ACT V. SCENE V.
Another part of the field
Flourish. Enter KING EDWARD, GLOUCESTER, CLARENCE, and forces, With QUEEN MARGARET, OXFORD, and SOMERSET, prisoners
| KING EDWARD. | Now here a period of tumultuous broils.
Away with Oxford to Hames Castle straight;
For Somerset, off with his guilty head.
Go, bear them hence; I will not hear them speak.
|
 |
| OXFORD. | For my part, I'll not trouble thee with words.
|
|
| SOMERSET. | Nor I, but stoop with patience to my fortune.
|
|
Exeunt OXFORD and SOMERSET, guarded
| QUEEN MARGARET. | So part we sadly in this troublous world,
To meet with joy in sweet Jerusalem.
|
|
| KING EDWARD. | Is proclamation made that who finds Edward
Shall have a high reward, and he his life?
|
|
| GLOUCESTER. | It is; and lo where youthful Edward comes.
|
|
Enter soldiers, with PRINCE EDWARD
| KING EDWARD. | Bring forth the gallant; let us hear him speak.
What, can so young a man begin to prick?
Edward, what satisfaction canst thou make
For bearing arms, for stirring up my subjects,
And all the trouble thou hast turn'd me to?
|
|
| PRINCE OF WALES. | Speak like a subject, proud ambitious York.
Suppose that I am now my father's mouth;
Resign thy chair, and where I stand kneel thou,
Whilst I propose the self-same words to the
Which, traitor, thou wouldst have me answer to.
|
|
| QUEEN MARGARET. | Ah, that thy father had been so resolv'd!
|
|
| GLOUCESTER. | That you might still have worn the petticoat
And ne'er have stol'n the breech from Lancaster.
|
|
| PRINCE OF WALES. | Let Aesop fable in a winter's night;
His currish riddle sorts not with this place.
|
|
| GLOUCESTER. | By heaven, brat, I'll plague ye for that word.
|
|
| QUEEN MARGARET. | Ay, thou wast born to be a plague to men.
|
|
| GLOUCESTER. | For God's sake, take away this captive scold.
|
|
| PRINCE OF WALES. | Nay, take away this scolding crookback rather.
|
|
| KING EDWARD. | Peace, wilful boy, or I will charm your tongue.
|
|
| CLARENCE. | Untutor'd lad, thou art too malapert.
|
|
| PRINCE OF WALES. | I know my duty; you are all undutiful.
Lascivious Edward, and thou perjur'd George,
And thou misshapen Dick, I tell ye all
I am your better, traitors as ye are;
And thou usurp'st my father's right and mine.
|
|
| KING EDWARD. | Take that, the likeness of this railer here.
|
|
[Stabs him]
| GLOUCESTER. | Sprawl'st thou? Take that, to end thy agony.
|
|
[Stabs him]
| CLARENCE. | And there's for twitting me with perjury.
|
|
[Stabs him]
| QUEEN MARGARET. | O, kill me too!
|
|
| GLOUCESTER. | Marry, and shall
|
|
[Offers to kill her]
| KING EDWARD. | Hold, Richard, hold; for we have done to much.
|
|
| GLOUCESTER. | Why should she live to fill the world with words?
|
|
| KING EDWARD. | What, doth she swoon? Use means for her recovery.
|
|
| GLOUCESTER. | Clarence, excuse me to the King my brother.
I'll hence to London on a serious matter;
Ere ye come there, be sure to hear some news.
|
|
| CLARENCE. | What? what?
|
|
| GLOUCESTER. | The Tower! the Tower! Exit
|
|
| QUEEN MARGARET. | O Ned, sweet Ned, speak to thy mother, boy!
Canst thou not speak? O traitors! murderers!
They that stabb'd Caesar shed no blood at all,
Did not offend, nor were not worthy blame,
If this foul deed were by to equal it.
He was a man: this, in respect, a child;
And men ne'er spend their fury on a child.
What's worse than murderer, that I may name it?
No, no, my heart will burst, an if I speak-
And I will speak, that so my heart may burst.
Butchers and villains! bloody cannibals!
How sweet a plant have you untimely cropp'd!
You have no children, butchers, if you had,
The thought of them would have stirr'd up remorse.
But if you ever chance to have a child,
Look in his youth to have him so cut off
As, deathsmen, you have rid this sweet young prince!
|
|
| KING EDWARD. | Away with her; go, bear her hence perforce.
|
|
| QUEEN MARGARET. | Nay, never bear me hence; dispatch me here.
Here sheathe thy sword; I'll pardon thee my death.
What, wilt thou not? Then, Clarence, do it thou.
|
|
| CLARENCE. | By heaven, I will not do thee so much ease.
|
|
| QUEEN MARGARET. | Good Clarence, do; sweet Clarence, do thou do it.
|
|
| CLARENCE. | Didst thou not hear me swear I would not do it?
|
|
| QUEEN MARGARET. | Ay, but thou usest to forswear thyself.
'Twas sin before, but now 'tis charity.
What! wilt thou not? Where is that devil's butcher,
Hard-favour'd Richard? Richard, where art thou?
Thou art not here. Murder is thy alms-deed;
Petitioners for blood thou ne'er put'st back.
|
|
| KING EDWARD. | Away, I say; I charge ye bear her hence.
|
|
| QUEEN MARGARET. | So come to you and yours as to this prince.
|
|
Exit, led out forcibly
| KING EDWARD. | Where's Richard gone?
|
|
| CLARENCE. | To London, all in post; and, as I guess,
To make a bloody supper in the Tower.
|
|
| KING EDWARD. | He's sudden, if a thing comes in his head.
Now march we hence. Discharge the common sort
With pay and thanks; and let's away to London
And see our gentle queen how well she fares.
By this, I hope, she hath a son for me
|
|
Exeunt
Next
|
|
ACT V. SCENE V.
