Particularities and petty sounds

To cease! Wast thou ordain'd, dear father, To lose thy youth in peace, and to achieve The silver livery of advised age,

49

And, in thy reverence and thy chair-days, thus
To die in ruffian battle? Even at this sight
My heart is turn'd to stone: and while 'tis mine,
It shall be stony. York not our old men spares;
No more will I their babes: tears virginal
Shall be to me even as the dew to fire,
And beauty that the tyrant oft reclaims
Shall to my flaming wrath be oil and flax.
Henceforth I will not have to do with pity:
Meet I an infant of the house of York,
Into as many gobbets will I cut it
As wild Medea young Absyrtus did:
In cruelty will I seek out my fame.
Come, thou new ruin of old Clifford's house:
As did Æneas old Anchises bear,

So bear I thee upon my manly shoulders;
But then Æneas bare a living load,
Nothing so heavy as these woes of mine.

60

[Exit, bearing off his father.

Queen. Away, my lord! you are slow; for shame, away!

King. Can we outrun the heavens? good Margaret, stay.

Queen. What are you made of? you'll nor fight nor fly:

Now is it manhood, wisdom and defence,
To give the enemy way, and to secure us
By what we can, which can no more but fly.
[Alarum afar off.
If you be ta'en, we then should see the bottom
Of all our fortunes: but if we haply scape,
As well we may, if not through your neglect,
We shall to London get, where you are loved
And where this breach now in our fortunes made
May readily be stopp'd.

80

Re-enter young CLIFFORD.

Y. Clif. But that my heart's on future mischief

set,

I would speak blasphemy ere bid you fly:
But fly you must; uncurable discomfit
Reigns in the hearts of all our present parts.
Away, for your relief! and we will live
To see their day and them our fortune give:
Away, my lord, away!
[Exeunt.

SCENE III. Fields near St Alban's. Alarum. Retreat. Enter YORK, RICHARD, WARWICK, and Soldiers, with drum and colours.

York. Of Salisbury, who can report of him, That winter lion, who in rage forgets

Aged contusions and all brush of time,
And, like a gallant in the brow of youth,
Repairs him with occasion? This happy day
Is not itself, nor have we won one foot,
If Salisbury be lost.

Rich.

ΙΟ

My noble father, Three times to-day I holp him to his horse, Three times bestrid him; thrice I led him off, Persuaded him from any further act: But still, where danger was, still there I met him; And like rich hangings in a homely house, So was his will in his old feeble body. But, noble as he is, look where he comes.

Enter SALISBURY.

Sal. Now, by my sword, well hast thou fought to-day;

By the mass, so did we all. I thank you, Richard:
God knows how long it is I have to live;
And it hath pleased him that three times to-day
You have defended me from imminent death.
Well, lords, we have not got that which we have:
'Tis not enough our foes are this time fled,
Being opposites of such repairing nature.

21

York. I know our safety is to follow them; For, as I hear, the king is fled to London, To call a present court of parliament. Let us pursue him ere the writs go forth. What says Lord Warwick? shall we after them? War. After them! nay, before them, if we can. Now, by my faith, lords, 'twas a glorious day: Saint Alban's battle won by famous York Shall be eternized in all age to come. Sound drums and trumpets, and to London all: And more such days as these to us befall!

30

[Exeunt.

SCENE I. London. The Parliament-house. Alarum. Enter the DUKE OF YORK, EDWARD, RICHARD, NORFOLK, MONTAGUE, WARWICK, and Soldiers.

War. I wonder how the king escaped our hands.

York. While we pursued 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 abreast,
Charged our main battle's front, and breaking in
Were by the swords of common soldiers slain.
Edw. Lord Stafford's father, Duke of Buck-
ingham,

ΙΟ

Is either slain or wounded dangerously;
I cleft his beaver with a downright blow:
That this is true, father, behold his blood.
Mont. And, brother, here's the Earl of Wilt-
shire's blood,

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 deserved of all my

sons.

But is your grace dead, my Lord of Somerset ? Norf. Such hope have all the line of John of Gaunt!

LORD STAFFord.

SIR JOHN MORTIMER, } uncles to the Duke of
SIR HUGH MORTIMER, York.
HENRY, Earl of Richmond, a youth.
LORD RIVERS, brother to Lady Grey.
SIR WILLIAM STANLEY.

SIR JOHN MONTGOMERY.
SIR JOHN SOMERVILLE.

Tutor to Rutland. Mayor of York.
Lieutenant of the Tower.

A Nobleman.

Two Keepers. 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. BONA, sister to the French Queen.

Soldiers, Attendants, Messengers, Watchmen, &c.

SCENE: England and France.

Rich. Thus do I hope to shake King Henry's head.

20

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 all assist you; he that flies shall die.

30

York. Thanks, gentle Norfolk: stay by me, my lords;

And, soldiers, stay and lodge by me this night. [They go up.

War. And when the king comes, offer him no violence,

Unless he seek to thrust you out perforce.
York. The queen this day here holds her
parliament,

But little thinks we shall be of her council:
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, 40 And bashful Henry deposed, whose cowardice Hath made us by-words to our enemies.

York. Then leave me not, my lords; be resolute;

And slew your fathers, and with colours spread

best,

The proudest he that holds up Lancaster,
Dares stir a wing, if Warwick shake his bells.
I'll plant Plantagenet, root him up who dares:
Resolve thee, Richard; claim the English crown.
Flourish. Enter KING HENRY, CLifford,
NORTHUMBERLAND, WESTMORELAND, EXE-
TER, and the rest.

K. Hen. My lords, look where the sturdy rebel sits,

50

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 revenged 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. 60 K. Hen. Be patient, gentle Earl of Westmoreland.

Clif. Patience is for poltroons, such as he:
He durst not sit there, had your father lived.
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? Exe. But when the duke is slain, they'll quickly fly.

70

K. Hen. Far be the thought of this from Henry's heart, To make a shambles of the parliament-house! Cousin of Exeter, frowns, words and threats Shall be the war that Henry means to use. Thou factious Duke of York, descend my throne, And kneel for grace and mercy at my feet; I am thy sovereign. York. I am thine.

Exe. For shame, come down: he made thee Duke of York.

York. 'Twas my inheritance, as the earldom

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.
War.

100

Poor Clifford! how I scorn his worthless threats!

York. Will you we show our title to the

crown?

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

120

War. Plantagenet shall speak first: hear him, lords;

And be you silent and attentive too,
For he that interrupts him shall not live.

K. Hen. Think'st thou that I will leave my kingly throne,

Wherein my grandsire and my father sat?
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. 130
War. Prove it, Henry, and thou shalt be king.
K. Hen. Henry the Fourth by conquest got
the crown.

York. 'Twas by rebellion against his king.
K. Hen. [Aside] 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 sove-
reign,

140

And made him to resign his crown perforce. War. Suppose, my lords, he did it unconstrain'd,

Think you 'twere prejudicial 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 an-
swer not?

Exe. My conscience tells me he is lawful king. K. Hen. [Aside] All will revolt from me, and turn to him. 151

North. Plantagenet, for all the claim thou lay'st,

Think not that Henry shall be so deposed.

War. Deposed he shall be, in despite of all. North. Thou art deceived: 'tis not thy south

ern power,

Of Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, nor of Kent,
Which makes thee thus presumptuous and proud,
Can set the duke up in despite of me.

160

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 with his foot, and the Soldiers show themselves. K. Hen. My Lord of Warwick, hear me but one word: 170

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 while thou livest. King. I am content: Richard Plantagenet, Enjoy the kingdom after my decease.

Clif. What wrong is this unto the prince your

West. Farewell, faint-hearted and degenerate king,

In whose cold blood no spark 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 mayst thou be overcome,
Or live in peace abandon'd and despised!
[Exeunt North., Cliff., and West.
War.
Turn this way, Henry, and regard
them not.
Exe. They seek revenge and therefore will
not yield.
190

K. Hen. Ah, Exeter!
War.
Why should you sigh, my lord?
K. Hen. Not for myself, Lord Warwick, but

my son,

Whom I unnaturally shall disinherit.
But be it as it may: I here entail
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.

200

War. Long live King Henry! Plantagenet, embrace him.

K. Hen. And long live thou and these thy forward sons!

York. Now York and Lancaster are reconciled.

Exe. Accursed be he that seeks to make them foes! [Sennet. Here they come down. 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, Nor

folk, Montague, their Soldiers, and Attendants.

K. Hen. And I, with grief and sorrow, to the

Enter QUEEN MARGARET and the PRINCE OF WALES.

Exe. Here comes the queen, whose looks bewray her anger: I'll steal away.

K. Hen. Exeter, so will I.

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 borne thee son, Seeing thou hast proved so unnatural a father! Hath he deserved to lose his birthright thus? Hadst thou but loved 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,

220

Rather than have 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,

et shalt thou be safe? such safety finds embling lamb environed with wolves. been there, which am a silly woman, diers should have toss'd ine on their pikes I would have granted to that act. -u preferr'st thy life before thine honour: eing thou dost, I here divorce myself om thy table, Henry, and thy bed, at act of parliament be repeal'd y my son is disinherited.

250

thern lords that have forsworn thy colours low mine, if once they see them spread; -ead they shall be, to thy foul disgrace er ruin of the house of York.

I leave thee. Come, son, let's away; y is ready; come, we'll after them.

en. Stay, gentle Margaret, and hear me eak.

ar. Thou hast spoke too much already : thee gone.

en. Gentle son Edward, thou wilt stay ch me?

ar. Ay, to be murder'd by his enemies. e. When I return with victory from the d. 261 your grace: till then I'll follow her. ar: Come, son, away; we may not linger

SCENE II. Sandal Castle.
RICHARD, EDWARD, and MONTAGUE.
Brother, though I be youngest, give
leave.

No, I can better play the orator.
But I have reasons strong and forcible.
Enter the DUKE OF YORK,

Why, how now, sons and brother! at Erife?

your quarrel? how began it first?

No quarrel, but a slight contention.
About what?

About that which concerns your grace us;

vn of England, father, which is yours. 9 Mine, boy? not till King Henry be dead. Your right depends not on his life or ath.

Now you are heir, therefore enjoy it now: g the house of Lancaster leave to breathe, utrun you, father, in the end.

I took an oath that he should quietly gn.

But for a kingdom any oath may be ken:

I would break a thousand oaths to reign one year. Rich. No; God forbid your grace should be forsworn.

York. Rich.

I shall be, if I claim by open war.

20

30

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: Henry had none, but did usurp the place; Then, seeing 'twas he that made you to depose, Your oath, my lord, is vain and frivolous. Therefore, to arms! And, father, do but think How sweet a thing it is to wear a crown; Within whose circuit is Elysium And all that poets feign of bliss and joy. Why do we linger thus? I cannot rest Until the white rose that I wear be dyed Even in the lukewarm blood of Henry's heart. York. Richard, enough; I will be king, or die. Brother, thou shalt to London presently, And whet on Warwick to this enterprise. Thou, Richard, shalt to the Duke of Norfolk, And tell him privily of our intent. You, Edward, shall unto my Lord Cobham, With whom the Kentishmen will willingly rise: In them I trust; for they are soldiers, Witty, courteous, liberal, full of spirit. While you are thus employ'd, what resteth more, But that I seek occasion how to rise, And yet the king not privy to my drift, Nor any of the house of Lancaster?

Enter a Messenger.

40

But, stay: what news? Why comest thou in such post?

Gabr. The queen with all the northern earls and lords

50

Intend here to besiege you in your castle:
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:

60

And thus most humbly I do take my leave. [Exit. Enter SIR JOHN MORTIMER 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, 70 And issue forth and bid them battle straight.