William Shakepeare

Henry VI Part 3 William Shakepeare

The Duke of York enters the throne room with his sons and followers, wondering where King Henry has fled to after their recent battles. Warwick urges York to take the throne. As York sits, Henry enters with his followers, who want to fight York right there. Henry urges calm and asks York to descend from the throne. York makes public his alleged claim to the throne, while Henry defends his hereditary possession of the crown. Suspecting that his claim to the throne may be spurious, Henry asks York to let him rule while he lives, and he will pass the throne on to the house of York on his death. York agrees and departs, but Henry's nobles are astonished that he would deny his son the birthright of becoming king on his father's death. Margaret, Henry's queen, arrives and accuses him of being an unnatural father for having disinherited his son and a bad ruler for thinking that York will let him rule.