RICHARD PLANTAGENET, Duke of York. EDWARD, Earl of March, afterwards EDMUND, Earl of Rutland, GEORGE, afterwards Duke of Clarence, MARQUIS OF MONTAGUE, EARL OF PEMBROKE, LORD HASTINGS, LORD STAFFOrd, his sons. Sir JOHN MORTIMER, Sir JOUG MMOBRIMER,,} uncles to the Duke of York HENRY, Earl of Richmond, a youth. LORD RIVERS, brother to Lady Grey. Sir WILLIAM STANLEY. Sir JOHN MONTGOMERY. Sir JOHN SOMERVILLE. Lieutenant of the Tower. A Nobleman. A Huntsman. A Son that has killed his Father. A Father that has killed his Son. QUEEN MARGaret. Lady GREY, afterwards Queen to Edward IV. of the Duke of York's BONA, sister to the French Queen. party. Soldiers, and other Attendan on King Henry and SCENE, - during part of the third Act, in FRANCE; during all the rest of the Play, in ENGLAND. SCENE I. - London. Drums. ACT I. The Parliament-House. 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 pursu'd the horsemen of the north, He slily stole away, and left his men : 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 a-breast, 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: [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. York. Richard hath best deserv'd of all my sons.What, is your grace dead, my lord of Somerset ? Norf. Such hope have all the line of John of Gaunt' Rich. Thus do I hope to shake king Henry s head. 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. And, soldiers, stay, and lodge by me this night. War. And, when the king comes, offer him no violence, Unless he seek to thrust you out by force. [They retire. York. The queen, this day, here holds her parliament, But little thinks, we shall be of her council : Rich. Arm'd as we are, let's stay within this house. York. Then leave me not, my lords; be resolute; War. Neither the king, nor he that loves him The proudest he that holds up Lancaster, Flourish. Enter KING HENRY, CLIFFORD, NOR- Thou art deceiv'd, I am thine. 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 York. It must and shall be so. Content thyself. You That we are those, which chas'd you from the field, North. Yes, Warwick, I remember it to my grief; Clif. Urge it no more: lest that, instead of words, War. Poor Clifford ! how I scorn his worthless York. Will you, we show our title to the crown? K. Hen. My lords, look where the sturdy rebel Thy father was, as thou art, duke of York; Even in the chair of state! belike, he means, 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. North. Well hast thou spoken, cousin; be it so. K. Hen. Far be the thought of this from Henry's To make a shambles of the parliament-house! Thy grandfather Roger Mortimer, earl of March: War. Talk not of France, sith thou hast lost it all. Let's fight it out, and not stand cavilling thus. K. Hen. Peace thou! and give king Henry leave War. Plantagenet shall speak first: — hear him, And be you silent and attentive too, K. Hen. Think'st thou, that I will leave my Wherein my grandsire, and my father, sat? king. M m 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, 'twere prejudicial to his crown? Ere. 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? Ere. 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, - Clif. King Henry, be thy title right or wrong, 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; Whom I unnaturally shall disinherit. To seek to put me down, and reign thyself. form. 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; - pardon me, sweet son; The earl of Warwick, and the duke, enforc'd me. be forc'd? I shame to hear thee speak. Ah, timorous wretch: Stern Faulconbridge commands the narrow seas; The northern lords, that have forsworn thy colours, K. Hen. Stay, gentle Margaret, and hear me 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. Hath made her break out into terms of rage! The loss of those three lords torments my heart : Enter EDWARD, RICHARD, and MONTAGUE. Rich. Brother, though I be youngest, give me leave. 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, and us; The crown of England, father, which is yours. 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'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 mc 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: And all that poets feign of bliss and joy. York. Richard, enough; I will be king, or die.— You, Edward, shall unto my lord Cobham, Enter a Messenger. But, stay; What news? why com'st thou in such post? Mess. The queen, with all the northern earls and lords, Intend here to besiege you in your castle : 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 uncles! You are come to Sandal in a happy hour; 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. I doubt not, uncle, of our victory. 1 When as the enemy hath been ten to one; Why should I not now have the like success? [Alarum. Exeunt. SCENE IV. The same. 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. As for the brat of this accursed duke, Whose father slew my father, he shall die. Tut. And I, my lord, will bear him company. Clif. Soldiers, away with him. Tut. Ah, Clifford ! murder not this innocent child, Lest thou be hated both of God and man. [Exit, forced off by Soldiers. Clif. How now! is he dead already? Or, is it fear, That makes him close his eyes? - 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; I 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. Rut. Then let my father's blood open it again; He is a man, and, Clifford, cope with him. Clif. Had I thy brethren here, their lives, and thine Were not revenge sufficient for me; No, if I digg'd up thy forefathers' graves, And hung their rotten coffins up in chains, It could not slake mine ire, nor case my heart. The sight of any of the house of York Is as a fury to torment my soul; And till I root out their accursed line, And leave not one alive, I live in hell. Therefore [Lifting his hand. Rut. O, let me pray before I take my death: To thee I pray; Sweet Clifford, pity me! Clif. Such pity as my rapier's point affords. Rut. I never did thee harm; Why wilt thou slay me? Clif. Thy father hath. Rut. But 'twas ere I was born. Thou hast one son, for his sake pity me; Lest in revenge thereof, sith God is just, He be as miserably slain as I. Ah, let me live in prison all my days; Thy father slew my father; therefore, die. Clif. Plantagenet! I come, Plantagenet : And this thy son's blood, cleaving to my blade, Shall rust upon my weapon, till thy blood, Congeal'd with this, do make me wipe off both. Exit. Alarum. Enter YORK. York. The army of the queen hath got the field: Come, bloody Clifford,-rough Northumberland,— North. Yield to our mercy, proud Plantagenet. York. My ashes, as the phoenix, may bring forth So doves do peck the faicon's piercing talons; York. O Clifford, but bethink thee once again, Whose frown hath made thee faint and fly cre this. Clif. I will not bandy with thee word for word; But buckle with thee blows, twice two for one. [Draws. Q. Mar. Hold, valiant Clifford! for a thousand causes, I would prolong awhile the traitor's life: - much, To prick thy finger, though to wound his heart: |