HENRY THE SIXTH PART 3

Act 1 Scene 1

(A chair of state. Alarum. Enter Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York, his two sons Edward, Earl of March, and Crookback Richard, the Duke of Norfolk, the Marquis of Montague, and the Earl of Warwick, with drummers and soldiers. They all wear white roses in their hats)
l1l	Warwick	 I wonder how the King escaped our hands?
l2l	York	While we pursued the horsemen of the north,
l3l		He slyly stole away and left his men#
l4l		Whereat the great lord of Northumberland,
l5l		Whose warlike ears could never brook retreat,
l6l		Cheered up the drooping army# and himself,
l7l		Lord Clifford, and Lord Stafford, all abreast,
l8l		Charged our main battle’s front, and, breaking in,
l9l		Were by the swords of common soldiers slain.
l10l	Edward	Lord Stafford’s father, Duke of Buckingham,
l11l		Is either slain or wounded dangerous.
l12l		I cleft his beaver with a downright blow.
l13l		That this is true, father, behold his blood.
		(He shows a bloody sword)
l14l	Montague	(to York)
		 And, brother, here’s the Earl of Wiltshire’s blood,
		(He shows a bloody sword)
l15l		Whom I encountered as the battles joined.
l16l	Richard	(to Somerset's head, which he shows)
		 Speak thou for me, and tell them what I did.
l17l	York	Richard hath best deserved of all my sons.
l18l		(To the head)
		 But is your grace dead, my lord of Somerset?
l19l	Norfolk	Such hap have all the line of John of Gaunt.
l20l	Richard	Thus do I hope to shake King Henry’s head.
		(He holds aloft the head, then throws it down)
l21l	Warwick	 And so do I, victorious prince of York.
l22l		Before I see thee seated in that throne
l23l		Which now the house of Lancaster usurps,
l24l		I vow by heaven these eyes shall never close.
l25l		This is the palace of the fearful King,
l26l		And this
		(pointing to the chair of state)
		 , the regal seat—possess it, York,
l27l		For this is thine, and not King Henry’s heirs’.
l28l	York	Assist me then, sweet Warwick, and I will,
l29l		For hither we have broken in by force.
l30l	Norfolk	We’ll all assist you—he that flies shall die.
l31l	York	Thanks, gentle Norfolk. Stay by me, my lords
l32l		And soldiers—stay, and lodge by me this night.
		(They go up upon the state)
l33l	Warwick	 And when the King comes, offer him no violence
l34l		Unless he seek to thrust you out perforce.
		(The soldiers withdraw)
l35l	York	 The Queen this day here holds her Parliament,
l36l		But little thinks we shall be of her council#
l37l		By words or blows here let us win our right.
l38l	Richard	Armed as we are, let’s stay within this house.
l39l	Warwick	“The Bloody Parliament” shall this be called,
l40l		Unless Plantagenet, Duke of York, be king,
l41l		And bashful Henry deposed, whose cowardice
l42l		Hath made us bywords to our enemies.
l43l	York	Then leave me not, my lords. Be resolute—
l44l		I mean to take possession of my right.
l45l	Warwick	Neither the King nor he that loves him best—
l46l		The proudest he that holds up Lancaster—
l47l		Dares stir a wing if Warwick shake his bells.
l48l		I’ll plant Plantagenet, root him up who dares.
l49l		Resolve thee, Richard—claim the English crown.
		(York sits in the chair.)
l50l		Flourish. Enter King Henry, Lord Clifford, the Earls of Northumberland and Westmorland, the Duke of Exeter, and the rest. [They all wear red roses in their hats]
	King Henry	 My lords, look where the sturdy rebel sits—
l51l		Even in the chair of state! Belike he means,
l52l		Backed by the power of Warwick, that false peer,
l53l		To aspire unto the crown and reign as king.
l54l		Earl of Northumberland, he slew thy father—
l55l		And thine, Lord Clifford—and you both have vowed revenge
l56l		On him, his sons, his favourites, and his friends.
l57l	Northumberland	If I be not, heavens be revenged on me.
l58l	Clifford	The hope thereof makes Clifford mourn in steel.
l59l	Westmorland	What, shall we suffer this? Let’s pluck him down.
l60l		My heart for anger burns—I cannot brook it.
l61l	King Henry	Be patient, gentle Earl of Westmorland.
l62l	Clifford	Patience is for poltroons, such as he
		(indicating York)
		 .
l63l		He durst not sit there had your father lived.
l64l		My gracious lord, here in the Parliament
l65l		Let us assail the family of York.
l66l	Northumberland	Well hast thou spoken, cousin, be it so.
l67l	King Henry	Ah, know you not the city favours them,
l68l		And they have troops of soldiers at their beck?
l69l	Exeter	But when the Duke is slain, they’ll quickly fly.
l70l	King Henry	Far be the thought of this from Henry’s heart,
l71l		To make a shambles of the Parliament House.
l72l		Cousin of Exeter, frowns, words, and threats
l73l		Shall be the war that Henry means to use.
l74l		(To York)
		 Thou factious Duke of York, descend my throne
l75l		And kneel for grace and mercy at my feet.
l76l		I am thy sovereign.
	York	I am thine.
l77l	Exeter	For shame, come down—he made thee Duke of York.
l78l	York	It was mine inheritance, as the earldom was.
l79l	Exeter	Thy father was a traitor to the crown.
l80l	Warwick	Exeter, thou art a traitor to the crown
l81l		In following this usurping Henry.
l82l	Clifford	Whom should he follow but his natural king?
l83l	Warwick	True, Clifford, and that’s Richard Duke of York.
l84l	King Henry	(to York)
		 And shall I stand and thou sit in my throne?
l85l	York	It must and shall be so—content thyself.
l86l	Warwick	(to King Henry)
		 Be Duke of Lancaster, let him be king.
l87l	Westmorland	He is both king and Duke of Lancaster—
l88l		And that, the Lord of Westmorland shall maintain.
l89l	Warwick	And Warwick shall disprove it. You forget
l90l		That we are those which chased you from the field,
l91l		And slew your fathers, and, with colours spread,
l92l		Marched through the city to the palace gates.
l93l	Northumberland	Yes, Warwick, I remember it to my grief,
l94l		And, by his soul, thou and thy house shall rue it.
l95l	Westmorland	(to York)
		 Plantagenet, of thee, and these thy sons,
l96l		Thy kinsmen, and thy friends, I’ll have more lives
l97l		Than drops of blood were in my father’s veins.
l98l	Clifford	(to Warwick)
		 Urge it no more, lest that, instead of words,
l99l		I send thee, Warwick, such a messenger
l100l		As shall revenge his death before I stir.
l101l	Warwick	(to York)
		 Poor Clifford, how I scorn his worthless threats.
l102l	York	(to King Henry)
		 Will you we show our title to the crown?
l103l		If not, our swords shall plead it in the field.
l104l	King Henry	What title hast thou, traitor, to the crown?
l105l		Thy father was, as thou art, Duke of York#
l106l		Thy grandfather, Roger Mortimer, Earl of March.
l107l		I am the son of Henry the Fifth,
l108l		Who made the Dauphin and the French to stoop
l109l		And seized upon their towns and provinces.
l110l	Warwick	Talk not of France, sith thou hast lost it all.
l111l	King Henry	The Lord Protector lost it, and not I.
l112l		When I was crowned, I was but nine months old.
l113l	Richard	You are old enough now, and yet, methinks, you lose.
l114l		(To York)
		 Father, tear the crown from the usurper’s head.
l115l	Edward	(to York)
		 Sweet father, do so—set it on your head.
l116l	Montague	(to York)
		 Good brother, as thou lov’st and honour’st arms,
l117l		Let’s fight it out and not stand cavilling thus.
l118l	Richard	Sound drums and trumpets, and the King will fly.
l119l	York	Sons, peace!
l120l	[Northumberland]	Peace, thou—and give King Henry leave to speak.
l121l	King Henry	Ah, York, why seekest thou to depose me?
l122l		Are we not both Plantagenets by birth,
l123l		And from two brothers lineally descent?
l124l		Suppose by right and equity thou be king—
l125l		Think’st thou that I will leave my kingly throne,
l126l		Wherein my grandsire and my father sat?
l127l		No—first shall war unpeople this my realm#
l128l		Ay, and their colours, often borne in France,
l129l		And now in England to our heart’s great sorrow,
l130l		Shall be my winding-sheet. Why faint you, lords?
l131l		My title’s good, and better far than his.
l132l	Warwick	Prove it, Henry, and thou shalt be king.
l133l	King Henry	Henry the Fourth by conquest got the crown.
l134l	York	’Twas by rebellion against his king.
l135l	King Henry	(aside)
		 I know not what to say—my title’s weak.
l136l		(To York)
		 Tell me, may not a king adopt an heir?
l137l	York	What then?
l138l	King Henry	An if he may, then am I lawful king—
l139l		For Richard, in the view of many lords,
l140l		Resigned the crown to Henry the Fourth,
l141l		Whose heir my father was, and I am his.
l142l	York	He rose against him, being his sovereign,
l143l		And made him to resign his crown perforce.
l144l	Warwick	Suppose, my lords, he did it unconstrained—
l145l		Think you ’twere prejudicial to his crown?
l146l	Exeter	No, for he could not so resign his crown
l147l		But that the next heir should succeed and reign.
l148l	King Henry	Art thou against us, Duke of Exeter?
l149l	Exeter	His is the right, and therefore pardon me.
l150l	York	Why whisper you, my lords, and answer not?
l151l	Exeter	(to King Henry)
		 My conscience tells me he is lawful king.
l152l	King Henry	(aside)
		 All will revolt from me and turn to him.
l153l	Northumberland	(to York)
		 Plantagenet, for all the claim thou lay’st,
l154l		Think not that Henry shall be so deposed.
l155l	Warwick	Deposed he shall be, in despite of all.
l156l	Northumberland	Thou art deceived—’tis not thy southern power
l157l		Of Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, nor of Kent,
l158l		Which makes thee thus presumptuous and proud,
l159l		Can set the Duke up in despite of me.
l160l	Clifford	King Henry, be thy title right or wrong,
l161l		Lord Clifford vows to fight in thy defence.
l162l		May that ground gape and swallow me alive
l163l		Where I shall kneel to him that slew my father.
l164l	King Henry	O, Clifford, how thy words revive my heart!
l165l	York	Henry of Lancaster, resign thy crown.
l166l		What mutter you, or what conspire you, lords?
l167l	Warwick	Do right unto this princely Duke of York,
l168l		Or I will fill the house with armèd men
l169l		And over the chair of state, where now he sits,
l170l		Write up his title with usurping blood.
		(He stamps with his foot and the soldiers show themselves)
l171l	King Henry	 My lord of Warwick, hear me but one word—
l172l		Let me for this my lifetime reign as king.
l173l	York	Confirm the crown to me and to mine heirs,
l174l		And thou shalt reign in quiet while thou liv’st.
l175l	King Henry	I am content. Richard Plantagenet,
l176l		Enjoy the kingdom after my decease.
l177l	Clifford	What wrong is this unto the prince your son?
l178l	Warwick	What good is this to England and himself?
l179l	Westmorland	Base, fearful, and despairing Henry.
l180l	Clifford	How hast thou injured both thyself and us?
l181l	Westmorland	I cannot stay to hear these articles.
l182l	Northumberland	Nor I.
l183l	Clifford	Come, cousin, let us tell the Queen these news.
l184l	Westmorland	(to King Henry)
		 Farewell, faint-hearted and degenerate king,
l185l		In whose cold blood no spark of honour bides.
		(Exit with his soldiers)
l186l	Northumberland	(to King Henry)
		 Be thou a prey unto the house of York,
l187l		And die in bands for this unmanly deed.
		(Exit with his soldiers)
l188l	Clifford	(to King Henry)
		 In dreadful war mayst thou be overcome,
l189l		Or live in peace, abandoned and despised.
		(Exit with his soldiers)
l190l	Warwick	(to King Henry)
		 Turn this way, Henry, and regard them not.
l191l	Exeter	(to King Henry)
		 They seek revenge and therefore will not yield.
l192l	King Henry	Ah, Exeter.
	Warwick	Why should you sigh, my lord?
l193l	King Henry	Not for myself, Lord Warwick, but my son,
l194l		Whom I unnaturally shall disinherit.
l195l		But be it as it may.
		(To York)
		 I here entail
l196l		The crown to thee and to thine heirs for ever,
l197l		Conditionally, that here thou take thine oath
l198l		To cease this civil war, and whilst I live
l199l		To honour me as thy king and sovereign,
l200l		And nor by treason nor hostility
l201l		To seek to put me down and reign thyself.
l202l	York	This oath I willingly take and will perform.
l203l	Warwick	Long live King Henry.
		(To York)
		 Plantagenet, embrace him.
		(York descends. Henry and York embrace)
l204l	King Henry	(to York)
		 And long live thou, and these thy forward sons.
l205l	York	Now York and Lancaster are reconciled.
l206l	Exeter	Accursed be he that seeks to make them foes.
		(Sennet. Here York's train comes down from the state)
l207l	York	(to King Henry)
		 Farewell, my gracious lord, I’ll to my castle.
		(Exeunt York, Edward, and Richard, with soldiers)
l208l	Warwick	 And I’ll keep London with my soldiers.
		( 208 Exit with soldiers)
l209l	Norfolk	 And I to Norfolk with my followers.
		(Exit with soldiers)
l210l	Montague	 And I unto the sea from whence I came.
		( 210 Exit with soldiers)
l211l	King Henry	 And I with grief and sorrow to the court.
		(King Henry and Exeter turn to leave.)
l212l		Enter Queen Margaret and Prince Edward
	Exeter	 Here comes the Queen, whose looks bewray her anger.
l213l		I’ll steal away.
	King Henry	Exeter, so will I.
l214l	Queen Margaret	Nay, go not from me—I will follow thee.
l215l	King Henry	Be patient, gentle Queen, and I will stay.
l216l	Queen Margaret	Who can be patient in such extremes?
l217l		Ah, wretched man, would I had died a maid
l218l		And never seen thee, never borne thee son,
l219l		Seeing thou hast proved so unnatural a father.
l220l		Hath he deserved to lose his birthright thus?
l221l		Hadst thou but loved him half so well as I,
l222l		Or felt that pain which I did for him once,
l223l		Or nourished him as I did with my blood,
l224l		Thou wouldst have left thy dearest heart-blood there
l225l		Rather than have made that savage Duke thine heir
l226l		And disinherited thine only son.
l227l	Prince Edward	Father, you cannot disinherit me.
l228l		If you be king, why should not I succeed?
l229l	King Henry	Pardon me, Margaret# pardon me, sweet son—
l230l		The Earl of Warwick and the Duke enforced me.
l231l	Queen Margaret	Enforced thee? Art thou king, and wilt be forced?
l232l		I shame to hear thee speak! Ah, timorous wretch,
l233l		Thou hast undone thyself, thy son, and me,
l234l		And giv’n unto the house of York such head
l235l		As thou shalt reign but by their sufferance.
l236l		To entail him and his heirs unto the crown—
l237l		What is it, but to make thy sepulchre
l238l		And creep into it far before thy time?
l239l		Warwick is Chancellor and the Lord of Calais#
l240l		Stern Falconbridge commands the narrow seas#
l241l		The Duke is made Protector of the Realm#
l242l		And yet shalt thou be safe? Such safety finds
l243l		The trembling lamb environèd with wolves.
l244l		Had I been there, which am a seely woman,
l245l		The soldiers should have tossed me on their pikes
l246l		Before I would have granted to that act.
l247l		But thou preferr’st thy life before thine honour.
l248l		And seeing thou dost, I here divorce myself
l249l		Both from thy table, Henry, and thy bed,
l250l		Until that act of Parliament be repealed
l251l		Whereby my son is disinherited.
l252l		The northern lords that have forsworn thy colours
l253l		Will follow mine, if once they see them spread—
l254l		And spread they shall be, to thy foul disgrace
l255l		And the utter ruin of the house of York.
l256l		Thus do I leave thee.
		(To Prince Edward)
		 Come, son, let’s away.
l257l		Our army is ready—come, we’ll after them.
l258l	King Henry	Stay, gentle Margaret, and hear me speak.
l259l	Queen Margaret	Thou hast spoke too much already.
		(To Prince Edward)
		 Get thee gone.
l260l	King Henry	Gentle son Edward, thou wilt stay with me?
l261l	Queen Margaret	Ay, to be murdered by his enemies.
l262l	Prince Edward	(to King Henry)
		 When I return with victory from the field,
l263l		I’ll see your grace. Till then, I’ll follow her.
l264l	Queen Margaret	Come, son, away—we may not linger thus.
		(Exit with Prince Edward)
l265l	King Henry	 Poor Queen, how love to me and to her son
l266l		Hath made her break out into terms of rage.
l267l		Revenged may she be on that hateful Duke,
l268l		Whose haughty spirit, wingèd with desire,
l269l		Will coast my crown, and, like an empty eagle,
l270l		Tire on the flesh of me and of my son.
l271l		The loss of those three lords torments my heart.
l272l		I’ll write unto them and entreat them fair.
l273l		Come, cousin, you shall be the messenger.
l274l	Exeter	And I, I hope, shall reconcile them all.
		(Flourish. Exeunt)