War. Plantagenet shall speak first :-hear him, lords; And be you silent and attentive too, For he, that interrupts him, shall not live. [throne, K. Hen. Think'st thou, that I will leave my kingly 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 sorrow,Shall be my winding-sheet.-Why faint you, lords? My title's good, and better far than his. 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. I know not what to say; my title's weak. K. Hen. An if he may, then am I lawful king: York. He rose against him, being his sovereign, 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, 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 me. York. Why whisper you, my lords, and answer not? Exe. My conscience tells me he is lawful king. K. Hen. All will revolt from me, and turn to him. North. Plantagenet, for all the claim thou lay'st, 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. Cliff. King Henry, be thy title right or wrong, Lord Clifford vows to fight in thy defence: heart! May that ground gape, and swallow me alive, 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 life-time, reign as king. York. Confirm the crown to me, and to mine heirs, Cliff. What wrong is this unto the prince your son? North. Nor I. Cliff. Come, cousin, let us tell the queen these news. West. Farewell, faint-hearted and degenerate king, In whose cold blood no spark of honour bides. North. Be thou a prey unto the house of York, And die in bands for this unmanly deed! Cliff. In dreadful war may'st thou be overcome! Or live in peace, abandon'd, and despis'd! [Exeunt North. Cliff. and West. War. Turn this way, Henry, and regard them not. Exe. 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 cease this civil war, and, whilst I live, To honour me as thy king and sovereign; him. [sons! K. Hen. And long live thou, and these thy forward York. Now York and Lancaster are reconcil'd. Exe. Accurs'd 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 I'll steal away. K. Hen. Exeter, so will I. [anger: [Going. Q. Mar. Nay, go not from me, I will follow thee. K. Hen. Be patient, gentle queen, and I will stay. Q. Mar. Who can be patient in such extremes? Ah, wretched man! would I had died a maid, And never seen thee, never borne thee son, Seeing thou hast prov'd so unnatural a father! Hath he deserv'd to lose his birthright thus? Hadst thou but lov'd him half so well as I; Or felt that pain which I did for him once; Or nourish'd him, as I did with my blood; Thou wouldst have left thy dearest heart-blood there, Rather than made that savage duke thine heir, And disinherited thine only son. Prince. Father, you cannot disinherit me : If you be king, why should not I succeed? [son:K. Hen. Pardon me, Margaret;-pardon me, sweet 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! 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. gone. K. Hen. Gentle son Edward, thou wilt stay with me? Prince. When I return with victory from the field, 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. K. Hen. Poor queen! how love to me, and to her son, Hath made her break out into terms of rage! Reveng'd may she be on that hateful duke; Whose haughty spirit, winged with desire, The loss of those three lords torments my heart: Exe. And I, I hope, shall reconcile them all. [Exeunt. SCENE 11. A Room in SANDAL CASTLE, near WAKEFIELD, in YORKSHIRE. Enter EDWARD, RICHARD, and MONTAGUE. Rich. Brother, though I be youngest, give me leave, Edw. No, I can better play the orator. Mont. But I have reasons strong and forcible. Enter YORK. York. Why, how now, sons, and brother, at a strife? What is your quarrel ? how began it first? 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. York. Mine, boy? not till king Henry be dead. Rich. Your right depends not on his life, or death. Edw. Now you are heir, therefore enjoy it now: By giving the house of Lancaster leave to breathe, It will outrun you, father, in the end. York. I took an oath, that he should quietly reign. Edw. But, for a kingdom, any oath may be broken: I'd break a thousand oaths, to reign one year. Rich. No; God forbid, your grace should be forsworn. Rich. I'll prove the contrary, if you'll hear me speak. Before a true and lawful magistrate, That hath authority over him that swears: Then, seeing 'twas he that made you to depose, |