Exe. He is the right, and therefore pardon me. War. Deposed he shall be, in despite of all. North. Thou art deceived: 'tis not thy southern power, Which makes thee thus presumptuous and proud,- Clif. King Henry, be thy title right or wrong, Lord Clifford vows to fight in thy defence: K. Hen. O Clifford, how thy words revive my heart! And, o'er the chair of state where now he sits, [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, Clif. What wrong is this unto the prince your son? Clif. Come, cousin, let us tell the queen these news. 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 despised! [Exeunt NORTHUMBERLAND, CLIFFORD, and WESTMORELAND. War. Turn this way, Henry, and regard them not. Ere. 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, Whom I unnaturally shall disinherit. But, be it as it may:-I here entail The crown to thee and to thine heirs for ever; To honour me as thy king and sovereign; [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 reconciled. Exe. Accursed 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. Mont. And I unto the sea, from whence I came. [Exeunt YORK, and his Sons, WARWICK, NORFOLK, MONTAGUE, Soldiers, and Attendants. K. Hen. And I, with grief and sorrow, to the court. Enter QUEEN MARGARET and the Prince of WALES. Exe. Here comes the queen, whose looks bewray * her anger: I'll steal away. K. Hen. Exeter, so will I. Q. Mar. Nay, go not from me, I will follow thee. Thou wouldst have left thy dearest heart blood there, Prince. Father, you cannot disinherit me: If you be king, why should not I succeed? [Going. K. Hen. Pardon me, Margaret;-pardon me, sweet son; The earl of Warwick, and the duke, enforced me. Q. Mar. Enforced thee! art thou king, and wilt be forced? I shame to hear thee speak. Ah, timorous wretch! Thou hast undone thyself, thy son, and me; And given unto the house of York such head, * Disclose. EX The trembling lamb, environed with wolves. But thou preferr'st thy life before thine honour: The northern lords, that have forsworn thy colours, Thus do I leave thee:-Come, son, let's away; K. Hen. Stay, gentle Margaret, and hear me speak. Q Mar. Thou hast spoke too much already; get thee gone. 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. Exe. And I, I hope, shall reconcile them all. [Exeunt. SCENE II.-A Room in Sandal Castle, near Wakefield, in Yorkshire. Enter EDWARD, RICHARD, and MONTAGUE. Rich. Brother, though I be youngest, give me leave. Mont. But I have reasons strong and forcible. Enter YORK. Fork. Why, how now, sons and brother, at a strife" Edw. No quarrel, but a slight contention. York. About what? Rich. About that which concerns your grace and us; The crown of England, father, which is yours. * Peck. Rich. Your right depends not on his life, or death. York. I took an oath, that he should quietly reign. I'd break a thousand oaths, to reign one year. Rich. No; God forbid, your grace should be forsworn. Y York. I shall be, if I claim by open war. Rich. I'll prove the contrary, if you'll hear me speak. York. Thou canst not, son; it is impossible. Rich. An oath is of no moment, being not took Before a true and lawful magistrate, That hath authority over him that swears: And all that poets feign of bliss and joy. Even in the lukewarm blood of Henry's heart. York. Richard, enough; I will be king, or die.- You, Edward, shall unto my lord Cobham, Witty and courteous, liberal, full of spirit. While you are thus employ'd, what resteth more, And yet the king not privy to my drift, Nor any of the house of Lancaster. Enter a MESSENGER. But, stay; What news? Why com'st thou in such post? She is hard by with twenty thousand men ; And therefore fortify your hold, my lord. 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 post to London: * Wise. T With powerful policy strengthen themselves, Enter SIR JOHN and SIR HUGH MORTIMER. The army of the queen mean to besiege us. Sir John. She shall not need, we'll meet her in the field. Rich. Ay, with five hundred, father, for a need. A woman's general; What should we fear? [Exit. A march afar off. Edw. I hear their drums; let's set our men in order; And issue forth, and bid them battle straight. 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, When as the enemy hath been ten to one; Why should I not now have the like success? [Alarum. Exeunt. SCENE III-Plains near Sandal Castle. Alarums: Excursions. Enter RUTLAND, and his TUTOR. Rut. Ah, whither shall I fly to 'scape their hands! Ah, tutor! look where bloody Clifford comes! Enter CLIFFORD, and Soldiers. Clif. Chaplain, away! thy priesthood saves thy life. As for the brat of this accursed duke, Whose father slew my father, he shall die. Tut. And I, my lord, will bear him company. Tut. Ah, Clifford! murder not this innocent child, [Exit, forced off by Soldiers. Clif. How now! is he dead already? Or, is it fear, That makes him close his eyes ?-I'll open them. Rut. So looks the pent-up lion o'er the wretch That trembles under his devouring paws: And so he walks, insulting o'er his prey; And so he comes to rend his limbs asunder.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 mean a subject for thy wrath, Be thou revenged on men, and let me live. Clif. In vain thou speak'st, poor boy; my father's blood Hath stopp'd the passage where thy words should enter. Rut. Then let my father's blood open it again; He is a man, and, Clifford, cope with him. |