William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition (71 page)
Read William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition Online
Authors: William Shakespeare
Tags: #Drama, #Literary Criticism, #Shakespeare
BOOK: William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition
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Enter a Messenger
MESSENGER
Prepare you, lords, for Edward is at hand
Ready to fight—therefore be resolute.
Ready to fight—therefore be resolute.
OXFORD
I thought no less. It is his policy
To haste thus fast to find us unprovided.
To haste thus fast to find us unprovided.
SOMERSET
But he’s deceived; we are in readiness.
QUEEN MARGARET
This cheers my heart, to see your forwardness.
OXFORD
Here pitch our battle—hence we will not budge.
Flourish and march. Enter King Edward, Richard Duke of Gloucester, and George Duke of Clarence, with soldiers
KING EDWARD (
to his followers
)
to his followers
)
Brave followers, yonder stands the thorny wood
Which, by the heavens’ assistance and your strength,
Must by the roots be hewn up yet ere night.
I need not add more fuel to your fire,
For well I wot ye blaze to burn them out.
Give signal to the fight, and to it, lords.
Which, by the heavens’ assistance and your strength,
Must by the roots be hewn up yet ere night.
I need not add more fuel to your fire,
For well I wot ye blaze to burn them out.
Give signal to the fight, and to it, lords.
QUEEN MARGARET (
to her followers
)
to her followers
)
Lords, knights, and gentlemen—what I should say
My tears gainsay; for every word I speak
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.
My tears gainsay; for every word I speak
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
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.
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.
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?
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?
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.
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.
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.
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
)
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.
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
)
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.
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?
aside to Richard
) What? What?
RICHARD OF GLOUCESTER (
aside to George
)
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!
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.
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.
‘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.
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.
Now march we hence. Discharge the common sort
With pay and thanks, and let’s away to London,
And see our gentle Queen how well she fares.
By this I hope she hath a son for me.
Exeunt
5.6Now march we hence. Discharge the common sort
With pay and thanks, and let’s away to London,
And see our gentle Queen how well she fares.
By this I hope she hath a son for me.
Exeunt
Enter on the walls King Henry the Sixth, reading a book, Richard Duke of Gloucester, and the Lieutenant of the Tower
RICHARD OF GLOUCESTER
Good day, my lord. What, at your book so hard?
KING HENRY
Ay, my good ford—‘my lord’, I should say, rather.
‘Tis sin to flatter; ‘good’ was little better.
‘Good Gloucester’ and ‘good devil’ were alike,
And both preposterous—therefore not ‘good lord’.
‘Tis sin to flatter; ‘good’ was little better.
‘Good Gloucester’ and ‘good devil’ were alike,
And both preposterous—therefore not ‘good lord’.
RICHARD OF GLOUCESTER (
to the Lieutenant
)
to the Lieutenant
)
Sirrah, leave us to ourselves. We must confer.
Exit Lieutenant
KING HENRY
So flies the reckless shepherd from the wolf;
So first the harmless sheep doth yield his fleece,
And next his throat unto the butcher’s knife.
What scene of death hath Roscius now to act?
So first the harmless sheep doth yield his fleece,
And next his throat unto the butcher’s knife.
What scene of death hath Roscius now to act?
RICHARD OF GLOUCESTER
Suspicion always haunts the guilty mind;
The thief doth fear each bush an officer.
The thief doth fear each bush an officer.
KING HENRY
The bird that hath been limèd in a bush
With trembling wings misdoubteth every bush.
And I, the hapless male to one sweet bird,
Have now the fatal object in my eye
Where my poor young was limed, was caught and
killed.
With trembling wings misdoubteth every bush.
And I, the hapless male to one sweet bird,
Have now the fatal object in my eye
Where my poor young was limed, was caught and
killed.
RICHARD OF GLOUCESTER
Why, what a peevish fool was that of Crete,
That taught his son the office of a fowl!
And yet, for all his wings, the fool was drowned.
That taught his son the office of a fowl!
And yet, for all his wings, the fool was drowned.
KING HENRY
I, Daedalus; my poor boy, Icarus;
Thy father, Minos, that denied our course;
The sun that seared the wings of my sweet boy,
Thy brother Edward; and thyself, the sea,
Whose envious gulf did swallow up his life.
Ah, kill me with thy weapon, not with words!
My breast can better brook thy dagger’s point
Than can my ears that tragic history.
But wherefore dost thou come? Is’t for my life?
Thy father, Minos, that denied our course;
The sun that seared the wings of my sweet boy,
Thy brother Edward; and thyself, the sea,
Whose envious gulf did swallow up his life.
Ah, kill me with thy weapon, not with words!
My breast can better brook thy dagger’s point
Than can my ears that tragic history.
But wherefore dost thou come? Is’t for my life?
RICHARD OF GLOUCESTER
Think’st thou I am an executioner?
KING HENRY
A persecutor I am sure thou art;
If murdering innocents be executing,
Why, then thou art an executioner.
If murdering innocents be executing,
Why, then thou art an executioner.
RICHARD OF GLOUCESTER
Thy son I killed for his presumption.
KING HENRY
Hadst thou been killed when first thou didst presume,
Thou hadst not lived to kill a son of mine.
And thus I prophesy: that many a thousand
Which now mistrust no parcel of my fear,
And many an old man’s sigh, and many a widow‘s,
And many an orphan’s water-standing eye—
Men for their sons’, wives for their husbands‘,
Orphans for their parents’ timeless death—
Shall rue the hour that ever thou wast born.
The owl shrieked at thy birth—an evil sign;
The night-crow cried, aboding luckless time;
Dogs howled, and hideous tempests shook down trees;
The raven rooked her on the chimney’s top;
And chatt’ring pies in dismal discords sung.
Thy mother felt more than a mother’s pain,
And yet brought forth less than a mother’s hope—
To wit, an indigested and deformed lump,
Not like the fruit of such a goodly tree.
Teeth hadst thou in thy head when thou wast born,
To signify thou cam‘st to bite the world;
And if the rest be true which I have heard
Thou cam’st—
Thou hadst not lived to kill a son of mine.
And thus I prophesy: that many a thousand
Which now mistrust no parcel of my fear,
And many an old man’s sigh, and many a widow‘s,
And many an orphan’s water-standing eye—
Men for their sons’, wives for their husbands‘,
Orphans for their parents’ timeless death—
Shall rue the hour that ever thou wast born.
The owl shrieked at thy birth—an evil sign;
The night-crow cried, aboding luckless time;
Dogs howled, and hideous tempests shook down trees;
The raven rooked her on the chimney’s top;
And chatt’ring pies in dismal discords sung.
Thy mother felt more than a mother’s pain,
And yet brought forth less than a mother’s hope—
To wit, an indigested and deformed lump,
Not like the fruit of such a goodly tree.
Teeth hadst thou in thy head when thou wast born,
To signify thou cam‘st to bite the world;
And if the rest be true which I have heard
Thou cam’st—
RICHARD
I’ll hear no more. Die, prophet, in thy speech,
He stabs him
For this, amongst the rest, was I ordained.
He stabs him
For this, amongst the rest, was I ordained.
KING HENRY
Ay, and for much more slaughter after this.
O, God forgive my sins, and pardon thee.
He dies
O, God forgive my sins, and pardon thee.
He dies
RICHARD OF GLOUCESTER
What—will the aspiring blood of Lancaster
Sink in the ground? I thought it would have mounted.
See how my sword weeps for the poor King’s death.
O, may such purple tears be alway shed
From those that wish the downfall of our house!
If any spark of life be yet remaining,
Down, down to hell, and say I sent thee thither—
Sink in the ground? I thought it would have mounted.
See how my sword weeps for the poor King’s death.
O, may such purple tears be alway shed
From those that wish the downfall of our house!
If any spark of life be yet remaining,
Down, down to hell, and say I sent thee thither—
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