Thou hast undone thyself, thy son, and me, 'And given unto the house of York such head, *As thou shalt reign but by their sufferance. *To entail him and his heirs unto the crown, *What is it, but to make thy sepulchre,1 *And creep into it far before thy time? *Warwick is chancellor, and the lord of Calais; Stern Faulconbridge2 commands the narrow seas; The duke is made protector of the realm; And yet shalt thou be safe? *such safety finds *The trembling lamb, environed with wolves. • Had I been there, which am a silly woman, 'The soldiers should have toss'd me on their pikes, 'Before I would have granted to that act. * But thou preferr'st thy life before thine honour : And seeing thou dost, I here divorce myself, Both from thy table, Henry, and thy bed, • Until that act of parliament be repeal'd, Whereby my son is disinherited. The northern lords, that have forsworn thy colours, Will follow mine, if once they see them spread: And spread they shall be; to thy foul disgrace, And utter ruin of the house of York. • Thus do I leave thee :-Come, son, let's away; • Our army's ready: Come, we'll after them. K. Hen. Stay, gentle Margaret, and hear me speak. Q. Mar. Thou hast spoke too much already; get thee gone. K, Hen. Gentle son Edward, thou wilt stay with me? her son, Hath made her break out into terms of rage! Reveng'd may she be on that hateful duke; * Whose haughty spirit, winged with desire, *Will coast3 my crown, and, like an empty eagle, *Tire on the flesh of me, and of my son! *The loss of those three lords torments my heart: * I'll write unto them, and entreat them fair;*Come, cousin, you shall be the messenger. * Ere. And I, I hope, shall reconcile them all. [Exeunt. SCENE II. A Room in Sandal Castle, near Wakefield in Yorkshire. Enter EDWARD, RICHARD, and Montague. 'Rich. Brother, though I be youngest, give me leave. Edw. No, I can better play the orator. 1 The queen's reproach is founded on a position long received among politicians, that the loss of kingly power is soon followed by loss of life. 2 The person here meant was Thomas Nevil, bastard son to the Lord Faulconbridge, 'a man (says Hall) of no lesse corage than audacitie, who for his cruel condicions was such an apte person, that a more meter could not be chosen to set all the world in a broyle, and to put the estate of the realme on an ill hazard.' He had been appointed by Warwick, vice-admiral of the sea, and had in charge so to keep the passage between Dover and Calais, that none which either favoured King Henry or his friends, should escape untaken or undrowned: such, at least, were his instructions with respect to the friends and favourers of King Edward after the rupture between him and Warwick. On Warwick's death, he fell into poverty, and robbed, both by sea and land as well friends as enemies. He once brought his ships up the Thames, and with a considerable body of the men of Kent and Essex, made a spirited assault on the city, with a view to plunder and pillage, which was not repelled but after a sharp conflict, and the loss of many lives; and, had it happened at a more critical period, might have been attended with fatal consequences to Edward. After roving on the sea some little time longer, he ventured to land at Southampton, where he was taken and beheaded. See Hall and Holinshed.-Ritson. 3 To coust is, apparently, to pursue, to hover about Enter YORK. York. Why, how now, sons and brother, at : strife? 'What is your quarrel? how began it first? Edw. No quarrel, but a slight contention. • York. About what? • Rich. About that which concerns your grace, and us; 'The crown of England, father, which is yours. York. Mine, boy? not till King Henry be dead. * Rich. Your right depends not on his life, or death. * Edw. Now you are heir, therefore enjoy it now: * By giving the house of Lancaster leave to breathe, *It will outrun you, father, in the end. 'York. I took an oath that he should quietly reign. Edw. But, for a kingdom, any oath may be broken :" I'd break a thousand oaths, to reign one year. Rich. No; God forbid, your grace should be forsworn. • York. I shall be, if I claim by open war. 'Rich. I'll prove the contrary, if you'll hear me speak. 'York. Thou canst not, son; it is impossible. 'Rich. An oath is of no moment, being not took Before a true and lawful magistrate, Henry had none, but did usurp the place; 'That hath authority over him that swears; Then, seeing 'twas he that made you to depose, Therefore, to arms. Your oath, my lord, is vain and frivolous. * And, father, do but think, * How sweet a thing it is to wear a crown; Within whose circuit is Elysium, Why do we linger thus? I cannot rest, * And all that poets feign of bliss and joy. ✶ Until the white rose, that I wear, be dyed * Even in the lukewarm blood of Henry's heart 'York. Richard, enough; I will be king or die.'Brother, thou shalt to London presently, And whet on Warwick to this enterprise. 6 Thou, Richard, shalt unto the duke of Norfolk, And tell him privily of our intent. 'You, Edward, shall unto my Lord Cobham, With whom the Kentishmen will willingly rise "In them I trust; for they are soldiers, 'Witty and courteous, liberal, full of spirit.While you are thus employ'd, what resteth more, But that I seek occasion how to rise; And yet the king not privy to my drift, 'Nor any of the house of Lancaster? Enter a Messenger.9 But, stay; What news? Why com'st thou in such post? 'Mess. The queen, with all the northern earls and lords,10 any thing. The old form of the word appears to have been costoye, or costoie, from the French costoyer, to pursue a course alongside an object, to watch it. 4 To tire is to tear; to feed like a bird of prey. 5 i. e. of Northumberland, Westmoreland, and Clif ford, who had left him in disgust. 6 Shakspeare seems to have thought York and Montague brothers-in-law. But Montague was brother to Warwick; Warwick's daughter was married to a son of York, but not during the life of York. Steevens thought that as Shakspeare uses the expression brothers of the war in King Lear, something of the kind might be meant here. 7 The obligation of an oath is here eluded by a very despicable sophistry. A lawful magistrate alone has the power to exact an oath, but the oath derives no part of its force from the magistrate. The plea against the ob ligation of an oath obliging to maintain a usurper, taken from the unlawfulness of the oath itself, in the forego ing play, was rational and just--Johnson. 8 Of sound judgment. 9 The folio reads 'Enter Gabriel. It was the name of the actor, probably Gabriel Singer, who played this insignificant part. The emendation is from the old play, and was made by Theobald. 10 I know not (says Johnson) whether the author in tended any moral instruction, but he that reads this ha. • Intend here to besiege you in your castle : • She is hard by with twenty thousand men ; And therefore fortify your hoid, my lord. * York. Ay, with my sword. What! think'st • Edward and Richard, you shall stay with me; 'You are come to Sandal in a happy hour; Rut. Then let my father's blood open it again; He is a man, and, Clifford, cope with him. Clif. Had I thy brethren here, their lives, and thine, Were not revenge sufficient for me; No, if I digg'd up thy forefathers' graves, And hung their rotten coffins up in chains, It could not slake mine ire, nor ease my heart. The sight of any of the house of York Is as a fury to torment my soul; ' And till I root out their accursed line, not:|_ And leave not one alive, I live in hell. Therefore[Lifting his hand. Rut. O, let me pray before I take my death :To thee I pray; sweet Clifford, pity me! Clif. Such pity as my rapier's point affords. 'Rut. I never did thee harm: Why wilt thou slay me? Sir John. She shall not need, we'll meet her in the field. York. What, with five thousand men? • And issue forth, and bid them battle straight. • I doubt not, uncle, of our victory. SCENE III. Plains near Sandal Castle. Ala- Tutor.1 • Rut. Ah, whither shall I fly to 'scape their hands? Ah, tutor! look, where bloody Clifford comes! Enter CLIFFORD, and Soldiers. Clif. Thy father hath. Rut. Ah, let me live in prison all my days; Thy father slew my father; therefore, die. [Dies. Clif. Plantagenet! I come, Plantagenet! And this thy son's blood cleaving to my blade, Shall rust upon my weapon, till thy blood, Congeal'd with this, do make me wipe off both. [Ext • Turn back, and fly, like ships before the wind, 'Or lambs pursu'd by hunger-starved wolves. Clif. Chaplain, away! thy priesthood saves thy My sons--God knows, what hath bechanced life. As for the brat of this accursed duke, Tut. Ah, Clifford! murder not this innocent Lest thou be hated both of God and man. [Exit, forced off by Soldiers. Cliff. How now! is he dead already? Or, is it fear, That makes him close his eyes?--I'll open them. And so he comes to rend his limbs asunder. C vain thou speak'st, poor boy; my father's blood them: ground! And cried,-A crown, or else a glorious tomb ' ' And I am faint, and cannot fly their fury: 5 Since. 6 This line is in Ovid's Epistle from Phillis to Demophoon. The same quotation is in Nash's Have with you to Saffron Walden, 1596. 7 These were two bastard uncles by the mother's side, Sir John and Sir Hugh Mortimer. See Grafton's Chronicle, p. 649. 8 Bodged is probably the same as budged, from bouger, French. Steevens thought that it was the same as boggled, i. e. made bad, or bungling work of the attempt to rally. But the following passage, Coriolanus speaks of his army who had fled from their adversaries, seems decisive : in which The mouse ne'er shunn'd the cat, as they did budge From rascals worse than they.' Enter QUEEN MARGARET, CLIFFORD, NORTH- | Made issue from the bosom of the boy: UMBERLAND, and Soldiers. • Come, bloody Clifford,-rough Northumberland, I dare your quenchless fury to more rage; 'I am your butt, and I abide your shot. North. Yield to our mercy, proud Plantagenet. Clif. Ay, to such mercy, as his ruthless arm, With downright payment, show'd unto my father. Now Phaeton hath tumbled from his car, And made an evening at the noontide prick.' York. My ashes, as the Phoenix, may bring forth A bird that will revenge upon you all: And, in that hope, I throw mine eyes to heaven, Scorning whate'er you can afflict me with. 'Why come you not? what! multitudes, and fear? Clif. So cowards fight, when they can fly no further ; 'So doves do peck the falcon's piercing talons; So desperate thieves, all hopeless of their lives, Breathe out invectives 'gainst the officers. York. O, Clifford, but bethink thee once again, And, in thy thought o'errun my former time: * And, if thou canst for blushing, view this face And bite thy tongue that slanders him with cowardice, ; 'Whose frown hath made thee faint and fly ere this. Clif. I will not bandy with thee word for word; But buckle with thee blows, twice two for one. [Draws. Q. Mar. Hold, valiant Clifford! for a thousand causes, I would prolong awhile the traitor's life : Wrath makes him deaf: speak thou, Northumberland. North. Hold, Clifford; do not honour him so much, To prick thy finger, though to wound his heart: What valour were it, when a cur doth grin, For one to thrust his hand between his teeth, When he might spurn him with his foot away? It is war's prize2 to take all vantages; And ten to one is no impeach of valour. [They lay hands on YORK, who struggles. Clif. Ay, ay, so strives the woodcock with the gin. North. So doth the coney struggle in the net. [YORK is taken prisoner. York. So triumph thieves upon their conquer'd booty; So true men3 yield, with robbers so o'ermatch'd. North. What would your grace have done unto him now? . And, if thine eyes can water for his death, I pr'ythee, grieve, to make me merry, York; Thou would'st be fee'd I see, to make me sport ; Ay, marry, sir, now looks he like a king! Till our King Henry had shook hands with death. makes. York. She wolf o France, but worse than wolves of France, How ill beseeming, is it in thy sex, "Whose tongue more poisons than the adder's tooth! To triumph like an Amazonian trull, Upon their woes, whom fortune captivates? But that thy fac: is, visorlike, unchanging, Made impudent with use of evil deeds, I would assay, proud queen, to make thee blush. To tell thee whence thou cam'st, of whom deriv'd, Were shame enough to shame thee, wert thou not shameless. Of both the Sicils, and Jerusalem; Q. Mar. Brave warriors, Clifford and Northum-Tis beauty, that doth oft make women proud; That beggars, mounted, run their horse to death. berland, Come make him stand upon this molehill here; * What! was it you that would be England's king? And where's that valiant crookback prodigy, 1 Noontide point on the dial. 2 Prize here must have the same meaning as prise in French, or presa in Italian, i. e. a hold or advantage that may be taken. Unless we can imagine that it signifies licitum est, 'it is prized or esteemed lawful in war,' &c. Price, prise, and prize were used indiscriminately by our ancestors. 3 Honest men. But, God he knows, thy share thereof is small : Or as the south to the septentrion.11 upon a molehill, on whose heade they put a garland in stead of a crown, which they had fashioned and made of segges or bulrushes, and having so crowned him with that garlande, they kneeled down afore him, as the Jews did to Christe, in scorne, saying to him, Hayle king without rule, hayle, king without heritage, hayle, duke and prince without people or possessions. And, at length, having thus scorned hym with these and diverse other the like despitefull woordes, they strooke 4 Reached. Vide note on Part II. of this play, Act ii. off his heade, which (as ye have heard) they presented Sc. 3. 5 Handkerchief. 6 According to Hall the paper crown was not placed on York's head till after he was dead; but Holinshed, after having copied Hall, says: Some write that the luke was taken alive and in derision caused to stand to the queen.' 7 Impale, encircle with a crown. 3 Kill him. 9 i. e. the crown, the emblem or symbol of royalty. 10 Government, in the language of the time signified evenness of temper, and decency of manners 11 The north. 'Bidd'st thou me rage, why, now thou hast thy|* Or, had he 'scap'd, methinks, we should have wish : 'Would'st have me weep? why, now thou hast For raging wind blows up incessant showers. woman. North. Beshrew me, but his passions2 move That hardly can I check my eyes from tears. heard The happy tidings of his good escape. me* Or as a bear, encompass'd round with dogs, Would not have touch'd, would not have stain'd* So fled his enemies my warlike father; with blood: But you are more inhuman, more inexorable,- [He gives back the Handkerchief. And, if thou tell'st the heavy story right, curse; And, in thy need, such comfort come to thee, Hard-hearted Clifford, take me from the world my 'Methinks, 'tis prize" enough to be his son. sun Not separated with the racking clouds, 10 * Edw. "Tis wondrous strange, the like yet never I think, it cites us, brother, to the field; North. Had he been slaughterman to all my kin,' Each one already blazing by our meeds,11 'I should not for my life but weep for him, To see how inly sorrow gripes his soul. Q. Mar. What, weeping-ripe, my Lord umberland? Should, notwithstanding, join our lights together, 'And overshine the earth, as this the world. North-Whate'er it bodes, henceforward will I bear Upon my target three fair shining suns. Think but upon the wrong he did us all, ACT II. [Exeunt. Rich. Nay, bear three daughters;-by your You love the breeder better than the male. 'But what art thou, whose heavy looks foretell * 'Rich. Say how he died, for I will hear it all. * And stood against them as the hope of Troy13 SCENE I. A Plain near Mortimer's Cross in* "This windy tempest, till it blow up rain, 3 'Tell thou the lamentable tale of me, 6 Neat cattle, cows, oxen, &c. 7 Prize is here again used for estimation. 8 Aurora takes for a time her farewell of the sun, when she dismisses him to his diurnal course. 9 This circumstance is mentioned both by Hall and Holinshed. At which tyme the sun (as some write) appeared to the earl of March like three sunnes, and sodainely joyned altogether in one; upon whiche sight hee tooke such courage, that he fiercely setting on his enemyes put them to flight; and for this cause menne ymagined that he gave the sun in his full bryghtnesse for his badge or cognizance.'-Holinshed. 10 i. e. the clouds floating before the wind like a reek or vapour. This verb, though now obsolete, was for merly in common use; and it is now provincially com mon to speak of the rack of the weather. And send the hearers weeping to their beds.' 4 This gallant prince fell by his own imprudence, in consequence of leading an army of only five thousand men to engage with twenty thousand, and not waiting for the arrival of his son the earl of March, with a large body of Welshmen. He and Cecily his wife, with his son Edmund, earl of Rutland, were originally buried in the chancel of Fotheringay church. Peacham, in his 11 Meed anciently signified merit as well as reward, Complete Gentleman, 1627, p. 153, gives an account of and is so explained by Cotgrave, Philips, and others the destruction of their monuments, of the disinterment, 12 The generous tenderness of Edward, and savage &c.; and of their reinterment in the church,by command fortitude of Richard. are well distinguished by their dif of Queen Elizabeth, under a mea i monument of plaster.ferent reception of their father's death. : 'A napkin steeped in the harmless blood 'Of sweet young Rutland, by rough Clifford slain And, after many scorns, many foul taunts, They took his head, and on the gates of York 'They set the same; and there it doth remain, The saddest spectacle that e'er I view'd. Edw. Sweet duke of York, our prop to lean upon; Now thou art gone, we have no staff, no stay!* O Clifford, boist'rous Clifford, thou hast slain * The flower of Europe for his chivalry * And treacherously hast thou vanquish'd him, For, hand to hand, he would have vanquish'd thee! Now my soul's palace is become a prison: That robb'd my soldiers of their hated spleen; Or more than common fear of Clifford's rigour, Ah, would she break from hence! that this my body Lord George your brother, Norfolk, and myself, 'Might in the ground be closed up in rest: For never henceforth shall I joy again, 'Never, O never, shall I see more joy. 'Rich. I cannot weep; for all my body's moisture Scarce serves to quench my furnace-burning heart: *Nor can my tongue unload my heart's great burden; * For selfsame wind, that I should speak withal, *Is kindling coals, that fire all my breast, *And burn me up with flames that tears would quench. *To weep, is to make less the depth of grief: *Tears, then, for babes; blows, and revenge, for me! • Richard, I bear thy name, I'll venge thy death, 'Or die renowned by attempting it. Edw. His name that valiant duke hath left with tears : your And now to add more measure to your woes, March'd towards Saint Albans to intercept the queen, 1 Thus in Spenser's Hymn of Heavenly Beauty :- 2 This meeting was at Chipping Norton, according to W. Wyrcester, p. 488. 3 A common ancient expression for killed; from the French faire mourir. In haste, posthaste, are come to join with you; • Edw. Where is the duke of Norfolk, gentle Warwick? And when came George from Burgundy to England? ' War. Some six miles off the duke is with the soldiers : And for your brother, he was lately sent Rich. 'Twas odds, belike, when valiant Warwick fled: Oft have I heard his praises in pursuit, For thou shalt know this strong right hand of mine out; And therefore comes my brother Montague. you With all the friends that thou, brave earl of March, Amongst the loving Welshmen canst procure, Will but amount to five and twenty thousand, Why, Via! to London will we march amain; And once again bestride our foaming steeds, 'And once again cry-Charge upon our foes! But never once again turn back, and fly. Rich. Ay, now, methinks, I hear great Warwick speak: Ne'er may he live to see a sunshine day, "That cries-Retire, if Warwick bid him stay. Edw. Lord Warwick, on thy shoulder will I lean of December, 1460, when Edward was in his nineteenth year, Rutland in his eighteenth, George of York, afterwards duke of Clarence, in his twelfth, and Richard only in his ninth year. 5 This circumstance is not warranted by history. Cla rence and Gloster (as they were afterwards created) were sent into Flanders immediately after the battle of 4 The ages of the duke of York's children will show Wakefield, and did not return until their brother Edward how far historic truth is departed from in the present had got possession of the crown. The duchess of Burplay The battle of Wakefield was fought on the 29thgundy was not their aunt, but a third cousin |