I'll plant Plantagenet, root him up who dares: Flourish. Enter KING HENRY, CLIFFORD, NORTHUMBERLAND, WESTMORELAND, EXETER, and the rest K. HEN. My lords, look where the sturdy rebel sits, 50 Even in the chair of state: belike he means, Back'd by the power of Warwick, that false peer, And thine, Lord Clifford; and you both have vow'd revenge On him, his sons, his favourites and his friends. NORTH. If I be not, heavens be revenged on me! CLIF. The hope thereof makes Clifford mourn in steel. WEST. What, shall we suffer this? let's pluck him down: My heart for anger burns; I cannot brook it. K. HEN. Be patient, gentle Earl of Westmoreland. NORTH. Well hast thou spoken, cousin: be it so. EXE. But when the duke is slain, they'll quickly fly. the birds of the chase afraid to rise. Cf. Lucrece, 511: “With trembling fear, as fowl hear falcon's bells." 62 Patience] A trisyllable; "poltroons" is accented on the first syllable. 60 70 80 K. HEN. Far be the thought of this from Henry's heart, To make a shambles of the parliament-house! YORK. I am thine. EXE. For shame, come down: he made thee Duke of York. YORK. 'T was my inheritance, as the earldom was. In following this usurping Henry. CLIF. Whom should he follow but his natural king? WAR. True, Clifford; and that's Richard Duke of York. K. HEN. And shall I stand, and thou sit in my throne? YORK. It must and shall be so: content thyself. 78–79 'T was my inheritance. . . crown] The earldom (of March) was inherited by York from his mother Anne Mortimer, daughter of Roger, Earl of March (see line 106, infra), who was great-grandson of Edward III. It was through his mother that York claimed the throne. To his dukedom of York he succeeded on the death at Agincourt in 1415 of his father's brother Edward, 2d Duke of York, son of Edmund (Langley), 1st Duke of York, fifth son of Edward III. His father Richard, Earl of Cambridge, the traitor to Henry V (see Hen. V, II, ii), never held the dukedɔm. Cf. line 105, infra. WEST. He is both king and Duke of Lancaster; And that the Lord of Westmoreland shall maintain. WAR. And Warwick shall disprove it. You forget That we are those which chased you from the field, And slew your fathers, and with colours spread March'd through the city to the palace gates. NORTH. Yes, Warwick, I remember it to my grief; And, by his soul, thou and thy house shall rue it. WEST. Plantagenet, of thee and these thy sons, CLIF. Urge it no more; lest that, instead of words, WAR. Poor Clifford! how I scorn his worthless threats! 100 K. HEN. What title hast thou, traitor, to the crown? Thy father was, as thou art, Duke of York; Thy grandfather, Roger Mortimer, Earl of March: Who made the dauphin and the French to stoop, And seized upon their towns and provinces. WAR. Talk not of France, sith thou hast lost it all. 110 K. HEN. The lord protector lost it, and not I: When I was crown'd I was but nine months old. RICH. You are old enough now, and yet, methinks, you lose. Father, tear the crown from the usurper's head. York] This is an error. See note on 78–79, supra. EDW. Sweet father, do so; set it on your head. MONT. Good brother, as thou lovest and honourest arms, Let's fight it out and not stand cavilling thus. RICH. Sound drums and trumpets, and the king will fly. YORK. Sons, peace! K. HEN. Peace, thou! and give King Henry leave to speak. WAR. Plantagenet shall speak first: hear him, lords; And be you silent and attentive too, For he that interrupts him shall not live. K. HEN. Think'st thou that I will leave my kingly throne, Wherein my grandsire and my father sat? WAR. Prove it, Henry, and thou shalt be king. crown. YORK. "T was by rebellion against his king. K. HEN. [Aside] I know not what to say; my title's weak. Tell me, may not a king adopt an heir? YORK. What then? 120 130 116 brother] See note on line 14, supra, and cf. I, ii, 4, 55, and 60, infra. K. HEN. An if he may, then am I lawful king; YORK. He rose against him, being his sovereign, WAR. Suppose, my lords, he did it unconstrain'd, Think you 't were prejudicial to his crown? EXE. No; for he could not so resign his crown But that the next heir should succeed and reign. K. HEN. Art thou against us, Duke of Exeter ? EXE. His is the right, and therefore pardon me. YORK. Why whisper you, my lords, and answer not? EXE. My conscience tells me he is lawful king. K. HEN. [Aside] All will revolt from me, and turn to him. NORTH. Plantagenet, for all the claim thou lay’st, WAR. Deposed he shall be, in despite of all. power, Of Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, nor of Kent, Which makes thee thus presumptuous and proud, CLIF. King Henry, be thy title right or wrong, 144 prejudicial to his crown] detrimental to the throne, injurious to the prerogative of monarchy. 140 150 160 |