The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Part 226

KING EDWARD. Thus far our fortune keeps an upward course, And we are grac'd with wreaths of victory.

But in the midst of this bright-shining day I spy a black, suspicious, threat'ning cloud That will encounter with our glorious sun Ere he attain his easeful western bed- I mean, my lords, those powers that the Queen Hath rais'd in Gallia have arriv'd our coast And, as we hear, march on to fight with us.

CLARENCE. A little gale will soon disperse that cloud And blow it to the source from whence it came; Thy very beams will dry those vapours up, For every cloud engenders not a storm.

GLOUCESTER. The Queen is valued thirty thousand strong, And Somerset, with Oxford, fled to her.

If she have time to breathe, be well a.s.sur'd Her faction will be full as strong as ours.

KING EDWARD. are advertis'd by our loving friends That they do hold their course toward Tewksbury; We, having now the best at Barnet field, Will thither straight, for willingness rids way; And as we march our strength will be augmented In every county as we go along.

Strike up the drum; cry 'Courage!' and away. Exeunt

SCENE IV.

Plains wear Tewksbury

Flourish. March. Enter QUEEN MARGARET, PRINCE EDWARD, SOMERSET, OXFORD, and SOLDIERS

QUEEN MARGARET. Great lords, wise men ne'er sit and wail their loss, But cheerly seek how to redress their harms.

What though the mast be now blown overboard, The cable broke, the holding-anchor lost, And half our sailors swallow'd in the flood; Yet lives our pilot still. Is't meet that he Should leave the helm and, like a fearful lad, With tearful eyes add water to the sea And give more strength to that which hath too much; Whiles, in his moan, the ship splits on the rock, Which industry and courage might have sav'd?

Ah, what a shame! ah, what a fault were this!

Say Warwick was our anchor; what of that?

And Montague our top-mast; what of him?

Our slaught'red friends the tackles; what of these?

Why, is not Oxford here another anchor?

And Somerset another goodly mast?

The friends of France our shrouds and tacklings?

And, though unskilful, why not Ned and I For once allow'd the skilful pilot's charge?

We will not from the helm to sit and weep, But keep our course, though the rough wind say no, From shelves and rocks that threaten us with wreck, As good to chide the waves as speak them fair.

And what is Edward but a ruthless sea?

What Clarence but a quicksand of deceit?

And Richard but a ragged fatal rock?

All these the enemies to our poor bark.

Say you can swim; alas, 'tis but a while!

Tread on the sand; why, there you quickly sink.

Bestride the rock; the tide will wash you off, Or else you famish- that's a threefold death.

This speak I, lords, to let you understand, If case some one of you would fly from us, That there's no hop'd-for mercy with the brothers More than with ruthless waves, with sands, and rocks.

Why, courage then! What cannot be avoided 'Twere childish weakness to lament or fear.

PRINCE OF WALES. Methinks a woman of this valiant spirit Should, if a coward hear her speak these words, Infuse his breast with magnanimity And make him naked foil a man-at-arms.

I speak not this as doubting any here; For did I but suspect a fearful man, He should have leave to go away betimes, Lest in our need he might infect another And make him of the like spirit to himself.

If any such be here- as G.o.d forbid!- Let him depart before we need his help.

OXFORD. Women and children of so high a courage, And warriors faint! Why, 'twere perpetual shame.

O brave young Prince! thy famous grandfather Doth live again in thee. Long mayst thou Eve To bear his image and renew his glories!

SOMERSET. And he that will not fight for such a hope, Go home to bed and, like the owl by day, If he arise, be mock'd and wond'red at.

QUEEN MARGARET. Thanks, gentle Somerset; sweet Oxford, thanks.

PRINCE OF WALES. And take his thanks that yet hath nothing else.

Enter a MESSENGER

MESSENGER. Prepare you, lords, for Edward is at hand Ready to fight; therefore be resolute.

OXFORD. I thought no less. It is his policy To haste thus fast, to find us unprovided.

SOMERSET. But he's deceiv'd; 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, at a distance, KING EDWARD, GLOUCESTER, CLARENCE, and soldiers

KING EDWARD. Brave followers, yonder stands the th.o.r.n.y wood Which, by the heavens' a.s.sistance and your strength, Must by the roots be hewn up yet ere night.

I need not add more fuel to your fire, For well I wot ye blaze to burn them out.

Give signal to the fight, and to it, lords.

QUEEN MARGARET. Lords, knights, and gentlemen, what I should say My tears gainsay; for every word I speak, Ye see, I drink the water of my eye.

Therefore, no more but this: Henry, your sovereign, Is prisoner to the foe; his state usurp'd, His realm a slaughter-house, his subjects slain, His statutes cancell'd, and his treasure spent; And yonder is the wolf that makes this spoil.

You fight in justice. Then, in G.o.d's name, lords, Be valiant, and give signal to the fight.

Alarum, retreat, excursions. Exeunt

SCENE V.

Another part of the field

Flourish. Enter KING EDWARD, GLOUCESTER, CLARENCE, and forces, With QUEEN MARGARET, OXFORD, and SOMERSET, prisoners

KING EDWARD. Now here a period of tumultuous broils.

Away with Oxford to Hames Castle straight; For Somerset, off with his guilty head.

Go, bear them hence; I will not hear them speak.

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, To meet with joy in sweet Jerusalem.

KING EDWARD. Is proclamation made that who finds Edward Shall have a high reward, and he his life?

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.

What, can so young a man begin to p.r.i.c.k?

Edward, what satisfaction canst thou make For bearing arms, for stirring up my subjects, And all the trouble thou hast turn'd me to?

PRINCE OF WALES. Speak like a subject, proud ambitious York.

Suppose that I am now my father's mouth; Resign thy chair, and where I stand kneel thou, Whilst I propose the self-same words to the Which, traitor, thou wouldst have me answer to.

QUEEN MARGARET. Ah, that thy father had been so resolv'd!

GLOUCESTER. That you might still have worn the petticoat And ne'er have stol'n the breech from Lancaster.

PRINCE OF WALES. Let Aesop fable in a winter's night; His currish riddle sorts not with this place.

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 G.o.d's sake, take away this captive scold.

PRINCE OF WALES. Nay, take away this scolding crookback rather.

KING EDWARD. Peace, wilful boy, or I will charm your tongue.

CLARENCE. Untutor'd lad, thou art too malapert.

PRINCE OF WALES. I know my duty; you are all undutiful.

Lascivious Edward, and thou perjur'd George, And thou misshapen d.i.c.k, I tell ye all I am your better, traitors as ye are; And thou usurp'st my father's right and mine.

KING EDWARD. Take that, the likeness of this railer here.