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reign of Bolingbroke； As I have read； laid claim unto the crown； And； but
for Owen Glendower； had been king； Who kept him in captivity till he
died。 But； to the rest。 YORK。 His eldest sister； Anne； My mother； being
heir unto the crown； Married Richard Earl of Cambridge； who was To
Edmund Langley； Edward the Third's fifth son； son。 By her I claim the
kingdom： she was heir To Roger Earl of March； who was the son Of
Edmund Mortimer； who married Philippe； Sole daughter unto Lionel Duke
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King Henry VI； Part 2
of Clarence； So； if the issue of the elder son Succeed before the younger； I
am King。 WARWICK。 What plain proceedings is more plain than this？
Henry doth claim the crown from John of Gaunt； The fourth son： York
claims it from the third。 Till Lionel's issue fails； his should not reign。 It
fails not yet； but flourishes in thee And in thy sons； fair slips of such a
stock。 Then； father Salisbury； kneel we together； And in this private plot be
we the first That shall salute our rightful sovereign With honour of his
birthright to the crown。 BOTH。 Long live our sovereign Richard；
England's King！ YORK。 We thank you； lords。 But I am not your king Till I
be crown'd； and that my sword be stain'd With heart…blood of the house of
Lancaster； And that's not suddenly to be perform'd； But with advice and
silent secrecy。 Do you as I do in these dangerous days： Wink at the Duke
of Suffolk's insolence； At Beaufort's pride； at Somerset's ambition； At
Buckingham； and all the crew of them； Till they have snar'd the shepherd
of the flock； That virtuous prince； the good Duke Humphrey； 'Tis that they
seek； and they； in seeking that； Shall find their deaths； if York can
prophesy。 SALISBURY。 My lord； break we off； we know your mind at full。
WARWICK。 My heart assures me that the Earl of Warwick Shall one day
make the Duke of York a king。 YORK。 And； Nevil； this I do assure myself；
Richard shall live to make the Earl of Warwick The greatest man in
England but the King。 Exeunt
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King Henry VI； Part 2
SCENE III。 London。 A hall of justice
Sound trumpets。Enter the KING and State： the QUEEN；
GLOUCESTER； YORK； SUFFOLK； and SALISBURY； with guard；
to banish the DUCHESS。Enter； guarded； the DUCHESS OF
GLOUCESTER； MARGERY JOURDAIN； HUME； SOUTHWELL；
and BOLINGBROKE
KING HENRY。 Stand forth； Dame Eleanor Cobham； Gloucester's
wife： In sight of God and us； your guilt is great； Receive the sentence of
the law for sins Such as by God's book are adjudg'd to death。 You four；
from hence to prison back again； From thence unto the place of execution：
The witch in Smithfield shall be burnt to ashes； And you three shall be
strangled on the gallows。 You； madam； for you are more nobly born；
Despoiled of your honour in your life； Shall； after three days' open
penance done； Live in your country here in banishment With Sir John
Stanley in the Isle of Man。 DUCHESS。 Welcome is banishment； welcome
were my death。 GLOUCESTER。 Eleanor； the law； thou seest； hath judged
thee。 I cannot justify whom the law condemns。 Exeunt the DUCHESS and
the other prisoners； guarded Mine eyes are full of tears； my heart of grief。
Ah； Humphrey； this dishonour in thine age Will bring thy head with
sorrow to the ground！ I beseech your Majesty give me leave to go； Sorrow
would solace； and mine age would ease。 KING HENRY。 Stay； Humphrey
Duke of Gloucester； ere thou go； Give up thy staff； Henry will to himself
Protector be； and God shall be my hope； My stay； my guide； and lantern to
my feet。 And go in peace； Humphrey； no less belov'd Than when thou wert
Protector to thy King。 QUEEN。 I see no reason why a king of years
Should be to be protected like a child。 God and King Henry govern
England's realm！ Give up your staff； sir； and the King his realm。
GLOUCESTER。 My staff！ Here； noble Henry； is my staff。 As willingly do
I the same resign As ere thy father Henry made it mine； And even as
willingly at thy feet I leave it As others would ambitiously receive it。
Farewell； good King； when I am dead and gone； May honourable peace
attend thy throne！ Exit QUEEN。 Why； now is Henry King； and Margaret
Queen； And Humphrey Duke of Gloucester scarce himself； That bears so
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shrewd a maim： two pulls at once… His lady banish'd and a limb lopp'd off。
This staff of honour raught； there let it stand Where it best fits to be； in
Henry's hand。 SUFFOLK。 Thus droops this lofty pine and hangs his sprays；
Thus Eleanor's pride dies in her youngest days。 YORK。 Lords； let him go。
Please it your Majesty； This is the day appointed for the combat； And
ready are the appellant and defendant； The armourer and his man； to enter
the lists； So please your Highness to behold the fight。 QUEEN。 Ay； good
my lord； for purposely therefore Left I the court； to see this quarrel tried。
KING HENRY。 A God's name； see the lists and all things fit； Here let them
end it； and God defend the right！ YORK。 I never saw a fellow worse
bested； Or more afraid to fight； than is the appellant； The servant of his
armourer； my lords。
Enter at one door； HORNER； the Armourer； and his NEIGHBOURS；
drinking to him so much that he is drunk； and he enters with a drum before
him and his staff with a sand…bag fastened to it； and at the other door
PETER； his man； with a drum and sandbag； and PRENTICES drinking to
him
FIRST NEIGHBOUR。 Here； neighbour Horner； I drink to you in a
cup of sack； and fear not； neighbour； you shall do well enough。 SECOND
NEIGHBOUR。 And here； neighbour； here's a cup of charneco。 THIRD
NEIGHBOUR。 And here's a pot of good double beer； neighbour； drink；
and fear not your man。 HORNER。 Let it come； i' faith； and I'll pledge you
all； and a fig for Peter！ FIRST PRENTICE。 Here； Peter； I drink to thee；
and be not afraid。 SECOND PRENTICE。 Be merry； Peter； and fear not thy
master： fight for credit of the prentices。 PETER。 I thank you all。 Drink；
and pray for me； I pray you； for I think I have taken my last draught in this
world。 Here； Robin； an if I die； I give thee my apron； and； Will； thou shalt
have my hammer； and here； Tom； take all the money that I have。 O Lord
bless me； I pray God！ for I am never able to deal with my master； he hath
learnt so much fence already。 SALISBURY。 Come； leave your drinking
and fall to blows。 Sirrah； what's thy name？ PETER。 Peter； forsooth。
SALISBURY。 Peter？ What more？ PETER。 Thump。 SALISBURY。 Thump？
Then see thou thump thy master well。 HORNER。 Masters； I am come
hither； as it were； upon my man's instigation； to prove him a knave and
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myself an honest man； and touching the Duke of York； I will take my
death I never meant him any ill； nor the King； nor the Queen； and
therefore； Peter； have at thee with a down right blow！ YORK。 Dispatch…
this knave's tongue begins to double。 Sound； trumpets； alarum to the
combatants！ ＇Alarum。 They fight and PETER strikes him down＇
HORNER。 Hold； Peter； hold！ I confess； I confess treason。 ＇Dies＇ YORK。
Take away his weapon。 Fellow； thank God； and the good wine in thy
master's way。 PETER。 O God； have I overcome mine enemies in this
presence？ O Peter； thou hast prevail'd in right！ KING HENRY。 Go； take
hence that traitor from our sight； For by his death we do perceive his guilt；
And God in justice hath reveal'd to us The truth and innocence of this poor
fellow； Which he had thought to have murder'd wrongfully。 Come； fellow；
follow us for thy reward。 Sound a flourish。 E