Henry VI (Parts I, II and III) (Signet Classics)

  I lost my liberty and they their lives.

  Long after this, when Henry the Fifth,

  Succeeding his father Bullingbrook83, did reign,

  Thy father, Earl of Cambridge then, derived

  From famous Edmund Langley, Duke of York,

  Marrying my sister that thy mother was,

  Again, in pity of my hard87 distress,

  Levied an army, weening88 to redeem

  And have installed me in the diadem89:

  But, as the rest, so fell that noble earl,

  And was beheaded. Thus the Mortimers,

  In whom the title rested, were suppressed.

  RICHARD PLANTAGENET Of which, my lord, your honour is the last.

  MORTIMER True, and thou see'st that I no issue94 have,

  And that my fainting words do warrant95 death:

  Thou art my heir; the rest I wish thee gather96:

  But yet be wary in thy studious97 care.

  RICHARD PLANTAGENET Thy grave admonishments98 prevail with me:

  But yet methinks my father's execution

  Was nothing less than bloody tyranny.

  MORTIMER With silence, nephew, be thou politic101:

  Strong-fixed is the house of Lancaster,

  And like a mountain, not to be removed.

  But now thy uncle is removing104 hence,

  As princes do their courts, when they are cloyed105

  With long continuance in a settled place.

  RICHARD PLANTAGENET O uncle, would some part of my young years

  Might but redeem the passage108 of your age.

  MORTIMER Thou dost then wrong me, as that slaughterer doth

  Which giveth many wounds when one will kill.

  Mourn not, except thou sorrow for my good111,

  Only give order112 for my funeral.

  And so farewell, and fair be all thy hopes,

  And prosperous be thy life in peace and war.

  Dies

  RICHARD PLANTAGENET And peace, no war, befall thy parting soul.

  In prison hast thou spent a pilgrimage,

  And like a hermit overpassed117 thy days.

  Well, I will lock his counsel in my breast,

  And what I do imagine, let that rest119.

  Keepers, convey him hence, and I myself

  Will see his burial better than his life.

  Exeunt [Jailers with Mortimer's body]

  Here dies the dusky122 torch of Mortimer,

  Choked with ambition of the meaner sort123.

  And for124 those wrongs, those bitter injuries,

  Which Somerset hath offered to my house125,

  I doubt not but with honour to redress.

  And therefore haste I to the parliament,

  Either to be restored to my blood128,

  Or make mine ill the advantage of my good129.

  Exit

  Act 3 Scene 1

  running scene 9

  Flourish. Enter King [Henry VI], Exeter, Gloucester, [Bishop of] Winchester, Warwick, Somerset, Suffolk, Richard Plantagenet. Gloucester offers to put up a bill: Winchester snatches it, tears it

  WINCHESTER Com'st thou with deep premeditated lines1?

  With written pamphlets studiously devised?

  Humphrey of Gloucester, if thou canst accuse,

  Or aught intend'st to lay unto my charge,

  Do it without invention, suddenly5,

  As I with sudden and extemporal6 speech

  Purpose to answer what thou canst object7.

  GLOUCESTER Presumptuous priest, this place commands my patience8,

  Or thou shouldst find thou hast dishonoured me.

  Think not, although in writing I preferred10

  The manner of thy vile11 outrageous crimes,

  That therefore I have forged12, or am not able

  Verbatim to rehearse the method of my pen.13

  No, prelate, such is thy audacious wickedness,

  Thy lewd, pestiferous and dissentious pranks15,

  As very16 infants prattle of thy pride.

  Thou art a most pernicious usurer17,

  Froward18 by nature, enemy to peace,

  Lascivious, wanton, more than well beseems19

  A man of thy profession and degree20.

  And for21 thy treachery, what's more manifest?

  In that thou laid'st a trap to take my life,

  As well at London Bridge as at the Tower.

  Beside, I fear me, if thy thoughts were sifted24,

  The king, thy sovereign, is not quite exempt

  From envious malice of thy swelling26 heart.

  WINCHESTER Gloucester, I do defy thee. Lords, vouchsafe

  To give me hearing what I shall reply.

  If I were covetous, ambitious or perverse,

  As he will have me, how am I so poor?

  Or how haps31 it I seek not to advance

  Or raise myself, but keep my wonted32 calling?

  And for dissension, who preferreth peace

  More than I do? -- Except34 I be provoked.

  No, my good lords, it is not that35 offends:

  It is not that that hath incensed the Duke:

  It is because no one should sway37 but he,

  No one but he should be about38 the king:

  And that engenders thunder in his breast

  And makes him roar these accusations forth.

  But he shall know I am as good--

  GLOUCESTER As good?

  Thou bastard43 of my grandfather.

  WINCHESTER Ay, lordly sir: for what are you, I pray,

  But one imperious45 in another's throne?

  GLOUCESTER Am I not Protector, saucy46 priest?

  WINCHESTER And am not I a prelate of the Church?

  GLOUCESTER Yes, as an outlaw in a castle keeps48

  And useth it to patronage49 his theft.

  WINCHESTER Unreverent Gloucester.

  GLOUCESTER Thou art reverent51

  Touching thy spiritual function52, not thy life.

  WINCHESTER Rome53 shall remedy this.

  WARWICK Roam thither then.

  To Gloucester

  My lord, it were your duty to forbear55.

  SOMERSET Ay, see the bishop be not overborne56.

  To Winchester

  Methinks my lord should be religious

  And know the office that belongs to such58.

  WARWICK Methinks his lordship59 should be humbler:

  It fitteth not a prelate so to plead.

  SOMERSET Yes, when his holy state is touched so near61.

  WARWICK State holy or unhallowed, what of that?

  Is not his grace Protector to the king?

  Aside

  RICHARD PLANTAGENET Plantagenet, I see, must hold his tongue,

  Lest it be said 'Speak, sirrah65, when you should:

  Must your bold verdict enter talk with lords?'

  Else would I have a fling67 at Winchester.

  KING HENRY VI Uncles of Gloucester and of Winchester,

  The special watchmen of our English weal69,

  I would prevail, if prayers might prevail,

  To join your hearts in love and amity.

  O what a scandal is it to our crown,

  That two such noble peers as ye should jar73!

  Believe me, lords, my tender years74 can tell

  Civil dissension is a viperous worm75

  That gnaws the bowels76 of the commonwealth.

  A noise within: 'Down with the tawny-coats!'

  What tumult's this?

  WARWICK An uproar, I dare warrant,

  Begun through malice of the Bishop's men.

  A noise again: 'Stones, stones!' Enter Mayor [of London]

  MAYOR O my good lords, and virtuous Henry,

  Pity the city of London, pity us!

  The Bishop and the Duke of Gloucester's men,

  Forbidden late83 to carry any weapon,

  Have filled their pockets full of pebble stones

  And, banding themselves in con
trary parts85,

  Do pelt so fast at one another's pate86

  That many have their giddy87 brains knocked out:

  Our windows are broke down in every street,

  And we, for fear, compelled to shut our shops.

  Enter [Servingmen] in skirmish with bloody pates

  KING HENRY VI We charge you, on allegiance to ourself,

  To hold your slaught'ring hands and keep the peace.

  Pray, uncle Gloucester, mitigate92 this strife.

  FIRST SERVINGMAN Nay, if we be forbidden stones, we'll fall to it with our teeth.

  SECOND SERVINGMAN Do what ye dare, we are as94 resolute.

  Skirmish again

  GLOUCESTER You of my household, leave this peevish95 broil

  And set this unaccustomed fight aside.

  THIRD SERVINGMAN My lord, we know your grace to be a man

  Just and upright and, for your royal birth,

  Inferior to none but to his majesty:

  And ere that we will suffer100 such a prince,

  So kind a father of the commonweal,

  To be disgraced by an inkhorn mate102,

  We and our wives and children all will fight

  And have our bodies slaughtered by thy foes.

  FIRST SERVINGMAN Ay, and the very parings105 of our nails

  Shall pitch a field106 when we are dead.

  Begin again

  GLOUCESTER Stay, stay, I say!

  And if you love me, as you say you do,

  Let me persuade you to forbear awhile.

  KING HENRY VI O how this discord doth afflict my soul!

  Can you, my lord of Winchester, behold

  My sighs and tears and will not once relent?

  Who should be pitiful, if you be not?

  Or who should study to prefer114 a peace,

  If holy churchmen take delight in broils?

  WARWICK Yield, my Lord Protector, yield, Winchester:

  Except you mean with obstinate repulse117

  To slay your sovereign and destroy the realm.

  You see what mischief119 and what murder too

  Hath been enacted through your enmity:

  Then be at peace, except ye thirst for blood.

  WINCHESTER He shall submit, or I will never yield.

  GLOUCESTER Compassion on the king commands me stoop,

  Or I would see his124 heart out, ere the priest

  Should ever get that privilege of125 me.

  WARWICK Behold, my lord of Winchester, the duke

  Hath banished moody127 discontented fury,

  As by his smoothed brows it doth appear:

  Why look you still so stern and tragical129?

  Winchester turns away To Winchester

  GLOUCESTER Here, Winchester, I offer thee my hand.

  KING HENRY VI Fie, uncle Beaufort! I have heard you preach

  That malice was a great and grievous sin:

  And will not you maintain the thing you teach,

  But prove a chief offender in the same?

  WARWICK Sweet king: the bishop hath a kindly gird135.

  For shame, my lord of Winchester, relent:

  What, shall a child instruct you what to do?

  WINCHESTER Well, Duke of Gloucester, I will yield to thee

  Love for thy love and hand for hand I give.

  Aside

  GLOUCESTER Ay, but I fear me with a hollow140 heart.--

  To the others

  See here, my friends and loving countrymen,

  This token142 serveth for a flag of truce

  Betwixt ourselves and all our followers:

  So help me God, as I dissemble144 not.

  Aside

  WINCHESTER So help me God,-- as I intend it not.

  KING HENRY VI O loving uncle, kind Duke of Gloucester,

  How joyful am I made by this contract147.--

  Away, my masters148, trouble us no more,

  But join in friendship, as your lords have done.

  FIRST SERVINGMAN Content: I'll to the surgeon's150.

  SECOND SERVINGMAN And so will I.

  THIRD SERVINGMAN And I will see what physic152 the tavern affords.

  Exeunt [the Mayor and Servingmen]

  WARWICK Accept this scroll, most gracious sovereign,

  Which in the right of Richard Plantagenet

  We do exhibit155 to your majesty.

  GLOUCESTER Well urged, my lord of Warwick -- for sweet prince,

  And if your grace mark every circumstance157,

  You have great reason to do Richard right,

  Especially for those occasions159

  At Eltham Place I told your majesty.

  KING HENRY VI And those occasions, uncle, were of force161:

  Therefore, my loving lords, our pleasure is

  That Richard be restored to his blood163.

  WARWICK Let Richard be restored to his blood;

  So shall his father's wrongs165 be recompensed.

  WINCHESTER As will the rest, so willeth Winchester.

  KING HENRY VI If Richard will be true, not that alone

  But all the whole inheritance I give

  That doth belong unto the House of York,

  From whence you spring by lineal descent.

  RICHARD PLANTAGENET Thy humble servant vows obedience

  And humble service till the point of death.

  Richard kneels

  KING HENRY VI Stoop then and set your knee against my foot,

  And, in reguerdon174 of that duty done,

  I gird175 thee with the valiant sword of York:

  Rise Richard, like a true Plantagenet,

  And rise created princely177 Duke of York.

  Plantagenet is henceforth known as Richard Duke of York

  RICHARD DUKE OF YORK And so thrive Richard as thy foes may fall:

  And as my duty springs, so perish they

  That grudge one thought180 against your majesty.

  ALL Welcome, high prince, the mighty Duke of York!

  Aside

  SOMERSET Perish, base prince, ignoble Duke of York!

  GLOUCESTER Now will it best avail your majesty

  To cross the seas and to be crowned in France:

  The presence of a king engenders love

  Amongst his subjects and his loyal friends,

  As it disanimates187 his enemies.

  KING HENRY VI When Gloucester says the word, King Henry goes,

  For friendly counsel cuts off many foes.

  GLOUCESTER Your ships already are in readiness.

  Sennet. Flourish

  Exeunt all but Exeter

  EXETER Ay, we may march in England or in France,

  Not seeing what is likely to ensue:

  This late dissension grown betwixt the peers

  Burns under feigned ashes of forged194 love,

  And will at last break out into a flame:

  As festered members rot but by degree196,

  Till bones and flesh and sinews fall away,

  So will this base and envious198 discord breed.

  And now I fear that fatal prophecy

  Which, in the time of Henry named the Fifth,

  Was in the mouth of every sucking babe:

  That Henry born at Monmouth202 should win all

  And Henry born at Windsor203 lose all:

  Which is so plain that Exeter doth wish

  His days may finish ere that hapless205 time.

  Exit

  Act 3 Scene 2

  running scene 10

  Enter [Joan la] Pucelle disguised, with four [French] Soldiers with sacks upon their backs

  PUCELLE These are the city gates, the gates of Rouen,

  Through which our policy2 must make a breach.

  Take heed, be wary how you place your words:

  Talk like the vulgar4 sort of market men

  That come to gather money for their corn.

  If we have entrance, as I hope we shall,

  And that7 we find the slothful watch but
weak,

  I'll by a sign give notice to our friends,

  That Charles the Dauphin may encounter9 them.

  FIRST SOLDIER Our sacks shall be a mean10 to sack the city,

  And we be11 lords and rulers over Rouen:

  Therefore we'll knock.

  [They] knock

  Within

  WATCH. Qui la13?

  PUCELLE. Paysans, la pauvre gens de France:14

  Poor market folks that come to sell their corn.

  opening the gates

  WATCH Enter, go in: the market bell is rung.

  PUCELLE Now, Rouen, I'll shake thy bulwarks to the ground.

  Exeunt

  Enter Charles, [the] Bastard [of Orleans], Alencon, [Reignier, and forces]

  CHARLES Saint Denis bless this happy18 stratagem,

  And once again we'll sleep secure in Rouen.

  BASTARD Here entered Pucelle and her practisants20:

  Now she is there, how will she specify

  Here is the best and safest passage in?

  REIGNIER By thrusting out a torch from yonder tower,

  Which, once discerned, shows that her meaning is,

  No way to that, for weakness, which she entered25.

  Enter [Joan la] Pucelle on the top, thrusting out a torch burning

  PUCELLE Behold, this is the happy wedding torch26

  That joineth Rouen unto her countrymen,

  But burning fatal to the Talbonites!

  BASTARD See, noble Charles, the beacon of our friend:

  The burning torch in yonder turret stands.

  CHARLES Now shine it31 like a comet of revenge,

  A prophet to32 the fall of all our foes!

  REIGNIER Defer no time, delays have dangerous ends:

  Enter and cry, 'The dauphin!', presently34,

  And then do execution on the watch35.

  Alarum [Exeunt]

  An alarum. [Enter] Talbot in an excursion