A march. Enter Edward, Richard, and their power,
⌜all wearing the white rose.⌝EDWARD I wonder how our princely father scaped, Or whether he be scaped away or no From Clifford’s and Northumberland’s pursuit. Had he been ta’en, we should have heard the news;5 Had he been slain, we should have heard the news; Or had he scaped, methinks we should have heard The happy tidings of his good escape. How fares my brother? Why is he so sad?RICHARD I cannot joy until I be resolved10 Where our right valiant father is become. I saw him in the battle range about And watched him how he singled Clifford forth. Methought he bore him in the thickest troop As doth a lion in a herd of neat,15 Or as a bear encompassed round with dogs, Who having pinched a few and made them cry, The rest stand all aloof and bark at him; So fared our father with his enemies; So fled his enemies my warlike father.20 Methinks ’tis prize enough to be his son. See how the morning opes her golden gates
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And takes her farewell of the glorious sun. How well resembles it the prime of youth, Trimmed like a younker, prancing to his love!EDWARD 25 Dazzle mine eyes, or do I see three suns?RICHARD Three glorious suns, each one a perfect sun, Not separated with the racking clouds But severed in a pale clear-shining sky. See, see, they join, embrace, and seem to kiss,30 As if they vowed some league inviolable. Now are they but one lamp, one light, one sun; In this, the heaven figures some event.EDWARD ’Tis wondrous strange, the like yet never heard of. I think it cites us, brother, to the field,35 That we, the sons of brave Plantagenet, Each one already blazing by our meeds, Should notwithstanding join our lights together And overshine the earth, as this the world. Whate’er it bodes, henceforward will I bear40 Upon my target three fair shining suns.RICHARD Nay, bear three daughters: by your leave I speak it, You love the breeder better than the male.Enter ⌜a Messenger,⌝ blowing. But what art thou whose heavy looks foretell Some dreadful story hanging on thy tongue?MESSENGER 45 Ah, one that was a woeful looker-on Whenas the noble Duke of York was slain, Your princely father and my loving lord.EDWARD O, speak no more, for I have heard too much!
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RICHARD Say how he died, for I will hear it all.MESSENGER 50 Environèd he was with many foes, And stood against them, as the hope of Troy Against the Greeks that would have entered Troy. But Hercules himself must yield to odds; And many strokes, though with a little axe,55 Hews down and fells the hardest-timbered oak. By many hands your father was subdued, But only slaughtered by the ireful arm Of unrelenting Clifford and the Queen, Who crowned the gracious duke in high despite,60 Laughed in his face; and when with grief he wept, The ruthless queen gave him to dry his cheeks A napkin steepèd in the harmless blood Of sweet young Rutland, by rough Clifford slain. And after many scorns, many foul taunts,65 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 viewed.⌜He exits.⌝EDWARD Sweet Duke of York, our prop to lean upon, Now thou art gone, we have no staff, no stay.70 O Clifford, boist’rous Clifford, thou hast slain The flower of Europe for his chivalry; And treacherously hast thou vanquished him, For hand to hand he would have vanquished thee. Now my soul’s palace is become a prison;75 Ah, would she break from hence, that this my body Might in the ground be closèd up in rest, For never henceforth shall I joy again. Never, O never, shall I see more joy!⌜He weeps.⌝RICHARD I cannot weep, for all my body’s moisture80 Scarce serves to quench my furnace-burning heart;
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Nor can my tongue unload my heart’s great burden, For selfsame wind that I should speak withal Is kindling coals that fires all my breast And burns me up with flames that tears would85 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 renownèd by attempting it.EDWARD 90 His name that valiant duke hath left with thee; His dukedom and his chair with me is left.RICHARD Nay, if thou be that princely eagle’s bird, Show thy descent by gazing ’gainst the sun; For “chair” and “dukedom,” “throne” and95 “kingdom” say; Either that is thine or else thou wert not his.March. Enter Warwick, Marquess Montague, and their
army, ⌜all wearing the white rose.⌝WARWICK How now, fair lords? What fare, what news abroad?RICHARD Great lord of Warwick, if we should recount Our baleful news, and at each word’s deliverance100 Stab poniards in our flesh till all were told, The words would add more anguish than the wounds. O valiant lord, the Duke of York is slain.EDWARD O Warwick, Warwick, that Plantagenet Which held thee dearly as his soul’s redemption105 Is by the stern Lord Clifford done to death.WARWICK Ten days ago I drowned these news in tears. And now to add more measure to your woes,
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I come to tell you things sith then befall’n. After the bloody fray at Wakefield fought,110 Where your brave father breathed his latest gasp, Tidings, as swiftly as the posts could run, Were brought me of your loss and his depart. I, then in London, keeper of the King, Mustered my soldiers, gathered flocks of friends,115 Marched toward Saint Albans to intercept the Queen, Bearing the King in my behalf along; For by my scouts I was advertisèd That she was coming with a full intent120 To dash our late decree in Parliament Touching King Henry’s oath and your succession. Short tale to make, we at Saint Albans met, Our battles joined, and both sides fiercely fought. But whether ’twas the coldness of the King,125 Who looked full gently on his warlike queen, That robbed my soldiers of their heated spleen, Or whether ’twas report of her success Or more than common fear of Clifford’s rigor, Who thunders to his captives blood and death,130 I cannot judge; but to conclude with truth, Their weapons like to lightning came and went; Our soldiers’, like the night owl’s lazy flight Or like ⌜an idle⌝ thresher with a flail, Fell gently down, as if they struck their friends.135 I cheered them up with justice of our cause, With promise of high pay and great rewards, But all in vain; they had no heart to fight, And we, in them, no hope to win the day, So that we fled: the King unto the Queen;140 Lord George your brother, Norfolk, and myself In haste, posthaste, are come to join with you; For in the Marches here we heard you were, Making another head to fight again.
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EDWARD Where is the Duke of Norfolk, gentle Warwick?145 And when came George from Burgundy to England?WARWICK Some six miles off the Duke is with the soldiers, And, for your brother, he was lately sent From your kind aunt, Duchess of Burgundy, With aid of soldiers to this needful war.RICHARD 150 ’Twas odds, belike, when valiant Warwick fled. Oft have I heard his praises in pursuit, But ne’er till now his scandal of retire.WARWICK Nor now my scandal, Richard, dost thou hear? For thou shalt know this strong right hand of mine155 Can pluck the diadem from faint Henry’s head And wring the awful scepter from his fist, Were he as famous and as bold in war As he is famed for mildness, peace, and prayer.RICHARD I know it well, Lord Warwick; blame me not.160 ’Tis love I bear thy glories make me speak. But in this troublous time, what’s to be done? Shall we go throw away our coats of steel And wrap our bodies in black mourning gowns, Numb’ring our Ave Marys with our beads?165 Or shall we on the helmets of our foes Tell our devotion with revengeful arms? If for the last, say “Ay,” and to it, lords.WARWICK Why, therefore Warwick came to seek you out, And therefore comes my brother Montague.170 Attend me, lords: the proud insulting queen, With Clifford and the haught Northumberland And of their feather many more proud birds, Have wrought the easy-melting king like wax.
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He swore consent to your succession,175 His oath enrollèd in the Parliament. And now to London all the crew are gone To frustrate both his oath and what beside May make against the house of Lancaster. Their power, I think, is thirty thousand strong.180 Now, if the help of Norfolk and myself, 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,185 And once again bestride our foaming steeds, And once again cry “Charge!” upon our foes, But never once again turn back and fly.RICHARD Ay, now methinks I hear great Warwick speak. Ne’er may he live to see a sunshine day190 That cries “Retire!” if Warwick bid him stay.EDWARD Lord Warwick, on thy shoulder will I lean, And when thou fail’st—as God forbid the hour!— Must Edward fall, which peril heaven forfend.WARWICK No longer Earl of March, but Duke of York;195 The next degree is England’s royal throne: For King of England shalt thou be proclaimed In every borough as we pass along, And he that throws not up his cap for joy Shall for the fault make forfeit of his head.200 King Edward, valiant Richard, Montague, Stay we no longer dreaming of renown, But sound the trumpets and about our task.RICHARD Then, Clifford, were thy heart as hard as steel, As thou hast shown it flinty by thy deeds,205 I come to pierce it or to give thee mine.
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EDWARD Then strike up drums! God and Saint George for us!Enter a Messenger.WARWICK How now, what news?MESSENGER The Duke of Norfolk sends you word by me, The Queen is coming with a puissant host,210 And craves your company for speedy counsel.WARWICK Why, then it sorts. Brave warriors, let’s away!They all exit.
Henry VI, Part 3
