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Mont. And whosoe'er gainsays king Edward's | Cousin of Exeter, what thinks your lordship? By this I challenge him to single fight. [right, Methinks, the power, that Edward hath in field, [Throws down his Gauntlet. Should not be able to encounter mine. All. Long live king Edward the fourth! K. Edw. Thanks, brave Montgomery ;-and thanks unto you all.

If fortune serve me, I'll requite this kindness. Now, for this night, let's harbour here in York: And when the morning sun shall raise his car Above the border of this horizon, [mates; We'll forward towards Warwick, and his For, well I wot, that Henry is no soldier.Ah, froward Clarence!-how evil it beseems thee,

To flatter Henry, and forsake thy brother! Yet, as we may, we'll meet both thee and Warwick.

Come on, brave soldiers; doubt not of the day; And, that once gotten, doubt not of large pay. [Exeunt.

SCENE VIII.-London.-A Room in the Palace.

Enter King HENRY, WARWICK, CLARENCE, MONTAGUE, EXETER, and OXFORD.

War. What counsel, lords? Edward from Belgia,

With hasty Germans, and blunt Hollanders, Hath pass'd in safety through the narrow seas, And with his troops doth march amain to London;

And many giddy people flock to him.

Oxf. Let's levy men, and beat him back again.

Clar. A little fire is quickly trodden out; Which, being suffer'd, rivers cannot quench. War. In Warwickshire I have true-hearted friends,

Not mutinous in peace, yet bold in war; Those will I muster up-and thou, son Cla

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Thou, brother Montague, in Buckingham,
Northampton, and in Leicestershire, shalt find
Men well inclin'd to hear what thou com-
mand'st:-
[lov'd,
And thou, brave Oxford, wondrous well be-
In Oxfordshire shall muster up thy friends.-
My sovereign, with the loving citizens,-
Like to his island, girt in with the ocean,
Or modest Dian, circled with her nymphs,-
Shall rest in London, till we come to him.-
Fair lords, take leave, and stand not to reply.—
Farewell, my sovereign.

K. Hen. Farewell, my Hector, and my
Troy's true hope.

Clar. In sign of truth, I kiss your highness' hand.

K. Hen. Well-minded Clarence, be thou fortunate!

Mont. Comfort, my lord;—and so I take my

leave.

Oxf. And thus [Kissing HENRY's hand.] I 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.

* Know.

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,
Nor posted off their suits with slow delays;
My pity hath been balm to heal their wounds,
My mildness hath allay'd their swelling griefs,
My mercy dry'd their water-flowing tears:
I have not been desirous of their wealth,
Nor much oppress'd them with great subsidies,
Nor forward of revenge, though they much
err'd;
[me?
Then why should they love Edward more than
No, Exeter, these graces challenge grace:
And, when the lion fawns upon the lamb,
The lamb will never cease to follow him.
[Shout within. A Lancaster! A Lancaster!
Exe. Hark, hark, my lord! what shouts are
these?

Enter King EDWARD, GLOSTER, and Soldiers. K. Edw. Seize on the shame-fac'd Henry, bear him hence,

And once again proclaim us king of England. You are the fount, that makes small brooks to flow; [dry,

Now stops thy spring; my sea shall suck them 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:
The sun shines hot, and, if we use delay,
Cold biting winter mars our hop'd-for hay.*

Glo. Away betimes, before his forces join, And take the great-grown traitor unawares: Brave warriors, march amain towards Coventry. [Exeunt.

ACT V. SCENE 1.-Coventry. Enter, upon the Walls, WARWICK, the Mayor of Coventry, two MESSENGERS, and others. War. Where is the post, that came from valiant Oxford!

How far hence is thy lord, mine honest fellow? 1 Mess. By this at Dunsmore, marching hitherward.

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 heurd.

War. Then Clarence is at hand, I hear his drum.

Som. It is not his, my lord; here Southam lies; [Warwick. The drum your honour hears, marcheth from

* Merit.

+ The illusion is to the proverb, “Make hay while the sun shines."

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mercy,

And he shall pardon thee these outrages.

War. Nay, rather, wilt thou draw thy forces hence, [down?Confess who set thee up and pluck'd thee Call Warwick-patron, and be penitent, And thou shalt still remain the duke of York. Glo. I thought, at least, he would have said-the king;

Or did he make the jest against his will?

War. Is not a dukedom, Sir, a goodly gift? Glo. Ay, by my faith, for a poor earl to give? I'll do thee service for so good a gift.*

War. 'Twas I, that gave the kingdom to thy brother.

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 slily finger'd from the deck! You left poor Henry at the bishop's palace, And, ten to one, you'll meet him in the Tower. K. Edw. "Tis even so; yet you are War

wick 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; [hair, This hand, fast wound about thy coal-black Shall, whiles the head is warm, and new cut off, blood,Write in the dust this sentence with thy 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.

* 1. e. Enroll myself among thy dependents.

† A pack of cards was anciently termed a deck of cards.

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 und Colours.
Som. Somerset, Somerset, for Lancaster!
[He and his Forces enter the City.
Glo. Two of thy name, both dukes of So-

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Clar. Father of Warwick, know you what this 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, [gether, And set up Lancaster, Why, trow'st thou, Who gave his blood to lime* the stones toWarwick,

That Clarence is so harsh, so blunt,† unnatural,

I

To bend the fatal instruments of war
Perhaps, thou wilt object my holy oath:
Against his brother, and his lawful king?
To keep that oath, were more impiety [ter.
I am so sorry for my tresspass made,
Than Jephtha's, when he sacrific'd his daugh-
here proclaim myself thy mortal foe;
That, to deserve well at my brother's hands,
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 to my brother turn my blushing cheeks.-
And so, proud-hearted Warwick, I defy thee,
And, Richard, do not frown upon my faults,
Pardon me, Edward, I will make amends;
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 unjust!

K. Edw. What, Warwick, wilt thou leave the town, and fight?

Or shall we beat the stones about thine ears?

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War. Alas, I am not coop'd here for de- | Which sounded like a cannon in a vault,

fence:

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 Burnet.
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 a bug,* that fear'dt us all.—
Now, Montague, sit fast; I seek for thee,
That Warwick's bones may keep thine com-
pany.
[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
[wind.
And kept low shrubs from winter's powerful
These eyes, that now are dimm'd with death's
black veil,

tree,

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 puis-
sant 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 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,
And said-Commend me to my valiant brother.
And more he would have said; and more he
spoke,

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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!-
[bids
You all farewell, to meet again in heaven.
Fly, lords, and save yourselves; for Warwick

[Dies. Oxf. 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 up-
ward course,

And we are grac'd with wreaths of victory.
But, in the midst of this bright-shining day,
I spy a black, suspicious, threat'ning cloud,
Ere he attain his easeful western bed:
That will encounter with our glorious sun,

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

cloud,

Hath rais'd in Gallia, have arriv'd our coast,
And, as we hear, march on to fight with us.
Clur. A little gale will soon disperse that
And blow it to the source from whence it came:
For every cloud engenders not a storm.
Thy very beams will dry those vapours up;

Glo. The queen is valu'd 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.

friends,

K. Edw. We are advértis'd by our loving
[bury;
That they do hold their course toward Tewks-
Will thither straight, For willingness rids way;
We having now the best at Barnet field,
And, as we march, our strength will be aug-
mented,

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 ED-
WARD, 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.
What though the mast be now blown over-
board,

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 he
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;

Whiles, in his moan, the ship splits on the rock,
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
these?

Why, is not Oxford here another anchor?
And Somerset another goodly mast;
The friends of France our shrouds and tack-
[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 | Ye see, I drink the water of mine eyes. Therefore, no more but this:-Henry, your sovereign,

say-no, [wreck. From shelves and rocks that threaten us with As good to chide the waves, as speak them

fair.

And what is Edward, but a ruthless sea?
What Clarence, but a quicksand of deceit?
And Richard, but a ragged fatal rock?
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,
Should, if a coward heard 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 man,
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!
[shame.-
And warriors faint! why, 'twere perpetual
O, brave young prince! thy famous grand-
father
[live,
Doth live again in thee; Long may'st thou
To bear his image, and renew his glories!
Som. And he, that will not fight for such a
hope,

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.

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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 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, * Know. + Unsay, deny.

Is prisoner to the foe; his state usurp'd,
His realm a slaughterhouse, 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: und afterwards a Retreat. Then Enter King EDWARD, CLARENCE, GLOS TER, 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: Go, bear them hence; I will not hear them For Somerset, off with his guilty head. speak.

Orf. For my part, I will not trouble thee with words.

Som. Nor I, 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

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Prince. I know my duty, you are all undu-
tiful:
[George,-
Lascivious Edward, and thou perjur'd
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.
[CLAR. stabs him.

Q. Mar. Ŏ, kill me too!
Glo. Marry, and shall.
K. Edw. Hold, Richard,
done too much.

[Offers to kill her. hold, for we have

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

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?

Glo. The Tower, the Tower!

[Exit. [derers!

Q. Mar. O, Ned, sweet Ned! speak to thy mother, boy!

sort

Now march we hence: discharge the common [don, With pay and thanks, and let's away to LonAnd 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;

Good Gloster, and good devil, were alike, 'Tis sin to flatter, good was little better: 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 thief doth fear each bush an officer. mind;

K. Hen. The bird, that hath been limed in a bush, [bush: With trembling wings misdoubteth every Have now the fatal object in my eye, And I, the hapless male to one sweet bird, Where my poor young was lim'd, was caught, and kill'd.

Canst thou not speak?--O traitors! mur-The
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 man; 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:

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not do it.

Q. Mar. Ay, but thou usest to forswear thy"Twas sin before, but now 'tis charity. [self;

What! wilt thou not? where is that devil's butcher, Hard-favour'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. Edw. 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.

* Dispute, contention.

+ She alludes to the desertion of Clarence

Glo. Why, what a peevisht fool was that of That taught his son the office of a fowl? Crete, 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; Thy brother Edward; and thyself, the sea, The sun, that sear'd the wings of my sweet boy, Ah, kill me with thy weapon, not with words! Whose envious gulf did swallow up his life. Than can my ears that tragic history.— My breast can better brook thy dagger's point, 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; Why, then thou art an executioner. If murdering innocents be executing,

Glo. Thy son I kill'd for his presumption. K. Hen. Hadst thou been kill'd, when first Thou hadst not liv'd to kill a son of mine. thou didst presume, Which now mistrust no parcels of my fear; And thus I prophesy,-that many a thousand, And many an old man's sigh, and many a widow's,

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

Shall rue the hour that ever thou wast born. And orphans for their parents' timeless death,-The night-crow cried, aboding luckless time; The owl shriek'd at thy birth, an evil sign; Dogs howl'd, and hideous tempests shook down

The raven rook'd her on the chimney's top, trees; And chattering pies in dismal discords sung. *Careless. + To misdoubt is to suspect danger, to fear. Childish. No part of what my fears preeage. To rook, signified to squat down or lodge on any

thing.

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