unto my lord Cobham, But, stay; What news? why com'st thou in such post? Mess. The queen, with all the northern earls and Intend here to besiege you in your castle: [lords, She is hard by with twenty thousand men ; And therefore fortify your hold, my lord. York. Ay, with my sword. What! think'st thou that we fear them? Edward and Richard, you shall stay with me, My brother Montague shall post to London : 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. [Exit. Enter Sir John and Sir Hugh Mortimer. York. Sir John, and Sir Hugh Mortimer, mine You are come to Sandal in a happy hour; [uncles! The army of the queen mean to besiege us. Sir John. She shall not need, we'll meet her in York. What, with five thousand men? [the field. Rich. Ay, with five hundred, father, for a need. A woman's general; what should we fear? [A march afar of Edw. Iheartheir 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 I doubt not, uncle, of our victory. [great, Many a battle have I won in France, When as the enemy hath been ten to one; Why should I not now have the like success? [Alarum. Exeunt. 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 life. Tut. And I, my lord, will bear him company. Tut. Ah, Clifford ! murther not this innocent child, Lest thou be hated both of God and man. [Exit, forced off by Soldiers. |