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  • Title: Henry VI, Part 3 (Folio 1, 1623)

    • 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    Not Peer Reviewed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 3 (Folio 1, 1623)

    148The third Part of Henry the Sixt.
    Exet. Thy Father was a Traytor to the Crowne.
    Warw. Exeter thou art a Traytor to the Crowne,
    In following this vsurping Henry.
    Clifford. Whom should hee follow, but his naturall
    95King?
    Warw. True Clifford, that's Richard Duke of Yorke.
    Henry. And shall I stand, and thou sit in my Throne?
    Yorke. It must and shall be so, content thy selfe.
    Warw. Be Duke of Lancaster, let him be King.
    100Westm. He is both King, and Duke of Lancaster,
    And that the Lord of Westmerland shall maintaine.
    Warw. And Warwick shall disproue it. You forget,
    That we are those which chas'd you from the field,
    And slew your Fathers, and with Colours spread
    105Marcht through the Citie to the Pallace Gates.
    Northumb. Yes Warwicke, I remember it to my griefe,
    And by his Soule, thou and thy House shall rue it.
    Westm. Plantagenet, of thee and these thy Sonnes,
    Thy Kinsmen, and thy Friends, Ile haue more liues
    110Then drops of bloud were in my Fathers Veines.
    Cliff. Vrge it no more, lest that in stead of words,
    I send thee, Warwicke, such a Messenger,
    As shall reuenge his death, before I stirre.
    Warw. Poore Clifford, how I scorne his worthlesse
    115Threats.
    Plant. Will you we shew our Title to the Crowne?
    If not, our Swords shall pleade it in the field.
    Henry. What Title hast thou Traytor to the Crowne?
    My Father was as thou art, Duke of Yorke,
    120Thy Grandfather Roger Mortimer, Earle of March.
    I am the Sonne of Henry the Fift,
    Who made the Dolphin and the French to stoupe,
    And seiz'd vpon their Townes and Prouinces.
    Warw. Talke not of France, sith thou hast lost it all.
    125Henry. The Lord Protector lost it, and not I:
    When I was crown'd, I was but nine moneths old.
    Rich. You are old enough now,
    And yet me thinkes you loose:
    Father teare the Crowne from the Vsurpers Head.
    130Edward. Sweet Father doe so, set it on your Head.
    Mount. Good Brother,
    As thou lou'st and honorest Armes,
    Let's fight it out, and not stand cauilling thus.
    Richard. Sound Drummes and Trumpets, and the
    135King will flye.
    Plant. Sonnes peace.
    Henry. Peace thou, and giue King Henry leaue to
    speake.
    Warw. Plantagenet shal speake first: Heare him Lords,
    140And be you silent and attentiue too,
    For he that interrupts him, shall not liue.
    Hen. Think'st thou, that I will leaue my Kingly Throne,
    Wherein my Grandsire and my Father sat?
    No: first shall Warre vnpeople this my Realme;
    145I, and their Colours often borne in France,
    And now in England, to our hearts great sorrow,
    Shall be my Winding-sheet. Why faint you Lords?
    My Title's good, and better farre then his.
    Warw. Proue it Henry, and thou shalt be King.
    150 Hen. Henry the Fourth by Conquest got the Crowne.
    Plant. 'Twas by Rebellion against his King.
    Henry. I know not what to say, my Titles weake:
    Tell me, may not a King adopt an Heire?
    Plant. What then?
    155Henry. And if he may, then am I lawfull King:
    For Richard, in the view of many Lords,
    Resign'd the Crowne to Henry the Fourth,
    Whose Heire my Father was, and I am his.
    Plant. He rose against him, being his Soueraigne,
    160And made him to resigne his Crowne perforce.
    Warw. Suppose, my Lords, he did it vnconstrayn'd,
    Thinke you 'twere preiudiciall to his Crowne?
    Exet. No: for he could not so resigne his Crowne,
    But that the next Heire should succeed and reigne.
    165Henry. Art thou against vs, Duke of Exeter?
    Exet. His is the right, and therefore pardon me.
    Plant. Why whisper you, my Lords, and answer not?
    Exet. My Conscience tells me he is lawfull King.
    Henry. All will reuolt from me, and turne to him.
    170Northumb. Plantagenet, for all the Clayme thou lay'st,
    Thinke not, that Henry shall be so depos'd.
    Warw. Depos'd he shall be, in despight of all.
    Northumb. Thou art deceiu'd:
    'Tis not thy Southerne power
    175Of Essex, Norfolke, Suffolke, nor of Kent,
    Which makes thee thus presumptuous and prowd,
    Can set the Duke vp in despight of me.
    Clifford. King Henry, be thy Title right or wrong,
    Lord Clifford vowes to fight in thy defence:
    180May that ground gape, and swallow me aliue,
    Where I shall kneele to him that slew my Father.
    Henry. Oh Clifford, how thy words reuiue my heart.
    Plant. Henry of Lancaster, resigne thy Crowne:
    What mutter you, or what conspire you Lords?
    185Warw. Doe right vnto this Princely Duke of Yorke,
    Or I will fill the House with armed men,
    And ouer the Chayre of State, where now he sits,
    Write vp his Title with vsurping blood.
    He stampes with his foot, and the Souldiers
    190shew themselues.
    Henry. My Lord of Warwick, heare but one word,
    Let me for this my life time reigne as King.
    Plant. Confirme the Crowne to me and to mine Heires,
    And thou shalt reigne in quiet while thou liu'st.
    195Henry. I am content: Richard Plantagenet
    Enioy the Kingdome after my decease.
    Clifford. What wrong is this vnto the Prince, your
    Sonne?
    Warw. What good is this to England, and himselfe?
    200Westm. Base, fearefull, and despayring Henry.
    Clifford. How hast thou iniur'd both thy selfe and vs?
    Westm. I cannot stay to heare these Articles.
    Northumb. Nor I.
    Clifford. Come Cousin, let vs tell the Queene these
    205Newes.
    Westm. Farwell faint-hearted and degenerate King,
    In whose cold blood no sparke of Honor bides.
    Northumb. Be thou a prey vnto the House of Yorke,
    And dye in Bands, for this vnmanly deed.
    210Cliff. In dreadfull Warre may'st thou be ouercome,
    Or liue in peace abandon'd and despis'd.
    Warw. Turne this way Henry, and regard them not.
    Exeter. They seeke reuenge, and therefore will not
    yeeld.
    215Henry. Ah Exeter.
    Warw. Why should you sigh, my Lord?
    Henry. Not for my selfe Lord Warwick, but my Sonne,
    Whom I vnnaturally shall dis-inherite.
    But be it as it may: I here entayle
    220The Crowne to thee and to thine Heires for euer,
    Conditionally, that heere thou take an Oath,
    To cease this Ciuill Warre: and whil'st I liue,
    To
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