Speeches (Lines) for Duke/Earl of Somerset
in "Henry VI, Part I"
Total: 27

1

II,4,930

Earl of Suffolk. Faith, I have been a truant in the law,
And never yet could frame my will to it;
And therefore frame the law unto my will.

Duke/Earl of Somerset. Judge you, my Lord of Warwick, then, between us.

2

II,4,943

Richard Plantagenet (Duke of Gloucester). Tut, tut, here is a mannerly forbearance:
The truth appears so naked on my side
That any purblind eye may find it out.

Duke/Earl of Somerset. And on my side it is so well apparell'd,
So clear, so shining and so evident
That it will glimmer through a blind man's eye.

3

II,4,953

Richard Plantagenet (Duke of Gloucester). Since you are tongue-tied and so loath to speak,
In dumb significants proclaim your thoughts:
Let him that is a true-born gentleman
And stands upon the honour of his birth,
If he suppose that I have pleaded truth,
From off this brier pluck a white rose with me.

Duke/Earl of Somerset. Let him that is no coward nor no flatterer,
But dare maintain the party of the truth,
Pluck a red rose from off this thorn with me.

4

II,4,965

Vernon. Stay, lords and gentlemen, and pluck no more,
Till you conclude that he upon whose side
The fewest roses are cropp'd from the tree
Shall yield the other in the right opinion.

Duke/Earl of Somerset. Good Master Vernon, it is well objected:
If I have fewest, I subscribe in silence.

5

II,4,972

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.

Duke/Earl of 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.

6

II,4,978

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.

Duke/Earl of Somerset. Well, well, come on: who else?

7

II,4,985

Richard Plantagenet (Duke of Gloucester). Now, Somerset, where is your argument?

Duke/Earl of Somerset. Here in my scabbard, meditating that
Shall dye your white rose in a bloody red.

8

II,4,991

Richard Plantagenet (Duke of Gloucester). Meantime your cheeks do counterfeit our roses;
For pale they look with fear, as witnessing
The truth on our side.

Duke/Earl of 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.

9

II,4,997

Richard Plantagenet (Duke of Gloucester). Hath not thy rose a canker, Somerset?

Duke/Earl of Somerset. Hath not thy rose a thorn, Plantagenet?

10

II,4,1001

Richard Plantagenet (Duke of Gloucester). Ay, sharp and piercing, to maintain his truth;
Whiles thy consuming canker eats his falsehood.

Duke/Earl of 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.

11

II,4,1011

Earl of Suffolk. I'll turn my part thereof into thy throat.

Duke/Earl of Somerset. Away, away, good William de la Pole!
We grace the yeoman by conversing with him.

12

II,4,1020

Richard Plantagenet (Duke of Gloucester). He bears him on the place's privilege,
Or durst not, for his craven heart, say thus.

Duke/Earl of 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 lives guilty in thy blood;
And, till thou be restored, thou art a yeoman.

13

II,4,1037

Richard Plantagenet (Duke of Gloucester). 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 ripen'd 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.

Duke/Earl of Somerset. Ah, 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.

14

II,4,1049

(stage directions). [Exit]

Duke/Earl of Somerset. Have with thee, Pole. Farewell, ambitious Richard.

15

III,1,1275

Earl of Warwick. Roam thither, then.

Duke/Earl of Somerset. My lord, it were your duty to forbear.

16

III,1,1277

Earl of Warwick. Ay, see the bishop be not overborne.

Duke/Earl of Somerset. Methinks my lord should be religious
And know the office that belongs to such.

17

III,1,1281

Earl of Warwick. Methinks his lordship should be humbler;
it fitteth not a prelate so to plead.

Duke/Earl of Somerset. Yes, when his holy state is touch'd so near.

18

III,1,1412

All. Welcome, high prince, the mighty Duke of York!

Duke/Earl of Somerset. [Aside] Perish, base prince, ignoble Duke of York!

19

IV,1,1846

Richard Plantagenet (Duke of Gloucester). This is my servant: hear him, noble prince.

Duke/Earl of Somerset. And this is mine: sweet Henry, favour him.

20

IV,1,1874

Richard Plantagenet (Duke of Gloucester). Will not this malice, Somerset, be left?

Duke/Earl of Somerset. Your private grudge, my Lord of York, will out,
Though ne'er so cunningly you smother it.

21

IV,1,1883

Richard Plantagenet (Duke of Gloucester). Let this dissension first be tried by fight,
And then your highness shall command a peace.

Duke/Earl of Somerset. The quarrel toucheth none but us alone;
Betwixt ourselves let us decide it then.

22

IV,4,2086

(stage directions). [Enter SOMERSET, with his army; a Captain of]
TALBOT's with him]

Duke/Earl of Somerset. It is too late; I cannot send them now:
This expedition was by York and Talbot
Too rashly plotted: all our general force
Might with a sally of the very town
Be buckled with: the over-daring Talbot
Hath sullied all his gloss of former honour
By this unheedful, desperate, wild adventure:
York set him on to fight and die in shame,
That, Talbot dead, great York might bear the name.

23

IV,4,2098

(stage directions). [Enter Sir William LUCY]

Duke/Earl of Somerset. How now, Sir William! whither were you sent?

24

IV,4,2115

Sir William Lucy. Whither, my lord? from bought and sold Lord Talbot;
Who, ring'd about with bold adversity,
Cries out for noble York and Somerset,
To beat assailing death from his weak legions:
And whiles the honourable captain there
Drops bloody sweat from his war-wearied limbs,
And, in advantage lingering, looks for rescue,
You, his false hopes, the trust of England's honour,
Keep off aloof with worthless emulation.
Let not your private discord keep away
The levied succors that should lend him aid,
While he, renowned noble gentleman,
Yields up his life unto a world of odds:
Orleans the Bastard, Charles, Burgundy,
Alencon, Reignier, compass him about,
And Talbot perisheth by your default.

Duke/Earl of Somerset. York set him on; York should have sent him aid.

25

IV,4,2119

Sir William Lucy. And York as fast upon your grace exclaims;
Swearing that you withhold his levied host,
Collected for this expedition.

Duke/Earl of Somerset. York lies; he might have sent and had the horse;
I owe him little duty, and less love;
And take foul scorn to fawn on him by sending.

26

IV,4,2126

Sir William Lucy. The fraud of England, not the force of France,
Hath now entrapp'd the noble-minded Talbot:
Never to England shall he bear his life;
But dies, betray'd to fortune by your strife.

Duke/Earl of Somerset. Come, go; I will dispatch the horsemen straight:
Within six hours they will be at his aid.

27

IV,4,2131

Sir William Lucy. Too late comes rescue: he is ta'en or slain;
For fly he could not, if he would have fled;
And fly would Talbot never, though he might.

Duke/Earl of Somerset. If he be dead, brave Talbot, then adieu!