William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition (69 page)

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Authors: William Shakespeare

Tags: #Drama, #Literary Criticism, #Shakespeare

BOOK: William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition

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KING EDWARD

So, Master Mayor, these gates must not be shut
But in the night or in the time of war.
What—fear not, man, but yield me up the keys,

King Edward takes some keys from the Mayor

For Edward will defend the town and thee,
And all those friends that deign to follow me.

March. Enter Sir John Montgomery with a drummer and soldiers

RICHARD OF GLOUCESTER

Brother, this is Sir John Montgomery,
Our trusty friend, unless I be deceived.

KING EDWARD

Welcome, Sir John—but why come you in arms?

MONTGOMERY

To help King Edward in his time of storm,
As every loyal subject ought to do.

KING EDWARD

Thanks, good Montgomery, but we now forget
Our title to the crown, and only claim
Our dukedom till God please to send the rest.

MONTGOMERY

Then fare you well, for I will hence again.
I came to serve a king and not a duke.
Drummer, strike up, and let us march away. 50

The drummer begins to sound a march

KING EDWARD

Nay, stay, Sir John, a while, and we’ll debate
By what safe means the crown may be recovered.

MONTGOMERY

What talk you of debating? In few words,
If you’ll not here proclaim yourself our king
I’ll leave you to your fortune and be gone
To keep them back that come to succour you.
Why shall we fight, if you pretend no title?

RICHARD OF GLOUCESTER (
to King Edward)

Why, brother, wherefore stand you on nice points?

KING EDWARD

When we grow stronger, then we’ll make our claim.
Till then ’tis wisdom to conceal our meaning.

HASTINGS

Away with scrupulous wit! Now arms must rule.

RICHARD OF GLOUCESTER

And fearless minds climb soonest unto crowns.
Brother, we will proclaim you out of hand,
The bruit thereof will bring you many friends.

KING EDWARD

Then be it as you will, for ’tis my right,
And Henry but usurps the diadem.

MONTGOMERY

Ay, now my sovereign speaketh like himself,
And now will I be Edward’s champion.

HASTINGS

Sound trumpet, Edward shall be here proclaimed.
⌈
To Montgomery
⌉
Come, fellow soldier, make thou proclamation.
Flourish

⌈MONTGOMERY⌉ Edward the Fourth, by the grace of God

King of England and France, and Lord of Ireland—
And whosoe’er gainsays King Edward’s right,
By this I challenge him to single fight.

He throws down his gauntlet

ALL Long live Edward the Fourth!

KING EDWARD

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

4.9
Flourish. Enter King Henry, the Earl of Warwick, the Marquis of Montague, George Duke of Clarence, and the Earl of Oxford

WARWICK

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

KING HENRY

Let’s levy men and beat him back again.

GEORGE OF CLARENCE

A little fire is quickly trodden out,
Which, being suffered, 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 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

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

GEORGE OF CLARENCE

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

He kisses King Henry’s hand

KING HENRY

Well-minded Clarence, be thou fortunate.

MONTAGUE

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

⌈
He kisses King Henry’s hand
⌉

OXFORD

And thus I seal my truth and bid adieu.

⌈
He kisses King Henry’s hand
⌉

KING HENRY

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

⌈
Exit
⌉

WARWICK

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

Exeunt
⌈
severally!
⌉

4.10 ⌈
Erenter King Henry and the Duke of Exeter
⌉

KING HENRY

Here at the palace will I rest a while.
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

That’s not my fear. My meed hath got me fame.
I have not stopped 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 allayed their swelling griefs,
My mercy dried their water-flowing tears.
I have not been desirous of their wealth,
Nor much oppressed them with great subsidies,
Nor forward of revenge, though they much erred.
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 York’
⌉

EXETER

Hark, hark, my ford—what shouts are these?

Enter King Edward and Richard Duke of Gloucester, with soldiers

KING EDWARD

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 shall suck them dry,
And swell so much the higher by their ebb.
Hence with him to the Tower—tet him not speak.
Exeunt some with King Henry and Exeter
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.

RICHARD OF GLOUCESTER

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

Exeunt

5.1
Enter the Earl of Warwick, the Mayar of Coventry, two Messengers, and others upon the walls

WARWICK

Where is the post that came from valiant Oxford?

⌈
The First Messenger steps forward
⌉

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?

⌈
the Second Messenger steps forward
⌉

SECOND MESSENGER

By this at Da’ntry, with a puissant troop.

Enter Somerville
⌈
to them, abovel
⌉

WARWICK

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

SOMERVILLE

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

A march afar off

WARWICK

Then Clarence is at hand-I hear his drum.

SOMERVILLE

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

WARWICK

Who should that be? Belike, unlooked-for friends.

SOMERVILLE

They are at hand, and you shall quickly know.

Flourish. Enter below King Edward and Richard Duke of Gloucester, with soldiers

KING EDWARD

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

⌈
Sound a parley
⌉

RICHARD OF 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

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 plucked thee down,
Call Warwick patron, and be penitent?
And thou shalt still remain the Duke of York.

RICHARD OF 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?

RICHARD OF 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

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

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

RICHARD OF GLOUCESTER

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

KING EDWARD

’Tis even so—⌈to
Warwick
⌉ yet you are Warwick still.

RICHARD OF 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.