That will encounter with our glorious fun,
Ere he attain his eafeful western bed:
I mean, my Lords, thofe powers that the Queen
Hath rais'd in Gallia, have arriv'd our coaft,
And, as we hear, march on to fight with us.
Cla. A little gale will foon difperfe that cloud,
And blow it to the fource from whence it came.
Thy very beams will dry thofe vapours up;
For every cloud engenders not a storm.
Glo. The Queen is valued thirty thousand strong,
And Somerfet, with Oxford, fled to her.
If fhe hath time to breathe, be well affur'd
Her faction will be full as ftrong as ours.
K. Edw. We are advertis'd by our loving friends,
That they do hold their courfe tow'rd Tewksbury.
We having now the best at Barnet field,
Will thither ftraight; for willingness rids way:
And as we march, our ftrength will be augmented
In every county as we go along:
Strike up the drum, cry, courage! and away. [Exeunt.
March. Enter Queen Margaret, Prince of Wales, Somerfet, Oxford, and Soldiers.
Q. Mar. Great Lords, wife men ne'er fit and wail their
But chearly feek how to redrefs their harms.
What though the mast be now blown over-board,
The cable broke, the holding-anchor loft,
And half our failors fwallow'd in the flood?
Yet lives our Pilot ftill. Is't meet that he
Should leave the helm, and like a fearful lad
With tear-full eyes add water to the fea,
And give more ftrength to that which hath too much?
While in his moan the fhip fplits on the rock,
Which industry and courage might have fav'd?
Ah, what a fhame, ah, what a fault were this!
Say Warwick was our anchor; what of that?
And Montague our top-maft; what of him?
Our flaughter'd friends, the tackle; what of thefe?
Why, is not Oxford here another anchor?
And Somerfet another goodly maft?
The friends of France our fhrouds and tacklings ftill?
And though unskilful, why not Ned and I
For once allow'd the skilful pilot's charge?
We will not from the helm to fit and weep,
But keep our course, though the rough wind say no,
From fhelves and rocks that threaten us with wreck:
As good to chide the waves, as fpeak them fair.
And what is Edward, but a ruthless sea?
What Clarence, but a quick-fand of deceit?
And Richard, but a ragged fatal rock?
All these, the enemies to our poor bark.
Say you can fwim; alas, 'tis but a while;
Tread on the fand, why there you quickly fink;
Beftride the rock, the tide will wash you off,
Or else you famifh, that's a three-fold death.
This fpeak I, Lords, to let you understand,
In cafe fome one of you would fly from us,
That there's no hop'd-for mercy with the brothers,
More than with ruthlefs waves, with fands and rocks,
Why, courage then! what cannot be avoided,
"Twere childish weakness to lament, or fear.
Prince. Methinks a woman of this valiant fpirit
Should, if a coward heard her fpeak these words,
Infuse his breaft with magnanimity,
And make him, naked, foil a man at arms.
I fpeak not this, as doubting any here:
For did I but fufpect a fearful man,
He fhould have leave to go away betimes;
Left in our need he might infect another,
And make him of like spirit to himself.
If any fuch be here, as God forbid,
Let him depart before we need his help.
Oxf. Women and children of fo high a courage!
And warriors faint! why, 'twere perpetual fhame.
Oh brave young Prince! thy famous grandfather
Doth live again in thee; long may'st thou live,
To bear his image, and renew his glories!
Som. And he that will not fight for fuch a hope,
Go home to bed, and like the owl by day,
If he arife, be mock'd and wonder'd at.
Q. Mar. Thanks, gentle Somerfet; fweet Oxford, thanks. Prince. And take his thanks, that yet hath nothing else. Enter a Messenger.
Mef. Prepare you, Lords, for Edward is at hand,
Ready to fight; therefore be refolute.
Oxf. I thought no lefs; it is his policy
To hafte thus fast, to find us unprovided.
Som. But he's deceiv'd, we are in readinefs.
Q. Mar. This chears my heart, to fee your forwardness.
Oxf. Here pitch our battel, hence we will not budge.
March. Enter King Edward, Gloucester, Clarence, and Soldiers.
K. Edw. Brave followers, yonder stands the thorny wood, Which, by the heav'n's affiftance and your ftrength, 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 fignal to the fight, and to it, Lords.
Q. Mar. Lords, Knights, and Gentlemen, what I should
My tears gain-fay; for every word I speak,
Ye fee I drink the water of my eye:
Therefore no more but this; Henry, your Sov'reign,
Is prifoner to the foe, his ftate ufurp'd,
His realm a flaughter-house, his fubjects flain,
His ftatutes cancell'd, and his treasure spent:
And yonder is the wolf that makes this spoil.
You fight in juftice: then in God's name, Lords,
Be valiant, and give fignal to the battle.
Alarum. Retreat. Excurfions. Both Parties go out. Re-Enter King Edward, Gloucefter, Clarence, &c. Queen Margaret, Oxford, and Somerset Prisoners.
K. Edw. Now here's a period of tumultuous broils. Away with Oxford to 'Holmes-caftle * ftraight: For Somerfet, off with his guilty head.
Go bear them hence, I will not hear them fpeak.
Oxf. For my part, I'll not trouble thee with words. Som. Nor I, but ftoop with patience to my fortune. [Exe. Q. Mar. So part we fadly in this troublous world, To meet with joy in fweet Jerufalem.
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 the Prince of Wales.
K. Edw. Bring forth the gallant, let us hear him fpeak.
What? can fo young a thorn begin to prick?
Edward, what fatisfaction canft thou make,
For bearing arms, for ftirring up my fubjects,
And all the trouble thou haft turn'd me to?
Prince. Speak like a subject, proud ambitious ork.
Suppofe that I am now my father's mouth,
Refign thy chair, and where I ftand kneel thou,
Whilft I propofe the felf-fame words to thee,
Which, traitor! thou wouldst have me answer to.
Q. Mar, Ah! that thy father had been fo refolv'd!
Glo. That you might still have worn the petticoat,
And ne'er have ftol'n the breech from Lancaster.
Prince. Let Efop fable in a winter's night,
His currifh riddles fort not with this place.
(a) Holmes calle is an old cafle near Tewksbury.
2 Hammes-cafile
Glo. By heaven, brat, I'll plague ye for that word.
Q. Mar. Ay, thou waft born to be a plague to men.
Glo. For God's fake, take away this captive fcold.
Prince. Nay, take away this fcolding crook-back rather.
K. Edw. Peace, wilful boy, or I will charm your tongue.,.
Cla. Untutor'd lad, thou art too malapert.
Prince. I know my duty, you're undutiful:
Lafcivious Edward, and thou, perjur'd George,
And thou, mif-fhapen Dick, I tell
ye all,
I am your better, traitors as ye are :
And thou ufurp'ft my father's right and mine.
Glo. Take that, thou likeness of this railer here. [Stabs him. K. Edw. And take thou that, to end thy agony.
Cla. And there's for twitting me with perjury.
Q. Mar. Oh, kill me too!
Glo. Marry, and shall.
K.Edw.Hold, Richard, hold, for we have done too much. Glo. Why should fhe live, to fill the world with words? K. Edw. What? doth fhe fwoon? ufe means for her reGlo. Clarence, excufe me to the King my brother: [cov'ry. I'll hence to London on a ferious matter.
Ere ye come there, be fure to hear fome news.
Cla. What? what?
Glo. Tower, the Tower!
Q. Mar. Oh Ned, fweet Ned! fpeak to thy mother, boy.
Can't thou not speak? O traitors, murderers!
They that ftabb'd Cæfar fhed no blood at all,
Did not offend, and were not worthy blame,
If this foul deed were by, to equal it.
He was a man; this (in refpect) a child,
And men ne'er fpend their fury on a child.
What's worse than murtherer, that I may name it?
No, no, my heart will burft, an if I fpeak
And I will fpeak, that fo my heart may burst.
Butchers and villains, bloody Canibals,
How fweet & plant have you untimely cropt!
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