The Complete Works of William Shakespeare by William Shakespeare (moboreader .TXT) 📕

[Shout within ‘A Lancaster! A Lancaster!’]

EXETER. Hark, hark, my lord! What shouts are these?

Enter KING EDWARD, GLOUCESTER, and soldiers KING EDWARD. Seize on the shame-fac’d 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: let him not speak.

Exeunt some with KING HENRY

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 hop’d-for hay.

GLOUCESTER. Away betimes, before his forces join, And take the great-grown traitor unawares.

Brave warriors, march amain towards Coventry. Exeunt

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ACT V. SCENE I.

Coventry

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?

SOMERVILLE. 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.

SOMERVILLE. 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.

SOMERVILLE. They are at hand, and you shall quickly know.

March. Flourish. Enter KING EDWARD, GLOUCESTER, and soldiers

KING EDWARD. 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 seduc’d 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 pluck’d thee down, 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. 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?

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.

KING 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. 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. 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 quietly 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. 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.

CLARENCE. Clarence, Clarence, for Lancaster!

KING EDWARD. Et tu Brute-wilt thou stab Caesar too?

A parley, sirrah, to George of Clarence.

[Sound a parley. RICHARD and CLARENCE whisper]

WARWICK. Come, Clarence, come. Thou wilt if Warwick call.

CLARENCE. [Taking the red rose from his hat and throwing it at WARWICK]

Father of Warwick, know you what this means?

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, trowest thou, Warwick, That Clarence is so harsh, so blunt, unnatural, To bend the fatal instruments of war

Against his brother and his lawful King?

Perhaps thou wilt object my holy oath.

To keep that oath were more impiety

Than Jephtha when he sacrific’d 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 whereso’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. Now welcome more, and ten times more belov’d, Than if thou never hadst deserv’d our hate.

GLOUCESTER. Welcome, good Clarence; this is brother-like.

WARWICK. O passing traitor, perjur’d and unjust!

KING EDWARD. What, Warwick, wilt thou leave die 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 dar’st.

KING EDWARD. Yes, Warwick, Edward dares and leads the way.

Lords, to the field; Saint George and victory!

Exeunt YORKISTS

[March. WARWICK and his company follow]

SCENE II.

A field of battle near Barnet

Alarum and excursions. Enter KING EDWARD, bringing forth WARWICK, wounded KING EDWARD. 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 pow’rful 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 fill’d with blood, Were lik’ned oft to kingly sepulchres; For who liv’d King, but I could dig his grave?

And who durst smile 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.

what is pomp, rule, reign, but earth and dust?

And live we how we can, yet die we must.

Enter OXFORD and SOMERSET

SOMERSET. Ah, Warwick, Warwick! wert thou as we are, We might recover all our loss again.

The Queen from France hath brought a puissant power; Even now we heard the news. Ah, couldst thou fly!

WARWICK. Why then, I would not fly. Ah, Montague, If thou be there, sweet brother, take my hand, And with thy lips keep in my soul a while!

Thou lov’st me not; for, brother, if thou didst, Thy tears would wash this cold congealed blood That glues my lips and will not let me speak.

Come quickly, Montague, or I am dead.

SOMERSET. Ah, Warwick! Montague hath breath’d his last; And to the latest gasp cried out for Warwick, And said ‘Commend me to my valiant brother.’

And more he would have said; and more he spoke, Which sounded like a clamour in a vault, That mought not be distinguish’d; but at last, I well might hear, delivered with a groan, ‘O farewell, Warwick!’

WARWICK. Sweet rest his soul! Fly, lords, and save yourselves: For Warwick bids you all farewell, to meet in heaven.

[Dies]

OXFORD. Away, away, to meet the Queen’s great power!

[Here they bear away his body]

SCENE III.

Another part of the field

Flourish. Enter KING in triumph; with GLOUCESTER, CLARENCE, and the rest KING EDWARD. Thus far our fortune keeps an upward course, And we are grac’d with wreaths of victory.

But in the midst of this bright-shining day I spy a black, suspicious, threat’ning cloud That will encounter with our glorious sun Ere he attain his easeful western bedI mean, my lords, those powers that the Queen Hath rais’d in Gallia have arriv’d our coast And, as we hear, march on to fight with us.

CLARENCE. A little gale will soon disperse that cloud And blow it to the source from whence it came; Thy very beams will dry those vapours up, For every cloud engenders not a storm.

GLOUCESTER. The Queen is valued thirty thousand strong, And Somerset, with Oxford, fled to her.

If she have time to breathe, be well assur’d Her faction will be full as strong as ours.

KING EDWARD. are advertis’d by our loving friends That they do hold their course toward Tewksbury; We, having now the best at Barnet field, Will thither straight, for willingness rids way; And as we march our strength will be augmented In every county as we go along.

Strike up the drum; cry ‘Courage!’ and away. Exeunt

SCENE IV.

Plains wear Tewksbury

Flourish.