As did Æneas old Anchifes bear, So bear I thee upon my manly shoulders; But then Æneas bare a living load, [Exit. Enter Richard Plantagenet and Somerset, to fight. For, underneath an ale-houfe' paltry fign, Alarum. Retreat. Enter York, Richard Plantagenet, Warwick, and Soldiers, with Drum and Colours. York. Of Salisbury, who can report of him; [Somerfet is killed. Aged contufions and all brush 2 of time; Hath made the wizard famous in his death - 2. Mar. Away, my lord, you are flow; for K. Henry. Can we out-run the heavens? good 2. Mar. What are you made of? you'll nor Now is it manhood, wifdom, and defence, [Alarum afar off Enter young Clifford. R. Plan. My noble father, Three times beftrid him; thrice I led him off, Three times to-day I holp him to his horfe, Perfuaded him from any further act: Sal. Now, by my fword, well haft thou fought By the mafs, fo did we all.-I thank you,Richard: York. I know our fafety is to follow them; Chf. But that my heart's on future mifchief fet, Let us purfue him, ere the writs go forth : I would fpeak blafphemy ere bid you fly; To see their day, and them our fortune give: What fays lord Warwick, fhall we after them? War. After them! nay, before them, if we can. |Sound, drums and trumpets;—and to London all: 2 i. e. ail The death of Somerfet here accomplishes that equivocal prediction given by Jourdain, the witch, concerning this duke; which we met with at the clofe of the First Act of this Play. wear or ravage. 3 The brow of youth means the height or fummit of youth. 4 i. e. three times I faw him fallen, and, ftriding over him, defended him till he recovered. Soldiers and other Attendants on King Henry and King Edward, &c. In part of the Third Alt, the Scene įs laid in France; during all the rest of the Play, in England London. The Parliament Houfe. Alarum. Enter Duke of York, Edward, Richard, Norfolk, Montague, Warwick, and others, with white rafes in their bats. War. I Wonder, how the king efcap'd our York. While we purfu'd the horsemen of the north, That this is true, father, behold his blood. [Shering his bloody fword. Mount. And, brother, here's the earl of Wiltfhire's blood, [To Warwick, fhewing bis [Throwing down the Duke of Somerset's head. York. Richard hath best deserv'd of all my fons.Is your grace dead, my lord of Somerset ? Norf. Such hope have all the line of John of Rich. Thus do I hope to shake king Henry's head. Edw. Lord Stafford's father, duke of Buck-Which now the house of Lancaster ufurps, ingham, Is either flain, or wounded dangerously: 1 cleft his beaver with a downright blow; I vow by heaven, these eyes fhall never close. And this the regal feat: poffefs it, York; The action of this play opens juft after the first battle at Saint Albans, wherein the York faction carried the day; and clofes with the murder of king Henry VI. and the birth of prince Edward, afterwards king Edward V. So that this history takes in the space of full fixteen years. For For this is thine, and not king Henry's heirs'. Norf. We'll all affift you; he, that flies fhall die. Tork. Thanks, gentle Norfolk.-Stay by me, my lords; And, foldiers, ftay, and lodge by me this night. War. And, when the king comes, offer him no violence, Unless he feek to put us out by force. [ment ; York. The queen, this day, here holds her parliaBut little thinks, we fhall 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 houfe. War. The bloody parliament fhall this be call'd, Unlefs Plantagenet, duke of York, he king; And bafhful Henry depos'd, whofe cowardice Hath made us by-words to our enemies. York. Then leave me not, my lords; be refolute; I mean to take poffeffion of my right. York. Thou art deceiv'd, I am thine. Exe. For fhame, come down, he made three duke of York. York. 'Twas my inheritance, as the kingdom is. Exe. Thy father was a traitor to the crown. War. Exeter, thou art a traitor to the crown, In following this ufurping Henry. [king? Clif. Whom should he follow, but his natural War, True, Clifford; and that's Richard, duke of York. [throne? K. Henry. And fhall I stand, and thou fit in my York. It muft and fhall be fo.-Content thy felf. War. Be duke of Lancafter, let him be king. Weft. He is both king and duke of Lancafter ; And that the lord of Westmoreland shall maintain, War. And Warwick fhall difprove it. You forget, That we are thofe, which chas'd you from the field, And flew your fathers, and with colours spread March'd through the city to the palace-gates. North. No, Warwick, I remember it to my grief; War. Neither the king, nor he that loves him beft, And, by his foul, thou and thy house shall rue it. Weft. Plantagenet, of thee, and these thy fons, Clif. Urge it no more; left that, instead of words, [Warwick leads York to the throne, who frats bimfelf. I fend thee, Warwick, fuch a meisenger, Enter King Henry, Clifford, Northumberland, Weft- - As shall revenge his death, before I ftir. moreland, Exet, and others, at the further end of the fiage. K. Henry. My lords, look where the sturdy rebel fits, Even in the chair of ftate! belike he means revenge On him, his fons, his favourites, and his friends. fteel. North. If I be not, heavens, be reveng'd on me! Chf. The hope thereof makes Clifford mourn in [down: Weft. What, fhall we fuffer this let's pluck him My he: rt for anger burns, I cannot brook it. K. Hen. Be patient, gentle earl of Westmoreland. Chif. Patience is for poltroons, and fuch as he; He durft not fit there, had your father liv'd. My gracious lord, here in the parliament Let us affail the family of York. North. Well haft thou spoken, coufin; be it fo. K. Henry. Ah, know you not, the city favours them, And they have troops of foldiers at their beck ? [They advance to the Duke. Thou factious duke of York, defcend my throne, And kneel for grace and mercy at my feet; I am thy fovereign. War. Poor Clifford ! how I fcorn his worthless Thy father was, as thou art, duke of York; Who made the Dauphin and the French to stoop, War. Talk not of France, fith thou hait loft it all. K. Henry. The lord protector loft it, and not I ; When I was crown'd, I was but nine months old. Rich. You are old enough now, and yet, me◄ The allufion is to falconry. The hawks had fometimes little bells hung upon them, perhaps to fright the birds from riling. K. Henry. An if he may, then am I lawful king: For Richard, in the view of many lords, Refign'd the crown to Henry the fourth; Whofe heir my father was, and I am his. York. He rofe againft him, being his fovereign, And made him to refign the crown perforce. War. Suppofe, my lords, he did it unconstrain'd, Think you, twere prejudicial to the crown? Exe. No; for he could not fo refign his crown, But that the next heir should fucceed and reign. K. Henry. Art thou against us, duke of Exeter? Exe. His is the right, and therefore pardon me. York. Why whisper you, my lords, and answer not? Exe. My confcience tells me, he is lawful king. K. Henry. All will revolt from me, and turn to him. North. Plantagenet, for all the claim thou lay'st, Think not that Henry fhall be fo depos'd. War. Depos'd he fhall be, in despight of all. North. Thou art deceiv'd: 'tis not thy fouthern power, Of Effex, Norfolk, Suffolk, nor of Kent,-Which makes thee thus prefumptuous and proud,Can fet the duke up, in defpight of me. Chf. King Henry, be thy title right or wrong, Lord Clifford vows to fight in thy defence: May that ground gape, and fwallow me alive, Where I shall kneel to him that flew my father! K. Heny. O Clifford, how thy words revive my heart! York. Henry of Lancaster refign thy crown :What mutter you, or what confpire you, lords? War. Do right unto this princely duke of York; Or I will fill the houfe with armed men, And, o'er the chair of state, where now he fits, Write up his title with ufurping blood. [He fumps, and the foldiers jhew then.flves. K. Henry. My lord of Warwick, hear me but one word; Let me, for this my life-time, reign as king. X. Henry. I am content: Richard Plantagenet, Clif. What wrong is this unto the prince your fon? Weft. Farewel, faint-hearted and degenerate king, In whose cold blood no fpark of honour bides. North. Be thou a prey unto the houfe of York, And die in bands for this unmanly deed! Clif. In dreadful war may'it thou be overcome! Or live in peace, abandon'd, and despis'd! [Exeunt Northumberland, Clifford, and Wefimoreland. War. Turn this way, Henry, and regard them [yield Exe. They feek revenge, and therefore will not K. Henry. Ah, Exeter! not. War. Why should you figh, my lord? [fon, To feek to put me down, and reign thy felf. K. Henry. And long live thou, and these thy Tok. Now York and Lancafter are reconcil'd. War. And I'll keep London with my foldiers. [Exeunt York, and bis fons, Warwick, Nor folk, and Montague. K. Henry. And I with grief and forrow, to the court. K. Heniy. Be patient, gentle queen, and I will stay. Queen. Who can be patient in fuch extremes ? Ah, wretched man! 'would I had died a maid, And never seen thee, never borne thee fon, Seeing thou haft prov'd fo unnatural a father! Hath he deferv'd to lofe his birth-right thus ? Hadit thou but lov'd him half fo 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 deareft heart-blood there, Rather than made that fa. age duke thine heir, And difinherited thine only fon. Prince. Father, you cannot difinherit me: If you be king, why thould not I fucceed? K. Henry. Pardon me, Margaret;-pardon me, fweet fon; i. e. to the prerogative of the crown. The The earl of Warwick, and the duke, enforc'd me. I fhame to hear thee fpeak. Ah, timorous wretch! The northern lords, that have forfworn thy colours, with me? Queen. Ay, to be murder'd by his enemies. Prince. When I return with victory from the field, I'll fee your grace: 'till then, I'll follow her. Queen. Come, fon, away, we may not linger [Exeunt Queen and Prince. K. Henry. Poor queen! how love to me, and to her fon, thus. Hath made her break out into terms of rage! SCENE 11. [Exeunt. Sandal Castle, near Wakefield, in Yorkshire. Edw. No, I can better play the orator. What is your quarrel? how began it first? Rich. About that which concerns your grace York. I took an oath that he should quietly reign. I'd break a thousand oaths to reign one year. York. I fhall be, if I claim by open war. York. Thou can'ft not, fon; it is impoffible. York. Richard, enough; I will be king, or die.-- But, ftay; What news? Why com'ft thou in fuck York. Why, how now, fons, and brother, at a And truft not fimple Henry, nor his oaths. Mont. Brother, I go; I'll win them, fear it not : 1 i. e. hover over or range about my crown. 2 To tire may either mean to faften, to fix the talons, from the French tirer; or to peck. 3 viz. Northumberland, Weftmoreland, and Clifford. + Meaning, that the argument of their difpute was upon a grateful topic, viz. the question of their father's immediate right to the crown. 5 Wty would here feem to mean, of found judgement. And |