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Title: Henry VI, Part 3 (published 1591)
Author: William Shakespeare (died 1616)
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Dramatis Personæ
Dramatis Personæ
King Henry VI
Queen Margaret
Prince Edward
Earl of Northumberland
Earl of Westmorland
Duke of Exeter
Earl of Oxford
Sir John Somerville
Earl of Warwick
Marquess of Montague
Duke of Somerset
Supporters first of York, then of Lancaster
Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York
Edward, Earl of March, later King Edward IV
George, later Duke of Clarence
Richard, later Duke of Gloucester
Rutland
Sons of Richard, Duke of York
Sir John Mortimer, York’s uncle
Lady Grey, later Queen Elizabeth
Earl Rivers, brother to the queen
Duke of Norfolk
Earl of Pembroke
Lord Stafford
Lord Hastings
Sir William Stanley
Sir John Montgomery
King Lewis of France
Lady Bona, his sister-in-law
Rutland’s Tutor
A Son that has killed his father
A Father that has killed his son
First Gamekeeper
Second Gamekeeper
A Nobleman
Post
First Watch
Second Watch
Third Watch
Huntsman
Lieutenant at the Tower of London
First Messenger
Second Messenger
Other Messengers
Mayor of York
Soldier
Soldiers, Servants, Attendants, Drummers, Trumpeters, Sir Hugh Mortimer, Henry, Earl of Richmond, Aldermen of York, Mayor of Coventry, Nurse, the infant prince, and Others
ACT 1
Scene 1
Alarum. Enter Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York; Edward; Richard; Norfolk; Montague; Warwick; and Soldiers, all wearing the white rose.
WARWICK
line 0001I wonder how the King escaped our hands.
YORK
line 0002While we pursued the horsemen of the north,
line 0003He slyly stole away and left his men;
line 0004Whereat the great lord of Northumberland,
5line 0005Whose warlike ears could never brook retreat,
line 0006Cheered up the drooping army; and himself,
line 0007Lord Clifford, and Lord Stafford, all abreast,
line 0008Charged our main battle’s front and, breaking in,
line 0009Were by the swords of common soldiers slain.
EDWARD
10line 0010Lord Stafford’s father, Duke of Buckingham,
line 0011Is either slain or wounded dangerous.
line 0012I cleft his beaver with a downright blow.
line 0013That this is true, father, behold his blood.
He shows his bloody sword.
MONTAGUEto York, showing his sword
line 0014And, brother, here’s the Earl of Wiltshire’s blood,
15line 0015Whom I encountered as the battles joined.
RICHARDholding up a severed head
line 0016Speak thou for me, and tell them what I did.
Act 1 Scene 1 - Pg 9
YORK
line 0017Richard hath best deserved of all my sons.
line 0018But is your Grace dead, my lord of Somerset?
NORFOLK
line 0019Such hope have all the line of John of Gaunt!
RICHARD
20line 0020Thus do I hope to shake King Henry’s head.
WARWICK
line 0021And so do I, victorious prince of York.
line 0022Before I see thee seated in that throne
line 0023Which now the house of Lancaster usurps,
line 0024I vow by heaven these eyes shall never close.
25line 0025This is the palace of the fearful king,
line 0026And this the regal seat. Possess it, York,
line 0027For this is thine and not King Henry’s heirs’.
YORK
line 0028Assist me, then, sweet Warwick, and I will,
line 0029For hither we have broken in by force.
NORFOLK
30line 0030We’ll all assist you. He that flies shall die.
YORK
line 0031Thanks, gentle Norfolk. Stay by me, my lords.—
line 0032And soldiers, stay and lodge by me this night.
They go up onto a dais or platform.
WARWICK
line 0033And when the King comes, offer him no violence
line 0034Unless he seek to thrust you out perforce.
Soldiers exit or retire out of sight.
YORK
35line 0035The Queen this day here holds her parliament,
line 0036But little thinks we shall be of her council.
line 0037By words or blows, here let us win our right.
RICHARD
line 0038Armed as we are, let’s stay within this house.
WARWICK
line 0039“The Bloody Parliament” shall this be called
Act 1 Scene 1 - Pg 11
40line 0040Unless Plantagenet, Duke of York, be king
line 0041And bashful Henry deposed, whose cowardice
line 0042Hath made us bywords to our enemies.
YORK
line 0043Then leave me not, my lords; be resolute.
line 0044I mean to take possession of my right.
WARWICK
45line 0045Neither the King nor he that loves him best,
line 0046The proudest he that holds up Lancaster,
line 0047Dares stir a wing if Warwick shake his bells.
line 0048I’ll plant Plantagenet, root him up who dares.
line 0049Resolve thee, Richard; claim the English crown.
York sits in the chair of state.
Flourish. Enter King Henry, Clifford, Northumberland, Westmorland, Exeter, and the rest, all wearing the red rose.
KING HENRY
50line 0050My lords, look where the sturdy rebel sits,
line 0051Even in the chair of state! Belike he means,
line 0052Backed by the power of Warwick, that false peer,
line 0053To aspire unto the crown and reign as king.
line 0054Earl of Northumberland, he slew thy father,
55line 0055And thine, Lord Clifford, and you both have vowed
line 0056revenge
line 0057On him, his sons, his favorites, and his friends.
NORTHUMBERLAND
line 0058If I be not, heavens be revenged on me!
CLIFFORD
line 0059The hope thereof makes Clifford mourn in steel.
WESTMORLAND
60line 0060What, shall we suffer this? Let’s pluck him down.
line 0061My heart for anger burns. I cannot brook it.
KING HENRY
line 0062Be patient, gentle Earl of Westmorland.
Act 1 Scene 1 - Pg 13
CLIFFORD
line 0063Patience is for poltroons such as he.
line 0064He durst not sit there had your father lived.
65line 0065My gracious lord, here in the Parliament
line 0066Let us assail the family of York.
NORTHUMBERLAND
line 0067Well hast thou spoken, cousin. Be it so.
KING HENRY
line 0068Ah, know you not the city favors them,
line 0069And they have troops of soldiers at their beck?
EXETER
70line 0070But when the Duke is slain, they’ll quickly fly.
KING HENRY
line 0071Far be the thought of this from Henry’s heart,
line 0072To make a shambles of the Parliament House!
line 0073Cousin of Exeter, frowns, words, and threats
line 0074Shall be the war that Henry means to use.—
75line 0075Thou factious Duke of York, descend my throne
line 0076And kneel for grace and mercy at my feet.
line 0077I am thy sovereign.
line 0078YORKI am thine.
EXETER
line 0079For shame, come down. He made thee Duke of
80line 0080York.
YORK
line 0081It was my inheritance, as the earldom was.
EXETER
line 0082Thy father was a traitor to the crown.
WARWICK
line 0083Exeter, thou art a traitor to the crown
line 0084In following this usurping Henry.
CLIFFORD
85line 0085Whom should he follow but his natural king?
WARWICK
line 0086True, Clifford, that’s Richard, Duke of York.
Act 1 Scene 1 - Pg 15
KING HENRYto York
line 0087And shall I stand, and thou sit in my throne?
YORK
line 0088It must and shall be so. Content thyself.
WARWICKto King Henry
line 0089Be Duke of Lancaster. Let him be king.
WESTMORLAND
90line 0090He is both king and Duke of Lancaster,
line 0091And that the lord of Westmorland shall maintain.
WARWICK
line 0092And Warwick shall disprove it. You forget
line 0093That we are those which chased you from the field
line 0094And slew your fathers and, with colors spread,
95line 0095Marched through the city to the palace gates.
NORTHUMBERLAND
line 0096Yes, Warwick, I remember it to my grief;
line 0097And by his soul, thou and thy house shall rue it.
WESTMORLAND
line 0098Plantagenet, of thee and these thy sons,
line 0099Thy kinsmen, and thy friends, I’ll have more lives
100line 0100Than drops of blood were in my father’s veins.
CLIFFORD
line 0101Urge it no more, lest that, instead of words,
line 0102I send thee, Warwick, such a messenger
line 0103As shall revenge his death before I stir.
WARWICK
line 0104Poor Clifford, how I scorn his worthless threats!
YORK
105line 0105Will you we show our title to the crown?
line 0106If not, our swords shall plead it in the field.
KING HENRY
line 0107What title hast thou, traitor, to the crown?
line 0108Thy father was as thou art, Duke of York;
line 0109Thy grandfather, Roger Mortimer, Earl of March.
110line 0110I am the son of Henry the Fifth,
Act 1 Scene 1 - Pg 17
line 0111Who made the Dauphin and the French to stoop
line 0112And seized upon their towns and provinces.
WARWICK
line 0113Talk not of France, sith thou hast lost it all.
KING HENRY
line 0114The Lord Protector lost it and not I.
115line 0115When I was crowned, I was but nine months old.
RICHARD
line 0116You are old enough now, and yet, methinks, you
line 0117lose.—
line 0118Father, tear the crown from the usurper’s head.
EDWARD
line 0119Sweet father, do so. Set it on your head.
MONTAGUEto York
120line 0120Good brother, as thou lov’st and honorest arms,
line 0121Let’s fight it out and not stand caviling thus.
RICHARD
line 0122Sound drums and trumpets, and the King will fly.
line 0123YORKSons, peace!
KING HENRY
line 0124Peace thou, and give King Henry leave to speak!
WARWICK
125line 0125Plantagenet shall speak first. Hear him, lords,
line 0126And be you silent and attentive too,
line 0127For he that interrupts him shall not live.
KING HENRY
line 0128Think’st thou that I will leave my kingly throne,
line 0129Wherein my grandsire and my father sat?
130line 0130No. First shall war unpeople this my realm;
line 0131Ay, and their colors, often borne in France,
line 0132And now in England to our heart’s great sorrow,
line 0133Shall be my winding-sheet. Why faint you, lords?
line 0134My title’s good, and better far than his.
WARWICK
135line 0135Prove it, Henry, and thou shalt be king.
Act 1 Scene 1 - Pg 19
KING HENRY
line 0136Henry the Fourth by conquest got the crown.
YORK
line 0137’Twas by rebellion against his king.
KING HENRYaside
line 0138I know not what to say; my title’s weak.—
line 0139Tell me, may not a king adopt an heir?
140line 0140YORKWhat then?
KING HENRY
line 0141An if he may, then am I lawful king;
line 0142For Richard, in the view of many lords,
line 0143Resigned the crown to Henry the Fourth,
line 0144Whose heir my father was, and I am his.
YORK
145line 0145He rose against him, being his sovereign,
line 0146And made him to resign his crown perforce.
WARWICK
line 0147Suppose, my lords, he did it unconstrained,
line 0148Think you ’twere prejudicial to his crown?
EXETER
line 0149No, for he could not so resign his crown
150line 0150But that the next heir should succeed and reign.
KING HENRY
line 0151Art thou against us, Duke of Exeter?
EXETER
line 0152His is the right, and therefore pardon me.
YORK
line 0153Why whisper you, my lords, and answer not?
EXETER
line 0154My conscience tells me he is lawful king.
KING HENRYaside
155line 0155All will revolt from me and turn to him.
NORTHUMBERLANDto York
line 0156Plantagenet, for all the claim thou lay’st,
line 0157Think not that Henry shall be so deposed.
Act 1 Scene 1 - Pg 21
WARWICK
line 0158Deposed he shall be, in despite of all.
NORTHUMBERLAND
line 0159Thou art deceived. ’Tis not thy southern power
160line 0160Of Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, nor of Kent,
line 0161Which makes thee thus presumptuous and proud,
line 0162Can set the Duke up in despite of me.
CLIFFORD
line 0163King Henry, be thy title right or wrong,
line 0164Lord Clifford vows to fight in thy defense.
165line 0165May that ground gape and swallow me alive
line 0166Where I shall kneel to him that slew my father.
KING HENRY
line 0167O Clifford, how thy words revive my heart!
YORK
line 0168Henry of Lancaster, resign thy crown.—
line 0169What mutter you, or what conspire you, lords?
WARWICKto King Henry
170line 0170Do right unto this princely Duke of York,
line 0171Or I will fill the house with armèd men,
line 0172And over the chair of state, where now he sits,
line 0173Write up his title with usurping blood.
He stamps with his foot, and the Soldiers show themselves.
KING HENRY
line 0174My lord of Warwick, hear but one word:
175line 0175Let me for this my lifetime reign as king.
YORK
line 0176Confirm the crown to me and to mine heirs,
line 0177And thou shalt reign in quiet while thou liv’st.
KING HENRY
line 0178I am content. Richard Plantagenet,
line 0179Enjoy the kingdom after my decease.
CLIFFORD
180line 0180What wrong is this unto the Prince your son!
Act 1 Scene 1 - Pg 23
WARWICK
line 0181What good is this to England and himself!
WESTMORLAND
line 0182Base, fearful, and despairing Henry!
CLIFFORD
line 0183How hast thou injured both thyself and us!
WESTMORLAND
line 0184I cannot stay to hear these articles.
185line 0185NORTHUMBERLANDNor I.
CLIFFORD
line 0186Come, cousin, let us tell the Queen these news.
WESTMORLAND
line 0187Farewell, faint-hearted and degenerate king,
line 0188In whose cold blood no spark of honor bides.
NORTHUMBERLAND
line 0189Be thou a prey unto the house of York,
190line 0190And die in bands for this unmanly deed.
CLIFFORD
line 0191In dreadful war mayst thou be overcome,
line 0192Or live in peace abandoned and despised!
Westmorland, Northumberland, Clifford, and their Soldiers exit.
WARWICK
line 0193Turn this way, Henry, and regard them not.
EXETER
line 0194They seek revenge and therefore will not yield.
KING HENRY
195line 0195Ah, Exeter!
line 0196WARWICKWhy should you sigh, my lord?
KING HENRY
line 0197Not for myself, Lord Warwick, but my son,
line 0198Whom I unnaturally shall disinherit.
line 0199But be it as it may. To York. I here entail
200line 0200The crown to thee and to thine heirs forever,
line 0201Conditionally, that here thou take an oath
line 0202To cease this civil war and, whilst I live,
Act 1 Scene 1 - Pg 25
line 0203To honor me as thy king and sovereign,
line 0204And neither by treason nor hostility
205line 0205To seek to put me down and reign thyself.
YORK
line 0206This oath I willingly take and will perform.
WARWICK
line 0207Long live King Henry! Plantagenet, embrace him.
York stands, and King Henry ascends the dais.
KING HENRYto York
line 0208And long live thou and these thy forward sons!
They embrace.
YORK
line 0209Now York and Lancaster are reconciled.
EXETER
210line 0210Accursed be he that seeks to make them foes.
Sennet. Here they come down.
YORKto King Henry
line 0211Farewell, my gracious lord. I’ll to my castle.
WARWICK
line 0212And I’ll keep London with my soldiers.
NORFOLK
line 0213And I to Norfolk with my followers.
MONTAGUE
line 0214And I unto the sea, from whence I came.
York, Edward, Richard, Warwick, Norfolk, Montague, and their Soldiers exit.
KING HENRY
215line 0215And I with grief and sorrow to the court.
Enter Queen Margaret, with Prince Edward.
EXETER
line 0216Here comes the Queen, whose looks bewray her
line 0217anger.
line 0218I’ll steal away.
line 0219KING HENRYExeter, so will I.
They begin to exit.
Act 1 Scene 1 - Pg 27
QUEEN MARGARET
220line 0220Nay, go not from me. I will follow thee.
KING HENRY
line 0221Be patient, gentle queen, and I will stay.
QUEEN MARGARET
line 0222Who can be patient in such extremes?
line 0223Ah, wretched man, would I had died a maid
line 0224And never seen thee, never borne thee son,
225line 0225Seeing thou hast proved so unnatural a father.
line 0226Hath he deserved to lose his birthright thus?
line 0227Hadst thou but loved him half so well as I,
line 0228Or felt that pain which I did for him once,
line 0229Or nourished him as I did with my blood,
230line 0230Thou wouldst have left thy dearest heart-blood
line 0231there,
line 0232Rather than have made that savage duke thine heir
line 0233And disinherited thine only son.
PRINCE EDWARD
line 0234Father, you cannot disinherit me.
235line 0235If you be king, why should not I succeed?
KING HENRY
line 0236Pardon me, Margaret.—Pardon me, sweet son.
line 0237The Earl of Warwick and the Duke enforced me.
QUEEN MARGARET
line 0238Enforced thee? Art thou king and wilt be forced?
line 0239I shame to hear thee speak. Ah, timorous wretch,
240line 0240Thou hast undone thyself, thy son, and me,
line 0241And giv’n unto the house of York such head
line 0242As thou shalt reign but by their sufferance!
line 0243To entail him and his heirs unto the crown,
line 0244What is it but to make thy sepulcher
245line 0245And creep into it far before thy time?
line 0246Warwick is Chancellor and the lord of Callice;
line 0247Stern Falconbridge commands the Narrow Seas;
line 0248The Duke is made Protector of the realm;
line 0249And yet shalt thou be safe? Such safety finds
Act 1 Scene 1 - Pg 29
250line 0250The trembling lamb environèd with wolves.
line 0251Had I been there, which am a silly woman,
line 0252The soldiers should have tossed me on their pikes
line 0253Before I would have granted to that act.
line 0254But thou preferr’st thy life before thine honor.
255line 0255And seeing thou dost, I here divorce myself
line 0256Both from thy table, Henry, and thy bed,
line 0257Until that act of Parliament be repealed
line 0258Whereby my son is disinherited.
line 0259The northern lords that have forsworn thy colors
260line 0260Will follow mine if once they see them spread;
line 0261And spread they shall be, to thy foul disgrace
line 0262And utter ruin of the house of York.
line 0263Thus do I leave thee.—Come, son, let’s away.
line 0264Our army is ready. Come, we’ll after them.
KING HENRY
265line 0265Stay, gentle Margaret, and hear me speak.
QUEEN MARGARET
line 0266Thou hast spoke too much already. Get thee gone.
KING HENRY
line 0267Gentle son Edward, thou wilt stay with me?
QUEEN MARGARET
line 0268Ay, to be murdered by his enemies!
PRINCE EDWARD
line 0269When I return with victory from the field,
270line 0270I’ll see your Grace. Till then, I’ll follow her.
QUEEN MARGARET
line 0271Come, son, away. We may not linger thus.
Queen Margaret and Prince Edward exit.
KING HENRY
line 0272Poor queen! How love to me and to her son
line 0273Hath made her break out into terms of rage!
line 0274Revenged may she be on that hateful duke,
275line 0275Whose haughty spirit, wingèd with desire,
line 0276Will cost my crown, and like an empty eagle
line 0277Tire on the flesh of me and of my son.
Act 1 Scene 2 - Pg 31
line 0278The loss of those three lords torments my heart.
line 0279I’ll write unto them and entreat them fair.
280line 0280Come, cousin, you shall be the messenger.
EXETER
line 0281And I, I hope, shall reconcile them all.
Flourish. They exit.
Scene 2
Enter Richard, Edward, and Montague, all wearing the white rose.
RICHARD
line 0282Brother, though I be youngest, give me leave.
EDWARD
line 0283No, I can better play the orator.
MONTAGUE
line 0284But I have reasons strong and forcible.
Enter the Duke of York.
YORK
line 0285Why, how now, sons and brother, at a strife?
5line 0286What is your quarrel? How began it first?
EDWARD
line 0287No quarrel, but a slight contention.
line 0288YORKAbout what?
RICHARD
line 0289About that which concerns your Grace and us:
line 0290The crown of England, father, which is yours.
YORK
10line 0291Mine, boy? Not till King Henry be dead.
RICHARD
line 0292Your right depends not on his life or death.
EDWARD
line 0293Now you are heir; therefore enjoy it now.
Act 1 Scene 2 - Pg 33
line 0294By giving the house of Lancaster leave to breathe,
line 0295It will outrun you, father, in the end.
YORK
15line 0296I took an oath that he should quietly reign.
EDWARD
line 0297But for a kingdom any oath may be broken.
line 0298I would break a thousand oaths to reign one year.
RICHARD
line 0299No, God forbid your Grace should be forsworn.
YORK
line 0300I shall be, if I claim by open war.
RICHARD
20line 0301I’ll prove the contrary, if you’ll hear me speak.
YORK
line 0302Thou canst not, son; it is impossible.
RICHARD
line 0303An oath is of no moment, being not took
line 0304Before a true and lawful magistrate
line 0305That hath authority over him that swears.
25line 0306Henry had none, but did usurp the place.
line 0307Then, seeing ’twas he that made you to depose,
line 0308Your oath, my lord, is vain and frivolous.
line 0309Therefore, to arms! And, father, do but think
line 0310How sweet a thing it is to wear a crown,
30line 0311Within whose circuit is Elysium
line 0312And all that poets feign of bliss and joy.
line 0313Why do we linger thus? I cannot rest
line 0314Until the white rose that I wear be dyed
line 0315Even in the lukewarm blood of Henry’s heart.
YORK
35line 0316Richard, enough. I will be king or die.—
line 0317Brother, thou shalt to London presently,
line 0318And whet on Warwick to this enterprise.—
line 0319Thou, Richard, shalt to the Duke of Norfolk
line 0320And tell him privily of our intent.—
40line 0321You, Edward, shall unto my Lord Cobham,
Act 1 Scene 2 - Pg 35
line 0322With whom the Kentishmen will willingly rise;
line 0323In them I trust, for they are soldiers
line 0324Witty, courteous, liberal, full of spirit.
line 0325While you are thus employed, what resteth more
45line 0326But that I seek occasion how to rise,
line 0327And yet the King not privy to my drift,
line 0328Nor any of the house of Lancaster.
Enter a Messenger.
line 0329But stay, what news? Why com’st thou in such post?
MESSENGER
line 0330The Queen with all the northern earls and lords
50line 0331Intend here to besiege you in your castle.
line 0332She is hard by with twenty thousand men.
line 0333And therefore fortify your hold, my lord.He exits.
YORK
line 0334Ay, with my sword. What, think’st thou that we fear
line 0335them?—
55line 0336Edward and Richard, you shall stay with me;
line 0337My brother Montague shall post to London.
line 0338Let noble Warwick, Cobham, and the rest,
line 0339Whom we have left Protectors of the King,
line 0340With powerful policy strengthen themselves
60line 0341And trust not simple Henry nor his oaths.
MONTAGUE
line 0342Brother, I go. I’ll win them, fear it not.
line 0343And thus most humbly I do take my leave.
Montague exits.
Enter Sir John Mortimer, and his brother, Sir Hugh Mortimer.
YORK
line 0344Sir John and Sir Hugh Mortimer, mine uncles,
line 0345You are come to Sandal in a happy hour.
65line 0346The army of the Queen mean to besiege us.
Act 1 Scene 3 - Pg 37
SIR JOHN
line 0347She shall not need; we’ll meet her in the field.
line 0348YORKWhat, with five thousand men?
RICHARD
line 0349Ay, with five hundred, father, for a need.
line 0350A woman’s general; what should we fear?
A march afar off.
EDWARD
70line 0351I hear their drums. Let’s set our men in order,
line 0352And issue forth and bid them battle straight.
YORK
line 0353Five men to twenty: though the odds be great,
line 0354I doubt not, uncle, of our victory.
line 0355Many a battle have I won in France
75line 0356Whenas the enemy hath been ten to one.
line 0357Why should I not now have the like success?
Alarum. They exit.
Scene 3
Enter Rutland and his Tutor.
RUTLAND
line 0358Ah, whither shall I fly to scape their hands?
Enter Clifford with Soldiers, all wearing the red rose.
line 0359Ah, tutor, look where bloody Clifford comes.
CLIFFORD
line 0360Chaplain, away. Thy priesthood saves thy life.
line 0361As for the brat of this accursèd duke,
5line 0362Whose father slew my father, he shall die.
TUTOR
line 0363And I, my lord, will bear him company.
line 0364CLIFFORDSoldiers, away with him.
Act 1 Scene 3 - Pg 39
TUTOR
line 0365Ah, Clifford, murder not this innocent child,
line 0366Lest thou be hated both of God and man.
He exits, dragged off by Soldiers.
CLIFFORDapproaching Rutland
10line 0367How now? Is he dead already? Or is it fear
line 0368That makes him close his eyes? I’ll open them.
RUTLAND
line 0369So looks the pent-up lion o’er the wretch
line 0370That trembles under his devouring paws;
line 0371And so he walks, insulting o’er his prey;
15line 0372And so he comes to rend his limbs asunder.
line 0373Ah, gentle Clifford, kill me with thy sword
line 0374And not with such a cruel threat’ning look.
line 0375Sweet Clifford, hear me speak before I die.
line 0376I am too mean a subject for thy wrath.
20line 0377Be thou revenged on men, and let me live.
CLIFFORD
line 0378In vain thou speak’st, poor boy. My father’s blood
line 0379Hath stopped the passage where thy words should
line 0380enter.
RUTLAND
line 0381Then let my father’s blood open it again;
25line 0382He is a man and, Clifford, cope with him.
CLIFFORD
line 0383Had I thy brethren here, their lives and thine
line 0384Were not revenge sufficient for me.
line 0385No, if I digged up thy forefathers’ graves
line 0386And hung their rotten coffins up in chains,
30line 0387It could not slake mine ire nor ease my heart.
line 0388The sight of any of the house of York
line 0389Is as a fury to torment my soul,
line 0390And till I root out their accursèd line
line 0391And leave not one alive, I live in hell.
35line 0392Therefore—He raises his rapier.
Act 1 Scene 4 - Pg 41
RUTLAND
line 0393O, let me pray before I take my death!
line 0394To thee I pray: sweet Clifford, pity me!
CLIFFORD
line 0395Such pity as my rapier’s point affords.
RUTLAND
line 0396I never did thee harm. Why wilt thou slay me?
CLIFFORD
40line 0397Thy father hath.
line 0398RUTLANDBut ’twas ere I was born.
line 0399Thou hast one son; for his sake pity me,
line 0400Lest in revenge thereof, sith God is just,
line 0401He be as miserably slain as I.
45line 0402Ah, let me live in prison all my days,
line 0403And when I give occasion of offense
line 0404Then let me die, for now thou hast no cause.
CLIFFORD
line 0405No cause? Thy father slew my father; therefore die.
He stabs Rutland.
RUTLAND
line 0406Di faciant laudis summa sit ista tuae!He dies.
CLIFFORD
50line 0407Plantagenet, I come, Plantagenet!
line 0408And this thy son’s blood, cleaving to my blade,
line 0409Shall rust upon my weapon till thy blood,
line 0410Congealed with this, do make me wipe off both.
He exits, with Soldiers carrying off Rutland’s body.
Scene 4
Alarum. Enter Richard, Duke of York, wearing the white rose.
YORK
line 0411The army of the Queen hath got the field.
line 0412My uncles both are slain in rescuing me;
Act 1 Scene 4 - Pg 43
line 0413And all my followers to the eager foe
line 0414Turn back and fly like ships before the wind,
5line 0415Or lambs pursued by hunger-starvèd wolves.
line 0416My sons, God knows what hath bechancèd them;
line 0417But this I know: they have demeaned themselves
line 0418Like men borne to renown by life or death.
line 0419Three times did Richard make a lane to me
10line 0420And thrice cried “Courage, father, fight it out!”
line 0421And full as oft came Edward to my side,
line 0422With purple falchion painted to the hilt
line 0423In blood of those that had encountered him;
line 0424And when the hardiest warriors did retire,
15line 0425Richard cried “Charge, and give no foot of ground!”
line 0426And cried “A crown or else a glorious tomb;
line 0427A scepter or an earthly sepulcher!”
line 0428With this we charged again; but, out alas,
line 0429We budged again, as I have seen a swan
20line 0430With bootless labor swim against the tide
line 0431And spend her strength with over-matching waves.
A short alarum within.
line 0432Ah, hark, the fatal followers do pursue,
line 0433And I am faint and cannot fly their fury;
line 0434And were I strong, I would not shun their fury.
25line 0435The sands are numbered that makes up my life.
line 0436Here must I stay, and here my life must end.
Enter Queen Margaret, Clifford, Northumberland, the young Prince Edward, and Soldiers, all wearing the red rose.
line 0437Come, bloody Clifford, rough Northumberland,
line 0438I dare your quenchless fury to more rage.
line 0439I am your butt, and I abide your shot.
NORTHUMBERLAND
30line 0440Yield to our mercy, proud Plantagenet.
CLIFFORD
line 0441Ay, to such mercy as his ruthless arm
Act 1 Scene 4 - Pg 45
line 0442With downright payment showed unto my father.
line 0443Now Phaëton hath tumbled from his car
line 0444And made an evening at the noontide prick.
YORK
35line 0445My ashes, as the Phoenix’, may bring forth
line 0446A bird that will revenge upon you all;
line 0447And in that hope I throw mine eyes to heaven,
line 0448Scorning whate’er you can afflict me with.
line 0449Why come you not? What, multitudes, and fear?
CLIFFORD
40line 0450So cowards fight when they can fly no further;
line 0451So doves do peck the falcon’s piercing talons;
line 0452So desperate thieves, all hopeless of their lives,
line 0453Breathe out invectives ’gainst the officers.
YORK
line 0454O Clifford, but bethink thee once again
45line 0455And in thy thought o’errun my former time;
line 0456And, if thou canst for blushing, view this face
line 0457And bite thy tongue that slanders him with cowardice
line 0458Whose frown hath made thee faint and fly ere this.
CLIFFORD
line 0459I will not bandy with thee word for word,
50line 0460But buckler with thee blows twice two for one.
QUEEN MARGARET
line 0461Hold, valiant Clifford, for a thousand causes
line 0462I would prolong a while the traitor’s life.—
line 0463Wrath makes him deaf; speak thou, Northumberland.
NORTHUMBERLAND
line 0464Hold, Clifford, do not honor him so much
55line 0465To prick thy finger, though to wound his heart.
line 0466What valor were it when a cur doth grin
line 0467For one to thrust his hand between his teeth,
line 0468When he might spurn him with his foot away?
line 0469It is war’s prize to take all vantages,
60line 0470And ten to one is no impeach of valor.
They attack York.
Act 1 Scene 4 - Pg 47
CLIFFORD
line 0471Ay, ay, so strives the woodcock with the gin.
NORTHUMBERLAND
line 0472So doth the coney struggle in the net.
YORK
line 0473So triumph thieves upon their conquered booty;
line 0474So true men yield with robbers, so o’ermatched.
York is overcome.
NORTHUMBERLANDto Queen Margaret
65line 0475What would your Grace have done unto him now?
QUEEN MARGARET
line 0476Brave warriors, Clifford and Northumberland,
line 0477Come, make him stand upon this molehill here
line 0478That raught at mountains with outstretchèd arms,
line 0479Yet parted but the shadow with his hand.
They place York on a small prominence.
70line 0480What, was it you that would be England’s king?
line 0481Was ’t you that reveled in our parliament
line 0482And made a preachment of your high descent?
line 0483Where are your mess of sons to back you now,
line 0484The wanton Edward and the lusty George?
75line 0485And where’s that valiant crookback prodigy,
line 0486Dickie, your boy, that with his grumbling voice
line 0487Was wont to cheer his dad in mutinies?
line 0488Or, with the rest, where is your darling Rutland?
line 0489Look, York, I stained this napkin with the blood
80line 0490That valiant Clifford with his rapier’s point
line 0491Made issue from the bosom of the boy;
line 0492And if thine eyes can water for his death,
line 0493I give thee this to dry thy cheeks withal.
She gives him a bloody cloth.
line 0494Alas, poor York, but that I hate thee deadly
85line 0495I should lament thy miserable state.
line 0496I prithee grieve to make me merry, York.
line 0497What, hath thy fiery heart so parched thine entrails
line 0498That not a tear can fall for Rutland’s death?
Act 1 Scene 4 - Pg 49
line 0499Why art thou patient, man? Thou shouldst be mad;
90line 0500And I, to make thee mad, do mock thee thus.
line 0501Stamp, rave, and fret, that I may sing and dance.
line 0502Thou would’st be fee’d, I see, to make me sport.—
line 0503York cannot speak unless he wear a crown.
line 0504A crown for York!She is handed a paper crown.
95line 0505And, lords, bow low to him.
line 0506Hold you his hands whilst I do set it on.
She puts the crown on York’s head.
line 0507Ay, marry, sir, now looks he like a king.
line 0508Ay, this is he that took King Henry’s chair,
line 0509And this is he was his adopted heir.
100line 0510But how is it that great Plantagenet
line 0511Is crowned so soon and broke his solemn oath?—
line 0512As I bethink me, you should not be king
line 0513Till our King Henry had shook hands with Death.
line 0514And will you pale your head in Henry’s glory
105line 0515And rob his temples of the diadem
line 0516Now, in his life, against your holy oath?
line 0517O, ’tis a fault too too unpardonable.
line 0518Off with the crown and, with the crown, his head;
line 0519And whilst we breathe, take time to do him dead.
CLIFFORD
110line 0520That is my office, for my father’s sake.
QUEEN MARGARET
line 0521Nay, stay, let’s hear the orisons he makes.
YORK
line 0522She-wolf of France, but worse than wolves of
line 0523France,
line 0524Whose tongue more poisons than the adder’s tooth:
115line 0525How ill-beseeming is it in thy sex
line 0526To triumph like an Amazonian trull
line 0527Upon their woes whom Fortune captivates.
line 0528But that thy face is vizard-like, unchanging,
line 0529Made impudent with use of evil deeds,
120line 0530I would assay, proud queen, to make thee blush.
Act 1 Scene 4 - Pg 51
line 0531To tell thee whence thou cam’st, of whom derived,
line 0532Were shame enough to shame thee, wert thou not
line 0533shameless.
line 0534Thy father bears the type of King of Naples,
125line 0535Of both the Sicils, and Jerusalem,
line 0536Yet not so wealthy as an English yeoman.
line 0537Hath that poor monarch taught thee to insult?
line 0538It needs not, nor it boots thee not, proud queen,
line 0539Unless the adage must be verified
130line 0540That beggars mounted run their horse to death.
line 0541’Tis beauty that doth oft make women proud,
line 0542But God He knows thy share thereof is small.
line 0543’Tis virtue that doth make them most admired;
line 0544The contrary doth make thee wondered at.
135line 0545’Tis government that makes them seem divine;
line 0546The want thereof makes thee abominable.
line 0547Thou art as opposite to every good
line 0548As the Antipodes are unto us
line 0549Or as the south to the Septentrion.
140line 0550O, tiger’s heart wrapped in a woman’s hide,
line 0551How couldst thou drain the lifeblood of the child
line 0552To bid the father wipe his eyes withal,
line 0553And yet be seen to bear a woman’s face?
line 0554Women are soft, mild, pitiful, and flexible;
145line 0555Thou, stern, obdurate, flinty, rough, remorseless.
line 0556Bidd’st thou me rage? Why, now thou hast thy wish.
line 0557Wouldst have me weep? Why, now thou hast thy will;
line 0558For raging wind blows up incessant showers,
line 0559And when the rage allays, the rain begins.
150line 0560These tears are my sweet Rutland’s obsequies,
line 0561And every drop cries vengeance for his death
line 0562’Gainst thee, fell Clifford, and thee, false
line 0563Frenchwoman!
NORTHUMBERLANDaside
line 0564Beshrew me, but his passions moves me so
155line 0565That hardly can I check my eyes from tears.
Act 1 Scene 4 - Pg 53
YORK
line 0566That face of his the hungry cannibals
line 0567Would not have touched, would not have stained
line 0568with blood;
line 0569But you are more inhuman, more inexorable,
160line 0570O, ten times more than tigers of Hyrcania.
line 0571See, ruthless queen, a hapless father’s tears.
line 0572This cloth thou dipped’st in blood of my sweet boy,
line 0573And I with tears do wash the blood away.
He hands her the cloth.
line 0574Keep thou the napkin and go boast of this;
165line 0575And if thou tell’st the heavy story right,
line 0576Upon my soul, the hearers will shed tears.
line 0577Yea, even my foes will shed fast-falling tears
line 0578And say “Alas, it was a piteous deed.”
He hands her the paper crown.
line 0579There, take the crown and, with the crown, my
170line 0580curse,
line 0581And in thy need such comfort come to thee
line 0582As now I reap at thy too cruel hand.—
line 0583Hard-hearted Clifford, take me from the world,
line 0584My soul to heaven, my blood upon your heads.
NORTHUMBERLAND
175line 0585Had he been slaughterman to all my kin,
line 0586I should not for my life but weep with him
line 0587To see how inly sorrow gripes his soul.
QUEEN MARGARET
line 0588What, weeping ripe, my Lord Northumberland?
line 0589Think but upon the wrong he did us all,
180line 0590And that will quickly dry thy melting tears.
CLIFFORDstabbing York twice
line 0591Here’s for my oath; here’s for my father’s death!
QUEEN MARGARETstabbing York
line 0592And here’s to right our gentle-hearted king.
YORK
line 0593Open thy gate of mercy, gracious God.
Act 1 Scene 4 - Pg 55
line 0594My soul flies through these wounds to seek out Thee.
He dies.
QUEEN MARGARET
185line 0595Off with his head, and set it on York gates,
line 0596So York may overlook the town of York.
Flourish. They exit, Soldiers carrying York’s body.
ACT 2
Scene 1
A march. Enter Edward, Richard, and their power, all wearing the white rose.
EDWARD
line 0597I wonder how our princely father scaped,
line 0598Or whether he be scaped away or no
line 0599From Clifford’s and Northumberland’s pursuit.
line 0600Had he been ta’en, we should have heard the news;
5line 0601Had he been slain, we should have heard the news;
line 0602Or had he scaped, methinks we should have heard
line 0603The happy tidings of his good escape.
line 0604How fares my brother? Why is he so sad?
RICHARD
line 0605I cannot joy until I be resolved
10line 0606Where our right valiant father is become.
line 0607I saw him in the battle range about
line 0608And watched him how he singled Clifford forth.
line 0609Methought he bore him in the thickest troop
line 0610As doth a lion in a herd of neat,
15line 0611Or as a bear encompassed round with dogs,
line 0612Who having pinched a few and made them cry,
line 0613The rest stand all aloof and bark at him;
line 0614So fared our father with his enemies;
line 0615So fled his enemies my warlike father.
20line 0616Methinks ’tis prize enough to be his son.
line 0617See how the morning opes her golden gates
Act 2 Scene 1 - Pg 61
line 0618And takes her farewell of the glorious sun.
line 0619How well resembles it the prime of youth,
line 0620Trimmed like a younker, prancing to his love!
EDWARD
25line 0621Dazzle mine eyes, or do I see three suns?
RICHARD
line 0622Three glorious suns, each one a perfect sun,
line 0623Not separated with the racking clouds
line 0624But severed in a pale clear-shining sky.
line 0625See, see, they join, embrace, and seem to kiss,
30line 0626As if they vowed some league inviolable.
line 0627Now are they but one lamp, one light, one sun;
line 0628In this, the heaven figures some event.
EDWARD
line 0629’Tis wondrous strange, the like yet never heard of.
line 0630I think it cites us, brother, to the field,
35line 0631That we, the sons of brave Plantagenet,
line 0632Each one already blazing by our meeds,
line 0633Should notwithstanding join our lights together
line 0634And overshine the earth, as this the world.
line 0635Whate’er it bodes, henceforward will I bear
40line 0636Upon my target three fair shining suns.
RICHARD
line 0637Nay, bear three daughters: by your leave I speak it,
line 0638You love the breeder better than the male.
Enter a Messenger, blowing.
line 0639But what art thou whose heavy looks foretell
line 0640Some dreadful story hanging on thy tongue?
MESSENGER
45line 0641Ah, one that was a woeful looker-on
line 0642Whenas the noble Duke of York was slain,
line 0643Your princely father and my loving lord.
EDWARD
line 0644O, speak no more, for I have heard too much!
Act 2 Scene 1 - Pg 63
RICHARD
line 0645Say how he died, for I will hear it all.
MESSENGER
50line 0646Environèd he was with many foes,
line 0647And stood against them, as the hope of Troy
line 0648Against the Greeks that would have entered Troy.
line 0649But Hercules himself must yield to odds;
line 0650And many strokes, though with a little axe,
55line 0651Hews down and fells the hardest-timbered oak.
line 0652By many hands your father was subdued,
line 0653But only slaughtered by the ireful arm
line 0654Of unrelenting Clifford and the Queen,
line 0655Who crowned the gracious duke in high despite,
60line 0656Laughed in his face; and when with grief he wept,
line 0657The ruthless queen gave him to dry his cheeks
line 0658A napkin steepèd in the harmless blood
line 0659Of sweet young Rutland, by rough Clifford slain.
line 0660And after many scorns, many foul taunts,
65line 0661They took his head and on the gates of York
line 0662They set the same, and there it doth remain,
line 0663The saddest spectacle that e’er I viewed.He exits.
EDWARD
line 0664Sweet Duke of York, our prop to lean upon,
line 0665Now thou art gone, we have no staff, no stay.
70line 0666O Clifford, boist’rous Clifford, thou hast slain
line 0667The flower of Europe for his chivalry;
line 0668And treacherously hast thou vanquished him,
line 0669For hand to hand he would have vanquished thee.
line 0670Now my soul’s palace is become a prison;
75line 0671Ah, would she break from hence, that this my body
line 0672Might in the ground be closèd up in rest,
line 0673For never henceforth shall I joy again.
line 0674Never, O never, shall I see more joy!He weeps.
RICHARD
line 0675I cannot weep, for all my body’s moisture
80line 0676Scarce serves to quench my furnace-burning heart;
Act 2 Scene 1 - Pg 65
line 0677Nor can my tongue unload my heart’s great burden,
line 0678For selfsame wind that I should speak withal
line 0679Is kindling coals that fires all my breast
line 0680And burns me up with flames that tears would
85line 0681quench.
line 0682To weep is to make less the depth of grief:
line 0683Tears, then, for babes; blows and revenge for me.
line 0684Richard, I bear thy name. I’ll venge thy death
line 0685Or die renownèd by attempting it.
EDWARD
90line 0686His name that valiant duke hath left with thee;
line 0687His dukedom and his chair with me is left.
RICHARD
line 0688Nay, if thou be that princely eagle’s bird,
line 0689Show thy descent by gazing ’gainst the sun;
line 0690For “chair” and “dukedom,” “throne” and
95line 0691“kingdom” say;
line 0692Either that is thine or else thou wert not his.
March. Enter Warwick, Marquess Montague, and their army, all wearing the white rose.
WARWICK
line 0693How now, fair lords? What fare, what news abroad?
RICHARD
line 0694Great lord of Warwick, if we should recount
line 0695Our baleful news, and at each word’s deliverance
100line 0696Stab poniards in our flesh till all were told,
line 0697The words would add more anguish than the wounds.
line 0698O valiant lord, the Duke of York is slain.
EDWARD
line 0699O Warwick, Warwick, that Plantagenet
line 0700Which held thee dearly as his soul’s redemption
105line 0701Is by the stern Lord Clifford done to death.
WARWICK
line 0702Ten days ago I drowned these news in tears.
line 0703And now to add more measure to your woes,
Act 2 Scene 1 - Pg 67
line 0704I come to tell you things sith then befall’n.
line 0705After the bloody fray at Wakefield fought,
110line 0706Where your brave father breathed his latest gasp,
line 0707Tidings, as swiftly as the posts could run,
line 0708Were brought me of your loss and his depart.
line 0709I, then in London, keeper of the King,
line 0710Mustered my soldiers, gathered flocks of friends,
115line 0711Marched toward Saint Albans to intercept the
line 0712Queen,
line 0713Bearing the King in my behalf along;
line 0714For by my scouts I was advertisèd
line 0715That she was coming with a full intent
120line 0716To dash our late decree in Parliament
line 0717Touching King Henry’s oath and your succession.
line 0718Short tale to make, we at Saint Albans met,
line 0719Our battles joined, and both sides fiercely fought.
line 0720But whether ’twas the coldness of the King,
125line 0721Who looked full gently on his warlike queen,
line 0722That robbed my soldiers of their heated spleen,
line 0723Or whether ’twas report of her success
line 0724Or more than common fear of Clifford’s rigor,
line 0725Who thunders to his captives blood and death,
130line 0726I cannot judge; but to conclude with truth,
line 0727Their weapons like to lightning came and went;
line 0728Our soldiers’, like the night owl’s lazy flight
line 0729Or like an idle thresher with a flail,
line 0730Fell gently down, as if they struck their friends.
135line 0731I cheered them up with justice of our cause,
line 0732With promise of high pay and great rewards,
line 0733But all in vain; they had no heart to fight,
line 0734And we, in them, no hope to win the day,
line 0735So that we fled: the King unto the Queen;
140line 0736Lord George your brother, Norfolk, and myself
line 0737In haste, posthaste, are come to join with you;
line 0738For in the Marches here we heard you were,
line 0739Making another head to fight again.
Act 2 Scene 1 - Pg 69
EDWARD
line 0740Where is the Duke of Norfolk, gentle Warwick?
145line 0741And when came George from Burgundy to England?
WARWICK
line 0742Some six miles off the Duke is with the soldiers,
line 0743And, for your brother, he was lately sent
line 0744From your kind aunt, Duchess of Burgundy,
line 0745With aid of soldiers to this needful war.
RICHARD
150line 0746’Twas odds, belike, when valiant Warwick fled.
line 0747Oft have I heard his praises in pursuit,
line 0748But ne’er till now his scandal of retire.
WARWICK
line 0749Nor now my scandal, Richard, dost thou hear?
line 0750For thou shalt know this strong right hand of mine
155line 0751Can pluck the diadem from faint Henry’s head
line 0752And wring the awful scepter from his fist,
line 0753Were he as famous and as bold in war
line 0754As he is famed for mildness, peace, and prayer.
RICHARD
line 0755I know it well, Lord Warwick; blame me not.
160line 0756’Tis love I bear thy glories make me speak.
line 0757But in this troublous time, what’s to be done?
line 0758Shall we go throw away our coats of steel
line 0759And wrap our bodies in black mourning gowns,
line 0760Numb’ring our Ave Marys with our beads?
165line 0761Or shall we on the helmets of our foes
line 0762Tell our devotion with revengeful arms?
line 0763If for the last, say “Ay,” and to it, lords.
WARWICK
line 0764Why, therefore Warwick came to seek you out,
line 0765And therefore comes my brother Montague.
170line 0766Attend me, lords: the proud insulting queen,
line 0767With Clifford and the haught Northumberland
line 0768And of their feather many more proud birds,
line 0769Have wrought the easy-melting king like wax.
Act 2 Scene 1 - Pg 71
line 0770He swore consent to your succession,
175line 0771His oath enrollèd in the Parliament.
line 0772And now to London all the crew are gone
line 0773To frustrate both his oath and what beside
line 0774May make against the house of Lancaster.
line 0775Their power, I think, is thirty thousand strong.
180line 0776Now, if the help of Norfolk and myself,
line 0777With all the friends that thou, brave Earl of March,
line 0778Amongst the loving Welshmen canst procure,
line 0779Will but amount to five and twenty thousand,
line 0780Why, via, to London will we march,
185line 0781And once again bestride our foaming steeds,
line 0782And once again cry “Charge!” upon our foes,
line 0783But never once again turn back and fly.
RICHARD
line 0784Ay, now methinks I hear great Warwick speak.
line 0785Ne’er may he live to see a sunshine day
190line 0786That cries “Retire!” if Warwick bid him stay.
EDWARD
line 0787Lord Warwick, on thy shoulder will I lean,
line 0788And when thou fail’st—as God forbid the hour!—
line 0789Must Edward fall, which peril heaven forfend.
WARWICK
line 0790No longer Earl of March, but Duke of York;
195line 0791The next degree is England’s royal throne:
line 0792For King of England shalt thou be proclaimed
line 0793In every borough as we pass along,
line 0794And he that throws not up his cap for joy
line 0795Shall for the fault make forfeit of his head.
200line 0796King Edward, valiant Richard, Montague,
line 0797Stay we no longer dreaming of renown,
line 0798But sound the trumpets and about our task.
RICHARD
line 0799Then, Clifford, were thy heart as hard as steel,
line 0800As thou hast shown it flinty by thy deeds,
205line 0801I come to pierce it or to give thee mine.
Act 2 Scene 2 - Pg 73
EDWARD
line 0802Then strike up drums! God and Saint George for us!
Enter a Messenger.
line 0803WARWICKHow now, what news?
MESSENGER
line 0804The Duke of Norfolk sends you word by me,
line 0805The Queen is coming with a puissant host,
210line 0806And craves your company for speedy counsel.
WARWICK
line 0807Why, then it sorts. Brave warriors, let’s away!
They all exit.
Scene 2
Flourish. Enter King Henry, Queen Margaret, Clifford, Northumberland, and young Prince Edward, all wearing the red rose with Drum and Trumpets, the head of York fixed above them.
QUEEN MARGARETto King Henry
line 0808Welcome, my lord, to this brave town of York.
line 0809Yonder’s the head of that arch-enemy
line 0810That sought to be encompassed with your crown.
line 0811Doth not the object cheer your heart, my lord?
KING HENRY
5line 0812Ay, as the rocks cheer them that fear their wrack!
line 0813To see this sight, it irks my very soul.
line 0814Withhold revenge, dear God! ’Tis not my fault,
line 0815Nor wittingly have I infringed my vow.
CLIFFORD
line 0816My gracious liege, this too much lenity
10line 0817And harmful pity must be laid aside.
line 0818To whom do lions cast their gentle looks?
line 0819Not to the beast that would usurp their den.
line 0820Whose hand is that the forest bear doth lick?
Act 2 Scene 2 - Pg 75
line 0821Not his that spoils her young before her face.
15line 0822Who scapes the lurking serpent’s mortal sting?
line 0823Not he that sets his foot upon her back.
line 0824The smallest worm will turn, being trodden on,
line 0825And doves will peck in safeguard of their brood.
line 0826Ambitious York did level at thy crown,
20line 0827Thou smiling while he knit his angry brows.
line 0828He, but a duke, would have his son a king
line 0829And raise his issue like a loving sire;
line 0830Thou being a king, blest with a goodly son,
line 0831Didst yield consent to disinherit him,
25line 0832Which argued thee a most unloving father.
line 0833Unreasonable creatures feed their young;
line 0834And though man’s face be fearful to their eyes,
line 0835Yet in protection of their tender ones,
line 0836Who hath not seen them, even with those wings
30line 0837Which sometime they have used with fearful flight,
line 0838Make war with him that climbed unto their nest,
line 0839Offering their own lives in their young’s defense?
line 0840For shame, my liege, make them your precedent.
line 0841Were it not pity that this goodly boy
35line 0842Should lose his birthright by his father’s fault,
line 0843And long hereafter say unto his child
line 0844“What my great-grandfather and grandsire got,
line 0845My careless father fondly gave away”?
line 0846Ah, what a shame were this! Look on the boy,
40line 0847And let his manly face, which promiseth
line 0848Successful fortune, steel thy melting heart
line 0849To hold thine own and leave thine own with him.
KING HENRY
line 0850Full well hath Clifford played the orator,
line 0851Inferring arguments of mighty force.
45line 0852But, Clifford, tell me, didst thou never hear
line 0853That things ill got had ever bad success?
line 0854And happy always was it for that son
line 0855Whose father for his hoarding went to hell?
Act 2 Scene 2 - Pg 77
line 0856I’ll leave my son my virtuous deeds behind,
50line 0857And would my father had left me no more;
line 0858For all the rest is held at such a rate
line 0859As brings a thousandfold more care to keep
line 0860Than in possession any jot of pleasure.
line 0861Ah, cousin York, would thy best friends did know
55line 0862How it doth grieve me that thy head is here.
QUEEN MARGARET
line 0863My lord, cheer up your spirits; our foes are nigh,
line 0864And this soft courage makes your followers faint.
line 0865You promised knighthood to our forward son.
line 0866Unsheathe your sword and dub him presently.—
60line 0867Edward, kneel down.He kneels.
KING HENRYdubbing him knight
line 0868Edward Plantagenet, arise a knight,
line 0869And learn this lesson: draw thy sword in right.
PRINCE EDWARDrising
line 0870My gracious father, by your kingly leave,
line 0871I’ll draw it as apparent to the crown
65line 0872And in that quarrel use it to the death.
CLIFFORD
line 0873Why, that is spoken like a toward prince.
Enter a Messenger.
MESSENGER
line 0874Royal commanders, be in readiness,
line 0875For with a band of thirty thousand men
line 0876Comes Warwick backing of the Duke of York,
70line 0877And in the towns as they do march along
line 0878Proclaims him king, and many fly to him.
line 0879Deraign your battle, for they are at hand.He exits.
CLIFFORD
line 0880I would your Highness would depart the field.
line 0881The Queen hath best success when you are absent.
QUEEN MARGARET
75line 0882Ay, good my lord, and leave us to our fortune.
Act 2 Scene 2 - Pg 79
KING HENRY
line 0883Why, that’s my fortune too; therefore I’ll stay.
NORTHUMBERLAND
line 0884Be it with resolution, then, to fight.
PRINCE EDWARD
line 0885My royal father, cheer these noble lords
line 0886And hearten those that fight in your defense.
80line 0887Unsheathe your sword, good father; cry “Saint
line 0888George!”
March. Enter Edward, Warwick, Richard, George, Norfolk, Montague, and Soldiers, all wearing the white rose.
EDWARD
line 0889Now, perjured Henry, wilt thou kneel for grace
line 0890And set thy diadem upon my head,
line 0891Or bide the mortal fortune of the field?
QUEEN MARGARET
85line 0892Go rate thy minions, proud insulting boy.
line 0893Becomes it thee to be thus bold in terms
line 0894Before thy sovereign and thy lawful king?
EDWARD
line 0895I am his king, and he should bow his knee.
line 0896I was adopted heir by his consent.
90line 0897Since when, his oath is broke; for, as I hear,
line 0898You that are king, though he do wear the crown,
line 0899Have caused him, by new act of Parliament,
line 0900To blot out me and put his own son in.
line 0901CLIFFORDAnd reason too:
95line 0902Who should succeed the father but the son?
RICHARD
line 0903Are you there, butcher? O, I cannot speak!
CLIFFORD
line 0904Ay, crookback, here I stand to answer thee,
line 0905Or any he, the proudest of thy sort.
Act 2 Scene 2 - Pg 81
RICHARD
line 0906’Twas you that killed young Rutland, was it not?
CLIFFORD
100line 0907Ay, and old York, and yet not satisfied.
RICHARD
line 0908For God’s sake, lords, give signal to the fight!
WARWICK
line 0909What sayst thou, Henry? Wilt thou yield the crown?
QUEEN MARGARET
line 0910Why, how now, long-tongued Warwick, dare you
line 0911speak?
105line 0912When you and I met at Saint Albans last,
line 0913Your legs did better service than your hands.
WARWICK
line 0914Then ’twas my turn to fly, and now ’tis thine.
CLIFFORD
line 0915You said so much before, and yet you fled.
WARWICK
line 0916’Twas not your valor, Clifford, drove me thence.
NORTHUMBERLAND
110line 0917No, nor your manhood that durst make you stay.
RICHARD
line 0918Northumberland, I hold thee reverently.—
line 0919Break off the parley, for scarce I can refrain
line 0920The execution of my big-swoll’n heart
line 0921Upon that Clifford, that cruel child-killer.
CLIFFORD
115line 0922I slew thy father; call’st thou him a child?
RICHARD
line 0923Ay, like a dastard and a treacherous coward,
line 0924As thou didst kill our tender brother Rutland.
line 0925But ere sunset I’ll make thee curse the deed.
KING HENRY
line 0926Have done with words, my lords, and hear me
120line 0927speak.
Act 2 Scene 2 - Pg 83
QUEEN MARGARET
line 0928Defy them, then, or else hold close thy lips.
KING HENRY
line 0929I prithee, give no limits to my tongue.
line 0930I am a king and privileged to speak.
CLIFFORD
line 0931My liege, the wound that bred this meeting here
125line 0932Cannot be cured by words; therefore, be still.
RICHARD
line 0933Then, executioner, unsheathe thy sword.
line 0934By Him that made us all, I am resolved
line 0935That Clifford’s manhood lies upon his tongue.
EDWARD
line 0936Say, Henry, shall I have my right or no?
130line 0937A thousand men have broke their fasts today
line 0938That ne’er shall dine unless thou yield the crown.
WARWICK
line 0939If thou deny, their blood upon thy head,
line 0940For York in justice puts his armor on.
PRINCE EDWARD
line 0941If that be right which Warwick says is right,
135line 0942There is no wrong, but everything is right.
RICHARD
line 0943Whoever got thee, there thy mother stands,
line 0944For well I wot thou hast thy mother’s tongue.
QUEEN MARGARET
line 0945But thou art neither like thy sire nor dam,
line 0946But like a foul misshapen stigmatic,
140line 0947Marked by the Destinies to be avoided,
line 0948As venom toads or lizards’ dreadful stings.
RICHARD
line 0949Iron of Naples, hid with English gilt,
line 0950Whose father bears the title of a king,
line 0951As if a channel should be called the sea,
Act 2 Scene 2 - Pg 85
145line 0952Sham’st thou not, knowing whence thou art
line 0953extraught,
line 0954To let thy tongue detect thy baseborn heart?
EDWARD
line 0955A wisp of straw were worth a thousand crowns
line 0956To make this shameless callet know herself.—
150line 0957Helen of Greece was fairer far than thou,
line 0958Although thy husband may be Menelaus;
line 0959And ne’er was Agamemnon’s brother wronged
line 0960By that false woman as this king by thee.
line 0961His father reveled in the heart of France,
155line 0962And tamed the King, and made the Dauphin stoop;
line 0963And had he matched according to his state,
line 0964He might have kept that glory to this day.
line 0965But when he took a beggar to his bed
line 0966And graced thy poor sire with his bridal day,
160line 0967Even then that sunshine brewed a shower for him
line 0968That washed his father’s fortunes forth of France
line 0969And heaped sedition on his crown at home.
line 0970For what hath broached this tumult but thy pride?
line 0971Hadst thou been meek, our title still had slept,
165line 0972And we, in pity of the gentle king,
line 0973Had slipped our claim until another age.
GEORGE
line 0974But when we saw our sunshine made thy spring,
line 0975And that thy summer bred us no increase,
line 0976We set the axe to thy usurping root;
170line 0977And though the edge hath something hit ourselves,
line 0978Yet know thou, since we have begun to strike,
line 0979We’ll never leave till we have hewn thee down
line 0980Or bathed thy growing with our heated bloods.
EDWARD
line 0981And in this resolution, I defy thee,
175line 0982Not willing any longer conference,
line 0983Since thou denied’st the gentle king to speak.—
Act 2 Scene 3 - Pg 87
line 0984Sound, trumpets! Let our bloody colors wave;
line 0985And either victory or else a grave!
line 0986QUEEN MARGARETStay, Edward!
EDWARD
180line 0987No, wrangling woman, we’ll no longer stay.
line 0988These words will cost ten thousand lives this day.
They all exit.
Scene 3
Alarum. Excursions. Enter Warwick,wearing the white rose.
WARWICKlying down
line 0989Forspent with toil, as runners with a race,
line 0990I lay me down a little while to breathe,
line 0991For strokes received and many blows repaid
line 0992Have robbed my strong-knit sinews of their strength;
5line 0993And spite of spite, needs must I rest awhile.
Enter Edward, wearing the white rose, running.
EDWARD
line 0994Smile, gentle heaven, or strike, ungentle death,
line 0995For this world frowns and Edward’s sun is clouded.
Enter George, wearing the white rose.
WARWICKstanding
line 0996How now, my lord, what hap? What hope of good?
GEORGE
line 0997Our hap is loss, our hope but sad despair;
10line 0998Our ranks are broke, and ruin follows us.
line 0999What counsel give you? Whither shall we fly?
EDWARD
line 1000Bootless is flight; they follow us with wings,
line 1001And weak we are and cannot shun pursuit.
Act 2 Scene 3 - Pg 89
Enter Richard, wearing the white rose.
RICHARD
line 1002Ah, Warwick, why hast thou withdrawn thyself?
15line 1003Thy brother’s blood the thirsty earth hath drunk,
line 1004Broached with the steely point of Clifford’s lance,
line 1005And in the very pangs of death he cried,
line 1006Like to a dismal clangor heard from far,
line 1007“Warwick, revenge! Brother, revenge my death!”
20line 1008So, underneath the belly of their steeds,
line 1009That stained their fetlocks in his smoking blood,
line 1010The noble gentleman gave up the ghost.
WARWICK
line 1011Then let the earth be drunken with our blood!
line 1012I’ll kill my horse because I will not fly.
25line 1013Why stand we like soft-hearted women here,
line 1014Wailing our losses whiles the foe doth rage,
line 1015And look upon, as if the tragedy
line 1016Were played in jest by counterfeiting actors?
He kneels.
line 1017Here on my knee I vow to God above
30line 1018I’ll never pause again, never stand still,
line 1019Till either death hath closed these eyes of mine
line 1020Or Fortune given me measure of revenge.
EDWARD
line 1021O Warwick, I do bend my knee with thine,
line 1022And in this vow do chain my soul to thine
He kneels.
35line 1023And, ere my knee rise from the Earth’s cold face,
line 1024I throw my hands, mine eyes, my heart to Thee,
line 1025Thou setter up and plucker down of kings,
line 1026Beseeching Thee, if with Thy will it stands
line 1027That to my foes this body must be prey,
40line 1028Yet that Thy brazen gates of heaven may ope
line 1029And give sweet passage to my sinful soul.
Edward and Warwick stand.
Act 2 Scene 4 - Pg 91
line 1030Now, lords, take leave until we meet again,
line 1031Where’er it be, in heaven or in Earth.
RICHARD
line 1032Brother, give me thy hand.—And, gentle Warwick,
45line 1033Let me embrace thee in my weary arms.
line 1034I that did never weep now melt with woe
line 1035That winter should cut off our springtime so.
WARWICK
line 1036Away, away! Once more, sweet lords, farewell.
GEORGE
line 1037Yet let us all together to our troops
50line 1038And give them leave to fly that will not stay,
line 1039And call them pillars that will stand to us;
line 1040And, if we thrive, promise them such rewards
line 1041As victors wear at the Olympian Games.
line 1042This may plant courage in their quailing breasts,
55line 1043For yet is hope of life and victory.
line 1044Forslow no longer; make we hence amain.
They exit.
Scene 4
Excursions. Enter, at separate doors, Richard wearingthe white rose, and Clifford, wearing the red rose.
RICHARD
line 1045Now, Clifford, I have singled thee alone.
line 1046Suppose this arm is for the Duke of York,
line 1047And this for Rutland, both bound to revenge,
line 1048Wert thou environed with a brazen wall.
CLIFFORD
5line 1049Now, Richard, I am with thee here alone.
line 1050This is the hand that stabbed thy father York,
line 1051And this the hand that slew thy brother Rutland,
line 1052And here’s the heart that triumphs in their death
line 1053And cheers these hands that slew thy sire and brother
Act 2 Scene 5 - Pg 93
10line 1054To execute the like upon thyself.
line 1055And so, have at thee!
They fight; Warwick comes; Clifford flies.
RICHARD
line 1056Nay, Warwick, single out some other chase,
line 1057For I myself will hunt this wolf to death.
They exit.
Scene 5
Alarum. Enter King Henry alone, wearing the red rose.
KING HENRY
line 1058This battle fares like to the morning’s war,
line 1059When dying clouds contend with growing light,
line 1060What time the shepherd, blowing of his nails,
line 1061Can neither call it perfect day nor night.
5line 1062Now sways it this way, like a mighty sea
line 1063Forced by the tide to combat with the wind;
line 1064Now sways it that way, like the selfsame sea
line 1065Forced to retire by fury of the wind.
line 1066Sometime the flood prevails, and then the wind;
10line 1067Now one the better, then another best,
line 1068Both tugging to be victors, breast to breast,
line 1069Yet neither conqueror nor conquerèd.
line 1070So is the equal poise of this fell war.
line 1071Here on this molehill will I sit me down.
He sits on a small prominence.
15line 1072To whom God will, there be the victory;
line 1073For Margaret my queen and Clifford too
line 1074Have chid me from the battle, swearing both
line 1075They prosper best of all when I am thence.
line 1076Would I were dead, if God’s good will were so,
20line 1077For what is in this world but grief and woe?
line 1078O God! Methinks it were a happy life
Act 2 Scene 5 - Pg 95
line 1079To be no better than a homely swain,
line 1080To sit upon a hill as I do now,
line 1081To carve out dials quaintly, point by point,
25line 1082Thereby to see the minutes how they run:
line 1083How many makes the hour full complete,
line 1084How many hours brings about the day,
line 1085How many days will finish up the year,
line 1086How many years a mortal man may live.
30line 1087When this is known, then to divide the times:
line 1088So many hours must I tend my flock,
line 1089So many hours must I take my rest,
line 1090So many hours must I contemplate,
line 1091So many hours must I sport myself,
35line 1092So many days my ewes have been with young,
line 1093So many weeks ere the poor fools will ean,
line 1094So many years ere I shall shear the fleece;
line 1095So minutes, hours, days, months, and years,
line 1096Passed over to the end they were created,
40line 1097Would bring white hairs unto a quiet grave.
line 1098Ah, what a life were this! How sweet, how lovely!
line 1099Gives not the hawthorn bush a sweeter shade
line 1100To shepherds looking on their silly sheep
line 1101Than doth a rich embroidered canopy
45line 1102To kings that fear their subjects’ treachery?
line 1103O yes, it doth, a thousandfold it doth.
line 1104And to conclude, the shepherd’s homely curds,
line 1105His cold thin drink out of his leather bottle,
line 1106His wonted sleep under a fresh tree’s shade,
50line 1107All which secure and sweetly he enjoys,
line 1108Is far beyond a prince’s delicates—
line 1109His viands sparkling in a golden cup,
line 1110His body couchèd in a curious bed—
line 1111When care, mistrust, and treason waits on him.
Alarum. Enter at one door a Son that hath killed his Father, carrying the body.
Act 2 Scene 5 - Pg 97
SON
55line 1112Ill blows the wind that profits nobody.
line 1113This man, whom hand to hand I slew in fight,
line 1114May be possessèd with some store of crowns,
line 1115And I, that haply take them from him now,
line 1116May yet ere night yield both my life and them
60line 1117To some man else, as this dead man doth me.
line 1118Who’s this? O God! It is my father’s face,
line 1119Whom in this conflict I unwares have killed.
line 1120O heavy times, begetting such events!
line 1121From London by the King was I pressed forth.
65line 1122My father, being the Earl of Warwick’s man,
line 1123Came on the part of York, pressed by his master.
line 1124And I, who at his hands received my life,
line 1125Have by my hands of life bereavèd him.
line 1126Pardon me, God, I knew not what I did;
70line 1127And pardon, father, for I knew not thee.
line 1128My tears shall wipe away these bloody marks,
line 1129And no more words till they have flowed their fill.
He weeps.
KING HENRY
line 1130O piteous spectacle! O bloody times!
line 1131Whiles lions war and battle for their dens,
75line 1132Poor harmless lambs abide their enmity.
line 1133Weep, wretched man. I’ll aid thee tear for tear,
line 1134And let our hearts and eyes, like civil war,
line 1135Be blind with tears and break, o’ercharged with grief.
Enter at another door a Father that hath killed his Son, bearing of his Son’s body.
FATHER
line 1136Thou that so stoutly hath resisted me,
80line 1137Give me thy gold, if thou hast any gold,
line 1138For I have bought it with an hundred blows.
line 1139But let me see: is this our foeman’s face?
line 1140Ah, no, no, no, it is mine only son!
Act 2 Scene 5 - Pg 99
line 1141Ah, boy, if any life be left in thee,
85line 1142Throw up thine eye! See, see, what showers arise,
line 1143Blown with the windy tempest of my heart
line 1144Upon thy wounds, that kills mine eye and heart!
line 1145O, pity God this miserable age!
line 1146What stratagems, how fell, how butcherly,
90line 1147Erroneous, mutinous, and unnatural
line 1148This deadly quarrel daily doth beget!
line 1149O, boy, thy father gave thee life too soon,
line 1150And hath bereft thee of thy life too late!
KING HENRY
line 1151Woe above woe, grief more than common grief!
95line 1152O, that my death would stay these ruthful deeds!
line 1153O pity, pity, gentle heaven, pity!
line 1154The red rose and the white are on his face,
line 1155The fatal colors of our striving houses;
line 1156The one his purple blood right well resembles,
100line 1157The other his pale cheeks methinks presenteth.
line 1158Wither one rose and let the other flourish;
line 1159If you contend, a thousand lives must wither.
SON
line 1160How will my mother for a father’s death
line 1161Take on with me and ne’er be satisfied!
FATHER
105line 1162How will my wife for slaughter of my son
line 1163Shed seas of tears and ne’er be satisfied!
KING HENRY
line 1164How will the country for these woeful chances
line 1165Misthink the King and not be satisfied!
SON
line 1166Was ever son so rued a father’s death?
FATHER
110line 1167Was ever father so bemoaned his son?
KING HENRY
line 1168Was ever king so grieved for subjects’ woe?
line 1169Much is your sorrow, mine ten times so much.
Act 2 Scene 5 - Pg 101
SON
line 1170I’ll bear thee hence, where I may weep my fill.
He exits, bearing the body.
FATHER
line 1171These arms of mine shall be thy winding-sheet;
115line 1172My heart, sweet boy, shall be thy sepulcher,
line 1173For from my heart thine image ne’er shall go.
line 1174My sighing breast shall be thy funeral bell;
line 1175And so obsequious will thy father be
line 1176E’en for the loss of thee, having no more,
120line 1177As Priam was for all his valiant sons.
line 1178I’ll bear thee hence, and let them fight that will,
line 1179For I have murdered where I should not kill.
He exits, bearing the body.
KING HENRY
line 1180Sad-hearted men, much overgone with care,
line 1181Here sits a king more woeful than you are.
Alarums. Excursions. Enter Queen Margaret, PrinceEdward, and Exeter, all wearing the red rose.
PRINCE EDWARD
125line 1182Fly, father, fly, for all your friends are fled,
line 1183And Warwick rages like a chafèd bull.
line 1184Away, for Death doth hold us in pursuit.
QUEEN MARGARET
line 1185Mount you, my lord; towards Berwick post amain.
line 1186Edward and Richard, like a brace of greyhounds
130line 1187Having the fearful flying hare in sight,
line 1188With fiery eyes sparkling for very wrath
line 1189And bloody steel grasped in their ireful hands,
line 1190Are at our backs, and therefore hence amain.
EXETER
line 1191Away, for Vengeance comes along with them.
135line 1192Nay, stay not to expostulate, make speed;
line 1193Or else come after; I’ll away before.
Act 2 Scene 6 - Pg 103
KING HENRY
line 1194Nay, take me with thee, good sweet Exeter;
line 1195Not that I fear to stay, but love to go
line 1196Whither the Queen intends. Forward, away!
They exit.
Scene 6
A loud alarum. Enter Clifford, wearing the red rose, wounded.
CLIFFORD
line 1197Here burns my candle out; ay, here it dies,
line 1198Which whiles it lasted gave King Henry light.
line 1199O Lancaster, I fear thy overthrow
line 1200More than my body’s parting with my soul!
5line 1201My love and fear glued many friends to thee;
line 1202And now I fall, thy tough commixtures melts,
line 1203Impairing Henry, strength’ning misproud York;
line 1204And whither fly the gnats but to the sun?
line 1205And who shines now but Henry’s enemies?
10line 1206O Phoebus, hadst thou never given consent
line 1207That Phaëton should check thy fiery steeds,
line 1208Thy burning car never had scorched the Earth!
line 1209And Henry, hadst thou swayed as kings should do,
line 1210Or as thy father and his father did,
15line 1211Giving no ground unto the house of York,
line 1212They never then had sprung like summer flies;
line 1213I and ten thousand in this luckless realm
line 1214Had left no mourning widows for our death,
line 1215And thou this day hadst kept thy chair in peace.
20line 1216For what doth cherish weeds but gentle air?
line 1217And what makes robbers bold but too much lenity?
line 1218Bootless are plaints, and cureless are my wounds;
line 1219No way to fly, no strength to hold out flight.
line 1220The foe is merciless and will not pity,
Act 2 Scene 6 - Pg 105
25line 1221For at their hands I have deserved no pity.
line 1222The air hath got into my deadly wounds,
line 1223And much effuse of blood doth make me faint.
line 1224Come, York and Richard, Warwick and the rest.
line 1225I stabbed your fathers’ bosoms; split my breast.
He faints.
Alarum and retreat. Enter Edward, Warwick, Richard, and Soldiers, Montague, and George, all wearing the white rose.
EDWARD
30line 1226Now breathe we, lords. Good fortune bids us pause
line 1227And smooth the frowns of war with peaceful looks.
line 1228Some troops pursue the bloody-minded queen
line 1229That led calm Henry, though he were a king,
line 1230As doth a sail filled with a fretting gust
35line 1231Command an argosy to stem the waves.
line 1232But think you, lords, that Clifford fled with them?
WARWICK
line 1233No, ’tis impossible he should escape,
line 1234For, though before his face I speak the words,
line 1235Your brother Richard marked him for the grave,
40line 1236And wheresoe’er he is, he’s surely dead.
Clifford groans, and dies.
RICHARD
line 1237Whose soul is that which takes her heavy leave?
line 1238A deadly groan, like life and death’s departing.
EDWARD
line 1239See who it is; and, now the battle’s ended,
line 1240If friend or foe, let him be gently used.
RICHARD
45line 1241Revoke that doom of mercy, for ’tis Clifford,
line 1242Who not contented that he lopped the branch
line 1243In hewing Rutland when his leaves put forth,
line 1244But set his murd’ring knife unto the root
Act 2 Scene 6 - Pg 107
line 1245From whence that tender spray did sweetly spring,
50line 1246I mean our princely father, Duke of York.
WARWICK
line 1247From off the gates of York fetch down the head,
line 1248Your father’s head, which Clifford placèd there;
line 1249Instead whereof let this supply the room.
line 1250Measure for measure must be answerèd.
EDWARD
55line 1251Bring forth that fatal screech owl to our house
line 1252That nothing sung but death to us and ours;
line 1253Now death shall stop his dismal threat’ning sound,
line 1254And his ill-boding tongue no more shall speak.
WARWICK
line 1255I think his understanding is bereft.—
60line 1256Speak, Clifford, dost thou know who speaks to
line 1257thee?—
line 1258Dark cloudy death o’ershades his beams of life,
line 1259And he nor sees nor hears us what we say.
RICHARD
line 1260O, would he did—and so, perhaps, he doth!
65line 1261’Tis but his policy to counterfeit,
line 1262Because he would avoid such bitter taunts
line 1263Which in the time of death he gave our father.
GEORGE
line 1264If so thou think’st, vex him with eager words.
RICHARD
line 1265Clifford, ask mercy and obtain no grace.
EDWARD
70line 1266Clifford, repent in bootless penitence.
WARWICK
line 1267Clifford, devise excuses for thy faults.
GEORGE
line 1268While we devise fell tortures for thy faults.
RICHARD
line 1269Thou didst love York, and I am son to York.
Act 2 Scene 6 - Pg 109
EDWARD
line 1270Thou pitied’st Rutland; I will pity thee.
GEORGE
75line 1271Where’s Captain Margaret to fence you now?
WARWICK
line 1272They mock thee, Clifford; swear as thou wast wont.
RICHARD
line 1273What, not an oath? Nay, then, the world goes hard
line 1274When Clifford cannot spare his friends an oath.
line 1275I know by that he’s dead; and, by my soul,
80line 1276If this right hand would buy but two hours’ life
line 1277That I in all despite might rail at him,
line 1278This hand should chop it off, and with the issuing
line 1279blood
line 1280Stifle the villain whose unstaunchèd thirst
85line 1281York and young Rutland could not satisfy.
WARWICK
line 1282Ay, but he’s dead. Off with the traitor’s head,
line 1283And rear it in the place your father’s stands.
line 1284And now to London with triumphant march,
line 1285There to be crownèd England’s royal king,
90line 1286From whence shall Warwick cut the sea to France
line 1287And ask the Lady Bona for thy queen;
line 1288So shalt thou sinew both these lands together,
line 1289And having France thy friend, thou shalt not dread
line 1290The scattered foe that hopes to rise again;
95line 1291For though they cannot greatly sting to hurt,
line 1292Yet look to have them buzz to offend thine ears.
line 1293First will I see the coronation,
line 1294And then to Brittany I’ll cross the sea
line 1295To effect this marriage, so it please my lord.
EDWARD
100line 1296Even as thou wilt, sweet Warwick, let it be;
line 1297For in thy shoulder do I build my seat,
line 1298And never will I undertake the thing
line 1299Wherein thy counsel and consent is wanting.—
Act 2 Scene 6 - Pg 111
line 1300Richard, I will create thee Duke of Gloucester,
105line 1301And George, of Clarence. Warwick as ourself
line 1302Shall do and undo as him pleaseth best.
RICHARD
line 1303Let me be Duke of Clarence, George of Gloucester,
line 1304For Gloucester’s dukedom is too ominous.
WARWICK
line 1305Tut, that’s a foolish observation.
110line 1306Richard, be Duke of Gloucester. Now to London,
line 1307To see these honors in possession.
They exit, with Clifford’s body.
ACT 3
Scene 1
Enter two Gamekeepers, with crossbows in their hands.
FIRST GAMEKEEPER
line 1308Under this thick-grown brake we’ll shroud ourselves,
line 1309For through this laund anon the deer will come;
line 1310And in this covert will we make our stand,
line 1311Culling the principal of all the deer.
SECOND GAMEKEEPER
5line 1312I’ll stay above the hill, so both may shoot.
FIRST GAMEKEEPER
line 1313That cannot be. The noise of thy crossbow
line 1314Will scare the herd, and so my shoot is lost.
line 1315Here stand we both, and aim we at the best.
line 1316And for the time shall not seem tedious,
10line 1317I’ll tell thee what befell me on a day
line 1318In this self place where now we mean to stand.
SECOND GAMEKEEPER
line 1319Here comes a man; let’s stay till he be past.
Enter King Henry, in disguise, with a prayer book.
KING HENRY
line 1320From Scotland am I stol’n, even of pure love,
line 1321To greet mine own land with my wishful sight.
15line 1322No, Harry, Harry, ’tis no land of thine!
line 1323Thy place is filled, thy scepter wrung from thee,
Act 3 Scene 1 - Pg 117
line 1324Thy balm washed off wherewith thou wast anointed.
line 1325No bending knee will call thee Caesar now,
line 1326No humble suitors press to speak for right,
20line 1327No, not a man comes for redress of thee;
line 1328For how can I help them an not myself?
FIRST GAMEKEEPERaside to Second Gamekeeper
line 1329Ay, here’s a deer whose skin’s a keeper’s fee.
line 1330This is the quondam king. Let’s seize upon him.
KING HENRY
line 1331Let me embrace the sour adversaries,
25line 1332For wise men say it is the wisest course.
SECOND GAMEKEEPERaside to First Gamekeeper
line 1333Why linger we? Let us lay hands upon him.
FIRST GAMEKEEPERaside to Second Gamekeeper
line 1334Forbear awhile; we’ll hear a little more.
KING HENRY
line 1335My queen and son are gone to France for aid,
line 1336And, as I hear, the great commanding Warwick
30line 1337Is thither gone to crave the French king’s sister
line 1338To wife for Edward. If this news be true,
line 1339Poor queen and son, your labor is but lost,
line 1340For Warwick is a subtle orator,
line 1341And Lewis a prince soon won with moving words.
35line 1342By this account, then, Margaret may win him,
line 1343For she’s a woman to be pitied much.
line 1344Her sighs will make a batt’ry in his breast,
line 1345Her tears will pierce into a marble heart.
line 1346The tiger will be mild whiles she doth mourn,
40line 1347And Nero will be tainted with remorse
line 1348To hear and see her plaints, her brinish tears.
line 1349Ay, but she’s come to beg, Warwick to give;
line 1350She on his left side craving aid for Henry;
line 1351He on his right asking a wife for Edward.
45line 1352She weeps and says her Henry is deposed;
line 1353He smiles and says his Edward is installed;
line 1354That she, poor wretch, for grief can speak no more,
Act 3 Scene 1 - Pg 119
line 1355Whiles Warwick tells his title, smooths the wrong,
line 1356Inferreth arguments of mighty strength,
50line 1357And in conclusion wins the King from her
line 1358With promise of his sister and what else
line 1359To strengthen and support King Edward’s place.
line 1360O Margaret, thus ’twill be, and thou, poor soul,
line 1361Art then forsaken, as thou went’st forlorn.
SECOND GAMEKEEPER
55line 1362Say, what art thou that talk’st of kings and queens?
KING HENRY
line 1363More than I seem, and less than I was born to:
line 1364A man at least, for less I should not be;
line 1365And men may talk of kings, and why not I?
SECOND GAMEKEEPER
line 1366Ay, but thou talk’st as if thou wert a king.
KING HENRY
60line 1367Why, so I am in mind, and that’s enough.
SECOND GAMEKEEPER
line 1368But if thou be a king, where is thy crown?
KING HENRY
line 1369My crown is in my heart, not on my head;
line 1370Not decked with diamonds and Indian stones,
line 1371Nor to be seen. My crown is called content;
65line 1372A crown it is that seldom kings enjoy.
SECOND GAMEKEEPER
line 1373Well, if you be a king crowned with content,
line 1374Your crown content and you must be contented
line 1375To go along with us. For, as we think,
line 1376You are the king King Edward hath deposed;
70line 1377And we his subjects sworn in all allegiance
line 1378Will apprehend you as his enemy.
KING HENRY
line 1379But did you never swear and break an oath?
SECOND GAMEKEEPER
line 1380No, never such an oath, nor will not now.
Act 3 Scene 1 - Pg 121
KING HENRY
line 1381Where did you dwell when I was King of England?
SECOND GAMEKEEPER
75line 1382Here in this country, where we now remain.
KING HENRY
line 1383I was anointed king at nine months old.
line 1384My father and my grandfather were kings,
line 1385And you were sworn true subjects unto me.
line 1386And tell me, then, have you not broke your oaths?
FIRST GAMEKEEPER
80line 1387No, for we were subjects but while you were king.
KING HENRY
line 1388Why, am I dead? Do I not breathe a man?
line 1389Ah, simple men, you know not what you swear.
line 1390Look as I blow this feather from my face
line 1391And as the air blows it to me again,
85line 1392Obeying with my wind when I do blow
line 1393And yielding to another when it blows,
line 1394Commanded always by the greater gust,
line 1395Such is the lightness of you common men.
line 1396But do not break your oaths, for of that sin
90line 1397My mild entreaty shall not make you guilty.
line 1398Go where you will, the King shall be commanded,
line 1399And be you kings: command, and I’ll obey.
FIRST GAMEKEEPER
line 1400We are true subjects to the King, King Edward.
KING HENRY
line 1401So would you be again to Henry
95line 1402If he were seated as King Edward is.
FIRST GAMEKEEPER
line 1403We charge you in God’s name and the King’s
line 1404To go with us unto the officers.
KING HENRY
line 1405In God’s name, lead. Your king’s name be obeyed,
line 1406And what God will, that let your king perform.
100line 1407And what he will, I humbly yield unto.
They exit.
Act 3 Scene 2 - Pg 123
Scene 2
Enter King Edward, Richard, Duke of Gloucester, George, Duke of Clarence, Lady Grey, and Attendants.
KING EDWARD
line 1408Brother of Gloucester, at Saint Albans field
line 1409This lady’s husband, Sir Richard Grey, was slain,
line 1410His land then seized on by the conqueror.
line 1411Her suit is now to repossess those lands,
5line 1412Which we in justice cannot well deny,
line 1413Because in quarrel of the house of York
line 1414The worthy gentleman did lose his life.
RICHARD
line 1415Your Highness shall do well to grant her suit;
line 1416It were dishonor to deny it her.
KING EDWARD
10line 1417It were no less, but yet I’ll make a pause.
line 1418RICHARDaside to Clarence Yea, is it so?
line 1419I see the lady hath a thing to grant
line 1420Before the King will grant her humble suit.
CLARENCEformerly GEORGE, aside to Richard
line 1421He knows the game; how true he keeps the wind!
15line 1422RICHARDaside to Clarence Silence!
KING EDWARD
line 1423Widow, we will consider of your suit,
line 1424And come some other time to know our mind.
LADY GREY
line 1425Right gracious lord, I cannot brook delay.
line 1426May it please your Highness to resolve me now,
20line 1427And what your pleasure is shall satisfy me.
RICHARDaside to Clarence
line 1428Ay, widow? Then I’ll warrant you all your lands,
line 1429An if what pleases him shall pleasure you.
line 1430Fight closer, or, good faith, you’ll catch a blow.
Act 3 Scene 2 - Pg 125
CLARENCEaside to Richard
line 1431I fear her not, unless she chance to fall.
RICHARDaside to Clarence
25line 1432God forbid that, for he’ll take vantages.
KING EDWARD
line 1433How many children hast thou, widow? Tell me.
CLARENCEaside to Richard
line 1434I think he means to beg a child of her.
RICHARDaside to Clarence
line 1435Nay, then, whip me; he’ll rather give her two.
line 1436LADY GREYThree, my most gracious lord.
RICHARDaside to Clarence
30line 1437You shall have four if you’ll be ruled by him.
KING EDWARD
line 1438’Twere pity they should lose their father’s lands.
LADY GREY
line 1439Be pitiful, dread lord, and grant it then.
KING EDWARD
line 1440Lords, give us leave. I’ll try this widow’s wit.
Richard and Clarence stand aside.
RICHARDaside to Clarence
line 1441Ay, good leave have you, for you will have leave
35line 1442Till youth take leave and leave you to the crutch.
KING EDWARD
line 1443Now tell me, madam, do you love your children?
LADY GREY
line 1444Ay, full as dearly as I love myself.
KING EDWARD
line 1445And would you not do much to do them good?
LADY GREY
line 1446To do them good I would sustain some harm.
KING EDWARD
40line 1447Then get your husband’s lands to do them good.
LADY GREY
line 1448Therefore I came unto your Majesty.
Act 3 Scene 2 - Pg 127
KING EDWARD
line 1449I’ll tell you how these lands are to be got.
LADY GREY
line 1450So shall you bind me to your Highness’ service.
KING EDWARD
line 1451What service wilt thou do me if I give them?
LADY GREY
45line 1452What you command that rests in me to do.
KING EDWARD
line 1453But you will take exceptions to my boon.
LADY GREY
line 1454No, gracious lord, except I cannot do it.
KING EDWARD
line 1455Ay, but thou canst do what I mean to ask.
LADY GREY
line 1456Why, then, I will do what your Grace commands.
RICHARDaside to Clarence
50line 1457He plies her hard, and much rain wears the marble.
CLARENCEaside to Richard
line 1458As red as fire! Nay, then, her wax must melt.
LADY GREY
line 1459Why stops my lord? Shall I not hear my task?
KING EDWARD
line 1460An easy task; ’tis but to love a king.
LADY GREY
line 1461That’s soon performed because I am a subject.
KING EDWARD
55line 1462Why, then, thy husband’s lands I freely give thee.
LADY GREY
line 1463I take my leave with many thousand thanks.
She curtsies and begins to exit.
RICHARDaside to Clarence
line 1464The match is made; she seals it with a cursy.
KING EDWARD
line 1465But stay thee; ’tis the fruits of love I mean.
Act 3 Scene 2 - Pg 129
LADY GREY
line 1466The fruits of love I mean, my loving liege.
KING EDWARD
60line 1467Ay, but, I fear me, in another sense.
line 1468What love, think’st thou, I sue so much to get?
LADY GREY
line 1469My love till death, my humble thanks, my prayers,
line 1470That love which virtue begs and virtue grants.
KING EDWARD
line 1471No, by my troth, I did not mean such love.
LADY GREY
65line 1472Why, then, you mean not as I thought you did.
KING EDWARD
line 1473But now you partly may perceive my mind.
LADY GREY
line 1474My mind will never grant what I perceive
line 1475Your Highness aims at, if I aim aright.
KING EDWARD
line 1476To tell thee plain, I aim to lie with thee.
LADY GREY
70line 1477To tell you plain, I had rather lie in prison.
KING EDWARD
line 1478Why, then, thou shalt not have thy husband’s lands.
LADY GREY
line 1479Why, then, mine honesty shall be my dower,
line 1480For by that loss I will not purchase them.
KING EDWARD
line 1481Therein thou wrong’st thy children mightily.
LADY GREY
75line 1482Herein your Highness wrongs both them and me.
line 1483But, mighty lord, this merry inclination
line 1484Accords not with the sadness of my suit.
line 1485Please you dismiss me either with ay or no.
KING EDWARD
line 1486Ay, if thou wilt say “ay” to my request;
80line 1487No, if thou dost say “no” to my demand.
Act 3 Scene 2 - Pg 131
LADY GREY
line 1488Then no, my lord; my suit is at an end.
RICHARDaside to Clarence
line 1489The widow likes him not; she knits her brows.
CLARENCEaside to Richard
line 1490He is the bluntest wooer in Christendom.
KING EDWARDaside
line 1491Her looks doth argue her replete with modesty;
85line 1492Her words doth show her wit incomparable;
line 1493All her perfections challenge sovereignty.
line 1494One way or other, she is for a king,
line 1495And she shall be my love or else my queen.—
line 1496Say that King Edward take thee for his queen?
LADY GREY
90line 1497’Tis better said than done, my gracious lord.
line 1498I am a subject fit to jest withal,
line 1499But far unfit to be a sovereign.
KING EDWARD
line 1500Sweet widow, by my state I swear to thee
line 1501I speak no more than what my soul intends,
95line 1502And that is, to enjoy thee for my love.
LADY GREY
line 1503And that is more than I will yield unto.
line 1504I know I am too mean to be your queen
line 1505And yet too good to be your concubine.
KING EDWARD
line 1506You cavil, widow; I did mean my queen.
LADY GREY
100line 1507’Twill grieve your Grace my sons should call you
line 1508father.
KING EDWARD
line 1509No more than when my daughters call thee mother.
line 1510Thou art a widow and thou hast some children,
line 1511And, by God’s mother, I, being but a bachelor,
105line 1512Have other some. Why, ’tis a happy thing
line 1513To be the father unto many sons.
line 1514Answer no more, for thou shalt be my queen.
Act 3 Scene 2 - Pg 133
RICHARDaside to Clarence
line 1515The ghostly father now hath done his shrift.
CLARENCEaside to Richard
line 1516When he was made a shriver, ’twas for shift.
KING EDWARD
110line 1517Brothers, you muse what chat we two have had.
RICHARD
line 1518The widow likes it not, for she looks very sad.
KING EDWARD
line 1519You’d think it strange if I should marry her.
CLARENCE
line 1520To who, my lord?
line 1521KING EDWARDWhy, Clarence, to myself.
RICHARD
115line 1522That would be ten days’ wonder at the least.
CLARENCE
line 1523That’s a day longer than a wonder lasts.
RICHARD
line 1524By so much is the wonder in extremes.
KING EDWARD
line 1525Well, jest on, brothers. I can tell you both
line 1526Her suit is granted for her husband’s lands.
Enter a Nobleman.
NOBLEMAN
120line 1527My gracious lord, Henry, your foe, is taken
line 1528And brought your prisoner to your palace gate.
KING EDWARD
line 1529See that he be conveyed unto the Tower.
Nobleman exits.
line 1530And go we, brothers, to the man that took him,
line 1531To question of his apprehension.—
125line 1532Widow, go you along.—Lords, use her honorably.
They exit. Richard remains.
Act 3 Scene 2 - Pg 135
RICHARD
line 1533Ay, Edward will use women honorably!
line 1534Would he were wasted—marrow, bones, and all—
line 1535That from his loins no hopeful branch may spring
line 1536To cross me from the golden time I look for.
130line 1537And yet, between my soul’s desire and me,
line 1538The lustful Edward’s title burièd,
line 1539Is Clarence, Henry, and his son, young Edward,
line 1540And all the unlooked-for issue of their bodies
line 1541To take their rooms ere I can place myself.
135line 1542A cold premeditation for my purpose.
line 1543Why, then, I do but dream on sovereignty
line 1544Like one that stands upon a promontory
line 1545And spies a far-off shore where he would tread,
line 1546Wishing his foot were equal with his eye,
140line 1547And chides the sea that sunders him from thence,
line 1548Saying he’ll lade it dry to have his way.
line 1549So do I wish the crown, being so far off,
line 1550And so I chide the means that keeps me from it,
line 1551And so, I say, I’ll cut the causes off,
145line 1552Flattering me with impossibilities.
line 1553My eye’s too quick, my heart o’erweens too much,
line 1554Unless my hand and strength could equal them.
line 1555Well, say there is no kingdom then for Richard,
line 1556What other pleasure can the world afford?
150line 1557I’ll make my heaven in a lady’s lap
line 1558And deck my body in gay ornaments,
line 1559And ’witch sweet ladies with my words and looks.
line 1560O miserable thought, and more unlikely
line 1561Than to accomplish twenty golden crowns!
155line 1562Why, Love forswore me in my mother’s womb,
line 1563And, for I should not deal in her soft laws,
line 1564She did corrupt frail Nature with some bribe
line 1565To shrink mine arm up like a withered shrub;
line 1566To make an envious mountain on my back,
Act 3 Scene 2 - Pg 137
160line 1567Where sits Deformity to mock my body;
line 1568To shape my legs of an unequal size;
line 1569To disproportion me in every part,
line 1570Like to a chaos, or an unlicked bear-whelp,
line 1571That carries no impression like the dam.
165line 1572And am I then a man to be beloved?
line 1573O monstrous fault to harbor such a thought!
line 1574Then, since this Earth affords no joy to me
line 1575But to command, to check, to o’erbear such
line 1576As are of better person than myself,
170line 1577I’ll make my heaven to dream upon the crown,
line 1578And, whiles I live, t’ account this world but hell
line 1579Until my misshaped trunk that bears this head
line 1580Be round impalèd with a glorious crown.
line 1581And yet I know not how to get the crown,
175line 1582For many lives stand between me and home;
line 1583And I, like one lost in a thorny wood,
line 1584That rents the thorns and is rent with the thorns,
line 1585Seeking a way and straying from the way,
line 1586Not knowing how to find the open air,
180line 1587But toiling desperately to find it out,
line 1588Torment myself to catch the English crown.
line 1589And from that torment I will free myself
line 1590Or hew my way out with a bloody axe.
line 1591Why, I can smile, and murder whiles I smile,
185line 1592And cry “Content” to that which grieves my heart,
line 1593And wet my cheeks with artificial tears,
line 1594And frame my face to all occasions.
line 1595I’ll drown more sailors than the mermaid shall;
line 1596I’ll slay more gazers than the basilisk;
190line 1597I’ll play the orator as well as Nestor,
line 1598Deceive more slyly than Ulysses could,
line 1599And, like a Sinon, take another Troy.
line 1600I can add colors to the chameleon,
line 1601Change shapes with Proteus for advantages,
Act 3 Scene 3 - Pg 139
195line 1602And set the murderous Machiavel to school.
line 1603Can I do this and cannot get a crown?
line 1604Tut, were it farther off, I’ll pluck it down.
He exits.
Scene 3
Flourish. Enter Lewis the French king, his sister the Lady Bona, his Admiral called Bourbon, Prince Edward, Queen Margaret, and the Earl of Oxford, the last three wearing the red rose.
Lewis sits, and riseth up again.
KING LEWIS
line 1605Fair Queen of England, worthy Margaret,
line 1606Sit down with us. It ill befits thy state
line 1607And birth that thou shouldst stand while Lewis
line 1608doth sit.
QUEEN MARGARET
5line 1609No, mighty King of France. Now Margaret
line 1610Must strike her sail and learn awhile to serve
line 1611Where kings command. I was, I must confess,
line 1612Great Albion’s queen in former golden days,
line 1613But now mischance hath trod my title down
10line 1614And with dishonor laid me on the ground,
line 1615Where I must take like seat unto my fortune
line 1616And to my humble seat conform myself.
KING LEWIS
line 1617Why, say, fair queen, whence springs this deep
line 1618despair?
QUEEN MARGARET
15line 1619From such a cause as fills mine eyes with tears
line 1620And stops my tongue, while heart is drowned in cares.
Act 3 Scene 3 - Pg 141
KING LEWIS
line 1621Whate’er it be, be thou still like thyself,
line 1622And sit thee by our side.Seats her by him.
line 1623Yield not thy neck
20line 1624To Fortune’s yoke, but let thy dauntless mind
line 1625Still ride in triumph over all mischance.
line 1626Be plain, Queen Margaret, and tell thy grief.
line 1627It shall be eased if France can yield relief.
QUEEN MARGARET
line 1628Those gracious words revive my drooping thoughts
25line 1629And give my tongue-tied sorrows leave to speak.
line 1630Now therefore be it known to noble Lewis
line 1631That Henry, sole possessor of my love,
line 1632Is, of a king, become a banished man
line 1633And forced to live in Scotland a forlorn;
30line 1634While proud ambitious Edward, Duke of York,
line 1635Usurps the regal title and the seat
line 1636Of England’s true-anointed lawful king.
line 1637This is the cause that I, poor Margaret,
line 1638With this my son, Prince Edward, Henry’s heir,
35line 1639Am come to crave thy just and lawful aid;
line 1640And if thou fail us, all our hope is done.
line 1641Scotland hath will to help but cannot help;
line 1642Our people and our peers are both misled,
line 1643Our treasure seized, our soldiers put to flight,
40line 1644And, as thou seest, ourselves in heavy plight.
KING LEWIS
line 1645Renownèd queen, with patience calm the storm
line 1646While we bethink a means to break it off.
QUEEN MARGARET
line 1647The more we stay, the stronger grows our foe.
KING LEWIS
line 1648The more I stay, the more I’ll succor thee.
QUEEN MARGARET
45line 1649O, but impatience waiteth on true sorrow.
Act 3 Scene 3 - Pg 143
Enter Warwick, wearing the white rose.
line 1650And see where comes the breeder of my sorrow.
KING LEWIS
line 1651What’s he approacheth boldly to our presence?
QUEEN MARGARET
line 1652Our Earl of Warwick, Edward’s greatest friend.
KING LEWISstanding
line 1653Welcome, brave Warwick. What brings thee to France?
He descends. She ariseth.
QUEEN MARGARETaside
50line 1654Ay, now begins a second storm to rise,
line 1655For this is he that moves both wind and tide.
WARWICK
line 1656From worthy Edward, King of Albion,
line 1657My lord and sovereign and thy vowèd friend,
line 1658I come in kindness and unfeignèd love,
55line 1659First, to do greetings to thy royal person,
line 1660And then to crave a league of amity,
line 1661And, lastly, to confirm that amity
line 1662With nuptial knot, if thou vouchsafe to grant
line 1663That virtuous Lady Bona, thy fair sister,
60line 1664To England’s king in lawful marriage.
QUEEN MARGARETaside
line 1665If that go forward, Henry’s hope is done.
WARWICKspeaking to Lady Bona
line 1666And, gracious madam, in our king’s behalf,
line 1667I am commanded, with your leave and favor,
line 1668Humbly to kiss your hand, and with my tongue
65line 1669To tell the passion of my sovereign’s heart,
line 1670Where fame, late ent’ring at his heedful ears,
line 1671Hath placed thy beauty’s image and thy virtue.
QUEEN MARGARET
line 1672King Lewis and Lady Bona, hear me speak
line 1673Before you answer Warwick. His demand
70line 1674Springs not from Edward’s well-meant honest love,
Act 3 Scene 3 - Pg 145
line 1675But from deceit, bred by necessity;
line 1676For how can tyrants safely govern home
line 1677Unless abroad they purchase great alliance?
line 1678To prove him tyrant, this reason may suffice:
75line 1679That Henry liveth still; but were he dead,
line 1680Yet here Prince Edward stands, King Henry’s son.
line 1681Look, therefore, Lewis, that by this league and
line 1682marriage
line 1683Thou draw not on thy danger and dishonor;
80line 1684For though usurpers sway the rule awhile,
line 1685Yet heav’ns are just, and time suppresseth wrongs.
WARWICK
line 1686Injurious Margaret!
line 1687PRINCE EDWARDAnd why not “Queen”?
WARWICK
line 1688Because thy father Henry did usurp,
85line 1689And thou no more art prince than she is queen.
OXFORD
line 1690Then Warwick disannuls great John of Gaunt,
line 1691Which did subdue the greatest part of Spain;
line 1692And after John of Gaunt, Henry the Fourth,
line 1693Whose wisdom was a mirror to the wisest;
90line 1694And after that wise prince, Henry the Fifth,
line 1695Who by his prowess conquerèd all France.
line 1696From these our Henry lineally descends.
WARWICK
line 1697Oxford, how haps it in this smooth discourse
line 1698You told not how Henry the Sixth hath lost
95line 1699All that which Henry the Fifth had gotten.
line 1700Methinks these peers of France should smile at that.
line 1701But, for the rest: you tell a pedigree
line 1702Of threescore and two years, a silly time
line 1703To make prescription for a kingdom’s worth.
OXFORD
100line 1704Why, Warwick, canst thou speak against thy liege,
line 1705Whom thou obeyed’st thirty and six years,
line 1706And not bewray thy treason with a blush?
Act 3 Scene 3 - Pg 147
WARWICK
line 1707Can Oxford, that did ever fence the right,
line 1708Now buckler falsehood with a pedigree?
105line 1709For shame, leave Henry, and call Edward king.
OXFORD
line 1710Call him my king, by whose injurious doom
line 1711My elder brother, the Lord Aubrey Vere,
line 1712Was done to death? And more than so, my father,
line 1713Even in the downfall of his mellowed years,
110line 1714When nature brought him to the door of death?
line 1715No, Warwick, no. While life upholds this arm,
line 1716This arm upholds the house of Lancaster.
line 1717WARWICKAnd I the house of York.
KING LEWIS
line 1718Queen Margaret, Prince Edward, and Oxford,
115line 1719Vouchsafe, at our request, to stand aside
line 1720While I use further conference with Warwick.
They stand aloof.
QUEEN MARGARETaside
line 1721Heavens grant that Warwick’s words bewitch him
line 1722not.
KING LEWIS
line 1723Now, Warwick, tell me, even upon thy conscience,
120line 1724Is Edward your true king? For I were loath
line 1725To link with him that were not lawful chosen.
WARWICK
line 1726Thereon I pawn my credit and mine honor.
KING LEWIS
line 1727But is he gracious in the people’s eye?
WARWICK
line 1728The more that Henry was unfortunate.
KING LEWIS
125line 1729Then further, all dissembling set aside,
line 1730Tell me for truth the measure of his love
line 1731Unto our sister Bona.
Act 3 Scene 3 - Pg 149
line 1732WARWICKSuch it seems
line 1733As may beseem a monarch like himself.
130line 1734Myself have often heard him say and swear
line 1735That this his love was an eternal plant,
line 1736Whereof the root was fixed in virtue’s ground,
line 1737The leaves and fruit maintained with beauty’s sun,
line 1738Exempt from envy but not from disdain,
135line 1739Unless the Lady Bona quit his pain.
KING LEWIS
line 1740Now, sister, let us hear your firm resolve.
LADY BONA
line 1741Your grant or your denial shall be mine.
line 1742Speaks to Warwick. Yet I confess that often ere this
line 1743day,
140line 1744When I have heard your king’s desert recounted,
line 1745Mine ear hath tempted judgment to desire.
KING LEWIS
line 1746Then, Warwick, thus: our sister shall be Edward’s.
line 1747And now forthwith shall articles be drawn
line 1748Touching the jointure that your king must make,
145line 1749Which with her dowry shall be counterpoised.—
line 1750Draw near, Queen Margaret, and be a witness
line 1751That Bona shall be wife to the English king.
PRINCE EDWARD
line 1752To Edward, but not to the English king.
QUEEN MARGARET
line 1753Deceitful Warwick, it was thy device
150line 1754By this alliance to make void my suit.
line 1755Before thy coming, Lewis was Henry’s friend.
KING LEWIS
line 1756And still is friend to him and Margaret.
line 1757But if your title to the crown be weak,
line 1758As may appear by Edward’s good success,
155line 1759Then ’tis but reason that I be released
line 1760From giving aid which late I promisèd.
Act 3 Scene 3 - Pg 151
line 1761Yet shall you have all kindness at my hand
line 1762That your estate requires and mine can yield.
WARWICK
line 1763Henry now lives in Scotland at his ease,
160line 1764Where, having nothing, nothing can he lose.—
line 1765And as for you yourself, our quondam queen,
line 1766You have a father able to maintain you,
line 1767And better ’twere you troubled him than France.
QUEEN MARGARET
line 1768Peace, impudent and shameless Warwick,
165line 1769Proud setter-up and puller-down of kings!
line 1770I will not hence till with my talk and tears,
line 1771Both full of truth, I make King Lewis behold
line 1772Thy sly conveyance and thy lord’s false love,
line 1773For both of you are birds of selfsame feather.
Post blowing a horn within.
KING LEWIS
170line 1774Warwick, this is some post to us or thee.
Enter the Post.
POSTspeaks to Warwick.
line 1775My lord ambassador, these letters are for you,
line 1776Sent from your brother, Marquess Montague.
line 1777To Lewis. These from our king unto your Majesty.
line 1778To Margaret. And, madam, these for you—from
175line 1779whom, I know not.They all read their letters.
OXFORDaside
line 1780I like it well that our fair queen and mistress
line 1781Smiles at her news, while Warwick frowns at his.
PRINCE EDWARDaside
line 1782Nay, mark how Lewis stamps as he were nettled.
line 1783I hope all’s for the best.
KING LEWIS
180line 1784Warwick, what are thy news? And yours, fair queen?
QUEEN MARGARET
line 1785Mine, such as fill my heart with unhoped joys.
Act 3 Scene 3 - Pg 153
WARWICK
line 1786Mine, full of sorrow and heart’s discontent.
KING LEWIS
line 1787What, has your king married the Lady Grey,
line 1788And now, to soothe your forgery and his,
185line 1789Sends me a paper to persuade me patience?
line 1790Is this th’ alliance that he seeks with France?
line 1791Dare he presume to scorn us in this manner?
QUEEN MARGARET
line 1792I told your Majesty as much before.
line 1793This proveth Edward’s love and Warwick’s honesty.
WARWICK
190line 1794King Lewis, I here protest in sight of heaven
line 1795And by the hope I have of heavenly bliss,
line 1796That I am clear from this misdeed of Edward’s—
line 1797No more my king, for he dishonors me,
line 1798But most himself, if he could see his shame.
195line 1799Did I forget that by the house of York
line 1800My father came untimely to his death?
line 1801Did I let pass th’ abuse done to my niece?
line 1802Did I impale him with the regal crown?
line 1803Did I put Henry from his native right?
200line 1804And am I guerdoned at the last with shame?
line 1805Shame on himself, for my desert is honor!
line 1806And to repair my honor lost for him,
line 1807I here renounce him and return to Henry.
He removes the white rose.
line 1808My noble queen, let former grudges pass,
205line 1809And henceforth I am thy true servitor.
line 1810I will revenge his wrong to Lady Bona
line 1811And replant Henry in his former state.
QUEEN MARGARET
line 1812Warwick, these words have turned my hate to love,
line 1813And I forgive and quite forget old faults,
210line 1814And joy that thou becom’st King Henry’s friend.
Act 3 Scene 3 - Pg 155
WARWICK
line 1815So much his friend, ay, his unfeignèd friend,
line 1816That if King Lewis vouchsafe to furnish us
line 1817With some few bands of chosen soldiers,
line 1818I’ll undertake to land them on our coast
215line 1819And force the tyrant from his seat by war.
line 1820’Tis not his new-made bride shall succor him.
line 1821And as for Clarence, as my letters tell me,
line 1822He’s very likely now to fall from him
line 1823For matching more for wanton lust than honor,
220line 1824Or than for strength and safety of our country.
LADY BONA
line 1825Dear brother, how shall Bona be revenged
line 1826But by thy help to this distressèd queen?
QUEEN MARGARET
line 1827Renownèd prince, how shall poor Henry live
line 1828Unless thou rescue him from foul despair?
LADY BONA
225line 1829My quarrel and this English queen’s are one.
WARWICK
line 1830And mine, fair Lady Bona, joins with yours.
KING LEWIS
line 1831And mine with hers and thine and Margaret’s.
line 1832Therefore at last I firmly am resolved
line 1833You shall have aid.
QUEEN MARGARET
230line 1834Let me give humble thanks for all, at once.
KING LEWIS
line 1835Then, England’s messenger, return in post,
line 1836And tell false Edward, thy supposèd king,
line 1837That Lewis of France is sending over maskers
line 1838To revel it with him and his new bride.
235line 1839Thou seest what’s passed; go fear thy king withal.
LADY BONA
line 1840Tell him, in hope he’ll prove a widower shortly,
line 1841I wear the willow garland for his sake.
Act 3 Scene 3 - Pg 157
QUEEN MARGARET
line 1842Tell him my mourning weeds are laid aside
line 1843And I am ready to put armor on.
WARWICK
240line 1844Tell him from me that he hath done me wrong,
line 1845And therefore I’ll uncrown him ere ’t be long.
line 1846There’s thy reward.Gives money.
line 1847Be gone.Post exits.
line 1848KING LEWISBut, Warwick,
245line 1849Thou and Oxford with five thousand men
line 1850Shall cross the seas and bid false Edward battle;
line 1851And as occasion serves, this noble queen
line 1852And prince shall follow with a fresh supply.
line 1853Yet ere thou go, but answer me one doubt:
250line 1854What pledge have we of thy firm loyalty?
WARWICK
line 1855This shall assure my constant loyalty:
line 1856That if our queen and this young prince agree,
line 1857I’ll join mine eldest daughter, and my joy,
line 1858To him forthwith in holy wedlock bands.
QUEEN MARGARET
255line 1859Yes, I agree, and thank you for your motion.
line 1860Son Edward, she is fair and virtuous.
line 1861Therefore, delay not; give thy hand to Warwick,
line 1862And with thy hand, thy faith irrevocable,
line 1863That only Warwick’s daughter shall be thine.
PRINCE EDWARD
260line 1864Yes, I accept her, for she well deserves it,
line 1865And here, to pledge my vow, I give my hand.
He gives his hand to Warwick.
KING LEWIS
line 1866Why stay we now? These soldiers shall be levied,
line 1867And thou, Lord Bourbon, our High Admiral,
line 1868Shall waft them over with our royal fleet.
265line 1869I long till Edward fall by war’s mischance
line 1870For mocking marriage with a dame of France.
Act 3 Scene 3 - Pg 159
All but Warwick exit.
WARWICK
line 1871I came from Edward as ambassador,
line 1872But I return his sworn and mortal foe.
line 1873Matter of marriage was the charge he gave me,
270line 1874But dreadful war shall answer his demand.
line 1875Had he none else to make a stale but me?
line 1876Then none but I shall turn his jest to sorrow.
line 1877I was the chief that raised him to the crown,
line 1878And I’ll be chief to bring him down again:
275line 1879Not that I pity Henry’s misery,
line 1880But seek revenge on Edward’s mockery.
He exits.
ACT 4
Scene 1
Enter Richard of Gloucester, Clarence, Somerset, and Montague, all wearing the white rose.
RICHARD
line 1881Now tell me, brother Clarence, what think you
line 1882Of this new marriage with the Lady Grey?
line 1883Hath not our brother made a worthy choice?
CLARENCE
line 1884Alas, you know ’tis far from hence to France.
5line 1885How could he stay till Warwick made return?
Flourish.
SOMERSET
line 1886My lords, forbear this talk. Here comes the King.
line 1887RICHARDAnd his well-chosen bride.
CLARENCE
line 1888I mind to tell him plainly what I think.
Enter King Edward, with Attendants, Lady Grey, now Queen Elizabeth, Pembroke, Stafford, Hastings, and others, all wearing the white rose. Four stand on one side, and four on the other.
KING EDWARD
line 1889Now, brother of Clarence, how like you our choice,
10line 1890That you stand pensive, as half malcontent?
CLARENCE
line 1891As well as Lewis of France or the Earl of Warwick,
Act 4 Scene 1 - Pg 165
line 1892Which are so weak of courage and in judgment
line 1893That they’ll take no offense at our abuse.
KING EDWARD
line 1894Suppose they take offense without a cause,
15line 1895They are but Lewis and Warwick; I am Edward,
line 1896Your king and Warwick’s, and must have my will.
RICHARD
line 1897And shall have your will because our king.
line 1898Yet hasty marriage seldom proveth well.
KING EDWARD
line 1899Yea, brother Richard, are you offended too?
20line 1900RICHARDNot I.
line 1901No, God forbid that I should wish them severed
line 1902Whom God hath joined together. Ay, and ’twere pity
line 1903To sunder them that yoke so well together.
KING EDWARD
line 1904Setting your scorns and your mislike aside,
25line 1905Tell me some reason why the Lady Grey
line 1906Should not become my wife and England’s queen?
line 1907And you too, Somerset and Montague,
line 1908Speak freely what you think.
CLARENCE
line 1909Then this is mine opinion: that King Lewis
30line 1910Becomes your enemy for mocking him
line 1911About the marriage of the Lady Bona.
RICHARD
line 1912And Warwick, doing what you gave in charge,
line 1913Is now dishonorèd by this new marriage.
KING EDWARD
line 1914What if both Lewis and Warwick be appeased
35line 1915By such invention as I can devise?
MONTAGUE
line 1916Yet to have joined with France in such alliance
line 1917Would more have strengthened this our
line 1918commonwealth
line 1919’Gainst foreign storms than any home-bred marriage.
Act 4 Scene 1 - Pg 167
HASTINGS
40line 1920Why, knows not Montague that of itself
line 1921England is safe, if true within itself?
MONTAGUE
line 1922But the safer when ’tis backed with France.
HASTINGS
line 1923’Tis better using France than trusting France.
line 1924Let us be backed with God and with the seas
45line 1925Which He hath giv’n for fence impregnable,
line 1926And with their helps only defend ourselves.
line 1927In them and in ourselves our safety lies.
CLARENCE
line 1928For this one speech, Lord Hastings well deserves
line 1929To have the heir of the Lord Hungerford.
KING EDWARD
50line 1930Ay, what of that? It was my will and grant,
line 1931And for this once my will shall stand for law.
RICHARD
line 1932And yet methinks your Grace hath not done well
line 1933To give the heir and daughter of Lord Scales
line 1934Unto the brother of your loving bride.
55line 1935She better would have fitted me or Clarence;
line 1936But in your bride you bury brotherhood.
CLARENCE
line 1937Or else you would not have bestowed the heir
line 1938Of the Lord Bonville on your new wife’s son,
line 1939And leave your brothers to go speed elsewhere.
KING EDWARD
60line 1940Alas, poor Clarence, is it for a wife
line 1941That thou art malcontent? I will provide thee.
CLARENCE
line 1942In choosing for yourself you showed your judgment,
line 1943Which, being shallow, you shall give me leave
line 1944To play the broker in mine own behalf.
65line 1945And to that end, I shortly mind to leave you.
Act 4 Scene 1 - Pg 169
KING EDWARD
line 1946Leave me or tarry, Edward will be king
line 1947And not be tied unto his brother’s will.
QUEEN ELIZABETH
line 1948My lords, before it pleased his Majesty
line 1949To raise my state to title of a queen,
70line 1950Do me but right and you must all confess
line 1951That I was not ignoble of descent,
line 1952And meaner than myself have had like fortune.
line 1953But as this title honors me and mine,
line 1954So your dislikes, to whom I would be pleasing,
75line 1955Doth cloud my joys with danger and with sorrow.
KING EDWARD
line 1956My love, forbear to fawn upon their frowns.
line 1957What danger or what sorrow can befall thee
line 1958So long as Edward is thy constant friend
line 1959And their true sovereign, whom they must obey?
80line 1960Nay, whom they shall obey, and love thee too,
line 1961Unless they seek for hatred at my hands;
line 1962Which if they do, yet will I keep thee safe,
line 1963And they shall feel the vengeance of my wrath.
RICHARDaside
line 1964I hear, yet say not much, but think the more.
Enter a Post.
KING EDWARD
85line 1965Now, messenger, what letters or what news from
line 1966France?
POST
line 1967My sovereign liege, no letters and few words
line 1968But such as I without your special pardon
line 1969Dare not relate.
KING EDWARD
90line 1970Go to, we pardon thee. Therefore, in brief,
line 1971Tell me their words as near as thou canst guess them.
line 1972What answer makes King Lewis unto our letters?
Act 4 Scene 1 - Pg 171
POST
line 1973At my depart, these were his very words:
line 1974“Go tell false Edward, the supposèd king,
95line 1975That Lewis of France is sending over maskers
line 1976To revel it with him and his new bride.”
KING EDWARD
line 1977Is Lewis so brave? Belike he thinks me Henry.
line 1978But what said Lady Bona to my marriage?
POST
line 1979These were her words, uttered with mild disdain:
100line 1980“Tell him, in hope he’ll prove a widower shortly,
line 1981I’ll wear the willow garland for his sake.”
KING EDWARD
line 1982I blame not her; she could say little less;
line 1983She had the wrong. But what said Henry’s queen?
line 1984For I have heard that she was there in place.
POST
105line 1985“Tell him,” quoth she, “my mourning weeds are
line 1986done,
line 1987And I am ready to put armor on.”
KING EDWARD
line 1988Belike she minds to play the Amazon.
line 1989But what said Warwick to these injuries?
POST
110line 1990He, more incensed against your Majesty
line 1991Than all the rest, discharged me with these words:
line 1992“Tell him from me that he hath done me wrong,
line 1993And therefore I’ll uncrown him ere ’t be long.”
KING EDWARD
line 1994Ha! Durst the traitor breathe out so proud words?
115line 1995Well, I will arm me, being thus forewarned.
line 1996They shall have wars and pay for their presumption.
line 1997But say, is Warwick friends with Margaret?
POST
line 1998Ay, gracious sovereign, they are so linked in
line 1999friendship
Act 4 Scene 1 - Pg 173
120line 2000That young Prince Edward marries Warwick’s
line 2001daughter.
CLARENCEaside
line 2002Belike the elder; Clarence will have the younger.—
line 2003Now, brother king, farewell, and sit you fast,
line 2004For I will hence to Warwick’s other daughter,
125line 2005That, though I want a kingdom, yet in marriage
line 2006I may not prove inferior to yourself.
line 2007You that love me and Warwick, follow me.
Clarence exits, and Somerset follows.
RICHARDaside
line 2008Not I. My thoughts aim at a further matter:
line 2009I stay not for the love of Edward, but the crown.
KING EDWARD
130line 2010Clarence and Somerset both gone to Warwick?
line 2011Yet am I armed against the worst can happen,
line 2012And haste is needful in this desp’rate case.
line 2013Pembroke and Stafford, you in our behalf
line 2014Go levy men and make prepare for war.
135line 2015They are already, or quickly will be, landed.
line 2016Myself in person will straight follow you.
Pembroke and Stafford exit.
line 2017But ere I go, Hastings and Montague,
line 2018Resolve my doubt: you twain, of all the rest,
line 2019Are near to Warwick by blood and by alliance.
140line 2020Tell me if you love Warwick more than me.
line 2021If it be so, then both depart to him.
line 2022I rather wish you foes than hollow friends.
line 2023But if you mind to hold your true obedience,
line 2024Give me assurance with some friendly vow,
145line 2025That I may never have you in suspect.
MONTAGUE
line 2026So God help Montague as he proves true!
HASTINGS
line 2027And Hastings as he favors Edward’s cause!
Act 4 Scene 2 - Pg 175
KING EDWARD
line 2028Now, brother Richard, will you stand by us?
RICHARD
line 2029Ay, in despite of all that shall withstand you.
KING EDWARD
150line 2030Why, so. Then am I sure of victory.
line 2031Now therefore let us hence and lose no hour
line 2032Till we meet Warwick with his foreign power.
They exit.
Scene 2
Enter Warwick and Oxford in England, wearing the red rose, with French Soldiers.
WARWICK
line 2033Trust me, my lord, all hitherto goes well.
line 2034The common people by numbers swarm to us.
Enter Clarence and Somerset.
line 2035But see where Somerset and Clarence comes.—
line 2036Speak suddenly, my lords: are we all friends?
5line 2037CLARENCEFear not that, my lord.
WARWICK
line 2038Then, gentle Clarence, welcome unto Warwick,
line 2039And welcome, Somerset. I hold it cowardice
line 2040To rest mistrustful where a noble heart
line 2041Hath pawned an open hand in sign of love;
10line 2042Else might I think that Clarence, Edward’s brother,
line 2043Were but a feignèd friend to our proceedings.
line 2044But welcome, sweet Clarence; my daughter shall be
line 2045thine.
line 2046And now, what rests but, in night’s coverture
15line 2047Thy brother being carelessly encamped,
line 2048His soldiers lurking in the town about,
line 2049And but attended by a simple guard,
Act 4 Scene 3 - Pg 177
line 2050We may surprise and take him at our pleasure?
line 2051Our scouts have found the adventure very easy;
20line 2052That, as Ulysses and stout Diomed
line 2053With sleight and manhood stole to Rhesus’ tents
line 2054And brought from thence the Thracian fatal steeds,
line 2055So we, well covered with the night’s black mantle,
line 2056At unawares may beat down Edward’s guard
25line 2057And seize himself. I say not “slaughter him,”
line 2058For I intend but only to surprise him.
line 2059You that will follow me to this attempt,
line 2060Applaud the name of Henry with your leader.
They all cry “Henry!”
line 2061Why then, let’s on our way in silent sort.
30line 2062For Warwick and his friends, God and Saint George!
They exit.
Scene 3
Enter three Watchmen to guard King Edward’s tent, all wearing the white rose.
FIRST WATCH
line 2063Come on, my masters, each man take his stand.
line 2064The King by this is set him down to sleep.
line 2065SECOND WATCHWhat, will he not to bed?
FIRST WATCH
line 2066Why, no, for he hath made a solemn vow
5line 2067Never to lie and take his natural rest
line 2068Till Warwick or himself be quite suppressed.
SECOND WATCH
line 2069Tomorrow, then, belike shall be the day,
line 2070If Warwick be so near as men report.
THIRD WATCH
line 2071But say, I pray, what nobleman is that
10line 2072That with the King here resteth in his tent?
Act 4 Scene 3 - Pg 179
FIRST WATCH
line 2073’Tis the Lord Hastings, the King’s chiefest friend.
THIRD WATCH
line 2074O, is it so? But why commands the King
line 2075That his chief followers lodge in towns about him,
line 2076While he himself keeps in the cold field?
SECOND WATCH
15line 2077’Tis the more honor, because more dangerous.
THIRD WATCH
line 2078Ay, but give me worship and quietness;
line 2079I like it better than a dangerous honor.
line 2080If Warwick knew in what estate he stands,
line 2081’Tis to be doubted he would waken him.
FIRST WATCH
20line 2082Unless our halberds did shut up his passage.
SECOND WATCH
line 2083Ay, wherefore else guard we his royal tent
line 2084But to defend his person from night foes?
Enter Warwick, Clarence, Oxford, Somerset, all wearing the red rose, and French Soldiers, silent all.
WARWICK
line 2085This is his tent, and see where stand his guard.
line 2086Courage, my masters. Honor, now or never!
25line 2087But follow me, and Edward shall be ours.
line 2088FIRST WATCHWho goes there?
line 2089SECOND WATCHStay, or thou diest!
Warwick and the rest cry all “Warwick, Warwick!” and set upon the guard, who fly, crying “Arm, Arm!” Warwick and the rest following them.
The drum playing and trumpet sounding, enter Warwick, Somerset, and the rest, bringing King Edward out in his gown, sitting in a chair. Richard and Hastings flies over the stage.
Act 4 Scene 3 - Pg 181
SOMERSET
line 2090What are they that fly there?
line 2091WARWICKRichard and Hastings.
30line 2092Let them go. Here is the Duke.
line 2093KING EDWARDThe Duke?
line 2094Why, Warwick, when we parted, thou call’dst me king.
line 2095WARWICKAy, but the case is altered.
line 2096When you disgraced me in my embassade,
35line 2097Then I degraded you from being king
line 2098And come now to create you Duke of York.
line 2099Alas, how should you govern any kingdom
line 2100That know not how to use ambassadors,
line 2101Nor how to be contented with one wife,
40line 2102Nor how to use your brothers brotherly,
line 2103Nor how to study for the people’s welfare,
line 2104Nor how to shroud yourself from enemies?
KING EDWARD
line 2105Yea, brother of Clarence, art thou here too?
line 2106Nay, then, I see that Edward needs must down.
45line 2107Yet, Warwick, in despite of all mischance,
line 2108Of thee thyself and all thy complices,
line 2109Edward will always bear himself as king.
line 2110Though Fortune’s malice overthrow my state,
line 2111My mind exceeds the compass of her wheel.
WARWICK
50line 2112Then for his mind be Edward England’s king,
Takes off his crown.
line 2113But Henry now shall wear the English crown
line 2114And be true king indeed, thou but the shadow.—
line 2115My lord of Somerset, at my request,
line 2116See that forthwith Duke Edward be conveyed
55line 2117Unto my brother, Archbishop of York.
line 2118When I have fought with Pembroke and his fellows,
line 2119I’ll follow you and tell what answer
line 2120Lewis and the Lady Bona send to him.—
line 2121Now for awhile farewell, good Duke of York.
Act 4 Scene 4 - Pg 183
They begin to lead him out forcibly.
KING EDWARD
60line 2122What Fates impose, that men must needs abide;
line 2123It boots not to resist both wind and tide.
Somerset and Soldiers exit, guarding King Edward.
OXFORD
line 2124What now remains, my lords, for us to do
line 2125But march to London with our soldiers?
WARWICK
line 2126Ay, that’s the first thing that we have to do,
65line 2127To free King Henry from imprisonment
line 2128And see him seated in the regal throne.
They exit.
Scene 4
Enter Rivers and Queen Elizabeth, wearing the white rose.
RIVERS
line 2129Madam, what makes you in this sudden change?
QUEEN ELIZABETH
line 2130Why, brother Rivers, are you yet to learn
line 2131What late misfortune is befall’n King Edward?
RIVERS
line 2132What, loss of some pitched battle against Warwick?
QUEEN ELIZABETH
5line 2133No, but the loss of his own royal person.
line 2134RIVERSThen is my sovereign slain?
QUEEN ELIZABETH
line 2135Ay, almost slain, for he is taken prisoner,
line 2136Either betrayed by falsehood of his guard
line 2137Or by his foe surprised at unawares;
10line 2138And, as I further have to understand,
line 2139Is new committed to the Bishop of York,
line 2140Fell Warwick’s brother and by that our foe.
Act 4 Scene 4 - Pg 185
RIVERS
line 2141These news I must confess are full of grief;
line 2142Yet, gracious madam, bear it as you may.
15line 2143Warwick may lose that now hath won the day.
QUEEN ELIZABETH
line 2144Till then fair hope must hinder life’s decay;
line 2145And I the rather wean me from despair
line 2146For love of Edward’s offspring in my womb.
line 2147This is it that makes me bridle passion
20line 2148And bear with mildness my misfortune’s cross.
line 2149Ay, ay, for this I draw in many a tear
line 2150And stop the rising of blood-sucking sighs,
line 2151Lest with my sighs or tears I blast or drown
line 2152King Edward’s fruit, true heir to th’ English crown.
RIVERS
25line 2153But, madam, where is Warwick then become?
QUEEN ELIZABETH
line 2154I am informèd that he comes towards London
line 2155To set the crown once more on Henry’s head.
line 2156Guess thou the rest: King Edward’s friends must
line 2157down.
30line 2158But to prevent the tyrant’s violence—
line 2159For trust not him that hath once broken faith—
line 2160I’ll hence forthwith unto the sanctuary
line 2161To save at least the heir of Edward’s right.
line 2162There shall I rest secure from force and fraud.
35line 2163Come, therefore, let us fly while we may fly.
line 2164If Warwick take us, we are sure to die.
They exit.
Act 4 Scene 5 - Pg 187
Scene 5
Enter Richard of Gloucester, Lord Hastings, and Sir William Stanley, with Soldiers, all wearing the white rose.
RICHARD
line 2165Now, my Lord Hastings and Sir William Stanley,
line 2166Leave off to wonder why I drew you hither
line 2167Into this chiefest thicket of the park.
line 2168Thus stands the case: you know our king, my brother,
5line 2169Is prisoner to the Bishop here, at whose hands
line 2170He hath good usage and great liberty,
line 2171And, often but attended with weak guard,
line 2172Comes hunting this way to disport himself.
line 2173I have advertised him by secret means
10line 2174That, if about this hour he make this way
line 2175Under the color of his usual game,
line 2176He shall here find his friends with horse and men
line 2177To set him free from his captivity.
Enter King Edward, wearing the white rose, and a Huntsman with him.
HUNTSMAN
line 2178This way, my lord, for this way lies the game.
KING EDWARD
15line 2179Nay, this way, man. See where the huntsmen stand.—
line 2180Now, brother of Gloucester, Lord Hastings, and the
line 2181rest,
line 2182Stand you thus close to steal the Bishop’s deer?
RICHARD
line 2183Brother, the time and case requireth haste.
20line 2184Your horse stands ready at the park corner.
line 2185KING EDWARDBut whither shall we then?
HASTINGS
line 2186To Lynn, my lord, and shipped from thence
line 2187to Flanders.
Act 4 Scene 6 - Pg 189
RICHARD
line 2188Well guessed, believe me, for that was my meaning.
KING EDWARD
25line 2189Stanley, I will requite thy forwardness.
RICHARD
line 2190But wherefore stay we? ’Tis no time to talk.
KING EDWARD
line 2191Huntsman, what sayst thou? Wilt thou go along?
HUNTSMAN
line 2192Better do so than tarry and be hanged.
RICHARD
line 2193Come then, away! Let’s ha’ no more ado.
KING EDWARD
30line 2194Bishop, farewell; shield thee from Warwick’s frown,
line 2195And pray that I may repossess the crown.
They exit.
Scene 6
Flourish. Enter King Henry the Sixth, Clarence, Warwick, Somerset, young Henry Earl of Richmond, Oxford, Montague, all wearing the red rose, and Lieutenant of the Tower.
KING HENRY
line 2196Master lieutenant, now that God and friends
line 2197Have shaken Edward from the regal seat
line 2198And turned my captive state to liberty,
line 2199My fear to hope, my sorrows unto joys,
5line 2200At our enlargement what are thy due fees?
LIEUTENANT
line 2201Subjects may challenge nothing of their sov’reigns,
line 2202But, if an humble prayer may prevail,
line 2203I then crave pardon of your Majesty.
KING HENRY
line 2204For what, lieutenant? For well using me?
Act 4 Scene 6 - Pg 191
10line 2205Nay, be thou sure I’ll well requite thy kindness,
line 2206For that it made my imprisonment a pleasure,
line 2207Ay, such a pleasure as encagèd birds
line 2208Conceive when, after many moody thoughts,
line 2209At last by notes of household harmony
15line 2210They quite forget their loss of liberty.—
line 2211But, Warwick, after God thou sett’st me free,
line 2212And chiefly, therefore, I thank God and thee.
line 2213He was the author, thou the instrument.
line 2214Therefore, that I may conquer Fortune’s spite
20line 2215By living low where Fortune cannot hurt me,
line 2216And that the people of this blessèd land
line 2217May not be punished with my thwarting stars,
line 2218Warwick, although my head still wear the crown,
line 2219I here resign my government to thee,
25line 2220For thou art fortunate in all thy deeds.
WARWICK
line 2221Your Grace hath still been famed for virtuous
line 2222And now may seem as wise as virtuous
line 2223By spying and avoiding Fortune’s malice,
line 2224For few men rightly temper with the stars.
30line 2225Yet, in this one thing let me blame your Grace:
line 2226For choosing me when Clarence is in place.
CLARENCE
line 2227No, Warwick, thou art worthy of the sway,
line 2228To whom the heav’ns in thy nativity
line 2229Adjudged an olive branch and laurel crown
35line 2230As likely to be blest in peace and war;
line 2231And therefore I yield thee my free consent.
WARWICK
line 2232And I choose Clarence only for Protector.
KING HENRY
line 2233Warwick and Clarence, give me both your hands.
line 2234Now join your hands, and with your hands your
40line 2235hearts,
line 2236That no dissension hinder government.
Act 4 Scene 6 - Pg 193
He joins their hands.
line 2237I make you both Protectors of this land,
line 2238While I myself will lead a private life
line 2239And in devotion spend my latter days,
45line 2240To sin’s rebuke and my Creator’s praise.
WARWICK
line 2241What answers Clarence to his sovereign’s will?
CLARENCE
line 2242That he consents, if Warwick yield consent,
line 2243For on thy fortune I repose myself.
WARWICK
line 2244Why, then, though loath, yet must I be content.
50line 2245We’ll yoke together like a double shadow
line 2246To Henry’s body, and supply his place—
line 2247I mean, in bearing weight of government—
line 2248While he enjoys the honor and his ease.
line 2249And, Clarence, now then it is more than needful
55line 2250Forthwith that Edward be pronounced a traitor
line 2251And all his lands and goods be confiscate.
CLARENCE
line 2252What else? And that succession be determinèd.
WARWICK
line 2253Ay, therein Clarence shall not want his part.
KING HENRY
line 2254But with the first of all your chief affairs
60line 2255Let me entreat—for I command no more—
line 2256That Margaret your queen and my son Edward
line 2257Be sent for, to return from France with speed,
line 2258For till I see them here, by doubtful fear
line 2259My joy of liberty is half eclipsed.
CLARENCE
65line 2260It shall be done, my sovereign, with all speed.
KING HENRY
line 2261My lord of Somerset, what youth is that
line 2262Of whom you seem to have so tender care?
Act 4 Scene 6 - Pg 195
SOMERSET
line 2263My liege, it is young Henry, Earl of Richmond.
KING HENRYto Richmond
line 2264Come hither, England’s hope.
Lays his hand on Richmond’s head.
70line 2265If secret powers
line 2266Suggest but truth to my divining thoughts,
line 2267This pretty lad will prove our country’s bliss.
line 2268His looks are full of peaceful majesty,
line 2269His head by nature framed to wear a crown,
75line 2270His hand to wield a scepter, and himself
line 2271Likely in time to bless a regal throne.
line 2272Make much of him, my lords, for this is he
line 2273Must help you more than you are hurt by me.
Enter a Post.
line 2274WARWICKWhat news, my friend?
POST
80line 2275That Edward is escapèd from your brother
line 2276And fled, as he hears since, to Burgundy.
WARWICK
line 2277Unsavory news! But how made he escape?
POST
line 2278He was conveyed by Richard, Duke of Gloucester,
line 2279And the Lord Hastings, who attended him
85line 2280In secret ambush on the forest side
line 2281And from the Bishop’s huntsmen rescued him,
line 2282For hunting was his daily exercise.
WARWICK
line 2283My brother was too careless of his charge.
line 2284But let us hence, my sovereign, to provide
90line 2285A salve for any sore that may betide.
All but Somerset, Richmond, and Oxford exit.
SOMERSETto Oxford
line 2286My lord, I like not of this flight of Edward’s,
line 2287For doubtless Burgundy will yield him help,
Act 4 Scene 7 - Pg 197
line 2288And we shall have more wars before ’t be long.
line 2289As Henry’s late presaging prophecy
95line 2290Did glad my heart with hope of this young
line 2291Richmond,
line 2292So doth my heart misgive me in these conflicts
line 2293What may befall him, to his harm and ours.
line 2294Therefore, Lord Oxford, to prevent the worst,
100line 2295Forthwith we’ll send him hence to Brittany
line 2296Till storms be past of civil enmity.
OXFORD
line 2297Ay, for if Edward repossess the crown,
line 2298’Tis like that Richmond, with the rest, shall down.
SOMERSET
line 2299It shall be so. He shall to Brittany.
105line 2300Come, therefore, let’s about it speedily.
They exit.
Scene 7
Flourish. Enter King Edward, Richard, Hastings, and Soldiers, all wearing the white rose.
KING EDWARD
line 2301Now, brother Richard, Lord Hastings, and the rest:
line 2302Yet thus far Fortune maketh us amends,
line 2303And says that once more I shall interchange
line 2304My wanèd state for Henry’s regal crown.
5line 2305Well have we passed, and now re-passed, the seas,
line 2306And brought desirèd help from Burgundy.
line 2307What then remains, we being thus arrived
line 2308From Ravenspurgh Haven before the gates of York,
line 2309But that we enter as into our dukedom?
Hastings knocks at the gate.
RICHARD
10line 2310The gates made fast? Brother, I like not this.
Act 4 Scene 7 - Pg 199
line 2311For many men that stumble at the threshold
line 2312Are well foretold that danger lurks within.
KING EDWARD
line 2313Tush, man, abodements must not now affright us.
line 2314By fair or foul means we must enter in,
15line 2315For hither will our friends repair to us.
HASTINGS
line 2316My liege, I’ll knock once more to summon them.
He knocks.
Enter on the walls the Mayor of York and his brethren, the Aldermen.
MAYOR
line 2317My lords, we were forewarnèd of your coming,
line 2318And shut the gates for safety of ourselves,
line 2319For now we owe allegiance unto Henry.
KING EDWARD
20line 2320But, master mayor, if Henry be your king,
line 2321Yet Edward, at the least, is Duke of York.
MAYOR
line 2322True, my good lord, I know you for no less.
KING EDWARD
line 2323Why, and I challenge nothing but my dukedom,
line 2324As being well content with that alone.
RICHARDaside
25line 2325But when the fox hath once got in his nose,
line 2326He’ll soon find means to make the body follow.
HASTINGS
line 2327Why, master mayor, why stand you in a doubt?
line 2328Open the gates. We are King Henry’s friends.
MAYOR
line 2329Ay, say you so? The gates shall then be opened.
He descends with the Aldermen.
RICHARD
30line 2330A wise stout captain, and soon persuaded.
Act 4 Scene 7 - Pg 201
HASTINGS
line 2331The good old man would fain that all were well,
line 2332So ’twere not long of him; but being entered,
line 2333I doubt not, I, but we shall soon persuade
line 2334Both him and all his brothers unto reason.
Enter the Mayor and two Aldermen.
KING EDWARD
35line 2335So, master mayor, these gates must not be shut
line 2336But in the night or in the time of war.
line 2337What, fear not, man, but yield me up the keys.
Takes his keys.
line 2338For Edward will defend the town and thee
line 2339And all those friends that deign to follow me.
March. Enter Montgomery, with Drum and Soldiers.
RICHARD
40line 2340Brother, this is Sir John Montgomery,
line 2341Our trusty friend, unless I be deceived.
KING EDWARD
line 2342Welcome, Sir John. But why come you in arms?
MONTGOMERY
line 2343To help King Edward in his time of storm,
line 2344As every loyal subject ought to do.
KING EDWARD
45line 2345Thanks, good Montgomery. But we now forget
line 2346Our title to the crown, and only claim
line 2347Our dukedom, till God please to send the rest.
MONTGOMERY
line 2348Then fare you well, for I will hence again.
line 2349I came to serve a king and not a duke.—
50line 2350Drummer, strike up, and let us march away.
The Drum begins to march.
KING EDWARD
line 2351Nay, stay, Sir John, a while, and we’ll debate
line 2352By what safe means the crown may be recovered.
Act 4 Scene 7 - Pg 203
MONTGOMERY
line 2353What talk you of debating? In few words,
line 2354If you’ll not here proclaim yourself our king,
55line 2355I’ll leave you to your fortune and be gone
line 2356To keep them back that come to succor you.
line 2357Why shall we fight if you pretend no title?
RICHARD
line 2358Why, brother, wherefore stand you on nice points?
KING EDWARD
line 2359When we grow stronger, then we’ll make our claim.
60line 2360Till then ’tis wisdom to conceal our meaning.
HASTINGS
line 2361Away with scrupulous wit! Now arms must rule.
RICHARD
line 2362And fearless minds climb soonest unto crowns.
line 2363Brother, we will proclaim you out of hand;
line 2364The bruit thereof will bring you many friends.
KING EDWARD
65line 2365Then be it as you will, for ’tis my right,
line 2366And Henry but usurps the diadem.
MONTGOMERY
line 2367Ay, now my sovereign speaketh like himself,
line 2368And now will I be Edward’s champion.
HASTINGS
line 2369Sound, trumpet! Edward shall be here proclaimed.—
70line 2370Come, fellow soldier, make thou proclamation.
Flourish. Sound.
line 2371SOLDIERreads Edward the Fourth, by the Grace of
line 2372God, King of England and France, and Lord of
line 2373Ireland, &c.
MONTGOMERY
line 2374And whosoe’er gainsays King Edward’s right,
75line 2375By this I challenge him to single fight.
Throws down his gauntlet.
line 2376ALLLong live Edward the Fourth!
Act 4 Scene 8 - Pg 205
KING EDWARD
line 2377Thanks, brave Montgomery, and thanks unto you all.
line 2378If fortune serve me, I’ll requite this kindness.
line 2379Now, for this night let’s harbor here in York,
80line 2380And when the morning sun shall raise his car
line 2381Above the border of this horizon,
line 2382We’ll forward towards Warwick and his mates;
line 2383For well I wot that Henry is no soldier.
line 2384Ah, froward Clarence, how evil it beseems thee
85line 2385To flatter Henry and forsake thy brother!
line 2386Yet, as we may, we’ll meet both thee and Warwick.
line 2387Come on, brave soldiers; doubt not of the day;
line 2388And that once gotten, doubt not of large pay.
They exit.
Scene 8
Flourish. Enter King Henry, Warwick, Montague, Clarence, Oxford, and Exeter, all wearing the red rose.
WARWICK
line 2389What counsel, lords? Edward from Belgia,
line 2390With hasty Germans and blunt Hollanders,
line 2391Hath passed in safety through the Narrow Seas,
line 2392And with his troops doth march amain to London,
5line 2393And many giddy people flock to him.
KING HENRY
line 2394Let’s levy men and beat him back again.
CLARENCE
line 2395A little fire is quickly trodden out,
line 2396Which, being suffered, rivers cannot quench.
WARWICK
line 2397In Warwickshire I have true-hearted friends,
10line 2398Not mutinous in peace yet bold in war.
line 2399Those will I muster up; and thou, son Clarence,
line 2400Shalt stir up in Suffolk, Norfolk, and in Kent
Act 4 Scene 8 - Pg 207
line 2401The knights and gentlemen to come with thee.—
line 2402Thou, brother Montague, in Buckingham,
15line 2403Northampton, and in Leicestershire shalt find
line 2404Men well inclined to hear what thou command’st.—
line 2405And thou, brave Oxford, wondrous well beloved,
line 2406In Oxfordshire shalt muster up thy friends.—
line 2407My sovereign, with the loving citizens,
20line 2408Like to his island girt in with the ocean,
line 2409Or modest Dian circled with her nymphs,
line 2410Shall rest in London till we come to him.
line 2411Fair lords, take leave, and stand not to reply.—
line 2412Farewell, my sovereign.
KING HENRY
25line 2413Farewell, my Hector and my Troy’s true hope.
CLARENCE
line 2414In sign of truth, I kiss your Highness’ hand.
KING HENRY
line 2415Well-minded Clarence, be thou fortunate.
MONTAGUE
line 2416Comfort, my lord; and so I take my leave.
OXFORD
line 2417And thus I seal my truth, and bid adieu.
He kisses Henry’s hand.
KING HENRY
30line 2418Sweet Oxford and my loving Montague
line 2419And all at once, once more a happy farewell.
WARWICK
line 2420Farewell, sweet lords. Let’s meet at Coventry.
All but King Henry and Exeter exit.
KING HENRY
line 2421Here at the palace will I rest awhile.
line 2422Cousin of Exeter, what thinks your Lordship?
35line 2423Methinks the power that Edward hath in field
line 2424Should not be able to encounter mine.
EXETER
line 2425The doubt is that he will seduce the rest.
Act 4 Scene 8 - Pg 209
KING HENRY
line 2426That’s not my fear. My meed hath got me fame.
line 2427I have not stopped mine ears to their demands,
40line 2428Nor posted off their suits with slow delays.
line 2429My pity hath been balm to heal their wounds,
line 2430My mildness hath allayed their swelling griefs,
line 2431My mercy dried their water-flowing tears.
line 2432I have not been desirous of their wealth
45line 2433Nor much oppressed them with great subsidies,
line 2434Nor forward of revenge, though they much erred.
line 2435Then why should they love Edward more than me?
line 2436No, Exeter, these graces challenge grace;
line 2437And when the lion fawns upon the lamb,
50line 2438The lamb will never cease to follow him.
Shout within “À York! À York!”
EXETER
line 2439Hark, hark, my lord, what shouts are these?
Enter King Edward and Richard and Soldiers, all wearing the white rose.
KING EDWARD
line 2440Seize on the shamefaced Henry, bear him hence,
line 2441And once again proclaim us King of England.—
line 2442You are the fount that makes small brooks to flow.
55line 2443Now stops thy spring; my sea shall suck them dry
line 2444And swell so much the higher by their ebb.—
line 2445Hence with him to the Tower. Let him not speak.
Soldiers exit with King Henry and Exeter.
line 2446And, lords, towards Coventry bend we our course,
line 2447Where peremptory Warwick now remains.
60line 2448The sun shines hot, and if we use delay,
line 2449Cold biting winter mars our hoped-for hay.
RICHARD
line 2450Away betimes, before his forces join,
line 2451And take the great-grown traitor unawares.
line 2452Brave warriors, march amain towards Coventry.
They exit.
ACT 5
Scene 1
Enter Warwick, wearing the red rose, the Mayor of Coventry, two Messengers, and others, upon the walls.
WARWICK
line 2453Where is the post that came from valiant Oxford?—
line 2454How far hence is thy lord, mine honest fellow?
FIRST MESSENGER
line 2455By this at Dunsmore, marching hitherward.
He exits.
WARWICK
line 2456How far off is our brother Montague?
5line 2457Where is the post that came from Montague?
SECOND MESSENGER
line 2458By this at Daintry, with a puissant troop.He exits.
Enter, upon the walls, Somerville wearing the red rose.
WARWICK
line 2459Say, Somerville, what says my loving son?
line 2460And, by thy guess, how nigh is Clarence now?
SOMERVILLE
line 2461At Southam I did leave him with his forces
10line 2462And do expect him here some two hours hence.
Drum offstage.
WARWICK
line 2463Then Clarence is at hand; I hear his drum.
Act 5 Scene 1 - Pg 215
SOMERVILLE
line 2464It is not his, my lord; here Southam lies.
line 2465The drum your Honor hears marcheth from Warwick.
WARWICK
line 2466Who should that be? Belike unlooked-for friends.
SOMERVILLE
15line 2467They are at hand, and you shall quickly know.
March. Flourish. Enter below, King Edward, Richard, and Soldiers, including a Trumpeter, all wearing the white rose.
KING EDWARD
line 2468Go, Trumpet, to the walls, and sound a parle.
RICHARD
line 2469See how the surly Warwick mans the wall.
WARWICK
line 2470O unbid spite, is sportful Edward come?
line 2471Where slept our scouts, or how are they seduced,
20line 2472That we could hear no news of his repair?
KING EDWARD
line 2473Now, Warwick, wilt thou ope the city gates,
line 2474Speak gentle words, and humbly bend thy knee?
line 2475Call Edward king, and at his hands beg mercy,
line 2476And he shall pardon thee these outrages.
WARWICK
25line 2477Nay, rather wilt thou draw thy forces hence,
line 2478Confess who set thee up and plucked thee down,
line 2479Call Warwick patron, and be penitent,
line 2480And thou shalt still remain the Duke of York.
RICHARD
line 2481I thought at least he would have said “the King.”
30line 2482Or did he make the jest against his will?
WARWICK
line 2483Is not a dukedom, sir, a goodly gift?
Act 5 Scene 1 - Pg 217
RICHARD
line 2484Ay, by my faith, for a poor earl to give.
line 2485I’ll do thee service for so good a gift.
WARWICK
line 2486’Twas I that gave the kingdom to thy brother.
KING EDWARD
35line 2487Why, then, ’tis mine, if but by Warwick’s gift.
WARWICK
line 2488Thou art no Atlas for so great a weight;
line 2489And, weakling, Warwick takes his gift again,
line 2490And Henry is my king, Warwick his subject.
KING EDWARD
line 2491But Warwick’s king is Edward’s prisoner.
40line 2492And, gallant Warwick, do but answer this:
line 2493What is the body when the head is off?
RICHARD
line 2494Alas, that Warwick had no more forecast,
line 2495But whiles he thought to steal the single ten,
line 2496The King was slyly fingered from the deck.
45line 2497You left poor Henry at the Bishop’s palace,
line 2498And ten to one you’ll meet him in the Tower.
KING EDWARD
line 2499’Tis even so; yet you are Warwick still.
RICHARD
line 2500Come, Warwick, take the time; kneel down, kneel
line 2501down.
50line 2502Nay, when? Strike now, or else the iron cools.
WARWICK
line 2503I had rather chop this hand off at a blow
line 2504And with the other fling it at thy face
line 2505Than bear so low a sail to strike to thee.
KING EDWARD
line 2506Sail how thou canst, have wind and tide thy friend,
55line 2507This hand, fast wound about thy coal-black hair,
line 2508Shall, whiles thy head is warm and new cut off,
line 2509Write in the dust this sentence with thy blood:
line 2510“Wind-changing Warwick now can change no more.”
Act 5 Scene 1 - Pg 219
Enter Oxford, below, wearing the red rose, with Soldiers, Drum and Colors.
WARWICK
line 2511O, cheerful colors, see where Oxford comes!
60line 2512OXFORDOxford, Oxford for Lancaster!
Oxford and his troops exit as through a city gate.
RICHARD
line 2513The gates are open; let us enter too.
KING EDWARD
line 2514So other foes may set upon our backs.
line 2515Stand we in good array, for they no doubt
line 2516Will issue out again and bid us battle.
65line 2517If not, the city being but of small defense,
line 2518We’ll quickly rouse the traitors in the same.
Oxford enters aloft.
WARWICK
line 2519O welcome, Oxford, for we want thy help.
Enter Montague, below, wearing the red rose, with Soldiers, Drum and Colors.
line 2520MONTAGUEMontague, Montague for Lancaster!
RICHARD
line 2521Thou and thy brother both shall buy this treason
70line 2522Even with the dearest blood your bodies bear!
Montague and his troops exit as through a city gate.
KING EDWARD
line 2523The harder matched, the greater victory.
line 2524My mind presageth happy gain and conquest.
Enter Somerset, below, wearing the red rose, with Soldiers, Drum and Colors.
line 2525SOMERSETSomerset, Somerset for Lancaster!
Act 5 Scene 1 - Pg 221
RICHARD
line 2526Two of thy name, both dukes of Somerset,
75line 2527Have sold their lives unto the house of York,
line 2528And thou shalt be the third, if this sword hold.
Somerset and his troops exit as through a city gate.
Enter Clarence, below, wearing the red rose, with Soldiers, Drum and Colors.
WARWICK
line 2529And lo, where George of Clarence sweeps along,
line 2530Of force enough to bid his brother battle,
line 2531With whom an upright zeal to right prevails
80line 2532More than the nature of a brother’s love.—
line 2533Come, Clarence, come; thou wilt, if Warwick call.
CLARENCE
line 2534Father of Warwick, know you what this means?
He removes the red rose.
line 2535Look, here I throw my infamy at thee.
He throws the rose at Warwick.
line 2536I will not ruinate my father’s house,
85line 2537Who gave his blood to lime the stones together
line 2538And set up Lancaster. Why, trowest thou, Warwick,
line 2539That Clarence is so harsh, so blunt, unnatural,
line 2540To bend the fatal instruments of war
line 2541Against his brother and his lawful king?
90line 2542Perhaps thou wilt object my holy oath.
line 2543To keep that oath were more impiety
line 2544Than Jephthah when he sacrificed his daughter.
line 2545I am so sorry for my trespass made
line 2546That, to deserve well at my brother’s hands,
95line 2547I here proclaim myself thy mortal foe,
line 2548With resolution, wheresoe’er I meet thee—
line 2549As I will meet thee if thou stir abroad—
line 2550To plague thee for thy foul misleading me.
line 2551And so, proud-hearted Warwick, I defy thee
100line 2552And to my brother turn my blushing cheeks.—
Act 5 Scene 2 - Pg 223
line 2553Pardon me, Edward, I will make amends.—
line 2554And, Richard, do not frown upon my faults,
line 2555For I will henceforth be no more unconstant.
KING EDWARD
line 2556Now, welcome more, and ten times more beloved,
105line 2557Than if thou never hadst deserved our hate.
RICHARD
line 2558Welcome, good Clarence; this is brother-like.
WARWICK
line 2559O, passing traitor, perjured and unjust.
KING EDWARD
line 2560What, Warwick, wilt thou leave the town and fight?
line 2561Or shall we beat the stones about thine ears?
WARWICK
110line 2562Alas, I am not cooped here for defense.
line 2563I will away towards Barnet presently
line 2564And bid thee battle, Edward, if thou dar’st.
KING EDWARD
line 2565Yes, Warwick, Edward dares, and leads the way.—
Warwick exits from the walls and descends.
line 2566Lords, to the field! Saint George and victory!
They exit. March. Warwick and his company follows.
Scene 2
Alarum and excursions. Enter King Edward, wearing the white rose, bringing forth Warwick, wearing the red rose, wounded.
KING EDWARD
line 2567So, lie thou there. Die thou, and die our fear,
line 2568For Warwick was a bug that feared us all.
line 2569Now, Montague, sit fast. I seek for thee,
line 2570That Warwick’s bones may keep thine company.
He exits.
Act 5 Scene 2 - Pg 225
WARWICK
5line 2571Ah, who is nigh? Come to me, friend or foe,
line 2572And tell me who is victor, York or Warwick?
line 2573Why ask I that? My mangled body shows,
line 2574My blood, my want of strength, my sick heart shows
line 2575That I must yield my body to the earth
10line 2576And, by my fall, the conquest to my foe.
line 2577Thus yields the cedar to the axe’s edge,
line 2578Whose arms gave shelter to the princely eagle,
line 2579Under whose shade the ramping lion slept,
line 2580Whose top branch overpeered Jove’s spreading tree
15line 2581And kept low shrubs from winter’s pow’rful wind.
line 2582These eyes, that now are dimmed with death’s black
line 2583veil,
line 2584Have been as piercing as the midday sun
line 2585To search the secret treasons of the world.
20line 2586The wrinkles in my brows, now filled with blood,
line 2587Were likened oft to kingly sepulchers,
line 2588For who lived king but I could dig his grave?
line 2589And who durst smile when Warwick bent his brow?
line 2590Lo, now my glory smeared in dust and blood!
25line 2591My parks, my walks, my manors that I had
line 2592Even now forsake me; and of all my lands
line 2593Is nothing left me but my body’s length.
line 2594Why, what is pomp, rule, reign, but earth and dust?
line 2595And live we how we can, yet die we must.
Enter Oxford and Somerset, both wearing the red rose.
SOMERSET
30line 2596Ah, Warwick, Warwick, wert thou as we are,
line 2597We might recover all our loss again.
line 2598The Queen from France hath brought a puissant
line 2599power;
line 2600Even now we heard the news. Ah, could’st thou fly—
WARWICK
35line 2601Why, then, I would not fly. Ah, Montague,
Act 5 Scene 3 - Pg 227
line 2602If thou be there, sweet brother, take my hand
line 2603And with thy lips keep in my soul awhile.
line 2604Thou lov’st me not, for, brother, if thou didst,
line 2605Thy tears would wash this cold congealèd blood
40line 2606That glues my lips and will not let me speak.
line 2607Come quickly, Montague, or I am dead.
SOMERSET
line 2608Ah, Warwick, Montague hath breathed his last,
line 2609And to the latest gasp cried out for Warwick,
line 2610And said “Commend me to my valiant brother.”
45line 2611And more he would have said, and more he spoke,
line 2612Which sounded like a cannon in a vault,
line 2613That mought not be distinguished, but at last
line 2614I well might hear, delivered with a groan,
line 2615“O, farewell, Warwick.”
WARWICK
50line 2616Sweet rest his soul! Fly, lords, and save yourselves,
line 2617For Warwick bids you all farewell to meet in heaven.
He dies.
OXFORD
line 2618Away, away, to meet the Queen’s great power!
Here they bear away his body. They exit.
Scene 3
Flourish. Enter King Edward in triumph, with Richard, Clarence, and the rest, all wearing the white rose.
KING EDWARD
line 2619Thus far our fortune keeps an upward course,
line 2620And we are graced with wreaths of victory.
line 2621But in the midst of this bright-shining day,
line 2622I spy a black suspicious threat’ning cloud
5line 2623That will encounter with our glorious sun
line 2624Ere he attain his easeful western bed.
line 2625I mean, my lords, those powers that the Queen
Act 5 Scene 4 - Pg 229
line 2626Hath raised in Gallia have arrived our coast
line 2627And, as we hear, march on to fight with us.
CLARENCE
10line 2628A little gale will soon disperse that cloud
line 2629And blow it to the source from whence it came;
line 2630Thy very beams will dry those vapors up,
line 2631For every cloud engenders not a storm.
RICHARD
line 2632The Queen is valued thirty thousand strong,
15line 2633And Somerset, with Oxford, fled to her.
line 2634If she have time to breathe, be well assured
line 2635Her faction will be full as strong as ours.
KING EDWARD
line 2636We are advertised by our loving friends
line 2637That they do hold their course toward Tewkesbury.
20line 2638We having now the best at Barnet Field
line 2639Will thither straight, for willingness rids way,
line 2640And, as we march, our strength will be augmented
line 2641In every county as we go along.
line 2642Strike up the drum, cry “Courage!” and away.
They exit.
Scene 4
Flourish. March. Enter Queen Margaret, young Prince Edward, Somerset, Oxford, and Soldiers, all wearing the red rose.
QUEEN MARGARET
line 2643Great lords, wise men ne’er sit and wail their loss
line 2644But cheerly seek how to redress their harms.
line 2645What though the mast be now blown overboard,
line 2646The cable broke, the holding-anchor lost,
5line 2647And half our sailors swallowed in the flood?
line 2648Yet lives our pilot still. Is ’t meet that he
line 2649Should leave the helm and, like a fearful lad,
Act 5 Scene 4 - Pg 231
line 2650With tearful eyes add water to the sea
line 2651And give more strength to that which hath too much,
10line 2652Whiles in his moan the ship splits on the rock,
line 2653Which industry and courage might have saved?
line 2654Ah, what a shame, ah, what a fault were this!
line 2655Say Warwick was our anchor; what of that?
line 2656And Montague our topmast; what of him?
15line 2657Our slaughtered friends the tackles; what of these?
line 2658Why, is not Oxford here another anchor?
line 2659And Somerset another goodly mast?
line 2660The friends of France our shrouds and tacklings?
line 2661And, though unskillful, why not Ned and I
20line 2662For once allowed the skillful pilot’s charge?
line 2663We will not from the helm to sit and weep,
line 2664But keep our course, though the rough wind say no,
line 2665From shelves and rocks that threaten us with wrack.
line 2666As good to chide the waves as speak them fair.
25line 2667And what is Edward but a ruthless sea?
line 2668What Clarence but a quicksand of deceit?
line 2669And Richard but a ragged fatal rock—
line 2670All these the enemies to our poor bark?
line 2671Say you can swim: alas, ’tis but awhile;
30line 2672Tread on the sand: why, there you quickly sink;
line 2673Bestride the rock: the tide will wash you off
line 2674Or else you famish; that’s a threefold death.
line 2675This speak I, lords, to let you understand,
line 2676If case some one of you would fly from us,
35line 2677That there’s no hoped-for mercy with the brothers
line 2678More than with ruthless waves, with sands and rocks.
line 2679Why, courage then! What cannot be avoided
line 2680’Twere childish weakness to lament or fear.
PRINCE EDWARD
line 2681Methinks a woman of this valiant spirit
40line 2682Should, if a coward heard her speak these words,
line 2683Infuse his breast with magnanimity
line 2684And make him, naked, foil a man-at-arms.
Act 5 Scene 4 - Pg 233
line 2685I speak not this as doubting any here,
line 2686For did I but suspect a fearful man,
45line 2687He should have leave to go away betimes,
line 2688Lest in our need he might infect another
line 2689And make him of like spirit to himself.
line 2690If any such be here, as God forbid,
line 2691Let him depart before we need his help.
OXFORD
50line 2692Women and children of so high a courage,
line 2693And warriors faint? Why, ’twere perpetual shame!
line 2694O, brave young prince, thy famous grandfather
line 2695Doth live again in thee. Long mayst thou live
line 2696To bear his image and renew his glories!
SOMERSET
55line 2697And he that will not fight for such a hope,
line 2698Go home to bed and, like the owl by day,
line 2699If he arise, be mocked and wondered at.
QUEEN MARGARET
line 2700Thanks, gentle Somerset.—Sweet Oxford, thanks.
PRINCE EDWARD
line 2701And take his thanks that yet hath nothing else.
Enter a Messenger.
MESSENGER
60line 2702Prepare you, lords, for Edward is at hand,
line 2703Ready to fight. Therefore be resolute.He exits.
OXFORD
line 2704I thought no less. It is his policy
line 2705To haste thus fast to find us unprovided.
SOMERSET
line 2706But he’s deceived. We are in readiness.
QUEEN MARGARET
65line 2707This cheers my heart to see your forwardness.
OXFORD
line 2708Here pitch our battle; hence we will not budge.
Act 5 Scene 5 - Pg 235
Flourish, and march. Enter King Edward, Richard, Clarence, and Soldiers, all wearing the white rose.
KING EDWARDto his army
line 2709Brave followers, yonder stands the thorny wood
line 2710Which by the heavens’ assistance and your strength
line 2711Must by the roots be hewn up yet ere night.
70line 2712I need not add more fuel to your fire,
line 2713For, well I wot, you blaze to burn them out.
line 2714Give signal to the fight, and to it, lords!
QUEEN MARGARETto her army
line 2715Lords, knights, and gentlemen, what I should say
line 2716My tears gainsay, for every word I speak
75line 2717You see I drink the water of my eye.
line 2718Therefore, no more but this: Henry, your sovereign,
line 2719Is prisoner to the foe, his state usurped,
line 2720His realm a slaughterhouse, his subjects slain,
line 2721His statutes cancelled and his treasure spent,
80line 2722And yonder is the wolf that makes this spoil.
line 2723You fight in justice. Then, in God’s name, lords,
line 2724Be valiant, and give signal to the fight!
Alarum, retreat, excursions. They exit.
Scene 5
Flourish. Enter King Edward, Richard, and Clarence, all wearing the white rose, with Soldiers guarding Queen Margaret, Oxford, and Somerset, all wearing the red rose, prisoners.
KING EDWARD
line 2725Now here a period of tumultuous broils.
line 2726Away with Oxford to Hames Castle straight.
line 2727For Somerset, off with his guilty head.
line 2728Go bear them hence. I will not hear them speak.
Act 5 Scene 5 - Pg 237
OXFORD
5line 2729For my part, I’ll not trouble thee with words.
SOMERSET
line 2730Nor I, but stoop with patience to my fortune.
QUEEN MARGARET
line 2731So part we sadly in this troublous world
line 2732To meet with joy in sweet Jerusalem.
Oxford and Somerset exit, under guard.
KING EDWARD
line 2733Is proclamation made that who finds Edward
10line 2734Shall have a high reward, and he his life?
RICHARD
line 2735It is, and lo where youthful Edward comes.
Enter Prince Edward, wearing the red rose, under guard.
KING EDWARD
line 2736Bring forth the gallant; let us hear him speak.
line 2737What, can so young a thorn begin to prick?—
line 2738Edward, what satisfaction canst thou make
15line 2739For bearing arms, for stirring up my subjects,
line 2740And all the trouble thou hast turned me to?
PRINCE EDWARD
line 2741Speak like a subject, proud ambitious York.
line 2742Suppose that I am now my father’s mouth:
line 2743Resign thy chair, and where I stand, kneel thou,
20line 2744Whilst I propose the selfsame words to thee
line 2745Which, traitor, thou wouldst have me answer to.
QUEEN MARGARET
line 2746Ah, that thy father had been so resolved!
RICHARD
line 2747That you might still have worn the petticoat
line 2748And ne’er have stol’n the breech from Lancaster.
PRINCE EDWARD
25line 2749Let Aesop fable in a winter’s night;
line 2750His currish riddles sorts not with this place.
Act 5 Scene 5 - Pg 239
RICHARD
line 2751By heaven, brat, I’ll plague you for that word.
QUEEN MARGARET
line 2752Ay, thou wast born to be a plague to men.
RICHARD
line 2753For God’s sake, take away this captive scold.
PRINCE EDWARD
30line 2754Nay, take away this scolding crookback, rather.
KING EDWARD
line 2755Peace, willful boy, or I will charm your tongue.
CLARENCEto Prince Edward
line 2756Untutored lad, thou art too malapert.
PRINCE EDWARD
line 2757I know my duty. You are all undutiful.
line 2758Lascivious Edward, and thou perjured George,
35line 2759And thou misshapen Dick, I tell you all
line 2760I am your better, traitors as you are,
line 2761And thou usurp’st my father’s right and mine.
KING EDWARD
line 2762Take that, the likeness of this railer here!Stabs him.
RICHARD
line 2763Sprawl’st thou? Take that to end thy agony!
Richard stabs him.
CLARENCE
40line 2764And there’s for twitting me with perjury.
Clarence stabs him.
line 2765QUEEN MARGARETO, kill me too!
line 2766RICHARDMarry, and shall.Offers to kill her.
KING EDWARD
line 2767Hold, Richard, hold, for we have done too much.
RICHARD
line 2768Why should she live to fill the world with words?
Queen Margaret faints.
KING EDWARD
45line 2769What, doth she swoon? Use means for her recovery.
They attempt to revive her.
Act 5 Scene 5 - Pg 241
RICHARDtaking Clarence aside
line 2770Clarence, excuse me to the King my brother.
line 2771I’ll hence to London on a serious matter.
line 2772Ere you come there, be sure to hear some news.
line 2773CLARENCEWhat? What?
50line 2774RICHARDThe Tower, the Tower!He exits.
QUEEN MARGARETrising from her swoon
line 2775O Ned, sweet Ned, speak to thy mother, boy.
line 2776Canst thou not speak? O traitors, murderers!
line 2777They that stabbed Caesar shed no blood at all,
line 2778Did not offend, nor were not worthy blame,
55line 2779If this foul deed were by to equal it.
line 2780He was a man; this, in respect, a child,
line 2781And men ne’er spend their fury on a child.
line 2782What’s worse than murderer, that I may name it?
line 2783No, no, my heart will burst an if I speak,
60line 2784And I will speak, that so my heart may burst.
line 2785Butchers and villains, bloody cannibals,
line 2786How sweet a plant have you untimely cropped!
line 2787You have no children, butchers. If you had,
line 2788The thought of them would have stirred up remorse.
65line 2789But if you ever chance to have a child,
line 2790Look in his youth to have him so cut off
line 2791As, deathsmen, you have rid this sweet young prince.
KING EDWARD
line 2792Away with her. Go bear her hence perforce.
QUEEN MARGARET
line 2793Nay, never bear me hence! Dispatch me here.
70line 2794Here sheathe thy sword; I’ll pardon thee my death.
line 2795What, wilt thou not?—Then, Clarence, do it thou.
CLARENCE
line 2796By heaven, I will not do thee so much ease.
QUEEN MARGARET
line 2797Good Clarence, do! Sweet Clarence, do thou do it.
CLARENCE
line 2798Didst thou not hear me swear I would not do it?
Act 5 Scene 6 - Pg 243
QUEEN MARGARET
75line 2799Ay, but thou usest to forswear thyself.
line 2800’Twas sin before, but now ’tis charity.
line 2801What, wilt thou not? Where is that devil’s butcher,
line 2802Richard,
line 2803Hard-favored Richard? Richard, where art thou?
80line 2804Thou art not here. Murder is thy alms-deed;
line 2805Petitioners for blood thou ne’er putt’st back.
KING EDWARD
line 2806Away, I say! To Soldiers. I charge you bear her
line 2807hence.
QUEEN MARGARET
line 2808So come to you and yours as to this prince!
Queen Margaret exits under guard. Soldiers carry off Prince Edward’s body.
85line 2809KING EDWARDWhere’s Richard gone?
CLARENCE
line 2810To London all in post, and, as I guess,
line 2811To make a bloody supper in the Tower.
KING EDWARD
line 2812He’s sudden if a thing comes in his head.
line 2813Now march we hence. Discharge the common sort
90line 2814With pay and thanks, and let’s away to London
line 2815And see our gentle queen how well she fares.
line 2816By this I hope she hath a son for me.
They exit.
Scene 6
Enter King Henry the Sixth, wearing the red rose, and Richard of Gloucester, wearing the white rose, with the Lieutenant above on the Tower walls.
RICHARD
line 2817Good day, my lord. What, at your book so hard?
Act 5 Scene 6 - Pg 245
KING HENRY
line 2818Ay, my good lord—“my lord,” I should say rather.
line 2819’Tis sin to flatter; “good” was little better:
line 2820“Good Gloucester” and “good devil” were alike,
5line 2821And both preposterous: therefore, not “good lord.”
RICHARDto Lieutenant
line 2822Sirrah, leave us to ourselves; we must confer.
Lieutenant exits.
KING HENRY
line 2823So flies the reckless shepherd from the wolf;
line 2824So first the harmless sheep doth yield his fleece
line 2825And next his throat unto the butcher’s knife.
10line 2826What scene of death hath Roscius now to act?
RICHARD
line 2827Suspicion always haunts the guilty mind;
line 2828The thief doth fear each bush an officer.
KING HENRY
line 2829The bird that hath been limèd in a bush,
line 2830With trembling wings misdoubteth every bush;
15line 2831And I, the hapless male to one sweet bird,
line 2832Have now the fatal object in my eye
line 2833Where my poor young was limed, was caught, and
line 2834killed.
RICHARD
line 2835Why, what a peevish fool was that of Crete
20line 2836That taught his son the office of a fowl!
line 2837And yet, for all his wings, the fool was drowned.
KING HENRY
line 2838I Daedalus, my poor boy Icarus,
line 2839Thy father Minos, that denied our course;
line 2840The sun that seared the wings of my sweet boy
25line 2841Thy brother Edward, and thyself the sea
line 2842Whose envious gulf did swallow up his life.
line 2843Ah, kill me with thy weapon, not with words!
line 2844My breast can better brook thy dagger’s point
Act 5 Scene 6 - Pg 247
line 2845Than can my ears that tragic history.
30line 2846But wherefore dost thou come? Is ’t for my life?
RICHARD
line 2847Think’st thou I am an executioner?
KING HENRY
line 2848A persecutor I am sure thou art.
line 2849If murdering innocents be executing,
line 2850Why, then, thou art an executioner.
RICHARD
35line 2851Thy son I killed for his presumption.
KING HENRY
line 2852Hadst thou been killed when first thou didst presume,
line 2853Thou hadst not lived to kill a son of mine.
line 2854And thus I prophesy: that many a thousand
line 2855Which now mistrust no parcel of my fear,
40line 2856And many an old man’s sigh, and many a widow’s
line 2857And many an orphan’s water-standing eye,
line 2858Men for their sons, wives for their husbands,
line 2859Orphans for their parents’ timeless death,
line 2860Shall rue the hour that ever thou wast born.
45line 2861The owl shrieked at thy birth, an evil sign;
line 2862The night-crow cried, aboding luckless time;
line 2863Dogs howled, and hideous tempest shook down trees;
line 2864The raven rooked her on the chimney’s top;
line 2865And chatt’ring pies in dismal discords sung;
50line 2866Thy mother felt more than a mother’s pain,
line 2867And yet brought forth less than a mother’s hope:
line 2868To wit, an indigested and deformèd lump,
line 2869Not like the fruit of such a goodly tree.
line 2870Teeth hadst thou in thy head when thou wast born
55line 2871To signify thou cam’st to bite the world.
line 2872And if the rest be true which I have heard,
line 2873Thou cam’st—
RICHARD
line 2874I’ll hear no more. Die, prophet, in thy speech;
Act 5 Scene 6 - Pg 249
Stabs him.
line 2875For this amongst the rest was I ordained.
KING HENRY
60line 2876Ay, and for much more slaughter after this.
line 2877O God, forgive my sins, and pardon thee.Dies.
RICHARD
line 2878What, will the aspiring blood of Lancaster
line 2879Sink in the ground? I thought it would have mounted.
line 2880See how my sword weeps for the poor king’s death.
65line 2881O, may such purple tears be always shed
line 2882From those that wish the downfall of our house.
line 2883If any spark of life be yet remaining,
line 2884Down, down to hell, and say I sent thee thither—
Stabs him again.
line 2885I that have neither pity, love, nor fear.
70line 2886Indeed, ’tis true that Henry told me of,
line 2887For I have often heard my mother say
line 2888I came into the world with my legs forward.
line 2889Had I not reason, think you, to make haste
line 2890And seek their ruin that usurped our right?
75line 2891The midwife wondered, and the women cried
line 2892“O Jesus bless us, he is born with teeth!”
line 2893And so I was, which plainly signified
line 2894That I should snarl, and bite, and play the dog.
line 2895Then, since the heavens have shaped my body so,
80line 2896Let hell make crook’d my mind to answer it.
line 2897I have no brother, I am like no brother;
line 2898And this word “love,” which graybeards call divine,
line 2899Be resident in men like one another
line 2900And not in me. I am myself alone.
85line 2901Clarence, beware; thou keep’st me from the light,
line 2902But I will sort a pitchy day for thee;
line 2903For I will buzz abroad such prophecies
line 2904That Edward shall be fearful of his life;
line 2905And then to purge his fear, I’ll be thy death.
90line 2906King Henry and the Prince his son are gone.
Act 5 Scene 7 - Pg 251
line 2907Clarence, thy turn is next, and then the rest,
line 2908Counting myself but bad till I be best.
line 2909I’ll throw thy body in another room,
line 2910And triumph, Henry, in thy day of doom.
He exits, carrying out the body.
Scene 7
Flourish. Enter King Edward, Queen Elizabeth, Clarence, Richard of Gloucester, Hastings, Nurse, carrying infant Prince Edward, and Attendants.
KING EDWARD
line 2911Once more we sit in England’s royal throne,
line 2912Repurchased with the blood of enemies.
line 2913What valiant foemen, like to autumn’s corn,
line 2914Have we mowed down in tops of all their pride!
5line 2915Three dukes of Somerset, threefold renowned
line 2916For hardy and undoubted champions;
line 2917Two Cliffords, as the father and the son;
line 2918And two Northumberlands; two braver men
line 2919Ne’er spurred their coursers at the trumpet’s sound.
10line 2920With them the two brave bears, Warwick and
line 2921Montague,
line 2922That in their chains fettered the kingly lion
line 2923And made the forest tremble when they roared.
line 2924Thus have we swept suspicion from our seat
15line 2925And made our footstool of security.—
line 2926Come hither, Bess, and let me kiss my boy.—
line 2927Young Ned, for thee, thine uncles and myself
line 2928Have in our armors watched the winter’s night,
line 2929Went all afoot in summer’s scalding heat,
20line 2930That thou mightst repossess the crown in peace,
line 2931And of our labors thou shalt reap the gain.
Act 5 Scene 7 - Pg 253
RICHARDaside
line 2932I’ll blast his harvest, if your head were laid;
line 2933For yet I am not looked on in the world.
line 2934This shoulder was ordained so thick to heave,
25line 2935And heave it shall some weight or break my back.
line 2936Work thou the way and that shalt execute.
KING EDWARD
line 2937Clarence and Gloucester, love my lovely queen,
line 2938And kiss your princely nephew, brothers both.
CLARENCE
line 2939The duty that I owe unto your Majesty
30line 2940I seal upon the lips of this sweet babe.
He kisses the infant.
KING EDWARD
line 2941Thanks, noble Clarence; worthy brother, thanks.
RICHARD
line 2942And that I love the tree from whence thou sprang’st,
line 2943Witness the loving kiss I give the fruit.
He kisses the infant.
line 2944Aside. To say the truth, so Judas kissed his master
35line 2945And cried “All hail!” whenas he meant all harm.
KING EDWARD
line 2946Now am I seated as my soul delights,
line 2947Having my country’s peace and brothers’ loves.
CLARENCE
line 2948What will your Grace have done with Margaret?
line 2949Reignier, her father, to the King of France
40line 2950Hath pawned the Sicils and Jerusalem,
line 2951And hither have they sent it for her ransom.
KING EDWARD
line 2952Away with her, and waft her hence to France.
line 2953And now what rests but that we spend the time
line 2954With stately triumphs, mirthful comic shows,
45line 2955Such as befits the pleasure of the court?
line 2956Sound drums and trumpets! Farewell, sour annoy,
line 2957For here I hope begins our lasting joy.
Flourish. They all exit.
