The Dramatic Works of Shakspeare

K. Hen. Call Buckingham, and bid him arm himself. [thou hast, York. Call Buckingham, and all the friends I am resolved for death, or dignity.

Clif. The first I warrant thee, if dreams
prove true.
[dream again,
'War. You were best to go to bed, and
To keep thee from the tempest of the field.

Clif. I am resolved to bear a greater storm
Than any thou canst conjure up to-day;
And that I'll write upon thy burgonet
Might I but know thee by thy household badge.
War. Now, by my father's badge, old Ne-
vil's crest,

The rampant bear chain'd to the ragged staff,
This day I'll wear aloft my burgonet,
(As on a mountain-top the cedar shows,
That keeps his leaves in spite of any storm,)
Even to affright thee with the view thereof.
Clif. And from thy burgonet I'll rend thy*
bear,

And tread it under foot with all contempt,
Despight the bear-ward that protects the bear.

Y. Clif. And so to arms, victorious father,
To quell the rebels, and their 'complices.
Rick. Fie! charity, for shame! speak not*
in spite,

For you shall sup with Jesu Christ to-night.
Y. Clif. Foul stigmatict, that's more

than thou canst tell.

And if thou dost not hide thee from the bear,
Now, when the angry trumpet sounds alarm,*
And dead men's cries do fill the empty air,-
Clifford, I say, come forth and fight with me!
Proud northern lord, Clifford of Cumberland,
Warwick is hoarse with calling thee to arms.
Enter YORK.

'How now, my noble lord? what, all a-foot?
York. The deadly-handed Clifford slew
my steed;

But match to match I have encounter'd him,
And made a prey for carrion kites and crows
Even of the bonny beast he loved so well.
Enter CLIFFORD.

War. Of one or both of us the time is come. York. Hold, Warwick, seek thee out some other chase,

For I myself must hunt this deer to death.
War. Then, nobly, York; 'tis for a crown
thou fight'st.-

As I intend, Clifford, to thrive to-day,
t grieves my soul to leave thee unassail'd.
[Exit WARWICK
Clif. What seest thou in me, York? why
dost thou pause?

*Y. Clif. Shame and confusion! all is on the rout;

*Fear frames disorder, and disorder wounds Where it should guard. O war, thou son of

hell,

Whom angry heavens do make their minister, * Throw in the frozen bosoms of our part Hot coals of vengeance!-Let no soldier fly: He that is truly dedicate to war, Hath no self-love; nor he that loves himself * Hath not essentially, but by circumstance, * The name of valour.-O, let the vile world end, [Seeing his Father dead. *And the premised flames of the last day * Knit earth and heaven together!

Now let the general trumpet blow his blast, * Particularities and petty sounds * To cease!-Wast thou ordain'd, dear father, *To lose thy youth in peace, and to achieve The silver livery of advised ** age; [thus And in thy reverence, and thy chair-days, To die in ruffian battle?-Even at this sight, My heart is turn'd to stone: and, while 'tis mine,

* It shall be stony. York not cur old men spares;

* No more will I their babes: tears virginal * Shall be to me even as the dew to fire;

And beauty, that the tyrant oft reclaims, Shall to my flaming wrath be oil and flax. *Henceforth, I will not have to do with pity: Meet I an infant of the house of York, * Into as many gobbets wil! I cut it, *As wild Medea young Absyrtus did: * In cruelty will I seek out my fame. Come, thon new ruin of old Clifford's house; [Taking up the Body.

As did Eneas old Anchises bear, So bear I thee upon my manly shoulders; * But then Æneas bare a living load, *Nothing so heavy as these woes of mine.

[Exit.
Enter RICHARD PLANTAGENET and SOMER-
SET fighting, and SOMERSET is killed.
Rich. So, lie thou there;

[in love,For, underneath an alehouse' paltry sign,
The castle in Saint Albans, Somerset
Hath made the wizard famous in his death.-

York. With thy brave bearing should I be But that thou art so fast mine enemy.

Sword, hold thy temper; heart, be wrathful still:

Priests, pray for enemies, but princes, kill. [Exit. Alarums: Excursions. Enter King HENRY, Queen MARGARET, and Others, retreating. 'Q. Mar. Away, my lord! you are slow; for shame, away!

*K. Hen. Can we outrun the heavens ? good Margaret, stay. [not fight, nor fly : Q. Mar. What are you made of? you'll Now is it manhood, wisdom, and defence, • To give the enemy way and to secure us By what we can, which can no more but fly. [Alarum afur off. you be ta'en,we then should see the bottom * Of all our fortunes: but if we haply 'scape, • (As well we may, if not through our neglect,) We shall to London get, where you are loved; [made, And where this breach, now in our fortunes May readily be stopp'd.

Enter young CLIFFORD.

*Y. Clif. But that my heart's on future mischief set,

* I would speak blasphemy ere bid you fly; But fly you must; uncurable discomfit Reigns in the hearts of all our present parts*. Away, for your relief! and we will live To see their day, and them our fortune give: Away, my lord, away! [Exeunt.

SCENE III. Fields near Saint Albans. Alurum: Retreat. Flourish; then enter YORK, RICHARD PLANTAGENET, WARWICK, and Soldiers with Drum and Colours. [him; 'York. Of Salisbury, who can report of

*That winter lion, who, in rage forgets

Aged contusions and all brush of time+; * And like a gallant in the brow of youth, Repairs him with occasion? This happy day Is not itself, nor have we won one foot, If Salisbury be lost.

'Rich.

My noble father, 'Three times to-day I holp him to his horse, 'Three times bestrid him, thrice I led him off, 'Persuaded him from any further act: [him; 'But still, where danger was, still there I met And like rich hangings in a homely house, *So was his will in his old feeble body. But, noble as he is, look where he comes. Enter SALISBURY,

'Sal. Now, by my sword, well hast thou fought to-day; [Richard:

By the mass, so did we all.-I thank you, 'God knows how long it is I have to live; [day And it hath pleased him, that three times to'You have defended me from imminent death. * Well, lords, we have not got that which we haves:

* 'Tis not enough our foes are this time fled, *Being opposites of such repairing nature .

'York. I know our safety is to follow them; For, as I hear, the king is fled to London, To call a present court of parliament. 'Let us pursue him, ere the writs go forth :What says lord Warwick? shall we after

them?

[can.

War. After them! nay, before them, if we Now, by my faith, lords, 'twas a glorious day: Saint Albans battle, won by famous York, Shall be eternized in all age to come.Sound, drums and trumpets and to London And more such days as these to us befal! [all: [Exeunt.

ti. e., The gradual detrition of time.

ii. e., The height of youth:

• For parties. the brow of a hill is its summit. § i. e., We have not secured that which we have acquired. i. e., Being enemies that are likely so soon to rally and recover themselves from this defeat.

Drums. Some Soldiers of York's party break in. Then Enter the Duke of YORK, EDWARD, RICHARD, NORFOLK, MONTAGUE, WARWICK, and others, with white Roses in their Hats.

War. I wonder how the king escaped our hands.

[north, York. While we pursued the horsemen of the He slily stole away, and left his men: Whereat the great lord of Northumberland, Whose warlike ears could never brook retreat, [self, Cheered up the drooping army; and himLord Clifford, and lord Stafford, all a-breast, Charged our main battle's front, and breaking in, [slain. Were by the swords of common soldiers Edw. Lord Stafford's father, duke of Buckingham,

Is either slain, or wounded dangerous: 1 cleft his beaver with a downright blow; 'That this is true, father, behold his blood. [Showing his bloody Sword. Mont. And, brother, here's the earl of Wiltshire's blood,

[To YORK, showing his. 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 deserved of all

this house.

Rich. Armed as we are, let's stay within [called, War. The bloody parliament shall this be Unless Plantagenet, duke of York, be king; And bashful Henry deposed, whose cowardice Hath made us by-words to our enemies.

York. Then leave me not, my lords; be resolute;

I mean to take possession of my right. [best, War. Neither the king, nor he that loves him 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:[crown. Resolve thee, Richard; claim the English [WARWICK leads YORK to the Throne, who seats himself.

Flourish. Enter King HENRY, CLIFFORD, NORTHUMBERLAND, WESTMORELAND, EXETER, and Others, with red Roses in their Hats.

K. Hen. My lords, look where the sturdy rebel sits,

Even in the chair of state! Belike he means, (Backed 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 vowed revenge

On him, his sons, his favourites, and his friends. North. If I be not, heavens, be revenged on me! [in steel. Clif. The hope thereof makes Clifford mourn West. What, shall we suffer this, let's pluck him down:

My heart for anger burns, I cannot brook it. K. Hen. Be patient, gentle earl of Westmoreland.

[he;

Clif. Patience is for poltroons, and such as He durst not sit there had your father lived. My gracious lord, here in the parliament Let us assail the family of York. [it so. North. Well hast thou spoken, cousin; be K. Hen. Ah, know you not, the city favours then, [beck?

And they have troops of soldiers at their Ere. But when the duke is slain, they'll quickly fly.

K. Hen. Far be the thought of this from
Henry's heart,

To make a shambles of the parliament-house!
Cousin of Exeter frowns, words, and threats,
Shall be the war that Henry means to use.-
They advance to the Duke.
Thou factions duke of York,descend my throne,
And kneel for grace and mercy at my feet;
I am thy sovereign.

York. Thou art deceived, I am thine.
Ere. For shame, come down; he made thee
duke of York.
[was.
York. 'Twas my inheritance, as the earldom
Ere. Thy father was a traitor to the crown.
War. Exeter, thou art a traitor to the crown,
In following this usurping Henry.

lost it all.

[not I; K. Hen. The lord protector lost it, and When I was crown'd, I was but nine months old. [methinks, you lose:Rich. You are old enough now, and yet, Father, tear the crown from the usurper's head. Edw. Sweet father, do so; set it on your head, [lov'st and honour'st arms," Mont. Good brother, [To YORK] as thon Let's fight it out, and not stand cavilling thus. Rich. Sound drums and trumpets, and the York. Sons, peace! [king will fly.

K. Hen. Peace thou! and give king Henry leave to speak. [him, lords; War. Plantagenet shall speak first:-hear 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? 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 sor

row,

Shall be my winding sheet. Why faint ye, lords?

• Hawks had sometimes little bells hung on them, perhaps to dare the birds; that is, to frig

them from rising.

+ Since.

be king.

'My title's good, and better far than his. War. But prove it, Henry, and thou shalt [the crown. K. Hen. Henry the fourth by conquest got York. 'Twas by rebellion a ainst his king. K. Hen. I know not what to say; my title's weak.

Tell me, may not a king adopt an heir?
York. What then?

[king: K. Hen. An if he may, then am I lawful '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. York. He rose against him, being his sovereign,

And made him to resign his crown perforce. War. Suppose, my lords, he did it unconstrain'd,

Think you, 'were prejudicial to his crown* ? Ere. No; for he could not so resign his

answer not?

crown, [reign. But that the next heir should succeed and K. Hen. Art thou against us, duke of Exeter? [don me. Ere. His is the right, and therefore par• York. Why whisper you, my lords, and [king. Exe. My conscience tells me he is lawful K. Hen. All will revolt from me, and turn to him. [lay'st, North. Plantagenet, for all the claim thou Think not, that Henry shall be so deposed. 'War. Deposed he shall be, in despite of Touthern power,

ail.

North. Thou art deceived: 'tis not thy Of Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, nor of Kent,Which makes thee thus presumptuous and proud,

Can set the duke ap, in despite of me.

Clif. King Henry, be thy title right or wrong, Lord Clifford vows to fight in thy defence: May that ground gape, and swallow me alive, 'Where I shall kneel to him that slew my [my heart!

father!

'K. Hen. O Clifford, how thy words revive York. Henry of Lancaster, resign thy crown: What mutter you, or what conspire you, lords? War. Do right unto this princely duke of York;

Or I will fill the honse with armed men,
And, o'er the chair of state, where now he sits,
Write up his title with usurping blood.

[He stamps, and the Soldiers show them-
selves.

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,

these news.

Clif. Come, cousin, let us tell the queen [rate king, *Hest. Farewell, faint-hearted and degeneIn whose cold blood no spark of honour bides. [York, North. Be thou a prey unto the house of And die in bands for this unmanly deed! Clif. In dreadful war may'st thou be overcome !

Or live in peace, abandoned and despised! [Exeunt NORTH., CLIF., and WEST. * War. Turn this way, Henry, and regard them not. [not yield. Ere. They seek revenge, and therefore will K. Hen. Ah, Exeter!

War. Why should you sigh, my lord? K. Hen. Not for myself, lord Warwick, but my son,

[ever :

Whom I unnaturally shall disinherit.
But, be it as it may :-I here entail
The crown to thee and to thine heirs for
Conditionally, that here thou take an oath
To cease this civil war, and, whilst I live,
To honour me as thy king and sovereign;
And neither by treason, nor hostility,
To seek to put me down, and reign thyself.
York. This oath I willingly take, and will

perform. [Coming from the Throne. War Long live King Henry-Plantagenet, [forward sons!

embrace him.

Mont. And I unto the sea, from whence I [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.

Ere. Here comes the queen, whose looks I'll steal away. [bewray + her anger: K. Hen. Exeter, so will I. [Going. 'Q. Mar. Nay, go not from me, I will follow thee. [will stay.

K. Hen. Be patient, gentle queen, and I Q. Mar. Who can be patient in such extremes? [maid,

* Ah, wretched man! would I had died a Enjoy the kingdom after my decease. * And never seen thee, never borne thee son, Clif. What wrong is this au o the prince* Seeing thou hast proved so unnatural a father! your son? [himself? * Hath he deserved to lose his birthright thus? War. What good is this to England, and * Hadst thou but loved him half so well as I;

i.e., Detrimental to the general rights of hereditary royalty. + Betray, discover,

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