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Lord Clifford vows to fight in thy defence: 160 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 with his foot, and the soldiers
show themselves.

K. Hen. My Lord of Warwick, hear me but one word:

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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. King. I am content: Richard Plantagenet, Enjoy the kingdom after my decease.

Clif. What wrong is this unto the prince

your son!

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K. Hen. Ah, Exeter! War.

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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: [To York] 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. 200
York. This oath I willingly take, and will
perform. [Descending from the throne.
War. Long live King Henry!-Plantagenet,
embrace 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. [Sennet. The Lords come forward. York. Farewell, my gracious lord; I'll to my castle.

1 Fearful, i.e. cowardly. 2 Bands, bonds, i.e. prison.

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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 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, 220
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 son:

1 Bewray, discover, show. 2 Patient, here a trisyllable.

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I shame to hear thee speak. Ah, timorous wretch!

Thou hast undone thyself, thy son, and me;
And giv'n unto the house of York such head,1
As thou shalt reign but by their sufferance.
T' 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 Falconbridge commands the narrow seas;
The duke is made protector of the realm; 240
And yet shalt thou be safe? such safety finds
The trembling lamb environed with wolves.
Had I been there, which am a silly woman,

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The northern lords that have forsworn thý 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,

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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:

270

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Edw. No, I can better play the orator. Mont. But I have reasons strong and forcible.

Enter the DUKE OF 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?

Rich. About that which concerns your grace

and us;

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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 o'er him that swears:
Henry had none, but did usurp the place;
Then, seeing 't was he that made you to de-
pose,4

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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.
Tut. And I, my lord, will bear him com-
pany.

Clif. Soldiers, away with him!

Tut. Ah, Clifford, murder not this innocent child,

Lest thou be hated both of God and man! [Exit, dragged off by Soldiers. Clif. How now! is he dead already? or is 't fear

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That makes him close his 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, insulting7 o'er his prey,
And so he comes, to rend his limbs asunder.-]
Ah, gentle Clifford, kill me with thy sword,

3 Post, haste.

5 Policy, art.

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