Oxf. And thus [Kissing HENRY's hand.] 1 seal my truth, and bid adieu. K. Hen. Sweet Oxford, and my loving Montague, And all at once, once more a happy farewell. War. Farewell, sweet lords; let's meet at Coventry. [Exeunt WAR. CLAR. OXF. and MONT. K. Hen. Here at the palace will I rest a while. Cousin of Exeter, what thinks your lordship? Methinks, the power that Edward hath in field, Should not be able to encounter mine. Exe. The doubt is, that he will seduce the rest. K. Hen. That's not my fear, my meed⚫ hath got me fame. I have not stopp'd mine ears to their demands, me? Call Edward-king, and at his bands 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 ? Call Warwick-patron, and be penitent, -the king; Or did he make the jest against his will? War. 'Twas I, that gave the kingdom to thy brother. The allusion is to the proverb, "Make hay while the sun shines." t1. e. Enroll myself among thy dependents. K. Edw. Why, then 'tis mine, if but by War- | Look here, I throw my infamy at thee: wick's gift. I will not ruinate my father's house, Who gave his blood to lime the stones together, War. Thou art no Atlas, for so great a And, weakling, Warwick takes his gift again; And, gallant Warwick, do but answer this,- Glo. Alas, that Warwick had no more But, whiles he thought to steal the single ten, And set up Lancaster. Why, trow'st thou, That Clarence is so harsh, so blunt, + unnatural, Glo. Come, Warwick, take the time, kneel down, kneel down: Nay, when? strike now, or else the iron cools. And with the other fling it at thy face. K. Edw. Sail how thou canst, have wind and 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 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. Than if thou never hadst deserv'd our hate. War. O passing traitor, perjur'd and un- K. Edw. What, Warwick, wilt thou leave the town and fight? Or shall we beat the stones about thine ears? I will away towards Barnet presently, Lords to the field; Saint George and victory. K. Edw. So other foes may set upon our | SCENE II-A Field of Battle near Barnet. backs, And kept low shrubs from winter's powerful wind. These eyes, that now are dimm'd with death's Have been as piercing as the mid-day sun, The wrinkles in my brows, now fill'd with Were liken'd oft to kingly sepulchres; Lo, now my glory smear'd in dust and blood! • I. e. To cement. Is nothing left me, but my body's length! And, live we how we can, yet die we must. Enter OXFORD and SOMERSET. 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, Som. Ah! Warwick, Warwick! wert thou as But cheerly seek how to redress their harms. we are, What though the mast be now blown over- The cable broke, the holding anchor lost, With tearful eyes add water to the sea, And give more strength to that which hath too much; Whiles, in his moan, the ship splits on the rock. Which industry and courage might have sav'd? these ? And to the latest gasp, cried out for Warwick, ther. lings? And, though unskilful, why not Ned and I From shelves and rocks that threaten us with As good to chide the waves, as speak them And what is Edward, but a ruthless sea? sink: Bestride the rock; the tide will wash you off, More than with ruthless waves, with sands, and Why, courage, then! what cannot be avoided, 'Twere childish weakness to lament, or fear. Prince. Methinks, a woman of this valiant spirit Oxf. Women and children of so high a And warriors faint! why, 'twere perpetual shame. O brave young prince! thy famous grandfather Doth live again in thee; Long may'st thou To bear his image, and renew his glories! Go home to bed, and, like the owl by day, Q. Mar. Thanks, gentle Somerset ;-sweet Prince. And take his thanks, that yet hath Enter a MESSENGER. Mess. Prepare you, lords, for Edward is at hand, Ready to fight; therefore be resolute. Off. 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 strength, your Must by the roots be hewn up yet ere night. Q. Mar. Lords, knights, and gentlemen, what I should say, My tears gainsay; + for every word I speak, Prince. Let Æsop 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 crookback 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 you 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 per jury. Q. Mar. O kill me too! Glo. Marry, and shall. CLAR. stabs him. [Offers to kill her. K. Edw. Hold, Richard, hold, for we have done too much. Glo. Why should she live to fill the world with words?t 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: [Exit. Glo. The Tower, the Tower! Q. Mar. O Ned, sweet Ned! speak to thy mother, boy! Canst thou not speak?-0 derers ! traitors! mur They that stabb'd Cæsar shed no blood at all, morse: K. Edw. Is proclamation made, that, who But, if you ever chance to have a child, finds Edward, Shall have a high reward, and he is life? 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? 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, Which, traitor, thou wouldst have me answer Q. Mar. Good Clarence, do; sweet Clarence, do thou do it. Clar. Didst thou not bear me swear I would not do it. K. Mar. Ay, but thou usest to forswear thy'Twas siu before, ý but now 'tis charity. [self; What wilt thou not? where is that devil's butcher, The Prince calls Richard, for his crookedness, Esop. 1. e. I will compel you to be as sileut as if you were deprived of speech by enchantment. 1 Dispute; contention. Hard-favour'd Richard? Richard, where art Shall rue the hour that ever thou wast born. thou? Thou art not here: Murder is thy alms-deed; Petitioners for blood thou ne'er put'st back. K. Edw. Away, I 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. Sirrah, leave us to ourselves: we must coufer. [Exit Lieutenant. K. Hen. So flies the reckless shepherd from the wolf: So first the barınless 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 : Glo. Why, what a peevish fool was that of That taught his son the office of a fowl? And yet, for all his wings, the fool was drown'd. K. Hen. 1, Dædalus; my poor boy, Icarus Glo. Thy son I kill'd for his presumption. thou didst presume, Thou hadst not liv'd to kill a son of mine, And many an orphan's water-standing eye; And orphans for their parents' timeless death; The owl shriek'd at thy birth, an evil sign; The raven rook'd her on the chimney's top, To wit, an indigest deformed lump, To signify, thou cam'st to bite the world: 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! 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 downfal 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 Henry told me of; For I have often heard 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 10 Jesus bless us, he is born with teeth! And so I was; which plainly signified That I should snarl, and bite, and play the dog. Then since the heavens have shap'd my body Let hell make crook'd my mind to answer it. Be resident in men like one another, But I will sort + a pitchy day for thee: [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. Three dukes of Somerset, threefold renown'd • Careless. Chiklish. To rook, signified to squat down or lodge on naty t Select. |