Earl of Northumberland, he slew thy father;— venge 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. 60 K. Henry. Be patient, gentle earl of Westmoreland. North. Well hast thou spoken, cousin; be it so. them, And they have troops of soldiers at their beck? Exe. But, when the duke is slain, they'll quickly fly. K. Henry. Far be it from the thoughts of Henry's heart, To make a shambles of the parliament-house! .70 They advance to the Duke. Thou factious duke of York, descend my throne, I am thy sovereign. York. York. Thou art deceiv'd, I am thine. Exe. For shame, come down; he made thee dukeof York. York. 'Twas my inheritance, as the kingdom is. Exe. Thy father was a traitor to the crown. War. Exeter, thou art a traitor to the crown, In following this usurping Henry. 1 80 Clif. Whom should he follow, but his natural king? War. True, Clifford; and that's Richard, duke of York. K. Henry. 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 92 March'd through the city to the palace-gates. North. No, 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. 100 War. Poor Clifford! how I scorn his worthless threats! Bij York. York. Will you, we shew our title to the crown? If not, our swords shall plead it in the field. K. Henry. 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, 110 War. Talk not of France, sith thou hast lost it all. K. Henry. 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, 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! 120 K. Henry. 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. Henry. Think'st thou, that I will leave my king ly throne, Wherein Wherein my grandsire, and my father, sat? War. But prove it, Henry, and thou shalt be king. crown. York. 'Twas by rebellion against his king. K. Henry. I know not what to say; my title's weak. Tell me, may not a king adopt an heir? York. What then? K. Henry. An if he may, then am I lawful king: For Richard, in the view of many lords, Resign'd the crown to Henry the fourth ; Whose heir my father was, and I am his. 140 York. He rose against him, being his sovereign, And made him to resign the crown perforce. War. Suppose, my lords, he did it unconstrain’d, Think you, 'twere prejudicial to the crown ? Exe. No; for he could not so resign his crown, But that the next heir should succeed and reign. K. Henry.. Art thou against us, duke of Exeter? „Exe. His is the right, and therefore pardon me. York. Why whisper you, my lords, and answer Exe. My conscience tells me, he is lawful king. him. Biij North. 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 despight 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 despight of me. Clif. King Henry, be thy title right or wrong, 160 Lord Clifford vows to fight in thy defence: May that ground gape, and swallow me alive, York. Henry of Lancaster, resign thy crown :- word; Let me, for this my life-time, reign as king. 170 York. Confirm the crown to me, and to mine heirs, And thou shalt reign in quiet while thou liv'st. K. Henry. 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. |