When I was crown'd, I was but nine months old. Rich. You are old enough now, and yet, methinks, you lofe.

Father, tear the crown from the ufurper's head. Edw. Sweet father, do fo; fet it on your head. Mont. Good brother, as thou lov'ft and honour'st

arms,

Let's fight it out, and not stand cavilling thus. Rich. Sound drums and trumpets, and the King will fly.

York. Sons, peace.

K. Henry. Peace thou, and give King Henry leave to speak.

War. Plantagenet shall speak first; hear him, And be you filent and attentive too,

For he that interrupts him thall not live.

[-ords,

K. Henry. Think'ft thou that I will leave my kingly throne,

Wherein my grandfire and my father fat?
No, firft fhall war unpeople this my realm;
Ay, and thir colours often borne in France,
And now in England, to our heart's great forrow, '.
Shall be my winding fheet.-Why faint you, Lords?
My title's good, and better far than his.

War. But prove it, Henry, and thou fhalt be King.
K. Henry. Henry the Fourth by conqueft got the

crown.

York. 'Twas by rebellion against his King.

K. Henry. I know not what to say, my title's weak: Tell me, may not a king adopt an heir?

-York. What then?

K. Henry. And if he may, then am I lawful King: For Richard, in the view of many Lords, Resign'd the crown to Henry the Fourth; Whole heir my father was, and I am his. York. He rofe against him, being his fovereign, And made him to refign his crown perforce. War. Suppose, my Lords, he did it unconstrain'd, Think you 'twere prejudicial to his crown?

Exet. No, for he could not fo refign his crown, But that the next heir fhould fucceed and reign. K. Henry. Art thou against us, Duke of Exeter?

Exet. His is the right, and therefore pardon me. York. Why whifper you, my Lords, and answer not?

Exet. My confcience tells me he is lawful King. K. Henry. All will revolt from me, and turn to him. North. Plantagenet, for all the claim thou lay'ft, Think not that Henry fhall be fo depos'd.

War. Depos'd he fhall be, in defpight of thee. North. Thou art deceiv'd: 'tis not thy fouthern Of Effex, Norfolk, Suffolk, nor of Kent, [power Which makes thee thus prefumptuous and proud, Can fet the Duke up in defpight of me.

Clif. King Henry, be thy title right or wrong, Lord Clifford vows to fight in thy defence; May that ground gape, and fwallow me alive, Where I fhall kneel to him that flew my father! K. Henry. O Clifford, how thy words revive my heart!

York. Henry of Lancaster, refign thy crown: What mutter you, or what confpire you, Lords? War. Do right unto this princely Duke of York, Or I will fill this houfe with armed men; And, o'er the chair of ftate, where now he fits,. Write up his title with ufurping blood.

[He ftamps with his foot, and the foldiers bew themselves.

K. Henry. My Lord of Warwick, hear me but one Let me but reign in quiet while I live. [word.

York. Confirm the crown to me and to mine heirs, And thou fhalt reign in quiet while thou liv'ft.

K. Henry. I am content. Richard Plantagenet, Enjoy the kingdom after my decease.

Clif. What wrong is this unto the Prince your fon?
War. What good is this to England and himself?
Weft. Bafe, fearful and despairing Henry!
Clif. How haft thou injur'd both thy felf and us!
Weft. I cannot flay to hear thefe articles.
North. Nor I

Clif. Come, coufin, let us tell the Queen these news.
Weft. Farewell, faint-hearted and degen'rate
King,

In whofe cold blood no fpark 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't thou be overcome, Or live in peace abandon'd and defpis'd!

[Exeunt Nor. Clif. Weftm.

SCENE III.

War. Turn this way, Henry, and regard them not. Exet. They feek revenge, and therefore will not yield.

K. Henry. Ah, Exeter!

War. Why fhould you figh, my Lord?

K. Henry. Not for myfelf, Lord Warwick, but my Whom I unnaturally fhall difinherit.

But be it as it may, I here entail

[fon;

The crown to thee, and to thine heirs for ever;
Conditionally, that here thou take an oath
To ceafe this civil war; and, whilst I live,
To honour me as thy King and Sovereign;
Neither by treafon nor hoftility

To feek to put me down, and reign thyself.

York. This oath I willingly take, and will perform. War. Long live King Henry! Plantagenet, embrace him.

K. Henry. And long live thou, and these thy forward fons !

York. Now York and Lancaster are reconcil'd. Exet. Accurs'd be he that feeks to make them foes! [Sonet. Here they come down. York. Farewell, my gracious Lord, I'll to my castle. War. And I'll keep London with my foldiers. Norf. And I to Norfolk with my followers. Mont. And I unto the fea, from whence I came. [Exeunt York, Warwick, Norfolk and Montague. K. Henry. And I with grief and forrow to the court. Enter the Queen and the Prince of Wales. Exet. Here comes the Queen, whofe looks bewray I'll freal away. [her anger. K. Henry. So, Exeter, will I. [Going. Queen. Nay, go not from me; I will follow thee.K. Henry. Be patient, gentle Queen, and I will

ftay.

Queen. Who can be patient in fuch extremes? Ah, wretched man! would I had dy'd a maid, And never seen thee, never borne thee fon, Seeing thou haft prov'd fo unnatural a father. Hath he deferv'd to lofe his birth-right thus? Hadft 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 favage Duke thine heir, And difinherited thine only fon

Prince. Father, you cannot difinherit me: If you be King, why should not I fucceed?

K. Henry. Pardon me, Margaret; pardon me,fweet fon;

The Earl of Warwick and the Duke enforc'd me. Queen. Enforc'd thee? art thou King, and wilt be forc'd?

I fhame to hear thee fpeak. Ah, tim'rous wretch!
Thou haft undone thyfelf, thy fon, and me,
And given unto the houfe of York fuch head,
As thou fhalt reign but by their fufferance.
To entail him and's heirs unto the crown,
What is it but to make thy fepulchre,
And creep into it far before thy time?
Warwick is Chancellor, and the Lord of Calais;
Stern Faulconbridge commands the narrow feas;
The Duke is made Protector of the realm;
And yet fhalt thou be fafe?-fuch fafety finds
The trembling lamb, environed with wolves.
Had I been there, which am a filly woman,
The foldiers fhould have tofs'd me on their pikes,
Before I would have granted to that act.
But thou preferr'ft thy life before thine honour;
And, feeing thou doft, I here divorce myfelf
Both from thy table, Henry, and thy bed,
Until that act of parliament be repeal'd,
Whereby my fon is difinherited.

The northern lords, that have forfworn thy colours,
Will follow mine, if once they fee them fpread;
And spread they fhall be, to thy foul difgrace,
And utter ruin of the house of York.

Thus I do leave thee: come, fon, let's away;
Our army's ready: come, we'll after them.

K Henry. Stay, gentle Margaret, and hear me fpeak.

Queen. Thou haft spoke too much already; get thee gone.

K. Henry. Gentle fon Edward, thou wilt stay with me?

Queen. Ay, to be murder'd by his enemies.Prince. When I return with victory from the field, I'll fee your Grace; till then I'll follow her. Queen. Come, fon, away; we may not linger thus. [Exeunt Queen and Prince. K. Henry. Poor Queen, how love to me and to her Hath made her break out into terms of rage! [fon Reveng'd may fhe be on that hateful Duke, Whole haughty fpirit, winged with defire, Will coaft my crown; and, like an empty eagle, Tire on the flesh of me and of my fon! -The lofs of thofe three lords torments my heart; I'll write unto them, and intreat them fair; -Come, coufin, you fhall be the meffenger. Exet. And, as I hope, fhall reconcile them all. [Exeunt.

SCENE IV.

Changes to Sandal Cafle, near Wakefield, in Yorkshire.

Enter Richard, Edward, and Montague.

Rich. Brother, tho' I be youngest, give me leave.
Edw. No, I can better play the orator.
Mont, But I have reasons strong and forcible.
Enter the Duke of York.

York. Why, how now, fons and brother, at a ftrife?
What is your quarrel? how began it first?
Edw. No quarrel, but a fweet contention.
York. About what?

i. e. hover over it. Warburton.

To tire is to fuften, to fix the talons, from the French tier. Johnfon.