The Works of William Shakespeare [Cambridge Edition] [Vol. 5 of 9] · William Shakespeare
SCENE I.
_York._ Assist me then sweet _Warwike_, and I wil: For hither are we broken in by force. _Norf._ Weele all assist thee, and he that flies shall die. _York._ Thanks gentle _Norffolke_. Staie by me my Lords, and souldiers staie you heere and lodge this night: ·eaa030· _War._ And when the king comes offer him no Violence, vnlesse he seek to put vs out by force. [eaa032] _Rich._ Armde as we be, lets staie within this house? [eaa033] _War._ The bloudie parlement shall this be calde, Vnlesse _Plantagenet_ Duke of Yorke be king ·eaa035· And bashfull _Henrie_ be deposde, whose cowardise Hath made vs by-words to our enemies. _York._ Then leaue me not my Lords: for now I meane To take possession of my right. _War._ Neither the king, nor him that loues him best, ·eaa040· The proudest burd that holds vp _Lancaster_. [eaa041] Dares stirre a wing if _Warwike_ shake his bels. [eaa042] Ile plant _Plantagenet_: and root him out who dares? Resolue thee _Richard_: Claime the English crowne. Enter king _Henrie_ the sixt, with the Duke of _Excester_, The Earle of _Northumberland_, the Earle of _Westmerland_ and _Clifford_, the Earle of _Cumberland_ with red Roses in their hats. _King._ Looke Lordings where the sturdy rebel sits, ·eaa045· Euen in the chaire of state: belike he meanes Backt by the power of _Warwike_ that false peere, To aspire vnto the crowne, and raigne as king. Earle of _Northumberland_, he slew thy father. And thine _Clifford_: and you both haue vow’d reuenge, ·eaa050· On him, his sonnes, his fauorites, and his friends.
_Northu._ And if I be not, heauens be reuengd on me. _Clif._ The hope thereof, makes _Clifford_ mourn in steel. _West._ What? shall we suffer this, lets pull him downe. [eaa054] My hart for anger breakes, I cannot speake. ·eaa055· _King._ Be patient gentle Earle of _Westmerland_. _Clif._ Patience is for pultrouns such as he He durst not sit there had your father liu’d? My gratious Lord: here in the Parlement, Let vs assaile the familie of Yorke. ·eaa060· _North._ Well hast thou spoken cosen, be it so. _King._ O know you not the Cittie fauours them, And they haue troopes of soldiers at their becke? [eaa063] _Exet._ But when the D. is slaine, theile quicklie flie. [eaa064] _King._ Far be it from the thoughtes of _Henries_ hart, ·eaa065· To make a shambles of the parlement house. Cosen of _Exeter_, words, frownes, and threats, Shall be the warres that Henrie meanes to vse. Thou factious duke of Yorke, descend my throne, I am thy soueraigne. ·eaa070· _York._ Thou art deceiu’d: I am thine. _Exet._ For shame come downe he made thee D. of (_York_. _York._ Twas mine inheritance as the kingdome is. [eaa073] _Exet._ Thy father was a traytor to the crowne. _War._ _Exeter_ thou art a traitor to the crowne. ·eaa075· In following this vsurping _Henry_. _Clif._ Whom should he follow but his naturall king.
_War._ True _Clif._ and that is _Richard_ Duke of Yorke. [eaa078] _King._ And shall I stande while thou sittest in my [eaa079] throne? ·eaa080· _York._ Content thy selfe it must and shall be so. _War._ Be Duke of _Lancaster_, let him be king. [eaa082] _West._ Why? he is both king & Duke of _Lancaster_, And that the Earle of _Westmerland_ shall mainetaine. _War._ And _Warwike_ shall disproue it. You forget ·eaa085· That we are those that chaste you from the field And slew your father, and with colours spred, Marcht through the Cittie to the pallas gates. _Nor._ No _Warwike_ I remember it to my griefe, [eaa089] And by his soule thou and thy house shall rew it. ·eaa090· _West._ _Plantagenet_ of thee and of thy sonnes, Thy kinsmen and thy friendes, Ile haue more liues, Then drops of bloud were in my fathers vaines. _Clif._ Vrge it no more, least in reuenge thereof, I send thee _Warwike_ such a messenger, As shall reueng his death before I stirre. ·eaa095· _War._ Poore _Clifford_, how I skorn thy worthles threats _York._ Wil ye we shew our title to the crowne, Or else our swords shall plead it in the field? _King._ What title haste thou traitor to the Crowne? Thy father was as thou art Duke of _Yorke_, ·eaa100· Thy grandfather _Roger Mortimer_ earle of _March_, I am the sonne of Henrie the Fift who tamde the _French_, And made the Dolphin stoope, and seazd vpon their [eaa103] Townes and prouinces.
_King._ I know not what to saie my titles weake, Tell me maie not a king adopt an heire? _War._ What then? _King._ Then am I lawfull king For _Richard_ The second in the view of manie Lords Resignde the Crowne to _Henrie_ the fourth, [eaa135] Whose heire my Father was, and I am his. _York._ I tell thee he rose against him being his Soueraigne, & made him to resigne the crown perforce. [eaa138] _War._ Suppose my Lord he did it vnconstrainde, Thinke you that were preiudiciall to the Crowne? ·eaa140· _Exet._ No, for he could not resigne the Crowne, But that the next heire must succeed and raigne. _King._ Art thou against vs, Duke of _Exceter_? _Exet._ His is the right, and therefore pardon me. _King._ All will reuolt from me and turne to him. ·eaa145· _Northum._ _Plantagenet_ for all the claime thou laist, [eaa146] Thinke not king _Henry_ shall be thus deposde? _War._ Deposde he shall be in despight of thee. _North._ Tush _Warwike_, Thou art deceiued? tis not thy [eaa149] Southerne powers of _Essex_, _Suffolk_, _Norffolke_, and of [eaa150] _Kent_. that makes thee thus presumptuous and proud, Can set the Duke vp in despight of me. _Cliff._ King _Henrie_ be thy title right or wrong, Lord _Clifford_ vowes to fight in thy defence. Maie that ground gape and swallow me aliue, ·eaa155· Where I do kneele to him that slew my father.
_King._ Ah _Exeter_? _War._ Why should you sigh my Lord? _King._ Not for my selfe Lord _Warwike_, but my sonne, Whom I vnnaturallie shall disinherit. But be it as it maie: I heere intaile the Crowne ·eaa185· To thee and to thine heires, conditionallie, That here thou take thine oath, to cease these ciuill [eaa187] Broiles, and whilst I liue to honour me as thy king and Soueraigne. _York._ That oath I willinglie take and will performe. _War._ Long liue king _Henry_. _Plantagenet_ embrace him? [eaa190] _King._ And long liue thou and all thy forward sonnes. _York._ Now _Yorke_ and _Lancaster_ are reconcilde. _Exet._ Accurst be he that seekes to make them foes, Sound trumpets. _York._ My Lord Ile take my leaue, for Ile to _Wakefield_, [eaa194] To my castell. _Exit Yorke_ and his sonnes. [eaa195] _War._ And Ile keepe _London_ with my souldiers. _Exit._ _Norf._ And _I_le to _Norffolke_ with my followers. _Exit._ _Mont._ And I to the sea from whence I came. _Exit._ Enter the _Queene_ and the _Prince_. _Exet._ My Lord here comes the Queen, Ile steale away. _King._ And so will _I_. ·eaa200· _Queene._ Naie staie, or else I follow thee. [eaa201] _King._ Be patient gentle _Queene_, and then Ile staie.
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