TPTT The Third Part of Henry the Sixth: ACT I
Introduction
ACT I
SCENE I. London. The Parliament-house.
SCENE II. Sandal Castle.
SCENE III. Field of battle betwixt Sandal Castle and Wakefield.
SCENE IV. Another part of the field.
ACT II
ACT III
ACT IV
ACT V
About the Play
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SCENE II. Sandal Castle.
Enter RICHARD, EDWARD, and MONTAGUE
RICHARD
      Brother, though I be youngest, give me leave.
EDWARD
      No, I can better play the orator.
MONTAGUE
      But I have reasons strong and forcible.
Enter YORK
YORK
      Why, how now, sons and brother! at a strife?
5     What is your quarrel? how began it first?
EDWARD
      No quarrel, but a slight contention.
YORK
      About what?
RICHARD
      About that which concerns your grace and us;
      The crown of England, father, which is yours.
YORK
10    Mine boy? not till King Henry be dead.
RICHARD
      Your right depends not on his life or death.
EDWARD
      Now you are heir, therefore enjoy it now:
      By giving the house of Lancaster leave to breathe,
      It will outrun you, father, in the end.
YORK
15    I took an oath that he should quietly reign.
EDWARD
      But for a kingdom any oath may be broken:
      I would break a thousand oaths to reign one year.
RICHARD
      No; God forbid your grace should be forsworn.
YORK
      I shall be, if I claim by open war.
RICHARD
20    I'll prove the contrary, if you'll hear me speak.
YORK
      Thou canst not, son; it is impossible.
RICHARD
      An oath is of no moment, being not took
      Before a true and lawful magistrate,
      That hath authority over him that swears:
25    Henry had none, but did usurp the place;
      Then, seeing 'twas he that made you to depose,
      Your oath, my lord, is vain and frivolous.
      Therefore, to arms! And, father, do but think
      How sweet a thing it is to wear a crown;
30    Within whose circuit is Elysium
      And all that poets feign of bliss and joy.
      Why do we finger thus? I cannot rest
      Until the white rose that I wear be dyed
      Even in the lukewarm blood of Henry's heart.
YORK
35    Richard, enough; I will be king, or die.
      Brother, thou shalt to London presently,
      And whet on Warwick to this enterprise.
      Thou, Richard, shalt to the Duke of Norfolk,
      And tell him privily of our intent.
40    You Edward, shall unto my Lord Cobham,
      With whom the Kentishmen will willingly rise:
      In them I trust; for they are soldiers,
      Witty, courteous, liberal, full of spirit.
      While you are thus employ'd, what resteth more,
45    But that I seek occasion how to rise,
      And yet the king not privy to my drift,
      Nor any of the house of Lancaster?

Enter a Messenger

      But, stay: what news? Why comest thou in such post?
Messenger
      The queen with all the northern earls and lords
50    Intend here to besiege you in your castle:
      She is hard by with twenty thousand men;
      And therefore fortify your hold, my lord.
YORK
      Ay, with my sword. What! think'st thou that we fear them?
      Edward and Richard, you shall stay with me;
55    My brother Montague shall post to London:
      Let noble Warwick, Cobham, and the rest,
      Whom we have left protectors of the king,
      With powerful policy strengthen themselves,
      And trust not simple Henry nor his oaths.
MONTAGUE
60    Brother, I go; I'll win them, fear it not:
      And thus most humbly I do take my leave.

Exit

Enter JOHN MORTIMER and HUGH MORTIMER

      Sir John and Sir Hugh Mortimer, mine uncles,
      You are come to Sandal in a happy hour;
      The army of the queen mean to besiege us.
JOHN MORTIMER
65    She shall not need; we'll meet her in the field.
YORK
      What, with five thousand men?
RICHARD
      Ay, with five hundred, father, for a need:
      A woman's general; what should we fear?
A march afar off
EDWARD
      I hear their drums: let's set our men in order,
70    And issue forth and bid them battle straight.
YORK
      Five men to twenty! though the odds be great,
      I doubt not, uncle, of our victory.
      Many a battle have I won in France,
      When as the enemy hath been ten to one:
75    Why should I not now have the like success?

Alarum. Exeunt

      3 KING HENRY VI
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