To call a present court of parliament. 'Let us pursue him, ere the writs go forth :What says Lord Warwick? shall we after them? War. After them! nay, before them, if we can. Now by my faith, lords, 'twas a glorious day : Saint Albans battle, won by famous York, THIRD PART OF KING HENRY THE SIXTH.' PRELIMINARY REMARKS. THE action of this play opens just after the first battle of St. Albans [May 23, 1455,] wherein the York faction carried the day; and closes with the murder of King Henry VI. and the birth of Prince Edward, afterwards King Edward V. [November 4, 1471.] So that this history takes in the space of full sixteen years. The title of the old play, which Shakspeare altered and improved, is The True Tragedie of Richard Duke of Yorke, and the Death of good King Henry the Sixth with the whole Contention between the Two Houses of Lancaster and Yorke: as it was sundrie times acted by the Right Honourable the Earle of Pembroke his Servants. Printed at London by P. S. for Thomas Milling. ton, and are to be solde at his Shoppe under St Peter's Church in Cornewal, 1595. There was another edition in 1600 by the same publisher: and it was repro duced with the name of Shakspeare on the title page, printed by T. P. no date, but ascertained to have been printed in 1619. The present historical drama was altered by Crown, and brought on the stage in 1680, under the title of The Miseries of Civil War. Surely the works of Shakspeare could have been little read at that period; for Crown, in his prologue, declares the play to be entirely his own composition: For by his feeble skill 'tis built alone, The divine Shakspeare did not lay one stone. Whereas the very first scene is that of Jack Cade, copied almost verbatim from the Second Part of King Henry VI. and several others from this Third Part, with as little variation. Whose warlike ears could never brook retreat, Lord Clifford, and Lord Stafford, all abreast, Cheer'd up the drooping army; and himself, Charg'd our main battle's front; and, breaking in, Were by the swords of common soldiers slain. Edw. Lord Stafford's father, duke of Buckingham, Is either slain, or wounded dangerous: I cleft his beaver with a downright blow; [Showing his bloody Sword. Mont. And, brother, here's the earl of Wiltshire's [To YORK, showing his. Whom I encounter'd as the battles join'd. blood, 2 See the former play, p. 256. Shakspeare has fallen into this inconsistency by following the old plays in the construction of these dramas. Rich. Speak thou for me, and tell them what I did. [Throwing down the DUKE of SOMERSET'S Head. *York. Richard hath best deserv'd of all my sons. What, is your grace dead, my lord of Somerset ? Norf. Such hope have all the line of John of Gaunt! 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 parliament, 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; and you both have vow'd revenge On him, his sons, his favourites, and his friends. North. If I be not, heavens, be reveng'd on me! Clif. The hope thereof makes Clifford mourn in steel. 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, and such as he; He durst not sit there had your father liv'd. 1. Shakspeare was also led into this anachronism by the old plays. At the time of the first battle of St. Albans, where Richard is represented to have fought in the last scene of the preceding play, he was not one year old; having been born at Fotheringay Castle, October 21, 1454. At the time to which the third scene of the present act refers, he was but six years old; and in the fifth act, in which Henry is represented as having been killed by him in the Tower, not more than sixteen and eight months. 2 The allusion is to falconry. Hawks had sometimes little bells hung on them, perhaps to dare-the birds; that is, to fright them from rising. 3 The old play reads as the kingdom is.' Why Shakspeare altered it, it is not easy to say, for the new 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 back? 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! [They advance to the Duke. York. 'Twas my inheritance, as the earldom was.' Exe. Thy father was a traitor to the crown, War. Exeter, thou art a traitor to the crown,' In following this usurping Henry. Clif. Whom should he follow, but his natural king? 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. 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 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! 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; Who made the Dauphin and the French to stoop, 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. Rich. You are old enough now, and yet, methinks you lose:Father, tear the crown from the usurper's head. Edw. Sweet father, do so; set it on your head. Mont. Good brother [To YORK,] as thou lov'st and honour'st arms, Let's fight it out, and not stand caviling thus. will fly. line only exhibits the same meaning more obscurely. York means that the dukedom was his inheritance from his father, as the earldom of March, was his inheritance from his mother. His title to the crown was not as duke of York, but as earl of March, and by naming that he covertly asserts his right to the crown. 4 Another mistake of the author of the old play York's father was earl of Cambridge, and was beheaded in the lifetime of his elder brother, Edward duke of York. 5 The military reputation of King Henry V. is the Isole support of his son. The name of King Henry the Fifth spersed the followers of Cade. 6 Since. A contraction of sithence, York. Sons, peace! 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; 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. Tell me, may not a king adopt an heir? York. What then? Whom I unnaturally shall disinherit. The crown to thee, and to thine heirs forever; K. Hen. An if he may, then am I lawful king: To honour me as thy king and sovereign; Resign'd the crown to Henry the Fourth; York. He rose against him, being his sovereign, 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 2 Ere. 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. Clif. King Henry, be thy title right or wrong, Where I shall kneel to him that slew my father! York. Henry of Lancaster, resign thy crown:What mutter you, or what conspire you, lords? War. Do right unto this princely duke of York; Or I will fill the house with armed men, And, o'er the chair of state, where now he sits, Write his title with usurping blood. up [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, And thou shalt reign in quiet whilst thou liv'st. K. Hen. I am content: Richard Plantagenet, Enjoy the kingdom after my decease. Clif. What wrong is this unto the prince your son? War. What good is this to England, and himself? West. Base, fearful, and despairing Henry! Clif. How hast thou injur'd both thyself and us? West. I cannot stay to hear these articles. North. Nor I. Clif. Come, cousin, let us tell the queen these *And neither by treason, nor hostility, *To seek to put me down, and reign thyself. York. This oath I willingly take, and will perform. [Coming from the Throne. War. Long live King Henry !-Plantagenet, em brace him. I'll steal away. K. Hen. Exeter, so will I. [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 would'st have left thy dearest heart-blood there, *Rather than have 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? *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! quered, and seek to be revenged. They are not influ enced by principle but passion.'-Johnson. 4 Malone asserts that neither, either, brother, and many similar words, were used by Shakspeare as monosyllables. Steevens doubts this, with seeming propriety, and observes that the versification of this and the preceding play, has many lines as unmetrical and irregular as this. 5 Sandal Castle, near Wakefield, in Yorkshire, 6 Betray, discover Thou hast undone thyself, thy son, and me, And yet shalt thou be safe? such safety finds The northern lords, that have forsworn thy colours, Thus do I leave thee:-Come, son, let's away; Q. Mar. Thou hast spoke too much already; get K. Hen. Gentle son Edward, thou wilt stay with Q. Mar. Ay, to be murder'd by his enemies. 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, *Will coast my crown, and, like an empty eagle, *Tire on the flesh of me, and of my son! *The loss of those three lords' torments my heart: I'll write unto them, and entreat them fair;*Come, cousin, you shall be the messenger. * Ere. And I, I hope, shall reconcile them all. [Exeunt. SCENE II. A Room in Sandal Castle, near Rich. Brother, though I be youngest, give me Edw. No, I can better play the orator. 1 The queen's reproach is founded on a position long received among politicians, that the loss of kingly power is soon followed by loss of life. Enter YORK. York. Why, how now, sons and brother," at a strife? What is your quarrel? how began it first? 'Rich. About that which concerns your grace, 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. York. I shall be, if I claim by open war. York. Thou canst not, son; it is impossible. *And, father, do but think, *How sweet a thing it is to wear a crown; Within whose circuit is Elysium, Why do we linger thus? I cannot rest, You, Edward, shall unto my Lord Cobham, any thing. The old form of the word appears to have 6 Shakspeare seems to have thought York and Montague brothers-in-law. But Montague was brother to Warwick; Warwick's daughter was married to a son of York, but not during the life of York. Steevens thought that as Shakspeare uses the expression brothers of the war in King Lear, something of the kind might be meant here. 2 The person here meant was Thomas Nevil, bastard son to the Lord Faulconbridge, a man (says Hall) of no lesse corage than audacitie, who for his cruel condicions was such an apte person, that a more meter could not be chosen to set all the world in a broyle, and to put the estate of the realme on an ill hazard.' He had been appointed by Warwick, vice-admiral of the sea, and had in charge so to keep the passage between Dover and Calais, that none which either favoured King Henry or his friends, should escape untaken or undrowned: such, at least, were his instructions with respect to the friends and favourers of King Edward after the rupture between him and Warwick. On Warwick's death, he fell into poverty, and robbed, both by sea and land as well friends as enemies. He once brought his ships up the Thames, and with a considerable body of the men of Kent and Essex, made a spirited assault on the city, with a view to plunder and pillage, which was not repelled but after a sharp conflict, and the loss of many lives; and, had it happened at a more critical pe- 9 The folio reads Enter Gabriel. It was the name riod, might have been attended with fatal consequences of the actor, probably Gabriel Singer, who played this to Edward. After roving on the sea some little time lon-insignificant part. The emendation is from the old play, ger, he ventured to land at Southampton, where he was and was made by Theobald. taken and beheaded. See Hall and Holinshed.-Ritson. 3 To coast is, apparently, to pursue, to hover about 7 The obligation of an oath is here eluded by a very despicable sophistry. A lawful magistrate alone has the power to exact an oath, but the oath derives no part of its force from the magistrate. The plea against the ob ligation of an oath obliging to maintain a usurper, taken from the unlawfulness of the oath itself, in the forego ing play, was rational and just--Johnson. s Of sound judgment. 10 I know not (says Johnson) whether the author intended any moral instruction,but he that reads this has SCENE IV. KING HENRY VI. • Intend here to besiege you in your castle : She is hard by with twenty thousand men ; And therefore fortify your hold, my lord. * York. Ay, with my sword. What! think'st 'Edward and Richard, you shall stay with me; You are come to Sandal in a happy hour; York. What, with five thousand men? [A March afar of Edw. I hear their drums; let's set our men in order; And issue forth, and bid them battle straight. be great, I doubt not, uncle, of our victory. Rut. Ah, whither shall I fly to 'scape their Ah, tutor! look, where bloody Clifford comes! Enter CLIFFORD, and Soldiers. Rut. Then let my father's blood open it again; \ He is a man, and, Clifford, cope with him. Clif. Had I thy brethren here, their lives, and Were not revenge sufficient for me; ̈ And till I root out their accursed line, [Lifting his hand. Rut. But 'twas ere I was born." Ah, let me live in prison all my days; [CLIFFORD stabs him. Thy father slew my father; therefore, die. Rut. Dii faciant, laudis summa sit ista tuæ ! [Dies. Clif. Plantagenet! I come, Plantagenet! SCENE IV. The same. Alarum. Enter YORK. York. The army of the queen hath got the field. Clif. Chaplain, away! thy priesthood saves thy My sons--God knows, what hath bechanced life. As for the brat of this accursed duke, Whose father slew my father,2-he shall die. Tut. And I, my lord, will bear him company. Tut. Ah, Clifford murder not this innocent That makes him close his eyes?—I'll open them. And so he comes to rend his limbs asunder.- Hath stopp'd the passage where thy words should enter. a striking admonition against precipitancy, by which we often use unlawful means to do that which a little delay would put honestly in our power. Had York stayed but a few moments, he had saved his cause from the stain of perjury. 1A priest called Sir Robert Aspall.' Hall, fo. 99. 2 i. e. the father of which brat, namely the duke of York. 3 Steevens remarks that the epithet devouring, which might well have characterized the whole animal, is oddly enough bestowed on his paws. 4 Rutland was born in 1443; or at latest, according to Hall, in 1449, and Clifford's father was slain at the battle of St. Albans, in 1455. Consequently Rutland was then at least seven years old, more probably twelve. them: But this I know,--they have demean'd themselves In blood of those that had encounter'd him Richard cried,-Charge! and give no foot of ground! And cried,-A crown, or else a glorious tomb! 5 Since. 6 This line is in Ovid's Epistle from Phillis to Demophoon. The same quotation is in Nash's Have with you to Saffron Walden, 1596. 7 These were two bastard uncles by the mother's side, Sir John and Sir Hugh Mortimer. See Grafton's Chronicle, p. 649. 8 Bodged is probably the same as budged, from bouger, French. Steevens thought that it was the same as boggled, i. e. made bad, or bungling work of the attempt to rally. But the following passage, in which Coriolanus speaks of his army who had fled from their adversaries, seems decisive : The mouse ne'er shunn'd the cat, as they did budge. From rascals worse than they. |