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the tree Shall yield the other in the right opinion。 SOMERSET。 Good
Master Vernon； it is well objected； If I have fewest； I subscribe in silence。
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PLANTAGENET。 And I。 VERNON。 Then； for the truth and plainness of
the case； I pluck this pale and maiden blossom here； Giving my verdict on
the white rose side。 SOMERSET。 Prick not your finger as you pluck it off；
Lest； bleeding； you do paint the white rose red； And fall on my side so；
against your will。 VERNON。 If I； my lord； for my opinion bleed； Opinion
shall be surgeon to my hurt And keep me on the side where still I am。
SOMERSET。 Well； well； come on； who else？ LAWYER。 ＇To Somerset＇
Unless my study and my books be false； The argument you held was
wrong in you； In sign whereof I pluck a white rose too。 PLANTAGENET。
Now； Somerset； where is your argument？ SOMERSET。 Here in my
scabbard； meditating that Shall dye your white rose in a bloody red。
PLANTAGENET。 Meantime your cheeks do counterfeit our roses； For
pale they look with fear； as witnessing The truth on our side。 SOMERSET。
No； Plantagenet； 'Tis not for fear but anger that thy cheeks Blush for pure
shame to counterfeit our roses； And yet thy tongue will not confess thy
error。 PLANTAGENET。 Hath not thy rose a canker； Somerset？
SOMERSET。 Hath not thy rose a thorn； Plantagenet？ PLANTAGENET。
Ay； sharp and piercing； to maintain his truth； Whiles thy consuming canker
eats his falsehood。 SOMERSET。 Well； I'll find friends to wear my
bleeding roses； That shall maintain what I have said is true； Where false
Plantagenet dare not be seen。 PLANTAGENET。 Now； by this maiden
blossom in my hand； I scorn thee and thy fashion； peevish boy。 SUFFOLK。
Turn not thy scorns this way； Plantagenet。 PLANTAGENET。 Proud Pole； I
will； and scorn both him and thee。 SUFFOLK。 I'll turn my part thereof into
thy throat。 SOMERSET。 Away； away； good William de la Pole！ We grace
the yeoman by conversing with him。 WARWICK。 Now； by God's will；
thou wrong'st him； Somerset； His grandfather was Lionel Duke of
Clarence； Third son to the third Edward； King of England。 Spring crestless
yeomen from so deep a root？ PLANTAGENET。 He bears him on the
place's privilege； Or durst not for his craven heart say thus。 SOMERSET。
By Him that made me； I'll maintain my words On any plot of ground in
Christendom。 Was not thy father； Richard Earl of Cambridge； For treason
executed in our late king's days？ And by his treason stand'st not thou
attainted； Corrupted； and exempt from ancient gentry？ His trespass yet
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King Henry VI； Part 1
lives guilty in thy blood； And till thou be restor'd thou art a yeoman。
PLANTAGENET。 My father was attached； not attainted； Condemn'd to die
for treason； but no traitor； And that I'll prove on better men than Somerset；
Were growing time once ripened to my will。 For your partaker Pole； and
you yourself； I'll note you in my book of memory To scourge you for this
apprehension。 Look to it well； and say you are well warn'd。 SOMERSET。
Ay； thou shalt find us ready for thee still； And know us by these colours
for thy foes For these my friends in spite of thee shall wear。
PLANTAGENET。 And； by my soul； this pale and angry rose； As
cognizance of my blood…drinking hate； Will I for ever； and my faction；
wear； Until it wither with me to my grave； Or flourish to the height of my
degree。 SUFFOLK。 Go forward； and be chok'd with thy ambition！ And so
farewell until I meet thee next。 Exit SOMERSET。 Have with thee； Pole。
Farewell； ambitious Richard。 Exit PLANTAGENET。 How I am brav'd； and
must perforce endure it！ WARWICK。 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 Gloucester； And if thou be not then created York； I will
not live to be accounted Warwick。 Meantime； in signal of my love to thee；
Against proud Somerset and William Pole； Will I upon thy party wear this
rose； And here I prophesy： this brawl to…day； Grown to this faction in the
Temple Garden； Shall send between the Red Rose and the White A
thousand souls to death and deadly night。 PLANTAGENET。 Good Master
Vernon； 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。 PLANTAGENET。 Thanks； gentle sir。 Come； let us four to dinner。 I
dare say This quarrel will drink blood another day。 Exeunt
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King Henry VI； Part 1
SCENE 5。
The Tower of London
Enter MORTIMER； brought in a chair； and GAOLERS
MORTIMER。 Kind keepers of my weak decaying age； Let dying
Mortimer here rest himself。 Even like a man new haled from the rack； So
fare my limbs with long imprisonment； And these grey locks； the
pursuivants of death； Nestor…like aged in an age of care； Argue the end of
Edmund Mortimer。 These eyes； like lamps whose wasting oil is spent； Wax
dim； as drawing to their exigent； Weak shoulders； overborne with
burdening grief； And pithless arms； like to a withered vine That droops his
sapless branches to the ground。 Yet are these feet； whose strengthless stay
is numb； Unable to support this lump of clay； Swift…winged with desire to
get a grave； As witting I no other comfort have。 But tell me； keeper； will
my nephew come？ FIRST KEEPER。 Richard Plantagenet； my lord； will
come。 We sent unto the Temple； unto his chamber； And answer was
return'd that he will come。 MORTIMER。 Enough； my soul shall then be
satisfied。 Poor gentleman！ his wrong doth equal mine。 Since Henry
Monmouth first began to reign； Before whose glory I was great in arms；
This loathsome sequestration have I had； And even since then hath
Richard been obscur'd； Depriv'd of honour and inheritance。 But now the
arbitrator of despairs； Just Death； kind umpire of men's miseries； With
sweet enlargement doth dismiss me hence。 I would his troubles likewise
were expir'd； That so he might recover what was lost。
Enter RICHARD PLANTAGENET
FIRST KEEPER。 My lord； your loving nephew now is come。
MORTIMER。 Richard Plantagenet； my friend； is he come？
PLANTAGENET。 Ay； noble uncle； thus ignobly us'd； Your nephew； late
despised Richard； comes。 MORTIMER。 Direct mine arms I may embrace
his neck And in his bosom spend my latter gasp。 O； tell me when my lips
do touch his cheeks； That I may kindly give one fainting kiss。 And now
declare； sweet stem from York's great stock； Why didst thou say of late
thou wert despis'd？ PLANTAGENET。 First； lean thine aged back against
mine arm； And； in that ease； I'll tell thee my disease。 This day； in argument
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upon a case； Some words there grew 'twixt Somerset and me； Among
which terms he us'd his lavish tongue And did upbraid me with my father's
death； Which obloquy set bars before my tongue； Else with the like I had
requited him。 Therefore； good uncle； for my father's sake； In honour of a
true Plantagenet； And for alliance sake； declare the cause My father； Earl
of Cambridge； lost his head。 MORTIMER。 That cause； fair nephew； that
imprison'd me And hath detain'd me all my flow'ring youth Within a
loathsome dungeon； there to pine； Was cursed instrument of his decease。
PLANTAGENET。 Discover more at large what cause that was； For I am
ignorant and cannot guess。 MORTIMER。 I will； if that my fading breath
permit And death approach not ere my tale be done。 Henry the Fourth；
grandfather to this king； Depos'd his nephew Richard； Edward's son； The
first…begotten and the lawful heir Of Edward king； the third of that descent；
During whose