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! [They fight, and CLIFFORD falls and 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. Y. Clif. Shame and confusion! all is on the rout; Fear frames disorder, and disorder wounds Where it should guard. O war! Whom angry heavens do make their minister, Hot coals of vengeance!-Let no soldier fly: Hath no self-love; nor he, that loves himself, [Exit. [Seeing his father's body. O, let the vile world end, And the premisèd flames of the last day Now let the general trumpet blow his blast, To cease!-Wast thou ordain'd, dear father, And, in thy reverence, and thy chair-days, thus As did Æneas old Anchises bear, [Taking up the body. [Exit. Enter RICHARD PLANTAGENET and SOMERSET, fighting: SOMERSET is killed. Rich. So, lie thou there; For underneath an ale-house' paltry sign, The Castle in Saint Albans, Somerset Hath made the wizard famous in his death. Sword, hold thy temper; heart, be wrathful still: [Exit. Alarums: Excursions. Enter KING HENRY, QUEEN MARGARET, and others, retreating. Q. Mar. Away, my lord! you are slow; for shame, away! K. Hen. Can we outrun the heavens? good Margaret, stay. Q. Mar. What are you made of? you'll nor fight, nor fly Now is it manhood, wisdom, and defence, To give the enemy way; and to secure us By what we can, which can no more but fly. [Alarum afar off. If you be ta'en, we then should see the bottom Of all our fortunes: but if we haply scape, (As well we may, if not through your neglect) Re-enter Young CLIFFORD. Y. Clif. But that my heart's on future mischief set, But fly you must; uncurable discomfit To see their day, and them our fortune give: SCENE III.—Field near Saint Albans. [Exeunt. Alarum: Retreat. Flourish; then enter YORK, RICHARD PLANTAGENET, WARWICK, and Soldiers, with drum and colors. York. Of Salisbury, who can report of him, That winter lion, who in rage forgets Agèd contusions and all brush of time, Repairs him with occasion? this happy day Rich. Three times bestrid him, thrice I led him off, But still, where danger was, still there I met him; So was his will in his old feeble body. But, noble as he is, look where he comes. Enter SALISBURY. Sal. Now, by my sword, well hast thou fought to-day; And it hath pleas'd him, that three times to-day York. I know our safety is to follow them; Sound, drums and trumpets:-and to London all; [Exeunt. THE HISTORY OF KING HENRY VI. PART III. THE third part of Henry VI. continues the series of events involved in the contentions of the houses of York and Lancaster, with consecutive exactness. It opens immediately after the first battle of St. Albans in 1455, and details the struggles of the York faction with Henry; the death of Richard, Duke of York; the subsequent usurpation of the crown by his eldest son, who assumed the throne with the title of Edward IV., and the action closes with the murder of Henry VI., 1471, embracing a history of sixteen years. Shakspeare has painted the leading characters in this part of Henry VI. with great power and fidelity. King Henry's meek and almost saint-like forbearance forms a beautiful contrast to the Amazonian courage and fiery qualities of his Queen. Warwick, the haughty, imperious "king-maker,” is also drawn with a strong master hand; but in the character of Richard, Duke of Gloster, the poet exhibits the full power of his genius. Intending to make Gloster the subject of a distinct Historical Drama, Shakspeare ingeniously develops the future Richard III. in all his moral and physical deformity, and prepares us for the tissue of crimes which form the principal incidents of the succeeding drama. EDWARD, Earl of March, afterwards KING EDWARD IV., GEORGE, afterwards Duke of Clarence, MARQUESS OF Montague, Sir HUGH Mortimer, of the Duke of York's party. } Uncles to the Duke of York. HENRY, Earl of Richmond, a Youth. LORD RIVERS, Brother to Lady Grey. Sir JOHN MONTGOMERY. Sir JOHN SOMERVILLE. Lieutenant to the Tower. A Nobleman. Two Keepers. A Huntsman. A Son that has killed his Father. A Father that has killed his Son. QUEEN MARGAret. LADY GREY, afterwards Queen to EDWARD IV. his Sons. Soldiers, and other Attendants on King Henry and King Edward, Messen gers, Watchmen, &c. SCENE,-During part of the Third Act, in FRANCE; during the rest of the Play, in ENGLAND. ACT I. SCENE I.-London. The Parliament House. Drums. Some Soldiers of YORK's party break in. Then, enter the DUKE OF YORK, EDWARD, RICHARD, Norfolk, MontaGUE, WARWICK, and others, with white roses in their hats. War. I wonder how the king escap'd our hands. He slily stole away, and left his men: Whereat the great lord of Northumberland, Whose warlike ears could never brook retreat, Cheer'd up the drooping army; and himself, Edw. Lord Stafford's father, duke of Buckingham, |