And kneel for grace and mercy at my feet; Exe. For shame! come down: he made thee Duke of York. York. 'Twas my inheritance, as the earldom was. 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. 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. 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. 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 king will fly. 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, War. Prove it, Henry, and thou shalt be king. crown. York. 'Twas by rebellion against his 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; 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, Clif. King Henry, be thy title right or wrong, K. Hen. O Clifford, how thy words revive my heart! York. Henry of Lancaster, resign thy crown. War. Do right unto this princely Duke of York, Write up his title with usurping blood. He stamps with his foot, 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 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 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! Clif. In dreadful war may'st thou be overcome, Exeunt NORTHUMBERLAND, CLIFFORD, and War. Turn this way, Henry, and regard them not. 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 honour me as thy king and sovereign; And neither by treason nor hostility To seek to put me down and reign thyself. War. Long live King Henry! Plantagenet, embrace him. K. Hen. And long live thou and these thy forward sons ! York. Now York and Lancaster are reconcil'd. 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 anger: I'll steal away. K. Hen. Exeter, so will I. 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 have made that savage duke thine heir, |