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It is, because no one should sway but he;

No one but he should be about the king;

And that engenders thunder in his breast,

And makes him roar these accusations forth.

But he shall know I am as good—

GLOUCESTER.

As good!

Thou bastard of my grandfather!

WINCHESTER.

Aye, lordly sir; for what are you, I pray,

But one imperious in another's throne?

GLOUCESTER.

Am I not protector, saucy priest?

WINCHESTER.

And am not I a prelate of the church?

GLOUCESTER.

Yes, as an outlaw in a castle keeps

And useth it to patronage his theft.

WINCHESTER.

Unreverent Gloucester!

GLOUCESTER.

Thou art reverent

Touching thy spiritual function, not thy life.

WINCHESTER.

Rome shall remedy this.

WARWICK.

Roam thither, then.

SOMERSET.

My lord, it were your duty to forbear.

WARWICK.

Ay, see the bishop be not overborne.

SOMERSET.

Methinks my lord should be religious,

And know the office that belongs to such.

WARWICK.

Methinks his lordship should be humbler;

It fitteth not a prelate so to plead.

SOMERSET.

Yes, when his holy state is touch'd so near.

WARWICK.

State holy or unhallow'd, what of that?

Is not his grace protector to the king?

PLANTAGENET.

[Aside] Plantagenet, I see, must hold his tongue,

Lest it be said, 'Speak, sirrah, when you should:

Must your bold verdict enter talk with lords?'

Else would I have a fling at Winchester.

KING.

Uncles of Gloucester and of Winchester,

The special watchmen of our English weal,

I would prevail, if prayers might prevail,

To join your hearts in love and amity.

O, what a scandal is it to our crown,

That two such noble peers as ye should jar!

Believe me, lords, my tender years can tell

Civil dissension is a viperous worm

That gnaws the bowels of the commonwealth.

[A noise within, 'Down with the tawny-coats!'

What tumult's this?

WARWICK.

An uproar, I dare warrant,

Begun through malice of the bishop's men.

[A noise again, 'Stones! stones!'

Enter Mayor.]

MAYOR.

O, my good lords, and virtuous Henry,

Pity the city of London, pity us!

The bishop and the Duke of Gloucester's men,

Forbidden late to carry any weapon,

Have fill'd their pockets full of pebble stones,

And banding themselves in contrary parts

Do pelt so fast at one another's pate

That many have their giddy brains knock'd out:

Our windows are broke down in every street,

And we for fear compell'd to shut our shops.

[Enter Serving-men, in skirmish, with bloody pates.]

KING.

We charge you, on allegiance to ourself,

To hold your slaughtering hands and keep the peace.

Pray, uncle Gloucester, mitigate this strife.

FIRST SERVING-MAN. Nay, if we be forbidden stones, we 'll fall to it with our teeth.

SECOND SERVING-MAN.

Do what ye dare, we are as resolute.

[Skirmish again.]

GLOUCESTER.

You of my household, leave this peevish broil

And set this unaccustom'd fight aside.

THIRD SERVING-MAN.

My lord, we know your grace to be a man

Just and upright; and, for your royal birth,

Inferior to none but to his Majesty:

And ere that we will suffer such a prince,

So kind a father of the commonweal,

To be disgraced by an inkhorn mate,

We and our wives and children all will fight,

And have our bodies slaughter'd by thy foes.

FIRST SERVING-MAN.

Aye, and the very parings of our nails

Shall pitch a field when we are dead.

[Begin again.]

GLOUCESTER.

Stay, stay, I say!

And if you love me, as you say you do,

Let me persuade you to forbear awhile.

KING.

O, how this discord doth afflict my soul!

Can you, my Lord of Winchester, behold

My sighs and tears and will not once relent?

Who should be pitiful, if you be not?

Or who should study to prefer a peace,

If holy churchmen take delight in broils?

WARWICK.

Yield, my lord protector; yield, Winchester;

Except you mean with obstinate repulse

To slay your sovereign and destroy the realm.

You see what mischief and what murder too

Hath been enacted through your enmity;

Then be at peace, except ye thirst for blood.

WINCHESTER.

He shall