Enter prince Edward.

ince. Oh father flie, our men haue left the field,

e horse sweet father, let vs saue our selues.

Enter Exeter.

cet. Awaie my Lord for vengance comes along with him:

1

stand not to expostulate make hast, else come after, Ile awaie before.

Hen. Naie staie good Exeter, for Ile along with thee.

(Act II. Scene VI.)

Who kild our tender brother Rutland,

And stabd our princelie father Duke of Yorke.
War. From off the gates of Yorke fetch downe
the

Head, Your fathers head which Clifford placed there.
Insteed of that, let his supplie the roome.
Measure for measure must be answered.

Edw. Bring forth that fatall scrichowle to our
house,

That nothing sung to vs but bloud and death,
Now his euill boding tougue no more shall speake.
War. I thinke his vnderstanding is bereft.
Say Clifford, doost thou know who speakes to thee?
Darke cloudie death oreshades his beames of life,
And he nor sees nor heares vs what we saie.
Rich. Oh would he did, and so perhaps he doth,

■ Clifford wounded, with an arrow in his necke. And tis his policie that in the time of death,

if. Heere burnes my candell out,

t whilst it lasted gaue king Henry light.
Lancaster, I feare thine ouerthrow,
e then my bodies parting from my soule.
loue and feare glude manie friends to thee,
now I die, that tough commixture melts.
airing Henry strengthened misproud Yorke,
common people swarme like summer flies,
whither flies the Gnats but to the sun?

I who shines now but Henries enemie?
Phoebus hadst thou neuer giuen consent,
t Phaeton should checke thy fierie steedes,
➡ burning carre had neuer scorcht the earth.
1 Henry hadst thou liu'd as kings should doe,
I as thy father and his father did,
ing no foot vnto the house of Yorke,
nd ten thousand in this wofull land,
A left no mourning Widdowes for our deathes,
A thou this daie hadst kept thy throne in peace,
what doth cherish weedes but gentle aire?
what makes robbers bold but lenitie?
tlesse are plaintes, and curelesse are my woundes,
waie to flie, no strength to hold our flight,
foe is mercilesse and will not pittie me,
I at their hands I haue deserude no pittie.
aire is got into my bleeding wounds,

1 much effuse of bloud doth make me faint,
ne Yorke and Richard, Warwike and the rest,
abde your fathers, now come split my brest,
ter Edward, Richard and Warwike, and
Souldiers.

dw. Thus farre our fortunes keepes an vpward
urse, and we are grast with wreathes of victorie.
ne troopes pursue the bloudie minded Queene,
at now towards Barwike doth poste amaine,
thinke you that Clifford is fled awaie with them?
ar. No, tis impossible he should escape,
r though before his face I speake the words,
r brother Richard markt him for the graue.
d where so ere he be I warrant him dead.
[Clifford grones and then dies.
dw. Harke, what soule is this that takes his heauy
leaue?

ich. A deadlie grone, like life and deaths departure.

dw. See who it is, and now the battailes ended, Fend or foe, let him be friendlie vsed.

He might auoid such bitter stormes as he--
In his houre of death did giue vnto our father.
George. Richard if thou thinkest so, vex him with
eager words.

Rich. Clifford, aske mercie and obtaine no grace.
Edw. Clifford, repent in bootlesse penitence.
War. Clifford deuise excuses for thy fault.
George. Whilst we deuise fell tortures for thy
fault.

Rich. Thou pittiedst Yorke, and I am sonne to
Yorke.

Edw. Thou pittiedst Rutland, and I will pittie
thee.

George. Wheres captaine Margaret to fence you now?

War. They mocke thee Clifford, sweare as thou

wast wont.

Rich. What not an oth? Nay, then I know hees dead.

Tis hard, when Clifford cannot foord his friend an
oath.

By this I know hees dead, and by my soule,
Would this right hand buy but an houres life,
That I in all contempt might raile at him.
Ide cut it off and with the issuing bloud,
Stifle the villaine whose instanched thirst,
Yorke and young Rutland could not satisfie.
War. I, but he is dead, off with the traitors head,
And reare it in the place your fathers stands.
And now to London with triumphant march,
There to be crowned Englands lawfull king.
From thence shall Warwike crosse the seas to
France,

And aske the ladie Bona for thy Queene,
So shalt thou sinew both these landes togither,
And hauing France thy Friend thou needet not
dread,

The scattered foe that hopes to rise againe.
And though they cannot greatly sting to hurt,
Yet looke to have them busie to offend thine eares.
First Ile see the coronation done,
And afterward Ile crosse the seas to France,
To effect this marriage if it please my Lord
Edw. Euen as thou wilt good Warwike let it be.
But first before we goe, George kueele downe.
We here create thee Duke of Clarence, and girt thee
with the sword.

Our younger brother Richard Duke of Glocester. ich. Reuerse that doome of mercie, for tis Clif- Warwike as my selfe shal do & vndo as him pleaseth

ford,

best.

Rich. Let me be Duke of Clarence, George of

Gloster,

For Glosters Dukedome is too ominous

War. Tush thats a childish obseruation. Richard be Duke of Gloster. Now to London.

To see these honors in possession.

(Act III. Scene I.)

[Exeunt Omnes.

Enter two keepers with bow and arrowes.

(Act III. Scene II.)

Enter king Edward, Clarence, and Gloster
Montague, Hastings, and the Lady Gray,
K Edw. Brothers of Clarence, and of Gloce
This ladies husband heere sir Richard Gray,
At the battaile of saint Albones did lose his life.
His lands then were seazed on by the conquero”,
Her sule is now to repossesse those lands,
And sith in quarrell of the house of Yorke,
The noble gentleman did lose his life,

Keeper. Come, lets take our stands vpon this In honor we cannot denie her sute.

hill,

And by and by the deere will come this waie.
But staie, heere comes a man, lets listen him a while.

Enter king Henri e disguisde.

Glo. Your highnesse shall doe well to grant
then.

K Edw. I, so I will, but yet Ile make a poust
Glo. I, is the winde in that doore?
Clarence, I see the Lady hath some thing
grant,

Hen. From Scotland am 1 stolne euen of pure Before the king will grant her humble sute.

loue,

And thus disguisde to greet my native land.

No, Henrie no, It is no land of thine,

No bending knee will call thee Cæsar now,

No humble suters sues to thee for right,

For how canst thou helpe them and not thy selfe?

Keeper. I marrie sir, heere is a deere, his skinne | I beseech your highnesse to dispatch me now.

is a

Keepers fee. Sirra stand close, for as 1 thinke,

This is the king, king Edward hath deposde.

Hen. My Queene and sonne poore soules are

gone to

France, and as I heare the great commanding War-
wike,

To intreat a marriage with the ladie Bona,
If this be true, poore Queene and sonne,
Your labour is but spent in vaine,

For Lewis is a prince soone wun with words,
And Warwike is a subtill Orator.

He laughes and saies, his Edward is instalde,
She weepes, and saies her Henry is deposde,
He on his right hand asking a wife for Edward,
She on his left side crauing aide for Henry.
Keeper. What art thou that talkes of kings and
queens?

Hen. More then I seeme, for lesse I should not be.
A man at least, aud mere I cannot be,

And men maie talke of kings, and why not I? Keeper. I but thou talkest as if thou wert a king thy selfe.

Hen. Why so I am in mind though not in shew.
Keeper. And if thou be a king where is thy
crowne?

Hen. My crowne is in my hart, not on my head.
My crowne is calde content, a crowne that
Kings doe seldome times enioy.

Keeper. And if thou be a king crownd with

content,

Your crowne content and you, must be content
To go with vs vnto the officer, for as we thinke
You are our quondam king, K. Edward hath de-

posde,
And therefore we charge you in Gods name & the
kings

To go along with vs vuto the officers.

La. Euen what your highnesse shall commen
Glo. Naie then widow Ile warrant you al
Husbands lands, if you grant to do what he
Commands. Fight close or in good faith
You catch a clap.

Cla. Naie I feare her not valesse she fall
Glo. Marie godsforbot man, for heele tak
tage then.

La. Why stops my Lord, shall I not kno taske?

K Ed. An easie taske, tis but to love a kisg La. Thats soone performde, because I am 4 § iect.

K Ed. Why then thy husbandes landes Ifr give thee.

La. I take my leaue with manie thousand thash Cla. The match is made, shee seales it with a s Hen. Gods name be fulfild, your kings name be K Ed. Staie widdow staie, what love de Obaide, and be you kings, command and Ile obay. thinke [Exeunt Omnes. 1 sue so much to get?

=. My humble seruice, such as subiects owes and
awes commands.

Ed. No by my troth, I meant no such loue,
to tell thee the troth, I aime to lie with thee.
To tell you plaine my Lord, I had rather lie
in prison.

Edw. Why then thou canst not get thy hus-
bandes lands.

. Then mine honestie shall be my dower,
by that losse I will not purchase them.
Ed. Herein thou wrongst thy children mighti-

lie.

3

2. Heerein your highnesse wrong both them and
but mightie Lord this merrie inclination
zes not with the sadnesse of my sute.

se it your highnesse to dismisse me either with

I or no.

Ed. I, if thou saie I to my request,
if thou saie no to my demand.

=. Then no my Lord, my sute is at an end.
o. The widdow likes him not, shee bends the
brow.

a. Why he is the bluntest woer in christendome.
Ed. Her lookes are all repleat with maiestie,
waie or other she is for a king,

she shall be my loue or else my Queene. = that hing Edward tooke thee for his Queene. Tis better said then done, my gratious Lord, n a subiect fit to iest withall,

far vnfit to be a Soueraigne.

K Edw. Awaie with him, and send him to the
Tower,

And let vs go question with the man about
His apprehension. Lords along, and vse this
Ladie honorablie.

[Exeunt Omnes.

Manet Gloster and speakes.

Glo. I, Edward will vse women honourablie,
Would he were wasted marrow, bones and all,
That from his loines no issue might succeed
To hinder me from the golden time I loɔke for,
For I am not yet lookt on in the world.
First is there Edward, Clarence, and Henry
And his sonne, and all they lookt for issue
Of their loines ere I can plant my selfe,
A cold premeditation for my purpose,
What other pleasure is there in the world beside?
I will go clad my bodie in gaie ornaments,
And lull my selfe within a ladies lap,
And witch sweet Ladies with my words and lookes.
Oh monstrous man, to harbour such a thought!
Why loue did scorne me in my mothers wombe.
And for I should not deale in hir affaires,
Shee did corrupt fraile nature in the flesh,
And plaste an enuious mountaine on my backe,
Where sits deformity to mocke my bodie,
To drie mine arme vp like a withered shrimpe.
To make my legges of an vnequall size,
And am I then a man to be belou'd?
Easier for me to compasse twentie crownes.

Edw. Sweete widdow, by my state I sweare, Tut I can smile, and murder when I smile,

I speake

more then what my hart intends, that is to enioie thee for my loue.

. And that is more then I will yeeld vuto,
ow I am too bad to your Queene,
Iyet too good to be your Concubine.

Edw. You cauill widdow, did I meane my
Queene.

Your grace would be loath my sonnes should you father.

Edw. No more then when my daughters call thee

her. Thou art a widow and thou hast some children,

by Gods mother I being but a bacheler e other some. Why tis a happy thing

be the father of manie children.

ue no more, for thou shalt be my Queene.
o. The ghostlie father now hath done his shrift.
a. When he was made a shriuer twas for shift.
Edw. Brothers, you muse what talke the wid-

dow

I have had, you would thinke it strange should marrie her.

t

a. Marrie her my Lord, to whom? Edw. Why Clarence to my selfe.

Eo. That would be ten daies wonder at the least. a. Why thats a daie longer then a wonder lastes. o. And so much more are the wonders in extreames.

I crie content, to that that greeues me most.
1 can adde colours to the Camelion,
And for a need change shapes with Protheus,
And set the aspiring Catalin to schoole.
Can I doe this, and cannot get the crowne?
Tush were it ten times higher, Ile put it downe.

(Act III. Scene III.)

[Exit.

Enter king Lewis and the ladie Bona, and Queene Margaret, Prince Edward, and Oxford and others.

Lewes. Welcome Queene Margaret to the Court
of France,

It fits not Lewis to sit while thou dost stand,
Sit by my side, and here I vow to thee,
Thou shalt haue aide to repossesse thy right,
And place king Henry in his former rule.
And beat proud Edward from his vsurped seat.

And pray the God of heauen to blesse thy state,
Queen. Ihumblie thanke your royall maiestie.
Great king of France, that thus regards our wrongs.
Enter Warwike.

Lew. How now, who is this?

Queen. Our Earle of Warwike Edwardes chiefest friend.

Lew. Welcome braue Warwike, what brings thec to France?

War. From worthly Edward king of England, Edw. Well, ieast on brothers, I can tell you, hir My Lord and Soueraigne and thy vowed friend. e is granted for her husbands lands.

Enter a Messenger.

es. And it please your grace, Henry your foe is en, and brought as prisoner to your pallace gates.

I come in kindness and vnfained loue,
First to do greetings to thy royall person,
And then to craue a league of amitie,
And lastlie to confirme that amitie
With nuptiall knot if thou vouchsafe to grant

War. Oxford, how haps that in this smooth dis- Smiles at her newes when Warwike frets as las

KLewes. Queene Margaret, prince Edward and Did I impale him with the regall Crowne,

Cla. My Lord then this is my opinion,
That Warwike beeing dishonored in his emba‹sage,
Doth seeke reuenge to quite his iniuries.

Glo. And Levves in regard of his sisters wrongs,
Doth ioine with Warwike to supplant your state.

ueen. Tell him my mourning weedes be laide Edw. Suppose that Lewis and Warwike be ap