CLIFFORD Urge99 it no more, lest that instead of words,
I send thee, Warwick, such a messenger100
As shall revenge his death before I stir.
WARWICK Poor Clifford, how I scorn his worthless threats.
YORK Will you we103 show our title to the crown?
If not, our swords shall plead104 it in the field.
KING HENRY VI What title hast thou, traitor, to the crown?
Thy father was, as thou art, Duke of York106:
Thy grandfather, Roger Mortimer, Earl of March:
I am the son of Henry the Fifth,
Who made the dauphin and the French to stoop109
And seized upon their towns and provinces.
WARWICK Talk not of France, sith111 thou hast lost it all.
KING HENRY VI The Lord Protector112 lost it and not I:
When I was crowned, I was but nine months old.
RICHARD You are old enough now, and yet114, methinks, you lose.--
Father, tear the crown from the usurper's head.
EDWARD Sweet father, do so, set it on your head.
MONTAGUE Good brother, as thou lov'st and honourest arms,
Let's fight it out and not stand cavilling118 thus.
RICHARD Sound drums and trumpets, and the king will fly.
YORK Sons, peace!
KING HENRY VI Peace, thou, and give King Henry leave121 to speak.
WARWICK Plantagenet shall speak first: hear him, lords,
And be you silent and attentive too,
For he that interrupts him shall not live.
KING HENRY VI Think'st thou that I will leave my kingly throne,
Wherein my grandsire and my father sat?
No: first shall war unpeople127 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 you130, lords?
My title's good, and better far than his.
WARWICK Prove it, Henry, and thou shalt be king.
KING HENRY VI Henry the Fourth by conquest got the crown.
YORK 'Twas by rebellion against his king134.
Aside
KING HENRY VI I know not what to say, my title's weak.--
Tell me, may not a king adopt an heir?
YORK What then?
KING HENRY VI An if138 he may, then am I lawful king,
For Richard, in the view of many lords,
Resigned the crown to Henry the Fourth,
Whose heir my father was, and I am his.
YORK He rose against him, being142 his sovereign,
And made him to resign his crown perforce.
WARWICK Suppose, my lords, he did it unconstrained144,
Think you 'twere prejudicial to his crown145?
EXETER No, for he could not so resign his crown,
But that the next heir147 should succeed and reign.
KING HENRY VI Art thou against us, Duke of Exeter?
EXETER His149 is the right, and therefore pardon me.
YORK Why whisper you, my lords, and answer not?
EXETER My conscience tells me he is lawful king.
Aside?
KING HENRY VI All will revolt from me and turn to him.
To York
NORTHUMBERLAND Plantagenet, for all the claim thou lay'st,
Think not that Henry shall be so deposed.
WARWICK Deposed he shall be, in despite155 of all.
NORTHUMBERLAND Thou art deceived. 'Tis not thy southern power156,
Of Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, nor of Kent,
Which makes thee thus presumptuous and proud,
Can set the duke up159 in despite of me.
CLIFFORD 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!
KING HENRY VI O Clifford, how thy words revive my heart!
YORK Henry of Lancaster, resign thy crown.
What mutter you, or what conspire you, lords?
WARWICK 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 blood170.
He stamps with his foot and the Soldiers show themselves
KING HENRY VI 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.
KING HENRY VI I am content. Richard Plantagenet,
Enjoy the kingdom after my decease.
CLIFFORD What wrong is this unto the prince your son!
WARWICK What good is this to England and himself!
WESTMORLAND Base179, fearful and despairing Henry!
CLIFFORD How hast thou injured both thyself and us!
WESTMORLAND I cannot stay to hear these articles181.
NORTHUMBERLAND Nor I.
To Northumberland
CLIFFORD Come, cousin, let us tell the queen these news.
WESTMORLAND Farewell, faint-hearted and degenerate king,
In whose cold185 blood no spark of honour bides.
NORTHUMBERLAND Be thou a prey unto the House of York,
And die in bands187 for this unmanly deed.
CLIFFORD In dreadful war mayst thou be overcome,
Or live in peace abandoned and despised.
[Exeunt Northumberland, Clifford and Westmorland]
WARWICK Turn this way, Henry, and regard them not.
EXETER They seek revenge and therefore will not yield.
KING HENRY VI Ah, Exeter.
WARWICK Why should you sigh, my lord?
KING HENRY VI Not for myself, Lord Warwick, but my son,
Whom I unnaturally shall disinherit.
To York
But be it as it may.-- I here entail196.
The crown to thee and to thine heirs for ever,
Conditionally198, 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 down202 and reign thyself.
YORK This oath I willingly take and will perform.
WARWICK Long live King Henry!-- Plantagenet embrace him.
KING HENRY VI And long live thou and these thy forward205 sons!
YORK Now York and Lancaster are reconciled.
EXETER Accursed be he that seeks to make them foes.
Sennet. Here they come down
YORK Farewell, my gracious lord, I'll to my castle.
[Exeunt York, his sons and their Soldiers]
WARWICK And I'll keep209 London with my soldiers.
[Exit]
NORFOLK And I to Norfolk with my followers.
[Exit]
MONTAGUE And I unto the sea211 from whence I came.
[Exit]
KING HENRY VI And I with grief and sorrow to the court.
Enter the Queen [Margaret, with Prince Edward]
EXETER Here comes the queen, whose looks bewray213 her anger.
Starts to leave
I'll steal away.
KING HENRY VI Exeter, so will I.
QUEEN MARGARET Nay, go not from me, I will follow thee.
KING HENRY VI Be patient, gentle queen, and I will stay.
QUEEN MARGARET Who can be patient in such extremes?
Ah, wretched man, would I had died a maid219
And never seen thee, never borne thee son,
Seeing thou hast proved so unnatural a father.
Hath he deserved to lose his birthright thus?
Hadst thou but loved him half so well as I,
Or felt that pain224 which I did for him once,
Or nourished him as I did with my blood225,
Thou wouldst have left thy dearest heart-blood there,
Rather than have made that savage duke thine heir
And disinherited thine only son.
PRINCE EDWARD Father, you cannot disinherit me:
If you be king, why should not I succeed?
KING HENRY VI Pardon me, Margaret.-- Pardon me, sweet son.
The Earl of Warwick and the duke enforced me.
QUEEN MARGARET Enforced thee? Art thou king, and wilt be forced?
I shame to hear thee speak. Ah, timorous wretch,
Thou hast undone235 thyself, thy son and me,
And given unto the House of York such head236
As thou shalt reign but by their sufferance237.
To entail him and his heirs unto the crown,
What is it, but to make thy sepulchre239
And creep into it far before thy time?
Warwick is chancellor and the lord of Calais,
Stern Falconbridge commands the narrow seas242,
The duke243 is made protector of the realm,
And yet shalt thou be safe? Such safety finds
The trembling lamb environed245 with wolves.
Had I been there, which am a silly246 woman,
The soldiers should have tossed me on their pikes247
Before I would have granted248 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 bed251,
Until that act of parliament be repealed
Whereby my son is disinherited.
The northern lords that have forsworn254 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.
KING HENRY VI Stay, gentle Margaret, and hear me speak.
QUEEN MARGARET Thou hast spoke too much already. Get thee gone.
KING HENRY VI Gentle son Edward, thou wilt stay with me?
QUEEN MARGARET Ay, to be murdered by his enemies.
PRINCE EDWARD When I return with victory from the field
I'll see your grace: till then I'll follow her.
QUEEN MARGARET Come, son, away. We may not linger thus.
[Exeunt Queen Margaret and Prince Edward]
KING HENRY VI Poor queen, how love to me and to her son
Hath made her break out into terms of rage.
Revenged may she be on that hateful duke,
Whose haughty spirit, winged with desire,
Will cost my crown, and like an empty271 eagle
Tire272 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 fair274.
Come, cousin you shall be the messenger.
EXETER And I, I hope, shall reconcile them all.
Flourish. Exeunt
[Act 1 Scene 2]
running scene 2
Enter Richard, Edward and Montague
RICHARD Brother, though I be youngest, give me leave1.
EDWARD No, I can better play the orator.
MONTAGUE But I have reasons strong and forcible3.
Enter the Duke of York
YORK Why, how now, sons and brother, at a strife?
What is your quarrel? How began it first?
EDWARD No quarrel, but a slight contention.
YORK About what?
RICHARD About that which concerns your grace and us:
The crown of England, father, which is yours.
YORK Mine boy? Not till King Henry be dead.
RICHARD Your right depends not on his life or death.
EDWARD Now you are heir: therefore enjoy it now.
By giving the House of Lancaster leave to breathe13,
It will outrun14 you, father, in the end.
YORK I took an oath that he should quietly15 reign.
EDWARD But for a kingdom any oath may be broken:
I would break a thousand oaths to reign one year.
RICHARD No: God forbid your grace should be forsworn18.
YORK I shall be, if I claim by open war.
RICHARD I'll prove the contrary, if you'll hear me speak.
YORK Thou canst not, son: it is impossible.
RICHARD An oath is of no moment22, being not took
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 depose26,
Your oath, my lord, is vain27 and frivolous.
Therefore to arms: and, father, do but think
How sweet a thing it is to wear a crown,
Within whose circuit is Elysium30
And all that poets feign31 of bliss and joy.
Why do we linger thus? I cannot rest
Until the white rose that I wear be dyed33
Even in the lukewarm blood of Henry's heart.
YORK Richard, enough: I will be king or die.
Brother, thou shalt to London presently36,
And whet on37 Warwick to this enterprise.
Thou, Richard, shalt to the Duke of Norfolk,
And tell him privily39 of our intent.
You Edward, shall unto my lord Cobham,
With whom the Kentishmen will willingly rise41.
In them I trust, for they are soldiers,
Witty, courteous, liberal, full of spirit43.
While you are thus employed, what resteth more44,
But that I seek occasion45 how to rise,
And yet the king not privy to my drift46,
Nor any of the House of Lancaster?
Enter a Messenger
But stay48. What news? Why com'st thou in such post?
MESSENGER The queen with all the northern earls and lords
Intend here to besiege you in your castle.
She is hard51 by with twenty thousand men,
And therefore fortify your hold52, my lord.
[Exit]
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 post55 to London.
Let noble Warwick Cobham and the rest,
Whom we have left protectors of the king,
With powerful policy58 strengthen themselves,
And trust not simple59 Henry nor his oaths.
MONTAGUE Brother, I go: I'll win them, fear it not.
And thus most humbly I do take my leave.
Exit
Enter [John]. Mortimer and his brother [Hugh]
YORK Sir John and Sir Hugh Mortimer, mine uncles,
You are come to Sandal in a happy63 hour.
The army of the queen mean to besiege us.
JOHN MORTIMER She shall not need65: we'll meet her in the field.
YORK What, with five thousand men?
RICHARD Ay, with five hundred, father, for a need67.
A woman's general: what should we fear?
A march afar off
EDWARD I hear their drums: let's set our men in order,
And issue forth and bid them battle straight70.
YORK Five men to twenty: though the odds be great,
I doubt not, uncle, of our victory.
Many a battle have I won in France,
Whenas74 the enemy hath been ten to one.
Why should I not now have the like75 success?
Alarum. Exeunt
[Act 1 Scene 3]
running scene 3
Enter Rutland and his Tutor
RUTLAND Ah, whither shall I fly to scape1 their hands?
Ah, tutor, look where bloody2 Clifford comes.
Enter Clifford [and Soldiers]
CLIFFORD Chaplain, away, thy priesthood saves thy life.
As for the brat of this accursed duke4,
Whose father slew my father, he shall die.
TUTOR And I, my lord, will bear him company.
CLIFFORD Soldiers, away with him.
TUTOR Ah, Clifford, murder not this innocent child,
Lest thou be hated both of9 God and man.
Exit [dragged off by Soldiers]
CLIFFORD How now? Is he dead already? Or is it fear
That makes him close his eyes? I'll open them.
RUTLAND So looks the pent-up12 lion o'er the wretch
That trembles under his devouring paws:
And so he walks, insulting14 o'er his prey,
And so he comes, to rend his limbs asunder15.
Ah, gentle Clifford, kill me with thy sword,
And not with such a cruel threat'ning look.
Sweet Clifford, hear me speak before I die:
I am too mean19 a subject for thy wrath.
Be thou revenged on men, and let me live.
CLIFFORD In vain thou speak'st, poor boy. My father's blood
Hath stopped the passage where thy words should enter22.
RUTLAND Then let my father's blood open it again.
He is a man, and, Clifford, cope24 with him.
CLIFFORD Had I thy brethren here, their lives and thine
Were not revenge sufficient for me.
No, if I digged up thy forefathers' graves
And hung their rotten coffins up in chains,
It could not slake29 mine ire, nor ease my heart.
The sight of any of the house of York
Is as a fury31 to torment my soul,
And till I root out their accursed line
And leave not one alive, I live in hell.
Raises his rapier