University of Virginia Library

Scene, a Chamber in the Tower: K. Henry sleeping.

Enter Lieutenant.
LIEUTENANT
Asleep so soon! But sorrow minds no seasons,
The Morning, Noon, and Night with her's the same,
She's fond of any hour that yields Repose.

KING HENRY
(rising.
Who's there? Lieutenant! is it you? Come hither.

LIEUTENANT
You shake, my Lord, and look affrighted.

KING HENRY
O! I have had the fearfull'st Dream; such sights,
That, as I live —
I would not pass another hour so dreadful
Though 'twere to buy a world of happy days.
Reach me a Book — I'll try if reading can
Divert these melancholy thoughts.

Enter Richard.
RICHARD
Good day, my Lord; what, at your Book so hard?
I disturb you.

KING HENRY
You do indeed — (sighing.


RICHARD
Go, Friend, leave us to our selves; we must confer.
(Exit Lieu.

KING HENRY
What Bloody Scene has Roscius now to Act?

RICHARD
Suspicion always haunts the guilty mind,
The Thief does fear each bush an Officer.

KING HENRY
Where Thieves without Controulment rob and kill,
The Traveller does fear each bush a Thief:
The poor bird that has been already lim'd
With trembling Wings misdoubts of every Bush,
And I, the hapless Male to one sweet Bird,
Have now the fatal object in my Eye,
'By whom my young one bled, was caught and kill'd.

RICHARD
Why, what a peevish Fool was that of Creet,
That taught his Son the office of a Fowl?
And yet for all his Wings the fool was drown'd:
Thou should'st have taught thy Boy his Prayers alone,
And then he had not broke his neck with Climbing.

KING HENRY
Ah, kill me with thy weapons, not with words,
My breast can better brook thy Daggers Point,
'Than can my ears that piercing story.
But wherefore dost thou come, is't for my life?

RICHARD
Thinkest thou I am an Executioner?

KING HENRY
If Murthering Innocents be Executing
'Thou'rt then the worst of Executioners.

RICHARD
Thy Son I kill'd for his Presumption.

KING HENRY
Hadst thou been kill'd when first thou didst Presume,
Thou hadst not liv'd to kill a Son of mine.
But thou wert born to Massacre Mankind.
'How many Old Mens sighs, and Widows moans,
'How many Orphans Water standing eyes,
'Men, for their sons, Wives for their Husbands Fate,
'And Children, for their Parents timeless death,
'Will rue the hour that ever thou wert born?
The Owl shriek'd at thy Birth: An Evil sign.
'The night Crow cry'd, foreboding luckless time,
Dogs howl'd, and hideous Tempests shook down Trees;
The Raven rook'd her on the Chimenys top,
And chattering Pies in Dismal discords sung.
They Mother felt more than a Mothers Pain,
And yet brought forth less than a Mothers Hope:
Teeth hadst thou in thy head when thou wert born,
Which plainly said, Thou cam'st to bite Mankind,
And if the rest be true which I have heard,
Thou cam'st —

RICHARD
I'll hear no more: Dye, Prophet, in thy speech. (Stabs him.

For this, amongst the rest was I ordain'd.

KING HENRY
O! and for much more slaughter after this.
'Just Heaven forgive my sins, and pardon thee. [Dies.


RICHARD
What, will the aspiring blood of Lancaster
Sink in the ground? — I thought it would have mounted.
See how my Sword weeps for the poor King's death;
—O, may such purple tears be always shed
From those that wish the Downfall of our House.
If any spark of Life be yet remaining,
Down, down to Hell! and say, I sent thee thither. (stabs him again.

I that have neither Pity, Love nor Fear:
Indeed 'tis true, what Henry told me of,
For I have often heard my Mother say,
I came into the World with my Leg's forward:
The Midwife wonder'd, and the Women cry'd,
Good Heaven bless us, he is born with Teeth;
And so I was, which plainly signified,
That I should snarl and bite, and play the Dog.
Then since the Heavens have shap'd my body so,
Let Hell make crooked my mind to answer it —
I have no Brother, am like no Brother,
And this word Love, which Gray beards call Divine,
Be resident in Men, like one another,
And not in me — I am — my self alone.
Clarence, beware, thou keep'st me from the Light,
But if I fail not in my deep intent,
Thou'st not another day to live, which done,
Heaven take the weak King Edward to his Mercy,
And leave the World for me to bustle in :
But soft — I'm sharing spoil before the Field is won,
Clarence still Breaths, Edward still Lives and Reigns,
When they are gone, then I must count my gains. (Exit.


The End of the first ACT.