Enter York, Salisbury, and Warwick. YORK Now, my good lords of Salisbury and Warwick, Our simple supper ended, give me leave, In this close walk, to satisfy myself In craving your opinion of my title, Which is infallible, to England’s crown. 5 SALISBURY My lord, I long to hear it at full. WARWICK Sweet York, begin; and if thy claim be good, The Nevilles are thy subjects to command. YORK Then thus: Edward the Third, my lords, had seven sons: 10 The first, Edward the Black Prince, Prince of Wales; The second, William of Hatfield; and the third, Lionel, Duke of Clarence; next to whom Was John of Gaunt, the Duke of Lancaster; The fifth was Edmund Langley, Duke of York; 15 The sixth was Thomas of Woodstock, Duke of Gloucester; William of Windsor was the seventh and last. Edward the Black Prince died before his father And left behind him Richard, his only son, 20 Who, after Edward the Third’s death, reigned as king Till Henry Bolingbroke, Duke of Lancaster, The eldest son and heir of John of Gaunt, Crowned by the name of Henry the Fourth, 25 Seized on the realm, deposed the rightful king, Sent his poor queen to France, from whence she came, And him to Pomfret; where, as all you know, Harmless Richard was murdered traitorously. 30 | York, Salisbury, and Warwick are on an after-dinner stroll in the garden. York tells them about his claim to the throne: Edward III had 7 sons. The eldest, Prince Edward, died and left Richard (his son) to rule. Then a dude named Bolingbroke (a.k.a. Henry IV) bumped Richard II off the throne and passed the crown to his son (Henry V) and grandson (Henry VI). |
WARWICK Father, the Duke hath told the truth. Thus got the house of Lancaster the crown. YORK Which now they hold by force and not by right; For Richard, the first son’s heir, being dead, The issue of the next son should have reigned. 35 SALISBURY But William of Hatfield died without an heir. YORK The third son, Duke of Clarence, from whose line I claim the crown, had issue, Philippa, a daughter, Who married Edmund Mortimer, Earl of March. Edmund had issue, Roger, Earl of March; 40 Roger had issue: Edmund, Anne, and Eleanor. SALISBURY This Edmund, in the 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. 45 But to the rest. YORK His eldest sister, Anne, My mother, being heir unto the crown, Married Richard, Earl of Cambridge, who was son To Edmund Langley, Edward the Third’s fifth son. 50 By her I claim the kingdom. She was heir To Roger, Earl of March, who was the son Of Edmund Mortimer, who married Philippa, Sole daughter unto Lionel, Duke of Clarence. So, if the issue of the elder son 55 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. 60 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 65 With honor of his birthright to the crown. | |
SALISBURY, WARWICK, kneeling Long live our sovereign Richard, England’s king! YORK We thank you, lords. They rise. But I am not your king Till I be crowned, and that my sword be stained 70 With heart-blood of the house of Lancaster; And that’s not suddenly to be performed, But with advice and silent secrecy. Do you as I do in these dangerous days: Wink at the Duke of Suffolk’s insolence, 75 At Beaufort’s pride, at Somerset’s ambition, At Buckingham, and all the crew of them, Till they have snared the shepherd of the flock, That virtuous prince, the good Duke Humphrey. ’Tis that they seek; and they, in seeking that, 80 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, Neville, this I do assure myself: 85 Richard shall live to make the Earl of Warwick The greatest man in England but the King. They exit. | Warwick and Salisbury follow York's logic and hail him as their king. Not so fast, says York. He's not king yet, so they should wait to pass around the victory cake. York thinks that they should wait until the rest of the nobles have made a mess of things and meet nasty ends. |