Act I
Scene I
London. The Parliament-house.
Alarum. Enter the Duke of York, Edward, Richard, Norfolk, Montague, Warwick, and Soldiers. | |
Warwick | I wonder how the king escaped our hands. |
York |
While we pursued the horsemen of the north,
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Edward |
Lord Stafford’s father, Duke of Buckingham,
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Montague |
And, brother, here’s the Earl of Wiltshire’s blood,
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Richard | 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 my sons.
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Norfolk | Such hope have all the line of John of Gaunt! |
Richard | Thus do I hope to shake King Henry’s head. |
Warwick |
And so do I. Victorious Prince of York,
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York |
Assist me, then, sweet Warwick, and I will;
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Norfolk | We’ll all assist you; he that flies shall die. |
York |
Thanks, gentle Norfolk: stay by me, my lords;
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Warwick |
And when the king comes, offer him no violence,
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York |
The queen this day here holds her parliament,
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Richard | Arm’d as we are, let’s stay within this house. |
Warwick |
The bloody parliament shall this be call’d,
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York |
Then leave me not, my lords; be resolute;
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Warwick |
Neither the king, nor he that loves him best,
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Flourish. Enter King Henry, Clifford, Northumberland, Westmoreland, Exeter, and the rest. | |
King Henry |
My lords, look where the sturdy rebel sits,
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Northumberland | If I be not, heavens be revenged on me! |
Clifford | The hope thereof makes Clifford mourn in steel. |
Westmoreland |
What, shall we suffer this? let’s pluck him down:
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King Henry | Be patient, gentle Earl of Westmoreland. |
Clifford |
Patience is for poltroons, such as he:
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Northumberland | Well hast thou spoken, cousin: be it so. |
King Henry |
Ah, know you not the city favours them,
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Exeter | But when the duke is slain, they’ll quickly fly. |
King Henry |
Far be the thought of this from Henry’s heart,
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York | I am thine. |
Exeter | For shame, come down: he made thee Duke of York. |
York | ’Twas my inheritance, as the earldom was. |
Exeter | Thy father was a traitor to the crown. |
Warwick |
Exeter, thou art a traitor to the crown
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Clifford | Whom should he follow but his natural king? |
Warwick | True, Clifford; and that’s Richard Duke of York. |
King Henry | And shall I stand, and thou sit in my throne? |
York | It must and shall be so: content thyself. |
Warwick | Be Duke of Lancaster; let him be king. |
Westmoreland |
He is both king and Duke of Lancaster;
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Warwick |
And Warwick shall disprove it. You forget
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Northumberland |
Yes, Warwick, I remember it to my grief;
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Westmoreland |
Plantagenet, of thee and these thy sons,
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Clifford |
Urge it no more; lest that, instead of words,
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Warwick | Poor Clifford! how I scorn his worthless threats! |
York |
Will you we show our title to the crown?
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King Henry |
What title hast thou, traitor, to the crown?
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Warwick | Talk not of France, sith thou hast lost it all. |
King Henry |
The lord protector lost it, and not I:
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Richard |
You are old enough now, and yet, methinks, you lose.
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Edward | Sweet father, do so; set it on your head. |
Montague |
Good brother, as thou lovest and honourest arms,
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Richard | Sound drums and trumpets, and the king will fly. |
York | Sons, peace! |
King Henry | Peace, thou! and give King Henry leave to speak. |
Warwick |
Plantagenet shall speak first: hear him, lords;
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King Henry |
Think’st thou that I will leave my kingly throne,
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Warwick | Prove it, Henry, and thou shalt be king. |
King Henry | Henry the Fourth by conquest got the crown. |
York | ’Twas by rebellion against his king. |
King Henry |
Aside. I know not what to say; my title’s weak.—
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York | What then? |
King Henry |
An if he may, then am I lawful king;
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York |
He rose against him, being his sovereign,
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Warwick |
Suppose, my lords, he did it unconstrain’d,
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Exeter |
No; for he could not so resign his crown
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King Henry | Art thou against us, Duke of Exeter? |
Exeter | His is the right, and therefore pardon me. |
York | Why whisper you, my lords, and answer not? |
Exeter | My conscience tells me he is lawful king. |
King Henry | Aside. All will revolt from me, and turn to him. |
Northumberland |
Plantagenet, for all the claim thou lay’st,
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Warwick | Deposed he shall be, in despite of all. |
Northumberland |
Thou art deceived: ’tis not thy southern power,
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Clifford |
King Henry, be thy title right or wrong,
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King Henry | O Clifford, how thy words revive my heart! |
York |
Henry of Lancaster, resign thy crown.
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Warwick |
Do right unto this princely Duke of York,
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King Henry |
My Lord of Warwick, hear me but one word:
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York |
Confirm the crown to me and to mine heirs,
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King Henry |
I am content: Richard Plantagenet,
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Clifford | What wrong is this unto the prince your son! |
Warwick | What good is this to England and himself! |
Westmoreland | Base, fearful and despairing Henry! |
Clifford | How hast thou injured both thyself and us! |
Westmoreland | I cannot stay to hear these articles. |
Northumberland | Nor I. |
Clifford | Come, cousin, let us tell the queen these news. |
Westmoreland |
Farewell, faint-hearted and degenerate king,
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Northumberland |
Be thou a prey unto the house of York,
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Clifford |
In dreadful war mayst thou be overcome,
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Warwick | Turn this way, Henry, and regard them not. |
Exeter | They seek revenge and therefore will not yield. |
King Henry | Ah, Exeter! |
Warwick | Why should you sigh, my lord? |
King Henry |
Not for myself, Lord Warwick, but my son,
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York | This oath I willingly take and will perform. |
Warwick | Long live King Henry! Plantagenet, embrace him. |
King Henry | And long live thou and these thy forward sons! |
York | Now York and Lancaster are reconciled. |
Exeter | Accursed be he that seeks to make them foes! Sennet. Here they come down. |
York | Farewell, my gracious lord; I’ll to my castle. |
Warwick | And I’ll keep London with my soldiers. |
Norfolk | And I to Norfolk with my followers. |
Montague | And I unto the sea from whence I came. Exeunt York and his Sons, Warwick, Norfolk, Montague, their Soldiers, and Attendants. |
King Henry | And I, with grief and sorrow, to the court. |
Enter Queen Margaret and the Prince of Whales. | |
Exeter |
Here comes the queen, whose looks bewray her anger:
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King Henry | Exeter, so will I. |
Queen Margaret | Nay, go not from me; I will follow thee. |
King Henry | Be patient, gentle queen, and I will stay. |
Queen Margaret |
Who can be patient in such extremes?
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Prince |
Father, you cannot disinherit me:
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King Henry |
Pardon me, Margaret; pardon me, sweet son:
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Queen Margaret |
Enforced thee! art thou king, and wilt be forced?
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King Henry | Stay, gentle Margaret, and hear me speak. |
Queen Margaret | Thou hast spoke too much already: get thee gone. |
King Henry | Gentle son Edward, thou wilt stay with me? |
Queen Margaret | Ay, to be murder’d by his enemies. |
Prince |
When I return with victory from the field
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Queen Margaret | Come, son, away; we may not linger thus. Exeunt Queen Margaret and the Prince. |
King Henry |
Poor queen! how love to me and to her son
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Exeter | And I, I hope, shall reconcile them all. Exeunt. |
Scene II
Sandal Castle.
Enter Richard, Edward, and Montague. | |
Richard | Brother, though I be youngest, give me leave. |
Edward | No, I can better play the orator. |
Montague | But I have reasons strong and forcible. |
Enter the Duke of York. | |
York |
Why, how now, sons and brother! at a strife?
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Edward | No quarrel, but a slight contention. |
York | About what? |
Richard |
About that which concerns your grace and us;
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York | Mine boy? not till King Henry be dead. |
Richard | Your right depends not on his life or death. |
Edward |
Now you are heir, therefore enjoy it now:
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York | I took an oath that he should quietly reign. |
Edward |
But for a kingdom any oath may be broken:
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Richard | No; God forbid your grace should be forsworn. |
York | I shall be, if I claim by open war. |
Richard | I’ll prove the contrary, if you’ll hear me speak. |
York | Thou canst not, son; it is impossible. |
Richard |
An oath is of no moment, being not took
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York |
Richard, enough; I will be king, or die.
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Enter a Messenger. | |
But, stay: what news? Why comest thou in such post? | |
Messenger |
The queen with all the northern earls and lords
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York |
Ay, with my sword. What! think’st thou that we fear them?
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Montague |
Brother, I go; I’ll win them, fear it not:
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Enter Sir John Mortimer and Sir Hugh Mortimer. | |
York |
Sir John and Sir Hugh Mortimer, mine uncles,
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Sir John | She shall not need; we’ll meet her in the field. |
York | What, with five thousand men? |
Richard |
Ay, with five hundred, father, for a need:
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Edward |
I hear their drums: let’s set our men in order,
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York |
Five men to twenty! though the odds be great,
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Scene III
Field of battle betwixt Sandal Castle and Wakefield.
Alarums. Enter Rutland and his Tutor. | |
Rutland |
Ah, whither shall I fly to ’scape their hands?
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Enter Clifford and Soldiers. | |
Clifford |
Chaplain, away! thy priesthood saves thy life.
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Tutor | And I, my lord, will bear him company. |
Clifford | Soldiers, away with him! |
Tutor |
Ah, Clifford, murder not this innocent child,
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Clifford |
How now! is he dead already? or is it fear
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Rutland |
So looks the pent-up lion o’er the wretch
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Clifford |
In vain thou speak’st, poor boy; my father’s blood
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Rutland |
Then let my father’s blood open it again:
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Clifford |
Had thy brethren here, their lives and thine
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Rutland |
O, let me pray before I take my death!
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Clifford | Such pity as my rapier’s point affords. |
Rutland | I never did thee harm: why wilt thou slay me? |
Clifford | Thy father hath. |
Rutland |
But ’twas ere I was born.
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Clifford |
No cause!
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Rutland | Di faciant laudis summa sit ista tuae! Dies. |
Clifford |
Plantagenet! I come, Plantagenet!
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Scene IV
Another part of the field.
Alarum. Enter Richard, Duke of York. | |
York |
The army of the queen hath got the field:
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Enter Queen Margaret, Clifford, Northumberland, the young Prince, and Soldiers. | |
Come, bloody Clifford, rough Northumberland,
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Northumberland | Yield to our mercy, proud Plantagenet. |
Clifford |
Ay, to such mercy as his ruthless arm,
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York |
My ashes, as the phoenix, may bring forth
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Clifford |
So cowards fight when they can fly no further;
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York |
O Clifford, but bethink thee once again,
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Clifford |
I will not bandy with thee word for word,
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Queen Margaret |
Hold, valiant Clifford! for a thousand causes
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Northumberland |
Hold, Clifford! do not honour him so much
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Clifford | Ay, ay, so strives the woodcock with the gin. |
Northumberland | So doth the cony struggle in the net. |
York |
So triumph thieves upon their conquer’d booty;
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Northumberland | What would your grace have done unto him now? |
Queen Margaret |
Brave warriors, Clifford and Northumberland,
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Clifford | That is my office, for my father’s sake. |
Queen Margaret | Nay, stay; lets hear the orisons he makes. |
York |
She-wolf of France, but worse than wolves of France,
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Northumberland |
Beshrew me, but his passion moves me so
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York |
That face of his the hungry cannibals
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Northumberland |
Had he been slaughter-man to all my kin,
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Queen Margaret |
What, weeping-ripe, my Lord Northumberland?
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Clifford | Here’s for my oath, here’s for my father’s death. Stabbing him. |
Queen Margaret | And here’s to right our gentle-hearted king. Stabbing him. |
York |
Open Thy gate of mercy, gracious God!
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Queen Margaret |
Off with his head, and set it on York gates;
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