Ye see I drink the water of my eye.
Therefore, no more but this: Henry your sovereign
Is prisoner to the foe, his state usurped,
His realm a slaughter-house, his subjects slain,
His statutes cancelled, and his treasure spent—
And yonder is the wolf that makes this spoil.
You fight in justice; then in God’s name, lords,
Be valiant, and give signal to the fight.
Alarum, retreat, excursions. Exeunt
5.5 Flourish. Enter King Edward, Richard Duke of Gloucester, and George Duke of Clarence with Queen Margaret, the Earl of Oxford, and the Duke of Somerset, guarded
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.
Exit, guarded
SOMERSET
Nor I, but stoop with patience to my fortune.
Exit, 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?
RICHARD OF GLOUCESTER
It is, and lo where youthful Edward comes.
Enter Prince Edward, guarded
KING EDWARD
Bring forth the gallant—let us hear him speak.
What, can so young a thorn begin to prick?
Edward, what satisfaction canst thou make
For bearing arms, for stirring up my subjects,
And all the trouble thou hast turned me to?
PRINCE EDWARD
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 thee,
Which, traitor, thou wouldst have me answer to.
QUEEN MARGARET
Ah, that thy father had been so resolved.
RICHARD OF GLOUCESTER
That you might still have worn the petticoat
And ne’er have stolen the breech from Lancaster.
PRINCE EDWARD
Let Aesop fable in a winter’s night—
His currish riddles sorts not with this place.
RICHARD OF GLOUCESTER
By heaven, brat, I’ll plague ye for that word.
QUEEN MARGARET
Ay, thou wast born to be a plague to men.
RICHARD OF GLOUCESTER
For God’s sake take away this captive scold.
PRINCE EDWARD
Nay, take away this scolding crookback rather.
KING EDWARD
Peace, wilful boy, or I will charm your tongue.
GEORGE OF CLARENCE (to Prince Edward)
Untutored lad, thou art too malapert.
PRINCE EDWARD
I know my duty—you are all undutiful.
Lascivious Edward, and thou, perjured George,
And thou, misshapen Dick—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.
King Edward stabs Prince Edward
RICHARD OF GLOUCESTER
Sprawl’st thou? Take that, to end thy agony.
Richard stabs Prince Edward
GEORGE OF CLARENCE
And there’s for twitting me with perjury.
George stabs Prince Edward, ⌈who dies⌉
QUEEN MARGARET
O, kill me too!
RICHARD OF GLOUCESTER Marry, and shall.
He offers to kill her
KING EDWARD
Hold, Richard, hold—for we have done too much.
RICHARD OF GLOUCESTER
Why should she live to fill the world with words?
Queen Margaret faints
KING EDWARD
What—doth she swoon? Use means for her recovery.
RICHARD OF GLOUCESTER (aside to George)
Clarence, excuse me to the King my brother.
I’ll hence to London on a serious matter.
Ere ye come there, be sure to hear some news.
GEORGE OF CLARENCE (aside to Richard) What? What?
RICHARD OF GLOUCESTER (aside to George)
The Tower, the Tower. Exit
QUEEN MARGARET
O Ned, sweet Ned—speak to thy mother, boy.
Canst thou not speak? O traitors, murderers!
They that stabbed Caesar shed no blood at all,
Did not offend, nor were not worthy blame,
If this foul deed were by to equal it.
He was a man—this, in respect, a child;
And men ne’er spend their fury on a child.
What’s worse than murderer that I may name it?
No, no, my heart will burst an if I speak;
And I will speak that so my heart may burst.
Butchers and villains! Bloody cannibals!
How sweet a plant have you untimely cropped!
You have no children, butchers; if you had,
The thought of them would have stirred up remorse.
But if you ever chance to have a child,
Look in his youth to have him so cut off
As, deathsmen, you have rid this sweet young Prince!
KING EDWARD
Away with her—go, bear her hence perforce.
QUEEN MARGARET
Nay, never bear me hence—dispatch me here.
Here sheathe thy sword—I’ll pardon thee my death.
What? Wilt thou not? Then, Clarence, do it thou.
GEORGE OF CLARENCE
By heaven, I will not do thee so much ease.
QUEEN MARGARET
Good Clarence, do; sweet Clarence, do thou do it.
GEORGE OF CLARENCE
Didst thou not hear me swear I would not do it?
QUEEN MARGARET
Ay, but thou usest to forswear thyself.
‘Twas sin before, but now ’tis charity.
What, wilt thou not? Where is that devil’s butcher,
Hard-favoured Richard? Richard, where art thou?
Thou art not here. Murder is thy atms-deed—
Petitioners for blood thou ne‘er putt’st back.
KING EDWARD
Away, I say—t charge ye, bear her hence.
QUEEN MARGARET
So come to you and yours as to this Prince!
Exit, guarded
KING EDWARD Where’s Richard gone?
GEORGE OF CLARENCE
To London all in post—⌈aside⌉ and as I guess,
To make a bloody supper in the Tower.
KING EDWARD
He’s sudden if a thing comes in his head.