Henry VI, Part III William Shakespeare (books to read to get smarter .TXT) 📖

Henry VI, Part III

By William Shakespeare.

Table of Contents Titlepage Imprint Dramatis Personae Henry VI, Part III Act I Scene I Scene II Scene III Scene IV Act II Scene I Scene II Scene III Scene IV Scene V Scene VI Act III Scene I Scene II Scene III Act IV Scene I Scene II Scene III Scene IV Scene V Scene VI Scene VII Scene VIII Act V Scene I Scene II Scene III Scene IV Scene V Scene VI Scene VII Colophon Uncopyright Imprint

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Dramatis Personae

King Henry the Sixth

Edward, Prince of Wales, his son

Lewis XI King of France

Duke of Somerset

Duke of Exeter

Earl of Oxford

Earl of Northumberland

Earl of Westmoreland

Lord Clifford

Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York

Edward, Earl of March, afterwards King Edward IV, his son

Edmund, Earl of Rutland, his son

George, afterwards Duke of Clarence, his son

Richard, afterwards Duke of Gloucester, his son

Duke of Norfolk

Marquess of Montague

Earl of Warwick

Earl of Pembroke

Lord Hastings

Lord Stafford

Sir John Mortimer, uncle to the Duke of York

Sir Hugh Mortimer, uncle to the Duke of York

Henry, Earl of Richmond, a youth

Lord Rivers, brother to Lady Grey

Sir William Stanley

Sir John Montgomery

Sir John Somerville

Tutor to Rutland. Mayor of York

Lieutenant of the Tower. A nobleman

Two Keepers. A huntsman

A son that has killed his father

A father that has killed his son

Queen Margaret

Lady Grey, afterwards Queen to Edward IV

Bona, sister to the French Queen

Soldiers, attendants, messengers, watchmen, etc.

Scene: England and France.

Henry VI, Part III Act I Scene I

London. The Parliament-house.

Alarum. Enter the Duke of York, Edward, Richard, Norfolk, Montague, Warwick, and Soldiers. Warwick I wonder how the king escaped our hands. York

While we pursued the horsemen of the north,
He slyly 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 abreast,
Charged our main battle’s front, and breaking in
Were by the swords of common soldiers slain.

Edward

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.

Montague

And, brother, here’s the Earl of Wiltshire’s blood,
Whom I encounter’d as the battles join’d.

Richard Speak thou for me and tell them what I did. Throwing down the Duke of Somerset’s head. York

Richard hath best deserved of all my sons.
But is your grace dead, my Lord of Somerset?

Norfolk Such hope have all the line of John of Gaunt! Richard Thus do I hope to shake King Henry’s head. Warwick

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.

Norfolk We’ll all 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. They go up.

Warwick

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

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.

Richard Arm’d as we are, let’s stay within this house. Warwick

The bloody parliament shall this be call’d,
Unless Plantagenet, Duke of York, be king,
And bashful Henry deposed, whose cowardice
Hath made us by-words to our enemies.

York

Then leave me not, my lords; be resolute;
I mean to take possession of my right.

Warwick

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.
I’ll plant Plantagenet, root him up who dares:
Resolve thee, Richard; claim the English crown.

Flourish. Enter King Henry, Clifford, Northumberland, Westmoreland, Exeter, and the rest. King Henry

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,
To 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.

Northumberland If I be not, heavens be revenged on me! Clifford The hope thereof makes Clifford mourn in steel. Westmoreland

What, shall we suffer this? let’s pluck him down:
My heart for anger burns; I cannot brook it.

King Henry Be patient, gentle Earl of Westmoreland. Clifford

Patience is for poltroons, such as he:
He durst not sit there, had your father lived.
My gracious lord, here in