King Henry the Sixth:

Edward, Prince of Wales, his son.
Lewis XI. King of France.

Duke of Somerset,

Duke of Exeter,
Earl of Oxford,

Earl of Northumberland,

Earl of Westmoreland,

Lord Clifford,

lords on King Henry's

side.

Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York:

Edward, Earl of March, afterwards King
Edward IV.

Edmund, Earl of Rutland,

George, afterwards Duke of Clarence,
Richard, afterwards Duke of Glocester,
Duke of Norfolk,

Marquis of Montague,

his sons.

Earl of Warwick,

ofthe Duke of York's party.

Sir Hugh Mortimer,

uncles to the Duke of York.

Henry, Earl of Richmond, a youth.

Lord Rivers, brother to Lady Grey. Sir William Stanley. Sir John Montgomery. Sir John Somerville. Tutor to Rutland. Mayor of York. Lieutenant of the Tower. A Nobleman. Two Keepers. A Huntsman. A Son that has killed his father. A

Father that has killed his son.

Queen Margaret.

Lady Grey, afterwards Queen to Edward IV.

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 all the rest of the play, in England.

THIRD PART

OF

KING HENRY VI.

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.

Warwick.

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,
Whose warlike ears could never brook retreat,
< Cheer'd up the drooping army; and himself,
Lord Clifford, and lord Stafford, all a-breast,
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,
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 [To YORK, showing his.

blood,

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.

What, 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 by force.

[They retire.

* York. The queen, this day, here holds her par

liament,

*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 reso-
lute;

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. [WARWICK 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.

I Hawks had sometimes little bells hung on them, perhaps to dare the birds; that is, to fright them from rising.

'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

I am thy sovereign.

York.

mercy at my feet;

Thou art deceiv'd, I am thine.

Exe. For shame, come down; he made thee duke

of York.

York. 'Twas my inheritance, as the earldom was. Exe. Thy father was a traitor to the crown.

War. Exeter, thou art a traitor to the crown,