READ STUDY GUIDE: Act I, Scenes ii-iv |
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Act I, Scene ii
| [Enter EDWARD, RICHARD, and MONTAGUE.] |
| RICHARD.: |
| Brother, though I be youngest, give me leave. |
| EDWARD.: |
| No; I can better play the orator. |
| MONTAGUE.: |
| 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? |
| EDWARD.: |
| No quarrel, but a slight contention. |
| YORK.: |
| About what? |
| RICHARD.: |
| 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. |
| RICHARD.: |
| Your right depends not on his life or death. |
| EDWARD.: |
| 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. |
| EDWARD.: |
| But for a kingdom any oath may be broken; |
| I would break a thousand oaths to reign one year. |
| RICHARD.: |
| No; God forbid your grace should be forsworn. |
| YORK.: |
| I shall be, if I claim by open war. |
| RICHARD.: |
| I'll prove the contrary if you'll hear me speak. |
| YORK.: |
| Thou canst not, son; it is impossible. |
| RICHARD.: |
| An oath is of no moment, being not took |
| Before a true and lawful magistrate |
| That hath authority over him that swears. |
| Henry had none, but did usurp the place; |
| Then, seeing 't was he that made you to depose, |
| Your oath, my lord, is vain and frivolous. |
| Therefore, to arms! And, father, do but think |
| How sweet a thing it is to wear a crown, |
| Within whose circuit is Elysium |
| And all that poets feign of bliss and joy. |
| Why do we linger thus? I cannot rest |
| Until the white rose that I wear be dyed |
| Even in the lukewarm blood of Henry's heart. |
| YORK.: |
| Richard, enough; I will be king, or die.— |
| Brother, thou shalt to London presently, |
| And whet on Warwick to this enterprise.— |
| Thou, Richard, shalt to the Duke of Norfolk, |
| And tell him privily of our intent.— |
| You, Edward, shall unto my Lord Cobham, |
| With whom the Kentishmen will willingly rise. |
| In them I trust; for they are soldiers, |
| Witty, courteous, liberal, full of spirit.— |
| While you are thus employ'd, what resteth more |
| But that I seek occasion how to rise, |
| And yet the king not privy to my drift, |
| Nor any of the house of Lancaster? |
| [Enter a Messenger.] |
| But stay.—What news? Why com'st thou in such post? |
| 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, |
| And therefore fortify your hold, my lord. |
| YORK.: |
| Ay, with my sword. What! think'st thou that we fear |
| them?— |
| Edward and Richard, you shall stay with me; |
| My brother Montague shall post to London. |
| Let noble Warwick, Cobham, and the rest, |
| Whom we have left protectors of the king, |
| With powerful policy strengthen themselves, |
| And trust not simple Henry nor his oaths. |
| MONTAGUE.: |
| 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? |
| RICHARD.: |
| Ay, with five hundred, father, for a need. |
| A woman-general! what should we fear? |
| [A march afar off.] |
| EDWARD.: |
| 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 |
| Whenas the enemy hath been ten to one; |
| Why should I not now have the like success? |
| [Alarum. Exeunt.] |
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