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  • Title: Henry VI, Part 2 (Quarto 1, 1594)

  • Copyright Internet Shakespeare Editions. This text may be freely used for educational, non-proift purposes; for all other uses contact the Coordinating Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Not Peer Reviewed

    Henry VI, Part 2 (Quarto 1, 1594)

    The first part of the contention of the two famous
    1905Say if thou dare, proud Lord of Warwickshire,
    That I am guiltie in Duke Humphreys death.
    1906.1Exet Cardinall.
    VVar. What dares not Warwicke, if false Suffolke dare him?
    Queene. He dares not calme his contumelious spirit,
    1910Nor cease to be an arrogant controwler,
    Though Suffolk dare him twentie hundreth times.
    VVar. Madame be still, with reuerence may I say it,
    That euery word you speake in his defence,
    Is slaunder to your royall Maiestie.
    1915Suffolke. Blunt witted Lord, ignoble in thy words,
    If euer Lady wrongd her Lord so much,
    Thy mother tooke vnto her blamefull bed,
    Some sterne vntutred churle, and noble stocke
    Was graft with crabtree slip, whose frute thou art,
    1920And neuer of the Neuels noble race.
    VVar. But that the guilt of murther bucklers thee,
    And I should rob the deaths man of his fee,
    Quitting thee thereby of ten thousand shames,
    And that my soueraignes presence makes me mute,
    1925I would false murtherous coward on thy knees
    Make thee craue pardon for thy passed speech,
    And say it was thy mother that thou meants,
    That thou thy selfe was borne in bastardie,
    And after all this fearefull homage done,
    1930Giue thee thy hire and send thy soule to hell,
    Pernitious blood-sucker of sleeping men.
    Suffol. Thou shouldst be waking whilst I shead thy blood,
    If from this presence thou dare go with me.
    VVar. Away euen now, or I will drag thee hence.
    Warwicke puls him out.
    Exet Warwicke and Suffolke, and then all the Commons
    within, cries, downe with Suffolke, downe with Suffolk.
    1944.1 And then enter againe, the Duke of Suffolke and VVar-
    1945 wicke, with their weapons drawne.
    King. Why how now Lords?
    1950Suf. The Traitorous Warwicke with the men of Berry,
    Set all vpon me mightie soueraigne i
    The