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Now part them again, lest they consult about the | here is no staying. In despight of the devils and hell, giving up of some more towns in France. Soldiers, have through the very midst of you! and heavens defer the spoil of the city until night: for with these and honour be witness, that no want of resolution in borne before us, instead of maces, will we ride me, but only my followers' base and ignominious through the streets; and, at every corner, have them treasons, makes me betake me to my heels [Exit. kiss.-Away! [Exeunt. Buck. What, is he fled? go, some, and follow him ; And he, that brings his head unto the king, Shall have a thousand crowns for his reward.[Exeunt some of them. Follow me, soldiers; we'll devise a mean; To reconcile you all unto the king.

SCENE VIII.-Southwark.

Alarum. Enter CADE, and all his Rabblement. Cude. Up Fish-street! down Saint Magnus' corner! kill and knock down! throw them into the Thames! -[A parley sounded, then a retreat.] What noise is this I hear? Dare any be so bold to sound retreat or parley, when I command them kill?

Enter BUCKINGHAM, and Old CLIFFORD, with Forces. Buck. Ay, here they be that dare and will disturb thee:

Know, Cade, we come ambassadors from the king
Unto the commons, whom thou hast misled;
And here pronounce free pardon to them all,
That will forsake thee, and go home in peace.

Clif. What say ye, countrymen? will ye relent,
And yield to mercy, whilst 'tis offer'd you;
Or let a rabble lead you to your deaths?
Who loves the king, and will embrace his pardon,
Fling up his cap, and say-God save his majesty!
Who hateth him, and honours not his father,
Henry the fifth, that made all France to quake,
Shake he his weapon at us, and pass by.

All. God save the king! God save the king! Cade. What, Buckingham, and Clifford, are ye so brave?-And you base peasants, do ye believe him? will you needs be hanged with your pardons about your necks? Hath my sword therefore broke through London Gates, that you should leave me at the White Hart in Southwark? I thought, ye would never have given out these arms, till you had recovered your ancient freedom: but you are all recreants, and dastards; and delight to live in slavery to the nobility. Let them break your backs with burdens, take your houses over your heads, ravish your wives and daughters before your faces: For me,-I will make shift for one; and so-God's curse light upon you all! All. We'll follow Cade, we'll follow Cade. Clif. Is Cade the son of Henry the fifth, That thus you do exclaim-you'll go with him? Will he conduct you through the heart of France, And make the meanest of you earls and dukes? Alas, he hath no home, no place to fly to; Nor knows he how to live, but by the spoil, Unless by robbing of your friends, and us. Wer't not a shame, that whilst you live at jar, The fearful French, whom you late vanquished, Should make a start o'er seas, and vanquish you? Methinks already, in this civil broil,

I see them lording it in London streets,
Crying-Villageois! unto all they meet.
Better, ten thousand base born Cades miscarry,
Than you should stoop unto a Frenchman's mercy.
I'o France, to France, and get what you have lost;
Spare England, for it is your native coast:
Henry hath money, you are strong and manly;
God on our side, doubt not of victory.

All A Clifford a Clifford! we'll follow the king,

and Clifford.

Cade. Was ever feather so lightly blown to and fro, as this multitude? the name of Henry the fifth hales them to an hundred mischiefs, and makes them leave me desolate. I see them lay their heads together, to surprize me: my sword make way for me, for

[Exeunt.

SCENE IX.-Kenelworth Castle.
Enter KING HENRY, QUEEN MARGARET, and
SOMERSET, on the terrace of the Castle.

K. Hen. Was ever king, that joy'd an earthly throne,
And could command no more content than I?
No sooner was I crept out of my cradle,
But I was made a king, at nine months old:
Was never subject long'd to be a king,
As I do long and wish to be a subject.

Enter BUCKINGHAM and CLIFFord. Buck. Health, and glad tidings, to your majesty! K. Hen. Why, Buckingham, is the traitor Cade surOr is he but retir'd to make him strong? [priz'd? Enter, below, a great number of CADE's Followers, with halters about their necks.

Clif. He's fled, my lord, and all his powers do yield; And humbly thus, with halters on their necks, Expect your highness' doom, of life, or death.

K. Hen. Then, heaven, set ope thy everlasting gates,
To entertain my vows of thanks and praise!
Soldiers, this day have you redeem'd your lives,
And shew'd how well you love your prince and coun-
Continue still in this so good a mind,
[try:
And Henry, though he be infortunate,
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.

Mess. 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 'scap'd a tempest,
Is straitway calm'd and boarded with a pirate:
But now is Cade driven back, his men dispers'd;
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 1-
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. [ter; K. Hen. Čome, wife, let's in, and learn to govern betFor yet may England curse my wretched reign.

[Exeunt.

SCENE X.-Kent. Iden's Garden.

Enter CADE.

life

Cade. Fye on ambition! fye on myself; that have a swoid, 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 lay'd for me; but now I am so hungry, that if I might have a lease of my 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 serv'd 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 tormoiled 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 sieze 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
as a door nail, I pray God, I may never eat grass more.
Iden. Nay, it shall ne'er be said while England
That Alexander Iden, an esquire of Kent, [stands,
Took odds to combat a poor famish'd man.
Oppose thy stedfast gazing eyes to mine,
See if thou canst outface me with thy looks.
Set 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 heaved in the air,
Thy grave is digged 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 burley-boned clown in chines of beef ere thou sleep in thy sheath, I beseech God on my knees, thou mayest be turned to hobnails. [They fight. CADE falls.] O, 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.

[tor?

Iden. Is't Cade that I have slain, that monstrous trai-
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 wiped 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 vanquished by famine, not by valour.
[Dies

judge.

Iden. How much thou wrong'st me, heaven, be my
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 Fores at some distance.

York. From Ireland thus comes York to claim his

right,

And pluck the crown from feeble Henry's head:
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 nought but gold:
I cannot give due action to my words,
Except a sword, or scepter, balance it.
A scepter shall it have, have I a soul;
On which I'll toss the flower-de-luce of France.
Enter BUCKINGHAM.

Whom have we here? Buckingham, to disturb me?
The king hath sent him sure: I must dissemble.

Buck. York, if thou imeanest well, I greet thee well.
York. Humphrey of Buckingham, I accept thy
Art thou a messenger, or come of pleasure? [greeting.
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,
Should'st raise so great a power without his leave,
Or dare to bring thy force so near the court.
York. Scarce can I speak, my choler is so`

great.
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 and oxen could I spend my fury! Aside.
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.-

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.

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. Soldiers, I thank you all; disperse yourselves; Meet me to-morrow in Saint George's field, You shall have pay, and every thing 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, any thing 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 That thus he marcheth with thee arm in arm? [us, 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 the 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.

K. Hen. The head of Cade ?--Great God, how just O, let me view his visage being dead, [art thou!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

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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,
[Exit BUCKINGHAM.

To say, if that the bastard boys of York
Shall be the surety for their traitor father.

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.

See, where they come; I'll warrant they'll make it good. Q. Mar. And here comes Clifford, to deny their bail. Clif. Health and all happiness to my lord the king!

[Kneels.

York. I thank thee, Clifford: Say, what news with Nay, do not fright us with an angry look: [thee? 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 hu-
Makes him oppose himself against his king. [mour
Clif. He is a traitor; let him to the Tower,
And chop away that factious pate of his.

His sons, he says, shall give their words for him.
Q. Mar. He is arrested, but will not obey;
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;

We give thee for reward a thousand marks; [knight. I am thy king, and thou a false-heart traitor.

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!

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

Enter QUEEN MARGARET and SOMERSET.

Q. Mar. For thousand Yorks he shall not hide his But boldly stand, and front him to his face. [head,

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 scepter.
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 scepter up,
And with the same to act controlling laws.
Give place; by heaven, thou shalt rule no more

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 And manacle the bear-ward in their chains, [death 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 cry'd: 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 need, lest by your heat you burn your. selves.

K. Hen. Why, Warwick, hath thy knee forgot to Old Salisbury,-shame to thy silver hair, Thou mad misleader of thy brain sick son!—

[bow?

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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.

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 murderous 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?

[oath?

Q. Mar. A suble traitor needs no sophister. K. Hen. Call Buckingham, and bid him arm himself. York. Call Buckingham, and all the friends thou I am resolv'd for death, or dignity. [hast, 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 resolv'd 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, Despight the bearward that protects the bear.

For

Y. Clif. And so to arms, victorious father, To quell the rebels, and their 'complices Rich. Fye! charity, for shame! speak not in spite, 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 II-Saint Alban's. 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?
Yort. 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 lov'd so well.
Enter CLIFFORD.

War. Of one or both of us the time is come

York. Hold, Warwick, seek thee out some other For I myself must hunt this deer to death. [chase War. Then, nobly, York; 'tis for a crown thou As I intend, Clifford, to thrive to-day, [fight'st.— It grieves my soul to leave thee unassail'd. [Erit WARWICK,

Clif. What seest thou in me, York? why dost thou

pause?

York. With thy brave bearing should I be in love, But that thou art so fast mine enemy.

Clif. Nor should thy prowess want praise and esteem, But that 'tis shewn ignobly, and in treason.

York. So let it help me now against thy sword, As I in justice and true right express it!

Clif. My soul and body on the action both!York. A dreadful lay!-address thee instantly. [They fight, and CLIFFORD falls. Clif. La fin couronne les œuvres. [Dies. York. Thus war hath given thee peace, for thou

art still.

Peace with his soul, heaven, if it be thy will! [Exit. Enter Young CLifford.

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 ordained, 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
Shall 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 faine.
Come, thou new ruin of old Clifford's house;
[Taking up the body

As did Æneas old Anchises bear,
So bear I thee upon my manly shoulders;
But then Æneas bare a living load,
Nothing so heavy as these woes of mine.
Enter RICHARD PLANTAGENET and SOMERSET,
fighting, and SoMERSET is killed.

Rich. So, lie thou there ;-
For, underneath an alehouse' paltry sign,
The Castle in Saint Alban's, Somerset
Hath made the wizard famous in his death.-

[Exit.

[Erit

Sword, hold thy temper: heart, be wrathful still :
Priests pray for enemies, but princes kill.
Alarums: Excursions. Enter King Henry, QUEEN
MARGARET, and others, retreating.

Q. Mar. Away, my lord! you are slow; for shame,

away!

Margaret, stay.

Q. Mar. What are you made of? you'll not fight,
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 off.
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 lov'd;
And where this breach, now in our fortunes made,
May readily be stopp'd.

K. Hen. Can we outrun the heavens? good | Is not itself, nor have we won one foot,
[nor fly: If Salisbury be lost.
Rich.
My noble father,
Three times to-day I holp him to his horse,
Three times bestrid him, thrice I led him off,
Persuaded him from any further act:

Enter Young CLIFFORD.

Y. Clif. But that my heart's on future mischief
I would speak blasphemy ere bid you fly, [set,
But fly you must; uncurable discomfit
Reigns in the hearts of all our present parts.
Away, for your relief! and we will live
To see their day, and them our fortune give;
Away, my lord, away!
[Exeunt.

SCENE III.-Fields near Saint Alban's.
Alarum: Retreat. Flourish; then enter YORK,
RICHARD PLANtagenet, WarWICK, and Sol-
diers, with drum and colours.

York. Of Salisbury, who can report of him;
That winter lion, who, in rage, forgets
Aged contusions and all brush of time;
And, like a gallant in the brow of youth,
Repairs him with occasion? this happy day

But still, where danger was, still there I met him;
And like rich hangings in a homely house,
So was his will in his old feeble body.
But, noble as he is, look where he comes.
Enter SALISBURY.

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 pleas'd 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 euch repairing nature.

York. I know, our safety is to follow them;
For, as I hear, the king is filed to London,
Let us pursue him, ere the writs go forth :-
To call a present court of parliament.
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 eterniz'd in all age to come.-
Sound, drums and trumpets :-and to London all:
And more such days as these to us befall! [Exeunt.

THIRD PART OF

KING HENRY VI.

THIS historical drama, like the preceding one, was not printed in its present form till it appeared in the folio edition of our author's works, in 1623. It was formed on a play by Marlowe, or by Marlowe, Peele, and Greene, called The True Tragedy of Richard Duke of York, and the good King Henry the Sixth; or, The Second Part of the Contention of York and Lancaster. Shakspeare's alteration of this original play was made, according to Malone, in 1591.

The play opens just after the first battle of Saint Alban's, [May

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23, 1455,] wherein the York faction carried the day; and closes with the murder of King Henry VI, and the birth of prince Edward, afterwards Edward V. (November 4, 1471.] This play is only divided from the former for the convenience So that this history takes in the space of full sixteen years. of exhibition; for the series of action is continued without interruption, nor are any two scenes of any play more closely connected than the first scene of this play with the last of the former.-JOHNSON.

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Lady GREY, afterwards Queen to Edward IV.
BONA, sister to the French Queen.

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

SCENE,-During part of the third Act, in France
during all the rest of the Play, in ENGLAND.

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