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worth of Witte, supposed to have been written by that volu minous author, Robert Greene, M. A. and said, in the titlepage, to be published at his dying request; probably, about 1592. The conclusion of this piece is an address to his brother-poets, to dissuade them from writing any more for the stage, on account of the ill treatment which they were used to receive from the players. It begins thus: To those gentlemen, bis quondam acquaintance, that spend their wits in making playes, R. G. wisheth a better exercise, &c. After having addrest himself particularly to Christopher Marlowe and Thomas Lodge (as I guess from circumstances, for their names are not mentioned), he goes on to a third (perhaps George Peele); and having warned him against depending on so meane a stay as the players, he adds: Yes, trust them not for there is an upstart crow beautified with our feathers, that with his tygres head wrapt in a player's hyde, supposes hee is as well able to bombaste out a blanke verse as the best of you; and being an absolute Johannes fac totum is in his own conceit, the onely Shakescene in a countrey. There can be no doubt, I think, that Shake-scene alludes to Shakspere; or that bis tygres head wrapt in a player's hyde is a parodie upon the following line of York's speech to Margaret, The Third Part of Henry the Sixth, at I. sc. iv:

"Oh tygres heart, wrapt in a woman's hide."

TYRWHITT.

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Lord CLIFFORD,

Lords on King Henry's Side.

RICHARD, Duke of York.

EDWARD, Earl of March, afterwards King,

GEORGE, Duke of Clarence,

RICHARD, Duke of Glocester,

EDMUND, Earl of Rutland,
Duke of NORFOLK,
Marquis of MONTAGUE,
Earl of WARWICK,
Earl of SALISBURY,
Earl of PEMBROKE,
Lord HASTINGS,

his Sons.

of the Duke of York's Party.

Lord STAFFORD,

Sir JOHN MORTIMER,

Sir HUGH MORTIMER,

}

Uncles to the Duke of York.

Lord RIVERS, Brother to the Lady Gray.

Sir JOHN MONTGOMERY, Lieutenant of the Tower.

Mayor of York, Sir JOHN SOMERVILLE.

HUMPHREY, and SINKLO, two Huntfmen,
LEWIS XI. King of France.

WOMEN.

Queen MARGARET. BONA, Sister to the French King.
Lady GRAY, afterwards Queen to Edward IV.

Soldiers, and other Attendants on King Henry, and King
Edward, &c.

In Part of the Third Act, the SCENE is laid in France; during all the rest of the Play, in England.

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of YORK, EDWARD, RICHARD, Norfolk, MonTAGUE, WARWICK, and others, with white Roses in their Hats.

Warwick.

I WONDER, how the king escap'd our hands.

York. While we pursu'd the horsemen of the north, He slily stole away, and left his men :

Whereat the great lord of Northumberland,
Whose warlike ears could never brook retreat,
Cheer'd up the drooping army; and himself,
Lord Clifford, and lord Stafford, all a-breast,
Charg'd our main battle's front, and, breaking in,
Were by the swords of common soldiers slain.

Edw.

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Edw. Lord Stafford's father, duke of Buckingham, Is either slain, or wounded dangerously: I cleft his beaver with a downright blow; That this is true, father, behold his blood.

[Shewing his bloody Sword.

Mont. And, brother, here's the earl of Wiltshire's [To WARWICK, shewing his.

blood,

Whom I encounter'd as the battles join'd.

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.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, 21 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 are we 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.

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War.

War. And, when the king comes, offer him no

violence,

Unless he seek to put us out by force.

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.

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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.

Enter King HENRY, CLIFFORD, NORTHUMBERLAND, WETSMORELAND, EXETER, and others, at the further End of the Stage.

K. Henry. My lords, look where the sturdy rebel

sits,

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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.→

B

Earl

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