SCENE I.- Coventry. ACT V Enter, upon the walls, WARWICK, the Mayor of Coventry, two Messengers, and others. War. Where is the post, that came from valiant Oxford? How far hence is thy lord, mine honest fellow? 1 Mess. By this at Dunsmore, marching hitherward. War. How far off is our brother Montague?. Where is the post that came from Montague? 2 Mess. By this at Daintry, with a puissant troop. Enter Sir JoHN SOMERVILLE. War. Say, Somerville, what says my loving son? And, by thy guess, how nigh is Clarence now? Som. At Southam I did leave him with his forces, And do expect him here some two hours hence. [Drum heard. War. Then Clarence is at hand, I hear his drum. Som. It is not his, my lord; here Southam lies; The drum your honour hears, marcheth from Warwick. War. Who should that be? belike, unlook'd-for friends, The king was slily finger'd from the deck! K. Edw. 'Tis even so; yet you are Warwick still, Glo. Come, Warwick, take the time, kneel down, kneel down: Nay, when? strike now, or else, the iron cools. War. I had rather chop this hand off at a blow, And with the other fling it at thy face, Than bear so low a sail, to strike to thee. K. Edw. Sail how thou canst, have wind and tide thy friend; This hand, fast wound about thy coal-black hair, Oxf. Oxford, Oxford, for Lancaster ! [OXFORD and his Forces enter the City. Som. They are at hand, and you shall quickly Will issue out again, and bid us battle: know. Drums. Enter KING EDWARD, GLOSTER, and Forces, marching. K. Edw. Go, trumpet, to the walls, and sound a parle. Glo. See, how the surly Warwick mans the wall, War. O, unbid spite! is sportful Edward come? Where slept our scouts, or how are they seduc'd, That we could hear no news of his repair? K. Edw. Now, Warwick, wilt thou ope the city gates, Speak gentle words, and humbly bend thy knee?— Call Edward-king, and at his hands beg mercy, And he shall pardon thee these outrages, War. Nay, rather, wilt thou draw thy forces hence, Confess who set thee up and pluck'd thee down?- Or did he make the jest against his will? War. 'Twas I, that gave the kingdom to thy brother. K. Edw. Why, then 'tis mine, if but by War wick's gift. War. Thou art no Atlas for so great a weight: And, weakling, Warwick takes his gift again; And Henry is my king, Warwick his subject. K. Edw. But Warwick's king is Edward's pri soner: And, gallant Warwick, do but answer this, — Glo. Alas, that Warwick had no more forecast, But, whiles he thought to steal the single ten, If not, the city, being but of small defence, [He and his Forces enter the City. Glo. Thou and thy brother both shall buy this treason Even with the dearest blood your bodies bear. Enter SOMERSET, with drum and colours. [He and his Forces enter the City. Glo. Two of thy name, both dukes of Somerset, Have sold their lives unto the house of York; And thou shalt be the third, if this sword hold. Enter CLARENCE, with drum and colours. War. And lo, where George of Clarence sweeps along, Of force enough to bid his brother battle; [Taking the red rose out of his cap. Than Jephthas, when he sacrific'd his daughter. That, to deserve well at my brother's hands, Than if thou never hadst deserv'd our hate. Glo. Welcome, good Clarence; this is brotherlike. War. O passing traitor, perjur'd, and unjust! Or shall we beat the stones about thine ears? K. Edw. Yes, Warwick, Edward dares, and leads Lords, to the field; Saint George, and victory. [March. Exeunt. SCENE II. A Field of Battle near Barnet. Alarums, and Excursions. Enter KING EDWARD, bringing in WARWICK wounded. K. Edw. So, lie thou there: die thou, and die our fear; For Warwick was a bug, that fear'd us all. [Exit. War. Ah, who is nigh! come to me friend or foe, And tell me, who is victor, York, or Warwick? Why ask I that? my mangled body shows, My blood, my want of strength, my sick heart shows, That I must yield my body to the earth, Have been as piercing as the mid-day sun, Lo, now my glory smear'd in dust and blood! Som. Ah, Warwick, Warwick! wert thou as we are, course, And we are grac'd with wreaths of victory. Clar. A little gale will soon disperse that cloud, Glo. The queen is valu'd thirty thousand strong, And Somerset, with Oxford, fied to her ; If she have time to breathe, be well assur'd, Her faction will be full as strong as ours. K. Edw. We are advértis'd by our loving friends, That they do hold their course toward Tewksbury; We having now the best at Barnet field, Will thither straight, For willingness rids way: And, as we march, our strength will be augmented In every county as we go along. — Strike up the drum; cry- Courage! and away. [Exeun. SCENE IV. - Plains near Tewksbury. March. Enter Queen Margaret, PRINCE EDWARD, SOMERSET, OXFORD, and Soldiers. Q. Mar. Great lords, wise men ne'er sit and wail their loss, But cheerly seek how to redress their harms. Yet lives our pilot still: Is't meet, that he The friends of France our shrouds and tacklings? From shelves and rocks that threaten us with wreck. Tread on the sand; why there you quickly sink : Why, courage, then! what cannot be avoided, Prince. Methinks, a woman of this valiant spirit Should, if a coward heard her speak these words, And make him, naked, foil a man at arms. Orf. Women and children of so high a courage! -sweet Ox Som. And he that will not fight for such a hope, Go home to bed, and, like the owl by day, If he arise, be mock'd and wonder'd at. Q. Mar. Thanks, gentle Somerset ; · ford, thanks. Prince. And take his thanks, that yet hath nothing else. Enter a Messenger. Mess. Prepare you, lords, for Edward is at hand, Ready to fight; therefore be resolute. Orf. I thought no less: it is his policy, To haste thus fast, to find us unprovided. Som. But he's deceiv'd, we are in readiness. Q. Mar. This cheers my heart, to see your forwardness. Orf. Here pitch our battle; hence we will not budge. March. Enter, at a distance, King Edward, CLARENCE, GLOSTER, and Forces. K. Edw. Brave followers, yonder stands the thorny wood, Which, by the heavens' assistance, and your strength, Q. Mar. Lords, knights, and gentlemen, what I should say, My tears gainsay; for every word I speak, Is prisoner to the foe; his state usurp'd, [Exeunt both armies. SCENE V. Another Part of the same. Alarums: Excursions: and afterwards a retreat. Then, enter KING EDWARD, CLARENCE, GLOSTER, and Forces: with QUEEN MARGARET, OXFORD, and SOMERSET, prisoners. K. Edw. Now, here a period of tumultuous broils. Away with Oxford to Hammes' castle straight : Som. Nor I, but stoop with patience to my for Shall have a high reward, and he his life? K. Edw. Bring forth the gallant, let us hear him speak. What! can so young a thorn begin to prick ? Prince. Speak like a subject, proud ambitious Suppose, that I am now my father's mouth; Glo. That you might still have worn the petti coat, And ne'er have stol'n the breech from Lancaster. word, Q. Mar. Ay, thou wast born to be a plague to men. Glo. For God's sake, take away this captive scold. Prince. Nay, take away this scolding crook-back rather. K. Edw. Peace, wilful boy, or I will charm your tongue. Clar. Untutor'd lad, thou art too malapert. Prince. I know my duty, you are all undutiful : Lascivious Edward, and thou perjur'd George, And thou misshapen Dick, I tell ye all, I am your better, traitors as ye are ;And thou usurp'st my father's right and mine. K. Edw. Take that, the likeness of this railer here. [Stabs him. Glo. Sprawl'st thou? take that, to end thy agony. [GLO. stabs him. Clar. And there's for twitting me with perjury. [CLAR. stabs him. [Offers to kill her. Q. Mar. O, kill me too! K. Edw. Hold, Richard, hold, for we have done too much. Glo. Why should she live, to fill the world with words? K. Edw. What! doth she swoon? use me, for [Exit. Q. Mar. O, Ned, sweet Ned! speak to thy mo- Canst thou not speak?— O traitors! murderers! - As, deathsmen! you have rid this sweet young prince! K. Edw. Away with her; go, bear her hence perforce. Q. Mar. Nay, never bear me hence, despatch me here; Here sheath thy sword, I'll pardon thee my death: What! wilt thou not?- then, Clarence, do it thou. Clar. By heaven, I will not do thee so much ease. Q. Mar. Good Clarence, do; sweet Clarence, do thou do it. Clar. Didst thou not hear me swear, I would not do it? Q. Mar. Ay, but thou usest to forswear thyself: "Twas sin before, but now 'tis charity. K. Edw. Away, I say ; I charge ye, bear her hence. Q. Mar. So come to you, and yours, as to this prince! [Exit, led out forcibly. K. Edw. Where's Richard gone? Clar. To London, all in post; and, as I guess, To make a bloody supper in the Tower. K. Edw. He's sudden, if a thing comes in his head. Now march we hence: discharge the common sort With pay and thanks, and let's away to London, And see our gentle queen how well she fares; By this, I hope, she hath a son for me. [Exeunt. SCENE VI. - London. A Room in the Tower. KING HENRY is discovered sitting with a book in kis hand, the Lieutenant attending. Enter GLOSTER. Glo. Good day, my lord! What, at your book so hard? K. Hen. Ay, my good lord: My lord, I should say rather: 'Tis sin to flatter, good was little better: Good Gloster, and good devil, were alike, And both preposterous; therefore, not good lord. Glo. Sirrah, leave us to ourselves: we must con[Erit Lieutenant. fer. K. Hen. So flies the reckless shepherd from the So first the harmless sheep doth yield his fleece, Glo. Suspicion always haunts the guilty mind; The thief doth fear each bush an officer. K. Hen. The bird, that hath been limed in a bush, With trembling wings misdoubteth every bush: And I, the hapless male to one sweet bird, Have now the fatal object in my eye, Where my poor young was lim'd, was caught, and kill'd. Glo. Why, what a peevish fool was that of Crete, That taught his son the office of a fowl? And yet, for all his wings, the fool was drown'd. K. Hen. I, Dædalus; my poor boy, Icarus; Thy father, Minos, that denied our course; The sun, that sear'd the wings of my sweet boy, Thy brother Edward; and thyself, the sea, Whose envious gulf did swallow up his life. Ah, kill me with thy weapon, not with words! My breast can better brook thy dagger's point, Than can my ears that tragick history. — But wherefore dost thou come? is't for my life? Glo. Think'st thou, I am an executioner? K. Hen. A persecutor, I am sure, thou art; If murdering innocents be executing, Why, then thou art an executioner. Glo. Thy son I kill'd for his presumption. Thou hadst not liv'd to kill a son of mine. And yet brought forth less than a mother's hope; To wit, an indigest deformed lump, - Not like the fruit of such a goodly tree. Re-purchas'd with the blood of enemies. Teeth hadst thou in thy head, when thou wast born, Three dukes of Somerset, threefold renown'd To signify, thou cam'st to bite the world: And, if the rest be true which I have heard, Glo. I'll hear no more;- Die, prophet, in thy For this, amongst the rest, was I ordain'd. O God! forgive my sins, and pardon thee! [Dies. See, how my sword weeps for the poor king's death! ! If any spark of life be yet remaining, Down, down to hell; and say I sent thee thither, And this word-love, which greybeards call divine, For hardy and undoubted champions : That in their chains fetter'd the kingly lion, Glo. I'll blast his harvest, if your head were laid Work thou the way, and thou shalt execute. [Aside. K. Edw. Clarence, and Gloster, love my lovely queen, And kiss your princely nephew, brothers both. K. Edw. Thanks, noble Clarence; worthy bro- Glo. And, that I love the tree from whence thou sprang'st, Witness the loving kiss I give the fruit: To say the truth, so Judas kiss'd his master; Clarence, beware; thou keep'st me from the light; And cried-all hail! when as he meant But I will sort a pitchy day for thee: all harm. Aside |