Assure yourselves, will never be unkind:
And so, with thanks and pardon to you all,
I do dismiss you to your several countries.
All. God save the king! God save the king!
Enter a Messenger.

Mes. Please it your grace to be advertised,
The duke of York is newly come from Ireland;
And with a puissant and a mighty power
Of Gallowglasses and stout Kernes,

Is marching hitherward in proud array;
And still proclaimeth, as he comes along,
His arms are only to remove from thee

The duke of Somerset, whom he terms a traitor.

K. Hen. Thus stands my state, 'twixt Cade and York distress'd;

Like to a ship that, having scaped a tempest,
Is straightway calm'd, and boarded with a pirate:
But now is Cade driven back, his men dispersed;
And now is York in arms to second him.

I pray thee, Buckingham, go forth and meet him;
And ask him what's the reason of these arms.
Tell him I'll send duke Edmund to the Tower;-
And, Somerset, we will commit thee thither
Until his army be dismiss'd from him.
Som. My lord,

I'll yield myself to prison willingly,
Or unto death, to do my country good.

K. Hen. In any case, be not too rough in terms;
For he is fierce, and cannot brook hard language.
Buck. I will, my lord; and doubt not so to deal,
As all things shall redound unto your good.

K. Hen. Come, wife, let's in, and learn to govern better;

for yet may England curse my wretched reign.

SORNE X.-KENT. IDEN's Garden.

Enter CADE

[Exeunt

Cade. Fie on ambition! fie on myself; that have a sword, and yet am ready to famish! These five days have I hid me in these woods; and durst not peep out, for all the country is layed for me; but now am I so hungry, that if I might have a lease of my life for a thousand years, I could stay no longer. Wherefore, on a brick wall have I climbed into this garden; to see if I can eat grass, or pick a sallet another while, which is not amiss to cool a man's stomach this hot weather. And I think this word "sallet" was born to do me good: for many a time, but for a sallet, my brain-pan had been cleft with a brown-bill; and many a time, when I have been dry, and bravely marching, it hath served me instead of a quart-pot to drink in; and now the word "sallet" must serve me to feed on.

Enter IDEN, with Servants.

Iden. Lord, who would live turmoiled in the court, And may enjoy such quiet walks as these? This small inheritance, my father left me, Contenteth me, and is worth a monarchy. I seek not to wax great by others' waning; Or gather wealth, I care not with what envy: Sufficeth that I have maintains my state, And sends the poor well pleased from my gate

Cade. Here's the lord of the soil come to seize me for a stray, for entering his fee-simple without leave.— Ah, villain, thou wilt betray me, and get a thousand crowns of the king for carrying my head to him; but I'll make thee eat iron like an ostrich, and swallow my sword like a great pin, ere thou and I part.

Iden. Why, rude companion, whatsoe'er thou be, I know thee not; why then should I betray thee? Is 't not enough to break into my garden, And, like a thief, to come to rob my grounds, Climbing my walls, in spite of me the owner, But thou wilt brave me with these saucy terms? Cade. Brave thee? ay, by the best blood that ever was broached, and beard thee too. Look on me well: I have eat no meat these five days; yet, come thou and thy five men, and if I do not leave you all as dead as a door-nail, I pray God I may never eat grass more. Iden. Nay, it shall ne'er be said, while England stands, That Alexander Iden, an esquire of Kent, Took odds to combat a poor famish'd man. Oppose thy steadfast-gazing eyes to mine, See if thou canst outface me with thy looks. Bet limb to limb, and thou art far the lesser; Thy hand is but a finger to my fist; Thy leg a stick, compared with this truncheon; My foot shall fight with all the strength thou hast; And if mine arm be heavèd in the air,

Thy grave is digg'd already in the earth.
As for more words, whose greatness answers words,
Let this my sword report what speech forbears.

Cade. By my valour, the most complete champion that ever I heard.-Steel, if thou turn the edge, or cut not out the burly-boned clown in chines of beef ere thou sleep in thy sheath, I beseech God on my knees, thou mayst be turned to hobnails. [They fight. CADE falls.] 0, I am slain! Famine, and no other, hath slain me: let ten thousand devils come against me, and give me but the ten meals I have lost, and I'd defy them all. Wither, garden; and be henceforth a burying-place to all that do dwell in this house, because the unconquered soul of Cade is fled.

[traitor!

Iden. Is't Cade that I have slain, that monstrous Sword, I will hallow thee for this thy deed, And hang thee o'er my tomb when I am dead: Ne'er shall this blood be wipèd from thy point; But thou shalt wear it as a herald's coat, To emblaze the honour that thy master got. Cade. Iden, farewell; and be proud of thy victory. Tell Kent from me, she hath lost her best man, and exhort all the world to be cowards; for I, that never feared any, am vanquish'd by famine, not by valour.

[Dies.

Iden. How much thou wrong'st me,heaven be my judga Die, damned wretch, the curse of her that bare thee! And as I thrust thy body in with my sword, So wish I, I might thrust thy soul to hell. Hence will I drag thee headlong by the heels Unto a dunghill, which shall be thy grave, And there cut off thy most ungracious head; Which I will bear in triumph to the king, Leaving thy trunk for crows to feed upon.

[Exit, dragging out the body.

ACT V.

SCENE I.-The same.

Fields between Dartford and Blackheath.

The KING'S Camp on one side: on the other, enter YORK attended, with drum and colours; his forces at some distance.

Fork. From Ireland thus comes York, to claim his And pluck the crown from feeble Henry's head: [right, Ring, bells, aloud; burn, bonfires, clear and bright, To entertain great England's lawful king. Ah, sancta majestas! who would not buy thee dear? Let them obey that know not how to rule; This hand was made to handle naught but gold: I cannot give due action to my words, Except a sword or sceptre balance it.

A sceptre shall it have, have I a soul;

On which I'll toss the flower-de-luce of France.

Enter BUCKINGHAM.

[Aside.] Whom have we here? Buckingham to disturb The king hath sent him, sure: I must dissemble. [me! Buck. York, if thou meanest well, I greet thee well. York. Humphrey of Buckingham, I accept thy greetArt thou a messenger, or come of pleasure?

Ling.

Buck. A 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. [Aside.] Scarce can I speak, my choler is sc
O, I could hew up rocks and fight with flint,

I am so angry at these abject terms;
And now, like Ajax Telamonius,

On 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 a while,
Till Henry be more weak, and I more strong.
[Aloud.] 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.

[great

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.Boldiers, 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, Command 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. [bring?
K. Hen. Then what intend these forces thou dost
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.

[thou!

K. Hen. The head of Cade?-Great God, how just art 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 was, 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 his good service.

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

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!

[knight.

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

[queen;

[head,

Enter QUEEN MARGARET and SOMERSET,
Q. Mar. For thousand Yorks he shall not hide his
But boldly stand, and front him to his face.
York. How now! is Somerset at liberty?
Then, York, unloose thy long-imprison'd 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 for 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 If they can brook I bow a knee to man.Sirrah, call in my sons to be my bail;

[these,

[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,
To say if that the bastard boys of York

Shall be the surety for their traitor father. [Exit BUCK.
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.

Bee where they come: I'll warrant they'll make it good. Q. Mar. And here comes Clifford, to deny their bail. Cif. [Kneels.] Health and all happiness to my lord the king!

[thee!

York. I thank thee, Clifford: say, what news with
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, shall give their words 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 suffer'd with the bear's fell paw,
Hath clapp'd his tail between his legs, and cried:
And such a piece of service will you do,

If 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 heat you thoroughly anon.
Clif. Take heed, lest by your heat you burn yourselves
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?

0, 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 consider'd 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.

[oath1

K. Hen. Canst thou dispense with heaven for such an 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 murd'rous 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 himself 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 resolved 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 shews, 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 bear-ward 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 Jesu Christ to-night.

[tell. Y. Clif. Foul stigmatic, that's more than thou canst Rich. If not in heaven, you'll surely sup in hell. [Exeunt severally.

SCENE 11.-SAINT 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 loved so well.

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 in 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
@hall 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 o.flora's house;
[Taking up the body.

stay.

[By:

Q. Mar. What are you made of? you'll not fight nor 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 of 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 loved; And where this breach, now in our fortunes made, May readily be stopp'd.

Sal. Now, by my sword, well hast thou fought to-day, By the mass, so did we all.—I thank you, Richard: God knows how long it is I have to live;

And it hath pleased 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,
Being opposites of such repairing nature.

York. I know our safety is to follow them;
For, as I hear, the king is 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 etérnised in all age to come.-
Sound, drums and trumpets;--and to London all:
And more such days as these to us befall! [Exeunt

EDMUND, Earl 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 SOMERVILLE.

Tutor to RUTLAND.
Mayor of York.

Lieutenant of the Tower.

A Nobleman.

Two Keepers.

his Sons.

A Huntsman.

of the DUKE OF YORK'S party.

A Son that has killed his Father.

A Father that has killed his Son.

QUEEN MARGARET.

ACT I.

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 escaped 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 abreast,

Charged our mai 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 SOMERSET'S head. York. Richard hath best deserved 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.-Vietorious 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 And, soldiers, stay, and lodge by me this night. [lords;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 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 deposed, whose cowardice Bath 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, NORTHUM BERLAND, 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; [revenge And thine, lord Clifford; and you both have vow'd On him, his sons, his favourites, and his friends. North. If I be not, heavens be revenged 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 lived. 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.

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 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 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 seized 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. [To YORK.] Good brother, as thou lov'st and
honour'st arms,

Let's fight it out, and not stand cavilling thus. [fly.
Rich. Sound drums and trumpets, and the king will
York. Sons, peace!

[speak.

K. Hen. Peace thou! and give king Henry leave to War. Plantagenet shall speak first:-hear him, lords; And be you silent and attentive too,

For he that interrupts him shall not live.

[throne,

K. Hen. Think'st thou that I will leave my kingly 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 sorrowShall 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. [Aside.] I know not what to say; my title's [Aloud.] Tell me, may not a king adopt an heir? [weak. 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. [him. K. Hen. [Aside.] All will revolt from me, and turn to North. Plantagenet, for all the claim thou lay'st, Think not that Henry shall be so deposed.

War. Deposed he shall be in despite of all. North. Thou art deceived: '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 shew themselves. K. Hen. My lord of Warwick, hear me but one word; Let me for this my lifetime 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 injured both thyself and us!
West. I cannot stay to hear these articles.
Nerth. Nor L

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 mayst 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 yield. K. Hen. Ah, Exeter!

War. Why should you sigh, my lord?

K. Hen. Not for myself, lord Warwick, but my 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 perform.
[Coming from the throne.
War. Long live king Henry!-Plantagenet, embrace
him.

K. Hen. And long live thou, and these thy forward
York. Now York and Lancaster are reconciled. [sons!
Exe. Accursed be he that seeks to make them foes!
[Sennet. 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 1 came.
[Exeunt YORK and his Sons, WARWICK, NORFOLK,
MONTAGUE, Soldiers, and Attendants.
K. Hen. And I, with grief and sorrow, to the court.
Enter QUEEN MARGARET and the PRINCE OF WALES.
Exe. Here comes the queen, whose looks bewray her
I'll steal away.

anger:

K. Hen. Exeter, so will I.

[Going [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 borne thee son, Seeing thou hast proved so unnatural a father! Hath he deserved to lose his birthright thus? Hadst thou but loved 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.

[son:-

Prince. Father, you cannot disinherit me: If you be king, why should not I succeed? K. Hen. Pardon me, Margarets-pardon me, sweet The earl of Warwick and the duke enforced me. Q. Mar. Enforced thee! art thou king, and wilt be

forced?

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 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.