KING HENRY THE SIXTH. LEWIS XI., King of France. DUKE OF SOMERSET, DUKE OF EXETER, EARL OF OXFord, EARL OF NORTHUMBERLAND, EARL OF WESTMORELAND, LORD CLIFFORD, on King Henry's side. RICHARD PLANTAGENET, Duke of York. EDMUND, Earl of Rutland, GEORGE, afterwards Duke of Clarence, MARQUESS OF MONTAGUE, EARL OF WARWICK, EARL OF PEMBROKE, LORD STAFFORD, SIR JOUGH MORTIMER, } his Sons. of the Duke of Uncles to the Duke of HENRY, Earl of Richmond, a Youth. LORD RIVERS, Brother to Lady Grey. SIR WILLIAM STANLEY. SIR JOHN MONTGOMERY. SIR JOHN SOMERVILLE. Tutor to Rutland. Mayor of York. Lieutenant of the Tower. A Nobleman. Two Keepers. A Huntsman. A Son that has killed his Father. A Father that has killed his Son. QUEEN MARGARET. LADY GREY, afterwards Queen to Edward IV. Soldiers, and other Attendants on King Henry and King Edward, Messengers, Watchmen, &c. SCENE, during part of the Third Act, in France; during the rest of the Play in England. Rich. Thus do I hope to shake king Henry's head. War. And so do I.-Victorious prince of York, Before I see thee seated in that throne, 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. York. Thanks, gentle Norfolk.-Stay by me, my lords: 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 parlia ment, 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 house. War. The bloody parliament shall this be call'd, 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 dares.Resolve thee, Richard; claim the English crown. [WARWICK leads YORK to the Throne, who seats himself. [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, 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 you have vow'd revenge 1 An allusion to the falcon. On him, his sons, his favourites, and his friends. North. If I be not, heavens be reveng'd on me! 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. North. Well hast thou spoken, cousin: be it so. 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 quickly fly. K. Hen. Far be the thought of this from Henry's heart, To make a shambles of the parliament-house! 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: Exe. For shame! come down: he made thee duke of York. York. 'T was my inheritance, as the earldom' was. In following this usurping Henry. Clif. Whom should he follow, but his natural king? War. True, Clifford ; that is 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. War. Be duke of Lancaster: let him be king. West. He is both king and duke of Lancaster; And that the lord of Westmoreland shall maintain. War. And Warwick shall disprove it. You forget, That we are those which chas'd you from the field, And slew your fathers, and with colours spread The "True Tragedy of Richard, Duke of York," the old play on which this drama was founded, has kingdom. 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 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. York. Will you, we show our title to the crown? 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 March. Who made the Dauphin and the French to stoop, War. Talk not of France, sith thou hast lost it all. Father, tear the crown from the usurper's head. Let's fight it out, and not stand cavilling thus. [fly. K. Hen. Peace thou, and give king Henry leave to speak. 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 throne, Wherein my grandsire, and my father, sat? Ay, and their colours-often borne in France, |