6

War. 'Twas I, that gave the kingdom to thy

brother.

K. Edw. Why, then 'tis mine, if but by Warwick's gift.

• War. Thou art no Atlas for so great a weight: And, weakling, Warwick takes his gift again; And Henry is my king, Warwick his subject.

* K. Edw. But Warwick's king is Edward's pri

soner:

'And, gallant Warwick, do but answer this,-What is the body, when the head is off?

Glo. Alas, that Warwick had no more forecast, But, whiles he thought to steal the single ten, 'The king was slily finger'd from the deck !3 You left poor Henry at the bishop's palace, And, ten to one, you'll meet him in the Tower. K. Edw. 'Tis even so; yet you are Warwick still. * Glo. Come, Warwick, take the time, kneel down, kneel down:

*

Nay, when? strike now, or else the iron cools.

* War. I had rather chop this hand off at a blow,

* And with the other fling it at thy face,

*Than bear so low a sail, to strike to thee.

* K. Edw. Sail how thou canst, have wind and tide thy friend;

This hand, fast wound about thy coal-black hair, *Shall, whiles the head is warm, and new cut off, * Write in the dust this sentence with thy blood,— * Wind-changing Warwick now can change no more.

3 A pack of cards was anciently termed a deck of cards.

Enter OXFORD, with Drum and Colours.

*War. O cheerful colours! see, where Oxford

comes !

Oxf. Oxford, Oxford, for Lancaster !

[OXFORD and his Forces enter the City. 'Glo. The gates are open, let us enter too. K. Edw. So other foes may set upon our backs, *Stand we in good array; for they, no doubt, * Will issue out again, and bid us battle: 'If not, the city, being but of small defence, We'll quickly rouse the traitors in the same. War. O, welcome, Oxford! for we want thy help.

Enter MONTAGUE, with Drum and Colours. Mont. Montague, Montague, for Lancaster! [He and his Forces enter the City. 'Glo. Thou and thy brother both shall buy this

treason

"Even with the dearest blood your bodies bear. *K. Edw. The harder match'd, the greater victory; My mind presageth happy gain, and conquest.

*

Enter SOMERSET, with Drum and Colours. Som. Somerset, Somerset, for Lancaster!

[He and his Forces enter the City. Glo. Two of thy name, both dukes of Somerset, Have sold their lives unto the house of York;

And thou shalt be the third, if this sword hold.

Enter CLARENCE, with Drum and Colours.

War. And lo, where George of Clarence sweeps along,

Of force enough to bid his brother battle;

* With whom an upright zeal to right prevails, * More than the nature of a brother's love:

* Come, Clarence, come; thou wilt, if Warwick calls.

Clar, Father of Warwick, know you what this

means;

[Taking the red Rose out of his Cap.

'Look here, I throw my infamy at thee:

I will not ruinate my father's house,

Who gave his blood to lime 4 the stones together, And set up Lancaster. Why, trow'st thou, Warwick,

'That Clarence is so harsh, so blunt,5 unnatural, To bend the fatal instruments of war

'Against his brother, and his lawful king? * Perhaps, thou wilt object my holy oath : *To keep that oath, were more impiety * Than Jephtha's, when he sacrific'd his daughter. * I am so sorry for my trespass made, *That, to deserve well at my brother's hands, * I here proclaim myself thy mortal foe;

* With resolution, wheresoe'er I meet thee,

*

(As I will meet thee, if thou stir abroad,) * To plague thee for thy foul misleading me. And so, proud-hearted Warwick, I defy thee,

4 i. e. To cement.

5 Stupid, insensible of paternal fondness.

And to my brother turn my blushing cheeks.

Pardon me, Edward, I will make amends;

And, Richard, do not frown upon my faults,
For I will henceforth be no more unconstant.

K. Edw. Now welcome more, and ten times more

belov'd,

Than if thou never hadst deserv'd our hate.

Glo. Welcome, good Clarence; this is brother

like.

Wur. O passing traitor, perjur'd, and unjust! K. Edw. What, Warwick, wilt thou leave the town, and fight?

Or shall we beat the stones about thine ears?

War. Alas, I am not coop'd here for defence:

I will away towards Barnet presently,

And bid thee battle, Edward, if thou dar'st. K. Edw. Yes, Warwick, Edward dares, and leads the way:

Lords to the field; Saint George, and victory.

[March. Exeunt.

SCENE II.

A Field of Battle near Barnet.

Alarums, and Excursions. Enter King EDWARD, bringing in WARWICK wounded.

*K. Edw. So, lie thou there: die thou, and die our fear;

* For Warwick was a bug," that fear'd3 us all.—

6 Eminent, egregious.

7 Bugbear.

• Terrified.

* Now, Montague, sit fast; I seek for thee, * That Warwick's bones may keep thine company. [Exit. War. Ah, who is nigh? come to me, friend, or foe, And tell me, who is victor, York, or Warwick? Why ask I that? my mangled body shows,

* My blood, my want of strength, my sick heart shows,

That I must yield my body to the earth,

And, by my fall, the conquest to my foe.
Thus yields the cedar to the axe's edge,
Whose arms gave shelter to the princely eagle,
Under whose shade the ramping lion slept?
Whose top-branch overpeer'd Jove's spreading tree,
And kept low shrubs from winter's powerful wind.
* These eyes, that now are dimm'd with death's
black veil,

* Have been as piercing as the mid-day sun,
*To search the secret treasons of the world:

The wrinkles in my brows, now fill'd with blood,
Were liken'd oft to kingly sepulchres;

For who liv'd king, but I could dig his grave?
And who durst smile, when Warwick bent his brow?
Lo, now my glory smear'd in dust and blood!
My parks, my walks, my manors that I had,
Even now forsake me; and, of all my lands,
Is nothing left me, but my body's length!

Why, what is pomp, rule, reign, but earth and dust?
And, live we how we can, yet die we must.

Enter OXFORD and SOMERSET.

Som. Ah, Warwick, Warwick! wert thou as we

are,