Queen Margaret. Nay, go not from me; I will follow thee. K. Hen. Be patient, gentle Queen, and I will stay. Q. Mar. Who can be patient in such extremes ? Ah, wretched man! would I had di'd a maid, And never seen thee, never borne thee son, Seeing thou hast prov'd so unnatural a father! Hath he deserv'd to lose his birthright thus ? Hadst thou but lov'd him half so well as I, Or felt that pain which I did for him once, Or nourish'd him as I did with my blood, Thou would'st have left thy dearest heart-blood there Rather than have made that savage Duke thine heir, And disinherited thine only son. Prince. Father, you cannot disinherit me. If you be King, why should not I succeed? K. Hen. Pardon me, Margaret; —pardon me, sweet son: The Earl of Warwick and the Duke enforc'd me. I shame to hear thee speak. Ah, timorous wretch! Before I would have granted to that act; But thou preferr'st thy life before thy honour : The northern lords, that have forsworn thy colours, K. Hen. Stay, gentle Margaret, and hear me speak. ] Q. Mar. Thou hast spoke too much already: get thee gone. K. Hen. me? Q. Mar. Gentle son Edward, thou wilt stay with Ay, to be murther'd by his enemies. Prince. When I return with victory from the field I'll see your Grace; till then I'll follow her. Q. Mar. thus. Come, son, away! we may not linger [Exeunt Queen MARGARET and the Prince. K. Hen. Poor Queen! how love to me and to her son Hath made her break out into terms of rage! SCENE II. A Room in Sandal Castle, near Wakefield. Enter EDWARD, RICHARD, and MONTAGUE. Rich. Brother, though I be youngest, give me leave. Edw. No; I can better play the orator. Mont. But I have reasons strong and forcible. Enter YORK. York. Why, how now, sons and brother! at a strife? What is your quarrel? how began it first? Edw. No quarrel, but a slight contention. Rich. About that which concerns your Grace and us; The crown of England, father, which is yours. York. Mine, boy? not till King Henry be dead. Rich. Your right depends not on his life or death. Edw. Now you are heir, therefore enjoy it now : By giving the House of Lancaster leave to breathe, It will outrun you, father, in the end. York. I took an oath that he should quietly reign. Edw. But for a kingdom any oath may be broken : I would break a thousand oaths to reign one year. ] Rich. No; God forbid your Grace should be for sworn. York. I shall be, if I claim by open war. Rich. I'll prove the contrary if you'll hear me speak. York. Thou canst not, son: it is impossible. Rich. An oath is of no moment, being not took Before a true and lawful magistrate That hath authority over him that swears: And all that poets feign of bliss and joy. You, Edward, shall unto my Lord Cobham, With whom the Kentishmen will willingly rise: While you are thus employ'd, what resteth more, And yet the King not privy to my drift, Nor any of the House of Lancaster? But stay. post? Enter a Messenger. ] What news? Why com'st thou in such ' Messenger. The Queen, with all the northern earls' and lords, Intend here to besiege you in your castle. She is hard by with twenty thousand men, York. Ay, with my sword. What! think'st thou that we fear them? Edward and Richard, you shall stay with me: Mont. Brother, I go; I'll win them, fear it not: And thus most humbly I do take my leave. [Exit. Enter Sir JOHN and Sir HUGH MORTIMER. York. Sir John and Sir Hugh Mortimer, mine] uncles, You are come to Sandal in a happy hour; The army of the Queen mean to besiege us. Sir John. She shall not need; we'll meet her in the field. York. What, with five thousand men? Rich. Ay, with five hundred, father, for a need. A woman-general! what should we fear? [A march afar off. Edw. I hear their drums: let's set our men in order, And issue forth, and bid them battle straight. York. Five men to twenty! - though the odds be great, I doubt not, uncle, of our victory. Many a battle have I won in France, When as the enemy hath been ten to one : [Alarum. Exeunt. |