The Complete Works of William Shakespeare

GEORGE, afterwards Duke of Cla- his Sons. A Father that has killed his Son.

EARL OF PEMBROKE,

of the Duke of
York's Party.

LORD HASTINGS,

LORD STAFFORD,

QUEEN MARGARET.

LADY GREY, afterwards Queen to Edward the

Fourth.

BONA, Sister to the French Queen.

Soldiers, and other Attendants on King Henry and King Edward, Messengers, Watchmen, &c.

SCENE.-During part of the Third Act, in France; during the rest of the Play, in England.

ACT I.

SCENE I.-London. The Parliament-House. Drums. Some Soldiers of YORK's party break in. Then, enter the DUKE OF YORK, EDWARD, RICHARD, NORFOLK, MONTAGUE, WARWICK, and Others, with white roses in their hats.

War. I wonder how the king escap'd our hands.

York. While we pursu'd the horsemen of the
north,

He slily stole away and left his men:
Whereat the great Lord of Northumberland, 4
Whose warlike ears could never brook retreat,
Cheer'd up the drooping army; and himself,
Lord Clifford, and Lord Stafford, all abreast,
Charg'd our main battle's front, and breaking
in

Were by the swords of common soldiers slain. Edw. Lord Stafford's father, Duke of Buckingham,

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.

York. Thanks, gentle Norfolk. Stay by me, my lords;

And, soldiers, stay and lodge by me this night.32 War. And when the king comes, offer him no violence,

Unless he seek to thrust you out perforce. [The Soldiers retire. York. The queen this day here holds her parliament,

But little thinks we shall be of her council: 36 By words or blows here let us win our right. Rich. Arm'd as we are, let's stay within this house.

War. The bloody parliament shall this be call'd,

Unless Plantagenet, Duke of York, be king, 40 And bashful Henry depos'd, whose cowardice Hath made us by-words to our enemies.

York. Then leave me not, my lords; be resolute;

I mean to take possession of my right.

North. Well hast thou spoken, cousin: be it so.

K. Hen. Ah! know you not the city favours them,

And they have troops of soldiers at their beck? Exe. But when the duke is slain they'll quickly fly. 69

K. Hen. Far be the thought of this from
Henry's heart,

To make a shambles of the parliament-house!
Cousin of Exeter, frowns, words, and threats, 72
Shall be the war that Henry means to use.
[They advance to the DUKE.
Thou factious Duke of York, descend my throne,
And kneel for grace and mercy at my feet;
I am thy sovereign.
York.

I am thine.

Thy father was, as thou art, Duke of York;
Thy grandfather, Roger Mortimer, Earl of
March;

I am the son of Henry the Fifth,

Who made the Dauphin and the French to stoop, And seiz'd upon their towns and provinces. 109 War. Talk not of France, sith thou hast lost it all.

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.

113

Think not that Henry shall be so depos'd.
War. Depos'd he shall be in despite of all.
North. Thou art deceiv'd: 'tis not thy south-
ern power,

Of Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, nor of Kent, 156
Which makes thee thus presumptuous and proud,
Can set the duke up in despite of me.

Clif. King Henry, be thy title right or wrong, Lord Clifford vows to fight in thy defence: 160 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,
And o'er the chair of state, where now he sits, 168
Write up his title with usurping blood.

[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. York. Confirm the crown to me and to mine heirs,

172

And thou shalt reign in quiet while thou liv'st. K. Hen. I am content: Richard Plantagenet, Enjoy the kingdom after my decease.

Clif. What wrong is this unto the prince your son! 176 War. What good is this to England and himself!

West. Base, fearful, and despairing Henry! Clif. How hast thou injur'd both thyself and us!

West. I cannot stay to hear these articles. 180 I'll steal away.
North. Nor I.

Clif. Come, cousin, let us tell the queen these

news.

The crown to thee and to thine heirs for ever;
Conditionally, that here thou take an oath 196
To cease this civil war, and, whilst I live,
To honour me as thy king and sovereign;
And neither by treason nor hostility
To seek to put me down and reign thyself. 200
York. This oath I willingly take and will
perform. [Coming from the throne.
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 reconcil'd. 204 Exe. Accurs'd be he that seeks to make them foes! [Sennet. The Lords come forward. 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.208 Mont. And I unto the sea from whence I came. [Exeunt YORK and his Sons, WARWICK, NORFOLK, MONTAGUE, Soldiers, and Attendants.

K. Hen. And I, with grief and sorrow, to the court.

Enter QUEEN MARGARET and the PRINCE OF

WALES.

K. Hen.
Q. Mar. Nay, go not from me; I will follow
thee.

213

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, 217
Seeing thou hast prov'd so unnatural a father.
Hath he deserv'd to lose his birthright thus?
Hadst thou but lov'd him half so well as I, 220
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,

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?

224

K. Hen. Pardon me, Margaret; pardon me, sweet son;

228

The Earl of Warwick, and the duke, enforc'd

me.

Q. Mar. Enforc'd thee! art thou king, and wilt be forc'd?

I shame to hear thee speak. Ah! timorous
wretch;

Thou hast undone thyself, thy son, and me; 232
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 Faulconbridge commands the narrow

seas;

236

240

The duke is made protector of the realm;
And yet shalt thou be safe? such safety finds
The trembling lamb environed with wolves.
Had I been there, which am a silly woman,
The soldiers should have toss'd me on their
pikes
244

Before I would have granted to that act;
But thou preferr'st thy life before thine honour:
And seeing thou dost, I here divorce myself,
Both from thy table, Henry, and thy bed, 248
Until that act of parliament be repeal'd
Whereby my son is disinherited.
The northern lords that have forsworn thy
colours

Will follow mine, if once they see them spread;
And spread they shall be, to thy foul disgrace,
And utter ruin of the house of York.

Exe. Here comes the queen, whose looks be- Thus do I leave thee. Come, son, let's away;
wray her anger:
Our army is ready; come, we'll after them. 256

K. Hen. Stay, gentle Margaret, and hear me I would break a thousand oaths to reign one speak.

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 OF WALES.
K. Hen. Poor queen! how love to me and to
her son
264

Hath made her break out into terms of rage.
Reveng'd may she be on that hateful duke,
Whose haughty spirit, winged with desire,
Will cost my crown, and like an empty eagle 268
Tire on the flesh of me and of my son!
The loss of those three lords torments my heart:
I'll write unto them, and entreat them fair.
Come, cousin; you shall be the messenger. 272
Exe. And I, I hope, shall reconcile them all.
[Exeunt.

year.

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 28
How sweet a thing it is to wear a crown,
Within whose circuit is Elysium,
And all that poets feign of bliss and joy.
Why do we linger thus? I cannot rest
Until the white rose that I wear be dy'd
Even in the lukewarm blood of Henry's heart.
York. Richard, enough, I will be king, or die.
Brother, thou shalt to London presently,
And whet on Warwick to this enterprise.
Thou, Richard, shalt unto the Duke of Norfolk,
And tell him privily of our intent.
You, Edward, shall unto my Lord Cobham, 40
With whom the Kentishmen will willingly rise:
In them I trust; for they are soldiers,
Witty, courteous, liberal, full of spirit.
While you are thus employ'd, what resteth
more,

But that I seek occasion how to rise,
And yet the king not privy to my drift,
Nor any of the house of Lancaster?

Enter a Messenger.

York. Ay, with my sword. What! think'st thou that we fear them?

Edward and Richard, you shall stay with me; My brother Montague shall post to London: Let noble Warwick, Cobham, and the rest, 56 Whom we have left protectors of the king, With powerful policy strengthen themselves, And trust not simple Henry nor his oaths.

Mont. Brother, I go; I'll win them, fear it not:

And thus most humbly I do take my leave. [Exit.

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