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Scene 1.

K. Edw. Why, then 'tis mine, if but by Warwick'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
prisoner :

And, gallant Warwick, do but answer this,-
What is the body, when the head is off?

Glo. Alas, that Warwick had no more fore-
cast,

But, whiles he thought to steal the single ten,
The king was stily finger'd from the deck!
You left poor Heury at the bishop's palace,
And, ten to one, you'll meet him in the Tower.
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 bair,

Shall, whiles the head is warm, and new cut off,

Write in the dust this sentence with thy

blood.

Wind-changing Warwick now can change no

more.

Enter OXFORD, with Drum and Colours. War. O cheerful colours! see, where Oxford comes !

Oxf. Oxford, Oxford, for Lancaster!

[OXFORD and his Forces enter the City.
Glo. The gates are open, let us enter too.
K. Edw. So other foes may set upon our
backs,

Stand we in good array; for they, no doubt,
Will issue out again, and bid us battle:
If not, the city, being but of small defence,
We'll quickly rouse the traitors in the same.
War. O welcome Oxford! for we want thy
help.

Enter MONTAGUE, with Drum and Colours.
Mont. Montague, Montague, for Lancaster !

[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.
K. Edw. The harder match'd, the greater
victory;

My mind presageth happy gain, and conquest.
Enter SOMERSET, with Drum and Colours.
Som, Somerset, Somerset, for Lancaster!
[He and his Forces enter the City.
Glo. Two of thy name, both dukes of So-
merset,

Have sold their lives unto the house of York;
And thou shalt be the third, if this sword

hold.

Look here, I throw my infamy at thee:
I will not ruinate my father's house,
Who gave his blood to lime the stones to-
gether,
Why, trow'st thou,

And set up Lancaster.

Warwick,

That Clarence is so harsh, so blunt, + unnatural,
To bend the fatal instruments of war
Against his brother and his lawful king?
Perhaps thou wilt object my holy oath :
To keep that oath, were more impiety
Than Jephtha's, when he sacrific'd his daughter.
I am so sorry for my trespass made,
That, to deserve well at my brother's hands,
I here proclaim myself thy mortal foe;
With resolution, whereso'er I meet thee,
(As I will meet thee, if thou stir abroad,)
To plague thee for thy foul misleading me.
And so, proud-hearted Warwick, I defy thee,
And to my brother turn my blushing cheeks.-
Pardon me, Edward, I will make amends;
And, Richard, do not frown upon my faults,
For I will henceforth be no more unconstant.
K. Edw. Now welcome more, and ten times
more belov'd,

Than if thou never hadst deserv'd our hate.
Glo. Welcome, good Clarence; this is bro-
ther-like.

War. O passing traitor, perjur'd and un-
just!

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 de-
feuce:

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.
[March. Exeunt.

SCENE II-A Field of Battle near Barnet.
Alarums, and Excursions. Enter King Ev-
WARD, 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.-.
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 lions slept?
Whose top-branch overpeer'd Jove's spreading

tree,

And kept low shrubs from winter's powerful wind.

black veil,
These eyes, that now are dimm'd with death's

Have been as piercing as the mid-day sun,
search the secret treasons of the world:
blood,
The wrinkles in my brows, now all'd with

Enter CLARENCE, with Drum and Colours.To
War. And lo, where George of Clarence

sweeps along,

of force enough to bid his brother battle;
With whom an upright zeal to right prevails,
More than the nature of a brother's love :-
Come, Clarence, come; thou wilt, if Warwick
calls.

Clar. Father of Warwick, know you what

this means;

[Taking the red Rose out of his Cap.

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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!
Even now forsake me; and, of all my lauds,
My parks, my walks, my manors that I had,

1. e. To cement. ↑ Stupid, insensible of paternal fonduess. 1 Eminent, egregious. 1 Terrified. Bugbear.

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Enter OXFORD and SOMERSET.

SCENE IV.-Plains near Tewksbury. March.-Enter Queen MARGARET, Prince EDWARD, SOMERSET, OXFORD, and Sol diers.

Q. Mar. Great lords, wise men ne'er sit and wail their loss,

Som. Ah! Warwick, Warwick! wert thou as But cheerly seek how to redress their harms.

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power;

Even now we heard the news: Ah! could'st thou fly!

War. Why, then I would not fly.-Ah! Montague,

If thou be there, sweet brother, take my hand, And with thy lips keep in my soul a while! 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, cried out for Warwick,

What though the mast be now blown overboard,

The cable broke, the holding anchor lost,
And half our sailors swallow'd in the flood,
Yet lives our pilot still! Is't meet that be
Should leave the helm, and, like a fearful
lad,

With tearful eyes add water to the sea,
And give more strength to that which hath too
much;

rock.

Whiles, in his moan, the ship splits on the
Which industry and courage might have sav'd!
Ah! what a shame, ah! what a fault were this !
Say, Warwick was our anchor; What of that!
And Montague our top-mast; What of him!
Our slaughter'd friends the tackles; What of
Why, is not Oxford here another anchor!
And Somerset another goodly mast;

these?

And said-Commend me to my valiant bro-The friends of France our shrouds and tack

ther.

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 to his soul !

Fly, lords, and save yourselves; for Warwick

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Flourish.-Enter King EDWARD În 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.
But, in the midst of this bright-shining day,
1 spy a black, suspicious, threat'ning cloud,
That will encounter with our glorious sun,
Ere he attain his easeful western bed:

I mean, my lords, those powers, that the queen

Hath rais'd in Gallia, have arriv'd our coast,
And, as we hear, march on to fight with us.
Clar. A little gale will soon disperse that
cloud,

And blow it to the source from whence it

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lings?

And, though unskilful, why not Ned and I
For once allow'd the skilful pilot's charge!
We will not from the helm, to sit and weep;
But keep our course, though the rough wind
say-uo,

From shelves and rocks that threaten us with wreck.

As good to chide the waves, as speak them fair.

And what is Edward, but a ruthless sea!
And Richard, but a ragged fatal rock!
What Clarence, but a quicksand of deceit

All these the enemies to our poor bark.

Say, you can swim; alas, 'tis but a while: Tread on the sand; why, there you quickly sink:

Bestride the rock; the tide will wash you off,
Or else you famish, that's a threefold death.
This speak I, lords, to let you understand,
In case some one of you would fly from us,
That there's no hop'd-for mercy with the bro-
thers,

More than with ruthless waves, with sands, and rocks.

Why, courage, then! what cannot be avoided, 'Twere childish weakness to lament, or fear. Prince. Methinks, a woman of this valiant

spirit [words, Shenld, if a coward beard her speak these Infuse his breast with magnanimity, And make him, naked, foil a man at arms. I speak not this, as doubting any here; For, did I but suspect a fearful inan, He should have leave to go away betimes; Lest, in our need, he might infect another, And make him of like spirit to himself. If any such be here, as God forbid ! Let him depart, before we need his help.

Oxf. Women and children of so high a courage!

And warriors faint! why, 'twere perpetual

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Enter a MESSENGER.

Mess. Prepare you, lords, for Edward is at band,

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. Edie. Brave followers, yonder stauds the thorny wood,

Which, by the heavens' assistance, and your

strength,

Must by the roots be hewn up yet ere night.
I need not add more fuel to your fire,
For well I wot, ye blaze to burn them out:
Give signal to the fight, and to it, lords.

Q. Mar. Lords, knights, and gentlemen, what I should say,

My tears gainsay; for every word I speak,
Ye see, I drink the water of mine eyes.
Therefore, no more but this :-Henry, your

sovereign,

Is prisoner to the foe; his state usurp'd,
His realm a slaughter house, his subjects slain,
His statutes cancell'd, and his treasure spent ;
And yonder is the wolf that makes this spoil.
You fight in justice: then, in God's name,
lords,

Be valiant, and give signal to the fight.

[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, Pri

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[Exeunt OXFORD and SOMERSET, guarded. Q. Mar. So part we sadly in this troublous world,

To meet with joy in sweet Jerusalem.

And ne'er have stol'n the breech from Lan-
caster.

Prince. Let Esop⚫ fable in a winter's night;
His currish riddles sort not with this place.
Glo. By heaven, brat, I'll plague you for
that word.

Q. Mar. Ay, thou wast born to be a plague

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Glo. Why should she live to fill the world with words? I

K. Edw. What! doth she swoon? use means for her recovery.

Glo. Clarence, excuse me to the king my brother;

I'll hence to London on a serious matter:
Ere ye come there, be sure to hear some news.
Clar. What? what?

[Exit.

Glo. The Tower, the Tower! Q. Mar. O Ned, sweet Ned! speak to thy mother, boy! traitors! mur

Canst thou not speak?—0
derers !-

They that stabb'd Cæsar shed no blood at all,
Did not offend, nor were not worthy blame,
If this foul deed were by, to equal it.
He was a mau; this, in respect, a child;
And men ne'er spend their fury on a child. [it ?
What's worse than murderer, that I may name
No, no, my heart will burst, an if I speak :-
And I will speak, that so my heart may burst.
Butchers and villains, bloody cannibals!
How sweet a plant have you untimely cropp'd!
You have no children, butchers! if you had,
The thought of them would have stirr'd up re-

morse :

K. Edw. Is proclamation made, that, who But, if you ever chance to have a child,

firls Edward,

Shall have a high reward, and he is life?
Clo. It is; and, lo, where youthful Edward

comes.

Enter Soldiers with Prince EDWARD.

K. Edw. Bring forth the gallant, let us hear
him speak :

What! can so young a thorn begin to prick?
Edward, what satisfaction canst thou make,
For bearing arms, for stirring up my subjects,
And all the trouble thou hast turn'd me to?
Prince. Speak like a subject, proud ambi-
tions York!

Suppose, that I am now my father's mouth;
Resign thy chair, and, where I stand, kneel
thou,

Whilst I propose the self-same words to thee,
Wbach, traitor, then wouldst have ine answer

to.

Q. Mar. Ah! that thy father had been so resolv'd!

Glo. That you might still have worn the petticoat,

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Look in his youth to have him so cut off, 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 [death: 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.

K. Mar. Ay, but thou usest to forswear thy[self; 'Twas sin before, but now 'tis charity. What! wilt thou not? where is that devil's

butcher,

• The Prince calls Richard, for his crookedness, Esop. .. I will compel you to be as silent as if you were deprived of speech by enchantinent.

: Dispate; contention.
She alludes to the desertion of Clarence.

Hard favour'd Richard? Richard, where thou?

art Shall rue the hour that ever thon wast born.
The owl shriek'd at thy birth, an evil sigu;
The night-crow cried, aboding luckless time;
Dogs howl'd, and hideous tempests shook down

Thou art not here: Murder is thy alms-deed;
Petitioners for blood thou ne'er put'st back.
K. Edw. Away, 1 say: I charge ye, bear her
hence.

Q. Mar. So come to you and your's, 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 his 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. Sirrab, leave us to ourselves: we must
confer.
[Exit Lieutenant.
K. Hen. So flies the reckless shepherd from
the wolf:

So first the harmless sheep doth yield his fleece,
And next his throat unto the butcher's knife.-
What scene of death hath Roscius now to act?
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 fow!?
And yet, for all his wings, the fool was
h drown'd.

K. Hen. 1, Dædalus; my poor boy, Icarus
Thy father, Minos, that denied our course ;
The sun that sear'd the wings of iny 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 tragic 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.
K. Hen. Had'st thou been kill'd, when first
thou didst presume,

Thon hadst not liv'd to kill a son of mine,
And thus I prophesy,-that many a thousand,
Which now mistrust no parcel of my fear;
And many an old man's sigh, and many a wi-
dow's,

And many an orphan's water-standing eye;
Men for their sons, wives for their husbands'
fate,

And orphans for their parents' timeless death;

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trees;

The raven rook'd her on the chimney's top,
And chattering pies in dismal discords sung.
Thy mother felt more than a mother's pain,
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.
Teeth hadst thou in thy head, when thou wast
born,

To signify, thou cam'st to bite the world:
And, if the rest be true which I have heard,
Thou cam'st-

Glo. I'll hear no more ;-Die, prophet, in thy
speech;
[Stabs him.
For this, amongst the rest, was I ordain'd.
K. Hen. Ay, and for much more slaughter
after this.

O God! forgive my sins, and pardon thee!

[Dies. Glo. What, will the aspiring blood of Lan

caster

Sink in the ground? I thought it would have mounted. See,

how my sword weeps for the poor king's death!

O may such purple tears be always shed
From those that wish the downial of our
house!-

If any spark of life be yet remaining,
Down, down to hell; and say I sent thee thi
ther,
[Stabs him again.
I, that have neither pity, love, nor fear.-
Indeed, 'tis true, that Heury told me of;
For I have often beard my mother say,
I came into the world with my legs forward:
Had I not reason, think ye, to make haste,
And seek their ruin that usurp'd our right!
The midwife wonder'd; and the women cried
O Jesus bless us, he is born with teeth!
And so I was; which plainly signified
That I should suarl, and bite, and play the
dog.

Then since the heavens have shap'd my body 80,

Let hell make crook'd my mind to answer it.
I have no brother, I am like no brother:
And this word-love, which greybeards call
divine,

Be resident in men like one another,
And not in me: I am myself alone.-
Clarence beware; thou keep'st me from the
light;

But I will sort + a pitchy day for thee:
For I will buz abroad such prophecies,
That Edward shall be fearful of his life;
And then, to purge his fear, I'll be thy death.
King Henry, and the prince his son, are gone:
Clarence, thy turn is next, and then the rest;
Counting myself but bad, till I be best.-
I'll throw thy body in another room,
And triumph Henry, in thy day of doom.

¡Exit.

SCENE VII-The same.-A Room in the Palace.

King EDWARD is discovered sitting on his Throne; Queen ELIZABETH with the infant Prince, CLARENCE, GLOSTER, HASTINGS, and others, near him.

K. Edw. Once more we sit in England's royal throne,

Re-purchas'd with the blood of enemies.
What valiant foe-men, like to autumn's corn,
Have we mow'd down, in tops of all their
pride?

Three dukes of Somerset, threefold renown'd

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For hardy and undoubted champions:
Two Cliffords, as the father and the son,
And two Northumberlands; two braver men
Ne'er spurr'd their coursers at the trumpet's
sound:

With them the two brave bears, Warwick and
Montague,

That in their chains fetter'd the kingly lion,
And made the forest tremble when they roar'd.
Thus have we swept suspicion from our seat,
And made our footstool of security.-
Come hither, Bess, and let me kiss my boy:
Young Ned, for thee, thine uncles, and myself,
Have in our armours watch'd the winter's night;
Went all afoot in summer's scalding heat,
That thou might'st repossess the crown in peace;
And of our labours thou shalt reap the gain.
Glo. I'll blast his harvest, if your head were
laid;

For yet I am not look'd on in the world.
This shoulder was ordain'd so thick, to heave;
And heave it shall some weight or break my
back :-

Work thou the way,-and thou shalt execute.

[Aside.

K. Edu. Clarence and Gloster, love my lovely queen,

And kiss your princely nephew, brothers both. Clar. The duty that I owe unto your majesty, I seal upon the lips of this sweet babe.

K. Edw. Thanks, noble Clarence; worthy brother, thanks.

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

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Aside.

K. Edw. Now am I seated as my soul deand brothers'

lights, Having my country's

peace, loves. Clar. What will your grace have done with Margaret?

Reignier, her father, to the king of France
Hath pawn'd the Sicils and Jerusalem,
And hither have they sent it for her ransom.
K. Edw. Away with her, and waft her hence
to France.

And now what rests, but that we spend the time

With stately triumphs, mirthful comic shows, Such as befit the pleasures of the court?Sound, drums and trumpets !-farewell, sour annoy !

For here, I hope, begins our lasting joy.

Public shows.

[Exeunt.

4 A

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