EDMUND, Earl of Rutland, his Sons. A Son that has killed his Father.

Soldiers, and other Attendants on King Henry and King Edward, Messen

gers, Watchmen, &c.

SCENE. During part of the third Act, in France; during the rest of the Play, in England.

ACT I.

Drums. Some Soldiers of YORK's party break in.

enter the Duke of YORK, EDWARD, RICHARD, NORFOLK,

MONTAGUE, WARWICK, and others, with white roses in their hats.

War. I wonder how the King escaped our hands.
York. While we pursued the horsemen of the North,
He slily 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 a-breast,
Charged our main battle's front, and, breaking in,
Were by the swords of common soldiers slain.1
Edw. Lord Stafford's father, Duke of Buckingham,
Is either slain or wounded dangerously;

I cleft his beaver with a downright blow:
That this is true, father, behold his blood.

[Showing his bloody sword. Mont. [To YORK, showing his.] And, brother,2 here's the Earl of Wiltshire's blood,

1 The circumstances of old Clifford's death are here stated in accordance with the facts, though in a manner very different from the representation given near the close of the preceding play. But discrepancies of this sort are so frequent and so glaring in these plays, that it seems hardly worth the while to note them in detail. In the present scene, the author brings into close juxtaposition events that were in fact widely separated. The first battle of St. Alban's was fought May 22, 1455; and the Parliament of Westminster, represented in this scene, was opened October 7, 1460. In October, 1459, the Yorkists had been dispersed, and the duke himself with his son Edmund had fled to Ireland; but they soon rallied again, and in July, 1460, a terrible battle was fought at Northampton, wherein the Yorkists were again victorious, and got the King into their hands, and compelled him soon after to call the Parliament in question.

2 In this play York and Montague are made to address each other several times as brothers. Perhaps the author thought that John Neville, Marquess of Montague, was brother to York's wife, whereas he was her nephew. Montague was brother to the Earl of Warwick; and the Duchess of York was half-sister to their father, the Earl of Salisbury. See volume viii. page 140, note 8.

Whom I encounter'd as the battles 3 join'd.

Rich. Speak thou for me, and tell them what I did. [Throwing down SOMERSET's head. York. Richard hath best deserved of all my sons. What,

Is your Grace dead, my Lord of Somerset ?

Norf. Such hap have all the line of John of Gaunt ! Rich. Thus do I hope to shake King Henry's head. 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 assist you; he that flies shall die.

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

And, soldiers, stay, and lodge by me this night.

War. And when the King comes, offer him no violence, Unless he seek to thrust you out perforce.

[The Soldiers retire.

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,

And bashful Henry 4 deposed, whose cowardice
Hath made us by-words to our enemies.

3 The use of battle for army was very common.

4 Henry is here a trisyllable, as if spelt Henery. Repeatedly so in this

play.

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

I mean to take possession of my right.

War. Neither the King, nor he that loves him best,
The proudest he that holds up Lancaster,
Dares stir a wing, if Warwick shake his bells.5
I'll plant Plantagenet, root him up who dares: -
Resolve thee, Richard; claim the English crown.

[WARWICK leads YORK to the throne, who seats himself. Flourish. Enter King HENRY, CLIFFORD, NORTHUMBERLAND, WESTMORELAND, EXETER, and others, with red roses in their hats.

King. My lords, look where the sturdy rebel sits,

Even in the chair of state! belike he means

Back'd by the power of Warwick, that false peer

T'aspire unto the crown, and reign as king.

Earl of Northumberland, he slew thy father;

And thine, Lord Clifford; and you both have vow'd revenge On him, his sons, his favourites, and his friends.

North. If I be not, Heavens be revenged on me!
Clif. The hope thereof makes Clifford mourn in steel.
West. What, shall we suffer this? let's pluck him down :
My heart for anger burns; I cannot brook it.

King. Be patient, gentle Earl of Westmoreland.
Clif. Patience is for poltroons, and such is he
He durst not sit there, had your father lived.
My gracious lord, here in the Parliament

Let us assail the family of York.

North. Well hast thou spoken, cousin : be it so.
King. Ah, know you not the city favours them,
And they have troops of soldiers at their beck?
Exe. But, when the duke is slain, they'll quickly fly.

5 The allusion is to falconry. Hawks had sometimes little bells hung on them, perhaps to dare the birds; that is, to fright them from rising.