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,

And, in thy reverence and thy chair-days, thus
To die in ruffian battle? Even at this sight 49
My heart is turn'd to stone: and while 'tis mine,
It shall be stony. York not our 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 will I cut it
As wild Medea young Absyrtus did:
In cruelty will I seek out my fame.

Come, thou new ruin of old Clifford's house:
As did Æneas 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.

60

[Exit bearing off his father.

Enter RICHARD and SOMERSET to fight.
SOMERSET is killed.

Rich. So lie thou there:
For underneath an alehouse' paltry sign,
The Castle in St. Alban's, Somerset
Hath made the wizard famous in his death. 69
Sword, hold thy temper; heart, be wrathful still?
Priests pray for enemies, but princes kill. [Exit.
Fight: excursions. Enter KING, QUEEN, and

others.

Queen. Away, my lord! you are slow; for shame, away!

King. Can we outrur. the heavens? good Margaret, stay.

Queen. What are you made of? you'll nor fight nor fly:

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 afar off.
If 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 your neglect, 80
We shall to London get, where you are loved,
And where this breach now in our fortunes made
May readily be stopp'd.

Re-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
To see their day and them our fortune give:
relief! and we will live
Away, my lord, away!
[Exeunt.

SCENE III. Fields near St. Alban's. Alarum. Retreat. Enter YORK, RICHARD, WARWICK, and Soldiers, with drum and colors.

York. Of Salisbury, who can report of him, 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.

10

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: But still, where danger was, still there I met him; 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;

By the mass, so did we all. I thank you, Richard:
God knows how long it is I have to live;
And it hath pleased him that three times to-day
You have defended me from imminent death.
Well, lords, we have not got that which we have:
'Tis not enough our foes are this time fled, 21
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?
War. After them! nay, before them if we can.
Now, by my faith, lords, 'twas a glorious day:
Saint Alban's battle won by famous York 30
Shall be eternized in all age to come.
Sound drums and trumpets, and to London all:
And more such days as these to us befall!
[Exeunt.

ACT I.

SCENZI. 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.

York. While we pursued the horsemen of the north,

He slyly 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 abreast,
Charged our main battle's front, and breaking in
Were by the swords of common soldiers slain.
Edw. Lord Stafford's father, Duke of Buck-
ingham,

10

Is either slain or wounded dangerously;
I cleft his beaver with a downright blow:
That this is true, father, behold his blood.
Mont. And, brother, here's the Earl of Wilt-
shire's 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 deserved of all my

War. And so do I. Victorious Prince of York, 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 we have broken in by force. Norf. We'll all assist you; he that flies shall die.

30

York. Thanks, gentle Norfolk: stay by me, my lords;

And, soldiers, stay and lodge by me this night, They go up.

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

Unless he seek to thrust you out perforce. York. The queen this day here holds her parliament,

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, 40 And bashful Henry deposed, whose cowardice Hath made us by-words to our enemies.

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

swer not?

turn to him.

southern power,

Of Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, nor of Kent,
Which makes thee thus presumptuous and
Can set the duke up in despite of me. [proud,

Clif King Henry, be thy title right or wrong, Lord Clifford vows to fight in thy defence; 160 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. What mutter you, or what conspire you, lords? 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,
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: 170

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 livest.
King. 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. Base, fearful and despairing Henry! Clif. How hast thou injured both thyself and

us!

West. I cannot stay to hear these articles. North. Nor I.

181

Clif. Come, cousin, let us tell the queen these

news.

West. Farewell, faint-hearted and degenerate king,

In whose cold blood no spark of honor bides. North. Be thou a prey unto the house of York, And die in bands for this unmanly deed!

Clif. In dreadful war mayst thou be overcome, Or live in peace abandon'd and despised! [Exeunt North., Clif., and West. War. Turn this way, Henry, and regard them not.

Exe. They seek revenge, and therefore will not yield.

K. Hen. Ah, Exeter! War.

190

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

[ACT I.

Whom I unnaturally shall disinherit. The crown to thee and to thine heirs forever; But be it as it may: I here entail Conditionally, that here thou take an oath To cease this civil war, and, whilst I live, To honor me as thy king and sovereign, To seek to put me down and reign thyself. 200 And neither by treason nor hostility York. This oath I willingly take and will perform.

War. Long live King Henry! Plantagenet, embrace him.

K. Hen. And long live thou and these thy forward sons!

York. Now York and Lancaster are reconciled.

Exe. Accursed be he that seeks to make them foes! [Sennet. Here they come down. York. Farewell, my gracious lord; I'll to my castle.

War. And I'll keep London with my soldiers. Norf. And I to Norfolk with my followers. [Exeunt York and his Sons, Warwick, NorMont. And I unto the sea from whence I came. folk, Montague, their Soldiers, and Attendants.

K. Hen. And I, with grief and sorrow, to the

The northern lords that have forsworn thy colors
Will follow mine, if once they see them spread;
And spread they shall be, to thy foul disgrace
And utter ruin of the house of York.
Thus do I leave thee. Come, son, let's away;
Our army is ready; come, we ll after them.
K. Hen. Stay, gentle Margaret, and hear me
-speak.

Q. Mar. Thou hast spoke too much already: get thee gone.

K. Hen. Gentle son Edward, thou wilt stay with me?

Q. Mar. Ay, to be murder'd by his enemies. Prince. When I return with victory from the field

261

I'll see your grace: till then I'll follow her. Q. Mar. Come, son, away; we may not linger thus.

[Exeunt Queen Margaret and the Prince. K. Hen. Poor queen! how love to me and to her son

Hath made her break out into terms of rage!
Revenged may she be on that hateful duke,
Whose haughty spirit, winged with desire,
Will cost my crown, and like an empty eagle
Tire on the flesh of me and of my son!
The loss of those three lords torments my heart;
I'll write unto them and entreat them fair.
Come, cousin, you shall be the messenger.
Exe. And I, I hope, shall reconcile them all.
[Exeunt.

SCENE II. Sandal Castle.

271

Enter RICHARD, EDWARD, and MONTAGUE. Rich. Brother, though I be youngest, give me leave.

Edw. No, I can better play the orator. Mont. But I have reasons strong and forcible. Enter the DUKE OF York.

I would break a thousand oaths to reign one year. Rich. No; God forbid your grace should be forsworn.

York. I shall be, if I claim by open war. Rich. I'll prove the contrary, if you'll hear me speak.

20

York. Thou canst not, son; it is impossible. Rich. An oath is of no moment, being not took Before a true and lawful magistrate, That hath authority over him that swears: Henry had none, but did usurp the place: Then, seeing 'twas he that made you to depose, Your oath, my lord, is vain and frivolous. Therefore, to arms! And, father, do but think How sweet a thing it is to wear a crown; Within whose circuit is Elysium And all that poets feign of bliss and joy. Why do we linger thus? I cannot rest Until the white rose that I wear be dyed Even in the lukewarm blood of Henry's heart.

30

York. Richard, enough; I will be king, or die. Brother, thou shalt to London presently, And whet on Warwick to this enterprise. Thou, Richard, shalt unto the Duke of Norfolk, And tell him privily of our intent. You, Edward, shall unto my lord Cobham, 40 With whom the Kentishmen will willingly rise: In them I trust; for they are soldiers, Witty, courteous, liberal, full of spirit. While you are thus employ'd, what resteth more, But that I seek occasion how to rise, And yet the king not privy to my drift, Nor any of the house of Lancaster? Enter a Messenger.

But, stay: what news? Why comest thou in such post? Mess. The queen with all the northern earls and lords

50

Intend here to besiege you in castle: your She is hard by with twenty thousand men: And therefore fortify your hold, my lord. York. Ay, with my sword. What! think'st thou that we fear them? Edward and Richard, you shall with me; stay My brother Montague shall post to London: Let noble Warwick, Cobham, and the rest, Whom we have left protectors of the king, With powerful policy strengthen themselves, And trust not simple Henry nor his oaths. Mont. Brother, I go; I'll win them, fear it

not:

60

What is your quarrel? how began it first?

Edw. No quarrel, but a slight contention. York. About what?

Rich. About that which concerns your grace and us;

The crown of England, father, which is yours. 9 York. Mine, boy? not till King Henry be dead. Rich. Your right depends not on his life or death.

Edw. Now you are heir, therefore enjoy it now: By giving the house of Lancaster leave to It will outrun you, father, in the end. (breathe, York. I took an oath that he should quietly reign.

Edw. But for a kingdom any oath may be

broken: W

Enter SIR JOHN MORTIMER and SIR HUGH MORTIMER.

York. Sir John and Sir Hugh Mortimer, mine uncles,

You are come to Sandal in a happy hour:
The army of the queen mean to besiege us.
Sir John. She shall not need; we'll meet her
in the field.

York. What, with five thousand men?
Rich. Ay, with five hundred, father, for a need:
A woman's general; what should we fear?
[A march afar off.

Edw. I hear their drums: let's set our men in order, 70 And issue forth and bid them battle straight.