Enter a Messenger.

Mess. Prepare you, lords, for Edward is at hand, Ready to fight; therefore be resolute.

Oxf. I thought no less: it is his policy,

• To haste thus fast, to find us unprovided. Som. But he's deceiv'd, we are in readiness.

Q. Mar. This cheers my heart, to see your forward

ness.

Orf. Here pitch our battle; hence we will not budge.

March. Enter, at a distance, King EDWARD, Clarence, GLOSTER, and Forces.

K. Edw. Brave followers, yonder stands the thorny wood,

Which, by the heavens' assistance, and your strength, • Must by the roots be hewn up yet ere night. * I need not add more fuel to your fire,

For, well I wot, ye blaze to burn them out:
Give signal to the fight, and to it, lords.

Q. Mar. Lords, knights, and gentlemen, what I should

say,

'My tears gainsay; 2 for every word I speak,

Ye see, I drink the water of mine eyes. 'Therefore, no more but this:

reign,

Henry, your sove

Is prisoner to the foe; his state usurp❜d,
His realm a slaughterhouse, his subjects slain,
'His statutes cancell'd, and his treasure spent ;
And yonder is the wolf, that makes this spoil.
You fight in justice; then, in God's name, lords,
Be valiant, and give signal to the fight.

[Exeunt both Armies.

2 My tears gainsay ;] To gainsay is to unsay, to deny, to contradict.

SCENE V.

Another Part of the same.

Alarums: Excursions: and afterwards a Retreat. Then enter King EDWARD, CLARENCE, GLOSTER, and Forces: with Queen MARGARET, OXFORD, and SoMERSET, Prisoners.

K. Edw. Now, here a period of tumultuous broils. Away with Oxford to Hammes' castle3 straight: For Somerset, off with his guilty head.

Go, bear them hence; I will not hear them speak. Oxf. For my part, I'll not trouble thee with words. Som. Nor I, but stoop with patience to my fortune.

[Exeunt OXFORD and SOMERSET, guarded. Q. Mar. So part we sadly in this troublous world, * To meet with joy in sweet Jerusalem.

*

K. Edw. Is proclamation made, that, who finds

Edward,

* Shall have a high reward, and he his life?

Glo. It is: and, lo, where youthful Edward comes.

Enter Soldiers, with Prince EDWARD.

* K. Edw. Bring forth the gallant, let us hear him speak:

* What! can so young a thorn begin to prick? Edward, what satisfaction canst thou make, • For bearing arms, for stirring up my subjects, * And all the trouble thou hast turn'd me to? Prince. Speak like a subject, proud ambitious York! Suppose, that I am now my father's mouth; Resign thy chair, and, where I stand, kneel thou, Whilst I propose the self-same words to thee, Which, traitor, thou would'st have me answer to. Q. Mar. Ah, that thy father had been so resolv'd!

3

to Hammes' castle-] A castle in Picardy, where Oxford was confined for many years.

Glo. That you might still have worn the petticoat, And ne'er have stol'n the breech from Lancaster.

4

Prince. Let Æsop fable in a winter's night; His currish riddles sort not with this place.

Glo. By heaven, brat, I'll plague you for that word. Q. Mar. Ay, thou wast born to be a plague to men. Glo. For God's sake, take away this captive scold. Prince. Nay, take away this scolding crook-back

rather.

K. Edw. Peace, wilful boy, or I will charm your

tongue.

Clar. Untutor'd lad, thou art too malapert.

Prince. I know my duty, you are all undutiful: Lascivious Edward, and thou perjur'd George, And thou misshapen Dick, I tell ye all,

I am your better, traitors as ye are ;—

* And thou usurp'st my father's right and mine.

5

K. Edw. Take that, the likeness of this railer here. "

[Stabs him.

* Glo. Sprawl'st thou? take that, to end thy agony.

[GLO. stabs him.

* Clar. And there's for twitting me with perjury.

Q. Mar. O, kill me too!
Glo. Marry, and shall.

[CLA. stabs him.

[Offers to kill her.

'K. Edw. Hold, Richard, hold, for we have done too

much.

Glo. Why should she live, to fill the world with

words? 6

K. Edw. What! doth she swoon? use means for her

recovery.

Glo. Clarence, excuse me to the king my brother;

4 Let Esop, &c.] The prince calls Richard, for his crookedness, Esop; and the poet, following nature, makes Richard highly incensed at the reproach.

5

the likeness of this railer here, &c.] That thou resemblest thy railing mother.

6

with words?] i. e. dispute, contention.

I'll hence to London on a serious matter:

• Ere
Clar. What? what?

ye come there, be sure to hear some news.

Glo. The Tower! the Tower!

[Exit.

'Q. Mar. O, Ned, sweet Ned! speak to thy mother,

boy!

• Canst thou not speak? - O traitors! murderers!
They, that stabb'd Cæsar, shed no blood at all,
Did not offend, nor were not worthy blame,
* If this foul deed were by, to equal it.
He was a man: this, in respect, a child;
And men ne'er spend their fury on a child.

• What's worse than murderer, that I may name it?
No, no; my heart will burst, an if I speak :-
⚫ And I will speak, that so my heart may burst.—
• Butchers and villains, bloody cannibals!

* How sweet a plant have you untimely cropp'd!
You have no children, butchers! if you had,
The thought of them would have stirr'd up remorse:
But, if you ever chance to have a child,
Look in his youth to have him so cut off,

As, deathsmen! you have rid this sweet young prince!
K. Edw. Away with her; go, bear her hence perforce.
Q. Mar. Nay, never bear me hence, despatch me here;
Here sheath thy sword, I'll pardon thee my death:
What! wilt thou not?-then, Clarence, do it thou.
Clar. By heaven, I will not do thee so much ease.
Q. Mar. Good Clarence, do; sweet Clarence, do thou
do it.

Clar. Didst thou not hear me swear, I would not do it?

Q. Mar. Ay, but thou usest to forswear thyself; 'Twas sin before 7, but now 'tis charity.

What! wilt thou not? where is that devil's butcher, Hard-favour'd Richard? Richard, where art thou? Thou art not here: Murder is thy alms-deed; Petitioners for blood thou ne'er put'st back.

7 'Twas sin before,] She alludes to the desertion of Clarence.

• K. Edw. Away, I say; I charge ye, bear her hence. Q. Mar. So come to you, and yours, as to this prince! [Exit, led out forcibly.

K. Edw. Where's Richard gone?

• Clar. To London, all in post: and, as I guess, To make a bloody supper in the Tower.

K. Edw. He's sudden, if a thing comes in his head. • Now march we hence: discharge the common sort • With pay and thanks, and let's away to London, And see our gentle queen how well she fares; 6 By this, I hope, she hath a son for me.

[Exeunt.

SCENE VI.

London. A Room in the Tower.

King HENRY is discovered sitting with a Book in his Hand, the Lieutenant attending. Enter GLOSTER.

Glo. Good day, my lord! What, at your book so hard?

K. Hen. Ay, my good lord: My lord, I should say rather:

'Tis sin to flatter, good was little better: Good Gloster, and good devil, were alike,

* And both preposterous; therefore, not good lord. * Glo. Sirrah, leave us to ourselves: we must confer. [Exit Lieutenant.

*

K. Hen. So flies the reckless shepherd from the

wolf:

* So first the harmless sheep doth yield his fleece, * And next his throat unto the butcher's knife. What scene of death hath Roscius now to act? Glo. Suspicion always haunts the guilty mind; The thief doth fear each bush an officer.

K. Hen. The bird, that hath been limed in a bush, . With trembling wings misdoubteth every bush :