March'd through the city to the palace-gates. (12) North. No, 2) Warwick, I remember 't to my grief; And, by his soul, thou and thy house shall rue it. West. Plantagenet, of thee, and these thy sons, Thy kinsmen, and thy friends, I'll have more lives Than drops of blood were in my father's veins. Clif. Urge it no more; lest that, instead of words, I send thee, Warwick, such a messenger As shall revenge his death before I stir. War. Poor Clifford! how I scorn his worthless threats! If not, our swords shall plead it in the field. K. Hen. What title hast thou, traitor, to the crown? Thy father(13) was, as thou art, Duke of York; Thy grandfather, Roger Mortimer, earl of March: I am the son of Henry the Fifth, Who made the Dauphin and the French to stoop, And seiz'd upon their towns and provinces. War. Talk not of France, sith thou hast lost it all. When I was crown'd I was but nine months old. Rich. You're old enough now, and yet, methinks, you lose. Tear the crown, father, from th' usurper's head. Edw. Sweet father, do so; set it on your head. Mont. [to York] Good brother, 15) as thou lov'st and hon our'st arms, Let's fight it out, and not stand cavilling thus. Rich. Sound drums and trumpets, and the king will fly. K. Hen. Peace thou! and give King Henry leave to War. Plantagenet shall speak first: hear him, lords; And be you silent and attentive too, For he that interrupts him shall not live. K. Hen. Think'st thou that I will leave my kingly Wherein my grandsire and my father sat? And now in England to our heart's great sorrow— War. But(8) prove it, Henry, and thou shalt be king. K. Hen. [aside] I know not what to say; my title's weak. Tell me, may not a king adopt an heir? York. What then? K. Hen. An if he may, then am I lawful king; For Richard, in the view of many lords, Resign'd the crown to Henry the Fourth, Whose heir my father was, and I am his. York. He rose against him, being his sovereign, And made him to resign his crown perforce. War. Suppose, my lords, he did it unconstrain'd, Think you 'twere prejudicial to his crown? Exe. No; for he could not so resign his crown K. Hen. Art thou against us, Duke of Exeter? K. Hen. [aside] All will revolt from me, and turn to him. Think not that Henry shall be so depos'd. War. Depos'd he shall be, in despite of all. North. Thou art deceiv'd: 'tis not thy southern power, Of Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, nor of Kent Which makes thee thus presumptuous and proud Can set the duke up, in despite of me. Clif. King Henry, be thy title right or wrong, Lord Clifford vows to fight in thy defence: Where I shall kneel to him that slew my father! K. Hen. O Clifford, how thy words revive my heart! Or I will fill the house with armèd men, 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:- (20) Let me for this my life-time reign as king. York. Confirm the crown to me and to mine heirs, And thou shalt reign in quiet while thou liv'st. K. Hen. I am content: Richard Plantagenet, 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 despis'd! [Exeunt Northumberland, Clifford, and Westmoreland. War. Why should you sigh, my lord? K. Hen. Not for myself, Lord Warwick, 1) 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; Conditionally, 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 down, and reign thyself. York. This oath I willingly take, and will perform. War. Long live King Henry!-Plantagenet, embrace him. Exe. Accurs'd be he that seeks to make them foes! [Sennet. The Lords come forward. [Exeunt York and his Sons, Warwick, Norfolk, K. Hen. And I, with grief and sorrow, to the court. anger: I'll steal away. K. Hen. Exeter, so will I.(22) [Going. [Going. Enter Queen MARGARET and the Prince of Wales. Or nourish'd him as I did with my blood, Thou wouldst have left thy dearest heart-blood there, And disinherited thine only son. Prince. Father, you cannot disinherit me: If you be king, why should not I succeed? K. Hen. Pardon me, Margaret;-pardon me, sweet son: The Earl of Warwick and the duke enforc'd me. Q. Mar. Enforc'd thee! art thou king, and wilt be forc'd? 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, As thou shalt reign but by their sufferance. VOL. V. R T'entail him and his heirs unto the crown, 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. I'll see your grace: till then I'll follow her. Q. Mar. Come, son, away; we may not linger thus. K. Hen. Poor queen! how love to me and to her son Exe. And I, I hope, shall reconcile them all. [Exeunt. |