And that my tainting words do warrant death; Thou art my heir; the rest I wish thee gather: But yet be wary in thy studious care. [me: PLAN. Thy grave admonishments prevail with But yet, methinks, my father's execution Was nothing less than bloody tyranny. MOR. With silence, nephew, be thou politic; Which giveth many wounds when one will kill. PLAN. And peace, no war, befal thy parting soul! In prison hast thou spent a pilgrimage, [Exeunt Keepers, bearing out the body Here dies the dusky torch of Mortimer, Or make my ill th' advantage of my good. [Exit. a Or make my ill-] The old text is, "make my will," &c.; for the restoration of the intended antithesis, we are indebted to Theobald. Thy lewd, pestiferous, and dissentious pranks, WIN. Gloster, I do defy thee.-Lords, vouch- Or raise myself, but keep my wonted calling? As good! Thou bastard of my grandfather!- GLO. Am I not protector, saucy priest? Thou art reverent Touching thy spiritual function, not thy life. WIN. Rome shall remedy this. Roam thither then. SOм. My lord, it were your duty to forbear." WAR. Ay, see the bishop be not overborne. SOM. Methinks my lord should be religious, And know the office that belongs to such. WAR. Methinks his lordship should be humbler; It fitteth not a prelate so to plead. SOM. Yes, when his holy state is touch'd so near. WAR. State holy or unhallow'd, what of that? Is not his grace protector to the king? PLAN. Plantagenet, I see, must hold his tongue; Lest it be said, Speak, sirrah, when you should; Must your bold verdict enter talk with lords? Else would I have a fling at Winchester. [Aside. K. HEN. Uncles of Gloster and of Winchester, What tumult's this? Enter the Mayor of London, attended. MAY. O, my good lords,-and virtuous Henry,Pity the city of London, pity us! The bishop and the duke of Gloster's men, Enter, skirmishing, the Retainers of GLOUCESTER and WINCHESTER, with bloody pates. K. HEN. We charge you, on allegiance to ourself, [peace. To hold your slaught'ring hands, and keep the Pray, uncle Gloster, mitigate this strife. 1 SERV. Nay, if we be forbidden stones, we'll fall to it with our teeth. 2 SERV. Do what ye dare, we are as resolute. [Skirmish again. GLO. You of my household, leave this peevish broil, And set this unaccustom'd fight aside. [man 3 SERV. My lord, we know your grace to be a Just and upright; and, for your royal birth, Inferior to none but to his majesty: And, ere that we will suffer such a prince, So kind a father of the commonweal, To be disgraced by an inkhorn mate,b We, and our wives, and children, all will fight, And have our bodies slaughter'd by thy foes. 1 SERV. Ay, and the very parings of our nails Shall pitch a field when we are dead. GLO. [Skirmish again. Except you mean, with obstinate repulse, a Shall pitch a field-] To understand this allusion, it must be remembered that before beginning a battle it was customary for the archers and other foot men to encompass themselves with sharp stakes firmly pitched in the ground, to prevent their being overpowered by the cavalry. Thus, in a previous speech, Act I. Sc. 1: Hath been enacted through your enmity; Or, I would see his heart out, ere the priest WAR. Behold, my lord of Winchester, the duke That malice was a great and grievous sin; "No leisure had he to enrank his men; He wanted pikes to set before his archers: To keep the horsemen off from breaking in. WAR. Sweet king!-the bishop hath a kindly gird.-" For shame, my lord of Winchester, relent! What, shall a child instruct you what to do? WIN. Well, duke of Gloster, I will yield to thee Love for thy love; and hand for hand I give. GLO. Ay; but, I fear me, with a hollow heart.See here, my friends, and loving countrymen ; This token serveth for a flag of truce, Betwixt ourselves and all our followers: So help me God, as I dissemble not! WIN. [Aside.] So help me God, as I intend it not! K. HEN. O loving uncle, kind duke of Gloster, How joyful am I made by this contráct!Away, my masters! trouble us no more; But join in friendship, as your lords have done. 1 SERV. Content; I'll to the surgeon's. 2 SERV. And so will I. 3 SERV. And I will see what physic the tavern affords. [Exeunt Mayor, Servants, &c. WAR. Accept this scroll, most gracious sovereign, Which in the right of Richard Plantagenet [sweet prince, At Eltham-place I told your majesty. [force: K. HEN. And those occasions, uncle, were of Therefore, my loving lords, our pleasure is, That Richard be restored to his blood. WAR. Let Richard be restored to his blood; So shall his father's wrongs be recompens❜d. WIN. As will the rest, so willeth Winchester. K. HEN. If Richard will be true, not that* alone, But all the whole inheritance I give, PLAN. Thy humble servant vows obedience, And humble service, till the point of death. K. HEN. Stoop then, and set your knee against my foot, And, in reguerdon of that duty done, I girt thee with the valiant sword of York: [fall! PLAN. And so thrive Richard, as thy foes may And as my duty springs, so perish they That grudge one thought against your majesty ! ALL. Welcome, high prince, the mighty duke of York! (*) First folio inserts, all. a A kindly gird.] An appropriate taunt; a reproach in kind. See note (*), p. 180, Vol. I. SOM. [Aside.] Perish, base prince, ignoble duke of York! GLO. Now will it best avail your majesty, K. HEN. When Gloster says the word, king For friendly counsel cuts off many foes. [Flourish. Exeunt all except EXETER. EXE. Ay, we may march in England or in France, Not seeing what is likely to ensue : This late dissension, grown betwixt the peers, His days may finish ere that hapless time. [Exit. SCENE II.-France. Before Rouen. Enter LA PUCELLE disguised, and Soldiers dressed like Countrymen, with sacks upon their backs. Puc. These are the city-gates, the gates of Through which our policy must make a breach: (1) And we be lords and rulers over Rouen; GUARD. [Within.] Qui est là? [Knocks. Puc. Paysans, pauvres gens de France,— Poor market-folks, that come to sell their corn. (*) First folio omits, should. b Thy humble servant-] We incline to read, with Mr. Collier's annotator, "thy honour'd servant," &c. |