SCENE I. London. The Parliament-house. Alarum. Enter the DUKE OF YORK, EDWARD, RICHARD, NORFOLK, MONTAGUE, WARWICK, and Soldiers. 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: Edw. Lord Stafford's father, Duke of Buckingham, ΙΟ Is either slain or wounded dangerously; 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 LORD STAFFORD. SIR JOHN MORTIMER, uncles to the Duke of HENRY, Earl of Richmond, a youth. SIR JOHN MONTGOMERY, Tutor to Rutland. Mayor of York. A Nobleman. Two Keepers. A Huntsman. QUEEN MARGARET. LADY GREY, afterwards Queen to Edward IV. BONA, sister to the French Queen. Soldiers, Attendants, Messengers, Watchmen, &c. SCENE: England and France. Rich. Thus do I hope to shake King Henry's head. 20 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. 30 York. Thanks, gentle Norfolk: stay by me, my lords; And, soldiers, stay and lodge by me this night. [They go up. War. And when the king comes, offer hin no violence, Unless he seek to thrust you out perforce. But little thinks we shall be of her council: War. The bloody parliament shall this be call'd, Unless Plantagenet, Duke of York, be king, 40 And bashful Henry deposed, whose cowardice Hath made us by-words to our enemies. York. Then leave me not, my lords; be resolute; And slew your fathers, and with colours spread I mean to take possession of my right. best, The proudest he that holds up Lancaster, NORTHUMBERLAND, WESTMORELAND, EXE- K. Hen. My lords, look where the sturdy rebel sits, 50 Even in the chair of state: belike he means, On him, his sons, his favourites and his friends. West. What, shall we suffer this? let's pluck him down: My heart for anger burns; I cannot brook it. 60 K. Hen. Be patient, gentle Earl of West moreland. North. Yes, Warwick, I remember it to my grief; And, by his soul, thou and thy house shall rue it. I send thee, Warwick, such a messenger less threats! 100 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; 110 K. Hen. Peace, thou! and give King Henry leave to speak. 120 War. Plantagenet shall speak first: hear him, lords: And be you silent and attentive too, K. Hen. Think'st thou that I will leave my kingly throne, Wherein my grandsire and my father sat? 130 War. 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. Tell me, may not a king adopt an heir? K. Hen. An if he may, then am I lawful king; 140 And made him to resign his crown perforce. War. Suppose, my lords, he did it unconstrain'd, Of Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, nor of Kent, 160 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, [He stamps with his foot, 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. 170 Whom I unnaturally shall disinherit. 200 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 reconciled. Exe. Accursed be he that seeks to make them foes! [Sennet. Here they come down. 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 I came. [Exeunt York and his Sons, Warwick, Norfolk, Montague, their Soldiers, and Attendants. K. Hen. And I, with grief and sorrow, to the Enter QUEEN MARGARET and the PRINCE OF WALES. Exe. Here comes the queen, whose looks bewray her anger: I'll steal away. K. Hen. Exeter, so will I. 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, 220 Rather than have 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: The Earl of Warwick and the duke enforced me. Q. Mar. Enforced thee! art thou king, and wilt be forced? 230 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 Falconbridge commands the narrow seas: The duke is made protector of the realm; 240 And yet shalt thou be safe? such safety finds 250 The northern lords that have forsworn thy colours 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 261 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! SCENE II. Sandal Castle. 271 I would break a thousand oaths to reign one year. Rich. No; God forbid your grace should be forsworn. York. Rich. I shall be, if I claim by open war. I'll prove the contrary, if you'll hear me speak. 20 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 30 And all that poets feign of bliss and joy. Enter a Messenger. 40 But, stay what news? Why comest thou in such post? Gabr. The queen with all the northern earls and lords 50 Intend here to besiege you in your castle: not: And thus most humbly I do take my leave. [Exit. Enter SIR JOHN MORTIMER and SIR HUGH MORTIMER. York. Sir John and Sir Hugh Mortimer, mine uncles, You are come to Sandal in a happy hour; York. What, with five thousand men? [A march afar off. Edw. I hear their drums: let's set our men in order. 70 And issue forth and bid them battle straight. I doubt not, uncle, of our victory. When as the enemy hath been ten to one: SCENE III. Field of battle betwixt Sandal Castle and Wakefield. Alarums. Enter RUTLAND and his Tutor. Rut. Ah, whither shall I fly to 'scape their hands? Ah, tutor, look where bloody Clifford comes! Enter CLIFFORD and Soldiers. Clif Chaplain, away! thy priesthood saves thy life. As for the brat of this accursed duke, 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 it fear That makes him close his eyes? I'll open them. Hath stopp'd the passage where thy words should enter. Rut. Then let my father's blood open it again: Were not revenge sufficient for me; 30 [Lifting his hand. Rut. O, let me pray before I take my death! To thee I pray; sweet Clifford, pity me! Clif. Such pity as my rapier's point affords. Rut. I never did thee harm: why wilt thou slay me? Clif. Thy father hath. Rut. 40 But 'twas ere I was born. Ah, let me live in prison all my days; Then let me die, for now thou hast no cause. Clif. Plantagenet! I come, Plantagenet! And this thy son's blood cleaving to my blade 50 Shall rust upon my weapon, till thy blood, Congeal'd with this, do make me wipe off both. [Exit. SCENE IV. Another part of the field. Alarum. Enter RICHARD, Duke of York. York. The army of the queen hath got the field: My uncles both are slain in rescuing me; 11 20 And cried 'A crown, or else a glorious tomb! waves. |