Why didit thou fay of late thou wert defpis'd?
Plan. Firft lean thine aged back against mine arm,
And in that ease I'll tell thee my displeasure.
This day, in argument upon a cafe,
Some words there grew 'twixt Somerset and me:
Amongst which terms he us'd his lavish tongue,
And did upbraid me with my father's death;
Which obloquy fet bars before my tongue,
Elfe with the like I had requited him.
Therefore, good uncle, for my father's fake,
In honour of a true Plantagenet,
And for alliance fake, declare the cause
My father Earl of Cambridge loft his head.
Mor. This caufe, fair nephew, that imprifon'd me, 'And hath detain'd me all my flow'ring youth
Within a loathfore dungeon, there to pine,
Was curfed inftrument of his decease.
Plan. Difcover more at large what cause that was,
For I am ignorant and cannot guess.
Mor. I will, if that my fading breath permit,
And death approach not ere my tale be done.
Henry the Fourth, grandfather to this King,
Depos'd his cousin Richard, Edward's Son,
The firft-begotten, and the lawful heir
Of Edward King, the third of that defcent.
During whofe reign the Percies of the north,
Finding his ufurpation moft unjuft,
Endeavour'd my advancement to the throne.
The reafon mov'd thefe warlike Lords to this,
Was, for that young King Richard thus remov'd
Leaving no heir begotten of his body,
I was the next by birth and parentage:
For by my mother I derived am
From Lionel Duke of Clarence, the third fon]
To the Third Edward; whereas Bolingbroke
From John of Gaunt doth bring his pedigree,
Being but the fourth of that heroick line.
But mark; as in this haughty great attempt
They laboured to plant the rightful heir,
I loft my liberty, and they their lives.
Long after this, when Henry the Fifth
After his father Bolingbroke did reign,
Thy father, Earl of Cambridge, (then deriv'd
From famous Edmund Langley Duke of York,
Marrying my fifter that thy mother was ;)
Again in pity of my hard distress
Levied an army, weening to redeem
And re-inftal me in the diadem:
But as the reft, fo fell that noble Earl,
And was beheaded. Thus the Mortimers,
In whom the title refted, were fuppreft.
Plan. Of which, my Lord, your honour is the last.
Mor. True; and thou feest that I no iffue have,
And that my fainting words do warrant death:
Thou art my heir; the reft I wish thee gather:
But yet be wary in thy ftudious care.
Plan. Thy grave admonifhments prevail with me:
But yet methinks my father's execution
Was nothing less than bloody tyranny.
Mer. With filence, nephew, be thou politick:
Strong-fixed is the houfe of Lancaster,
And like a mountain, not to be remov❜d.
But now thy uncle is removing hence,
As Princes from their courts when they are cloy'd
With long continuance in a fettled place.
Plan. Ŏ uncle, would fome part of my young years
Might but redeem the paffage of your age!
Mor. Thou doft then wrong me, as that flaughter doth
Which giveth many wounds when one will kill.
Mourn not, except thou forrow for my good;
Only give order for my funeral.
And fo farewel; and fair 'befal` thy hopes,
And profp'rous be thy life, in peace and war!
Plan. And peace, no war, befal thy parting foul!
In prison haft thou spent a pilgrimage,
And like a hermit over-paft thy days.
Well I will lock his counfel in my breast,
And what I do imagine let that rest.
Keepers, convey him hence, and I my felf
Will fee his burial better than his life.
Here dies the dusky torch of Mortimer,
Choak'd with th' ambition of a meaner fort. a
And for those wrongs, those bitter injuries
Which Somerfet hath offer'd to my house,
I doubt not but with honour to 7 'redress them.`
And therefore hafte I to the Parliament;
Either to be restored to my blood,
Or make my ill` th' advantage of
$ my good.
Flourish. Enter King Henry, Exeter, Gloucefter, Winchefter, Warwick, Somerfet, Suffolk, and Richard Plantagenet. Gloucefter offers to put up a bill: Winchefter fnatches it, and tears it.
OM'ST thou with deep premeditated lines,
With written pamphlets ftudiously devis'd?
Humphry of Glofter, if thou canft accuse
Or ought intend'ft to lay unto my charge,
Do it without invention fuddenly;
As I with fudden and extemporal speech
Purpose to answer what thou canft object.
Glou. Prefumptuous Prieft, this place commands my
Or thou fhould't find thou haft difhonour'd me.
(a) Being made a tool by the Percies and others to countenance their quarrels.
Warburton. 8 will... old edit. Theob. emend.
Think not, although in writing I prefer'd
The manner of thy vile outragious crimes,
That therefore I have forg'd, or am not able
Verbatim to rehearse the method of my pen.
No, Prelate, fuch is thy audacious wickedness,
Thy leud, peftif'rous, and diffentious pranks,
The very infants prattle of thy pride.
Thou art a moft pernicious ufurer,
Froward by nature, enemy to peace,
Lafcivious, wanton, more than well befeems
A man of thy profeffion and degree.
And for thy treach'ry, what's more manifeft?
In that thou laid'st a trap to take my life,
As well at London-Bridge, as at the Tower.
Befide, I fear me, if thy thoughts were fifted,
The King thy Sovereign is not quite exempt
From envious malice of thy fwelling heart.
Win. Glo'fter, I do defie thee. Lords, vouchfafe
To give me hearing what I fhall 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 my felf, 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 should fway but he;
No one but he should be about the King;
And that engenders thunder in his breaft,
And makes him roar thefe accufations forth.
But he shall know I am as good.
Glou. As good?
Thou baftard of my grandfather!
Win. Ay, lordly Sir; for what are you, I pray,
But one imperious in another's throne?
Glou. Am not I then Protector, fawcy Prieft?
Win. And am not I a Prelate of the church?
Glou. Yes, as an out-law in a castle keeps,
And useth it to patronage his theft.
Win. Unrev'rend Glo'fter!
Glou. Thou art reverend
Touching thy spiritual function, not thy life.
Win. This Rome fhall remedy.
9'Glou. Go thither then.
War. My Lord, it were your duty to forbear.
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 Lordfhip fhould be humbler then, It fitteth not a Prelate fo to plead.
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 must 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 Winchester.
K. Henry. Uncles of Glofter and of Winchester,
The fpecial watchmen of our English weal;
I would prevail, if prayers might prevail,
To join your hearts in love and amity.
Oh, what a fcandal is it to our crown,
That two fuch noble Peers as ye fhould jar!
Believe me, Lords, my tender years can tell
Civil diffention is a vip'rous worm,
That gnaws the bowels of the common-wealth.
[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, Stones, Stones.
|