And once again proclaim us king of England.You are the fount, that makes small brooks to flow; Now stops thy spring; my sea shall suck them dry, And swell so much the higher by their ebb.Hence with him to the Tower; let him not speak. [Exeunt some with KING HENRY. And, lords, towards Coventry bend we our course, Where peremptory Warwick now remains. Glo. Away betimes, before his forces join, ACT V. SCENE I-Coventry. And with the other fling it at thy face, Enter upon the Walls, WARWICK, the Mayor of Than bear so low a sail, to strike to thee. War. Where is the post that came from valiant How far hence is thy lord, mine honest fellow? ward. 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 the 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 honor hears, marcheth from Warwick. War. Who should that be? belike, unlook'd-for friends. Som. They are at hand, and you shall quickly 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 seduced, 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?- And thou shalt still remain the duke of York. Abi gallant Warwick, do but answer this,- Glo. Alas, that Warwick had no more forecast, 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, A pack of cards was formerly termed a deck of cards. K. Edw. Sail how thou canst, have wind and tide thy friend; This hand, fast wound about thy coal-black hair, 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 Colors. War. O cheerful colors! see where Oxford comes! Orf. Oxford, Oxford, for Lancaster! [OXFORD and his Forces enter the City. Glo. The gates are open, let us enter too. K. Elw. 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 Colors. 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. My mind presageth happy gain, and conquest. [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 Colors. War. And lo, where George of Clarence sweeps along, Of force enough to bid his brother battle; means [Taking the red rose out of his Cap.. Look here, I throw my infamy at thee: I will not ruinate my father's house, That Clarence is so harsh, so blunt,5 unnatural, Than if thou never hadst deserv'd our hate • Insensible. War. O passing traitor, perjur'd, and unjust! K. Edw. What, Warwick, wilt thou leave the town, and fight? Or shall we beat the stones about thine ears? 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 EDWARD, bringing in WARWICK wounded. K. Edw. So, lie thou there: die thou, and die our fear; For Warwick was bug that fear'ds us all.- [Exit. War. Ah, who is nigh? come to me, friend, or foe, And tell me, who is victor, York, or Warwick? That I must yield my body to the earth, Have been as piercing as the mid-day sun, 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! And live we how we can, yet die we must. 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, couldst 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 glues 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, But in the midst of this bright-shining day. I 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 came : Thy very beams will dry those vapors up; For every cloud engenders not a storm. Glo. The queen is valued thirty thousand strong, And Somerset, with Oxford, fled 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 towards 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. [Exeunt. 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. Whiles, in his moan, the ship splits on the rock, The friends of France our shrouds and tacklings? From shelves and rocks that threaten us with wreck. And what is Edward, but a ruthless sea? rocks. Why, courage, then! what cannot be avoided, 'Twere childish weakness to lament or fear, Prince. Methinks, a woman of this valiant spirit Should, if a coward heard her speak these words, 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 man, Lest, in our need, he might infect another, He should have leave to go away betimes; 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. O, brave young prince! thy famous grandfather And warriors faint! why, 'twere perpetual shame.Doth live again in thee; Long mayst thou live, To bear his image, and renew his glories! Som. And he, that will not fight for such a hone 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;-sweet Oxford, 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. Oxf. 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 heaven's assistance, and your strength, Must by the roots be hewn up yet ere night. For, well I wot,9 ye blaze to burn them out: [Exit. Q. Mar. O, Ned, sweet Ned! speak to thy mother, boy! Canst thou not speak?-O traitors! murderers!— Q. Mur. Lords, knights, and gentlemen, what I They that stabb'd Cæsar, shed no blood at all, should say,, My tears gainsay; for every word I speak, Is prisoner to the foe; his state usurp'd, His realm a slaughter-house, his subjects slain, His statutes cancelled, 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, Prisoners. K. Edw. Now, here a period of tumultuous broils. Away with Oxford to Hammes' castle' straight: For Somerset, off with his guilty head. Go, bear them hence; I will not hear them speak. Oxf. For my part, I'll not trouble thee with words. Som.Nor1; but stoop with patience to my fortune. [Exeunt OXFORD and SOMERSET, guarded. Q. Mar. So part we sadly in this troublous world, To meet with joy in sweet Jerusalem. K. Edw. Is proclamation made,-that, who finds Edward, Shall have a high reward, and he his life? Glo. 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? coat, And ne'er have stol'n the breech from Lancaster. Prince. Let Esop2 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 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; ascivious Edward,-and thou perjur'd George,⚫ Know. A castle in Picardy. The prince calls Richard, for his crookedness, Æsop. Did not offend, nor were not worthy blame, 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. What! wilt thou not? where is that devil's butcher Hard-favor'd Richard? Richard, where art thou! Thou art not here: Murder is thy alms-deed; Petitioners for blood thou ne'er put'st back. K. Elw. 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 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. Sirrah, 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. She alludes to the desertion of Clarence 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 roo young was limed, was caught, and kill'd. Glo. Why, what a peevish4 fool was that of Crete, That taught his son the office of a towl? 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 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. Thou hadst not liv'd to kill a son of mine. The raven rook'd3 her on the chimney's top, Glo. I'll hear no more;-Die, prophet, in thy For this, amongst the rest, was I ordain'd. See, how my sword weeps for the poor king's death! I came into the world with my legs forward: • Childish. To rook signified to lodge on any thing. And this word-love, which graybeards call divine And triumph, Henry, in thy day of doom. [Exit KING EDWARD is discovered sitting on his Throne; Re-purchas'd with the blood of enemies. That in their chains fetter'd the kingly lion, Com aither, Bess, and let me kiss my boy: Glo. I'll blast his harvest, if your head were laid; [Aside. K. Edw. Clarence and Gloster, love my lovely queen; And kiss your princely nephew, brothers both. 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; And cried-all hail!-when as he meant -all harm; Aside. K. Edw. Now am I seated as my soul delights, Having my country's peace, and brothers' loves. Clar. What will your grace have done with Margaret? Reignier, her father, to the king of France K. Edw. Away with her, and waft her hence to And now what rests, but that we spend the time • Select. SCENE I.-London. A Street. Enter GLOSTER. ACT I. Glo. Now is the winter of our discontent And now, instead of mounting barbed2 steeds, But I,-that am not shaped for sportive tricks, To strut before a wanton ambling nymph; • Armed. That dogs bark at me as I halt by them;- comes. Enter CLARENCE, guarded, and BRAKENBURY. Brother, good day: What means this armed guard That waits upon your grace? Clar. His majesty, Tendering my person's safety, hath appointed This conduct to convey me to the Tower. • Preparations for mischias |