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protection of their tender ones； Who hath not seen them… even with those
wings Which sometime they have us'd with fearful flight… Make war with
him that climb'd unto their nest； Offering their own lives in their young's
defence For shame； my liege； make them your precedent！ Were it not pity
that this goodly boy Should lose his birthright by his father's fault； And
long hereafter say unto his child 'What my great…grandfather and grandsire
got My careless father fondly gave away'？ Ah； what a shame were this！
Look on the boy； And let his manly face； which promiseth Successful
fortune； steel thy melting heart To hold thine own and leave thine own
with him。 KING HENRY。 Full well hath Clifford play'd the orator；
Inferring arguments of mighty force。 But； Clifford； tell me； didst thou
never hear That things ill got had ever bad success？ And happy always
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was it for that son Whose father for his hoarding went to hell？ I'll leave
my son my virtuous deeds behind； And would my father had left me no
more！ For all the rest is held at such a rate As brings a thousand…fold more
care to keep Than in possession any jot of pleasure。 Ah； cousin York！
would thy best friends did know How it doth grieve me that thy head is
here！ QUEEN MARGARET。 My lord； cheer up your spirits； our foes are
nigh； And this soft courage makes your followers faint。 You promis'd
knighthood to our forward son： Unsheathe your sword and dub him
presently。 Edward； kneel down。 KING HENRY。 Edward Plantagenet； arise
a knight； And learn this lesson： Draw thy sword in right。 PRINCE OF
WALES。 My gracious father； by your kingly leave； I'll draw it as apparent
to the crown； And in that quarrel use it to the death。 CLIFFORD。 Why；
that is spoken like a toward prince。
Enter a MESSENGER
MESSENGER。 Royal commanders； be in readiness； For with a band
of thirty thousand men Comes Warwick； backing of the Duke of York； And
in the towns； as they do march along； Proclaims him king； and many fly to
him。 Darraign your battle； for they are at hand。 CLIFFORD。 I would your
Highness would depart the field： The Queen hath best success when you
are absent。 QUEEN MARGARET。 Ay； good my lord； and leave us to our
fortune。 KING HENRY。 Why； that's my fortune too； therefore I'll stay。
NORTHUMBERLAND。 Be it with resolution； then； to fight。 PRINCE OF
WALES。 My royal father； cheer these noble lords； And hearten those that
fight in your defence。 Unsheathe your sword； good father； cry 'Saint
George！'
March。 Enter EDWARD； GEORGE； RICHARD； WARWICK；
NORFOLK； MONTAGUE； and soldiers
EDWARD。 Now； perjur'd Henry； wilt thou kneel for grace And set
thy diadem upon my head； Or bide the mortal fortune of the field？
QUEEN MARGARET。 Go rate thy minions； proud insulting boy。
Becomes it thee to be thus bold in terms Before thy sovereign and thy
lawful king？ EDWARD。 I am his king； and he should bow his knee。 I was
adopted heir by his consent： Since when； his oath is broke； for； as I hear；
You that are King； though he do wear the crown； Have caus'd him by new
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act of parliament To blot out me and put his own son in。 CLIFFORD。 And
reason too： Who should succeed the father but the son？ RICHARD。 Are
you there； butcher？ O； I cannot speak！ CLIFFORD。 Ay； crook…back； here I
stand to answer thee； Or any he； the proudest of thy sort。 RICHARD。
'Twas you that kill'd young Rutland； was it not？ CLIFFORD。 Ay； and old
York； and yet not satisfied。 RICHARD。 For God's sake； lords； give signal
to the fight。 WARWICK。 What say'st thou； Henry？ Wilt thou yield the
crown？ QUEEN MARGARET。 Why； how now； long…tongu'd Warwick！
Dare you speak？ When you and I met at Saint Albans last Your legs did
better service than your hands。 WARWICK。 Then 'twas my turn to fly； and
now 'tis thine。 CLIFFORD。 You said so much before； and yet you fled。
WARWICK。 'Twas not your valour； Clifford； drove me thence。
NORTHUMBERLAND。 No； nor your manhood that durst make you stay。
RICHARD。 Northumberland； I hold thee reverently。 Break off the
parley； for scarce I can refrain The execution of my big…swol'n heart Upon
that Clifford； that cruel child…killer。 CLIFFORD。 I slew thy father； call'st
thou him a child？ RICHARD。 Ay； like a dastard and a treacherous coward；
As thou didst kill our tender brother Rutland； But ere sunset I'll make thee
curse the deed。 KING HENRY。 Have done with words； my lords； and hear
me speak。 QUEEN MARGARET。 Defy them then； or else hold close thy
lips。 KING HENRY。 I prithee give no limits to my tongue： I am a king；
and privileg'd to speak。 CLIFFORD。 My liege； the wound that bred this
meeting here Cannot be cur'd by words； therefore be still。 RICHARD。
Then； executioner； unsheathe thy sword。 By Him that made us all； I am
resolv'd That Clifford's manhood lies upon his tongue。 EDWARD。 Say；
Henry； shall I have my right； or no？ A thousand men have broke their fasts
to…day That ne'er shall dine unless thou yield the crown。 WARWICK。 If
thou deny； their blood upon thy head； For York in justice puts his armour
on。 PRINCE OF WALES。 If that be right which Warwick says is right；
There is no wrong； but every thing is right。 RICHARD。 Whoever got thee；
there thy mother stands； For well I wot thou hast thy mother's tongue。
QUEEN MARGARET。 But thou art neither like thy sire nor dam； But like
a foul misshapen stigmatic； Mark'd by the destinies to be avoided； As
venom toads or lizards' dreadful stings。 RICHARD。 Iron of Naples hid
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with English gilt； Whose father bears the title of a king… As if a channel
should be call'd the sea… Sham'st thou not； knowing whence thou art
extraught； To let thy tongue detect thy base…born heart？ EDWARD。 A wisp
of straw were worth a thousand crowns To make this shameless callet
know herself。 Helen of Greece was fairer far