William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition (58 page)
Read William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition Online
Authors: William Shakespeare
Tags: #Drama, #Literary Criticism, #Shakespeare
BOOK: William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition
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The hope thereof makes Clifford mourn in steel.
WESTMORLAND
What, shall we suffer this? Let’s pluck him down.
My heart for anger burns—I cannot brook it.
My heart for anger burns—I cannot brook it.
KING HENRY
Be patient, gentle Earl of Westmorland.
CLIFFORD
Patience is for poltroons, such as he (
indicating York
).
He durst not sit there had your father lived.
My gracious lord, here in the Parliament
Let us assail the family of York.
indicating York
).
He durst not sit there had your father lived.
My gracious lord, here in the Parliament
Let us assail the family of York.
NORTHUMBERLAND
Well hast thou spoken, cousin, be it so.
KING HENRY
Ah, know you not the city favours them,
And they have troops of soldiers at their beck?
And they have troops of soldiers at their beck?
EXETER
But when the Duke is slain, they’ll quickly fly.
KING HENRY
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.
(
To York
) Thou factious Duke of York, descend my
throne
And kneel for grace and mercy at my feet.
I am thy sovereign.
To make a shambles of the Parliament House.
Cousin of Exeter, frowns, words, and threats
Shall be the war that Henry means to use.
(
To York
) Thou factious Duke of York, descend my
throne
And kneel for grace and mercy at my feet.
I am thy sovereign.
YORK I am thine.
EXETER
For shame, come down—he made thee Duke of York.
YORK
It was mine inheritance, as the earldom was.
EXETER
Thy father was a traitor to the crown.
WARWICK
Exeter, thou art a traitor to the crown
In following this usurping Henry.
In following this usurping Henry.
CLIFFORD
Whom should he follow but his natural king?
WARWICK
True, Clifford, and that’s Richard Duke of York.
KING HENRY (
to York
)
to York
)
And shall I stand and thou sit in my throne?
YORK
It must and shall be so—content thyself.
WARWICK (
to King Henry
)
to King Henry
)
Be Duke of Lancaster, let him be king.
WESTMORLAND
He is both king and Duke of Lancaster—
And that, the Lord of Westmorland shall maintain.
And that, the Lord of Westmorland shall maintain.
WARWICK
And Warwick shall disprove it. You forget
That we are those which chased you from the field,
And slew your fathers, and, with colours spread,
Marched through the city to the palace gates.
That we are those which chased you from the field,
And slew your fathers, and, with colours spread,
Marched through the city to the palace gates.
NORTHUMBERLAND
Yes, Warwick, I remember it to my grief,
And, by his soul, thou and thy house shall rue it.
And, by his soul, thou and thy house shall rue it.
WESTMORLAND (
to York
)
to York
)
Plantagenet, 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.
Thy kinsmen, and thy friends, I’ll have more lives
Than drops of blood were in my father’s veins.
CLIFFORD (
to Warwick
)
to Warwick
)
Urge it no more, lest that, instead of words,
I send thee, Warwick, such a messenger
As shall revenge his death before I stir.
I send thee, Warwick, such a messenger
As shall revenge his death before I stir.
WARWICK ⌈
to York
⌉
to York
⌉
Poor Clifford, how I scorn his worthless threats.
YORK ⌈
to King Henry
⌉
to King Henry
⌉
Will you we show our title to the crown?
If not, our swords shall plead it in the field.
If not, our swords shall plead it in the field.
KING HENRY
What title hast 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 seized upon their towns and provinces.
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 seized upon their towns and provinces.
WARWICK
Talk not of France, sith thou hast lost it all.
KING HENRY
The Lord Protector lost it, and not I.
When I was crowned, I was but nine months old.
When I was crowned, I was but nine months old.
RICHARD
You are old enough now, and yet, methinks, you lose.
(
To York
) Father, tear the crown from the usurper’s
head.
(
To York
) Father, tear the crown from the usurper’s
head.
EDWARD (
to York
)
to York
)
Sweet father, do so—set it on your head.
MONTAGUE (
to York
)
to York
)
Good brother, as thou lov‘st and honour’st arms,
Let’s fight it out and not stand cavilling thus.
Let’s fight it out and not stand cavilling thus.
RICHARD
Sound drums and trumpets, and the King will fly.
YORK Sons, peace!
⌈NORTHUMBERLAND⌉
Peace, thou—and give King Henry leave to speak.
KING HENRY
Ah, York, why seekest thou to depose me?
Are we not both Plantagenets by birth,
And from two brothers lineally descent?
Suppose by right and equity thou be king—
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 sorrow,
Shall be my winding-sheet. Why faint you, lords?
My title’s good, and better far than his.
Are we not both Plantagenets by birth,
And from two brothers lineally descent?
Suppose by right and equity thou be king—
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 sorrow,
Shall be my winding-sheet. Why faint you, lords?
My title’s good, and better far than his.
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
⌉
aside
⌉
I know not what to say—my title’s weak.
(To York) Tell me, may not a king adopt an heir?
(To York) Tell me, may not a king adopt an heir?
YORK What then?
KING HENRY
An if he may, then am I lawful king—
For Richard, in the view of many lords,
Resigned the crown to Henry the Fourth,
Whose heir my father was, and I am his.
For Richard, in the view of many lords,
Resigned 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.
And made him to resign his crown perforce.
WARWICK
Suppose, my lords, he did it unconstrained—
Think you ’twere prejudicial to his crown?
Think you ’twere prejudicial to his crown?
EXETER
No, for he could not so resign his crown
But that the next heir should succeed and reign.
But that the next heir should succeed and reign.
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 ⌈
to King Henry
⌉
to King Henry
⌉
My conscience tells me he is lawful king.
KING HENRY ⌈
aside
⌉
aside
⌉
All will revolt from me and turn to him.
NORTHUMBERLAND (to York)
Plantagenet, for all the claim thou lay’st,
Think not that Henry shall be so deposed.
Think not that Henry shall be so deposed.
WARWICK
Deposed he shall be, in despite of all.
NORTHUMBERLAND
Thou art deceived—’tis not thy southern power
Of Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, nor of Kent,
Which makes thee thus presumptuous and proud,
Can set the Duke up in despite of me.
Of Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, nor of Kent,
Which makes thee thus presumptuous and proud,
Can set the Duke up in despite of me.
CLIFFORD
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 father.
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 father.
KING HENRY
O, Clifford, how thy words revive my heart!
YORK
Henry of Lancaster, resign thy crown.
What mutter you, or what conspire you, lords?
What mutter you, or what conspire you, lords?
WARWICK
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
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
KING HENRY
My lord of Warwick, hear me but one word—
Let me for this my lifetime reign as king.
Let me for this my lifetime reign as king.
YORK
Confirm the crown to me and to mine heirs,
And thou shalt reign in quiet while thou liv’st.
And thou shalt reign in quiet while thou liv’st.
KING HENRY
I am content. Richard Plantagenet,
Enjoy the kingdom after my decease.
Enjoy the kingdom after my decease.
CLIFFORD
What wrong is this unto the prince your son?
WARWICK
What good is this to England and himself?
WESTMORLAND
Base, fearful, and despairing Henry.
CLIFFORD
How hast thou injured both thyself and us?
WESTMORLAND
I cannot stay to hear these articles.
NORTHUMBERLAND Nor I.
CLIFFORD
Come, cousin, let us tell the Queen these news.
WESTMORLAND (
to King Henry
)
to King Henry
)
Farewell, faint-hearted and degenerate king,
In whose cold blood no spark of honour bides.
In whose cold blood no spark of honour bides.
⌈
Exit with his soldiers
⌉
NORTHUMBERLAND (
to King Henry
)
to King Henry
)
Be thou a prey unto the house of York,
And die in bands for this unmanly deed.
And die in bands for this unmanly deed.
⌈
Exit with his soldiers
⌉
CLIFFORD (
to King Henry
)
to King Henry
)
In dreadful war mayst thou be overcome,
Or live in peace, abandoned and despised.
Or live in peace, abandoned and despised.
Exit ⌈
with his soldiers
⌉
WARWICK (
to King Henry
)
to King Henry
)
Turn this way, Henry, and regard them not.
EXETER (
to King Henry
)
to King Henry
)
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,
Whom I unnaturally shall disinherit.
But be it as it may. (
To York
) I here entail
The crown to thee and to thine heirs for ever,
Conditionally, that here thou take thine oath
To cease this civil war, and whilst I live
To honour me as thy king and sovereign,
And nor by treason nor hostility
To seek to put me down and reign thyself.
Whom I unnaturally shall disinherit.
But be it as it may. (
To York
) I here entail
The crown to thee and to thine heirs for ever,
Conditionally, that here thou take thine oath
To cease this civil war, and whilst I live
To honour me as thy king and sovereign,
And nor by treason nor hostility
To seek to put me down and reign thyself.
YORK
This oath I willingly take and will perform.
WARWICK
Long live King Henry. (
To York
) Plantagenet, embrace him.
To York
) Plantagenet, embrace him.
⌈
York descends.
⌉
Henry and York embrace
KING HENRY (to York)
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 York’s train comes down from the state
Sennet. Here York’s train comes down from the state
YORK (
to King Henry
)
to King Henry
)
Farewell, my gracious lord, I’ll to my castle.
Exeunt York, Edward, and Richard,
⌈
with soldiers
⌉
Exeunt York, Edward, and Richard,
⌈
with soldiers
⌉
WARWICK
And I’ll keep London with my soldiers.
Exit
⌈
With soldiers
⌉
⌈
With soldiers
⌉
NORFOLK
And I to Norfolk with my followers.
Exit
⌈
With soldiers
⌉
MONTAGUE
And I unto the sea from whence I came.
Exit
⌈
with soldiers
⌉
KING HENRY
And I with grief and sorrow to the court. ⌈
King Henry and Exeter turn to leave.
⌉
King Henry and Exeter turn to leave.
⌉
Enter Queen Margaret and Prince Edward
EXETER
Here comes the Queen, whose looks bewray her anger. I’ll steal away.
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?
Ah, wretched man, would I had died a maid
And never seen thee, never borne thee son,
Seeing thou hast proved so unnatural a father.
Hath he deserved to lose his birthright thus?
Hadst thou but loved him half so well as I,
Or felt that pain which I did for him once,
Or nourished him as I did with my blood,
Thou wouldst have left thy dearest heart-blood there
Rather than have made that savage Duke thine heir
And disinherited thine only son.
Ah, wretched man, would I had died a maid
And never seen thee, never borne thee son,
Seeing thou hast proved so unnatural a father.
Hath he deserved to lose his birthright thus?
Hadst thou but loved him half so well as I,
Or felt that pain which I did for him once,
Or nourished him as I did with my blood,
Thou wouldst have left thy dearest heart-blood there
Rather than have made that savage Duke thine heir
And disinherited thine only son.
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