William Shakespeare: King Henry VI, Third Part

ACT I 1. SCENE I. London. The Parliament-house (continued)

YORK.
Thanks, gentle Norfolk.--Stay by me, my lords;--
And, soldiers, stay and lodge by me this night.

WARWICK.
And when the king comes, offer him no violence,
Unless he seek to thrust you out perforce.

[They retire.]

YORK.
The queen this day here holds her parliament,
But little thinks we shall be of her council.
By words or blows here let us win our right.

RICHARD.
Arm'd as we are, let 's stay within this house.

WARWICK.
The bloody parliament shall this be call'd,
Unless Plantagenet, Duke of York, be king,
And bashful Henry depos'd, whose cowardice
Hath made us bywords to our enemies.

YORK.
Then leave me not, my lords; be resolute.
I mean to take possession of my right.

WARWICK.
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.

[Warwick leads York to the throne, who seats himself.]

[Flourish. Enter KING HENRY, CLIFFORD, NORTHUMBERLAND,
WESTMORELAND, EXETER, and the rest.]

KING 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.

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

CLIFFORD.
The hope thereof makes Clifford mourn in steel.

WESTMORELAND.
What! shall we suffer this? let 's pluck him down;
My heart for anger burns; I cannot brook it.

KING HENRY.
Be patient, gentle Earl of Westmoreland.