Imagens das páginas
PDF
ePub
[blocks in formation]

Richard Plantagenet, duke of York.
Edward, earl of March, afterwards
King Edward IV.
Edmund, ear! of Rutland,
George, afterwards duke of Clarence,
Richard, afterwards duke of Glocester,
Duke of Norfolk,
Marquis of Montague,

Earl of Warwick,

Earl of Pembroke,

Lord Hastings,

Lord Stafford,

Sir John Mortimer,

Sir Hugh Mortiiner,

uncles to the duke of 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.

his sons. Bona, sister to the French queen.

Soldiers, and other attendants on King Henry and
King Edward, Messengers, Watchmen, &c.

the duke of York's Scene, during part of the third act, in France,
party.
during all the rest of the play, in England.

ACT I.

War. And so do I.-Victorious prince of York,
Before I see thee seated in that throne

SCENE I.-London. The Parliament House. Which now the house of Lancaster usurps,
Drums. Some soldiers of York's party break I
in. Then, enter the Duke of York, Edward,
Richard, Norfolk, Montague, Warwick, and
others, with white roses in their hats.

Warwick.

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.

[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 hath best deserv'd of all my

[blocks in formation]

vow by heaven, these eyes shall never close. This is the palace of the fearful king, And this is the regal scat: 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 lords;

[blocks in formation]

'Unless he seek to thrust you out by force.

[They retire. * 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;
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,1

(1) Hawks had sometimes little bells hung on them, perhaps to dare the birds; that is, to fright them from rising.

[ocr errors]
[graphic][subsumed][subsumed]

ན་ Ill 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.
War. Exeter, thou art 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?

[ocr errors]

'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, 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
less threats!

(1) Since.

[ocr errors]

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

K. Hen. What title hast thou, traitor, to the erown?

Thy grandfather, Roger Mortimer, earl of March: Thy father was, as thou art, duke of York; 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 ?2

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, worth-Where I shall kneel to him that slew my father!

(2) e. Detrimental to the general rights of hereditary royalty.

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 ;

'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?
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,

'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 whilst 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 injured both thyself and us!
West. I cannot stay to hear these articles.
North. Nor I.

Clif. Come, cousin, let us tell the queen these

[blocks in formation]

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 per[Coming from the throne. War. Long live king Henry!-Plantagenet, embrace him.

form.

'K. Hen. And long live thou, and these thy for-
ward 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.

[blocks in formation]

I

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

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 son;-

The earl of Warwick, and the duke, enforc'd

[blocks in formation]

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 toss'd 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 repeal'd,
Whereby 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. [Exe. Queen Mar, 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 cost 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.

[ocr errors]
« AnteriorContinuar »