* Nor forward of revenge, though they much err'd; * Then why should they love Edward more than me? *No, Exeter, these graces challenge grace:

* And, when the lion fawns upon the lamb, *The lamb will never cease to follow him.

Shout within. A Lancaster! A Lancaster! Exe. Hark, hark, my lord! what shouts are these?

Enter King EDWARD, GLOSTER, and Soldiers. 'Edw. Seize on the shame-fac'd Henry, bear him hence,

And once again proclaim us king of England.* You are the fount, that makes small brooks to flow, * Now stops thy spring; my sea shall suck them dry, * And swell so much the higher by their ebb."Hence with him to the Tower; let him not speak. [Exeunt some with King HENRY. 'And, lords, towards Coventry bend we our course, 'Where peremptory Warwick now remains: "The sun shines hot, and, if we use delay, 'Cold-biting winter mars our hop'd-for hay.' *Glo. Away betimes, before his forces join, * And take the great-grown traitor unawares: * Brave warriors, march amain towards Coventry.

[Exeunt.

1 The sun shines hot, &c.] The allusion is to a well-known proverb-" Make hay while the sun shines."

ACT V.

SCENE I. Coventry

Enter, upon the Walls, WARWICK, the Mayor of
Coventry, Two Messengers, and Others.
War. Where is the post, that came from valiant
Oxford?

How far hence is thy lord, mine honest fellow?
1 Mess. By this at Dunsmore, marching hither-
ward.

War. How far off is our brother Montague?— Where is the post that came from Montague? 2 Mess. By this at Daintry, with a puissant troop.

Enter Sir JOHN SOMERVIlle.

' War. Say, Somerville, what says my loving son? And, by the guess, how nigh is Clarence now? "Som. At Southam I did leave him with his forces, 'And do expect him here some two hours hence. [Drum heard.

'War. Then Clarence is at hand, I hear his drum. * Som. It is not his, my lord; here Southam lies; *The drum your honour hears, marcheth from Warwick.

* War. Who should that be? belike, unlook'dfor friends.

*Som. They are at hand, and you shall quickly know.

Drums. Enter King EDWARD, GLOSTER, and Forces, marching.

* K. Edw. Go, trumpet, to the walls, and sound

a parle.

Glo. See, how the surly Warwick mans the wall. War. O, unbid spite! is sportful Edward come? Where slept our scouts, or how are they seduc'd, That we could hear no news of his repair?

*K. Edw. 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.

' War. Nay, rather, wilt thou draw thy forces hence,

Confess who set thee up and pluck'd thee down?— Call Warwick-patron, and be penitent,

And thou shalt still remain the duke of York.

Glo. I thought, at least, he would have said-the king;

Or did he make the jest against his will?

* War. Is not a dukedom, sir, a goodly gift? *Glo. Ay, by my faith, for a poor earl to give; * I'll do thee service for so good a gift.

' War. 'Twas I, that gave the kingdom to thy

brother.

K. Edw. Why, then 'tis mine, if but by Warwick's gift.

' War. Thou art no Atlas for so great a weight: And, weakling, Warwick takes his gift again; And Henry is my king, Warwick his subject.

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*K. Edw. But Warwick's king is Edward's pri

soner:

And, gallant Warwick, do but answer this,What is the body, when the head is off?

'Glo. Alas, that Warwick had no more forecast, But, whiles he thought to steal the single ten,

2 I'll do thee service-] i. e. enroll myself among thy dependants. Cowell informs us, that servitium is "that service which the tenant, by reason of his fee, oweth unto his lord."

'The king was slily finger'd from the deck!3 You left poor Henry at the bishop's palace, And, ten to one, you'll meet him in the Tower. K. Edw. 'Tis even so; yet you are Warwick still. * Glo. Come, Warwick, take the time, kneel down, kneel down:

*Nay, when? strike now, or else the iron cools. * War. 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.

*K. Edw. Sail how thou canst, have wind and tide thy friend;

*This hand, fast wound about thy coal-black hair, * Shall, whiles the 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 OXFORD, with Drum and Colours.

* War. Ocheerful colours! see, where Oxford comes! Oxf. Oxford, Oxford, for Lancaster!

[OXFORD and his Forces enter the City. 'Glo. The gates are open, let us enter too. K. Edw. 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. War. O, welcome, Oxford! for we want thy help.

Enter MONTAGUE, with Drum and Colours. Mont. Montague, Montague, for Lancaster! He and his Forces enter the City. 'Glo. Thou and thy brother both shall buy this

treason

• The king was slily finger'd from the deck!] A pack of cards was anciently termed a deck of cards, or a pair of cards, and is still in use in some parts.

'Even with the dearest blood your bodies bear. * K. Edw. The harder match'd, the greater vic

tory;

My mind presageth happy gain, and conquest.

Enter SOMERSET, with Drum and Colours. Som. Somerset, Somerset, for Lancaster!

[He and his Forces enter the City. Glo. Two of thy name, both dukes of Somerset, Have sold their lives unto the house of York;* And thou shalt be the third, if this sword hold.

Enter CLARENCE, with Drum and Colours.

War. 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:

* Come, Clarence, come; thou wilt, if Warwick

calls.

Clar. Father of Warwick, know you what this means?

[Taking the red Rose out of his Cap. 'Look here, I throw my infamy at thee:

I will not ruinate my father's house,

Who gave his blood to lime the stones together, ' And set up Lancaster. Why, trow'st thou, Warwick,

Two of thy name, both dukes of Somerset,

Have sold their lives unto the house of York;] The first of these noblemen was Edmund, slain at the battle of Saint Alban's, 1455. The second was Henry his son, beheaded after the battle of Hexham, 1463. The present duke Edmund, brother to Henry, was taken prisoner at Tewksbury, 1471, and there beheaded, his brother John losing his life in the same fight.

5

to lime the stones-] That is, to cement the stones. Lime makes mortar.