6

York. I thank thee, Clifford: Say, what news with thee?

Nay, do not fright us with an angry look: 'We are thy sovereign, Clifford, kneel again; "For thy mistaking so, we pardon thee.

Clif. This is my king, York, I do not mistake; 'But thou mistak'st me much, to think I do:— 'To Bedlam with him! is the man grown mad? 'K. Hen. Ay, Clifford; a bedlam and ambitious humour

'Makes him oppose himself against his king.

Clif. He is a traitor; let him to the Tower, And chop away that factious pate of his.

Q. Mar. He is arrested, but will not obey; 'His sons, he says, shall give their words for him. York. Will you not, sons?

Edw. Ay, noble father, if our words will serve. Rich. And if words will not, then our weapons

shall.

*Clif. Why, what a brood of traitors have we here!

*York. Look in a glass, and call thy image so; *I am thy king, and thou a false-heart traitor.Call hither to the stake my two brave bears, * That, with the very shaking of their chains, * They may astonish these fell lurking curs; *Bid Salisbury, and Warwick, come to me.

Drums. Enter WARWICK and SALISBURY, with Forces.

Clif. Are these thy bears? we'll bait thy bears to death,

And manacle the bear-ward in their chains,

6 Call hither to the stake my two brave bears,—

Bid Salisbury, and Warwick, come-] The Nevils, earls of Warwick, had a bear and ragged staff for their cognizance.

If thou dar'st bring them to the baiting-place. * Rich. Oft have I seen a hot o'erweening cur * Run back and bite, because he was withheld; * Who, being suffer'd' with the bear's fell paw, *Hath clapp'd his tail between his legs, and cry'd: *And such a piece of service will you do, *If you oppose yourselves to match lord Warwick. * Clif. Hence, heap of wrath, foul indigested lump, As crooked in thy manners as thy shape!

* York. Nay, we shall heat you thoroughly anon. * Clif. Take heed, lest by your heat you burn yourselves.

*K. Hen. Why, Warwick, hath thy knee forgot to bow?

* Old Salisbury,-shame to thy silver hair, * Thou mad misleader of thy brain-sick son!— * What, wilt thou on thy death-bed play the ruffian, *And seek for sorrow with thy spectacles? *O, where is faith? O, where is loyalty? *If it be banish'd from the frosty head, *Where shall it find a harbour in the earth?*Wilt thou go dig a grave to find out war, * And shame thine honourable age with blood? * Why art thou old, and want'st experience? * Or wherefore dost abuse it, if thou hast it? *For shame! in duty bend thy knee to me, * That bows unto the grave with mickle age.

* Sal. My lord, I have consider'd with myself *The title of this most renowned duke; *And in my conscience do repute his grace

* The rightful heir to England's royal seat.

7

* K. Hen. Hast thou not sworn allegiance unto me?

being suffer'd-] Being suffer'd to approach to the bear's fell paw. Such may be the meaning. I am not, however, sure, but the poet meant, being in a state of sufferance or pain.

MALONE.

* Sal. I have.

* K. Hen. Canst thou dispense with heaven for such an oath?

* Sal. It is great sin, to swear unto a sin;
* But greater sin, to keep a sinful oath.
* Who can be bound by any solemn vow
* To do a murderous deed, to rob a man,
*To force a spotless virgin's chastity,

* To reave the orphan of his patrimony,
* To wring the widow from her custom'd right;
* And have no other reason for this wrong,
* But that he was bound by a solemn oath?
Q. Mar. A subtle traitor needs no sophister.

K. Hen. Call Buckingham, and bid him arm
himself.

'York. Call Buckingham, and all the friends thou hast,

'I am resolv'd for death, or dignity.

Clif. The first I warrant thee, if dreams prove

true.

' War. You were best to go to bed, and dream

again,

To keep thee from the tempest of the field.
Clif. I am resolv'd to bear a greater storm,
Than any thou canst conjure up to-day;
And that I'll write upon thy burgonet,

Might I but know thee by thy household badge.
War. Now, by my father's badge old Nevil's crest,
The rampant bear chain'd to the ragged staff,
This day I'll wear aloft my burgonet,

(As on a mountain-top the cedar shows,
That keeps his leaves in spite of any storm,)
Even to affright thee with the view thereof.

Clif. And from thy burgonet I'll rend thy bear, And tread it under foot with all contempt,

burgonet,] Is a helmet.

Despight the bear-ward that protects the bear. Y. Clif. And so to arms, victorious father, To quell the rebels, and their 'complices. Rich. Fye! charity, for shame! speak not in spite, For you shall sup with Jesu Christ to-night.

Y. Clif. Foul stigmatick, that's more than thou canst tell.

Rich. If not in heaven, you'll surely sup in [Exeunt severally.

hell.

SCENE II.

Saint Albans.

Alarums: Excursions.

Enter WARWICK.

War. Clifford of Cumberland, 'tis Warwick calls! And if thou dost not hide thee from the bear, Now,-when the angry trumpet sounds alarm, And dead men's cries do fill the empty air,Clifford, I say, come forth and fight with me! Proud northern lord, Clifford of Cumberland, Warwick is hoarse with calling thee to arms.

Enter YORK.

'How now, my noble lord? what, all a-foot? "York. The deadly-handed Clifford slew my steed; 'But match to match I have encounter'd him, • And made a prey for carrion kites and crows • Even of the bonny beast he lov'd so well.

Enter CLIFFord.

' War. Of one or both of us the time is come.

9 Foul stigmatick,] A stigmatick is one on whom nature has set a mark of deformity, a stigma. A stigmatick originally and properly signified a person who has been branded with a hot iron for some crime.

York. Hold, Warwick, seek thee out some other

chace,

For I myself must hunt this deer to death.

War. Then, nobly, York; 'tis for a crown thou

fight'st.

'As I intend, Clifford, to thrive to-day,

It grieves my soul to leave thee unassail'd.

[Exit WARWICK. Clif. What seest thou in me, York? why dost thou pause?

York. With thy brave bearing should I be in love, 'But that thou art so fast mine enemy.

Clif. Nor should thy prowess want praise and

esteem,

'But that 'tis shown ignobly, and in treason. 'York. So let it help me now against thy sword, As I in justice and true right express it!

Clif. My soul and body on the action both!-
York. A dreadful lay!'-address thee instantly.
[They fight, and CLIFFORD falls.

Clif. La fin couronne les oeuvres.

[Dies. 'York. Thus war hath given thee peace, for thou

art still.

'Peace with his soul, heaven, if it be thy will!

Enter young CLIFFORD.

[Exit.

*Y. Clif. Shame and confusion! all is on the rout;

A dreadful lay!] A dreadful wager; a tremendous stake.

2 Dies.] Our author, in making Clifford fall by the hand of York, has departed from the truth of history; a practice not uncommon to him when he does his utmost to make his characters considerable. This circumstance, however, serves to prepare the reader or spectator for the vengeance afterwards taken by Clifford's son on York and Rutland.

It is remarkable, that at the beginning of the third part of this historical play, the poet has forgot this occurrence, and there represents Clifford's death as it really happened.