3 Henry the Sixth (The True Tragedy of Richard Duke of York and the Good King Henry the Sixth) · chunk 3 of 47
Anonymous / Marlowe, Christopher / Shakespeare, William · published 1623 · first performed or written c.1591 (Annals) history · Pembroke's Men T43 York and Lancaster: dynastic claims and typicality 0.86 · 527 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T43: henry, king, richard, warwick, york, edward, father, duke, crown, son.
Thinkest thou, that I will leave my Kingly Throne, Wherein my Grandsire and my Father sat? No: first shall War unpeople this my Realm; I, and their Colours often borne in France, And now in England, to our hearts great sorrow, Shall be my Winding-sheet. Why faint you Lords? My Title's good, and better far than his. Prove it Henry, and thou shalt be King. Henry the Fourth by Conquest got the Crown. 'Twas by Rebellion against his King. I know not what to say, my Titles weak: Tell me, may not a King adopt an Heir? What then? And if he may, then am I lawful King: For Richard, in the view of many Lords, Resigned the Crown to Henry the Fourth, Whose Heir my Father was, and I am his. He rose against him, being his Sovereign, And made him to resign his Crown perforce. Suppose, my Lords, he did it unconstrained, Think you 'twere prejudicial to his Crown? No: for he could not so resign his Crown, But that the next Heir should succeed and reign. Art thou against us, Duke of Exeter? His is the right, and therefore pardon me. Why whisper you, my Lords, and answer not? My Conscience tells me he is lawful King. All will revolt from me, and turn to him. Plantagenet, for all the Claim thou layest, Think not, that Henry shall be so deposed. Deposed he shall be, in despite of all. Thou art deceived: 'Tis not thy Southern power Of Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, nor of Kent, Which makes thee thus presumptuous and proud, Can set the Duke up in despite of me. King Henry, be thy Title right or wrong, Lord Clifford vows to fight in thy defence: May that ground gape, and swallow me alive, Where I shall kneel to him that slew my Father. Oh Clifford, how thy words revive my heart. Henry of Lancaster, resign thy Crown: What mutter you, or what conspire you Lords? Do right unto this Princely Duke of York, Or I will fill the House with armed men, And over the Chair of State, where now he sits, Writ up his Title with usurping blood. My Lord of Warwick, hear but one word, Let me for this my life time reign as King. Confirm the Crown to me and to mine Heirs, And thou shalt reign in quiet while thou liv'st. I am content: Richard Plantagenet Enjoy the Kingdom after my decease. What wrong is this unto the Prince, your Son? What good is this to England, and himself? Base, fearful, and despairing Henry. How hast thou injured both thyself and us? I cannot stay to hear these Articles. Nor I. Come Cousin, let us tell the Queen these News. Farewell faint-hearted and degenerate King, In whose cold blood no spark of Honour bides. Be thou a prey unto the House of York, And dye in Bands, for this unmanly deed. In dreadful War may'st thou be overcome, Or live in peace abandoned and despised. Turn this way Henry, and regard them not. They seek revenge, and therefore will not yield. Ah Exeter. Why should you sigh, my Lord?
seed 43: T8 · seed 44: T50 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Think'ſt thou, that I will leaue my Kingly Throne, Wherein my Grandſire and my Father ſat? No: firſt ſhall Warre vnpeople this my Realme; I, and their Colours often borne in France, And now in England, to our hearts great ſorrow, Shall be my Winding-ſheet. Why faint you Lords? My Title's good, and better farre then his. Proue it Henry, and thou ſhalt be King. Henry the Fourth by Conqueſt got the Crowne. 'Twas by Rebellion againſt his King. I know not what to ſay, my Titles weake: Tell me, may not a King adopt an Heire? What then? And if he may, then am I lawfull King: For Richard, in the view of many Lords, Reſign'd the Crowne to Henry the Fourth, Whoſe Heire my Father was, and I am his. He roſe againſt him, being his Soueraigne, And made him to reſigne his Crowne perforce. Suppoſe, my Lords, he did it vnconſtrayn'd, Thinke you 'twere preiudiciall to his Crowne? No: for he could not ſo reſigne his Crowne, But that the next Heire ſhould ſucceed and reigne. Art thou againſt vs, Duke of Exeter? His is the right, and therefore pardon me. Why whiſper you, my Lords, and anſwer not? My Conſcience tells me he is lawfull King. All will reuolt from me, and turne to him. Plantagenet, for all the Clayme thou lay'ſt, Thinke not, that Henry ſhall be ſo depos'd. Depos'd he ſhall be, in deſpight of all. Thou art deceiu'd: 'Tis not thy Southerne power Of Eſſex, Norfolke, Suffolke, nor of Kent, Which makes thee thus preſumptuous and prowd, Can ſet the Duke vp in deſpight of me. King Henry, be thy Title right or wrong, Lord Clifford vowes to fight in thy defence: May that ground gape, and ſwallow me aliue, Where I ſhall kneele to him that ſlew my Father. Oh Clifford, how thy words reuiue my heart. Henry of Lancaſter, reſigne thy Crowne: What mutter you, or what conſpire you Lords? Doe right vnto this Princely Duke of Yorke, Or I will fill the Houſe with armed men, And ouer the Chayre of State, where now he ſits, Write vp his Title with vſurping blood. My Lord of Warwick, heare but one word, Let me for this my life time reigne as King. Confirme the Crowne to me and to mine Heires, And thou ſhalt reigne in quiet while thou liu'ſt. I am content: Richard Plantagenet Enioy the Kingdome after my deceaſe. What wrong is this vnto the Prince, your Sonne? What good is this to England, and himſelfe? Baſe, fearefull, and deſpayring Henry. How haſt thou iniur'd both thy ſelfe and vs? I cannot ſtay to heare theſe Articles. Nor I. Come Couſin, let vs tell the Queene theſe Newes. Farwell faint-hearted and degenerate King, In whoſe cold blood no ſparke of Honor bides. Be thou a prey vnto the Houſe of Yorke, And dye in Bands, for this vnmanly deed. In dreadfull Warre may'ſt thou be ouercome, Or liue in peace abandon'd and deſpis'd. Turne this way Henry, and regard them not. They ſeeke reuenge, and therefore will not yeeld. Ah Exeter. Why ſhould you ſigh, my Lord?