ruffian, And seek for sorrow with thy spectacles?— Outcast of Naples, England's bloody scourge! What, wilt thou on thy death-bed play the See where they come: I'll warrant they'll York. I thank thee, Clifford: say, what Nay, do not fright us with an angry look: But thou mistak'st me much, to think I Makes him oppose himself against his king. Q. Mar. He is arrested, but will not obey; him. York. Will you not, sons? [here! Clif. Why, what a brood of traitors have we Clif. Are these thy bears? we'll bait thy And manacle the bear-ward in their chains, And such a piece of service will you do, Sal. My lord, I have consider'd with myself Sal. I have. The rampant bear chain'd to the ragged staff, If you oppose yourselves to match lord War-And tread it under-foot with all contempt, wick. [lump, Clif. Hence, heap of wrath, foul indigested As crooked in thy manners as thy shape! York. Nay, we shall heat you thoroughly anon. Clif. Take heed, lest by your heat you burn yourselves. K. Hen. Why, Warwick, hath thy knee Old Salisbury,-shame to thy silver hair, Despite the bear-ward that protects the bear. For you shall sup with Jesu Christ to-night. Rich. If not in heaven, you'll surely sup in SCENE II.-St. Albans. Alarums: Excursions. Enter Warwick. War. Clifford of Cumberland, 'tis Warwick calls! And if thou dost not hide thee from the bear, Now, when the angry trumpet sounds alarm, And dead men's cries do fill the empty air,Clifford, I say, come forth and fight with me! Proud northern lord, Clifford of Cumberland, Warwick is hoarse with calling thee to arms. Enter York. How now, my noble lord! what, all a-foot? York. The deadly-handed Clifford slew my steed; But match to match I have encounter'd him, And made a prey for carrion kites and crows Even of the bonny beast he lov'd so well. Enter Old Clifford. War. Of one or both of us the time is come. York. Hold, Warwick, seek thee out some other chase, For I myself must hunt this deer to death. War. Then, nobly, York; 'tis for a crown thou fight'st. As I intend, Clifford, to thrive to-day, [Exit. Clif. What seest thou in me, York? why dost thou pause? [in love, York. With thy brave bearing should I be But that thou art so fast mine enemy. Clif. Nor should thy prowess want praise and esteem, Fear frames disorder, and disorder wounds Where it should guard. O war, thou son of hell, Whom angry heavens do make their minister, To cease!-Wast thou ordain'd, dear father, As did Æneas old Anchises bear, Rich. So, lie thou there; For underneath an alehouse' paltry sign, Priests pray for enemies, but princes kill. [Exit. Alarums: Excursions. Enter King Henry, Queen Margaret, and others, retreating. Q. Mar. Away, my lord! you are slow; for shame, away! K. Hen. Can we outrun the heavens ? good Margaret, stay. [nor fight, nor fly: Q. Mar. What are you made of? you'll 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 lov'd; And where this breach, now in our fortunes May readily be stopp'd. [made, Re-enter Young Clifford. Y. Clif. But that my heart's on future mischief set, I would speak blasphemy ere bid you fly : SCENE III.-Field near St. Albans. Alarum: Retreat. Flourish then enter York, Richard Plantagenet, Warwick, and Soldiers, with drum and colours. to-day You have defended me from imminent death. Well, lords, we have not got that which we have : York. Of Salisbury, who can report of him; And it hath pleas'd him, that three times That winter lion, who in rage forgets Agèd 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. My noble father, Sal. Now, by my sword, well hast thou 'Tis not enough our foes are this time fled, York. I know our safety is to follow them; them? Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York. wards King Edward IV., Edmund, Earl of Rutland, Sir John Somerville. Tutor to Rutland. Mayor of York. Lieutenant of the Tower. A Nobleman. man. Two Keepers. A Hunts A Son that has killed his Father. George, afterwards Duke of Clar- his Sons. A Father that has killed his Son. SCENE, During part of the Third Act, in France; during the rest of the Play, in England. in. ACT I. York. While we pursued the horsemen of the north, SCENE I.--London. The Parliament-House. . He slily stole away, and left his men ; Drums. Some Soldiers of York's party break Whereat the great lord of Northumberland, Then, enter the Duke of York, Ed- Whose warlike ears could never brook retreat, ward, Richard, Norfolk, Montague, War- Cheer'd up the drooping army; and himself, wick, and others, with white roses in their Lord Clifford, and lord Stafford, all a-breast, Charg'd our main battle's front, and, breaking hats. War. I wonder how the king escap'd our hands. in, Were by the swords of common soldiers slain. Edw. Lord Stafford's father, duke of Buckingham, Is either slain, or wounded dangerous; (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 [Showing his bloody sword. Mont. And, brother, here's the earl of Wilt-On shire'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. Gaunt ! [Throwing down the Duke of Somerset's head. [sons. York. Richard hath best deserv'd of all my But, is your grace dead, my lord of Somerset? Norf. Such hope have all the line of John of [head. Rich. Thus do I hope to shake king Henry's War. And so do I, victorious prince of Before I see thee seated in that throne [York. 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; die. For hither we have broken in by force. Norf. We'll all assist you, he that flies shall [me, my lords ;Yorks. Thanks, gentle Norfolk :-stay by 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 But little thinks we shall be of her council: York. Then leave me not, my lords; be 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, Dares stir a wing, if Warwick shake his bells. I'll plant Plantagenet, root him up who dares :crown. Resolve thee, Richard; claim the English [War. 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 him, his sons, his favourites, and his friends. North. If I be not, heavens be reveng'd on me! [mourn in steel. Clif. The hope thereof makes Clifford 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. Clif. Patience is for poltroons, 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. [it so. North. Well hast thou spoken, cousin: be 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 [Henry's heart, quickly fly. K. Hen. Far be the thought of this from To make a shambles of the parliament house! Cousin of Exeter, frowns, words, and threats, Shall be the war that Henry means to use. [They advance to the Duke. Thou factious duke of York, descend my throne, And kneel for grace and mercy at my feet; K. Hen. And shall I stand, and thou sit in my throne? York. It must and shall be so: content thyself. [king. War. Be duke of Lancaster; let him be West. He is both king and duke of Lançaster; [maintain. And that the lord of Westmoreland shall War. And Warwick shall disprove it. You forget [field, That we are those which chas'd you from the 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, [lives Thy kinsmen, and thy friends, I'll have more 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. Poor Clifford ! how I scorn his worthless threats! [crown? York. Will you we show our title to the 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 I am the son of Henry the fifth, [March: 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. [thinks, you lose Rich. You are old enough now, and yet, meFather, tear the crown from the usurper's head. Edw. Sweet father, do so; set it on your head. Mont. [To York ] Good brother, as thou lov'st and honour'st arms, Let's fight it out, and not stand cavilling thus. Rich. Sound drums and trumpets, and the York. Sons, peace! {king will fly. K. Hen. Peace thou! and give king Henry leave to speak. [him, lords; War. Plantagenet shall speak first: hear 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 Wherein my grandsire and my father sat? War. But prove it, Henry, and thou shalt 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. [Aloud. Tell me, may not a king adopt an York. What then? Their? 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 uncon strain'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 [swer not? me. York. Why whisper you, my lords, and anExe. My conscience tells me he is lawful king. K. Hen. [Aside] All will revolt from me, and turn to him. [lay'st, North. Plantagenet, for all the claim thou 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,-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! [crown.- York. Henry of Lancaster, resign thy 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, [He stamps, and the Soldiers show themselves. Lone word :K. Hen. My lord of Warwick, hear me but 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 liv'st. K. Hen. I am content: Richard Plantagenet, Enjoy the kingdom after my decease |