ACT I. SCENE 1.-London. The Parliament-House. Drums. 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 : I cleft his beaver with a downright blow; That this is true, father, behold his blood. [Shewing his bloody sword. Mont. And, brother, here's the earl of Wiltshire's blood, [To YORK, shewing 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 SOMERSE'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 on 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 it 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. York. Thanks, gentle Norfolk,-Stay by ine, my lords ; And, soldiers, stay, and lodge by me this night. War. And, when the king comes, offer him no vioUnless he seek to thrust you out by force. [lence, [They retire. York. The queen, this day, here holds her parlia But little thinks, we shall be of her council: [ment, 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; And bashful Henry depos'd, whose cowardice Hath made us by-words to our enemies. York. Then leave me not, my lords; be resolute; 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 :Resolve thee, Richard; claim the English crown. [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, (Back'd by the power of Warwick, that false peer,) To aspire unto the erown, and reign as king.Earl of Northumberland, he slew thy father;— And thine, lord Clifford; and you bʊth have vow'd revenge 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 My heart for anger burns, I cannot brook it. [down: K. Hen. Be patient, gentle earl of Westmoreland. Clif. Patience is for poltroons, and 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. 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. K. Hen. Far be the thought of this from Henry's To make a shambles of the parliament-house! [heart, 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; I am thy sovereign. [of York. York. Thou art deceiv'd, I am thine. Exe. For shame, come down; he made thee duke York. 'Twas my inheritance, as the earldom was. Exe. Thy father was a traitor to the crown. War. Exeter, thou art a traitor to the crown, In following this usurping Henry. Clf. Whom should he follow, but his natural king✨ War. True, Cliford; and that's Richard, duke of York. K. Hen. And shall I stand, and thou sit in my throne? York. It must and shall be so. Content thyself. War. Be duke of Lancaster, let him be king. West. He is both king and duke of Lancaster; And that the lord of Westmoreland shall maintain. War. And Warwick shall disprove it. You forget, That we are those, which chas'd you from the field, March'd through the city to the palace gates. And slew your fathers, and with colours spread North. Yes, Warwick, I remember it to my grief, And, by his soul, thou and thy house shall rue it. Thy kinsmen and thy friends, I'll have more lives, West. Plantagenet, of thee, and these thy sons, Than drops of blood were in my father's veins. I send thee, Warwick, such a messenger, Clif. Urge it no more: lest that, instead of words, As shall revenge his death, before I stir. War. Poor Clifford! how I scorn his worthless threats. York. Will you, we shew our title to the crown? If not, our swords shall plead it in the field. K. Hen. What title hast thou, traitor, to the crown? Thy father wast, as thou art, duke of York; Thy grandfather Roger Mortimer, earl of March: I am the son of Henry the Fifth, 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 Let's fight it out and not stand cavilling thus. K Hen. Peace thou! and give King Henry leave to speak. [lords; War. Plantagenet shall speak first:-hear him 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 Wherein my grandsire, and my father, sat? [throne, 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. War. But prove it, Henry, and thou shalt be king. K. Hen. Henry the Fourth by conquest got the York. 'Twas by rebellion against his king. [crown. K. Hen. 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, Resigned 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; 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? Eve. His is the right, and therefore pardon me. York. Why whisper you, my lords, and answer not? Exe. 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 Of Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, nor of Kent. [power 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! 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 arm'd men, And o'er the chair of state, where now he sits, Write up his title with usurping blood. He stamps, and the Soldiers shew themselves. K.Hen. My lord of Warwick, hear me but one word; Let me, for this my life-time, reign as king. ⚫ York. Confirm the crown to me, and to mine heirs, Clif. What wrong is this unto the prince your son? Clif. Come, cousin, let us tell the queen these news. 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 may'st thou be overcome ! Or live in peace, abandon'd and despis'd! [Eleunt NORTH, CLIF., and WEST. War. Turn this way, Henry, and regard them not. Eae. They seek revenge, and therefore will not yield. K. Hen. Ah, Exeter! brace him. War. Why should you sigh, my lord? K. Hen. Not for myself, lord Warwick, but my son, Whom I unnaturally shall disi herit. But, be it as it may :-1 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. [Coming from the throne. War. Long live king Henry!-Plantagenet em[sons! K. Hen. And long live thou, and these thy forward York. Now York and Lancaster are reconcil'd. Exe. Accurs'd be he that seeks to make them foes! [Senet. The Lords come forward. 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, NORFOLK, MONTAGUE, Soldiers, & Attendants. K.Hen. And I, with grief and sorrow, to the court. Enter QUEEN MARGARET and the PRINCE OF WALES Ere. Here comes the queen, whose looks bewray I'll steal away. [her anger: K. Hen. [Going. 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 born 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. Exeter, so will 1. . Prince. Father, you cannot disinherit me : If you be king, why should not I succeed? [son; K.Hen. Pardon me, Margaret;-pardon me, sweet The earl of Warwick, and the duke, enforced me. Q. Mar. Enforc'd thee! art thou king, and wilt be forc'd? I shame to hear thee speak. Ah, timorous wretch " finds The northern lords, that have forsworn thy colours, K. Hen. Stay, gentle Margaret, and hear me speak. 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. SCENE II.-A Room in Sandal Castle, near Enter EDWARD, RICHARD, and MONTAGUE. York. Why, how now, sons and brother, at a strife? What is your quarrel? how began it first? Edw. No quarrel, but a slight contention. Rich. About that which concerns your grace, and The crown of England, father, which is yours. [us; York. Mine, boy? not till king Henry be dead. Rich. Your right depends not on his life, or death. 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 forYork. I shall be, if I claim by open war. [sworn. Rich. 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 hath 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 unto the duke of Norfolk, And tell him privily of our intent. You, Edward, shall unto my lord Cobham, With whom the Kentish men will willingly rise ; Enter a Messenger. But, stay; What news? why com'st thou in such post? Edward and Richard, you shall stay with me ;- [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; The army of the queen mean to besiege us. Sir John. She shall not need, we'll meet her in the York. What, with five thousand men? [field. Rich. Ay, with five hundred, father, for a need. A woman's general; what should we fear? [A march far off. Edw. I hear their drums; let's set our men in order; And issue forth, and bid them battle straight. York. Five men to twenty-though the odds be I doubt not, uncle, of our victory. [great, Many a battle have I won in France, When as the enemy hath been ten to one; Why should I not now have the like success? [Alarum. Exeunt SCENE III.-Plains near Sandal Castle. Alarums: Excursions. Enter RUTLAND, & 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. Tut. And I, my lord, will bear him company. Tut. Ah, Clifford! murder not this innocent child. Lest thou be hated both of God and man. That makes him close his [Exit, forced off by Soldiers Clif. How now! is he dead already? Or, is it fear, 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 blood [enter. Hath stopp'd the passage where thy words should 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 ease 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 up 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. Hut. I never did thee harm; Why wilt thou slay me? Clif. Thy father hath. Rut. But 'twas ere I was born. Ah, let me live in prison all my days; Then let me die, for now thou hast no cause. Thy father slew my father; therefore, die. SCENE IV.-The same. Alarum. Enter YORK. York. The army of the queen hath got the field: My uncles both are slain in rescuing me; And all my followers to the eager foe Turn back, and fly, like ships before the wind, Or lambs pursu'd by hungry starved wolves. My sons God knows, what hath bechanced them: But this I know,-they have demean'd themselves Like men born to renown, by life, or death. Three times did Richard make a lane to me; And thrice cried,-Courage, father! fight it out! And full as oft came Edward to my side, With purple faulchion, painted to the hilt In blood of those that had encounter'd him: And when the hardiest warriors did retire, Richard cried,-Charge! and give no foot of ground! And cried,-A crown, or else a glorious tomb! A sceptre, or an earthly sepulchre! With this we charg'd again: but, out, alas! We bodg'd again; as I have seen a swan With bootless labour swim against the tide, And spend her strength with over-matching waves. [A short alarum within. Ah, hark! the fatal followers do pursue; And I am faint, and cannot fly their fury: And, were I strong, I would not shun their fury: The sands are number'd, that make up my life; Here must I stay, and here my life must end. Ente QUEEN MARGARET, CLIFFORD, NORTHUMBERLAND and Soldiers. Come, bloody Clifford,-rough Northumberland,I dare your quenchless fury to more rage; I am your butt, and I abide your shot. North. Yield to our mercy, proud Plantagenet. Clif. Ay, to such mercy, as his ruthless arm, With downright payment, shew'd unto my father. Now Phaeton hath tumbled from his car, York. O Clifford, but bethink thee once again, : 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 :Wrath makes him deaf: speak thou, Northumberland North. Hold, Clifford; do not honour him so much, To prick thy finger, though to wound his heart: What valour were it, when a cur doth grin, For one to thrust his hand between his teeth, When he might spurn him with his foot away? It is war's prize to take all vantages; And ten to one is no impeach of valour. [They lay hands on YORK, who struggles. Clif. Ay, ay, so strives the woodcock with the gin. North. So doth the coney struggle in the net. [YORK is taken prisoner. York. So triumph thieves upon their conquer'd booty; So true men yield, with robbers so o'er-match'd. North. What would your grace have done unto him now? [land, Q. Mar. Brave warriors, Clifford and Northumber. Or, with the rest, where is your darling Rutland? I pr'ythee, grieve, to make me merry, York; Is crown'd so soon, and broke his solemn oath? Off with the crown; and, with the crown, his head ; Clif. That is my office, for my father's sake. Q. Mar. Nay, stay; let's hear the orisons he makes. York. She-wolf of France, but worse than wolves of France, Hard-hearted Clifford, take me from the world Q. Mar. What, weeping-ripe, my lord NorthumThink but upon the wrong he did us all, [berland? And that will quickly dry thy melting tears. Clif. Here's for my oath, here's for my father's death. [Stabbing him. Q. Mar. And here's to right our gentle-hearted king. [Stabbing him. York. Open thy gate of mercy, gracious God! Whose tongue more poisons than the adder's tooth! My soul flies through these wounds to seek out thee. How ill-beseeming is it in thy sex, To triumph like an Amazonian trull, I would assay, proud queen, to make thee blush: Thy father bears the type of king of Naples, Yet not so wealthy as an English yeoman. That beggars, mounted, run their horse to death. Tis government that makes them seem divine; Thou art as opposite to every good, Or as the south to the septentrion. O, tiger's heart, wrapp'd in a woman's hide! woman. But you are more inhuman, more inexorable,- [He gives back the handkerchief. [Dies. Q. Mar. Off with his head, and set it on York gates; So York may overlook the town of York. [Exeunt. ACT II. SCENEI. A Plain near Mortimer's Cross in Herefordshire. Drums. Enter EDWARD, and RICHARD, with their Forces, marching. Edw. I wonder, how our princely father 'scap'd; Or whether he be 'scap'd away, or no, From Clifford's and Northumberland's pursuit ; Rich. I cannot joy, until I be resolv'd And watch'd him, how he singled Clifford forth. Or as a bear, encompass'd round with dogs; Edw. 'Tis wondrous strange, the like yet never Whate'er it bodes, henceforward will I bear Rich. Nay, bear three daughters;- by your leave I You love the breeder better than the male. [speak it, Enter a Messenger. But what art thou, whose heavy looks foretel |