1 UMBERLAND, and Soldiers. Enter QUEEN MARGARET, CLIFFORD, NORTH- | Made issue from the bosom of the boy: Come, land, I dare your quenchless fury to more rage; North. Yield to our mercy, proud Plantagenet. 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 land. 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 prize 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? Q. Mar. Brave warriors, Clifford and Northum berland, Come make him stand upon this molehill here; 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 presu in Italian, 1. e. a hold or advantage that may be taken. Unless we can imagine that it sig. nifies licitum est, 'it is prized or esteemed lawful in war,' &c. Price, prise, and prize were used indiscriminately by our ancestors. 3 Honest men. I should lament thy miserable state. I pr'ythee, grieve, to make me merry, York; Thou would'st be fee'd, I see, to make me sport; [Putting a paper Crown on his Heads Is crown'd so soon, and broke his solemn oath? York. She wolf of France, but worse than wolves of France, How ill beseeming is it in thy sex, To triumph like an Amazonian trull, Upon their woes, whom fortune captivates? But that thy face 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. Thy father bears the type of king of Naples, "Tis beauty, that doth oft make women proud Or as the south to the septentrion."1 Thou stern, obdurate, flinty, rough, remorseless. upon a molehill, on whose heade they put a garland instead 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 to the queen.' 4 Reached. Vide note on Part II. of this play, Act ii. off his heade, which (as ye have heard) they presented Sc. 8. 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 duke was taken alive and in derision caused to stand 7 Impale, encircle with a crown. 8 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 thy will: For raging wind blows up incessant showers. woman. heard The happy tidings of his good escape. North. Beshrew me, but his passions2 move me* That hardly can I check my eyes from tears. But you are more inhuman, more inexorable,- [He gives back the Handkerchief. curse; my And, in thy need, such comfort come to thee, Q. Mar. What, weeping-ripe, my Lord death. Or as a bear, encompass'd round with dogs; *Who having pinch'd a few, and made them cry, *The rest stand all aloof, and bark at him. *So far'd our father with his enemies: So fled his enemies my warlike father; sun -9 Trimm'd like a younker, prancing to his love! *Edw. "Tis wondrous strange, the like yet never I think, it cites us, brother, to the field; Each one already blazing by our meeds," Think but upon the wrong he did us all, thee. ACT II. [Exeunt. SCENE I. A Plain near Mortimer's Cross in * Edw. I wonder, how our princely father 'scap'd; *Or whether he be 'scap'd away, or no, From Clifford's and Northumberland's pursuit ; This windy tempest, till it blow up rain, Rich. Nay, bear three daughters ;-by your leave I speak it, You love the breeder better than the male. Enter a Messenger. 'But what art thou, whose heavy looks foretell 'Some dreadful story hanging on thy tongue? Mess. Ah, one that was a woful looker on, When as the noble duke of York was slain, *Your princely father, and my loving lord. Edw. O, speak no more! for I have heard too much.12 Rich. Say how he died, for I will hear it all. And many strokes, though with a little axe, 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. Tell thou the lamentable tale of me, 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 10 i. e. the clouds floating before the wind like a reek for the arrival of his son the earl of March, with a large or vapour. This verb, though now obsolete, was for. body of Welshme. He and Cecily his wife, with his merly in common use; and it is now provincially com. son Edmund, earl of Rutland, were originally buried in mon to speak of the rack of the weather. 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 mean monument of plaster.ferent reception of their father's death. A napkin steeped in the harmless blood Edw. Sweet duke of York, our prop to lean upon; Now my soul's palace is become a prison: That robb'd my soldiers of their hated spleen; 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, * To weep, is to make less the depth of grief: Our baleful news, and, at each word's deliverance, Edw. O Warwick! Warwick! that Plantagenet, Which held thee dearly, as his soul's redemption, Is by the stern Lord Clifford done to death.3 War. Ten days ago I drown'd these news in tears: And now to add more measure to your woes, Touching King Henry's oath, and your succession. 1 Thus in Spenser's Hymn of Heavenly Beauty :like the native bird of eagle's kind, On that bright sun of glory fix thine eyes.' 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. 4 The ages of the duke of York's children will show how far historic truth is departed from in the present play. The battle of Wakefield was fought on the 29th In haste, posthaste, are come to join with you; Edw. Where is the duke of Norfolk, gentle 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 Oft have I heard his praises in pursuit, For thou shalt know this strong right hand of mine not; 'Tis love, I bear thy glories, makes me speak. War. Why, therefore Warwick came to seek you out; And therefore comes my brother Montague. Their power, I think, is thirty thousand strong: 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! Ne'er may he live to see a sunshine day, 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. Clarence and Gloster (as they were afterwards created) were sent into Flanders immediately after the battle of Wakefield, and did not return until their brother Edward had got possession of the crown. The duchess of Burgundy was not their aunt, but a third cousin. And when thou fall'st, (as God forbid the hour!) Must Edward fall, which peril heaven forefend! War. No longer earl of March, but duke of York; 'The next degree is, England's royal throne: For king of England shalt thou be proclaim'd 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. But sound the trumpets, and about our task. (As thou hast shown it flinty by thy deeds,) *I come to pierce it, or to give thee mine. *Edw. Then strike | My careless father fondly gave away? But, Clifford, tell me, didst thou never hear,- As brings a thousand-fold more care to keep, George, for us, drums ;-God, and Saint Than in possession any jot of pleasure. Enter a Messenger. War. How now? what news? Ah, cousin York! 'would thy best friends did know, Mess. The duke of Norfolk sends you word by And this soft courage makes your followers faint. me, The queen is coming with a puissant host; away. [Exeunt. SCENE II. Before York. Enter KING HEnry, QUEEN MARGARET, the PRINCE of WALES, CLIFFORD and NORTHUMBERLAND, with Forces. Q. Mar. Welcome, my lord, to this brave town of York. Yonder's the head of that arch enemy, To see this sight, it irks my very soul.- Clif. My gracious liege, this too much lenity The smallest worm will turn, being trodden on; Which argued thee a most unloving father. Who hath not seen them (even with those wings Should lose his birthright by his father's fault; You promis'd knighthood to our forward son; K. Hen. Edward Plantagenet, arise a knight; Mess. Royal commanders, be in readiness: field: 4 The queen hath best success when you are absent. fortune. K. Hen. Why, that's my fortune too; therefore North. Be it with resolution then to fight. March. Enter EDWARD, GEORGE, RICHARD, Edw. Now, perjur'd Henry! wilt thou kneel for grace, And set thy diadem upon my head; *Or bide the mortal fortune of the field? Before thy sovereign, and thy lawful king? Becomes it thee to be thus bold in terms, Since when, his oath is broke; for, as I hear, 1 Why, then, things are as they should be; it falls from him to the other parte.'-Hall's Chronicle. Henry out right. 2 Foolishly. 3 The king quotes two proverbs; the one- Ill gotten goods never prosper; the other- Happy the child whose father went to the devil.' This last he must be supposed to use interrogatively, as disputing the truth of it: Was it always happy for that son ? &c. This interpretation sets the king's reasoning right. VI. fol. c. Drayton has enlarged upon this superstitious belief in his Miseries of Queen Margaret. 6 Edward's argument is founded on an article said to have been in the compact between Henry and the duke of York: That if the king did closely or apertly studye or go about to compass or imagine the death or destruction of the sayde duke or his blood, then he to forfet the crowne, and the duke of Yorke to take it.'— Dar-Hall. If this had been one of the articles of the com 4. e. arrange your host, put your host in order. raign is used by Chaucer, Skelton, and Spenser. 5Happy was the queene in her two battayls, but unfortunate was the king in all his enterprises; for where his person was present the victorie fledde ever pact, the duke having been killed at Wakefield, his eldest son would now have a title to the crown; but Malone doubts whether it ever made part of that agreement. The poet followed Hall. Clif. And reason too; Who should succeed the father, but the son? Rich. Are you there, butcher?-O, I cannot speak! 'Clif. Ay, crookback; here I stand to answer thee, Or any he the proudest of thy sort. Rich. "Twas you that kill'd young Rutland, was it not? Clif. Ay, and old York, and yet not satisfied. Rich. For God's sake, lords, give signal to the fight. War. What say'st thou, Henry, wilt thou yield the crown? Q. Mar. Why, how now, long-tongued Warwick? dare you speak? When you and I met at St. Albans last, thine. Clif. You said so much before, and yet you fled. War. 'Twas not your valour, Clifford, drove me thence. 'North. No, nor your manhood, that durst make you stay. Rich. Northumberland, I hold thee reverently ;Break off the parle; for scarce I can refrain The execution of my big-swoln heart Upon that Clifford, that cruel child-killer. Clif. I slew thy father: Call'st thou him a child? Rich. Ay, like a dastard, and a treacherous coward, As thou didst kill our tender brother Rutland ; Q. Mar. Defy them then,or else hold close thy lips. K. Hen. I pr'ythee, give no limits to my tongue; I am a king, and privileg'd to speak. Clif. My liege, the wound, that bred this meeting here, Cannot be cur'd by words; therefore be still. Rich. Then, executioner, unsheath thy sword: By him that made us all, I am resolv'd,i That Clifford's manhood lies upon his tongue. 'Edw. Say, Henry, shall I have my right or no? A thousand men have broke their fasts to-day, That ne'er shall dine, unless thou yield the crown. War. If thou deny, their blood upon thy head; For York in justice puts his armour on. Prince. If that be right, which Warwick says is right, There is no wrong, but every thing is right. Rich. Whoever got thee, there thy mother stands; For, well I wot, thou hast thy mother's tongue. Q. Mar. But thou art neither like thy sire, nor dam; But like a foul misshapen stigmatic, As venom toads, or lizards' dreadful stings. Rich. Iron of Naples, hid with English gilt," Whose father bears the title of a king, (As if a channel should be call'd the sea,) Sham'st thou not, knowing whence thou art extraught, To let thy tongue detect thy base-born heart ?5 1 It is my firm persuasion. 2 See the Second Part of King Henry VI. Act v. Sc. 1. 3 Gilt is a superficial covering of gold. 4 A channel in the poet's time signified what we now call a kennel; which word is still pronounced channel in the north. 5 To show thy meanness of birth by thy indecent railing. 6 A wisp of straw was often applied as a mark of opprobrium to an immodest woman, a scold, or similar offenders; even showing it to a woman was, therefore, considered as a grievous affront. A callet was a lewd woman; but a term often given to a scold. 7 i. e. a cuckold. In Troilus and Cressida, Thersites, speaking of Menelaus, calls him The goodly transformation of Jupiter there, the primitive statue and oblique memorial of cuckolds.' Edw. A wisp of strawe were worth a thousand crowns, To make this shameless callet know herself.— For what hath broach'd this tumult, but thy pride? Hadst thou been meek, our title still had slept; And we, in pity of the gentle king, Had slipp'd our claim until another age. "Geo. 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 bath'd thy growing with our heated bloods. Edw. And, in this resolution, I defy thee; Not willing any longer conference, Since thou deny'st the gentle king to speak.Sound trumpets!-let our bloody colours wave!— And either victory, or else a grave. Q. Mar. Stay, Edward. Edw. No,wrangling woman; we'll no longer stay: These words will cost ten thousand lives to-day. [Exeunt SCENE III. A Field of Battle between Towton and Saxton, in Yorkshire." Alarums: Excursions. Enter WARWICK. 'War. Forspent with toil, as runners with a race, I lay me down a little while to breathe : For strokes receiv'd, and many blows repaid, Have robb'd my strong-knit sinews of their strength, And spite of spite, needs must I rest awhile. Enter EDWARD, running. Edw. Smile, gentle heaven! or strike, ungentle death! For this world frowns, and Edward's sun is clouded. War. How now, my lord? what hap? what hope of good? Enter GEORGE. |