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Henry VI part one

Act II, Scene 4

 

London, at the Temple-garden.
 
[Enter the Earls of SOMERSET, SUFFOLK, and WARWICK; RICHARD PLANTAGENET, VERNON, and another Lawyer]
 
 
RICHARD PLANTAGENET
        T     T    .   T     2      ,      ,           ,
      Great lords and gent|lemen, what | means this | silence?
        T   T  T     ,         2    ,         ,
      Dare no man | answer | in a case | of truth?
 
SUFFOLK
          ,         ,        ,               ,    ,
      Within | the temp|le-hall | we were / too loud,
           ,        ,         ,        ,    ,
      The gard|en here | is more | conven|ient.
 
RICHARD PLANTAGENET
            ,         ,       ,          ,           ,
      Then say | at once,| if I | maintained | the truth:
           ,          ,         ,     ,      2      x
      Or else | was wrang|ling Som|erset | in the error?
 
SUFFOLK
            ,          ,       ,       ,        ,
      Faith^I | have been | a tru|ant in | the law,
           ,      ,            ,          ,     ,
      And nev|er yet | could frame | my will | to it,
            ,          ,          ,       ,        ,
      And there|fore frame | the law | unto | my will.
 
SOMERSET
        ,              ,        ,           ,           x
      Judge you,| my Lord | of War|wick*, then | between us.
 
      [*the w in "wick" is silent]
 
WARWICK
          ,            ,             ,           ,       ,
      Between | two* hawks,| which flies | the high|er pitch,
          ,            ,            ,          ,       ,
      Between | two* dogs,| which hath | the deep|er mouth,
          ,            ,              ,          ,         x
      Between | two* blades,| which bears | the bet|ter temper,
          ,            ,        ,            ,          ,
      Between | two* hors|es, which | doth^bear | him best,
          ,            ,             ,         ,    2    ,
      Between | two* girls,| which hath | the mer|riest eye,
          ,      ,          ,      ,          ,
      I have perhaps some shallow spirit of judgment:  ????
           ,           ,      ,     ,                 ,
      But in | these^nice | sharp quil/lets of | the law,
              ,        ,       ,       ,       ,
      Good* faith | I am | no wis|er than | a daw.
 
RICHARD PLANTAGENET
            ,      ,    2     ,      ,       ,
      Tut,^tut,| here is a | manner|ly for|bearance:  ??
            ,         ,         ,      ,        ,
      The truth | appears | so nak|ed on | my side,
           ,     ,         ,          ,        ,
      That an|y pur|blind^eye | may find | it out.
 
SOMERSET
         2    ,     ,        ,        ,      ,
      And on my | side it | is so | well ap|parelled,
           ,          ,        ,        ,    ,
      So clear,| so shin|ing, and | so ev|ident,
        ,    2         ,          ,          T     T    T
      That it will | glimmer | through a | blind man's eye.
 
RICHARD PLANTAGENET
        ,                ,      ,              ,          ,
      Since you | are tongue-|tied, and | so loath | to speak,
           ,        ,     ,          ,              ,
      In dumb | signif|icants | proclaim | your thoughts:
           ,          ,       ,     ,   ,
      Let him | that is | a true-|born gen/tleman,
             ,       ,         ,      ,         ,
      And stands | upon | the hon|or of | his birth,
          ,        ,         ,          ,        ,
      If he | suppose | that I | have plead|ed truth,
            ,           x       ,         ,     ,
      From off | this brier | pluck a | white rose / with me.
 
SOMERSET
           ,        2    ,    ,             ,     ,   2
      Let^him | that is no | coward,| nor* no | flatterer,
            ,         ,          ,      ,         ,
      But dare | maintain | the part|y of | the truth,
        T   .  T    T          ,           ,           ,
      Pluck a red rose | from off | this thorn | with me.
 
WARWICK
          ,        ,        ,         ,         ,     2->
      I love | no col|ors: and | without | all col||or
           ,       ,   ,        ,     ,
      Of base | insin|ua|ting flat|tery,
          ,            ,       ,              ,    ,
      I pluck | this white | rose with | Plantag|enet.
 
SUFFOLK
          ,           ,      ,           ,    ,
      I pluck | this red | rose with | young Som/erset,
           ,        ,        ,          ,          ,
      And say | withal,| I think | he held | the right.
 
VERNON
        T    T    .   T      ,          ,          ,
      Stay lords and gent|lemen,| and pluck | no more
            ,         ,           ,      ,           ,
      Till you | conclude,| that he | upon | whose^side
           ,       ,      ,        ,                ,
      The few|est ros|es are | cropped from | the tree,
              ,          ,      ,         ,        ,     2->
      Shall yield | the oth|er in | the right | opin||ion.
 
SOMERSET
            ,       ,         x       ,       ,
      Good mast|er Ver|non, it is | well ob|jected:
       ,  2          x     2       ,         ,
      If I have | fewest, I sub|scribe in | silence.
 
RICHARD PLANTAGENET
                                                           ,
                                                       And I.
 
VERNON
        ,              ,           ,         ,         ,
      Then for | the truth,| and plain|ness of | the case,
          ,            ,         ,        ,        ,
      I pluck | this pale | and maid|en blos|som here,
       ,           ,                   ,     ,    ,
      Giving | my ver|dict on the // white rose side.
 
SOMERSET
        T    T    T      ,        2      ,         ,
      Prick not your | finger | as you pluck | it off,
             ,         ,         ,      .    T     T   T
      Lest^bleed|ing, you | do paint | the white rose red,
            ,        ,     T   T .   T            ,
      And fall | on my | side so against | your will.
 
VERNON
         ,        ,         ,      ,       ,
      If I,| my lord,| for my | opin|ion bleed,
        ,        ,          ,       ,        ,
      Opin|ion shall | be surg|eon to | my hurt,
            ,        ,         ,            ,        ,
      And keep | me on | the side | where still | I am.
 
SOMERSET
       __     __          ,         ,    oo
      Well,| well,| come on:| who else?|
 
LAWYER
          ,         ,     ,         ,          ,
      Unless | my stud|y and | my books | be false,
           ,     ,          ,          ,         ,
      The arg|ument | you held,| was wrong | in you;
           ,          ,       ,     .   T     T   T
      In sign | whereof,| I pluck | a white rose too.
 
RICHARD PLANTAGENET
           ,     ,                 ,   ,     ,
      Now Som|erset,| where^is / your arg|ument?
 
SOMERSET
        ,            ,         ,    ,         ,
      Here in | my scab|bard, med|itat|ing, that
             ,           ,       ,           ,      ,
      Shall dye | your white | rose in | a blood|y red.
 
RICHARD PLANTAGENET
        ,     2          ,          ,       ,         ,
      Meantime your | cheeks do | counter|feit our | roses:
            ,           ,           ,        ,       ,
      For pale | they look | with fear,| as wit|nessing
            ,         ,     __
      The truth | on our | side.
 
SOMERSET
      __        ,    ,
      No | Plantag|enet:  (tri with prev)
            ,          ,         ,        ,           ,
      'Tis not | for fear,| but ang|er, that | thy cheeks
        ,           T     T    .   T       ,           x
      Blush for | pure shame, to count|erfeit | our roses,
           ,           ,           ,         ,          x
      And yet | thy tongue | will not | confess | thy error.
 
RICHARD PLANTAGENET
            ,          ,        ,       ,      ,
      Hath not | thy rose | a cank|er, Som|erset?
 
SOMERSET
            ,          ,        ,          ,    ,
      Hath not | thy rose | a thorn,| Plantag|enet?
 
RICHARD PLANTAGENET
       T     T    .    T              ,   ,          ,
      Aye, sharp and pierc|ing to / maintain | his truth,
              ,        ,        ,       ,          ,          2->
      Whiles^thy | consum|ing cank|er eats | his false||hood*.
 
SOMERSET
                     ,     ,           ,         ,         x
      Well, I'll / find friends | to wear | my bleed|ing roses,
             ,           ,         ,          ,         ,
      That shall | maintain | what I | have said | is true,
              ,          ,    ,      ,             ,
      Where false | Plantag|enet | dare not | be seen.
 
RICHARD PLANTAGENET
            ,          ,       ,       ,        ,
      Now* by | this maid|en blos|som in | my hand,
          ,           ,          ,         ,       ,
      I scorn | thee and | thy fash|ion, peev|ish boy.
 
SUFFOLK
            ,           ,           ,         ,    ,
      Turn^not | thy scorns | this^way,| Plantag|enet.
 
RICHARD PLANTAGENET
        T     T   .   T          ,           ,          ,
      Proud Pole, I will,| and scorn | both him | and thee.
 
SUFFOLK
             ,         ,         ,       ,          ,
      I'll turn | my part | thereof | into | thy throat.
 
SOMERSET
         ,      ,         ,        ,        ,
      Away,| away,| good Wil|liam de | la Pole,
           ,          x       ,       ,           x
      We grace | the yeo|man by | convers|ing with him.
 
WARWICK
            ,           ,            ,            ,     ,
      Now* by | God's^will | thou wrongst | him, Som|erset:
            ,    ,    2       , 2       ,         ,
      His grand|father was | Lionel | Duke of | Clarence,
        ,    ,                    ,        ,        ,        ->
      Third son / to the | third^Ed|ward King | of Eng||land:
         ,       ,          ,           2     ,        ,
      Spring | crestless | yeomen | from so deep | a root?
 
RICHARD PLANTAGENET
           ,          ,         ,        ,     ,
      He bears | him on | the place|'s priv|ilege,
           ,          ,          ,       ,            ,
      Or durst | not for | his crav|en heart | say* thus.
 
SOMERSET
          ,           ,         ,          ,          ,
      By him | that made | me, I'll | maintain | my words
          ,     ,          ,           ,      ,
      On an|y plot | of ground | in Christ|endom.
           ,         ,         ,         ,        ,         o
      Was not | thy fath|er, Rich|ard, Earl | of Cam|bridge,
            ,       ,   ,                 ,    ,      ,
      For treas|on ex|ecut|ed in our // late king's days?  (hex with prev)
         2    ,      ,          ,            ,       ,
      And by his | treason,| standst not | thou at|tainted,
           ,   ,     2     ,          ,         ,
      Corrupt|ed, and ex|empt from | ancient | gentry?
            ,        ,      ,     ,                ,
      His tres|pass yet | lives guil/ty in | thy blood,
            ,          ,        ,           ,       ,      2->
      And till | thou be | restored,| thou art | a yeo||man.
 
RICHARD PLANTAGENET
          ,       ,         ,      ,       ,
      My fath|er was | attached,| not at|tainted,
            ,         ,            x          ,     ,
      Condemned | to die | for treason,| but no | traitor;
            ,           ,         ,       ,          ,      ,  ->
      And that | I'll prove | on bet|ter men | than Som||erset,
             ,        ,          ,      3  3     ,
      Were grow|ing time | once^rip|ened to my will.  ??
            ,        ,       ,         ,          ,
      For your | partak|er Pole,| and you | yourself,
             ,         ,        ,        ,    ,
      I'll note | you in | my book | of mem|ory,
            ,           ,          ,     ,     ,
      To scourge | you for | this ap|prehen|sion:
        ,            ,         ,                ,     ,
      Look to | it well,| and say | you are / well warned.
 
SOMERSET
       ,                 ,         ,     ,           ,
      Ah, thou | shalt find | us read|y for | thee still:
            ,        ,          ,       ,          ,
      And know | us by | these col|ors for | thy foes,
            ,           ,           ,          ,            ,
      For these | my friends | in spite | of thee | shall wear.
 
RICHARD PLANTAGENET
           ,        ,           ,         ,       ,
      And by | my soul,| this pale | and ang|ry rose,
          ,      ,               ,     ,         ,
      As cog|nizance | of my / blood-drink|ing hate,
           ,       ,      ,        ,         ,
      Will I | forev|er, and | my fac|tion wear,
         ,         ,       ,        ,        ,
      Until | it with|er with | me to | my grave,
           ,        ,         ,          ,       ,
      Or flour|ish to | the height | of my | degree.
 
SUFFOLK
       ,  ,           2        ,           ,      ,
      Go for/ward, and be | choked with | thy am|bition:
           ,        ,        ,        ,           ,
      And so | farewell,| until | I meet | thee next.
 
[Exit]
 
SOMERSET
             ,            ,         ,        ,         ,       ->
      Have with | thee Pole:| Farewell | ambit|ious Rich||ard.
 
[Exit]
 
RICHARD PLANTAGENET
       ,     2      ,           ,         ,           x
      How | I am braved,| and must | perforce | endure it?
 
WARWICK
             ,           ,        ,        ,            ,
      This blot | that they | object | against | your house,
                   ,    ,               ,   ,      ,
      Shall be / wiped out | in the / next parl|iament,
         ,      2        ,         ,       ,           ,
      Called for the | truce of | Winche|ster and | Gloucester:
           ,         ,         ,       ,       ,
      And if | thou be | not^then | creat|ed York,
      ,     2        ,        ,      ,        ,
      I will not | live to | be ac|counted | Warwick.
           ,         ,       ,        ,         ,
      Meantime,| in sig|nal of | my love | to thee,
           ,      T     Tx  T          ,        ,
      Against | proud Somerset,| and Will|iam Pole,
           ,     ,         ,       ,           ,
      Will I | upon | thy part|y wear | this rose.
            ,        ,     ,          ,        ,
      And here | I proph|esy:| this brawl | today,
        ,     2        ,         ,        ,       ,
      Grown to this | faction | in the | Temple-|garden,
              ,        ,          ,      ,              ,
      Shall send | between | the red | rose and | the white,
          ,         ,          ,           ,       ,
      A thous|and souls | to death | and dead|ly night.
 
RICHARD PLANTAGENET
            ,       ,       ,        ,         ,
      Good mast|er Ver|non, I | am bound | to you,
            ,        ,       ,            ,          ,
      That you | on my | behalf | would pluck | a flower.
 
VERNON
           ,        ,      ,              ,          ,
      In your | behalf | still will | I wear | the same.
 
LAWYER
           ,        ,
      And so | will I.
 
RICHARD PLANTAGENET
                          __      ,       oo
                        Thanks | gentle.|
        ,              ,        ,             ,   ,
      Come, let | us four | to din|ner: I / dare say,
             ,               ,     ,        ,      ,
      This quar|rel will / drink blood | anoth|er day.
 
[Exeunt]

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