Glo. Thou and thy brother both shall buy this treason Even with the dearest blood your bodies bear. K. E. The harder match'd, 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. That Clarence is so harsh, so blunt,1 unnatural, Than if thou never hadst deserv'd our hate. Or shall we beat the stones about thine ears? War. Alas, I am not coop'd 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.E.So,lie thou there: die thou, and die ourfear; For Warwick was a bug 3 that fear'd 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 shows, My blood, my want of strength, my sick heart That I must yield my body to the earth, [shows, And, by my fall, the conquest to my foe. Thus yields the cedar to the axe's edge, Under whose shade the ramping lion slept; [tree, Whose arms gave shelter to the princely eagle, Whose top-branch overpeer'd Jove's spreading And kept low shrubs from winter's powerful [black veil, wind. These eyes that now are dimm'd with death's Lo, now my glory smear'd in dust and blood! S. Ah, Warwick, Warwick! wert thou as we are, We might recover all our loss again! [power; Even now we heard the news: Ah, couldst thou The queen from France hath brought a puissant fly! W.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, That glues my lips, and will not let me speak. Thy tears would wash this cold congealed blood, Come quickly, Montague, or I am dead. [last: Som. Ah, Warwick, Montague hath breath'd his And to the latest gasp, cried out for Warwick, And more he would have said; and more he spoke, And said-Commend me to my valiant brother. Which sounded like a cannon in a vault, 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!Fly, lords, and save yourselves: for Warwick bids You all farewell, to meet again in heaven. [Dies. O. 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, I mean, my lords, those powers that the queen 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. G. 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. E. We are advertis'd by our loving friends, That they do hold their course towards TewksWe, having now the best at Barnet field, [bury; Will thither straight, for willingness rids way; And, as we march, our strength will be augIn every country as we go along.- [mented 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. Why, courage, then! what cannot be avoided, 'Twere childish weakness to lament or fear. Pr. 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; P. And take his thanks, that yet hath nothing Enter a Messenger. M. Prepare you, lords, for Edward is at hand, Ready to fight; therefore be resolute. Oxf. 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. [budge. Oxf. Here pitch our battle, hence we will not March. Enter, at a distance, King Edward, Clarence, Gloster, and Forces. K. Edw. Brave followers, yonder stands the thorny wood, [strength, Which, the heaven's assistance, and your Must by the roots be hewn up yet ere night. I need not add more fuel to your fire, For, well I wot,1 ye blaze to burn them out: Give signal to the fight, and to it, lords. Q. Mar. Lords, knights, and gentlemen, what My tears gainsay; for every word I speak, [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.E. Now, here a period of tumultuous broils. Away with Oxford to Hammes' castle straight: For Somerset, off with his guilty head. [speak. Go, bear them hence; I will not hear them 0. For mypart, I'll not trouble thee with words. S.Nor I; but stoop with patience to myfortune. [Exeunt Oxford and Somerset, guarded. Q. M. So part we sadly in this troublous world, To meet with joy in sweet Jerusalem. [Edward, K. E. Is proclamation made,-that, who finds Shall have a high reward, and he his life? G.Itis: 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 turn'd me to? P.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. M. Ah, that thy father had been so resolv'd! G.That you might still haveworn the petticoat, And ne'er have stol'n the breech from Lancaster. Prince. Let Esop fable in a winter's night; His currish riddles sort not with this place. G. By heaven, brat, I'll plague you for that word. [men. Q. M. Ay, thou wast born to be a plague to Glo. For heaven's sake, take away this captive scold. [rather. Pr. Nay, take away this scolding crook-back K. E. Peace, wilful boy, or I will charm your tongue. Clar. Untutor'd lad, thou art too malapert. Pr. I know my duty; you are all undutiful; Lascivious Edward,-and thou perjur'd George,And thou mis-shapen Dick,-I tell ye all, I am your better, traitors as ye are ;And thou usurp'st my father's right and mine. K. E. 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 perjury. [Clar, stabs him. Q. Mar. O, kill me too! [Offers to kill her. K. E. Hold, Richard, hold, for we have done too much. G. Why should she live, to fill the world with words? K. Ed. What! doth she swoon? use means for her recovery. C. 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. Q. M. O, Ned, sweet Ned! speak to thy mother, boy! Canst thou not speak?-O traitors! murderers! 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. What's worse than murderer, that I may name it? 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 As, deathsmen! you have rid this sweet young prince! K. Ed. Away with her; go bear her hence perforce. Q. Mar. Nay, never bear me hence, despatch me here; [death: Here sheath thy sword, I'll pardon thee my What! wilt thou not?-then, Clarence, do it thou. C. 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. M. Ay, but thou usest to forswear thyself; 'Twas sin before, but now 'tis charity. [butcher, What! wilt thou not? where is that devil's Hard-favour'd Richard? Richard, where art thou? Thou art not here: Murder is thy alms-deed; K.E. He's sudden, if a thing comes in his head. Now marchwe 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. G. 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. K. H. The bird, that hath been limed in a bush, With trembling wings misdoubteth1 every bush: And I, the hapless male to one sweet bird, Have now the fatal object in my eye, [kill'd. Where my poor young was lim'd, was caught, and G.Why, what a peevish2 fool was that of Crete, That taught his son the office of a fowl? 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! 1 Suspects. 2 Childish My breast can better brook thy dagger's point, Glo. Thy son I kill'd, for his presumption. K. Hen. Hadst thou been kill'd, when first thou didst presume, Thou hadst not liv'd to kill a son of mine. The raven rook'd1 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. O God! forgive my sins, and pardon thee! [Dies. And then, to purge his fear, I'll be thy death. SCENE VII.-A ROOM IN THE PALACE. King Edward is discovered sittingonhis 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. With them, the two brave bears, Warwick and Glo. [Aside.] I'll blast his harvest, if your head were laid; Life and Death of King Richard III. KING EDWARD THE FOURTH. Persons Represented. EDWARD, Prince of Wales, after-Sons to wards King Edward V., RICHARD, Duke of York. wards King Richard III., A young son of Clarence. the King. Brothers to the King. HENRY, Earl of Richmond, afterwards King Henry VII. CARDINAL BOURCHIER, Archbishop of Canterbury. THOMAS ROTHERHAM, Archbishop of York. SIR THOMAS VAUGHAN. SIR JAMES BLOUNT. SIR WALTER HERBERT. SIR ROBERT BRAKENBURY, Lieutenant of the CHRISTOPHER URSWICK, a Priest. ELIZABETH, Queen of King Edward IV. LADY ANNE, Widow of Edward, Prince of Wales, Son to King Henry VI.; afterwards married to the Duke of Gloster. A young Daughter of Clarence. Lords, and other Attendants; two Gentlemen, a Pursuivant, Scrivener, Citizens, Murderers, Messengers, Ghosts, Soldiers, &c. SCENE.-England. A STREET. Glo. Now is the winter of our discontent Made glorious summer by this sun of York; And all the clouds, that low'r'd upon our house, In the deep bosom of the ocean buried. [wreaths; Now are our brows bound with victorious Our bruised arms hung up for monuments; Our stern alarums chang'd to merry meetings, Our dreadful marches to delightful measures.1 Grim-visag'd war hath smooth'd his wrinkled front; And now, instead of mounting barbed steeds, 1 Dances. That dogs bark at me, as I halt by them;- comes. Enter Clarence, guarded, and Brakenbury. Brother, good day: What means this armed That waits upon your grace? [guard Clar. His majesty, Tendering my person's safety, hath appointed This conduct to convey me to the Tower. Glo. Upon what cause? 1 Preparations for mischief. |