The First Web Folio Edition of Shakespeare's Works
Coventry. |
[Enter WARWICK, the Mayor of Coventry, two Messengers, | ||
and others upon the walls] |
WARWICK | Where is the post that came from valiant Oxford? | ||
How far hence is thy lord, mine honest fellow? |
First Messenger | By this at Dunsmore, marching hitherward. |
WARWICK | How far off is our brother Montague? | ||
Where is the post that came from Montague? | 5 |
Second Messenger | By this at Daintry, with a puissant troop. | ||
[Enter SIR JOHN SOMERVILLE] |
WARWICK | Say, Somerville, what says my loving son? | ||
And, by thy guess, how nigh is Clarence now? |
SOMERSET | At Southam I did leave him with his forces, | ||
And do expect him here some two hours hence. | 10 | ||
[Drum heard] |
WARWICK | Then Clarence is at hand, I hear his drum. |
SOMERSET | It is not his, my lord; here Southam lies: | ||
The drum your honour hears marcheth from Warwick. |
WARWICK | Who should that be? belike, unlook'd-for friends. |
SOMERSET | They are at hand, and you shall quickly know. | 15 | |
[March: flourish. Enter KING EDWARD IV, GLOUCESTER, | |||
and soldiers] |
KING EDWARD IV | Go, trumpet, to the walls, and sound a parle. |
GLOUCESTER | See how the surly Warwick mans the wall! |
WARWICK | O unbid spite! is sportful Edward come? | ||
Where slept our scouts, or how are they seduced, | |||
That we could hear no news of his repair? | 20 |
KING EDWARD IV | 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. |
WARWICK | Nay, rather, wilt thou draw thy forces hence, | 25 | |
Confess who set thee up and pluck'd thee own, | |||
Call Warwick patron and be penitent? | |||
And thou shalt still remain the Duke of York. |
GLOUCESTER | I thought, at least, he would have said the king; | ||
Or did he make the jest against his will? | 30 |
WARWICK | Is not a dukedom, sir, a goodly gift? |
GLOUCESTER | Ay, by my faith, for a poor earl to give: | ||
I'll do thee service for so good a gift. |
WARWICK | 'Twas I that gave the kingdom to thy brother. |
KING EDWARD IV | Why then 'tis mine, if but by Warwick's gift. | 35 |
WARWICK | Thou art no Atlas for so great a weight: | ||
And weakling, Warwick takes his gift again; | |||
And Henry is my king, Warwick his subject. |
KING EDWARD IV | But Warwick's king is Edward's prisoner: | ||
And, gallant Warwick, do but answer this: | 40 | ||
What is the body when the head is off? |
GLOUCESTER | Alas, that Warwick had no more forecast, | ||
But, whiles he thought to steal the single ten, | |||
The king was slily finger'd from the deck! | |||
You left poor Henry at the Bishop's palace, | 45 | ||
And, ten to one, you'll meet him in the Tower. |
EDWARD | 'Tis even so; yet you are Warwick still. |
GLOUCESTER | Come, Warwick, take the time; kneel down, kneel down: | ||
Nay, when? strike now, or else the iron cools. |
WARWICK | I had rather chop this hand off at a blow, | 50 | |
And with the other fling it at thy face, | |||
Than bear so low a sail, to strike to thee. |
KING EDWARD IV | Sail how thou canst, have wind and tide thy friend, | ||
This hand, fast wound about thy coal-black hair | |||
Shall, whiles thy head is warm and new cut off, | 55 | ||
Write in the dust this sentence with thy blood, | |||
'Wind-changing Warwick now can change no more.' | |||
[Enter OXFORD, with drum and colours] |
WARWICK | O cheerful colours! see where Oxford comes! |
OXFORD | Oxford, Oxford, for Lancaster! | ||
[He and his forces enter the city] |
GLOUCESTER | The gates are open, let us enter too. | 60 |
KING EDWARD IV | 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. | 65 |
WARWICK | O, welcome, Oxford! for we want thy help. | ||
[Enter MONTAGUE with drum and colours] |
MONTAGUE | Montague, Montague, for Lancaster! | ||
[He and his forces enter the city] |
GLOUCESTER | Thou and thy brother both shall buy this treason | ||
Even with the dearest blood your bodies bear. |
KING EDWARD IV | The harder match'd, the greater victory: | 70 | |
My mind presageth happy gain and conquest. | |||
[Enter SOMERSET, with drum and colours] |
SOMERSET | Somerset, Somerset, for Lancaster! | ||
[He and his forces enter the city] |
GLOUCESTER | 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. | 75 | ||
[Enter CLARENCE, with drum and colours] |
WARWICK | 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 call. | 80 |
CLARENCE | Father of Warwick, know you what this means? | ||
[Taking his red rose out of his hat] | |||
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, | 85 | ||
That Clarence is so harsh, so blunt, unnatural, | |||
To bend the fatal instruments of war | |||
Against his brother and his lawful king? | |||
Perhaps thou wilt object my holy oath: | |||
To keep that oath were more impiety | 90 | ||
Than Jephthah's, when he sacrificed his daughter. | |||
I am so sorry for my trespass made | |||
That, to deserve well at my brother's hands, | |||
I here proclaim myself thy mortal foe, | |||
With resolution, wheresoe'er I meet thee-- | 95 | ||
As I will meet thee, if thou stir abroad-- | |||
To plague thee for thy foul misleading me. | |||
And so, proud-hearted Warwick, I defy thee, | |||
And to my brother turn my blushing cheeks. | |||
Pardon me, Edward, I will make amends: | 100 | ||
And, Richard, do not frown upon my faults, | |||
For I will henceforth be no more unconstant. |
KING EDWARD IV | Now welcome more, and ten times more beloved, | ||
Than if thou never hadst deserved our hate. |
GLOUCESTER | Welcome, good Clarence; this is brotherlike. | 105 |
WARWICK | O passing traitor, perjured and unjust! |
KING EDWARD IV | What, Warwick, wilt thou leave the town and fight? | ||
Or shall we beat the stones about thine ears? |
WARWICK | Alas, I am not coop'd here for defence! | ||
I will away towards Barnet presently, | 110 | ||
And bid thee battle, Edward, if thou darest. |
KING EDWARD IV | Yes, Warwick, Edward dares, and leads the way. | ||
Lords, to the field; Saint George and victory! | |||
[Exeunt King Edward and his company. March. Warwick | |||
and his company follow] |
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