Mor. Enough: my soul shall then be satisfied. Poor gentleman! his wrong doth equal mine. Since Henry Monmouth first began to reign, Before whose glory I was great in arms, This loathsome sequestration have I had; And even since then hath Richard been obscured, Deprived of honour and inheritance. But now the arbitrator of despairs, Just death, kind umpire of men's miseries, With sweet enlargement doth dismiss me hence: I would his troubles likewise were expired, That so he might recover what was lost.

Enter RICHARD PLANTAGenet.

31

arm;

And, in that ease, I'll tell thee my disease.
This day, in argument upon a case,
Some words there grew 'twixt Somerset and me;
Among which terms he used his lavish tongue
And did upbraid me with my father's death:
Which obloquy set bars before my tongue,
Else with the like I had requited him.
Therefore, good uncle, for my father's sake,
In honour of a true Plantagenet
And for alliance sake, declare the cause
My father, Earl of Cambridge, lost his head.
Mor. That cause, fair nephew, that imprison'd

me

And hath detain'd me all my flowering youth Within a loathsome dungeon, there to pine, Was cursed instrument of his decease.

50

Finding his usurpation most unjust,
Endeavour'd my advancement to the throne:
The reason moved these warlike lords to this 70
Was, for that-young King Richard thus removed,
Leaving no heir begotten of his body-
I was the next by birth and parentage;
For by my mother I derived am

80

From Lionel Duke of Clarence, the third son
To King Edward the Third; whereas he
From John of Gaunt doth bring his pedigree,
Being but fourth of that heroic line.
But mark: as in this haughty great attempt
They laboured to plant the rightful heir,
I lost my liberty and they their lives.
Long after this, when Henry the Fifth,
Succeeding his father Bolingbroke, did reign,
Thy father, Earl of Cambridge, then derived
From famous Edmund Langley, Duke of York,
Marrying my sister that thy mother was,
Again in pity of my hard distress
Levied an army, weening to redeem
And have install'd me in the diadem:
But, as the rest, so fell that noble earl
And was beheaded. Thus the Mortimers,
In whom the title rested, were suppress'd.
Plan. Of which, my lord, your honour is the
last.

90

Mor. True; and thou seest that I no issue have And that my fainting words do warrant death: Thou art my heir; the rest I wish thee gather: But yet be wary in thy studious care.

Plan. Thy grave admonishments prevail with

me:

But yet, methinks, my father's execution Was nothing less than bloody tyranny.

100

Mor. With silence, nephew, be thou politic: Strong-fixed is the house of Lancaster And like a mountain, not to be removed. But now thy uncle is removing hence; As princes do their courts, when they are cloy'd With long continuance in a settled place.

Plan. O, uncle, would some part of my young years

Might but redeem the passage of your age!

Mor. Thou dost then wrong me, as that slaughterer doth

Which giveth many wounds when one will kill Mourn not, except thou sorrow for my good; Only give order for my funeral:

109

And so farewell, and fair be all thy hopes
And prosperous be thy life in peace and war! [Dies.
Plan. And peace, no war, befall thy parting
soul!

In prison hast thou spent a pilgrimage
And like a hermit overpass'd thy days.
Well, I will lock his counsel in my breast;
And what I do imagine let that rest.
Keepers, convey him hence, and I myself
Will see his burial better than his life.

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[Exeunt Gaolers, bearing out the body
of Mortimer.

Here dies the dusky torch of Mortimer,
Choked with ambition of the meaner sort:
And for those wrongs, those bitter injuries,
Which Somerset hath offer'd to my house,
I doubt not but with honour to redress;
And therefore haste I to the parliament,
Either to be restored to my blood,

Or make my ill the advantage of my good. [Exit.

ACT III.

SCENE I. London. The Parliament-house. Flourish. Enter KING, EXETER, GLOUCESTER, WARWICK, SOMERSET, and SUFFOLK; the BISHOP OF WINCHESTER, RICHARD PLANTAGENET, and others. GLOUCESTER offers to put up a bill; WINCHESTER Snatches it, and tears it.

Win. Comest thou with deep premeditated lines,

With written pamphlets studiously devised,
Humphrey of Gloucester? If thou canst accuse,
Or aught intend'st to lay unto my charge,
Do it without invention, suddenly;
As I with sudden and extemporal speech
Purpose to answer what thou canst object.
Glou. Presumptuous priest! this place com-
mands my patience,

Or thou shouldst find thou hast dishonour'd me.
Think not, although in writing I preferr'd
The manner of thy vile outrageous crimes,
That therefore I have forged, or am not able
Verbatim to rehearse the method of my pen:
No, prelate; such is thy audacious wickedness,
Thy lewd, pestiferous and dissentious pranks,
As very infants prattle of thy pride.
Thou art a most pernicious usurer,
Froward by nature, enemy to peace;
Lascivious, wanton, more than well beseems
A man of thy profession and degree;
And for thy treachery, what's more manifest?
In that thou laid'st a trap to take my life,
As well at London bridge as at the Tower.
Beside, I fear me, if thy thoughts were sifted,
The king, thy sovereign, is not quite exempt
From envious malice of thy swelling heart.
Win. Gloucester, I do defy thee.

vouchsafe

IO

20

Lords,

To give me hearing what I shall reply.
If I were covetous, ambitious or perverse,
As he will have me, how am I so poor?
Or how haps it I seek not to advance
Or raise myself, but keep my wonted calling?
And for dissension, who preferreth peace
More than I do?-except I be provoked.
No, my good lords, it is not that offends;
It is not that that hath incensed the duke:
It is, because no one should sway but he;
No one but he should be about the king;
And that engenders thunder in his breast
And makes him roar these accusations forth.
But he shall know I am as good-

Glou.

As good!

30

And know the office that belongs to such.
War. Methinks his lordship should be humbler;
It fitteth not a prelate so to plead.

Som. Yes, when his holy state is touch'd so

near.

Is not his grace protector to the king? War. State holy or unhallow'd, what of that? 60

Plan. [Aside] Plantagenet, I see, must hold his tongue,

Lest it be said 'Speak, sirrah, when you should; Must your bold verdict enter talk with lords?' Else would I have a fling at Winchester.

King. Uncles of Gloucester and of Winchester, The special watchmen of our English weal, I would prevail, if prayers might prevail, To join your hearts in love and amity. O, what a scandal is it to our crown, That two such noble peers as ye should jar! Believe me, lords, my tender years can tell Civil dissension is a viperous worm

70

That gnaws the bowels of the commonwealth. [A noise within, 'Down with the tawny-coats!' What tumult's this?

May. O, my good lords, and virtuous Henry, Pity the city of London, pity us!

The bishop and the Duke of Gloucester's men, Forbidden late to carry any weapon,

Have fill'd their pockets full of pebble stones 80 And banding themselves in contrary parts

Do pelt so fast at one another's pate

That many have their giddy brains knock'd out:
Our windows are broke down in every street
And we for fear compell'd to shut our shops.

Enter Serving-men, in skirmish, with bloody pates.

King. We charge you, on allegiance to ourself, To hold your slaughtering hands and keep the peace.

Pray, uncle Gloucester, mitigate this strife.

First Serv. Nay, if we be forbidden stones, we'll fall to it with our teeth.

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Thou bastard of my grandfather!
Win. Ay, lordly sir; for what are you, I pray,
But one imperious in another's throne?

Glou. Am I not protector, saucy priest?
Win. And am not I a prelate of the church?
Glou. Yes, as an outlaw in a castle keeps
And useth it to patronage his theft.
Unreverent Gloster!

Win.

Glou.

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Thou art reverent Touching thy spiritual function, not thy life. Win. Rome shall remedy this. War. Roam thither, then. Som. My lord, it were your duty to forbear. War. Ay, see the bishop be not overborne. Som. Methinks my lord should be religious

Third Serv. My lord, we know your grace to be a man

Just and upright; and, for your royal birth,
Inferior to none but to his majesty:
And ere that we will suffer such a prince,
So kind a father of the commonweal,
To be disgraced by an inkhorn mate,

We and our wives and children all will fight 100
And have our bodies slaughter'd by thy foes.
First Serv. Ay, and the very parings of our
nails

Shall pitch a field when we are dead.

Glou.

[Begin again. Stay, stay, I say!

And if you love me, as you say you do,
Let me persuade you to forbear awhile,
King. O, how this discord doth afflict my soul!

Hath banish'd moody discontented fury,
As by his smoothed brows it doth appear:
Why look you still so stern and tragical?

Glou. Here, Winchester, I offer thee my hand. King. Fie, uncle Beaufort! I have heard you preach

That malice was a great and grievous sin;
And will not you maintain the thing you teach,
But prove a chief offender in the same?

130

War. Sweet king! the bishop hath a kindly gird.

For shame, my lord of Winchester, relent!
What, shall a child instruct you what to do?
Win. Well, Duke of Gloucester, I will yield
to thee;

Love for thy love and hand for hand I give.
Glou. [Aside] Ay, but, I fear me, with a
hollow. heart.-

See here, my friends and loving countrymen,
This token serveth for a flag of truce
Betwixt ourselves and all our followers:
So help me God, as I dissemble not!

140

Win. [Aside] So help me God, as I intend it not!

King. O loving uncle, kind Duke of Gloucester, How joyful am I made by this contract! Away, my masters! trouble us no more; But join in friendship, as your lords have done. First Serv. Content: I'll to the surgeon's. Sec. Serv. And so will I. Third Serv. And I will see what physic the tavern affords.

[Exeunt Serving-men,. Mayor, &c. War. Accept this scroll, most gracious sovereign,

Which in the right of Richard Plantagenet
We do exhibit to your majesty.

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Glou. Well urged, my Lord of Warwick: for, sweet prince,

An if your grace mark every circumstance,
You have great reason to do Richard right;
Especially for those occasions

At Eltham Place I told your majesty.

King. And those occasions, uncle, were of force: Therefore, my loving lords, our pleasure is That Richard be restored to his blood.

War. Let Richard be restored to his blood; So shall his father's wrongs be recompensed. 161 Win. As will the rest, so willeth Winchester. King. If Richard will be true, not that alone

King. When Gloucester says the word, King
Henry goes;

For friendly counsel cuts off many foes.
Glou. Your ships already are in readiness.
[Sennet. Flourish. Exeunt all but Exeter.
Exe. Ay, we may march in England or in
France,

Not seeing what is likely to ensue.

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| This late dissension grown betwixt the peers
Burns under feigned ashes of forged love
And will at last break out into a flame:
As fester'd members rot but by degree,
Till bones and flesh and sinews fall away,
So will this base and envious discord breed.
And now I fear that fatal prophecy
Which in the time of Henry named the Fifth
Was in the mouth of every sucking babe;
That Henry born at Monmouth should win all
And Henry born at Windsor lose all:
Which is so plain that Exeter doth wish
His days may finish ere that hapless time. [Exit.

SCENE II. France. Before Rouen.

200

Enter LA PUCELLE disguised, with four Soldiers · with sacks upon their backs.

Puc. These are the city gates, the gates of
Rouen,

Through which our policy must make a breach:
Take heed, be wary how you place your words;
Talk like the vulgar sort of market men
That come to gather money for their corn.
If we have entrance, as I hope we shall,
And that we find the slothful watch but weak,
I'll by a sign give notice to our friends,
That Charles the Dauphin may encounter them.
First Sol. Our sacks shall be a mean to sack

An alarum. Enter TALBOT in an excursion. France, thou shalt rue this treason with thy tears,

Tal.

If Talbot but survive thy treachery.
Pucelle, that witch, that damned sorceress,
Hath wrought this hellish mischief unawares,
That hardly we escaped the pride of France. 40
[Exit.

An alarum: excursions. BEDFORD, brought in sick in a chair. Enter TALBOT and BURGUNDY without: within LA PUCELLE, CHARLES, BASTARD, ALENÇON, and REIGNIER, on the walls.

Puc. Good morrow, gallants! want ye corn for bread?

I think the Duke of Burgundy will fast Before he'll buy again at such a rate: "Twas full of darnel; do you like the taste? Bur. Scoff on, vile fiend and shameless courtezan!

I trust ere long to choke thee with thine own And make thee curse the harvest of that corn. Char. Your grace may starve perhaps before that time.

Bed. O, let no words, but deeds, revenge this treason!

Puc. What will you do, good grey-beard? break a lance,

And run a tilt at death within a chair?

50

Tal. Foul fiend of France, and hag of all despite,

Encompass'd with thy lustful paramours!
Becomes it thee to taunt his valiant age

And twit with cowardice a man half dead?
Damsel, I'll have a bout with you again,
Or else let Talbot perish with this shame.

Tal. Dare ye come forth and meet us in the field?

Puc. Belike your lordship takes us then for fools,

To try if that our own be ours or no.

Tal. I speak not to that railing Hecate,
But unto thee, Alençon, and the rest;
Will ye, like soldiers, come and fight it out?
Alen. Signior, no.

Tal. Signior, hang! base muleters of France! Like peasant foot-boys do they keep the walls And dare not take up arms like gentlemen.

Puc Away, captains! let's get us from the walls;

For Talbot means no goodness by his looks.
God be wi' you, my lord! we came but to tell you
That we are here. [Exeunt from the walls.
Tal. And there will we be too, ere it be long,
Or else reproach be Talbot's greatest fame!
Vow, Burgundy, by honour of thy house,
Prick'd on by public wrongs sustain'd in France,
Either to get the town again or die:
And I, as sure as English Henry lives
And as his father here was conqueror,
As sure as in this late-betrayed town
Great Coeur-de-lion's heart was buried,
So sure I swear to get the town or die.
Bur. My vows are equal partners with thy

vows.

80

Tal. But, ere we go, regard this dying prince, The valiant Duke of Bedford. Come, my lord, We will bestow you in some better place, Fitter for sickness and for crazy age.

Bed. Lord Talbot, do not so dishonour me: Here will I sit before the walls of Rouen

91

And will be partner of your weal or woe. Bur. Courageous Bedford, let us now persuade you.

Bed. Not to be gone from hence; for once
I read

That stout Pendragon in his litter sick
Came to the field and vanquished his foes:
Methinks I should revive the soldiers' hearts,
Because I ever found them as myself.

Tal. Undaunted spirit in a dying breast!
Then be it so: heavens keep old Bedford safe!
And now no more ado, brave Burgundy,
But gather we our forces out of hand
And set upon our boasting enemy.

ΙΟΙ

[Exeunt all but Bedford and Attendants. An alarum: excursions. Enter SIR JOHN FASTOLFE and a Captain.

Cap. Whither away, Sir John Fastolfe, in such haste?

Fast. Whither away! to save myself by flight: We are like to have the overthrow again.

Cap. What! will you fly, and leave Lord Talbot?