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 plucked thee down? 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 't is 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 fingered 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 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 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 !

Orf. 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 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 matched, 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 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 colours. 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.
Look here I throw my infamy at thee:
I will not ruinate my father's house,
Who gave his blood to lime the stones together,
And set up Lancaster. Why,trow'st thou 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 sacrificed 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, wheresoe'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 ine, 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 beloved,

Than if thou never hadst deserved our hate. Glo. Welcome, good Clarence: this is brotherlike.

War. O passing traitor, perjured and unjust! 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 cooped here for defence:
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 EDWARD, bringing in WARWICK wounded.

K. Edw. So, lie thou there: die thou, and die our fear;

For Warwick was a bug that feared 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 shews,
My blood, my want of strength, my sick heart
shews,

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 overpeered Jove's spreading
tree,

And kept low shrubs from winter's powerful wind. These eyes, that now are dimmed with death's black veil,

Have been as piercing as the mid-day sun
To search the secret treasons of the world:
The wrinkles in my brows, now filled with blood,
Were likened oft to kingly sepulchres;
For who lived king but I could dig his grave?
And who durst smile when Warwick bent his brow?
Lo now my glory smeared 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 puissant 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 awhile!
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 breathed 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,
Which sounded like a cannon in a vault,
That might not be distinguished: but at last,
I well might hear delivered with a groan,
"O farewell, Warwick!"

War. Sweet rest to his soul!-Fly, lords, and save yourselves :

For Warwick bids you all farewell, to meet in heaven. [Dies. Orf. 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 upward

course,

And we are graced with wreaths of victory.
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 raised in Gallia have arrived 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 vapours 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 assured
Her faction will be full as strong as ours.

K. Edw. We are advértised by our loving friends

That they do hold their course toward Tewkesbury:

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 Tewkesbury. 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.
What though the mast be now blown overboard,
The cable broke, the holding anchor lost,
And half our sailors swallowed 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 saved?
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 slaughtered 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 tacklings?
And, though unskilful, why not Ned and I
For once allowed the skilful pilot's charge?
We will not from the helm, to sit and weep;
But keep our course, though the rough winds

Say you can swim; alas 't is but awhile:
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 hoped-for mercy with the brothers,
More than with ruthless waves, with sands, and
rocks.

Why, courage, then what cannot be avoided, 'T were 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,

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 such be here, as God forbid!
any
Let him depart before we need his help.

Orf. Women and children of so high a courage; And warriors faint! why 't were perpetual shame. O brave young prince! thy famous grandfather Doth live again in thee. Long may'st thou live 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 mocked and wondered 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 deceived; 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 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 usurped,
His realm a slaughterhouse, 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. 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 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 turned me to?
Prince. Speak like a subject, proud ambitious

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 Which, traitor, thou wouldst have me answer to. Q. Mar. Ah that thy father had been so re

solved!

Glo. That you might still have worn the pet

ticoat,

And ne'er have stolen the breech from Lancaster.

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. Untutored lad, thou art too malapert. Prince. I know my duty; you are all undutiful. Lascivious Edward, and thou perjured George, And thou misshapen Dick, I tell ye 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. [Stabs him. Clar. And there's for twitting me with perjury. [Stabs him. [Offers to kill her. K. Edw. Hold, Richard, hold! for we have done too much.

Q. Mar. O kill me too! Glo. Marry, and shall.

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

Canst thou not speak?-O traitors! murderers!
They that stabbed 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.
What's worse than murderer, that I may name it?
No, no; my heart will burst an if I speak :
And I will speak, so that my heart may burst.
Butchers and villains, bloody cannibals!
How sweet a plant have you untimely cropped!
You have no children, butchers! if you had,
The thought of them would have stirred up

remorse:

But if you ever chance to have a child,
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 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: 'T was sin before, but now 't is charity. What! wilt thou not? Where is that devil's butcher,

Hard-favoured 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.

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 [Exit Lieutenant.

confer.

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 liméd in a bush, With trembling wings misdoubteth every bush ·