Complete Plays, The (280 page)

Montague

And whosoe’er gainsays King Edward’s right,
By this I challenge him to single fight.

Throws down his gauntlet

All

Long live Edward the Fourth!

King Edward IV

Thanks, brave Montgomery; and thanks unto you all:
If fortune serve me, I’ll requite this kindness.
Now, for this night, let’s harbour here in York;
And when the morning sun shall raise his car
Above the border of this horizon,
We’ll forward towards Warwick and his mates;
For well I wot that Henry is no soldier.
Ah, froward Clarence! how evil it beseems thee
To flatter Henry and forsake thy brother!
Yet, as we may, we’ll meet both thee and Warwick.
Come on, brave soldiers: doubt not of the day,
And, that once gotten, doubt not of large pay.

Exeunt

S
CENE
VIII. L
ONDON
. T
HE
PALACE
.

Flourish. Enter King Henry VI, Warwick, Montague, Clarence, Exeter, and Oxford

Warwick

What counsel, lords? Edward from Belgia,
With hasty Germans and blunt Hollanders,
Hath pass’d in safety through the narrow seas,
And with his troops doth march amain to London;
And many giddy people flock to him.

King Henry VI

Let’s levy men, and beat him back again.

Clarence

A little fire is quickly trodden out;
Which, being suffer’d, rivers cannot quench.

Warwick

In Warwickshire I have true-hearted friends,
Not mutinous in peace, yet bold in war;
Those will I muster up: and thou, son Clarence,
Shalt stir up in Suffolk, Norfolk, and in Kent,
The knights and gentlemen to come with thee:
Thou, brother Montague, in Buckingham,
Northampton and in Leicestershire, shalt find
Men well inclined to hear what thou command’st:
And thou, brave Oxford, wondrous well beloved,
In Oxfordshire shalt muster up thy friends.
My sovereign, with the loving citizens,
Like to his island girt in with the ocean,
Or modest Dian circled with her nymphs,
Shall rest in London till we come to him.
Fair lords, take leave and stand not to reply.
Farewell, my sovereign.

King Henry VI

Farewell, my Hector, and my Troy’s true hope.

Clarence

In sign of truth, I kiss your highness’ hand.

King Henry VI

Well-minded Clarence, be thou fortunate!

Montague

Comfort, my lord; and so I take my leave.

Oxford

And thus I seal my truth, and bid adieu.

King Henry VI

Sweet Oxford, and my loving Montague,
And all at once, once more a happy farewell.

Warwick

Farewell, sweet lords: let’s meet at Coventry.

Exeunt all but King Henry VI and Exeter

King Henry VI

Here at the palace I will rest awhile.
Cousin of Exeter, what thinks your lordship?
Methinks the power that Edward hath in field
Should not be able to encounter mine.

Exeter

The doubt is that he will seduce the rest.

King Henry VI

That’s not my fear; my meed hath got me fame:
I have not stopp’d mine ears to their demands,
Nor posted off their suits with slow delays;
My pity hath been balm to heal their wounds,
My mildness hath allay’d their swelling griefs,
My mercy dried their water-flowing tears;
I have not been desirous of their wealth,
Nor much oppress’d them with great subsidies.
Nor forward of revenge, though they much err’d:
Then why should they love Edward more than me?
No, Exeter, these graces challenge grace:
And when the lion fawns upon the lamb,
The lamb will never cease to follow him.

Shout within. ‘A Lancaster! A Lancaster!’

Exeter

Hark, hark, my lord! what shouts are these?

Enter King Edward IV, Gloucester, and soldiers

King Edward IV

Seize on the shame-faced Henry, bear him hence;
And once again proclaim us King of England.
You are the fount that makes small brooks to flow:
Now stops thy spring; my sea sha$l suck them dry,
And swell so much the higher by their ebb.
Hence with him to the Tower; let him not speak.

Exeunt some with King Henry VI

And, lords, towards Coventry bend we our course
Where peremptory Warwick now remains:
The sun shines hot; and, if we use delay,
Cold biting winter mars our hoped-for hay.

Gloucester

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

Exeunt

A
CT
V

S
CENE
I. C
OVENTRY
.

Enter Warwick, the Mayor of Coventry, two Messengers, and others upon the walls

Warwick

Where is the post that came from valiant Oxford?
How far hence is thy lord, mine honest fellow?

First Messenger

By this at Dunsmore, marching hitherward.

Warwick

How far off is our brother Montague?
Where is the post that came from Montague?

Second Messenger

By this at Daintry, with a puissant troop.

Enter Sir John Somerville

Warwick

Say, Somerville, what says my loving son?
And, by thy guess, how nigh is Clarence now?

Somerset

At Southam I did leave him with his forces,
And do expect him here some two hours hence.

Drum heard

Warwick

Then Clarence is at hand, I hear his drum.

Somerset

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

Warwick

Who should that be? belike, unlook’d-for friends.

Somerset

They are at hand, and you shall quickly know.

March: flourish. Enter King Edward IV, Gloucester, and soldiers

King Edward IV

Go, trumpet, to the walls, and sound a parle.

Gloucester

See how the surly Warwick mans the wall!

Warwick

O unbid spite! is sportful Edward come?
Where slept our scouts, or how are they seduced,
That we could hear no news of his repair?

King Edward IV

Now, Warwick, wilt thou ope the city gates,
Speak gentle words and humbly bend thy knee,
Call Edward king and at his hands beg mercy?
And he shall pardon thee these outrages.

Warwick

Nay, rather, wilt thou draw thy forces hence,
Confess who set thee up and pluck’d thee own,
Call Warwick patron and be penitent?
And thou shalt still remain the Duke of York.

Gloucester

I thought, at least, he would have said the king;
Or did he make the jest against his will?

Warwick

Is not a dukedom, sir, a goodly gift?

Gloucester

Ay, by my faith, for a poor earl to give:
I’ll do thee service for so good a gift.

Warwick

’Twas I that gave the kingdom to thy brother.

King Edward IV

Why then ’tis mine, if but by Warwick’s gift.

Warwick

Thou art no Atlas for so great a weight:
And weakling, Warwick takes his gift again;
And Henry is my king, Warwick his subject.

King Edward IV

But Warwick’s king is Edward’s prisoner:
And, gallant Warwick, do but answer this:
What is the body when the head is off?

Gloucester

Alas, that Warwick had no more forecast,
But, whiles he thought to steal the single ten,
The king was slily finger’d from the deck!
You left poor Henry at the Bishop’s palace,
And, ten to one, you’ll meet him in the Tower.

Edward

’Tis even so; yet you are Warwick still.

Gloucester

Come, Warwick, take the time; kneel down, kneel down:
Nay, when? strike now, or else the iron cools.

Warwick

I had rather chop this hand off at a blow,
And with the other fling it at thy face,
Than bear so low a sail, to strike to thee.

King Edward IV

Sail how thou canst, have wind and tide thy friend,
This hand, fast wound about thy coal-black hair
Shall, whiles thy head is warm and new cut off,
Write in the dust this sentence with thy blood,
‘Wind-changing Warwick now can change no more.’

Enter Oxford, with drum and colours

Warwick

O cheerful colours! see where Oxford comes!

Oxford

Oxford, Oxford, for Lancaster!

He and his forces enter the city

Gloucester

The gates are open, let us enter too.

King Edward IV

So other foes may set upon our backs.
Stand we in good array; for they no doubt
Will issue out again and bid us battle:
If not, the city being but of small defence,
We’ll quickly rouse the traitors in the same.

Warwick

O, welcome, Oxford! for we want thy help.

Enter Montague with drum and colours

Montague

Montague, Montague, for Lancaster!

He and his forces enter the city

Gloucester

Thou and thy brother both shall buy this treason
Even with the dearest blood your bodies bear.

King Edward IV

The harder match’d, the greater victory:
My mind presageth happy gain and conquest.

Enter Somerset, with drum and colours

Somerset

Somerset, Somerset, for Lancaster!

He and his forces enter the city

Gloucester

Two of thy name, both Dukes of Somerset,
Have sold their lives unto the house of York;
And thou shalt be the third if this sword hold.

Enter Clarence, with drum and colours

Warwick

And lo, where George of Clarence sweeps along,
Of force enough to bid his brother battle;
With whom an upright zeal to right prevails
More than the nature of a brother’s love!
Come, Clarence, come; thou wilt, if Warwick call.

Clarence

Father of Warwick, know you what this means?

Taking his red rose out of his hat

Look here, I throw my infamy at thee
I will not ruinate my father’s house,
Who gave his blood to lime the stones together,
And set up Lancaster. Why, trow’st thou, Warwick,
That Clarence is so harsh, so blunt, unnatural,
To bend the fatal instruments of war
Against his brother and his lawful king?
Perhaps thou wilt object my holy oath:
To keep that oath were more impiety
Than Jephthah’s, when he sacrificed his daughter.
I am so sorry for my trespass made
That, to deserve well at my brother’s hands,
I here proclaim myself thy mortal foe,
With resolution, wheresoe’er I meet thee —
As I will meet thee, if thou stir abroad —
To plague thee for thy foul misleading me.
And so, proud-hearted Warwick, I defy thee,
And to my brother turn my blushing cheeks.
Pardon me, Edward, I will make amends:
And, Richard, do not frown upon my faults,
For I will henceforth be no more unconstant.

King Edward IV

Now welcome more, and ten times more beloved,
Than if thou never hadst deserved our hate.

Gloucester

Welcome, good Clarence; this is brotherlike.

Warwick

O passing traitor, perjured and unjust!

King Edward IV

What, Warwick, wilt thou leave the town and fight?
Or shall we beat the stones about thine ears?

Warwick

Alas, I am not coop’d here for defence!
I will away towards Barnet presently,
And bid thee battle, Edward, if thou darest.

King Edward IV

Yes, Warwick, Edward dares, and leads the way.
Lords, to the field; Saint George and victory!

Exeunt King Edward and his company. March. Warwick and his company follow

S
CENE
II. A
FIELD
OF
BATTLE
NEAR
B
ARNET
.

Alarum and excursions. Enter King Edward IV, bringing forth Warwick wounded

King Edward IV

So, lie thou there: die thou, and die our fear;
For Warwick was a bug that fear’d us all.
Now, Montague, sit fast; I seek for thee,
That Warwick’s bones may keep thine company.

Exit

Warwick

Ah, who is nigh? come to me, friend or foe,
And tell me who is victor, York or Warwick?
Why ask I that? my mangled body shows,
My blood, my want of strength, my sick heart shows.
That I must yield my body to the earth
And, by my fall, the conquest to my foe.
Thus yields the cedar to the axe’s edge,
Whose arms gave shelter to the princely eagle,
Under whose shade the ramping lion slept,
Whose top-branch overpeer’d Jove’s spreading tree
And kept low shrubs from winter’s powerful wind.
These eyes, that now are dimm’d with death’s black veil,
Have been as piercing as the mid-day sun,
To search the secret treasons of the world:
The wrinkles in my brows, now filled with blood,
Were liken’d oft to kingly sepulchres;
For who lived king, but I could dig his grave?
And who durst mine when Warwick bent his brow?
Lo, now my glory smear’d in dust and blood!
My parks, my walks, my manors that I had.
Even now forsake me, and of all my lands
Is nothing left me but my body’s length.
Why, what is pomp, rule, reign, but earth and dust?
And, live we how we can, yet die we must.

Enter Oxford and Somerset