Page:Henry VI Part 3 (1923) Yale.djvu/15

King Henry the Sixth, I. i

I mean to take possession of my right.

War. 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.

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.

North. If I be not, heavens be reveng'd on me!

Clif. The hope thereof makes Clifford mourn in steel.

West. What! shall we suffer this? let's pluck him down:

My heart for anger burns; I cannot brook it.

Henry. Be patient, gentle Earl of Westmoreland.

Clif. Patience is for poltroons, such as he:

He durst not sit there had your father liv'd.

My gracious lord, here in the parliament

Let us assail the family of York.

North. Well hast thou spoken, cousin: be it so.

Henry. Ah! know you not the city favours them,

And they have troops of soldiers at their beck?

 46 he: man

holds up: supports the cause of

47 shake his bells; cf. n.

49 Resolve thee: be resolute

57 be not: be not revenged

67 the city favours them; cf. n. 