K. Edw. What, Warwick, wilt thou leave the

town, and fight?

Or shall we beat the stones about thine ears?

War. Alas, I am not coop'd here for defence:

I will away towards Barnet presently,

And bid thee battle, Edward, if thou dar'st.

K. Edw. Yes, Warwick, Edward dares, and leads the way :

Lords, to the field; saint George, and victory.

SCENE II.

[March. Exeunt.

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;

33

*For Warwick was a bug, that fear'd us all 3.*Now, Montague, sit fast; I seek for thee,

* That Warwick's bones may keep thine company.

[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,

And, by my fall, the conquest to my foe.

Thus yields the cedar to the axe's edge, Whose arms gave shelter to the princely eagle, Under whose shade the ramping lion slept; Whose top branch overpeer'd Jove's spreading tree, *And kept low shrubs from winter's powerful wind. * These eyes, that now are dimm'd with death's black

veil,

* Have been as piercing as the mid-day sun,

*To search the secret treasons of the world:

The wrinkles in my brows, now fill'd with blood,
Were liken'd oft to kingly sepulchres;

For who liv'd king, but I could dig his grave?

And who durst smile, when Warwick bent his brow?
Lo, now my glory smear'd in dust and blood!
My parks, my walks, my manors that I had,
Even now forsake me; and, of all my lands,
Is nothing left me, but my body's length!

Why, what is pomp, rule, reign, but earth and dust?
And, live we how we can, yet die we must.

Enter OXFORD and SOMERSET.

*Som. Ah, Warwick, Warwick! wert thou as we

are,

We might recover all our loss again!

The queen from France hath brought a puissant

power;

"Even now we heard the news: Ah, could'st thou fly! War. Why, then I would not fly.-Ah, Mon

tague,

* If thou be there, sweet brother, take my hand,

And with thy lips keep in my soul awhile! * Thou lov'st me not; for, brother, if thou didst, *Thy tears would wash this cold congealed blood, *That glews my lips, and will not let me speak. * Come quickly, Montague, or I am dead.

• Som. Ah, Warwick, Montague hath breath'd his

last;

And to the latest gasp, cry'd out for Warwick, And said-Commend me to my valiant brother. And more he would have said; and more he spoke, "Which sounded like a cannon in a vault,

That might not be distinguish'd; but, at last, I well might hear deliver'd with a groan,'O, farewell, Warwick!

War.

Sweet rest his soul!

Fly, lords, and save yourselves; for Warwick bids You all farewell, to meet again in heaven. [Dies. Orf. Away, away, to meet the queen's great power!

[Exeunt, bearing off Warwick's body.

SCENE III.

Another part of the field.

Flourish. Enter King EDWARD, in triumph; with CLARENCE, GLOSTER, and the rest.

K. Edw. Thus far our fortune keeps an upward

course,

'And we are grac'd with wreaths of victory.