Part 19
[bea060] _intends_] F1 F2 F3. _intend_ F4.
[bea061] _heave_] (Qq) F1 F2. _have_ F3 F4.
[bea063] _Who_] F1. _Whom_ F2 F3 F4. ¶ _heard_] _hear_ Capell.
[bea065] _pass_] _press_ S. Walker conj.
[bea071] _art thou_] _wast thou_ Capell conj.
[bea072] _an’t_] Ff.
[bea074] _Alexander Iden_] _Ev’n Alexander Iden_ Hanmer. _Iden, Alexander Iden_ Edd. conj. ¶ _Alexander...name_] _My name is Alexander Iden, sir_ Capell conj. ¶ _name;_] _name, my liege;_ Keightley conj.
[bea075] _loves his_] F1. _loves the_ F2. _love the_ F3 F4.
[bea076] _it_] om. F4.
[bea077] _his_] _this_ S. Walker conj.
[bea078] _down._ [He kneels.] _Rise_] Johnson. _downe, rise_ Ff. _down; and rise thou_ Hanmer.
[bea082] [Rises.] Collier (Collier MS.).
[bea083] SCENE III. Pope. ¶ _See...Somerset_] _See, Buckingham! see who_ Capell conj.
[bea093] _not king_] F1. _no king_ F2 F3 F4.
[bea094] _govern and rule_] _rule and govern_ S. Walker conj.
[bea095] _darest_] _dar’st_ F1. _durst_ F2 F3 F4.
[bea099] _these_] F1. _the_ F2 F3 F4.
[bea100] _smile and frown_] _frown and smile_ Delius conj. ¶ _like to_] F1. _like_ F2 F3 F4.
[bea103] _act_] _enact_ Capell conj.
[bea109]–bea111: Theobald (Warburton) reads in this order: _Sirrah...bail; Wouldst...man._ ¶ bea109: _kneel?_] _kneel?_ [pointing to his Troops, and Attendants. Capell. ¶ _these_] Theobald. _three_ Id. conj. _thee_ Ff. _them_ Hanmer.
[bea111] _sons_] _sonne_ F1. ¶ _bail_] F3 F4. _bale_ F1. _baile_ F2. [Exit...] Capell om. Ff.
[bea113] _for_] F2 F3 F4. _of_ F1.
[bea116] [Exit Buckingham.] Capell. om. Ff. Exit an Attendant. Dyce.
[bea120] _bail_] F3 F4. _baile_ F1 F2. ¶ _bane_] _bale_ Theobald.
[bea121] _boys!_] Dyce. _boyes._ F1 F2 F3. _boys._ F4. ¶ Enter...] Ff.
[bea122] Enter...son.] Enter Clifford. Ff. Drums. Enter, from one side, the Lords Edward and Richard, Sons to York; and, from the other, Old Clifford and his Son; Forces with them both. Capell, from (Qq).
[bea124] [Kneels.] Johnson.
[bea125] _I_] _We_ (Qq) Capell.
[bea126] _us_] F1. _me_ F2 F3 F4.
[bea130] _mistakest_] F2 F3 F4. _mistakes_ F1.
[bea135] _chop_] F1. _crop_ F2 F3 F4.
[bea139] Edw.] F1 F2. Edm. F3 F4.
[bea143] _thy_] F1 F2. _the_ F3 F4.
[bea146] _fell-lurking_] _fell-barking_ Roderick conj. _fell-lurching_ Heath conj. _fell-looking_ Collier (Collier MS.). _fell lurking_ Capell.
[bea147] Enter...] Drums. Enter W. and S., with Forces. Capell.
[bea148] SCENE IV. Pope. ¶ _bait_] F3 F4. _bate_ F1. _baite_ F2.
[bea149] _bear-ward_] _berard_ F1 F2. _bearard_ F3 F4.
[bea150] _baiting_] F3 F4. _bayting_ F1 F2.
[bea152] _Run_] _Turn_ Hanmer.
[bea153] _being_] _having_ Collier (Collier MS.). ¶ _with_] _within_ Keightley conj.
[bea154] _between_] _betwixt_ F4.
[bea156] _oppose_] F1 F2. _suppose_ F3 F4.
[bea157] Clif.] Y. C. (i. e. Young Clifford). Capell.
[bea169] _dig...war_] _find out war to dig a grave_ Roderick conj.
[bea170] _shame_] _stain_ S. Walker conj.
[bea174] _mickle_] F1. _milckie_ F2. _milky_ F3 F4.
[bea175] _consider’d_] Pope. _considered_ Ff.
[bea181] _an oath_] _a vow_ Capell.
[bea189] _this_] _his_ F4.
[bea194] _or_] Rowe (ed. 2). _and_ Ff.
[bea195], bea198, bea208: Clif.] Old Clif. Ff.
[bea196] _to go_] _go_ Rowe.
[bea201] _household_] Malone, from (Qq). _housed_ F1. _houses_ F2 F3 F4.
[bea202] _badge_] _age_ Capell, from (Qq).
[bea203] _ragged_] _rugged_ Warburton.
[bea207] _to_] Rowe (ed. 2). _io_ F1. _so_ F2 F3 F4.
[bea210] _bear-ward_] _bearard_ Ff.
[bea211] _to arms_] _to arms, to arms_ Anon. conj. ¶ _victorious_] F1. _victorious noble_ F2 F3 F4.
[bea212] _the rebels_] _these traitors_ (Qq) Capell.
[bea216] [Exeunt severally.] Theobald. Exeunt. Ff. ¶ SCENE II.] Steevens. SCENE V. Pope. SCENE III. Capell. ¶ Saint Alban’s.] Capell. The Battle at St. Albans. Pope. ¶ Alarums to the battle.] (Qq). om. Ff.
[beb002] _And if_] _An if_ Capell conj.
[beb004] _dead men’s cries_] (Qq) Ff. _dy’ng mens cries_ Rowe. _dying cries_ Roderick conj.
[beb008] _noble_] om. Johnson.
[beb011] _Carrion kites_] _carrion, kytes_ F4.
[beb012] Enter old Clifford.] Enter Clifford. Ff.
[beb019] As two lines, the first ending _Yorke?_ in Ff.
[beb024] _now_] F1. om. F2 F3 F4.
[beb027] _lay_] F1 F2. _day_ F3 F4. ¶ [They...falls.] Capell. Fight. Pope. Omitted in Ff.
[beb028] _couronne les œuvres_] _corrone les eumenes_ F1. _corronne les oevres_ F2 F3 F4. ¶ [Dies.] Ff. They fight and Clifford falls and dies. Collier.
[beb031] _confusion! all_] Pope. _confusion all_ Ff.
[beb036] _soldier_] _souldier_ F1. _souldiers_ F2 F3 F4.
[beb038] _nor_] _for_ Pope.
[beb040] [Seeing his dead father] Theobald. om. Ff.
[beb041] _premised_] _promised_ Delius conj.
[beb042] _earth and heaven_] _heaven and earth_ Staunton.
[beb045] _ordain’d_] F1. _ordained_ F2 F3 F4. ¶ _dear_] _deere_ F1. _O deere_ F2. _O dear_ F3 F4.
[beb059] _Absyrtus_] Theobald. _Absirtis_ Ff. _Absirtus_ Rowe.
[beb065] [Exit...father.] Pope. Exit. Rowe. om. Ff. ¶ Somerset is killed.] Rowe. Omitted in Ff.
[beb066] See note (XII).
[beb067] _For_] _Fall’n_ Johnson conj. ¶ _an alehouse’ paltry_] _a paltry alehouse_ Anon. conj. from (Qq).
[beb071] [Exit.] Theobald. om. Ff.
[beb072] SCENE VI. Pope.
[beb074] _nor fight_] F1 F2. _not fight_ F3 F4.
[beb078] _should_] _shall_ Johnson.
[beb080] _we_] _me_ Rowe (ed. 2).
[beb082] _where_] _were_ F2.
[beb083] Re-enter young C.] Dyce. Enter C. Ff. Other Alarums. Enter young C. Capell.
[beb084] Y. Clif.] Clif. Ff. ¶ _heart’s_] F2 F3 F4. _hearts_ F1.
[beb086] _uncurable_] _incurable_ Pope (ed. 2). ¶ _discomfit_] _discomfite_ Ff. _discomfort_ Capell conj.
[beb087] _parts_] _pow’rs_ Hanmer. _party_ Warburton. _friends_ Collier MS.
[bec001] SCENE III.] Steevens. SCENE VII. Pope. Scene IV. Capell. Theobald continues the scene. ¶ Fields......] Malone. Fields without the Town. Capell. ¶ bec001: _Of_] _Old_ Collier (Collier MS.), from (Qq).
[bec003] _brush_] _bruise_ Warburton. ¶ _of_] F1 F2. _off_ F3 F4.
[bec004] _brow_] _blow_ Johnson conj. _browse_ Becket conj. _bloom_ Collier (Collier MS.). _glow_ Anon. conj.
[bec008] _holp_] _holpe_ F1. hope F2 F3 F4.
[bec012] _a_] F1 F2. _an_ F3 F4.
[bec014] _as he is, look_] _as he is,--Look_ Delius conj.
[bec016] _By the_] _By’ th’_ F1 F2 F3. _By th’_ F4.
[bec019] _imminent_] F1 F2. _eminent_ F3. _Eminent_ F4.
[bec027] _them?_] F2 F3 F4. _them:_ F1.
[bec029] _faith_] (Qq) Malone. _hand_ Ff.
[bec032] _drums_] (Qq) Hanmer. _drumme_ F1 F2. _drum_ F3 F4.
[bec033] _these_] _this_ Hanmer.
NOTES TO II KING HENRY VI.
NOTE I.
I. 1. 62. This passage, which is printed as prose in the Quartos, is arranged and read by Capell thus:
‘And girt thee with the sword.-- Cousin of York, we here discharge your grace From being regent in the parts of France, ’Till term of eighteen months be full expir’d.-- Thanks, uncle Winchester, Gloster, York, and Buckingham, Somerset, Salisbury, and Warwick, thanks: We thank you, &c.’
NOTE II.
I. 3. 208. Theobald inserts here two lines from the old play:
_‘K. Hen._ Then be it so: My Lord of Somerset, We make your Grace Regent over the French.’
We have omitted them, agreeing with Capell, Malone, Mr Knight, Mr Collier, and Mr Grant White, that their insertion is not absolutely necessary. Besides Shakespeare would hardly have left so lame a line as the second unaltered. It is possible that some such line as the following may have dropped out:
_‘King._ Then be it so: this is King Henry’s doom.’
NOTE III.
I. 4. At the commencement of this scene Rowe, and Pope in his first edition, inserted the stage direction ‘Flourish’ which belongs to the end of the previous scene. Pope, in his second edition, omitted it altogether, and Theobald restored it to its right place.
NOTE IV.
II. 1. 84. Having recorded up to this point throughout the scene all the cases in which the arrangement of the lines in the Folios is defective, we have thought it unnecessary to do so any more, except where there is any doubt as to what the true arrangement should be. The restoration of the metre is, in almost all instances, due to Pope.
NOTE V.
II. 1. 125–132. In the first Folio this passage stands as follows:
‘Then Saunder, sit there, The lying’st Knave in Christendome. If thou hadst beene borne blind, Thou might’st as well haue knowne all our Names, As thus to name the seuerall Colours we doe weare. Sight may distinguish of Colours: But suddenly to nominate them all, It is impossible. My Lords, Saint _Albone_ here hath done a Miracle: And would ye not thinke it, Cunning to be great, That could restore this Cripple to his Legges againe.’
Pope alters the first four lines thus:
‘Saunder, sit there, the lying’st knave in christendom. If thou hadst been born blind, Thou might’st as well know all our names, as thus To know the several colours we do wear.’
The following is Hanmer’s reading of the first six lines:
‘Then, Saunder, sit thou there, the lying’st knave In christendom. If thou hadst been born blind, Thou might’st as well know all our names, as thus To know the several colours we do wear. Sight may distinguish colours: true, but suddenly To nominate them all, it is impossible.’
In the rest of the scene several arbitrary changes have been made by different editors for the sake of the metre.
NOTE VI.
II. 2. 45, 46. The first Folio has the whole passage thus:
‘His eldest Sister, _Anne_, My Mother being Heire vnto the Crowne, Marryed _Richard_, Earle of Cambridge, Who was to _Edmond Langley_, _Edward_ the thirds fift Sonnes Sonne; By her I clayme the Kingdome: She was Heire to _Roger_, Earle of March, Who was the Sonne of _Edmond Mortimer_ Who marryed _Phillip_, sole Daughter Vnto _Lionel_, Duke of Clarence.’
The later Folios follow the first, except that in the seventh line they read ‘She then was’ for ‘She was.’
Rowe read, ‘Who was son to Edmond Langley,’ but made no other change; and Pope followed him.
Theobald read:
‘Who was the son to Edmond Langley, Edward the Third’s fifth son.’--
and arranged the following lines as they are found in our text.
Hanmer:
‘Who was the son of Edmund Langley, Edward the Third’s fifth son’s son, and by her I claim the kingdom, for she then was heir To Roger &c.’
It was Capell who arranged the earlier lines of the speech as we have given them. Steevens, as usual, adopted his arrangement without acknowledging the obligation.
Mr Collier, in his first edition, read:
‘Married Richard Earl of Cambridge; who was To Edmond Langley Edward the third’s fifth son, son.’
NOTE VII.
III. 1. We retain here Salisbury and Warwick among the persons who enter to the parliament, because they are found both in the Folios and Quartos. In the latter their ‘exeunt’ is also marked. Capell was the first to omit them because they do not speak throughout the scene.
NOTE VIII.
III. 2. 11. The murderer’s answer _’Tis_, which Rowe changed to _Yes_ without authority, shows that we ought to retain the _Is_ of the first Folio notwithstanding the grammatical inaccuracy. In the Quartos the murderer says, ‘All things _is_ hansome now my Lord.’
NOTE IX.
III. 2. 26. We have left ‘Nell’ in the text as the mistake is, in all probability, Shakespeare’s own. He was thinking of the Duchess of Gloucester. Oddly enough neither Rowe nor Pope discovered the blunder. Shakespeare again wrote ‘Elianor’ or ‘Elinor’ for ‘Margaret’ in the 79th, the 100th, and 120th lines of this scene. In _Henry V._ V. 1. the author has made a similar mistake and written ‘Doll’ for ‘Nell.’ See also note VII on _The Two Gentlemen of Verona_.
NOTE X.
III. 2. 182. This is a striking example of the way in which corrections were made in the successive Folios; _i.e._ by mere guess-work, without reference to the first. The true reading escaped the notice of all editors before Capell.
NOTE XI.
IV. 10. 14. By comparing this scene as it stands in the Quartos with that of the Folios it will appear that Shakespeare, in remodelling it, intended that Iden should be alone when he encountered Cade, as his first speech is evidently a soliloquy; and after he has killed Cade he disposes of the body with his own hands. Shakespeare omitted, however, to strike out the reference to the ‘five men’ in line 36.
Steevens who brought the servants on the stage forgot to send them off it. The mistake remained uncorrected down to Mr Dyce’s first edition.
Another example of Shakespeare’s incomplete alteration of the Quarto has been pointed out by Malone at V. 1. 56.
NOTE XII.
V. 2. 66. Malone, referring to the corresponding passage of the Quartos, supposes that a line has been omitted, to the following effect:
‘Behold, the prophecy is come to pass; For, &c.’
THE THIRD PART OF KING HENRY THE SIXTH.
DRAMATIS PERSONƆ.
KING HENRY the Sixth. EDWARD, PRINCE OF WALES, his son. LEWIS XI. KING OF FRANCE. DUKE OF SOMERSET. DUKE OF EXETER. EARL OF OXFORD. EARL OF NORTHUMBERLAND. EARL OF WESTMORELAND. LORD CLIFFORD. RICHARD PLANTAGENET, Duke of York. his sons: EDWARD, Earl of March, afterwards King Edward IV., EDMUND, Earl of Rutland, GEORGE, afterwards Duke of Clarence, RICHARD, afterwards Duke of Gloucester, DUKE OF NORFOLK. MARQUESS OF MONTAGUE. EARL OF WARWICK. EARL OF PEMBROKE. LORD HASTINGS. LORD STAFFORD. uncles to the Duke of York. SIR JOHN MORTIMER, SIR HUGH MORTIMER, HENRY, Earl of Richmond, a youth. LORD RIVERS, brother to Lady Grey. SIR WILLIAM STANLEY. SIR JOHN MONTGOMERY. SIR JOHN SOMERVILLE. Tutor to Rutland. Mayor of York. Lieutenant of the Tower. A Nobleman. Two Keepers. A Huntsman. A Son that has killed his father. A Father that has killed his son. QUEEN MARGARET. LADY GREY, afterwards Queen to Edward IV. BONA, sister to the French Queen.
Soldiers, Attendants, Messengers, Watchmen, &c.
SCENE: _England and France._
────────── † DRAMATIS PERSONÆ. First given, imperfectly, by Rowe.
THE THIRD PART OF KING HENRY VI.
## ACT I.
## SCENE I. _London. The Parliament-house_.
_Alarum. Enter the_ DUKE OF YORK, EDWARD, RICHARD, NORFOLK, MONTAGUE, WARWICK, _and Soldiers_.
_War._ I wonder how the king escaped our hands. [caa001]
_York._ While we pursued 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, ·caa005· Cheer’d up the drooping army; and himself, Lord Clifford and Lord Stafford, all a-breast, Charged our main battle’s front, and breaking in Were by the swords of common soldiers slain.
_Edw._ Lord Stafford’s father, Duke of Buckingham, ·caa010· Is either slain or wounded dangerously; [caa011] I cleft his beaver with a downright blow: That this is true, father, behold his blood. [caa013]
_Mont._ And, brother, here’s the Earl of Wiltshire’s blood, [caa014] Whom I encounter’d as the battles join’d. ·caa015·
_Rich._ Speak thou for me and tell them what I did. [caa016] [_Throwing down the Duke of Somerset’s head._
_York._ Richard hath best deserved of all my sons. But is your grace dead, my Lord of Somerset? [caa018]
_Norf._ Such hope have all the line of John of Gaunt! [caa019]
_Rich._ Thus do I hope to shake King Henry’s head. [caa020]
_War._ And so do I. Victorious Prince of York, [caa021] Before I see thee seated in that throne [caa022] Which now the house of Lancaster usurps, I vow by heaven these eyes shall never close. This is the palace of the fearful king, ·caa025· And this the regal seat: possess it, York; For this is thine and not King Henry’s heirs’. [caa027]
_York._ Assist me, then, sweet Warwick, and I will; For hither we have broken in by force. [caa029]
_Norf._ We’ll all assist you; he that flies shall die. ·caa030·
_York._ Thanks, gentle Norfolk: stay by me, my lords; And, soldiers, stay and lodge by me this night. [caa032] [_They go up._
_War._ And when the king comes, offer him no violence, Unless he seek to thrust you out perforce. [caa034]
_York._ The queen this day here holds her parliament, ·caa035· But little thinks we shall be of her council: [caa036] 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, ·caa040· And bashful Henry deposed, whose cowardice [caa041] Hath made us by-words to our enemies.
_York._ Then leave me not, my lords; be resolute; [caa043] I mean to take possession of my right.
_War._ Neither the king, nor he that loves him best, ·caa045· 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: [caa048] Resolve thee, Richard; claim the English crown. [caa049]
_Flourish. Enter_ KING HENRY, CLIFFORD, NORTHUMBERLAND, WESTMORELAND, EXETER, _and the rest_.
_K. Hen._ My lords, look where the sturdy rebel sits, [caa050] 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 [caa055] On him, his sons, his favourites and his friends.
_North._ If I be not, heavens be revenged on me! [caa057]
_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. ·caa060·
_K. Hen._ Be patient, gentle Earl of Westmoreland.
_Clif._ Patience is for poltroons, such as he: [caa062] He durst not sit there, had your father lived. My gracious lord, here in the parliament Let us assail the family of York. ·caa065·
_North._ Well hast thou spoken, cousin: be it so. [caa066]
_K. Hen._ Ah, know you not the city favours them, And they have troops of soldiers at their beck?
_Exe._ But when the duke is slain, they’ll quickly fly. [caa069]
_K. Hen._ Far be the thought of this from Henry’s heart, [caa070] To make a shambles of the parliament-house! Cousin of Exeter, frowns, words and threats Shall be the war that Henry means to use. [caa073] Thou factious Duke of York, descend my throne, And kneel for grace and mercy at my feet; ·caa075· I am thy sovereign.
_York._ I am thine. [caa076]
_Exe._ For shame, come down: he made thee Duke of York.
_York._ ’Twas my inheritance, as the earldom was. [caa078]
_Exe._ Thy father was a traitor to the crown.
_War._ Exeter, thou art a traitor to the crown ·caa080· In following this usurping Henry.
_Clif._ Whom should he follow but his natural king?
_War._ True, Clifford; and that’s Richard Duke of York. [caa083]
_K. Hen._ And shall I stand, and thou sit in my throne?
_York._ It must and shall be so: content thyself. ·caa085·
_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 chased you from the field ·caa090· 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; [caa093] And, by his soul, thou and thy house shall rue it.
_West._ Plantagenet, of thee and these thy sons, ·caa095· 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. ·caa100·
_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; [caa105] Thy grandfather, Roger Mortimer, Earl of March: I am the son of Henry the Fifth, Who made the Dauphin and the French to stoop And seized upon their towns and provinces.
_War._ Talk not of France, sith thou hast lost it all. ·caa110·
_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. [caa113] Father, tear the crown from the usurper’s head. [caa114]
_Edw._ Sweet father, do so; set it on your head. ·caa115·
_Mont._ Good brother, as thou lovest and honourest arms, [caa116] 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. ·caa120·
_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? ·caa125· No: first shall war unpeople this my realm; 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. ·caa130·
_War._ Prove it, Henry, and thou shalt be king. [caa131]
_K. Hen._ Henry the Fourth by conquest got the crown.
_York._ ’Twas by rebellion against his king.
_K. Hen._ [_Aside_] I know not what to say; my title’s weak. [caa134] Tell me, may not a king adopt an heir? ·caa135·
_York._ What then?
_K. Hen._ An if he may, then am I lawful king; [caa137] 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. ·caa140·
_York._ He rose against him, being his sovereign, And made him to resign his crown perforce. [caa142]
_War._ Suppose, my lords, he did it unconstrain’d, Think you ’twere prejudicial to his crown? [caa144]
_Exe._ No; for he could not so resign his crown ·caa145· 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. [caa150]
_K. Hen._ [_Aside_] 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 deposed.
_War._ Deposed he shall be, in despite of all. [caa154]
_North._ Thou art deceived: ’tis not thy southern power, [caa155] 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, Lord Clifford vows to fight in thy defence: ·caa160· May that ground gape and swallow me alive, Where I shall kneel to him that slew my father!
_K. Hen._ O Clifford, how thy words revive my heart!
_York._ Henry of Lancaster, resign thy crown. [caa164] What mutter you, or what conspire you, lords? ·caa165·
_War._ Do right unto this princely Duke of York, Or I will fill the house with armed men, And over the chair of state, where now he sits, [caa168] 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: [caa170] Let me for this my life-time reign as king.
_York._ Confirm the crown to me and to mine heirs, [caa171] And thou shalt reign in quiet while thou livest.
_King._ I am content: Richard Plantagenet, Enjoy the kingdom after my decease. ·caa175·
_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 injured both thyself and us!
_West._ I cannot stay to hear these articles. ·caa180·
_North._ Nor I.
_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, ·caa185· And die in bands for this unmanly deed!
_Clif._ In dreadful war mayst thou be overcome, Or live in peace abandon’d and despised! [caa188] [_Exeunt North., Cliff., and West._