IS 43

War. But prove it, Henry, and thou shalt be King.
K. Henry. Henry the Fourth by Conquest got th: Crown.
York. 'T'was 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?

Tork. What then?

K. Henry. And if he may, then am I lawful King:
For Richard, in the view of many Lords,
Resign’d the Crown to Henry the Fourth,
Whole Heir my Father was, and I am his.

Tork. He rose against him, being his Soveraign,
And made him to resign his Crown perforce.

War. Suppose, my Lords, he did it unconstrain d,
Think you 'twere prejudicial to his Crown?

Exe. No; for he could not so resign his Crown,
But that the next Heir should fucceed 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 not?
Exe. My Conscience tells me, he is lawful King.
K. Henry. All will revolt from me, and turn to him.

North. Plantagenet, for all the claim thou lay'st,
Think not, that Henry shall be depos’d.

War. Depos'd he shall be, in despite 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 see the Duke up in despight 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 new my Father.

K. Henry. Oh Clifford, how thy words revive my Heart.
York. Henry of Lancaster, resign thy Crown:
What mutter you, or what conspire you, Lords?

Wır. Do right unto this Princely Duke of York,
Or I will fill the House with armed Men,
And o'er the Chair of State, where now he fits,
Write up his Title with usurping Blood.
He stamps with his foot, and the Soldiers foew themselves.

B4

K. Honry

1

1

North. Yes, Wawick, I remember it to my grief. And by his Soul, thou and thy House shall rue it.

Weft. Blantagenet, 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, list that instead of words
I send thee, Warwick, such a Messenger,
As shall revenge his Death, before I stir.

War. Poor Clifford! how I scorn his worthless Threats.
Tork. Will you, we shew our Title to the Crown?
If not, our Swords thall plead it in the Field.
• K. Henry. What Title haft thou, Traitor, to the Crown?
Thy Father was, as thou art, Duke of York,
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 seiz'd upon their Towns and Provinces.

War. Talk not of France, fith thou hast lost it all.
K. Henry. The Lord Proteâor lost it, and not I;
When I was Crown'd I was but nine Months old.

Rich. You are old enough now,
And yet met hinks you lose: :
Father, tear the Crown from the Usurper's Head.

Edw. Sweet Father do so, set it on your Head.

Mount. Good Brother,
As thou lov'st and honourest Arms,
Let's fight it out, and not stand cavelling thus.

Rich. Sound Drums and Trumpets, and the King will ay.

York. Sons, Peace.
K. Henry. Peace thou, and give King Henry leave to speak.

War. Plantagenet shall speak first: Hear him Lords,
And be you filent and attentive too,
For he that interrupts bim, shall not live.

K. Henry. Think'st thou that I will leave my Kingly Throne,
Wherein my Grandfire and my Father sat?
No; fuit Mall War unpeople this my Realm;
Ay, and their Colours often born in France,
And now in England, to our Hearts great Sorrow,
Shall be my Winding-heet : Why faint you, Lords?
My Titlc's good, and better far than his.

W.17.

War. But prove it, Henry, and thou shalt be King.
K. Henry. Henry the Fourth by Conquest got th: Crown. .
York. 'Í'was 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?

Tork. What then?

K. Henry. And 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.

York. He rose against him, being his Soveraign,
And made him to resign his Crown perforce.

War. Suppose, my Lords, he did it unconstrain d,
Think you 'twere prejudicial to his Crown?

Exe. No; for he could not so resign his Crown,
But that the next Heir should fucceed 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 not?
Exe. My Conscience tells me, he is lawful King.
K. Henry. All will revolt from me, and turn to him.

North. Plantagenet, for all the claim thou lay'st,
Think not, that

Henry shall be depos'd.
War. Depos'd he shall be, in despite of all.

North, Thou art deceiv'd:
'Tis not thy Southern Power
Of Ellex, Norfolk, Suffolk, nor of Kent,
Which makes thee thus presumptuous and proud,
Can see the Duke up in despight 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 flow my Father.

K. Henry. Oh Clifford, how thy words revive my Heart.
York. Henry of Lancaster, resign thy Crown:
What mutter you, or what conspire you, Lords?

Wur. Do right unto this Princely Duke of York,
Or I will fill the House with armed Men,
And o'er the Chair of State, where now he fits,
Write up his Title with ufurping Blood.

[He stamps with his foot, and the Soldiers fhew themselves.

B 4

K. Honry

K. Henry. My Lord of Warwick, hear me but one word; Letm for this 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. Henry. I am content: Richard Plantagenet,
Enjoy the Kingdom after my deceale.

Clif. What wrong is this unto the Prince, your Son?
Wur. What good is this to England, and himself?
Weft. Bise, fearful, ard delpairing Henry !
Clif. How haft thou injur'd both thy self and us!
Wet. I cannot stay to hear these Articles.
Nor h. Nor I.
Clif. Come Coufin, let us tell the Queen these News.

West. Firewel, faint-hearted and degenerate King,
In whose cold Blood no spark of Honour bides.

North. Be thou a prey unto the House of York, And die in Bands, for this unmanly deed.

Clif. in dr-adful War, may'st chou be overcome, o live in Peace aba don'd and delpıs'd.

[Exiisnt Nor. Cliff. Westm.
War. Turn this way, Henry, and regard them not.
Exe. Th y leck revenge, and therefore will not yield.
K. Herry. Ah Exeter!
War. Why should you figh, my Lord?
K. Henry. Not for my fulf, Lord Warwick, but my Son,
Whom I unnaturally shall difit herit.
But be it as it may; I here entail
The Crown to thee, and to thine Heirs for ever;
Conditionally, that here you take an Oatl',
To cease this Civil War; and whilst I live,
To honour me as thy King and Soveraign:
Neither by Treason nor Hoftility,
To seek to put me down, and Reign thy self.

Tork. This Osth I willingly take, and will perform.
War. Lorg live King Henry: Plantagenet, embrace him.
K. He ry. And long live thou, and these thy forward Sons.
York. Now York and Lancaster are reconcil'd.
Exe. Accurft he he that seeks to make them Foes.

Soner. Here they come down.
York. Far-we!, my gracious Lord, I'll to my Castle.
War. And I'll keep London with my Soldiers.

Norf.

Norf. And I to Norfolk with my Followers.
Mouni. And I unto ih: Sca from whence I came. [Exc.
K.Henry. And I with grief and forrow to the Court.

Enter the Queen, and the Prince of Wales.
Exe. Here com.stue Qeen,
Whic looks bewray her anger :
I'll ftcal away.
K. Henry. Exeter so will I:

[Going
Queen. Nay, go not from me I will follow thee.--
K. Henry. Be pacient, entle Q.jeen, and I will stay.

Queen. Who can be patient in fach extreams?
Ah wretched Man! would I had dy'd a Maid,
And never seen thee, never born thee Son,
Seeing thou hast prov'd so unnatural a Father.
Hath he dele v'd to lose his Birth-right thus?
Hadft thou but loy'd him half so much as I,
Or felt that pain which I did for him once,
Or nourisht him, as I did with my Blood;
Thou wouldst have left thy dearelt Heart-blood there,
Rather than made that Savage Duke chine Heir,
And disuherited thire only Son.

Prince. Faiher, you cannot disinherit me:
If you be King, why should not I succeed?

K. Henry. Pardon me, Margaret; pardon me, sweet Son;
The Earl of Warwick and the Duke enforc'd me.

Queen. Enforc'd thee? art thou King, and wilt be forc'd?
I thame to hear thee speak; ah timorous Wretch!
Thou hast undore thy self, thy Son, and me,
And

given unto the House of York such head,
As thou Malt Reign but by their fufferance.
To entail him and his Heirs unto the Crown,
What is it, but to make thy Sepulchre,
And creep into it far before thy time?
Warwick is Chancellor, and the Lord of Calais,
Stern Faulconbridge commands the narrow Seas,
The Duke is made Protector of the Realm,
And yet shalt thou be safe? such safety finds
The trembling Lamb, invironed with Wolves.
Had I bren there, which am a filly Woman,
The Soldiers should have toss'd me on their Pikes,
Before I would have granted to that AA.

But