York. Humphrey of Buckingham,

greeting.

accept thy

Art thou a messenger, or come of pleasure?
Buck. messenger from Henry, our dread liege,
To know the reason of these arms in peace;
Or why thou-being a subject as I am,-
Against thy oath and true allegiance sworn,
Shouldst raise so great a power without his leave,
Or dare to bring thy force so near the court.
York. Scarce can I speak, my choler is so
great.

O, I could hew up rocks, and fight with flint,
I am so angry at these abject terms;
And now, like Ajax Telamonius,

Aside

Ou sheep or oxen could I spend my fury!
I am far better born than is the king;
More like a king, more kingly in my thoughts;
But I must make fair weather yet awhile,
Till Henry be more weak, and I more strong..
O Buckingham, I pr'ythee, pardon me,
That I have given no answer all this while;
My mind was troubled with deep melancholy.
The cause why I have brought this army hither,
Is-to remove proud Somerset from the king,
Seditious to his grace, and to the state.

Buck. That is too much presumption on thy part:
But if thy arms be to no other end,
The king hath yielded unto thy demand;
The Duke of Somerset is in the Tower.

York. Upon thine honour, is he prisoner?
Buck. Upon mine honour, he is prisoner.
York. Then, Buckingham, I do dismiss my powers:
Soldiers, I thank you all; disperse yourselves:
Meet me to-morrow, in St. George's Field,
You shall have pay, and everything you wish.
And let my sovereign, virtuous Henry,
Cammand my eldest son, nay, all my sons,
As pledges of my fealty and love,
I'll send them all, as willing as I live;
Lands, goods, horse, armour, anything I have,
Is his to use, so Somerset may die.

Buck. York, I commend this kind submission;
We twain will go into his highness' tent.
Enter KING HENRY, attended.

K. Hen. Buckingham, doth York intend no harm

to us,

That thus he marcheth with thee arm in arm?
York. In all submission and humility,
York doth present himself unto your highness.

K. Hen. Then what intend these forces thou dost bring?

York. To heave the traitor Somerset from hence; And fight against that monstrous rebel Cade, Who since I heard to be discomfited.

Enter IDEN, with CADE's head.

Iden. If one so rude, and of so mean condition,
May pass into the presence of a king,
Lo, I present your grace a traitor's head,
The head of Cade, whom I in combat slew.

K. Hen. The head of Cade ?-Great God, how just art thou!

O, let me view his visage being dead,

That living wrought me such exceeding trouble.
Tell me, my friend, art thou the man that slew him ?
Iden. I am, an't like your majesty.

K. Hen. How art thou call'd, and what is thy degree ?

Iden. Alexander Iden, that's my name;
A poor esquire of Kent, that loves his king.

Buck. So please it you, my lord, 'twere not amiss, He were created knight for this good service.

K. Hen. Iden, kneel down. [He kneels.] Rise up a knight.

We give thee for reward a thousand marks;
And will, that thou henceforth attend on us.
Iden. May Iden live to merit such a bounty,
And never live but true unto his liege!

K. Hen. See, Buckingham! Somerset comes with the queen; And bid her hide him quickly from the duke.

Enter QUEEN MARGARET and SOMERSET.

Q. Mar. For thousand Yorks he shall not hide his head,

But boldly stand, and front him to his face.
York. How now? Is Somerset at liberty?
Then, York, unloose thy long-imprisoned thoughts,
And let thy tongue be equal with thy heart.
Shall I endure the sight of Somerset ?.

False king! Why hast thou broken faith with me,

Knowing how hardly I can brook abuse?
King did I call thee? No, thou art not king;
Not fit to govern and rule multitudes,

Which dar'st not,-no, nor canst not rule a traitor.
That head of thine doth not become a crown;
Thy hand is made to grasp a palmer's staff,
And not to grace an awful princely sceptre.
That gold must round engirt these brows of mine;
Whose smile and frown, like to Achilles' spear,
Is able with the change to kill and cure.
Here is a hand to hold a sceptre up,

And with the same to act controlling laws.
Give place: by Heaven thou shalt rule no more
O'er him whom Heaven created thy ruler.

Som. O, monstrous traitor!-I arrest thee, York,
Of capital treason 'gainst the king and crown;
Obey, audacious traitor; kneel for grace.

York. Wouldst have me kneel? First let me ask of these,

If they can brook I bow a knee to man.-
Sirrah, call in my sons to be my bail;

[Exit an Attendant.

I know, ere they will have me go to ward,
They'll pawn their swords for my enfranchisement.
Q. Mar. Call hither Clifford; bid him come amain,
[Exit BUCKINGHAM.

To say, if that the bastard boys of York
Shall be the surety for their traitor father.
York. O blood-bespotted Neapolitan,
Outcast of Naples, England's bloody scourge!
The sons of York, thy betters in their birth,
Shall be their father's bail; and bane to those
That for my surety will refuse the boys.

Enter EDWARD and RICHARD PLANTAGENET, with Forces, at one side; at the other, with Forces also, old CLIFFORD and his son.

See, where they come; I'll warrant they'll make it good.

Q. Mar. And here comes Clifford, to deny their bail.

Clif. Health and happiness to my lord the king!
[Kneels.
York. I thank thee, Clifford; say, what news with
thee ?

Nay, do not fright us with an angry look;
We are thy sovereign, Clifford,-kneel again;
For thy mistaking so, we pardon thee.

Clif. This is my king, York,-I do not mistake,
But thou mistak'st me much, to think I do :-
To Bedlam with him! is the man grown mad?
K. Hen. Ay, Clifford: a bedlam and ambitious
humour

Makes him oppose himself against his king.
Clif. He is a traitor; let him to the Tower,
And chop away that factious pate of his.

Q. Mar. He is arrested, but will not obey;
His sons, he says, will give their word for him.
York. Will you not, sons?

Edw. Ay, noble father, if our words will serve. Rich. And if words will not, then our weapons

shall.

Clif. Why, what a brood of traitors have we here!
York. Look in a glass, and call thy image so;

I am thy king, and thou a false-heart traitor.-
Call hither to the stake my two brave bears,
That, with the very shaking of their chains,
They may astonish these fell lurking curs:
Bid Salisbury and Warwick come to me.

Drums. Enter WARWICK and SALISBURY, with
Forces.

Clif. Are these thy bears, we'll bait thy bears to death,

And manacle the bear-ward in their chains,
If thou dar'st bring them to the baiting-place.
Rich. Oft have I seen a hot o'erweening cur
Run back and bite, because he was withheld;
Who being suffered with the bear's fell paw,
Hath clapp'd his tail betwen his legs, and cry'd:
And such a piece of service will you do,

I you oppose yourselves to match Lord Warwick.
Clif. Hence, heap of wrath, foul indigested lump,
As crooked in thy manners as thy shape!
York. Nay, we shall beat you thoroughly anon!
Clif. Take heed, lest by your heat you burn your..

selves.

K. Hen. Why, Warwick, hath thy knee forgot to bow?

Old Salisbury,-shame to thy silver hair,
Thou mad misleader of thy brain-sick son!

What, wilt thou on thy death-bed play the ruffian,
And seek for sorrow with thy spectacles?
O, where is faith? O, where is loyalty?
If it be banish'd from the frosty head,
Where shall it find a harbour in the earth ?-
Wilt thou go dig a grave to find out war,
And shame thine honourable age with blood?
Why art thou old, and want'st experience?
Or wherefore dost abuse it, if thou hast it?
For shame! in duty bend thy knee to me,
That bows unto the grave with mickle age.

Sal. My lord, I have considered with myself
The title of this most renowned duke;
And in my conscience do repute his grace
The rightful heir to England's royal seat.

K. Hen. Hast thou not sworn allegiance unto me?
Sal. I have.

K. Hen. Canst thou dispense with heaven for such

an oath P

Sal. It is great sin to swear unto a sin;
But greater sin, to keep a sinful oath.
Who can be bound by any solemn vow
To do a murderous deed, to rob a man,
To force a spotless virgin's chastity,
To reave the orphan of his patrimony,
To wring the widow from her custom'd right;
And have no other reason for this wrong,
But that he was bound by a solemn oath?

Q. Mar. A subtle traitor needs no sophister.
K. Hen. Call Buckingham, and bid him arm him-

self.

York. Call Buckingham, and all the friends thou

hast,

I am resolved for death or dignity.

Clif. The first I warrant thee, if dreams prove true.

War. You were best to go to bed, and dream again, To keep thee from the tempest of the field.

Clif. I am resolv'd to bear a greater storm, Than any thou canst conjure up to-day; And that I'll write upon thy burgonet, Might I but know thee by thy household badge. War. Now by my father's badge, old Nevil's crest, The rampant bear chain'd to the ragged staff, This day I'll wear aloft my burgonet, (As on a mountain-top the cedar shows, That keeps his leaves in spite of any storm), Even to affright thee with the view thereof.

Clif. And from thy burgonet I'll rend thy bear, And tread it under foot with all contempt. Despite the bearward that protects the bear.

Y. Clif. And so to arms, victorious father, To quell the rebels and their 'complices.

Rich. Fie! charity, for shame! speak not in spite, For you shall sup with Jesus Christ to-night. Y. Clif. Foul stigmatic, that's more than thou canst tell.

Rich. If not in heaven, you'll surely sup in hell! [Exeunt severally. SCENE II.-St. Alban's.

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 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,
It grieves my soul to leave thee unassail'd.

[Exit WARWICK.

Clif. What seest thou in me, York? Why dost

thou pause?

York.. With thy brave bearing should I be in love, But that thou art so fast mine enemy.

Cif. Nor should thy prowess want praise and esteem,

But that tis shown ignobly, and in treason. York. So let it help me now against thy sword, As I in justice and true right express it! Cliff. My soul and body on the action both!York. A dreadful lay!-address thee instantly. [They fight, and CLIFFORD falls. Clif. La fin couronne les œuvres. [Dies. York. Thus war hath given thee peace, for thou art still.

Peace with his soul, heaven, if it he thy will! [Exit. Enter Young CLIFFORD.

Y. Clif. Shame and confusion! All is on the rout;
Fear frames disorder, and disorder wounds
Where it should guard. O war, thou son of hell,
Whom angry heavens do make their minister,
Throw in the frozen bosoms of our part
Hot coals of vengeance!-Let no soldier fly:
He that is truly dedicate to war
Hath no self-love; nor he that loves himself,
Hath not essentially, but by circumstance,
The name of valour.-O, let the vile world end,
[Seeing his dead father.

And the premised flames of the last day
Knit earth and heaven together!
Now let the general trumpet blow his blast,
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;

And, in thy reverence, and thy chair-days, thus
To die iu 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.
[Taking up the body.

As did Eneas 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.
Enter RICHARD PlantagenET and SOMERSET,
fighting, and SOMERSET is killed.

Rich. So, lie thou there ;

[Exit.

For underneath an alehouse' paltry sign,
The Castle in Saint Alban's, Somerset
Hath made the wizard famous in his death.-
Sword, hold thy temper: heart, be wrathful still:
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 Mar.

By the mass, so did we all.-I thank you, Richard:
God knows, how long it is I have to live;
And it hath pleas'd 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,
Beiug opposites of such repairing nature.

York. I know, our safety is to follow them;
For, as I hear, the king has 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 eterniz'd in all age to come.-

Sound, drums and trumpets:-and to London all:
And more such days as these to us befall! [Exeunt.

SCENE I.-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 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 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.

[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 has 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.
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. York. Thanks, gentle Norfolk.-Stay by me, my iords;

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 Parlia ment,

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;
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 Lancaster,
up
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.

[WARWICK 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 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 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. 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
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.-

[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.
York.

Thou art deceiv'd, I am thine. Exe. For shame, come down: he made thee Duke of York.

York. 'Twas my inheritance, as the earldom was. Exe. Thy father was a traitor to the crown,

In following this usurping Henry.

Clif. Whom should he follow, but his natural king? War. True, Clifford; 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 chased you from the field, 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, 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. Poor Clifford! How I scorn his worthless threats!

York. Will you we show our title to the crown ? If not, our swords shall plead it in the field.

K. Hen. What title has thou, traitor, to the crown ?
Thy father was, 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. K. Hen. The lord protector lost it, and not I; When I was crown'd, I was but nine months old. Rich. You are old enough now, and yet, methinks, you lose :

Father, tear the crown from the usurper's head. Edw. Sweet father, do so; set it on your head. Mont. Good brother [to YORK], 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 king will fly.

York. Sons, peace!

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

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.

War. But 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. 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 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? Exe. 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
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!
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;

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.

Clif. What wrong is this unto the prince your son!
War. What good is this to England and himself!
West. Base, fearful, and despairing Henry!
Clif. How hast thou injur'd both thyself and us!
West. I cannot stay to hear these articles.
North. Nor I.

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 despised!

[Exeunt NORTHUMBERLAND, CLIFFORD, and WESTMORELAND. War. Turn this way, Henry, and regard them not. Exe. They seek revenge, and therefore will not

Why should

yield. K. Hen. Ah, Exeter! War. you sigh, my lord? K. Hen. Not for myself, Lord Warwick, but my son, Whon. 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.
[Coming from the throne.
War. Long live King Henry !-Plantagenet, em-

brace him.

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

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, NOR-
FOLK, MONTAGUE, Soldiers, and Attendants.

K. Hen. And I, with grief and sorrow, to the court. Enter QUEEN MARGARET, and the PRINCE OF

WALES.

her anger:

I'll steal away.
K. Hen. Exeter, so will I.

[Going.

Q. Mar. Nay, go not from me, Iwill follow thee. Hen. Be patient, gentle queen, and I will stay. 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 ? Hadst 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

The earl of Warwick, and the duke, enforc'd me.
Q. Mar. Enforc'd thee! Art thou king, and wilt
be forc'd?

I shame to hear thee speak. Ah, timorous wretch!
Thou hast undone thyself, thy son, and me;
And given unto the house of York such head,
As thou shalt reign but by their sufferance.

To entail him and his heirs unto the crown,
What is it, but to make thy sepulchre,
And creep into it far before thy time?
Warwick is chancellor, and the Lord of Calais;
Stern Faulconbridge commands the narrow seas;
The duke is made protector of the realm;
And yet shalt thou be safe? Such safety finds
The trembling lamb, environed with wolves.
Had I been there, which am a silly woman,
The soldiers should have tossed me on their pikes,
Before I would have granted to that act.
But thou preferr'st thy life before thine honour:
And, seeing thou dost, I here divorce myself,
Both from thy table, Henry, and thy bed,
Until that act of Parliament be repealed,
Where by my son is disinherited.

The northern lords, that have forsworn thy colours,
Will follow mine, if once they see them spread:
And spread they shall be; to thy foul disgrace,
And utter ruin of the house of York.
Thus do I leave thee.-Come, son, let's away;
Our army's ready; come, we'll after them.

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. [Exeunt QUEEN MARGARET and the PRINCE. K. Hen. Poor queen! how love to me and to her

son,

Hath made her break out into terms of rage!
Reveng'd may she be on that hateful duke;
Whose haughty spirit, winged with desire,
Will coast my crown, and, like an empty eagle,
Tire on the flesh of me, and of my son!
The loss of those three lords torments my heart:
I'll write unto them, and entreat them fair:—
Come, cousin, you shall be the messenger.
Exe. And I, I hope, shall reconcile them all.
[Exeunt.

SCENE II.-A room in Sandal Castle, neur
Wakefield, in Yorkshire.

Enter EDWARD, RICHARD, and MONTAGUE.
Rich. Brother, though I be youngest, give me leave,
Edw. No, I can better play the orator.
Mont. But I have reasons strong and forcible.

Enter YORK.

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. York. About what?

lich. About that which concerns your grace, and

us,

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 for.

sworn.

York. I shall be, if I claim by open war.

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 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 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:

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.

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;

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:
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;
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. Ah, with five hundred, father, for a need.

A woman 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.
York. Five men to twenty !-though the odds be
great,

I doubt not, uncle, of our victory.
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 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,