RICHARD OF GLOUCESTER

Away betimes, before his forces join,

And take the great-grown traitor unawares.

Brave warriors, march amain towards Coventry.

Exeunt

5.1 Enter the Earl of Warwick, the Mayar of Coventry, two Messengers, and others upon the walls

WARWICK

Where is the post that came from valiant Oxford?

⌈The First Messenger steps forward⌉

How far hence is thy lord, mine honest fellow?

FIRST MESSENGER

By this at Dunsmore, marching hitherward.

WARWICK

How far off is our brother Montague?

Where is the post that came from Montague?

⌈the Second Messenger steps forward⌉

SECOND MESSENGER

By this at Da’ntry, with a puissant troop.

Enter Somerville ⌈to them, abovel⌉

WARWICK

Say, Somerville-what says my loving son?

And, by thy guess, how nigh is Clarence now?

SOMERVILLE

At Southam I did leave him with his forces,

And do expect him here some two hours hence.

A march afar off

WARWICK

Then Clarence is at hand-I hear his drum.

SOMERVILLE

It is not his, my lord. Here Southam lies.

The drum your honour hears marcheth from Warwick.

WARWICK

Who should that be? Belike, unlooked-for friends.

SOMERVILLE

They are at hand, and you shall quickly know.

Flourish. Enter below King Edward and Richard Duke of Gloucester, with soldiers

KING EDWARD

Go, trumpet, to the walls, and sound a parley.

⌈Sound a parley⌉

RICHARD OF GLOUCESTER

See how the surly Warwick mans the wall.

WARWICK

O, unbid spite—is sportful Edward come?

Where slept our scouts, or how are they seduced,

That we could hear no news of his repair?

KING EDWARD

Now, Warwick, wilt thou ope the city gates,

Speak gentle words, and humbly bend thy knee,

Call Edward king, and at his hands beg mercy?

And he shall pardon thee these outrages.

WARWICK

Nay, rather, wilt thou draw thy forces hence,

Confess who set thee up and plucked thee down,

Call Warwick patron, and be penitent?

And thou shalt still remain the Duke of York.

RICHARD OF GLOUCESTER

I thought at least he would have said ‘the King’.

Or did he make the jest against his will?

WARWICK

Is not a dukedom, sir, a goodly gift?

RICHARD OF GLOUCESTER

Ay, by my faith, for a poor earl to give.

I’ll do thee service for so good a gift.

WARWICK

’Twas I that gave the kingdom to thy brother.

KING EDWARD

Why then, ’tis mine, if but by Warwick’s gift.

WARWICK

Thou art no Atlas for so great a weight;

And, weakling, Warwick takes his gift again;

And Henry is my king, Warwick his subject.

KING EDWARD

But Warwick’s king is Edward’s prisoner,

And, gallant Warwick, do but answer this:

What is the body when the head is off?

RICHARD OF GLOUCESTER

Alas, that Warwick had no more forecast,

But whiles he thought to steal the single ten,

The king was slyly fingered from the deck.

⌈To Warwick⌉ You left poor Henry at the Bishop’s palace,

And ten to one you’ll meet him in the Tower.

KING EDWARD

’Tis even so—⌈to Warwick⌉ yet you are Warwick still.

RICHARD OF GLOUCESTER

Come, Warwick, take the time—kneel down, kneel

down.

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

WARWICK

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.

KING EDWARD

Sail how thou canst, have wind and tide thy friend,

This hand, fast wound about thy coal-black hair,

Shall, whiles thy head is warm and new cut off,

Write in the dust this sentence with thy blood:

‘Wind-changing Warwick now can change no more’.

Enter the Earl of Oxford, with a drummer and ⌈soldiers bearing⌉ colours

WARWICK

O cheerful colours! See where Oxford comes.

OXFORD

Oxford, Oxford, for Lancaster!

⌈Oxford and his men pass over the stage and exeunt into the city⌉

RICHARD OF GLOUCESTER (to King Edward)

The gates are open—let us enter too.

KING EDWARD

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.

WARWICK ⌈to Oxford, within⌉

O, welcome, Oxford—for we want thy help.

Enter the Marquis of Montague with a drummer and ⌈soldiers bearing⌉ colours

MONTAGUE

Montague, Montague, for Lancaster!

⌈Montague and his men pass over the stage and exeunt into the city⌉

RICHARD OF GLOUCESTER

Thou and thy brother both shall bye this treason

Even with the dearest blood your bodies bear.

KING EDWARD

The harder matched, the greater victory.

My mind presageth happy gain and conquest.

Enter the Duke of Somerset with a drummer and ⌈soldiers bearing⌉ colours

SOMERSET

Somerset, Somerset, for Lancaster!

⌈Somerset and his men pass over the stage and exeunt into the city⌉

RICHARD OF GLOUCESTER

Two of thy name, both dukes of Somerset,

Have sold their lives unto the house of York—

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

Enter George Duke of Clarence with a drummer and ⌈soldiers bearing⌉ colours

WARWICK

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.

GEORGE OF CLARENCE

Clarence, Clarence, for Lancaster!

KING EDWARD

Et tu, Brute—wilt thou stab Caesar too?

(To a trumpeter) A parley, sirra, to George of Clarence.

Sound a parley. Richard of Gloucester and George of

Clarence whisper together

WARWICK

Come, Clarence, come—thou wilt if Warwick call.

GEORGE OF CLARENCE

Father of Warwick, know you what this means?