The Third Part Of King Henry The Sixth

1 Enter Edward, Richard and Montague.
2 RICHARD.
3 Brother, though I be youngest, give me leave.
4 EDWARD.
5 No, I can better play the orator.
6 MONTAGUE.
7 But I have reasons strong and forcible.
8 Enter the Duke of York.
9 YORK.
10 Why, how now, sons and brother, at a strife?
11 What is your quarrel? How began it first?
12 EDWARD.
13 No quarrel, but a slight contention.
14 YORK.
15 About what?
16 RICHARD.
17 About that which concerns your Grace and us:
18 The crown of England, father, which is yours.
19 YORK.
20 Mine, boy? Not till King Henry be dead.
21 RICHARD.
22 Your right depends not on his life or death.
23 EDWARD.
24 Now you are heir, therefore enjoy it now.
25 By giving the house of Lancaster leave to breathe,
26 It will outrun you, father, in the end.
27 YORK.
28 I took an oath that he should quietly reign.
29 EDWARD.
30 But for a kingdom any oath may be broken.
31 I would break a thousand oaths to reign one year.
32 RICHARD.
33 No; God forbid your Grace should be forsworn.
34 YORK.
35 I shall be, if I claim by open war.
36 RICHARD.
37 I’ll prove the contrary if you’ll hear me speak.
38 YORK.
39 Thou canst not, son; it is impossible.
40 RICHARD.
41 An oath is of no moment, being not took
42 Before a true and lawful magistrate
43 That hath authority over him that swears.
44 Henry had none, but did usurp the place;
45 Then, seeing ’twas he that made you to depose,
46 Your oath, my lord, is vain and frivolous.
47 Therefore, to arms! And, father, do but think
48 How sweet a thing it is to wear a crown,
49 Within whose circuit is Elysium
50 And all that poets feign of bliss and joy.
51 Why do we linger thus? I cannot rest
52 Until the white rose that I wear be dyed
53 Even in the lukewarm blood of Henry’s heart.
54 YORK.
55 Richard, enough; I will be king, or die.
56 Brother, thou shalt to London presently,
57 And whet on Warwick to this enterprise.
58 Thou, Richard, shalt to the Duke of Norfolk
59 And tell him privily of our intent.
60 You, Edward, shall unto my Lord Cobham,
61 With whom the Kentishmen will willingly rise.
62 In them I trust; for they are soldiers,
63 Witty, courteous, liberal, full of spirit.
64 While you are thus employed, what resteth more
65 But that I seek occasion how to rise,
66 And yet the King not privy to my drift,
67 Nor any of the house of Lancaster?
68 Enter a Messenger.
69 But stay. What news? Why com’st thou in such post?
70 MESSENGER.
71 The Queen, with all the northern earls and lords
72 Intend here to besiege you in your castle.
73 She is hard by with twenty thousand men;
74 And therefore fortify your hold, my lord.
75 YORK.
76 Ay, with my sword. What, think’st thou that we fear them?
77 Edward and Richard, you shall stay with me;
78 My brother Montague shall post to London.
79 Let noble Warwick, Cobham, and the rest,
80 Whom we have left protectors of the King,
81 With powerful policy strengthen themselves,
82 And trust not simple Henry nor his oaths.
83 MONTAGUE.
84 Brother, I go; I’ll win them, fear it not.
85 And thus most humbly I do take my leave.
86 [_Exit._]
87 Enter Sir John and Sir Hugh Mortimer.
88 YORK.
89 Sir John and Sir Hugh Mortimer, mine uncles,
90 You are come to Sandal in a happy hour;
91 The army of the Queen mean to besiege us.
92 SIR JOHN.
93 She shall not need; we’ll meet her in the field.
94 YORK.
95 What, with five thousand men?
96 RICHARD.
97 Ay, with five hundred, father, for a need.
98 A woman’s general; what should we fear?
99 [_A march afar off._]
100 EDWARD.
101 I hear their drums. Let’s set our men in order,
102 And issue forth and bid them battle straight.
103 YORK.
104 Five men to twenty! Though the odds be great,
105 I doubt not, uncle, of our victory.
106 Many a battle have I won in France
107 Whenas the enemy hath been ten to one.
108 Why should I not now have the like success?
109 [_Alarum. Exeunt._]