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?
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First Messenger | By this at Dunsmore, marching hitherward. |
Warwick |
How far off is our brother Montague?
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Second Messenger | By this at Daintry, with a puissant troop. |
Enter Sir John Somerville. | |
Warwick |
Say, Somerville, what says my loving son?
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Somerset |
At Southam I did leave him with his forces,
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Warwick | Then Clarence is at hand; I hear his drum. |
Somerset |
It is not his, my lord; here Southam lies:
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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, 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?
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King Edward |
Now, Warwick, wilt thou ope the city gates,
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Warwick |
Nay, rather, wilt thou draw thy forces hence,
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Gloucester |
I thought, at least, he would have said the king;
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Warwick | Is not a dukedom, sir, a goodly gift? |
Gloucester |
Ay, by my faith, for a poor earl to give:
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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:
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King Edward |
But Warwick’s king is Edward’s prisoner:
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Gloucester |
Alas, that Warwick had no more forecast,
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King Edward | ’Tis even so; yet you are Warwick still. |
Gloucester |
Come, Warwick, take the time; kneel down, kneel down:
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Warwick |
I had rather chop this hand off at a blow,
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King Edward |
Sail how thou canst, have wind and tide thy friend,
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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.
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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
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King Edward |
The harder match’d, the greater victory:
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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,
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Enter Clarence, with drum and colours. | |
Warwick |
And lo, where George of Clarence sweeps along,
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Clarence |
Father of Warwick, know you what this means? Taking his red rose out of his hat.
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King Edward |
Now welcome more, and ten times more beloved,
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Gloucester | Welcome, good Clarence; this is brother-like. |
Warwick | O passing traitor, perjured and unjust! |
King Edward |
What, Warwick, wilt thou leave the town and fight?
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Warwick |
Alas, I am not coop’d here for defence!
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King Edward |
Yes, Warwick, Edward dares, and leads the way.
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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;
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Warwick |
Ah, who is nigh? come to me, friend or foe,
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Enter Oxford and Somerset. | |
Somerset |
Ah, Warwick, Warwick! wert thou as we are,
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Warwick |
Why, then I would not fly. Ah, Montague,
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Somerset |
Ah, Warwick! Montague hath breathed his last;
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Warwick |
Sweet rest his soul! Fly, lords, and save yourselves;
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Oxford | Away, away, to meet the queen’s great power! Here they bear away his body. Exeunt. |
Scene III
Another part of the field.
Flourish. Enter King Edward in triumph; with Gloucester, Clarence, and the rest. | |
King Edward |
Thus far our fortune keeps an upward course,
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Clarence |
A little gale will soon disperse that cloud
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Gloucester |
The queen is valued thirty thousand strong,
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King Edward |
We are advertised by our loving friends
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Scene IV
Plains near Tewksbury.
March. Enter Queen Margaret, Prince Edward, Somerset, Oxford, and soldiers. | |
Queen Margaret |
Great lords, wise men ne’er sit and wail their loss,
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Prince |
Methinks a woman of this valiant spirit
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Oxford |
Women and children of so high a courage,
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Somerset |
And he that will not fight for such a hope,
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Queen Margaret | Thanks, gentle Somerset; sweet Oxford, thanks. |
Prince | And take his thanks that yet hath nothing else. |
Enter a Messenger. | |
Messenger |
Prepare you, lords, for Edward is at hand,
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Oxford |
I thought no less: it is his policy
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Somerset | But he’s deceived; we are in readiness. |
Queen Margaret | This cheers my heart, to see your forwardness. |
Oxford | Here pitch our battle; hence we will not budge. |
Flourish and march. Enter King Edward, Gloucester, Clarence, and soldiers. | |
King Edward |
Brave followers, yonder stands the thorny wood,
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Queen Margaret |
Lords, knights, and gentlemen, what I should say
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Scene V
Another part of the field.
Flourish. Enter King Edward, Gloucester, Clarence, and soldiers; with Queen Margaret, Oxford, and Somerset, prisoners. | |
King Edward |
Now here a period of tumultuous broils.
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Oxford | For my part, I’ll not trouble thee with words. |
Somerset | Nor I, but stoop with patience to my fortune. Exeunt Oxford and Somerset, guarded. |
Queen Margaret |
So part we sadly in this troublous world,
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King Edward |
Is proclamation made, that who finds Edward
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Gloucester | It is: and lo, where youthful Edward comes! |
Enter soldiers, with Prince Edward. | |
King Edward |
Bring forth the gallant, let us hear him speak.
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Prince |
Speak like a subject, proud ambitious York!
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Queen Margaret | Ah, that thy father had been so resolved! |
Gloucester |
That you might still have worn the petticoat,
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Prince |
Let Aesop fable in a winter’s night;
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Gloucester | By heaven, brat, I’ll plague ye for that word. |
Queen Margaret | Ay, thou wast born to be a plague to men. |
Gloucester | For God’s sake, take away this captive scold. |
Prince | Nay, take away this scolding crook-back rather. |
King Edward | Peace, wilful boy, or I will charm your tongue. |
Clarence | Untutor’d lad, thou art too malapert. |
Prince |
I know my duty; you are all undutiful:
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King Edward | Take that, thou likeness of this railer here. Stabs him. |
Gloucester | Sprawl’st thou? take that, to end thy agony. Stabs him. |
Clarence | And there’s for twitting me with perjury. Stabs him. |
Queen Margaret | O, kill me too! |
Gloucester | Marry, and shall. Offers to kill her. |
King Edward | Hold, Richard, hold; for we have done too much. |
Gloucester | Why should she live, to fill the world with words? |
King Edward | What, doth she swoon? use means for her recovery. |
Gloucester |
Clarence, excuse me to the king my brother;
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Clarence | What? what? |
Gloucester | The Tower, the Tower. Exit. |
Queen Margaret |
O Ned, sweet Ned! speak to thy mother, boy!
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King Edward | Away with her; go, bear her hence perforce. |
Queen Margaret |
Nay, never bear me hence, dispatch me here;
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Clarence | By heaven, I will not do thee so much ease. |
Queen Margaret | Good Clarence, do; sweet Clarence, do thou do it. |
Clarence | Didst thou not hear me swear I would not do it? |
Queen Margaret |
Ay, but thou usest to forswear thyself:
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King Edward | Away, I say; I charge ye, bear her hence. |
Queen Margaret | So come to you and yours, as to this prince! Exit, led out forcibly. |
King Edward | Where’s Richard gone? |
Clarence |
To London, all in post; and, as I guess,
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King Edward |
He’s sudden, if a thing comes in his head.
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Scene VI
London. The Tower.
Enter King Henry and Gloucester, with the Lieutenant, on the walls. | |
Gloucester | Good day, my lord. What, at your book so hard? |
King Henry |
Ay, my good lord:—my lord, I should say rather;
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Gloucester | Sirrah, leave us to ourselves: we must confer. Exit Lieutenant. |
King Henry |
So flies the reckless shepherd from the wolf;
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Gloucester |
Suspicion always haunts the guilty mind;
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King Henry |
The bird that hath been limed in a bush,
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Gloucester |
Why, what a peevish fool was that of Crete,
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King Henry |
I, Daedalus; my poor boy, Icarus;
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Gloucester | Think’st thou I am an executioner? |
King Henry |
A persecutor, I am sure, thou art:
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Gloucester | Thy son I kill’d for his presumption. |
King Henry |
Hadst thou been kill’d when first thou didst presume,
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Gloucester |
I’ll hear no more: die, prophet, in thy speech: Stabs him.
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King Henry |
Ay, and for much more slaughter after this.
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Gloucester |
What, will the aspiring blood of Lancaster
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Scene VII
London. The palace.
Flourish. Enter King Edward, Queen Elizabeth, Clarence, Gloucester, Hastings, a Nurse with the young Prince, and Attendants. | |
King Edward |
Once more we sit in England’s royal throne,
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Gloucester |
Aside. I’ll blast his harvest, if your head were laid;
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King Edward |
Clarence and Gloucester, love my lovely queen;
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Clarence |
The duty that I owe unto your majesty
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Queen Elizabeth | Thanks, noble Clarence; worthy brother, thanks. |
Gloucester |
And, that I love the tree from whence thou sprang’st,
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King Edward |
Now am I seated as my soul delights,
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Clarence |
What will your grace have done with Margaret?
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King Edward |
Away with her, and waft her hence to France.
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