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 despis'd!

[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; [To YORK.
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!
[Sennet. The Lords come forward.
York. Farewell, my gracious lord: I'll to my castle.

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 is 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 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.
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?

1 Prey.

Rich. About that which concerns your grace, and us; The crown of England, father, which is yours.

York. Mine, boy? not till king Henry be dead. Rich. Your right depends not on his life, or death. Edw. Now you are heir, therefore enjoy it now: By giving the house of Lancaster leave to breathe, 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 would break a thousand oaths to reign one year.
Rich. No; God forbid, your grace should be forsworn.
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 't was 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 to 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, 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, Intends here to besiege you in your castle.