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Or like a lazy thrasher with a flail, Fell gently down, as if they ftruck their friends. I cheer'd them up with justice of our cause, With promife of high pay, and great rewards: But all in vain; they had no heart to fight, And we, in them, no hope to win the day, So that we fled; the king, unto the queen, Lord George your brother, Norfolk, and myself, In haste, poft-hafte, are come to join with you; For in the marches here, we heard, you were, Making another head to fight again.

EDW.5 Where is the duke of Norfolk, gentle
Warwick?

Dr. Johnson objects to this comparison as incongruous to the fubject; but I think, unjustly. Warwick compares the languid blows of his foldiers, to the lazy strokes which the wings of the owl give to the air in its flight, which is remarkably flow.

M. MASON.

• Or like a lazy thrasher-] The old play more elegantly reads-Or like an idle thrasher, &c. MALONE.

$ Edw. &c.] The exact ages of the Duke of York's children, introduced in the present play, will best prove how far our author has, either intentionally or otherwise, deviated, in this particular, from historical truth.

Edward, Earl of March, afterwards Duke of York, and King of England, his fecond son, was born at Roüen, on Monday the 27th or 28th of April, 1442; Edmund, Earl of Rutland, his third ton, at the same place, on Monday the 17th of May, 1443; George of York, afterwards Duke of Clarence, his fixth fon, in Dublin, on Tuesday the 21st of October, 1449; and Richard of York, afterwards Duke of Glofter, and King of England, his eighth fon, at Fotheringay, on Monday the 2d of October, 1452; Henry, the first fon born in 1441, William, the fourth, in 1447. John the fifth, in 1448, and Thomas, the seventh, in 1451, died young. He had likewise four daughters. The battle of Wakefield was fought the 29th of December, 1460, when Edward, of course, was in his nineteenth year. Rutland in his eighteenth, George in his twelfth, and Richard in his ninth.

RITSON.

And when came George from Burgundy to Eng

land?

WAR. Some fix miles off the duke is with the
foldiers:

And for your brother, he was lately sent
From your kind aunt, duchess of Burgundy,

'With aid of foldiers to this needful war.6

RICH. 'Twas odds, belike, when valiant Warwick

fled:

Oft have I heard his praises in pursuit,
But ne'er, till now, his scandal of retire.'

WAR. Nor now my scandal, Richard, doft thou

hear:

For thou shalt know, this strong right hand of mine
Can pluck the diadem from faint Henry's head,
And wring the awful scepter from his fift;
Were he as famous and as bold in war,
As he is fam'd for mildness, peace, and prayer.

RICH. I know it well, lord Warwick: blame me

not;

'Tis love, I bear thy glories, makes me speak. But, in this troublous time, what's to be done? Shall we go throw away our coats of steel,

• Edw.when came George from Burgundy to England?

War.

he was lately fent

From your kind aunt, duchess of Burgundy,

With aid of foldiers to this needful war.] This circumstance is not warranted by history. Clarence and Glofter (as they were afterwards created) were fent into Flanders immediately after the battle of Wakefield, and did not return until their brother Edward got poffeffion of the crown. Besides, Clarence was not now more than twelve years old.

Isabel, Duchess of Burgundy, whom Shakspeare calls the Duke's aunt, was daughter of John I. King of Portugal, by Philippa of Lancaster, eldest daughter of John of Gaunt.. They were, therefore, no more than third cousins. RITSON.

And wrap our bodies in black mourning gowns,
Numb'ring our Ave-Maries with our beads?
Or fhall we on the helmets of our foes
Tell our devotion with revengeful arms?
If for the last, say-Ay, and to it, lords.

WAR. Why, therefore Warwick came to seek

you out;

And therefore comes my brother Montague.
Attend me, lords. The proud insulting queen,
With Clifford, and the haught Northumberland,
And of their feather, many more proud birds,
Have wrought the easy-melting king like wax.*
He swore consent to your fucceffion,
His oath enrolled in the parliament;
And now to London all the crew are gone,
To frustrate both his oath, and what befide
May make against the house of Lancaster.
'Their power, I think, is thirty thousand strong :9

7

"

- haught Northumberland,] So, Grafton, in his Chronicle says, p. 417: the lord Henry Percy, whom the Scottes for his haut and valiant courage called fir Henry Hotspurre."

PERCY.

The word is common to many writers. So, in Marlowe's King Edward II. 1598 :

"This haught refolve becomes your majesty."

Again, in Kyd's Cornelia, 1594:

"Pompey, that second Mars, whose haught renown," &c.

Again, in Lyly's Woman in the Moon, 1597:

8

"

Thy mind as haught as Jupiter's high thoughts."

STEEVENS.

the easy-melting king like wax.) So again, in this play,

of the Lady Grey :

"As red as fire; nay, then her wax must melt."

JOHNSON.

- is thirty thousand strong :) Thus the folio. The old

play reads

"Their power, I guess them fiftie thousand strong." A little lower the same piece has-eight and forty thousand.

MALONE.

Now, if the help of Norfolk, and myself,
With all the friends that thou, brave earl of March,
Amongst the loving Welfhmen canst procure,
• Will but amount to five and twenty thousand,
Why, Via! to London will we march amain;
And once again bestride our foaming steeds,
'And once again cry-Charge upon our foes!
But never once again turn back, and fly.

RICH. Ay, now, methinks, I hear great Warwick

speak:

Ne'er may he live to fee a funshine day,

That cries-Retire, if Warwick bid him stay. EDW. Lord Warwick, on thy shoulder will I

lean;

• And when thou fall'st, (as God forbid the hour!) Must Edward fall, which peril heaven forefend !

WAR. No longer earl of March, but duke of
York;

'The next degree is, England's royal throne:
For king of England shalt thou be proclaim'd
In every borough as we pass along;
And he that throws not up his cap for joy,
• Shall for the fault make forfeit of his head.
King Edward, valiant Richard, -Montague, -
Stay we no longer dreaming of renown,
'But found the trumpets, and about our task.

* RICH. Then, Clifford, were thy heart as hard

as steel,

* (As thou haft shown it flinty by thy deeds,) * I come to pierce it, or to give thee mine.

* EDw. Then strike up, drums;-God, and Saint

George, for us!

Enter a Messenger.

WAR, How now? what news?

MESS. The duke of Norfolk sends you word by

me,

The queen is coming with a puissant hoft;
And craves your company for speedy counsel.

WAR. Why then it forts, brave warriors: Let's

away.

SCENE II.

[Exeunt.

Before York.

Enter King HENRY, Queen MARGARET, the Prince of Wales, CLIFFORD, and NORTHUMBERLAND, with Forces.

Q. MAR. Welcome, my lord, to this brave town of York.

Yonder's the head of that arch-enemy, That fought to be encompass'd with your crown: • Doth not the object cheer your heart, my lord?

'K. HEN. Ay, as the rocks cheer them that fear their wreck ;

To fee this fight, it irks my very foul.Withhold revenge, dear God! 'tis not my fault, Not wittingly have I infring'd my vow.

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Why then it forts,] Why then things are as they should be.

JOHNSON. So, in Greene's Card of Fancy, 1608: "-thy love shall fort to fuch happy success as thou thyself dost seek for."

STEEVENS.

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