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.