Thy father bears the type of king of Naples,
Of both the Sicils, and Jerusalem;

Yet not so wealthy as an English yeoman. Hath that poor monarch taught thee to insult? It needs not, nor it boots thee not, proud queen; Unless the adage must be verified,

That beggars, mounted, run their horse to death. 'Tis beauty, that doth oft make women proud; But, God he knows, thy share thereof is small: 'Tis virtue, that doth make them most admir'd; The contrary doth make thee wonder'd at: 'Tis government, that make them seem divine; The want thereof makes thee abominable: Thou art as opposite to every good,

As the Antipodes are unto us,

Or as the south to the septentrion.

O, tiger's heart, wrapp'd in a woman's hide! How could'st thou drain the life-blood of the child,

To bid the father wipe his eyes withal,
And yet be seen to bear a woman's face?
Women are soft, mild, pitiful, and flexible;
Thou stern, obdurate, flinty, rough, remorseless.
Bidd'st thou me rage, why, now thou hast thy
wish:

Would'st have me weep? why, now thou hast thy will:

For raging wind blows up incessant showers, And, when the rage allays, the rain begins. These tears are my sweet Rutland's obsequies; And every drop cries vengeance for his death,'Gainst thee, fell Clifford,-and thee, false Frenchwoman. [me so,

North. Beshrew me, but his passions move That hardly can I check my eyes from tears. York. That face of his the hungry cannibals Would not have tonch'd, would not have stain'd with blood:

But you are more inhuman, more inexorable,O, ten times more,-than tigers of Hyrcania. See, ruthless queen, a hapless father's tears: This cloth thou dipp'dst in blood of my sweet boy,

And I with tears do wash the blood away. Keep thou the napkin, and go boast of this: [He gives back the Handkerchief.

And, if thou tell'st the heavy story right,
Upon my soul, the hearers will shed tears;
Yea, even my foes will shed fast falling tears,
And say,-Alas, it was a piteous deed!-
There, take the crown, and, with the crown, my
curse;

And, in thy need, such comfort come to thee,
As now I reap at thy too cruel hand!

Hard-hearted Clifford, take me from the world;
My soul to Heaven, my blood upon your heads!
North. Had he been slaughterman to all my
kin,

I should not for my life but weep with him,
To see how inly sorrow gripes his soul.

Q. Mar. What, weeping-ripe, my Lord Nor-
thumberland?

Think but upon the wrong he did us all,
And that will quickly dry thy melting tears.
Clif. Here's for my oath, here's for my father's

death.

[Stabbing him. Q. Mar. And here's to right our gentle-hearted

king.

[Stabbing him. York. Open thy gate of mercy, gracious God! My soul flies through these wounds to seek out

thee.

[Dies. Q. Mar. Off with his head, and set it on York

gates;

So York may overlook the town of York.

ACT II.

[Exeunt.

SCENE I. A Plain near Mortimer's Cross in
Herefordshire.

Drums. Enter EDWARD and RICHARD, with
their Forces, marching.

Edw. I wonder how our princely father 'scap'd;

Or whether he be 'scap'd away, or no,

From Clifford's and Northumberland's pursuit; Had he been ta'en, we should have heard the

news;

Had he been slain, we should have heard the

news;

Or, had he 'scap'd, methinks, we should have

heard

The happy tidings of his good escape.
How fares my brother? why is he so sad?
Rich. I cannot joy, until I be resolv'd
Where our right valiant father is become.
I saw him in the battle range about;

And watch'd him how he singled Clifford forth.
Methought, he bore him in the thickest troop,
As doth a lion in a herd of neat:

Or as a bear encompass'd round with dogs;
Who having pinch'd a few, and made them cry,
The rest stand all aloof, and bark at him.
So far'd our father with his enemies:
So fled his enemies my warlike father;
Methinks, 'tis prize enough to be his son.
See, how the morning opes her golden gates,
And takes her farewell of the glorious sun!
How well resembles it the prime of youth,
Trimm'd like a younker, prancing to his love!
Edw. Dazzle mine eyes, or do I see three suns?
Rich. Three glorious suns, each one a perfect
Not separated with the racking clouds,
[sun;
But sever'd in a pale clear-shining sky.
See, see! they join, embrace, and seem to kiss,
As if they vow'd some league inviolable:
Now are they but one lamp, one light, one sun.
In this the heaven figures some event.

Edw. 'Tis wondrous strange, the like yet never
heard of.

I think, it cites us, brother, to the field;
That we, the sons of brave Plantagenet,
Each one already blazing by our meeds,
Should, notwithstanding, join our lights toge-
ther,

And overshine the earth, as this the world.
Whate'er it bodes, henceforward will I bear
Upon my target three fair shining suns.

Rich. Nay, bear three daughters ;-by your
leave I speak it,

You love the breeder better than the male.

Enter a Messenger.

But what art thou, whose heavy looks foretell Some dreadful story hanging on thy tongue? Mess. Ah, one that was a woful looker on,

When as the noble duke of York was slain,
Your princely father, and my loving lord.
Edw. O, speak no more! for I have heard too
much.

Rich. Say how he died, for I will hear it all. Mess. Environed he was with many foes; And stood against them as the hope of Troy Against the Greeks, that would have enter'd Troy.

But Hercules himself must yield to odds;
And many strokes, though with a little axe,
Hew down and fell the hardest-timber'd oak.
By many hands your father was subdu'd;
But only slaughter'd by the ireful arm
Of unrelenting Clifford, and the queen:
Who crown'd the gracious duke in high despite;
Laugh'd in his face; and, when with grief he

wept,

The ruthless queen gave him, to dry his cheeks, A napkin steeped in the harmless blood

Of sweet young Rutland, by rough Clifford slain: And, after many scorns, many foul taunts, They took his head, and on the gates of York They set the same; and there it doth remain, The saddest spectacle that e'er I view'd.

Edw. Sweet duke of York, our prop to lean

upon;

Now thou art gone, we have no staff, no stay!O Clifford, boist'rous Clifford, thou hast slain The flower of Europe for his chivalry;

And treacherously hast thou vanquish'd him, For, hand to hand, he would have vanquish❜d

thee!

Now my soul's palace is become a prison:
Ah, would she break from hence! that this my
body

Might in the ground be closed up in rest:
For never henceforth shall I joy again,
Never, O never, shall I see more joy.

Rich. I cannot weep; for all my body's mois

ture

Scarce serves to quench my furnace-burning heart:

Nor can my tongue unload my heart's great burden;

For selfsame wind, that I should speak withal,

Is kindling coals, that fire all my breast, And burn me up with flames that tears would quench.

To weep, is to make less the depth of grief; Tears, then, for babes; blows, and revenge, for me!

Richard, I bear thy name, I'll venge thy death, Or die renowned by attempting it.

Edw. His name that valiant duke hath left with thee;

His dukedom and his chair with me is left.

Rich. Nay, if thou be that princely eagle's bird, Show thy descent by gazing 'gainst the sun: For chair and dukedom, throne and kingdom

say;

Either that is thine, or else thou wert not his. March. Enter WARWICK and MONTAGUE, with Forces.

War. How now, fair lords? What fare? what news abroad?

Rich. Great lord of Warwick, if we should recount

Our baleful news, and, at each word's deliver

ance,

Stab poniards in our flesh till all were told, The words would add more anguish than the wounds.

O valiant lord, the duke of York is slain.

Edw. O Warwick! Warwick! that Plantagenet, Which held thee dearly, as his soul's redemption, Is by the stern Lord Clifford done to death.

War. Ten days ago I drown'd these news in

tears:

And now to add more measure to your woes,
I come to tell you things since then befall'n.'
After the bloody fray at Wakefield fought,
Where your brave father breath'd his latest gasp,
Tidings, as swiftly as the posts could run,
Were brought me of your loss, and his depart.
I then in London, keeper of the king,
Muster'd my soldiers, gather'd flocks of friends,
And very well appointed, as I thought,
March'd towards Saint Albans to intercept the

queen,

Bearing the king in my behalf along: