And ftands upon the honour of his birth, 3 From off this briar pluck a white rofe with me. Som. Let him that is no coward, and no flatterer, But dare maintain the party of the truth, Pluck a red rofe from off this thorn with me. War. I love no colours; and without all colour Of base infinuating flattery, I pluck this white rofe with Plantagenet. Suf. I pluck this red rofe with young Somerset, And say withal, I think, he held the right. Ver. Stay, lords and gentlemen, and pluck no more, Som. Good master Vernon, it is well objected; Ver. Then for the truth and plainnefs of the cafe, Som. Prick not your finger as you pluck it off, Ver. If I, my lord, for my opinion bleed, 3 From off this briar pluck a white rofe with me. &c.] This is given as the original of the two badges of the house of York and Lancaster, whether truly or not, is no great matter. But the pro verbial expreffion of faying a thing under the Rofe, I am perfuaded, came from thence. When the nation had ranged itself into two great factions, under the white and red Rofe, and were perpetually plotting and counterplotting against one another, then when a matter of faction was communicated by either party to his friend in the fame quarrel, it was natural for him to add, that he said it under the Rofe; meaning that, as it concern'd the faction, it was religiously to be kept fecret. VOL. IV. Hh Som Som. Well, well, come on; who else? Lawyer. Unlefs my ftudy and my books be falfe, The argument, you held, was wrong in you; [To Somerset. In fign whereof I pluck a white rofe too. Plan. Now, Somerset, where is your argument? Som. Here in my scabbard, meditating that Shall dye your white rofe to a bloody red. Plan. Mean time, your cheeks do counterfeit our For pale they look with fear, as witneffing Som. No, Plantagenet, 'Tis not for fear, but anger, that thy cheeks Plan. Now by this maiden bloffom in my hand, *I fcorn thee and thy Fashion, peevish boy. Suf. Turn not thy fcorns this way, Plantagenet. Plan. Proud Pool, I will; and fcorn both him and thee. Suf. I'll turn my part thereof into thy throat. 4 I fcorn thee and thy Fashion,--] So the old copies read, and rightly. Mr. Theobald altered it to Faction, not confidering that by fashion is meant the badge of the red-rofe, which Somerset said he and his friends fhould be diftinguish'd by. But Mr. Theobald asks, If Faction was not the true reading, why should Suffolk immediately reply, Turn not thy fcorns this way, Plantagenet? Why? becaufe Plantagenet had called Somerset, with whom Suf folk fided, peevish boy. Som. Som. Away, away, good William de la Pool! His grandfather was Lyonel Duke of Clarence, Som. By him that made me, I'll maintain my words On any plot of ground in Chriftendom. Was not thy father, Richard, Earl of Cambridge, Plan. My father was attached, not attainted; 5 Spring crestless Yeomen- -] i. e. thofe who have no right to arms. 6 Corrupted and exempt] Exempt, for excluded. 7- for this apprehenfion:] Apprehenfion, i. e. opinion. Hh 2 Suf. Suf. Go forward, and be choak'd with thy ambition: And fo farewel, until I meet thee next. [Exit. Som. Have with thee, Pool: farewel, ambitious Richard. [Exit. Plan. How I am brav'd, and muft perforce endure it! War. This blot, that they object against your house, Shall be wip'd out in the next Parliament, Call'd for the truce of Winchester and Gloucefter: Plan. Good mafter Vernon, I am bound to you; Plan. Thanks, gentle Sir. Come, let us four to dinner; I dare say, SCENE A Prifon. [Exeunt. VI. Enter Mortimer, brought in a chair, and jailors. Mor.T IND keepers of my weak decaying age, Let dying Mortimer here reft himself. Ev'n like a man new haled from the rack, Argue the end of Edmund Mortimer. Thefe Thefe eyes, like lamps whose wafting oil is spent, 8 Weak fhoulders over-born with burthening grief, But now the arbitrator of despairs, Juft death, kind umpire of men's miferies, Enter Richard Plantagenet. Keep. My lord, your loving nephew now is come. Mor. Richard Plantagenet, my friend, is he come? Plan. I, noble uncle, thus ignobly us❜d, Your nephew, late-defpifed Richard, comes. Mor. Direct mine arms, I may embrace his neck, And in his bofom spend my latest gasp. Oh, tell me, when my lips do touch his cheeks; 8-as drawing to their exigent.] Exigent, for conclufion, period. |