I am a king, and privileg'd to speak. Clif. My liege, the wound, that bred this meeting here, Cannot be cur'd by words; therefore be still. 1830 Edw. Say, Henry, shall I have my right, or no? A thousand men have broke their fasts to-day, That ne'er shall dine, unless thou yield the crown. War. If thou deny, their blood upon thy head; For York in justice puts his armour on. Prince. If that be right, which Warwick says is right, There is no wrong, but every thing is right. 340 Rich. Whoever got thee, there thy mother stands For, well I wot, thou hast thy mother's tongue. Queen. But thou art neither like thy sire, nor dam; But like a foul mis-shapen stigmatick, Mark'd by the destinies to be avoided, As venom'd toads, or lizards' dreadful stings. (As if a channel should be call'd the sea), 350 Sham'st thou not, knowing whence thou art extraught, To let thy tongue detect thy base-born heart? Edw. A wisp of straw were worth a thousand crowns, To make this shameless callat know herself. Helen of Greece was fairer far than thou, Although thy husband may be Menelaus; 362 And grace'd thy poor sire with his bridal day; 373 Had slipp'd our claim until another age. Cla. But, when we saw our sun-shine made thy spring, And that thy summer bred us no increase, We set the axe to thy usurping root: And though the edge hath something hit ourselves, Yet, know thou, since we have begun to strike, We'll never leave, 'till we have hewn thee down, Or bath'd thy growing with our heated bloods. Edw. And, in this resolution, I defy thee; Not willing any further conference, Since thou deny'st the gentle king to speak.-. 380 Sound trumpets !-let our bloody colours wave !— And either victory, or else a grave. Queen. Stay, Edward. Edw. Edw. No, wrangling woman, I'll no longer stay: Thy words will cost ten thousand lives to-day. [Exeunt. SCENE III. A Field of Battle, at Ferrybridge in Yorkshire. Alarum. Excursions. Enter WARWICK. War. Forspent with toil, as runners with a race, I lay me down a little while to breathe: For strokes receiv'd, and many blows repaid, 389 "Have robb'd my strong-knit sinews of their strength, And, spight of spight, needs must I rest a while. Enter EDWARD, running Edw. Smile, gentle heaven! or strike, ungentle death! For this world frowns, and Edward's sun is clouded. War. How now, my lord? what hap? what hope of good? Enter CLARENCE. Cla. Our hap is loss, our hope but sad despair; "Our ranks are broke, and ruin follows us : What counsel give you? whither shall we fly? Edw. Bootless is flight, they follow us with wings; And weak we are, and cannot shun pursuit. Enter RICHARD. Rich. Ah, Warwick, why hast thou withdrawn thyself?? Thy brother's blood the thirsty earth hath drunk, 400 War. Then let the earth be drunken with our blood: I'll kill my horse, because I will not fly. Why stand we like soft-hearted women here, Were play'd in jest by counterfeiting actors? 410 420 Edw. O Warwick, I do bend my knee with thine; And, in this vow, do cháin my soul to thine.And, ere my knee rise from the earth's cold face, I throw my hands, mine eyes, my heart to Thee, Thou setter up and plucker down of kings! Beseeching thee-if with thy will it stands, That to my foes this body must be prey→→→ Yet Yet that the brazen gates of heaven may ope, gentle 430 Let me embrace thee in my weary arms :- Cla. Yet let us all together to our troops: This may plant courage in their quailing breasts; Fore-slow no longer, make we hence amain. 441 [Exeunt. SCENE IV. Another Part of the Field. Excursions. Enter RICHARD, and CLIFFORD. Rich. Now, Clifford, I have singled thee alone: Suppose, this arm is for the duke of York, And this for Rutland; both bound to revenge, Wert thou environ'd with a brazen wall, |