The THIRD PART of (1) King HENRY VI. ACT I. SCENE, London. Alarum. Enter Duke of York, Edward, Richard Norfolk, Montague, Warwick, and Soldiers. I WARWICK. Wonder, how the King efcap'd our hands! He flily ftole away and left his men : Chear'd up the drooping army; and himself, (1) The Third Part of K. Henry VI.] The Action of this Play (which was at first printed under this Title, The true Tragedy of Richard Duke of York, and the good K. Henry VIth: or, the Second Part of the Contention of York and Lancaster) opens just after the firft Battle at St. Albans, wherein the York Faction carried the day; and clofes with the Murther of King Henry VI. and the Birth of Prince Edward, afterwards King Edward V. So that this Hiftory takes in the Space of full fixteen Years. Lord Clifford, and lord Stafford, all a-breast, Edw. Lord Stafford's father, Duke of Buckingham, I cleft his beaver with a down-right blow: That this is true, father, behold his blood. Mont. And, brother, here's the Earl of Wiltshire's blood; Whom I encounter'd, as the battles join'd. Rich. Speak thou for me, and tell them what J' did.[Throwing down the Duke of Somerset's Head, York. Richard hath best deserv'd of all my Sons: Is his Grace dead, my lord of Somerfet? Norf. Such hope have all the Line of John of Gaunt ? Rich. Thus do I hope to fhake King Henry's head. War. And fo do I. Victorious Prince of York, Before I fee thee feated in that Throne, Which now the House of Lancaster ufurps, I vow by heav'n, thefe eyes fhall never clofe. This is the Palace of that fearful King, And this the regal Seat; poffefs it, York; For this is thine, and not King Henry's heirs'. York. Affift me then, fweet Warwick, and I will;: For hither we have broken in by force. Norf. We'll all affist you; he, that flies, fhall die. York. Thanks, gentle Norfolk; ftay by me, my lords 3 And, foldiers, stay and lodge by me this night. [They go up.. War. And when the King comes, offer him no violence. Unless he feek to thruft you out by force. York. The Queen this day here holds her Parliament, But little thinks, we fhall be of her Council; By words or blows, here let us win our Right. Rich. Arm'd as we are, let's flay within this houfe. War. The bloody Parliament fhall this be call'd, Unless Plantagenet, Duke of York, be King; And bathful Henry depos'd; whose cowardife Hath made us By-words to our enemies. York. Then leave me not; my lords, be resolute; I mean to take poffeffion of my Right. War. Neither the King, nor he that loves him beft, Dares ftir a wing, if Warwick shake his bells. K. Henry. My lords, look where the sturdy Rebel fits, North. If I be not, heav'ns be reveng'd on me! K. Henry. Be patient, gentle Earl of Westmorland. North. Well haft thou spoken, Coufin, be it fo. Exe. But when the Duke is flain, they'll quickly fly. K. Henry. Far be the thought of this from Henry's heart, To make a Shambles of the Parliament-house. And kneel for grace and mercy at my York. Thou'rt deceiv'd, I'm thine. E 4 Throne; [To the Duke. feet: Exe. Exe. For fhame come down: he made thee Duke of York. 'Twas my inheritance, as the Kingdom is. Clif. Whom fhould he follow, but his natural King? North. No, Warwick, I remember it to my grief. And, by his foul, thou and thy Houfe fhall rue it. Weft. Plantagenet, of thee, and these thy fons, Thy kinsmen and thy friends, I'll have more lives, Than drops of blood were in my father's veins. Clif. Urge it no more; left that, instead of words, I fend thee, Warwick, fuch a messenger, As fhall revenge his death before I ftir. War. Poor Clifford! how I fcorn his worthlefs threats. York. Will you, we fhew cur Title to the Crown? If not, our fwords fhall plead it in the field. K. Henry. What Title haft thou, traitor, to the crown? Who made the Dauphin and the French to ftoop, War. Talk not of France, fith thou hath loft it all. Mont. Mont. Good brother, as thou lov'ft and honour'ft 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. Henry. Peace thou, and give King Henry leave to fpeak. War. Plantagenet fhall fpeak firft: hear him, lords, And be you filent and attentive too; For he, that interrupts him, fhall not live. [Throne, K. Henry. Think't thou, that I will leave my kingly Wherein my grand fire and my father fat? No: first fhall war unpeople this my realm; Ay, and their Colours, often borne in France, And now in England to our heart's great forrow, Shall be my winding-fheet: why faint you, lords? My Title's good, and better far than his. War. But prove it, Henry, and thou shalt be King. K. Henry. Henry the Fourth by conqueft got the crown. York. 'Twas by Rebellion against his King. K. Henry. I know not what to fay, my Title's weak: Tell me, may not a King adopt an heir? York. What then? K. Henry. And if he may, then am I lawful King: York. He rofe against him, being his Sovereign, Exe. No, for he could not fo refign his Crown, War |