Puslapio vaizdai
PDF
„ePub“

Had slipp'd our claim until another age.

[ocr errors]

George. But, when we saw our sunshine made

thy spring,

'And that thy summer bred us no increase,

We set the axe to thy usurping root;

And though the edge hath something hit ourselves, 'Yet, know thou, since we have begun to strike; 'We'll never leave, till we have hewn thee down, Or bathed thy growing with our heated bloods. Ed. And, in this resolution, I defy thee; Not willing any longer conference,

Since thou deniest the gentle king to speak.

Sound trumpets!-let our bloody colors wave!-
And either victory, or else a grave.

Q. Mar. Stay, Edward.

Ed. No, wrangling woman; we'll no longer

stay:

These words will cost ten thousand lives to-day.

SCENE III.

[Exeunt.

A field of battle between Towton and Saxton in York

shire.

Enter WARWICK.

Alarums. Excursions.

War. Forspent with toil, as runners with a

race,

I lay me down a little while to breathe :

For strokes received, and many blows repaid,
Have robb'd my strong-knit sinews of their strength,
And, spite of spite, needs must I rest awhile.

[ocr errors][ocr errors]

Enter EDWARD, running.

Ed. Smile, gentle heaven! or strike, ungentle

death!

For this world frowns, and Edward's

clouded.

sun is

War. How now, my lord? what hap? what hope

"

of good?

Enter GEORGE.

George. Our hap is loss, our hope but sad despair;

Our ranks are broke, and ruin follows us.

What counsel give you? whither shall we fly? 'Ed. Bootless is flight; they follow us with wings;

And weak we are, and cannot shun pursuit.

Enter RICHARD.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

Rich. Ah, Warwick, why hast thou withdrawn thyself?

Thy brother's blood the thirsty earth hath drunk, 'Broach'd with the steely point of Clifford's lance;

'And, in the very pangs of death, he cried,—

[ocr errors]

Like to a dismal clangor heard from far,—

'Warwick, revenge! brother, revenge my death!'

'So underneath the belly of their steeds,

[ocr errors]

That stain'd their fetlocks in his smoking blood,

• The noble gentleman gave up the ghost.

War. Then let the earth be drunken with our

blood:

I'll kill my horse, because I will not fly.

"

[ocr errors]

Why stand we like soft-hearted women here,

Wailing our losses, whiles the foe doth rage; "And look upon, as if the tragedy

"Were play'd in jest by counterfeiting actors?
Here on my knee I vow to God above,
'I'll never pause again, never stand still,

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

Till either death hath closed these eyes of mine, Or fortune given me measure of revenge.

Ed. O Warwick, I do bend my knee with thine; 'And, in this vow, do chain my soul to thine.— And, ere my knee rise from the earth's cold face, "I throw my hands, mine eyes, my heart to thee, Thou setter-up and plucker-down of kings!

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

Beseeching thee,-if with thy will it stands,

That to my foes this body must be prey,—

Yet that thy brazen gates of heaven may ope,

And give sweet passage to my sinful soul!

Now, lords, take leave until we meet again,

Where'er it be, in heaven or on earth.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

Rich. Brother, give me thy hand;—and, gentle

Warwick,

Let me embrace thee in my weary arms.

I, that did never weep, now melt with woe,
That winter should cut off our spring-time so.
War. Away, away! Once more, sweet lords,

[ocr errors]

farewell.

George. Yet let us all together to our troops,

And give them leave to fly that will not stay;

And call them pillars, that will stand to us;

[ocr errors]

And, if we thrive, promise them such rewards

As victors wear at the Olympian games.

"This may plant courage in their quailing 1 breasts, "For yet is hope of life and victory.

"Fore-slow 2 no longer; make we hence amain.

SCENE IV.

[Exeunt.

The same.

Excursions.

Another part of the field.

Enter RICHARD and CLIFford.

'Rich. Now, Clifford, I have singled thee alone. 'Suppose, this arm is for the duke of York,

And this for Rutland; both bound to revenge,
Wert thou environ'd with a brazen wall.

Clif. Now, Richard, I am with thee here alone.
This is the hand that stabb'd thy father York;
And this the hand that slew thy brother Rutland ;
And here's the heart that triumphs in their death,
And cheers these hands, that slew thy sire and
brother,

To execute the like upon thyself;

And so, have at thee.

[ocr errors]

[they fight. Warwick enters; Clifford flies. Rich. Nay, Warwick, single out some other chase;

[blocks in formation]

1

For I myself will hunt this wolf to death.

[Exeunt.

SCENE V.

Another part of the field.

Alarum.

Enter KING HENRY.

"K. Hen. This battle fares like to the morning

war,

"When dying clouds contend with growing light "What time the shepherd, blowing of his nails, "Can neither call it perfect day nor night. Now sways it this way, like a mighty sea,

[ocr errors]

'Forced by the tide to combat with the wind;

Now sways it that way, like the self-same sea, 'Forced to retire by fury of the wind:

'Sometime the flood prevails, and then the wind;
'Now one the better, then another best;
'Both tugging to be victors, breast to breast,
Yet neither conqueror nor conquered:

'So is the equal poise of this fell war.
"Here on this mole-hill will I sit me down.
"To whom God will, there be the victory!
For Margaret my queen, and Clifford too,
Have chid me from the battle; swearing both,
'They prosper best of all when I am thence.

[ocr errors]

Would I were dead, if God's good will were so!

For what is in this world but grief and woe?

"O God! methinks, it were a happy life,

To be no better than a homely swain;

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors][merged small]
« AnkstesnisTęsti »