Henry VI Part 2

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Original text
Act V, Scene I
Enter Yorke, and his Army of Irish, with Drum and
Colours.

Yor.
From Ireland thus comes York to claim his right,
And plucke the Crowne from feeble Henries head.
Ring Belles alowd, burne Bonfires cleare and bright
To entertaine great Englands lawfull King.
Ah Sancta Maiestas! who would not buy thee deere?
Let them obey, that knowes not how to Rule.
This hand was made to handle nought but Gold.
I cannot giue due action to my words,
Except a Sword or Scepter ballance it.
A Scepter shall it haue, haue I a soule,
On which Ile tosse the Fleure-de-Luce of France.
Enter Buckingham.
Whom haue we heere? Buckingham to disturbe me?
The king hath sent him sure: I must dissemble.

Buc.
Yorke, if thou meanest wel, I greet thee well.

Yor.
Humfrey of Buckingham, I accept thy greeting.
Art thou a Messenger, or come of pleasure.

Buc.
A Messenger from Henry, our dread Liege,
To know the reason of these Armes in peace.
Or why, thou being a Subiect, as I am,
Against thy Oath, and true Allegeance sworne,
Should raise so great a power without his leaue?
Or dare to bring thy Force so neere the Court?

Yor.
Scarse can I speake, my Choller is so great.
Oh I could hew vp Rockes, and fight with Flint,
I am so angry at these abiect tearmes.
And now like Aiax Telamonius,
On Sheepe or Oxen could I spend my furie.
I am farre better borne then is the king:
More like a King, more Kingly in my thoughts.
But I must make faire weather yet a while,
Till Henry be more weake, and I more strong.
Buckingham, I prethee pardon me,
That I haue giuen no answer all this while:
My minde was troubled with deepe Melancholly.
The cause why I haue brought this Armie hither,
Is to remoue proud Somerset from the King,
Seditious to his Grace, and to the State.

Buc.
That is too much presumption on thy part:
But if thy Armes be to no other end,
The King hath yeelded vnto thy demand:
The Duke of Somerset is in the Tower.

Yorke.
Vpon thine Honor is he Prisoner?

Buck.
Vpon mine Honor he is Prisoner.

Yorke.
Then Buckingham I do dismisse my Powres.
Souldiers, I thanke you all: disperse your selues:
Meet me to morrow in S. Georges Field,
You shall haue pay, and euery thing you wish.
And let my Soueraigne, vertuous Henry,
Command my eldest sonne, nay all my sonnes,
As pledges of my Fealtie and Loue,
Ile send them all as willing as I liue:
Lands, Goods, Horse, Armor, any thing I haue
Is his to vse, so Somerset may die.

Buc.
Yorke, I commend this kinde submission,
We twaine will go into his Highnesse Tent.
Enter King and Attendants.

King.
Buckingham, doth Yorke intend no harme to vs
That thus he marcheth with thee arme in arme?

Yorke.
In all submission and humility,
Yorke doth present himselfe vnto your Highnesse.

K.
Then what intends these Forces thou dost bring?

Yor.
To heaue the Traitor Somerset from hence,
And fight against that monstrous Rebell Cade,
Who since I heard to be discomfited.
Enter Iden with Cades head.

Iden.
If one so rude, and of so meane condition
May passe into the presence of a King:
Loe, I present your Grace a Traitors head,
The head of Cade, whom I in combat slew.

King.
The head of Cade? Great God, how iust art thou?
Oh let me view his Visage being dead,
That liuing wrought me such exceeding trouble.
Tell me my Friend, art thou the man that slew him?

Iden.
I was, an't like your Maiesty.

King.
How art thou call'd? And what is thy degree?

Iden.
Alexander Iden, that's my name,
A poore Esquire of Kent, that loues his King.

Buc.
So please it you my Lord, 'twere not amisse
He were created Knight for his good seruice.

King.
Iden, kneele downe,
rise vp a Knight:
We giue thee for reward a thousand Markes,
And will, that thou henceforth attend on vs.

Iden.
May Iden liue to merit such a bountie,
And neuer liue but true vnto his Liege.
Enter Queene and Somerset.

K.
See Buckingham, Somerset comes with th' Queene,
Go bid her hide him quickly from the Duke.

Qu.
For thousand Yorkes he shall not hide his head,
But boldly stand, and front him to his face.

Yor.
How now? is Somerset at libertie?
Then Yorke vnloose thy long imprisoned thoughts,
And let thy tongue be equall with thy heart.
Shall I endure the sight of Somerset?
False King, why hast thou broken faith with me,
Knowing how hardly I can brooke abuse?
King did I call thee? No: thou art not King:
Not fit to gouerne and rule multitudes,
Which dar'st not, no nor canst not rule a Traitor.
That Head of thine doth not become a Crowne:
Thy Hand is made to graspe a Palmers staffe,
And not to grace an awefull Princely Scepter.
That Gold, must round engirt these browes of mine,
Whose Smile and Frowne, like to Achilles Speare
Is able with the change, to kill and cure.
Heere is a hand to hold a Scepter vp,
And with the same to acte controlling Lawes:
Giue place: by heauen thou shalt rule no more
O're him, whom heauen created for thy Ruler.

Som.
O monstrous Traitor! I arrest thee Yorke
Of Capitall Treason 'gainst the King and Crowne:
Obey audacious Traitor, kneele for Grace.

York.
Wold'st haue me kneele? First let me ask of thee,
If they can brooke I bow a knee to man:
Sirrah, call in my sonne to be my bale:
I know ere they will haue me go to Ward,
They'l pawne their swords of my infranchisement.

Qu.
Call hither Clifford, bid him come amaine,
To say, if that the Bastard boyes of Yorke
Shall be the Surety for their Traitor Father.

Yorke.
O blood-bespotted Neopolitan,
Out-cast of Naples, Englands bloody Scourge,
The sonnes of Yorke, thy betters in their birth,
Shall be their Fathers baile, and bane to those
That for my Surety will refuse the Boyes.
Enter Edward and Richard.
See where they come, Ile warrant they'l make it good.
Enter Clifford.

Qu.
And here comes Clifford to deny their baile.

Clif.
Health, and all happinesse to my Lord the King.

Yor.
I thanke thee Clifford: Say, what newes with thee?
Nay, do not fright vs with an angry looke:
We are thy Soueraigne Clifford, kneele againe;
For thy mistaking so, We pardon thee.

Clif.
This is my King Yorke, I do not mistake,
But thou mistakes me much to thinke I do,
To Bedlem with him, is the man growne mad.

King.
I Clifford, a Bedlem and ambitious humor
Makes him oppose himselfe against his King.

Clif.
He is a Traitor, let him to the Tower,
And chop away that factious pate of his.

Qu.
He is arrested, but will not obey:
His sonnes (he sayes) shall giue their words for him.

Yor.
Will you not Sonnes?

Edw.
I Noble Father, if our words will serue.

Rich.
And if words will not, then our Weapons shal.

Clif.
Why what a brood of Traitors haue we heere?

Yorke.
Looke in a Glasse, and call thy Image so.
I am thy King, and thou a false-heart Traitor:
Call hither to the stake my two braue Beares,
That with the very shaking of their Chaines,
They may astonish these fell-lurking Curres,
Bid Salsbury and Warwicke come to me.
Enter the Earles of Warwicke, and Salisbury.

Clif.
Are these thy Beares? Wee'l bate thy Bears to death,
And manacle the Berard in their Chaines,
If thou dar'st bring them to the bayting place.

Rich.
Oft haue I seene a hot ore-weening Curre,
Run backe and bite, because he was with-held,
Who being suffer'd with the Beares fell paw,
Hath clapt his taile, betweene his legges and cride,
And such a peece of seruice will you do,
If you oppose your selues to match Lord Warwicke.

Clif.
Hence heape of wrath, foule indigested lumpe,
As crooked in thy manners, as thy shape.

Yor.
Nay we shall heate you thorowly anon.

Clif.
Take heede least by your heate you burne your selues:

King.
Why Warwicke, hath thy knee forgot to bow?
Old Salsbury, shame to thy siluer haire,
Thou mad misleader of thy brain-sicke sonne,
What wilt thou on thy death-bed play the Ruffian?
And seeke for sorrow with thy Spectacles?
Oh where is Faith? Oh, where is Loyalty?
If it be banisht from the frostie head,
Where shall it finde a harbour in the earth?
Wilt thou go digge a graue to finde out Warre,
And shame thine honourable Age with blood?
Why art thou old, and want'st experience?
Or wherefore doest abuse it, if thou hast it?
For shame in dutie bend thy knee to me,
That bowes vnto the graue with mickle age.

Sal.
My Lord, I haue considered with my selfe
The Title of this most renowned Duke,
And in my conscience, do repute his grace
The rightfull heyre to Englands Royall seate.

King.
Hast thou not sworne Allegeance vnto me?

Sal.
I haue.

Ki.
Canst thou dispense with heauen for such an oath?

Sal.
It is great sinne, to sweare vnto a sinne:
But greater sinne to keepe a sinfull oath:
Who can be bound by any solemne Vow
To do a murd'rous deede, to rob a man,
To force a spotlesse Virgins Chastitie,
To reaue the Orphan of his Patrimonie,
To wring the Widdow from her custom'd right,
And haue no other reason for this wrong,
But that he was bound by a solemne Oath?

Qu.
A subtle Traitor needs no Sophister.

King.
Call Buckingham, and bid him arme himselfe.

Yorke.
Call Buckingham, and all the friends thou hast,
I am resolu'd for death and dignitie.

Old Clif.
The first I warrant thee, if dreames proue true

War.
You were best to go to bed, and dreame againe,
To keepe thee from the Tempest of the field.

Old Clif.
I am resolu'd to beare a greater storme,
Then any thou canst coniure vp to day:
And that Ile write vpon thy Burgonet,
Might I but know thee by thy housed Badge.

War.
Now by my Fathers badge, old Neuils Crest,
The rampant Beare chain'd to the ragged staffe,
This day Ile weare aloft my Burgonet,
As on a Mountaine top, the Cedar shewes,
That keepes his leaues inspight of any storme,
Euen io affright thee with the view thereof.

Old Clif.
And from thy Burgonet Ile rend thy Beare,
And tread it vnder foot with all contempt,
Despight the Bearard, that protects the Beare.

Yo.Clif.
And so to Armes victorious Father,
To quell the Rebels, and their Complices.

Rich.
Fie, Charitie for shame, speake not in spight,
For you shall sup with Iesu Christ to night.

Yo.Clif.
Foule stygmaticke that's more then thou canst tell.

Ric.
If not in heauen, you'l surely sup in hell.
Exeunt
Original text
Act V, Scene II
Enter Warwicke.

War.
Clifford of Cumberland, 'tis Warwicke calles:
And if thou dost not hide thee from the Beare,
Now when the angrie Trumpet sounds alarum,
And dead mens cries do fill the emptie ayre,
Clifford I say, come forth and fight with me,
Proud Northerne Lord, Clifford of Cumberland,
Warwicke is hoarse with calling thee to armes.
Enter Yorke.
How now my Noble Lord? What all a-foot.

Yor.
The deadly handed Clifford slew my Steed:
But match to match I haue encountred him,
And made a prey for Carrion Kytes and Crowes
Euen of the bonnie beast he loued so well.
Enter Clifford.

War.
Of one or both of vs the time is come.

Yor.
Hold Warwick: seek thee out some other chace
For I my selfe must hunt this Deere to death.

War.
Then nobly Yorke, 'tis for a Crown thou fightst:
As I intend Clifford to thriue to day,
It greeues my soule to leaue theee vnassail'd.
Exit War.

Clif.
What seest thou in me Yorke? / Why dost thou pause?

Yorke.
With thy braue bearing should I be in loue,
But that thou art so fast mine enemie.

Clif.
Nor should thy prowesse want praise & esteeme,
But that 'tis shewne ignobly, and in Treason.

Yorke.
So let it helpe me now against thy sword,
As I in iustice, and true right expresse it.

Clif.
My soule and bodie on the action both.

Yor.
A dreadfull lay, addresse thee instantly.

Clif.
La fin Corrone les eumenes.

Yor.
Thus Warre hath giuen thee peace, for yu art still,
Peace with his soule, heauen if it be thy will.
Enter yong Clifford.

Clif.
Shame and Confusion all is on the rout,
Feare frames disorder, and disorder wounds
Where it should guard. O Warre, thou sonne of hell,
Whom angry heauens do make their minister,
Throw in the frozen bosomes of our part,
Hot Coales of Vengeance. Let no Souldier flye.
He that is truly dedicate to Warre,
Hath no selfe-loue: nor he that loues himselfe,
Hath not essentially, but by circumstance
The name of Valour.
O let the vile world end,
And the premised Flames of the Last day,
Knit earth and heauen together.
Now let the generall Trumpet blow his blast,
Particularities, and pettie sounds
To cease. Was't thou ordain'd (deere Father)
To loose thy youth in peace, and to atcheeue
The Siluer Liuery of aduised Age,
And in thy Reuerence, and thy Chaire-dayes, thus
To die in Ruffian battell? Euen at this sight,
My heart is turn'd to stone: and while 'tis mine,
It shall be stony. Yorke, not our old men spares:
No more will I their Babes, Teares Virginall,
Shall be to me, euen as the Dew to Fire,
And Beautie, that the Tyrant oft reclaimes,
Shall to my flaming wrath, be Oyle and Flax:
Henceforth, I will not haue to do with pitty.
Meet I an infant of the house of Yorke,
Into as many gobbits will I cut it
As wilde Medea yong Absirtis did.
In cruelty, will I seeke out my Fame.
Come thou new ruine of olde Cliffords house:
As did Aeneas old Anchyses beare,
So beare I thee vpon my manly shoulders:
But then, Aeneas bare a liuing loade;
Nothing so heauy as these woes of mine.

Enter Richard, and Somerset to fight.

Rich.
So lye thou there:
For vnderneath an Ale-house paltry signe,
The Castle in S. Albons, Somerset
Hath made the Wizard famous in his death:
Sword, hold thy temper; Heart, be wrathfull still:
Priests pray for enemies, but Princes kill.

Fight. Excursions. Enter King, Queene, and others.

Qu.
Away my Lord, you are slow, for shame away.

King.
Can we outrun the Heauens? Good Margaret stay.

Qu.
What are you made of? You'l nor fight nor fly:
Now is it manhood, wisedome, and defence,
To giue the enemy way, and to secure vs
By what we can, which can no more but flye.
Alarum a farre off.
If you be tane, we then should see the bottome
Of all our Fortunes: but if we haply scape,
(As well we may, if not through your neglect)
We shall to London get, where you are lou'd,
And where this breach now in our Fortunes made
May readily be stopt.
Enter Clifford.

Clif.
But that my hearts on future mischeefe set,
I would speake blasphemy ere bid you flye:
But flye you must: Vncureable discomfite
Reignes in the hearts of all our present parts.
Away for your releefe, and we will liue
To see their day, and them our Fortune giue.
Away my Lord, away.
Exeunt
Original text
Act V, Scene III
Alarum. Retreat. Enter Yorke, Richard, Warwicke,
and Soldiers, with Drum & Colours.

Yorke.
Of Salsbury, who can report of him,
That Winter Lyon, who in rage forgets
Aged contusions, and all brush of Time:
And like a Gallant, in the brow of youth,
Repaires him with Occasion. This happy day
Is not it selfe, nor haue we wonne one foot,
If Salsbury be lost.

Rich.
My Noble Father:
Three times to day I holpe him to his horse,
Three times bestrid him: Thrice I led him off,
Perswaded him from any further act:
But still where danger was, still there I met him,
And like rich hangings in a homely house,
So was his Will, in his old feeble body,
But Noble as he is, looke where he comes.
Enter Salisbury.

Sal.
Now by my Sword, well hast thou fought to day:
By'th' Masse so did we all. I thanke you Richard.
God knowes how long it is I haue to liue:
And it hath pleas'd him that three times to day
You haue defended me from imminent death.
Well Lords, we haue not got that which we haue,
'Tis not enough our foes are this time fled,
Being opposites of such repayring Nature.

Yorke.
I know our safety is to follow them,
For (as I heare) the King is fled to London,
To call a present Court of Parliament:
Let vs pursue him ere the Writs go forth.
What sayes Lord Warwicke, shall we after them?

War.
After them: nay before them if we can:
Now by my hand (Lords) 'twas a glorious day.
Saint Albons battell wonne by famous Yorke,
Shall be eterniz'd in all Age to come.
Sound Drumme and Trumpets, and to London all,
And more such dayes as these, to vs befall.
Exeunt.
Modern text
Act V, Scene I
Enter York and his army of Irish, with drum and
colours

YORK
From Ireland thus comes York to claim his right,
And pluck the crown from feeble Henry's head.
Ring, bells, aloud; burn bonfires clear and bright,
To entertain great England's lawful king.
Ah, sancta majestas! Who would not buy thee dear?
Let them obey that knows not how to rule;
This hand was made to handle naught but gold.
I cannot give due action to my words,
Except a sword or sceptre balance it.
A sceptre shall it have, have I a soul,
On which I'll toss the flower-de-luce of France.
Enter Buckingham
Whom have we here? Buckingham to disturb me?
The King hath sent him, sure; I must dissemble.

BUCKINGHAM
York, if thou meanest well, I greet thee well.

YORK
Humphrey of Buckingham, I accept thy greeting.
Art thou a messenger, or come of pleasure?

BUCKINGHAM
A messenger from Henry, our dread liege,
To know the reason of these arms in peace;
Or why thou, being a subject as I am,
Against thy oath and true allegiance sworn,
Should raise so great a power without his leave,
Or dare to bring thy force so near the court?

YORK
(aside)
Scarce can I speak, my choler is so great.
O, I could hew up rocks and fight with flint,
I am so angry at these abject terms;
And now, like Ajax Telamonius,
On sheep or oxen could I spend my fury.
I am far better born than is the King,
More like a king, more kingly in my thoughts;
But I must make fair weather yet awhile,
Till Henry be more weak and I more strong. –
Buckingham, I prithee pardon me,
That I have given no answer all this while;
My mind was troubled with deep melancholy.
The cause why I have brought this army hither
Is to remove proud Somerset from the King,
Seditious to his grace and to the state.

BUCKINGHAM
That is too much presumption on thy part;
But if thy arms be to no other end,
The King hath yielded unto thy demand:
The Duke of Somerset is in the Tower.

YORK
Upon thine honour, is he prisoner?

BUCKINGHAM
Upon mine honour, he is prisoner.

YORK
Then, Buckingham, I do dismiss my powers.
Soldiers, I thank you all; disperse yourselves;
Meet me tomorrow in Saint George's Field,
You shall have pay and everything you wish.
Exeunt soldiers
And let my sovereign, virtuous Henry,
Command my eldest son – nay, all my sons –
As pledges of my fealty and love;
I'll send them all as willing as I live.
Lands, goods, horse, armour, anything I have,
Is his to use, so Somerset may die.

BUCKINGHAM
York, I commend this kind submission;
We twain will go into his highness' tent.
Enter the King and attendants

KING
Buckingham, doth York intend no harm to us,
That thus he marcheth with thee arm in arm?

YORK
In all submission and humility
York doth present himself unto your highness.

KING
Then what intends these forces thou dost bring?

YORK
To heave the traitor Somerset from hence,
And fight against that monstrous rebel Cade,
Who since I heard to be discomfited.
Enter Iden, with Cade's head

IDEN
If one so rude and of so mean condition
May pass into the presence of a king,
Lo, I present your grace a traitor's head,
The head of Cade, whom I in combat slew.

KING
The head of Cade? Great God, how just art Thou!
O, let me view his visage, being dead,
That living wrought me such exceeding trouble.
Tell me, my friend, art thou the man that slew him?

IDEN
I was, an't like your majesty.

KING
How art thou called? And what is thy degree?

IDEN
Alexander Iden, that's my name,
A poor esquire of Kent, that loves his king.

BUCKINGHAM
So please it you, my lord, 'twere not amiss
He were created knight for his good service.

KING
Iden, kneel down.
Iden kneels
Rise up a knight.
We give thee for reward a thousand marks,
And will that thou henceforth attend on us.

IDEN
May Iden live to merit such a bounty,
And never live but true unto his liege.
Enter the Queen and Somerset

KING
See, Buckingham, Somerset comes with th' Queen;
Go, bid her hide him quickly from the Duke.

QUEEN
For thousand Yorks he shall not hide his head,
But boldly stand and front him to his face.

YORK
How now? Is Somerset at liberty?
Then, York, unloose thy long-imprisoned thoughts
And let thy tongue be equal with thy heart.
Shall I endure the sight of Somerset?
False King! Why hast thou broken faith with me,
Knowing how hardly I can brook abuse?
‘ King ’ did I call thee? No, thou art not king;
Not fit to govern and rule multitudes,
Which darest not – no, nor canst not – rule a traitor.
That head of thine doth not become a crown;
Thy hand is made to grasp a palmer's staff,
And not to grace an awful princely sceptre.
That gold must round engirt these brows of mine,
Whose smile and frown, like to Achilles' spear,
Is able with the change to kill and cure.
Here is a hand to hold a sceptre up,
And with the same to act controlling laws.
Give place; by heaven, thou shalt rule no more
O'er him whom heaven created for thy ruler.

SOMERSET
O monstrous traitor! I arrest thee, York,
Of capital treason 'gainst the King and crown.
Obey, audacious traitor; kneel for grace.

YORK
Wouldst have me kneel? First let me ask of these
If they can brook I bow a knee to man.
Sirrah, call in my sons to be my bail;
Exit an attendant
I know, ere they will have me go to ward,
They'll pawn their swords for my enfranchisement.

QUEEN
Call hither Clifford; bid him come amain,
To say if that the bastard boys of York
Shall be the surety for their traitor father.
Exit an attendant

YORK
O blood-bespotted Neapolitan,
Outcast of Naples, England's bloody scourge!
The sons of York, thy betters in their birth,
Shall be their father's bail, and bane to those
That for my surety will refuse the boys.
Enter at one door Edward and Richard with their army
See where they come; I'll warrant they'll make it good.
Enter at another door Clifford and Young Clifford
with an army

QUEEN
And here comes Clifford to deny their bail.

CLIFFORD
Health and all happiness to my lord the King!
He kneels

YORK
I thank thee, Clifford; say, what news with thee?
Nay, do not fright us with an angry look.
We are thy sovereign, Clifford; kneel again.
For thy mistaking so, we pardon thee.

CLIFFORD
This is my king, York; I do not mistake;
But thou mistakes me much to think I do.
To Bedlam with him! Is the man grown mad?

KING
Ay, Clifford; a bedlam and ambitious humour
Makes him oppose himself against his king.

CLIFFORD
He is a traitor; let him to the Tower,
And chop away that factious pate of his.

QUEEN
He is arrested, but will not obey;
His sons, he says, shall give their words for him.

YORK
Will you not, sons?

EDWARD
Ay, noble father, if our words will serve.

RICHARD
And if words will not, then our weapons shall.

CLIFFORD
Why, what a brood of traitors have we here!

YORK
Look in a glass and call thy image so;
I am thy king, and thou a false-heart traitor.
Call hither to the stake my two brave bears,
That with the very shaking of their chains
They may astonish these fell-lurking curs:
Bid Salisbury and Warwick come to me.
Enter the Earls of Warwick and Salisbury with an
army

CLIFFORD
Are these thy bears? We'll bait thy bears to death,
And manacle the bearard in their chains,
If thou darest bring them to the baiting-place.

RICHARD
Oft have I seen a hot o'erweening cur
Run back and bite, because he was withheld;
Who, being suffered with the bear's fell paw,
Hath clapped his tail between his legs and cried;
And such a piece of service will you do,
If you oppose yourselves to match Lord Warwick.

CLIFFORD
Hence, heap of wrath, foul indigested lump,
As crooked in thy manners as thy shape!

YORK
Nay, we shall heat you thoroughly anon.

CLIFFORD
Take heed, lest by your heat you burn yourselves.

KING
Why, Warwick, hath thy knee forgot to bow?
Old Salisbury, shame to thy silver hair,
Thou mad misleader of thy brain-sick son!
What, wilt thou on thy deathbed play the ruffian,
And seek for sorrow with thy spectacles?
O, where is faith? O, where is loyalty?
If it be banished from the frosty head,
Where shall it find a harbour in the earth?
Wilt thou go dig a grave to find out war,
And shame thine honourable age with blood?
Why art thou old and wantest experience?
Or wherefore dost abuse it, if thou hast it?
For shame! In duty bend thy knee to me,
That bows unto the grave with mickle age.

SALISBURY
My lord, I have considered with myself
The title of this most renowned Duke;
And in my conscience do repute his grace
The rightful heir to England's royal seat.

KING
Hast thou not sworn allegiance unto me?

SALISBURY
I have.

KING
Canst thou dispense with heaven for such an oath?

SALISBURY
It is great sin to swear unto a sin,
But greater sin to keep a sinful oath.
Who can be bound by any solemn vow
To do a murderous deed, to rob a man,
To force a spotless virgin's chastity,
To reave the orphan of his patrimony,
To wring the widow from her customed right,
And have no other reason for this wrong
But that he was bound by a solemn oath?

QUEEN
A subtle traitor needs no sophister.

KING
Call Buckingham, and bid him arm himself.

YORK
Call Buckingham and all the friends thou hast,
I am resolved for death or dignity.

CLIFFORD
The first I warrant thee, if dreams prove true.

WARWICK
You were best to go to bed and dream again,
To keep thee from the tempest of the field.

CLIFFORD
I am resolved to bear a greater storm
Than any thou canst conjure up today;
And that I'll write upon thy burgonet,
Might I but know thee by thy house's badge.

WARWICK
Now by my father's badge, old Nevil's crest,
The rampant bear chained to the ragged staff,
This day I'll wear aloft my burgonet,
As on a mountain-top the cedar shows,
That keeps his leaves in spite of any storm,
Even to affright thee with the view thereof.

CLIFFORD
And from thy burgonet I'll rend thy bear
And tread it under foot with all contempt,
Despite the bearard that protects the bear.

YOUNG CLIFFORD
And so to arms, victorious father,
To quell the rebels and their complices.

RICHARD
Fie, charity, for shame! Speak not in spite,
For you shall sup with Jesu Christ tonight.

YOUNG CLIFFORD
Foul stigmatic, that's more than thou canst tell.

RICHARD
If not in heaven, you'll surely sup in hell.
Exeunt
Modern text
Act V, Scene II
Alarums to the battle. Enter Warwick

WARWICK
Clifford of Cumberland, 'tis Warwick calls;
And if thou dost not hide thee from the bear,
Now when the angry trumpet sounds alarum,
And dead men's cries do fill the empty air,
Clifford, I say, come forth and fight with me.
Proud northern lord, Clifford of Cumberland,
Warwick is hoarse with calling thee to arms.
Enter York
How now, my noble lord? What, all afoot?

YORK
The deadly-handed Clifford slew my steed;
But match to match I have encountered him,
And made a prey for carrion kites and crows
Even of the bonny beast he loved so well.
Enter Clifford

WARWICK
Of one or both of us the time is come.

YORK
Hold, Warwick! Seek thee out some other chase,
For I myself must hunt this deer to death.

WARWICK
Then nobly, York; 'tis for a crown thou fightest.
As I intend, Clifford, to thrive today,
It grieves my soul to leave thee unassailed.
Exit

CLIFFORD
What seest thou in me, York? Why dost thou pause?

YORK
With thy brave bearing should I be in love,
But that thou art so fast mine enemy.

CLIFFORD
Nor should thy prowess want praise and esteem,
But that 'tis shown ignobly and in treason.

YORK
So let it help me now against thy sword,
As I in justice and true right express it.

CLIFFORD
My soul and body on the action both!

YORK
A dreadful lay! Address thee instantly!
They fight and York kills Clifford

CLIFFORD
La fin couronne les oeuvres.
He dies

YORK
Thus war hath given thee peace, for thou art still.
Peace with his soul, heaven, if it be thy will!
Exit
Enter Young Clifford

YOUNG CLIFFORD
Shame and confusion! All is on the rout;
Fear frames disorder, and disorder wounds
Where it should guard. O war, thou son of hell,
Whom angry heavens do make their minister,
Throw in the frozen bosoms of our part
Hot coals of vengeance! Let no soldier fly.
He that is truly dedicate to war
Hath no self-love; nor he that loves himself
Hath not essentially, but by circumstance,
The name of valour.
He sees his dead father
O, let the vile world end,
And the premised flames of the last day
Knit earth and heaven together.
Now let the general trumpet blow his blast,
Particularities and petty sounds
To cease! Wast thou ordained, dear father,
To lose thy youth in peace, and to achieve
The silver livery of advised age,
And, in thy reverence and thy chair-days, thus
To die in ruffian battle? Even at this sight
My heart is turned to stone, and while 'tis mine
It shall be stony. York not our old men spares;
No more will I their babes; tears virginal
Shall be to me even as the dew to fire;
And beauty, that the tyrant oft reclaims,
Shall to my flaming wrath be oil and flax.
Henceforth, I will not have to do with pity:
Meet I an infant of the house of York,
Into as many gobbets will I cut it
As wild Medea young Absyrtus did;
In cruelty will I seek out my fame.
Come, thou new ruin of old Clifford's house;
As did Aeneas old Anchises bear,
So bear I thee upon my manly shoulders;
But then Aeneas bare a living load,
Nothing so heavy as these woes of mine.
Exit with his father on his back
Enter Richard and Somerset to fight. Somerset is
killed

RICHARD
So, lie thou there;
For underneath an alehouse' paltry sign,
The Castle in Saint Albans, Somerset
Hath made the wizard famous in his death.
Sword, hold thy temper; heart, be wrathful still;
Priests pray for enemies, but princes kill.
Exit
Fight. Excursions. Enter the King, Queen, and soldiers

QUEEN
Away, my lord! You are slow. For shame, away!

KING
Can we outrun the heavens? Good Margaret, stay.

QUEEN
What are you made of? You'll nor fight nor fly.
Now is it manhood, wisdom, and defence,
To give the enemy way, and to secure us
By what we can, which can no more but fly.
Alarum afar off
If you be ta'en, we then should see the bottom
Of all our fortunes; but if we haply 'scape
As well we may if not through your neglect –
We shall to London get, where you are loved,
And where this breach now in our fortunes made
May readily be stopped.
Enter Young Clifford

YOUNG CLIFFORD
But that my heart's on future mischief set,
I would speak blasphemy ere bid you fly;
But fly you must; uncurable discomfit
Reigns in the hearts of all our present parts.
Away, for your relief! And we will live
To see their day and them our fortune give.
Away, my lord, away!
Exeunt
Modern text
Act V, Scene III
Alarum. Retreat. Enter York, Richard, Warwick,
and soldiers with drum and colours

YORK
Of Salisbury, who can report of him,
That winter lion, who in rage forgets
Aged contusions and all brush of time;
And, like a gallant in the brow of youth,
Repairs him with occasion? This happy day
Is not itself, nor have we won one foot,
If Salisbury be lost.

RICHARD
My noble father,
Three times today I holp him to his horse,
Three times bestrid him; thrice I led him off,
Persuaded him from any further act;
But still where danger was, still there I met him,
And like rich hangings in a homely house,
So was his will in his old feeble body.
But, noble as he is, look where he comes.
Enter Salisbury

SALISBURY
Now, by my sword, well hast thou fought today;
By th' mass, so did we all. I thank you, Richard.
God knows how long it is I have to live,
And it hath pleased Him that three times today
You have defended me from imminent death.
Well, lords, we have not got that which we have;
'Tis not enough our foes are this time fled,
Being opposites of such repairing nature.

YORK
I know our safety is to follow them;
For, as I hear, the King is fled to London,
To call a present court of parliament.
Let us pursue him ere the writs go forth.
What says Lord Warwick? Shall we after them?

WARWICK
After them! Nay, before them, if we can.
Now by my hand, lords, 'twas a glorious day.
Saint Albans battle, won by famous York,
Shall be eternized in all age to come.
Sound drum and trumpets, and to London all,
And more such days as these to us befall!
Exeunt
x

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