Clif. 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. Clif. 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! Clif. My soul and body on the action both!- [Fight, and CLIFFORD falls," Clif. La fin couronne les œuvres. Peace with his soul, heaven, if it be thy will! Enter Young CLIFFORD. Y. Clif. Shame and confusion! all is on the rout; Hath no self-love; nor he, that loves himself, [Dies. [Exit. [Seeing his dead father And the premised flames of the last day Knit heaven and earth together !5 Now let the general trumpet blow his blast, To cease!-Wast thou ordain'd, dear father, [2] A dreadful wager, a tremendous stake. JOHNSON. Our author, in making Clifford fall by the hand of York, has departed from the truth of history; a practice not uncommon to him when he does his utmost to make his characters considerable. This circumstance, however, serves to prepare the reader or spectator for the vengeance afterwards taken by Clifford's son on York and Rutland. It is remarkable, that at the beginning of the third part of this historical play, the poet has forgot this occurrence, and there represents Clifford's death as it really happened: "Lord Clifford and lord Stafford all abreast "Charg'd our main battle's front; and breaking in, PERCY. [4] This phrase is scriptural. So in the 140th Psalm: "Let hot burning coals fall upon them." STEEVENS. [5] Premised, for sent before their time. The sense is, let the flames, reserved for the last day, be sent now. WARBURTON. And, in thy reverence, and thy chair-days, thus Come, thou new ruin of old Clifford's house; As did Æneas old Anchises bear, [Taking up the body. So bear I thee upon my manly shoulders: Nothing so heavy as these woes of mine. [Exit. Enter RICHARD PLANTAGENET and SOMERSET, fighting, and SOMERSET is killed. Rich. So, lie thou there ; For, underneath an ale-house' paltry sign, The Castle in St. Albans, Somerset Hath made the wizard famous in his death."— Sword, hold thy temper; heart, be wrathful still; [Exit. Alarums: Excursions. Enter King HENRY, Queen MARGARET, and others, retreating. Q. Mar. Away, my lord! you are slow; for shame, away! K. Hen. Can we outrun the heavens ? good Margaret, stay. Q. Mar. What are you made of? you'll not fight nor fly : Now is it manhood, wisdom, and defence, [6] Advised is cautious, considerate. STEEVENS. [7] When Medea fled with Jason from Colchos, she murdered her brother Ab syrtus, and cut his body into several pieces, that her father might be prevented for some time from pursuing her. See Ovid, Trist. Lib. III. El. 9. MALONE. [8] The death of Somerset here accomplishes that equivocal prediction given by Jourdan the witch, concerning this duke: "Let him shun Castles : Safer shall he be upon the sandy plains, Than where Castles, mounted, stand." i. e. the representation of a castle, mounted for a sign, THEOBALD. To give the enemy way; and to secure us ་ [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 lov'd; And where this breach, now in our fortunes made, May readily be stopp'd. Enter Young CLIFFORD. Y. Clif. But that my heart's on future mischief set, Reigns in the hearts of all our present parts.9 To see their day, and them our fortune give : SCENE III. [Exeunt. Fields near Saint Albans. Alarum: Retreat. Flourish: then enter YORK, RICHARD PLANTAGENET, WARWICK, and Soldiers, with Drum and Colours. 2 York. Of Salisbury, who can report of him; Rich. My noble father, Three times to-day I holp him to his horse, Persuaded him from any further act : But still, where danger was, still there I met him, So was his will in his old feeble body. But, noble as he is, look where he comes. [9] Part and party were synonymously used. STEEVENS. [1] Read, bruise of time. WARBURTON.-The brush of time, is the gradual detrition of time. STEEVENS. [2] I read, the blow of youth; the blossom, the spring. JOHNSON. The brom of youth is the height of youth, as the brow of a hill is its summit. STEEVENS. Enter SALISBURY. Sal. Now, by my sword, well hast thou fought to-day; And it hath pleas'd him, that three times to-day :-- Sound, drums and trumpets ;-and to London ail : [Exeunt. [3] i. e. we have not secured, we are not sure of retaining, that which we have acquired. MALONE. [4] Being enemies that are likely so soon to rally and recover themselves from this defeat. MALONE. |