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Outcast of Naples, England's bloody scourge! What, wilt thou on thy death-bed play the The sons of York, thy betters in their birth, Shall be their father's bail; and bane to those That for my surety will refuse the boys! Enter Edward and Richard Plantagenet, with forces at one side; at the other, with forces also, Old Clifford and his son.

See where they come: I'll warrant they'll make it good. [their bail. Q. Mar. And here comes Clifford, to deny Clif. [Kneeling.] Health and all happiness to my lord the king!

York. I thank thee, Clifford: say, .what news with thee?

Nay, do not fright us with an angry look :
We are thy sov reign, Clifford, kneel again;
For thy mistaking so, we pardon thee.
Clif. This is my king, York, I do not mis-
(do:-

take

But thou mistak'st me much, to think I To Bedlam with him! is the man grown mad? K. Hen. Ay, Clifford; a Bedlam and ambitious humour

Makes him oppose himself against his king. Clif. He is a traitor; let him to the Tower, And chop away that factious pate of his.

Q. Mar. He is arrested, but will not obey; His sons, he says, shall give their words for

him.

[serve.

York. Will you not, sons?
Edw. Ay, noble father, if our words will
Rich. And if words will not, then our wea-
pons shall.

[here!

Clif. Why, what a brood of traitors have we York. Look in a glass, and call thy image so:, I am thy king, and thou a false-heart traitor.Call hither to the stake my two brave bears, That with the very shaking of their chains They may astonish these fell lurking curs: Bid Salisbury, and Warwick, come to me. Drums. Enter Warwick and Salisbury, with forces.

Clif. Are these thy bears? we'll bait thy bears to death,

And manacle the bear-ward in their chains,
If thou dar'st bring them to the baiting-place.
Rich. Oft have I seen a hot o'erweening cur
Run back and bite, because he was withheld;
Who, being suffer'd with the bear's fell paw,
Hath clapp'd his tail between his legs, and
cried :

And such a piece of service will you do,

And seek for sorrow with thy spectacles?—
O, where is faith? O, where is loyalty?
If it be banish'd from the frosty head,
Where shall it find a harbour in the earth ?--
Wilt thou go dig a grave to find out war,
And shame thine honourable age with blood?
Why art thou old, and want'st experience?
Or wherefore dost abuse it, if thou hast it?
For shame! in duty bend thy knee to me,
That bows unto the grave with mikcle age.

Sal. My lord, I have consider'd with myself
The title of this most renowned duke;
And in my conscience do repute his grace
The rightful heir to England's royal seat.
K. Hen. Hast thou not sworn allegiance
unto me?

Sal. I have. [for such an oath? K. Hen. Canst thou dispense with heaven Sal. It is a great sin to swear unto a sin; But greater sin to keep a sinful oath. Who can be bound by any solemn vow To do a murd 'rous deed, to rob a man, To force a spotless virgin's chastity, To reave the orphan of his patrimony, To wring the widow from her custom'd right; And have no other reason for this wrong, But that he was bound by a solemn oath? Q. Mar. A subtle traitor needs no sophister. K. Hen. Call Buckingham, and bid him arm himself.

I

York. Call Buckingham, and all the friends am resoiv'd for death, or dignity. [thou hast; Clif. The first I warrant thee, if dreams prove true.

War. You were best to go to bed and dream again,

To keep thee from the tempest of the field.

Clif. I am resolv'd to bear a greater storm, Than any thou canst conjure up to-day; And that I'll write upon thy burgonet, Might I but know thee by thy household badge. War. Now, by my father's badge, old

Nevil's crest,

The rampant bear chain'd to the ragged staff,
This day I'll wear aloft my burgonet,
(As on a mountain-top the cedar shows,
That keeps his leaves in spite of any storm,)
Even to affright thee with the view thereof.
Clif. And from thy burgonet I'll rend thy
bear,

If you oppose yourselves to match lord War-And tread it under-foot with all contempt,

wick.

[lump, Clif. Hence, heap of wrath, foul indigested As crooked in thy manners as thy shape! York. Nay, we shall heat you thoroughly|

anon.

Clif. Take heed, lest by your heat you burn yourselves.

K. Hen. Why, Warwick, hath thy knee forgot to bow?—

Old Salisbury,-shame to thy silver hair, Thou mad misleader of thy brain-sick son !—

Despite the bear-ward that protects the bear.
Y. Clif. And so to arms, victorious father,
To quell the rebels, and their 'complices.
Rich. Fie! charity, for shame! speak not
in spite,

For you shall sup with Jesu Christ to-night.
Y. Clif. Foul stigmatick, that's more than

thou canst tell.

Rich. If not in heaven, you'll surely sup in hell. [Exeunt severally.

SCENE II.-St. Albans.

Alarums: Excursions. Enter Warwick. War. Clifford of Cumberland, 'tis Warwick calls!

And if thou dost not hide thee from the bear, Now, when the angry trumpet sounds alarm, And dead men's cries do fill the empty air,Clifford, I say, come forth and fight with me! Proud northern lord, Clifford of Cumberland, Warwick is hoarse with calling thee to arms. Enter York.

How now, my noble lord! what, all a-foot? York. The deadly-handed Clifford slew my steed;

But match to match I have encounter'd him, And made a prey for carrion kites and crows Even of the bonny beast he lov'd so well. Enter Old Clifford.

War. Of one or both of us the time is come. York. Hold, Warwick, seek thee out some other chase,

For I myself must hunt this deer to death. War. Then, nobly, York; 'tis for a crown thou fight'st.

As I intend, Clifford, to thrive to-day,
It grieves my soul to leave thee unassail'd.

[Exit. Clif. What seest thou in me, York? why dost thou pause? [in love, York. With thy brave bearing should I be But that thou art so fast mine enemy.

Clif. Nor should thy prowess want praise and esteem,

But that 'tis shown ignobly, and in treason. York. So let it help me now against thy sword,

As I in justice and true right express it!

Clif. My soul and body on the action both? York. A dreadful lay!-address thee inClif. La fin couronne les œuvres. [stantly. [They fight, and Clifford falls and dies. York. Thus war hath given thee peace, for thou art still.

Peace with his soul, heaven, if it be thy will! [Exit.

Enter Young Clifford.

Y. Clif. Shame and confusion! all is on the rout;

Fear frames disorder, and disorder wounds Where it should guard. O war, thou son of hell,

Whom angry heavens do make their minister,
Throw in the frozen bosoms of our part
Hot coals of vengeance !-Let no soldier fly:
He that is truly dedicate to war,
Hath no self-love; nor he, that loves himself,
Hath not essentially, but by circumstance,
The name of valour.--- [Seeing his father.
O, let the vile world end,
And the premised flames of the last day
Knit heaven and earth together!
Now let the general trumpet blow his blast,
Particularities and petty sounds

To cease!-Wast thou ordain'd, dear father,
To lose thy youth in peace, and to achieve
The silver livery of advised age,
[thus
And, in thy reverence, and thy chair-days,
To die in ruffian battle ?-Even at this sight,
My heart is turn'd to stone and while 'tis
mine,
[spares ;
It shall be stony. York not our old men
No more will I their babes: tears virginal
Shall be to me even as the dew to fire;
And beauty, that the tyrant oft reclaims,
Shall to my flaming wrath be oil and flax.
Henceforth I will not have to do with pity:
Meet I an infant of the house of York,
Into as many gobbets will I cut it,
As wild Medea young Absyrtus did:
In cruelty will I seek out my fame.
Come, thou new ruin of old Clifford's house
[Taking up the body.

As did Æneas old Anchises bear,
So bear I thee upon my manly shoulders;
But then, Æneas bare a living load,
Nothing so heavy as these woes of mine.[Exit.
Enter Richard Plantagenet and Somerset,
fighting; Somerset is killed.

Rich. So, lie thou there;

For underneath an alehouse' paltry sign,
The Castle in St. Albans, Somerset
Hath made the wizard famous in his death.
Sword, hold thy temper; heart, be wrathful
still:

Priests pray for enemies, but princes kill.

[Exit. Alarums: Excursions. Enter King Henry, Queen Margaret, and others, retreating. Q. Mar. Away, my lord! you are slow; for shame, away!

K. Hen. Can we outrun the heavens ? good

Margaret, stay. [nor fight, nor fly: Q. Mar. What are you made of? you'll Now is it manhood, wisdom, and defence, To give the enemy way; and to secure us By what we can, which can no more but fly. [Alarum afar off. If you be ta'en, we then should see the bottom Of all our fortunes: but if we haply 'scape, (As well we may, if not through your neglect,) We shall to London get: where you are lov'd; And where this breach, now in our fortunes May readily be stopp'd. [made,

Re-enter Young Clifford. Y. Clif. But that my heart's on future mischief set,

I would speak blasphemy ere bid you fly :
But fly you must; uncurable discomfit
Reigns in the hearts of all our present parts.
Away, for your relief! and we will live
To see their day, and them our fortune give:
Away, my lord, away!
[Exeunt.

SCENE III.-Field near St. Albans. Alarum: Retreat. Flourish then enter York, Richard Plantagenet, Warwick, and Soldiers, with drum and colours.

to-day

You have defended me from imminent death. Well, lords, we have not got that which we have:

York. Of Salisbury, who can report of him; And it hath pleas'd him, that three times That winter lion, who in rage forgets Agèd contusions and all brush of time, And, like a gallant in the brow of youth, Repairs him with occasion? this happy day Is not itself, nor have we won one foot, If Salisbury be lost.

Rich.

My noble father,
Three times to-day I holp him to his horse,
Three times bestrid him, thrice I led him off,
Persuaded him from any further act : [him;
But still, where danger was, still there I met
And like rich hangings in a homely house,
So was his will in his old feeble body.
But, noble as he is, look where he comes.
Enter Salisbury.

Sal. Now, by my sword, well hast thou
fought to-day;
[Richard
By the mass, so did we all.-I thank you,
God knows how long it is I have to live;

'Tis not enough our foes are this time fled,
Being opposites of such repairing nature.

York. I know our safety is to follow them;
For, as I hear, the king is fled to London,
To call a present court of parliament.
Let us pursue him, ere the writs go forth
What says Lord Warwick? shall we after
[can.

them?

War. After them! nay, before them, if we
Now, by my hand, lords, 'twas a glorious day:
St. Albans battle, won by famous York,
Shall be eterniz'd in all age to come.— [all:
Sound, drums and trumpets :-and to London
And more such days as these to us befall!

[Exeunt.

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Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York.
Edward, Earl of March, after-\

wards King Edward IV.,

Edmund, Earl of Rutland,

Uncles to the Duke of

York.

Henry, Earl of Richmond, a Youth.
Lord Rivers, Brother to Lady Grey.
Sir William Stanley.

Sir John Somerville.

Tutor to Rutland.
Mayor of York.

Lieutenant of the Tower.

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George, afterwards Duke of Clar- his Sons. A Father that has killed his Son.

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SCENE, During part of the Third Act, in France; during the rest of the Play, in England.

ACT I.

| York. While we pursued the horsemen of the north,

SCENE I.--London. The Parliament-House..

in.

He slily stole away, and left his men ; Drums. Some Soldiers of York's party break Whereat the great lord of Northumberland, Then, enter the Duke of York, Ed- Whose warlike ears could never brook retreat, ward, Richard, Norfolk, Montague, War- Cheer'd up the drooping army; and himself, wick, and others, with white roses in their Lord Clifford, and lord Stafford, all a-breast, hats. Charg'd our main battle's front, and, breaking

War. I wonder how the king escap'd our hands.

in,

Were by the swords of common soldiers slain.

Edw. Lord Stafford's father, duke of Buck-
ingham,

Is either slain, or wounded dangerous;
I cleft his beaver with a downright blow:
That this is true, father, behold his blood.

(Back'd by the power of Warwick, that false
peer)

To aspire unto the crown, and reign as king.
Earl of Northumberland, he slew thy father;
And thine, lord Clifford; and you both have
vow'd revenge

[Showing his bloody sword. Mont. And, brother, here's the earl of Wilt-On shire's blood. [To York, showing his. Whom I encounter'd as the battles join'd. Rich. Speak thou for me, and tell them what I did.

[Throwing down the Duke of Somerset's

head.
[sons.
York. Richard hath best deserv'd of all my
But, is your grace dead, my lord of Somerset?
Norf. Such hope have all the line of John of
Gaunt !
[head.
Rich. Thus do I hope to shake king Henry's
War. And so do I, victorious prince of
Before I see thee seated in that throne [York.
Which now the house of Lancaster usurps,
I vow by heaven these eyes shall never close.
This is the palace of the fearful king,
And this the regal seat: possess it, York;
For this is thine, and not king Henry's heirs'.
York. Assist me, then, sweet Warwick, and

I will;

For hither we have broken in by force.

Norf. We'll all assist you, he that flies shall die. [me, my lords ;Yorks. Thanks, gentle Norfolk :-stay by And, soldiers, stay, and lodge by me this night. War. And when the king comes, offer him no violence,

Unless he seek to thrust you out by force.

(They retire.

York. The queen, this day, here holds her parliament,

house.

But little thinks we shall 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
[call'd,
War. The bloody parliament shall this be
Unless Plantagenet, duke of York, be king,
And bashful Henry depos'd, whose cowardice
Hath made us by-words to our enemies.

York. Then leave me not, my lords; be
resolute;

I mean to take possession of my right.

War. Neither the king, nor he that loves him best,

The proudest he that holds up Lancaster, Dares stir a wing, if Warwick shake his bells. I'll plant Plantagenet, root him up who [crown. Resolve thee, Richard; claim the English [War. leads York to the throne, who seats himself.

dares :

Flourish. Enter King Henry, Clifford, Northumberland, Westmoreland, Exeter, and others, with red roses in their hats.

K. Hen. My lords, look where the sturdy rebel sits,

Even in the chair of state! belike he means

him, his sons, his favourites, and his friends. North. If I be not, heavens be reveng'd on me! [mourn in steel.

Clif. The hope thereof makes Clifford West. What, shall we suffer this? let's pluck him down :

My

heart for anger burns; I cannot brook it. K. Hen. Be patient, gentle earl of Westmoreland.

Clif. Patience is for poltroons, such as he :
He durst not sit there, had your father liv'd.
My gracious lord, here in the parliament
Let us assail the family of York.
[it so.
North. Well hast thou spoken, cousin: be
K. Hen. Ah, know you not the city favours
them,

And they have troops of soldiers at their beck?
Exe. But when the duke is slain, they'll
[Henry's heart,

quickly fly.

K. Hen. Far be the thought of this from
To make a shambles of the parliament house!
Cousin of Exeter, frowns, words, and threats,
Shall be the war that Henry means to use.
[They advance to the Duke.
Thou factious duke of York, descend my
throne,

And kneel for grace and mercy at my feet;
I am thy sovereign.

I am thine.

York.
Exe. For shame, come down: he made thee
duke of York.

[was.
York. 'Twas my inheritance, as the earldom
Exe. Thy father was a traitor to the crown.
War. Exeter, thou art a traitor to the crown
In following this usurping Henry. [king?
Clif. Whom should be follow but his natural
War. True, Clifford ; and that's Richard,
duke of York.

K. Hen. And shall I stand, and thou sit in my throne?

York. It must and shall be so: content thyself. [king. War. Be duke of Lancaster; let him be West. He is both king and duke of Lançaster; [maintain. And that the lord of Westmoreland shall War. And Warwick shall disprove it. You

forget [field, That we are those which chas'd you from the And slew your fathers, and with colours spread March'd through the city to the palace gates.

North. Yes, Warwick, I remember it to my

grief;

And, by his soul, thou and thy house shall rue it. West. Plantagenet, of thee, and these thy [lives

sons,

Thy kinsmen, and thy friends, I'll have more
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!

[crown?
York. Will you we show our title to the
If not, our swords shall plead it in the field.
K. Hen. What title hast thou, traitor, to the
crown?

Thy father was, as thou art, duke of York;
Thy grandfather, Roger Mortimer, earl of
I am the son of Henry the fifth, [March:
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.

K. Hen. The lord protector lost it, and not I: When I was crown'd, I was but nine months old. [thinks, you lose

Exe. No; for he could not so resign his

crown,

But that the next heir should succeed and reign.
K. Hen. Art thou against us, duke of Exeter?
Exe. His is the right, and therefore pardon
[swer not?

me.

York. Why whisper you, my lords, and anExe. My conscience tells me he is lawful king.

K. Hen. [Aside] All will revolt from me, and turn to him. [lay'st, North. Plantagenet, for all the claim thou 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, Rich. You are old enough now, and yet, me-Lord Clifford vows to fight in thy defence: Father, tear the crown from the usurper's head. May that ground gape, and swallow me alive, Edw. Sweet father, do so; set it on your Where I shall kneel to him that slew my father! head. K. Hen. O Clifford, how thy words revive my heart! [crown.-York. Henry of Lancaster, resign thy What mutter you, or what conspire you, lords? War. Do right unto this princely duke of York;

Mont. [To York] Good brother, as thou
lov'st and honour'st arms,
Let's fight it out, and not stand cavilling thus.
Rich. Sound drums and trumpets, and the
York. Sons, peace!
{king will fly.
K. Hen. Peace thou! and give king Henry
leave to speak.

War. Plantagenet shall speak first: hear
And be you silent and attentive too,
For he that interrupts him shall not live.

Or I will fill the house with armèd men, [him, lords; And o'er the chair of state, where now he sits, Write up his title with usurping blood. [He stamps, and the Soldiers show themselves. Lone word :K. Hen. My lord of Warwick, hear me but Let me for this my life-time reign as king. York. Confirm the crown to me, and to mine heirs,

K. Hen. Think'st thou, that I will leave my
kingly throne,

Wherein my grandsire and my father sat?
No; first shall war unpeople this my realm;
Ay, and their colours,-often borne in France,
And now in England, to our heart's great sor-
[lords?
Shall be my winding-sheet. Why faint you,
My title's good, and better far than his.

row,

War. But prove it, Henry, and thou shalt be king.

K. Hen. Henry the fourth by conquest got the crown.

York. 'Twas by rebellion against his king. K. Hen [Aside.] I know not what to say: my title's weak.

[Aloud. Tell me, may not a king adopt an
York. What then?
heir?
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 sove-
reign,

And made him to resign his crown perforce.
War. Suppose, my lords, he did it uncon-

strain'd,

Think you, 'twere prejudicial to his crown?

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