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 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 lords; And, soldiers, stay, and lodge by me this night. War. And, when the king comes, offer him no vi olence, 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: [Warwick leads York to the throne, who seats himself. Flourish. Enter King Henry, Clifford, Northumberland, Westmoreland, Exeter, and others, with ret 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 fiy. K. Hen. Far be the thought of this from Henry's heart, To make a shambles of the parliament-house! I am thy sovereign. Thou art deceiv'd, I am thine. 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? 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 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 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, ho made the Dauphin and the French to stoop, 'd upon their towns and provinces. I was but nine months old. n the usurper's head. >; set it on your head, 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, Of Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, nor of Kent,- Clif. King Henry, be thy title right or wrong, [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. 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! [Exeunt North. Clif. and West. 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, The crown to thee, and to thine heirs for ever; To seek to put me down, and reign thyself. K. Hen. And long live thou, and these thy forward sons York. Now York and Lancaster are reconcil'd. Exeter, so will I. [Going. her anger: Or nourish'd him, as I did with my blood; Prince. Father you cannot disinherit me: K. Hen. Pardon me, Margaret ;-pardon me, sweet son; -The earl of Warwick, and the duke, enfore'd me. Q. Mar. Enfore'd thee! art thou king, and wilt be fore'd? I shame to bear thee speak. Ab, timorous wretch! Thou hast undone thyself, thy son, and me; || And given unto the house of York such head, 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. [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 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. SCENE II.—A Room in Sandal Castle, near 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. Rich. About that, which concerns your grace, and us; The crown of England, father, which is yours. I'd break a thousand oaths, t sworn. Turk. I shall be, if I d oath may be broken: In one year. ace should be for an 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 died 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 enterprize.— 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 Kentishmen will willingly rise; In them I trust; for they are soldiers, Witty and 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! Mes. The queen, with all the northern earls and lords, Intend here to besiege you in your castle; York. Ay, with my sword. What! think'st thou, that we fear them? Edward and Richard, you shall stay with me ;- 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 ? [d 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, 1 doubt not, unele, of our victory. Many a battle have I won in France, Enter Clifford, and Soldiers. Clif. Chaplain, away! thy priesthood saves thy life As for the brat of this accursed duke, Whose father slew my father, he shall die. Tutor. And I, my lord, will bear him company. Clif. Soldiers, away with him. Tutor. Ah, Clifford! murder not this innocent child, Lest thou be hated both of God and mau. [Exit, forced off by Soldiers. Clif. How now! is he dead already? Or, is it fear, That makes him close his eyes?-I'll open them. Rut. So looks the pent-up lion o'er the wretch Clif. In vain thou speak'st, poor boy; my father's blood Hath stopp'd the passage where thy words should enter. He is a man, and, Clifford, cope with him. No, if I digg'd up thy forefathers' graves, Rut. But 'twas ere I was born. Thou hast one son, for his sake pity me; Lest, in revenge thereof, sith God is just, He be as miserably slain as I. Ah, let me live in prison all my days; And when I give occasion of offence, Then let me die, for now thou hast no cause. Thy father slew my father; therefore, die. Clif. No cause? [Clifford stabs him. Rut. Dii faciant, laudis summa sit ista tuæ! [Dies · Clif. Plantagenet! I come, Plantagenet! And this thy son's blood cleaving to my blade, Shall rust upon my weapon, till thy blood, Congeal'd with this, do make me wipe off both. [Exil 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 hunger-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, Come, bloody Clifford,-rough Northumberland,- North. Yield to our mercy, proud Plantagenet. York. My ashes, as the phoenix, may bring forth Tork. O, Clifford, but bethink thee once again, And in thy thought o'er-run my former time: And, if thou canst for blushing, view this face; And bite thy tongue, that slanders him with cowardice, Whose frown hath made thee faint and fly ere this. Clif. I will not bandy with thee word for word; But buckle with thee blows, twice two for one. I would prolong a while the traitor's life ;- [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. Tork. So triumph thieves upon their conquer'd booty; So true men yield, with robbers so o'er-match'd. now? Mar. Brave warriors, Clifford and Northumber Come make him stand upon this molehill bere ; The wanton Edward, and the lusty George? And where's that valiant crook-back prodigy, Dicky your boy, that, with his grumbling voice, Was wont to cheer his dad in mutinies? Or, with the rest, where is your darling Rutland 2 I pr'ythee, grieve, to make me merry, York; [Putting a paper Crown on his Head. Is crown'd so soon, and broke his solemn oath? O, 'tis a fault too too unpardonable !— Off with the crown; and, with the crown, his head; And, whilst we breath, take time to do him dead. 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, Whose tongue more poisons than the adder's tooth! To triumph like an Amazonian trull, I would assay, proud queen, to make thee blush: Thy father bears the type of king of Naples, Or as the south to the septentrion. O, tiger's heart, wrapp'd in a woman's hide! How could'st thou drain the life-blood of the child, To bid the father wipe his eyes withal, |