But now thy uncle is removing hence,

As princes do their courts, when they are cloy'd
With long continuance in a fettled place.

Plan. Ŏ uncle, would fome part of my young years Might but redeem the paffage of your age!

Mort. Thou doft then wrong me, as that flaught'rer Which giveth many wounds when one will kill. [doth Mourn not, except thou forrow for my good; Only give order for my funeral.

And fo farewell; and fair befal thy hopes,

And profp'rous be thy life, in peace and war! [Dies. Plan. And peace, no war, befal thy parting foul! In prifon haft thou spent a pilgrimage,

And, like a hermit, over-paft thy days.

Well; I will lock his counfel in my breaft;
And what I do imagine, let that rest.
Keepers, convey him hence; and I myself
Will fee his burial better than his life.
Here lies the dusky torch of Mortimer,
Chok'd with ambition of the meaner fort *.
And for those wrongs, those bitter injuries,
Which Somerfet hath offer'd to my house,
I doubt not but with honour to redress.
And therefore hafte I to the parliament;
Either to be restored to my blood,

Or make my ill th' advantage of my good.

A CT

[Exit,

SCENE I.

III.
The parliament.

Flourish. Enter King Henry, Exeter, Gloucefter, Winchefter, Warwick, Somerfet, Suffolk, and Richard Plantagenet. Gloucester offers to put up a bill: Winchefter fnatches it, and tears it.

C%

Win. Om't thou with deep premeditated lines,
With written pamphlets ftudiously devis'd?
Humphry of Glo'fter, if thou can'ft accufe,
Or aught intend'ft to lay unto my charge,
Do it without invention fuddenly;

* Being made a tool by the Percies and others to countenance their quarrels.

As

As I, with fudden and extemporal speech,
Purpose to answer what thou can'st object.

Glou. Prefumptuous priest, this place commands my patience;

Or thou fhould'st find thou haft dishonour'd me.
Think not, altho' in writing I preferr'd

The manner of thy vile outrageous crimes,
That therefore I have forge'd, or am not able
Verbating to rehearse the method of my pen.
No, Prelate, fuch is thy audacious wickedness,
Thy lewd, peftif'rous, and diffentious pranks,
The very infants prattle of thy pride.
Thou art a most pernicious ufurer,
Froward by nature, enemy to peace,
Lafcivious, wanton, more than well befeems
A man of thy profeffion and degree.

And for thy treach'ry, what's more manifeft?
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 fovereign is not quite exempt
From envious malice of thy fwelling heart.

Win. Glo'fter, I do defie thee Lords, vouchsafe
To give me hearing what I fhall reply.
If I were covetous, perverse, ambitious,
As he will have me; how am I fo poor?
How haps it then I feek not to advance
Or raife myself, but keep my wonted calling?
And for diffenfion, who preferreth peace
More than I do? except I be provok'd.
No, my good Lords, it is not that offends;
It is not that which hath incens'd the Duke:
It is because no one fhould fway but he;
No one but he should be about the King;
And that ingenders thunder in his breast,
And makes him roar these accufations forth.
But he fhall know I am as good-

Glou. As good?

Thou baftard of my grandfather!

Win. Ay, lordly Sir; for what are you, I pray,

But one imperious in another's throne?

Glou. Am not I then Protector, faucy prieft?

Win. And am not I a Prelate of the church?
Glou. Yes, as an outlaw in a castle keeps,
And ufes it to patronage his theft.
Win. Unrev'rend Glo'ster!

Glou. Thou art reverend

Touching thy fpiritual function, not thy life.
Win. This Rome fhall remedy.

War. Roam thither then.

Som. My Lord, it were your duty to forhear. War. Ay, fee the Bishop be not overborn. Som. Methinks my Lord fhould be religious, And know the office that belongs to fuch.

War. Methinks his Lordship should be humbler then, It fitteth not a Prelate fo to plead.

Som. Yes, when his holy state is touch'd fo near. War. State, holy or unhallow'd, what of that? Is not his Grace Protector to the King?

Rich.Plantagenet, I fee, must hold his tongue; [Afide. Left it be faid, ‹ Speak, firrah, when you should; 'Muft your bold verdict enter talk with Lords? Elfe would I have a fling at Winchester.

K. Henry Uncles of Glo'fter, and of Winchester, The special watchman of our English weal; I would prevail, if prayers might prevail, To join your hearts in love and amity. Oh, what a fcandal is it to our crown, That two fuch noble Peers as ye fhould jar! Believe me, Lords, my tender years can tell, Civil diffenfion is a vip'rous worm,

That gnaws the bowels of the commonwealth.

[4 noife within, Down with the tawny coats. K. Henry. What tumult's this?

War. An uproar, I dare warrant,

Begun thro' malice of the Bishop's men.

[A noife again, Stones, Stones,

SCENE II. Enter Mayor.

Mayor. Oh, my good Lords, and virtuous Henry,

Pity the city London, pity us;

The Bishop and the Duke of Glo'fter's men,
Forbidden late to carry any weapon,

Have fill'd their pockets full of peeble-ftones.

And,

And, banding themselves in contrary parts,
Do pelt fo fast at one another's pates,

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 feveral in skirmish, with bloody pates.

K. Henry. We charge you, on allegiance to ourfelves,

To hold your flaught'ring hands, and keep the peace. Pray, uncle Glo'fter, mitigate this ftrife.

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

2. Serv. Do what ye dare, we are as refolute.

[Skirmish again. Glou. You of my houfhold, leave this peevith broil, And fet this unaccustom'd fight aside.

3 Ser. My Lord we know your Grace to be a man Juft and upright; and for your royal birth Inferior to none but to his Majesty:

And ere that we will fuffer fuch a prince,
So kind a father to the common weal,

To be difgraced by an inkhorn-mate;

We, and our wives, and children, all will fight,
And have our bodies flaughter'd by thy foes.

1 Serv. Ay, and the very pairings of our nails Shall pitch a field when we are dead. [Begin again. Glou. Stay, ftay, I fay;

And if you love me, as you fay you do,
Let me perfuade you to forbear a while.

my foul!

K. Henry. O, how this discord doth afflict
Can you, my Lord of Winchester, behold
My fighs and tears, and will not once relent?
Who fhould be pitiful, if you be not?
Or who should study to prefer a peace,
If holy churchmen take delight in broils?

War. My Lord Protector, yield; yield, Winchefter;
Except you mean with obftinate repulfe
To flay your fovereign, and deftroy the realm.
Ye fee, what mifchief, and what murther too,
Hath been enacted thro' your enmity:
Then be at peace, except ye thirst for blood,

:. Win.

Win. He fhall fubmit, or I will never yield.

Glou. Compaffion on the King commands me stoop, Or I would fee his heart out, ere the priest

Should ever get that privilege of me.

War. Behold, my Lord of Winchester, the Duke Hath banish'd moody difcontented fury, As by his smoothed brows it doth appear. Why look you still so ftern and tragical ?

Glou. Here, Winchester, I offer thee my hand. K. Henry. Fie, uncle Beaufort: I have heard you That malice was a great and grievous fin: [preach, And will not you maintain the thing you teach, But prove a chief offender in the fame ?

War. Sweet King! the Bifhop hath a kindly gird. For fhame, my Lord of Winchester, relent; What, shall a child instruct you what to do?

Win. Well, Duke of Glo'fter, I will yield to thee;
Love for thy love, and hand for hand, I give.
Glou. Ay, but I fear me, with a hollow heart.
See here, my friends and loving countrymen,
This token ferveth for a flag of truce

Betwixt ourselves and all our followers.
So help me God as I diffemble not!

Win. [Afide.] So help me God as I intend it not, K. Henry. O loving uncle, gentle Duke of Glo'fster, How joyful am I made by this contract?

Away, my masters, trouble us no more;
But join in friendship, as your Lords have done.
1 Serv. Content, I'll to the furgeon's.

2. Serv. So will I.

3 Serv. And I'll fee what phyfic the tavern affords.

[Exeunt

War. Accept this fcrowl, moft gracious Sovereign, Which in the right of Richard Plantagenet

We do exhibit to your Majefty.

Glou. Well urge'd, my Lord of Warwick: for, fweet And if your Grace mark ev'ry circumftance, [Prince, You have great reafon to do Richard right:

Efpecially for thofe occafions

At Eltham-place I told your Majesty.

VOL. IV.

3 A

K. Henry.