KING HENRY VI.

DUKE OF EXETER, on King Henry's side. Appears, Act I. sc. 1. Act II. sc. 5. Act IV. sc. 8. EARL OF OXFORD, on King Henry's side. Appears, Act III. sc. 3. Act IV. se. 2; sc. 3; sc. 6; sc. 8. Act V. sc. 1; sc. 2; sc. 4; sc. 5.

EARL OF NORTHUMBERLAND, on King Henry's side.
Appears, Act I. sc. 1; sc. 4. Act 11. sc. 2.
EARL OF WESTMORELAND, on King Henry's side.
Appears, Act I. sc. 1.

LORD CLIFFORD, on King Henry's side.
Appears, Act I. sc. 1; sc. 3; se. 4. Act II. sc. 2; sc. 4; sc. 6.
RICHARD PLANTAGENET, Duke of York.
Appears, Act 1. sc. 1; sc. 2; sc. 4.

EDWARD, Earl of March, afterwards King
Edward IV., son to the Duke of York.

Appears, Act I. sc. 1; sc. 2. Act II. sc. 1; sc. 2; sc. 3; sc. 6. Act III. sc. 2. Act IV. sc. 1; sc. 3; sc. 5; sc. 7. Act V. sc. 1; sc. 2; sc. 3; sc. 4; sc. 5; sc. 7.

EDMUND, Earl of Rutland, son to the Duke of York. Appears, Act I. sc. 3.

GEORGE, afterwards Duke of Clarence, son to the

Duke of York.

Duke of York.

Appears, Act I. sc. 1; sc. 2. Act II. sc. 1; sc. 2; sc. 3; sc. 4; 畎.6. Act III. sc. 2. Act IV. sc. 1; sc. 5; sc. 7. Act V. se. 1; sc. 3; sc. 4; sc. 5; sc. 6; sc. 7.

DUKE OF NORFOLK, of the Duke of York's party. Appears, Act I. sc. 1. Act II. sc. 2.

MARQUIS OF MONTAGUE, of the Duke of York's party.

Appears, Act I. sc. 1; sc. 2. Act II. sc. 1; sc. 2; sc. 6.
Act IV. sc. 1; sc. 6; sc. 8. Act V. sc. 1.

EARL OF WARWICK, of the Duke

of York's party.

Appears, Act I. sc. 1. Act II. sc. 1; sc. 2; sc. 3; sc. 6. Act III. sc. 3. Act IV. sc. 2; sc. 3; sc. 6; sc. 8. Act V. sc. 1; sc. 2.

SCENE,

EARL OF PEMBROKE, of the Duke of York's party Appears, Act IV. sc. 1.

LORD HASTINGS, of the Duke of York's party. Appears, Act IV. sc. 1; sc. 5; sc. 7. Act V. sc. 7. LORD STAFFORD, of the Duke of York's party. Appears, Act IV. sc. 1.

SIR JOHN MORTIMER, uncle to the Duke of York. Appears, Act I. sc. 2.

SIR HUGH MORTIMER, uncle to the Duke of York.
Appears, Act I. sc. 2.

HENRY, Earl of Richmond, a youth.
Appears, Act IV. sc. 6.

LORD RIVERS, brother to Lady Grey.
Appears, Act IV. sc. 4.
SIR WILLIAM STANLEY.
Appears, Act IV. sc. 5.
SIR JOHN MONTGOMERY
Appears, Act IV. sc. 7.
SIR JOHN SOMERVILLE.
Appears, Act V. sc. 1.
Tutor to Rutland.
Appears, Act I. sc. 3.
Mayor of York.
Appears, Act IV. sc. 7.
Lieutenant of the Tower.
Appears, Act IV. sc. 6.

A Nobleman.
Appears, Act III. sc. 2.

Two Keepers.
Appear, Act III. sc. 1.

A Huntsman.

Appears, Act IV. sc. 5.

A Son that has killed his Father.

Appears, Act II. sc. 3.

A Father that has killed his Son.

Appears, Act II. sc. 5.

QUEEN MARGARET.

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 pursued the horsemen of the
north,

He slily stole away, and left his men :
Whereat the great lord of Northumberland,
Whose warlike ears could never brook retreat,

Cheer'd up the drooping army; and himself,
Charg'd our main battle's front, and, breaking in
Lord Clifford, and lord Stafford, all abreast,
Were by the swords of common soldiers slain.

Edw. Lord Stafford's father, duke of Buckingham, Is either slain or wounded dangerous:

I cleft his beaver with a downright blow;
That this is true, father, behold his blood.

[Showing his bloody sword. Mont. And, brother, here's the earl of Wiltshire's blood, [To YORK, showing his. Whom I encounter'd as the battles join'd.

Rich. Speak thou for me, and tell them what I did. [Throwing down the DUKE OF SOMERSET's head. York. Richard hath best deserv'd of all my sons.But, is your grace dead, my lord of Somerset ?

Norf. Such hope have all the line of John of Gaunt! Rich. Thus do I hope to shake king Henry's head. War. And so do I, victorious prince of York. Before I see thee seated in that throne Which now the house of Lancaster usurps, I vow by Heaven, these eyes shall never close. This is the palace of the fearful king, 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.

War. And when the king comes offer him no violence, Unless he seek to thrust you out perforce. [They retire. York. The queen, this day, here holds her parliament, But little thinks we shall be of her council: 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; 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.

War. Neither the king, nor he that loves him best, The proudest he that holds up Lancaster, Dares stir a wing if Warwick shake his bells. I'll plant Plantagenet, root him up who dares :Resolve thee, Richard; claim the English crown. [WAR. leads YORK to the throne, who seats himself. Flourish. Enter KING HENRY, CLIFFORD, NORTHUMBERLAND, WESTMORELAND, EXETER, and others,

with red roses in their hats.

K. Hen. My lords, look where the sturdy rebel sits, Even in the chair of state! belike, he means (Back'd by the power of Warwick, that false peer) To aspire unto the crown, and reign as king. Earl of Northumberland, he slew thy father;

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 reveng'd 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. Clif. Patience is for poltroons, and such as he; He durst not sit there had your father liv'd. My gracious lord, here in the parliament Let us assail the family of York.

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.
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,
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.

York. It was my inheritance, as the earldom was. Exe. Thy father was a traitor to the crown. War. Exeter, thou art a traitor to the crown, 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. War. Be duke of Lancaster, let him be king. 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 chas'd 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, 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: lest that, instead of words, I send thee, Warwick, such a messenger, As shall revenge his death before I stir.

War. Poor Clifford! how I scorn his worthless threats!

York. Will you, we show our title to the crown? If not, our swords shall plead it in the field.

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;
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.

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 :-
Father, tear the crown from the usurper's head.
Edw. Sweet father, do so; set it on your head.
Mont. Good brother [to YORK], as thou lov'st and
honourest arms,

Let's fight it out, and not stand cavilling thus.
Rich. Sound drums and trumpets, and the king wil

Wherein my grandsire and my father sat?
No: first shall war unpeople this my realm;
Ay, and their colours-often borne in France,
And now in England, to our heart's great sorrow-
Shall be my winding-sheet.-Why faint you, lords?
My title 's good, and better far than his.

War. Prove it, Henry, and thou shalt be king.
K. Hen. Henry the fourth by conquest got the crown
York. T was by rebellion against his king.
K. Hen. I know not what to say; my title 's weak.
Tell me, may not a king adopt an heir?

York. What then?

K. Hen. An if he may, then am I lawful king: For Richard, in the view of many lords, Resign'd the crown to Henry the fourth; Whose heir my father was, and I am his. York. He rose against him, being his sovereign, And made him to resign his crown perforce. War. Suppose, my lords, he did it unconstrain', Think you 't were prejudicial to his crown?

Exe. No; for he could not so resign his crown, But that the next beir should succeed and reign. K. Hen. Art thou against us, duke of Exeter? Ece. His is the right, and therefore pardon me. York. Why whisper you, my lords, and answer not? Ere. My conscience tells me he is lawful king. K. Hen. All will revolt from me, and turn to him. North. Plantagenet, for all the claim thou lay'st, Think not that Henry shall be so depos'd.

War. Depos'd he shall be, in despite of all.

North. Thou art deceiv'd: 't is not thy southern

power,

Of Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, nor of Kent,—
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:
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 over the chair of state, where now he sits,
Write up his title with usurping blood.

[He stamps, and the Soldiers show themselves. K. Hen. My lord of Warwick, hear me but one word;

Let me, for this my lifetime, reign as king.

York. Confirm the crown to me, and to mine heirs, 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!
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.
North. Nor I.

Clif. Come, cousin, let us tell the queen these news. West. Farewell, faint-hearted and degenerate king, In whose cold blood no spark of honour bides.

North. Be thou a prey unto the house of York, And die in bands for this unmanly deed!

Clif. In dreadful war mayst thou be overcome! Or live in peace, abandon'd, and despis'd!

[Exeunt NORTH., CLIF., and West. War. Turn this way, Henry, and regard them not. Ece. They seek revenge, and therefore will not yield. K. Hen. Ah, Exeter! War.

Why should you sigh, my lord?
K. Hen. Not for myself, lord Warwick, but my son,
Whem I unnaturally shall disinherit.
But, be it as it may :-I here entail

The crown to thee, and to thine heirs for ever;
Conditionally, that here thou take an oath
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.
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.
Exe. Accurs'd be he that seeks to make them foes!
[Senet. 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.

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

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

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, aud me;
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;
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,
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,
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.
Thus do I leave thee:- Come, son, let 's away;
Our army is ready; come, we 'll after them.

K. Hen. Stay, gentle Margaret, and hear me speak,
Q. Mar. Thou hast spoke too much already; get

thee gone.

K. Hen. Gentle son Edward, thou wilt stay with me?

Q. Mar. Ay, to be murther'd by his enemies. Prince. When I return with victory from the field 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. K. Hen. Poor queen! how love to me, and to her son 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, Tire on the flesh of me and of my son! The loss of those three lords torment: my heart: Beway discover.

And when I give occasion of offence,
Then let me die, for now thou hast no cause.
Clif. No cause !

Thy father slew my father; therefore, die.

[CLIP. stabs him. Rut. Dii faciant, laudis summa sit ista tu! [Dies. Chf. Plantagenet! I come, Plantagenet! And this thy son's blood, cleaving to my blade, Sall rust upon my weapon, till thy blood, Cageal'd with this, do make me wipe off both. [Exit.

SCENE IV.-The same.

Alarum. Enter YORK.

York. The army of the queen hath got the field;
My uncles both are slain in rescuing me;
And all my followers to the eager foe

Tem back, and fly, like ships before the wind,
Or lambs pursued by hunger-starved wolves.

My sons-God knows what hath bechanced them:
But this I know, they have demean'd themselves
Like men born to renown, by life, or death.
Three times did Richard make a lane to me;
And thrice cried,- Courage, father! fight it out!"
Ad full as oft came Edward to my side,
With purple faulchion, painted to the hilt
In blood of those that had encounter'd him:
And when the hardiest warriors did retire,

Richard cried,—“ Charge! and give no foot of ground!"
And cried,-"A crown, or else a glorious tomb!
A sceptre, or an earthly sepulchre !"

With this, we charg'd again: but, out, alas!
We body'd again; as I have seen a swan
With bootless labour swim against the tide,
And spend her strength with over-matching waves.
[A short alarum within.
Ah, hark! the fatal followers do pursue;
And I am faint, and cannot fly their fury:
And were I strong I would not shun their fury:
The sands are number'd that make up my life;
Here must I stay, and here my life must end.
Enter QUEEN MARGARET, CLIFFORD, NORTHUMBER
LAND, and Soldiers.

Come, bloody Clifford,-rough Northumberland,-
I dare your quenchless fury to more rage;

I am your butt, and I abide your shot.

North. Yield to our mercy, proud Plantagenet.
Cf. Ay, to such mercy as his ruthless arm,
With downright payment, show'd unto my father.
Now Phaeton hath tumbled from his car,
And made an evening at the noontide prick.

York. My ashes, as the phoenix, may bring forth
A bird that will revenge upon you all :
And in that hope I throw mine eyes to heaven,
Scorning whate'er you can afflict me with.
Why come you not? what! multitudes, and fear?
Clif. So cowards fight, when they can fly no further;
So doves do peck the falcon's piercing talons;
Sdesperate thieves, all hopeless of their lives,
Breathe out invectives 'gainst the officers.

York. O Clifford, but bethink thee once again, And in thy thought o'errun my former time: And, if thou canst for blushing, view this face; And bite thy tongue, that slanders him with cowardice, Whose frown hath made thee faint and fly ere this. Clif. I will not bandy with thee word for word; But buckle with thee blows, twice two for one. [Draws. Q. Mar. Hold, valiant Clifford! for a thousand causes, I would prolong awhile the traitor's life:Wrath makes him deaf: speak thou, Northumberland. *Bodg'd. Johnson would read budg'd. Steevens thinks that bd here means "we boggled, made bad or bungling work of rur attempt to rally.'

North. Hold, Clifford; do not honour him so much To prick thy finger, though to wound his heart: What valour were it when a cur doth grin For one to thrust his hand between his teeth, When he might spurn him with his foot away? It is war's prize to take all vantages: And ten to one is no impeach of valour.

[They lay hands on YORK, who struggles Clif. Ay, ay, so strives the woodcock with the gin. North. So doth the coney struggle in the net. [YORK is taken prisoner York. So triumph thieves upon their conquer'd booty So true men yield, with robbers so o'ermatch'd. North. What would your grace have done unto him now?

Q. Mar. Brave warriors, Clifford and Northumber-
land,

Come, make him stand upon this molehill here;
That raught at mountains with outstretched arms
Yet parted but the shadow with his hand.
What! was it you that would be England's king?
Was 't you that revell'd in our parliament,
And made a preachment of your high descent?
Where are your mess of sons, to back you now?
The wanton Edward, and the lusty George?
And where's that valiant crook-back prodigy,
Dicky your boy, that, with his grumbling voice,
Was wont to cheer his dad in mutinies?

| Or, with the rest, where is your darling Rutland ?
Look, York; I stain'd this napkin with the blood
That valiant Clifford, with his rapier's point,
Made issue from the bosom of the boy :
And, if thine eyes can water for his death,
I give thee this to dry thy cheeks withal.
Alas, poor York! but that I hate thee deadly,
I should lament thy miserable state.

I prithee, grieve, to make me merry, York.
What, hath thy fiery heart so parch'd thine entrails,
That not a tear can fall for Rutland's death?
Why art thou patient, man? thou shouldst be mad;
And I, to make thee mad, do mock thee thus.
Thou wouldst be fee'd, I see, to make me sport;
Stamp, rave, and fret, that I may sing and dance.
York cannot speak unless he wear a crown.
A crown for York ;—and, lords, bow low to him.
Hold you his hands, whilst I do set it on.

[Putting a paper crown on his head
Ay, marry, sir, now looks he like a king!
Ay, this is he that took king Henry's chair;
And this is he was his adopted heir.
But how is it that great Plantagenet

Is crown'd so soon, and broke his solemn oath?
As I bethink me you should not be king
Till our king Henry had shook hands with death.
And will you pale your head in Henry's glory,
And rob his temples of the diadem,
Now in his life, against your holy oath?
O, 't is a fault too, too unpardonable!

Off with the crown; and, with the crown, his head;
And, whilst we breathe, take time to do him dead.
Clif. That is my office, for my father's sake.

Q. Mar. Nay, stay; let 's near the orisons he makes.
York. She-wolf of France, but worse than wolves of
France,

Whose tongue more poisons than the adder's tooth!
How ill-beseeming is it in thy sex
To triumph, like an Amazonian trull,
Upon their woes whom fortune captivates!
But that thy face is, vizor-like, unchanging,
Made impudent with use of evil deeds,

I would assay, proud queen, to make thee blush:
To tell thee whence thou cam'st, of whom deriv'd,
a Raught. The ancient preterite of to reach.
Pale-impale-encircle.