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A plain near Mortimer's Cross in Herefordshire.
[A march. Enter EDWARD, RICHARD, and their power]
EDWARD
,
, , , ,
I wond|er how | our prince|ly fath|er scaped:
,
, 2 ,
, ,
Or wheth|er he | be escaped | away,| or no,
, ,
, , ,
From Clif|ford's and | Northum|berland's |
pursuit?
,
, , ,
,
Had he | been tane,| we should | have heard | the
news;
,
, , ,
,
Had he | been slain,| we should | have heard |
the news:
, , ,
, ,
Or had | he scaped,| methinks | we should | have
heard
, ,
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,
The hap|py tid|ings of | his good | escape.
,
, ,
, ,
How fares | my broth|er? Why | is he / so sad?
RICHARD
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, ,
, ,
I can|not joy,| until | I be | resolved
,
, , ,
2 ,
Where our | right val/iant | father | is become.
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, ,
I saw | him in | the bat|tle range | about,
, ,
, ,
,
And watched | him how | he sing|led Clif|ford
forth.
,
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Methought | he bore | him in | the thick|est
troop,
, ,
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,
As doth | a li|on in | a herd | of neat,
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Or as | a bear | encomp|assed round | with dogs:
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Who hav|ing pinched | a few,| and made | them cry,
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The rest | stand^all | aloof,| and bark | at him.
, , 3 3
, ,
So fared | our fath|er with his en|emies,
<- , ,
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, o
So fled || his en|emies | my war|like^fath|er:
, ,
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,
Methinks |'tis prize | enough | to be | his son.
,
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See how | the morn|ing opes | her gold|en gates,
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, , 2
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And takes | her fare|well of | the glor|ious sun.
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,
How well | resem|bles it | the prime | of youth,
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,
Trimmed like | a yon|ker, pran|cing to | his love?
EDWARD
,
, , 2 T
T T
Dazzle | mine eyes,| or do I | see three suns?
RICHARD
, 2 ,
, ,
,
Three* glor|ious suns,| each one | a per|fect
sun,
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,
Not^se|para|ted with | the rack|ing clouds,
, , . T
T T ,
But sev|ered in | a pale clear-shi|ning sky.
T T .
T , ,
,
See, see, they* join,| embrace,| and seem | to
kiss,
, ,
, , 2 ,
As if | they vowed | some league | invi|olable.
, 3 3
T T T
T T T
Now are they but | one lamp, one | light, one
sun:
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,
In this,| the heav|en fig|ures some | event.
EDWARD
, ,
'Tis wond|rous strange,
, , 2
,
The like | yet never | heard of.
, ,
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,
I think | it cites | us (broth|er) to | the
field,
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That we,| the sons | of brave | Plantag|enet,
,
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Each^one | alrea|dy bla|zing by | our meeds,
,
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2->
Should not|withstand|ing join | our lights |
togeth|er,
, ,
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,
And ov|er-shine | the earth,| as this | the
world.
,
, ,
, ,
Whatere | it bodes,| hencefor|ward will | I bear
, x
T T T ,
Upon | my target | three fair-shi|ning suns.
RICHARD
T T
T ,
Nay, bear three | daughters:
,
, ,
By your | leave, I | speak it, (tri with
prev)
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,
You love | the bree|der bet|ter than | the male.
, ,
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,
But what | art thou,| whose hea|vy looks |
foretell
, ,
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,
Some dread|ful sto|ry hang|ing on | thy tongue?
MESSENGER
, ,
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,
Ah, one / that was | a woe|ful loo|ker-on,
,
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When as | the nob|le Duke | of York | was slain,
,
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Your prince|ly fath|er, and | my lov|ing lord.
EDWARD
, ,
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Oh speak | no more,| for I | have heard | too
much.
RICHARD
,
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,
Say how | he died,| for I | will hear | it all.
MESSENGER
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Envi|roned | he was | with ma|ny foes,
,
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And stood | against | them, as | the hope | of
Troy
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Against | the Greeks,| that would | have ent|ered
Troy.
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,
But Her|cules | himself | must yield | to odds:
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,
And ma|ny strokes,| though with | a lit|tle axe,
,
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Hews^down | and fells | the har|dest-tim|bered
oak.
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By ma|ny hands | your fath|er was | subdued,
,
, , ,
,
But on|ly slaught|ered by | the ire|ful arm
, ,
, ,
,
Of un|relen|ting Clif|ford, and | the queen:
, ,
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,
Who crowned | the gra|cious duke | in high |
despite,
,
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Laughed in | his face:| and when | with grief |
he wept,
, ,
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,
The ruth|less queen | gave him,| to dry | his
cheeks,
,
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, ,
A nap|kin, stee|ped in | the harm|less blood
. T T
T ,
, ,
Of sweet young Rut|land, by / rough Clif|ford
slain,
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,
, ,
And aft|er ma|ny scorns,| many / foul taunts,
, ,
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,
They took | his head,| and on | the gates | of
York
, ,
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,
They set | the same,| and there | it doth | remain,
, ,
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,
The sad|dest spec|tacle | that ere | I viewed.
EDWARD
T T . T , ,
,
Sweet Duke of York,| our prop | to lean | upon,
, ,
, ,
,
Now* thou | art gone,| we have | no staff,| no
stay.
,
, 2 ,
, ,
O Clif|ford, boi|sterous Clif|ford thou | hast
slain
x
, ,
, ,
The flower | of Eu|rope, for | his chi|valry,
, ,
, , ,
And treach|erous|ly hast | thou van|quished him,
,
, ,
, ,
For hand | to hand | he would | have van|quished
thee.
, ,
, 2 ,
,
Now my | soul's pa/lace is be|come a | prison:
,
, , ,
, ->
Ah, would | she break | from hence,| that this |
my bo||dy
, 2 ,
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__
Might | in the ground | be closed | up in | rest:
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For nev|er hence|forth shall | I joy | again:
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Never,| oh nev|er shall I // see more joy.
RICHARD
2 , ,
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I cannot | weep: for | all my | body's | moisture
T
T . T
, ,
,
Scarce serves to quench | my fur|nace-burn|ing
heart:
, 2
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T T Tx
Nor can my | tongue un|load my | heart's great
burden,
. T T T
, , ,
For selfsame wind | that I | should speak |
withal,
, ,
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,
Is kin|dling coals | that fi|res all | my breast,
, ,
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And burns | me up | with flames,| that tears |
would quench.
,
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,
To weep,| is to / make less | the depth | of
grief:
T T
. T ,
, ,
Tears then for babes;| blows, and | revenge | for
me.
,
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,
Richard,| I bear | thy name,| I'll venge | thy
death,
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Or die | renown|ed by | attemp|ting it.
EDWARD
, , 2
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His name | that val|iant duke | hath left | with
thee:
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,
His duke|dom, and | his chair | with me | is
left.
RICHARD
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, ,
, ,
Nay, if | thou be | that prince|ly eag|le's bird,
,
, ,
2 ,
,
Show thy | descent | by ga|zing against | the
sun:
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For chair | and duke|dom, throne | and king|dom
say,
, 2
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,
Either | that is thine,| or else | thou wert |
not his.
[March. Enter WARWICK, MONTAGUE, and their army]
WARWICK
, , ,
, ,
How now | fair lords?| What fare?| What news |
abroad?
RICHARD
T T
. T , ,
,
Great Lord of War|wick, if | we should | recount
,
, 2 , , , 2
Our bale|ful news,| and at each | word's
de|liverance
, ,
2 , ,
,
Stab pon/iards | in our flesh,| till all | were
told,
,
, ,
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The words | would add | more an|guish than | the
wounds.
, 2 ,
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O val|iant lord,| the Duke | of York | is slain.
EDWARD
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,
O War|wick, War|wick, that | Plantag|enet
,
, , 2 ,
,
Which held | thee dear|ly, as his | soul's
re|demption,
, 2
T T T
, ,
Is by the | stern Lord Clif|ford done | to death.
WARWICK
, ,
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,
Ten^days | ago,| I drowned | these news | in
tears.
,
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,
And now | to add | more meas|ure to | your woes,
,
, , ,
x
I come | to tell | you things | sith then |
befallen.
, 2 ,
, T T
T
After the | bloody | fray at | Wakefield fought,
, ,
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Where your / brave fath|er breathed | his lat|est
gasp,
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Tidings,| as swift|ly as | the posts | could run,
,
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Were brought | me of | your loss | and his |
depart.
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I then | in Lon|don, kee|per of | the king,
,
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Mustered | my sol|diers, gath|ered flocks | of
friends,
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,
And ve|ry well | appoint|ed, as | I thought,
,
, , 2 ,
,
Marched toward | Saint^Al|ban's to | intercept |
the queen,
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Bearing | the king | in my | behalf | along:
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For by | my scouts,| I was | adver|tised
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That she | was com|ing with | a full | intent
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,
To dash | our late | decree | in parl|iament,
, 2
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Touching King^|Henry's | oath, and | your
suc|cession:
T T
. T , ,
,
Short tale to make,| we at | Saint Al|ban's met,
, , ,
T T . T
Our bat|tles joined,| and both | sides fiercely
fought:
, , ,
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But wheth|er 'twas | the cold|ness of | the king,
,
, , ,
,
Who looked | full gent/ly on | his
war|like^queen,
,
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That robbed | my sol|diers of | their hea|ted
spleen.
, ,
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Or wheth|er 'twas | report | of her | success,
, ,
, x
,
Or more | than com|mon fear | of
Clifford's^|rigor,
,
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,
Who thund|ers to | his cap|tives, blood | and
death,
,
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,
I can|not judge:| but to | conclude | with truth,
, ,
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Their weap|ons like | to light|ning, came | and
went:
, ,
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Our sol|diers like | the night-|owl's^la|zy
flight,
, ,
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Or like | an id|le thre|sher with | a flail,
,
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Fell* gen|tly down,| as if | they struck | their
friends.
,
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I cheered | them up | with just|ice of | our
cause,
,
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,
With prom|ise of / high pay,| and great |
rewards:
,
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,
But all | in vain,| they had | no heart | to
fight,
,
, ,
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And we |(in them)| no hope | to win | the day,
,
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,
So that | we fled:| the king | unto | the queen,
, ,
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,
Lord George,| your broth|er, Nor|folk, and |
myself,
. T T T
, ,
,
In haste, post-haste,| are come | to join | with
you:
,
, ,
, ,
For in | the mar|ches here | we heard | you were,
,
, ,
, ,
Making | anoth|er head,| to fight | again.
EDWARD
, 2
, ,
, ,
Where is the | Duke of | Norfolk,| gentle |
Warwick?
. T T
T , 3 3 ,
And when came George | from Burg|undy to
Eng|land?
WARWICK
<- , T
T T , ,
2 ,
Some || six miles off | the duke | is with the
| soldiers,
, ,
, ,
,
And for | your broth|er he | was late|ly sent
, ,
, ,
,
From your / kind aunt | Duchess | of Burg|undy,
,
, ,
, ,
With aid | of sol|diers to | this need|ful war.
RICHARD
,
, , 2 ,
,
'Twas^odds | belike,| when val|iant War|wick
fled;
,
, , ,
,
Oft have | I heard | his prais|es in | pursuit,
, ,
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But nere | till now,| his scand|al of | retire.
WARWICK
, ,
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,
Nor now | my scand|al Rich|ard, dost | thou hear:
, ,
, T T
. T
For thou | shalt know | this strong | right hand
of mine,
, , 2
, ,
,
Can pluck | the di|adem from | faint^Hen|ry's
head,
, ,
, ,
,
And wring | the aw|ful scep|ter from | his fist,
,
, ,
, ,
Were he | as fam|ous and | as bold | in war,
,
, , ,
x
As he | is famed | for mild|ness, peace,| and
prayer.
RICHARD
, ,
, ,
,
I know | it well | Lord^War|wick, blame | me not,
, ,
, ,
,
'Tis love | I bear | thy glor|ies makes | me
speak:
, , ,
, ,
But in | this trou|blous time,| what's to | be
done?
,
, , ,
,
Shall we | go throw | away | our coats | of
steel,
,
, ,
, ,
And wrap | our bod|ies in / black mourn|ing
gowns,
, 2
, , ,
,
Numbering | our A|ve-Ma|ries with | our beads?
,
, ,
, ,
Or shall | we on | the hel|mets of | our foes
,
, ,
, ,
Tell our | devo|tion with | revenge|ful arms?
, ,
, ,
,
If for | the last,| say aye,| and to | it lords.
WARWICK
,
, ,
, ,
Why there|fore War|wick came | to seek | you out,
, ,
, , ,
And there|fore comes | my broth|er Mon|tague:
, , ,
, ,
Attend | me lords,| the proud | insult|ing queen,
,
, , ,
,
With Clif|ford, and | the haught |
Northum|berland,
, 2
, ,
T T T
And of their | feather,| many | more proud birds,
,
, ,
, ,
Have wrought | the ea|sy-melt|ing king,| like
wax.
, ,
, , ,
He swore | consent | to your | succes|sion,
, ,
, ,
,
His oath | enrol|led in | the parl|iament.
, ,
, , ,
And now | to Lon|don all | the crew | are gone,
, ,
, ,
,
To frus|trate both | his oath | and what | beside
,
, ,
, ,
May make | against | the house | of Lan|caster.
x ,
, ,
,
Their power |(I think)| is thir|ty thous|and
strong:
,
, ,
, ,
Now, if | the help | of Nor|folk, and | myself,
, ,
, T T .
T
With all | the friends | that thou | brave Earl
of March,
, ,
, ,
,
Amongst | the lov|ing Welsh|men canst | procure,
, 2 ,
, , ,
Will but a|mount to | five and | twenty |
thousand,
x
, ,
, oo
Why via,| to Lon|don will | we march,|
,
, ,
, ,
And once | again,| bestride | our foa|ming
steeds,
,
, ,
, ,
And once | again | cry Charge | upon | our foes,
, ,
, ,
,
But nev|er once | again | turn back | and fly.
RICHARD
,
, . T T
T ,
Aye, now*| methinks | I hear great War|wick
speak;
,
, , .
T T T
Nere may*| he live | to see | a sunshine day,
,
, ,
, ,
That cries | retire,| if War|wick bid | him stay.
EDWARD
, ,
, ,
,
Lord War|wick, on | thy shoul|der will | I lean,
, ,
, ,
,
And when | thou failst |(as God | forbid | the
hour)
, ,
, x
,
Must Ed|ward fall,| which per|il heaven |
forfend.
WARWICK
, ,
, ,
,
No long|er Earl | of March,| but Duke | of York:
,
, , ,
,
The next | degree,| is Eng|land's roy|al throne:
, ,
, ,
,
For King | of Eng|land shalt | thou be |
proclaimed
, 2 ,
, ,
,
In ev|ery bo|rough as | we pass | along,
, ,
, ,
,
And he | that throws | not up | his cap | for joy,
,
, ,
, ,
Shall for | the fault | make for|feit of | his
head.
,
, 2 ,
, ,
King Ed|ward, val|iant Rich|ard, Mon|tague:
,
, ,
, ,
Stay we | no long|er, dream|ing of | renown,
, ,
, ,
,
But sound | the trump|ets, and | about | our
task.
RICHARD
, ,
, ,
,
Then Clif|ford, were | thy heart | as hard | as
steel,
, ,
, ,
,
As thou | hast shown | it flin|ty by | thy deeds,
, ,
, ,
,
I come | to pierce | it, or | to give | thee
mine.
EDWARD
, ,
, ,
,
Then strike | up drums,| God and | Saint^George |
for us.
[Enter a Messenger]
WARWICK
, ,
How now?| What news? \\
MESSENGER
, ,
, ,
,
The Duke | of Nor|folk sends | you word | by me,
,
, ,
, ,
The queen | is com|ing with | a puis|sant host,
, ,
, , , ->
And craves | your comp|any, | for spee|dy
coun||sel.
WARWICK
,
2 , , 2
, ,
Why | then it sorts,| brave^war|riors, let's |
away.
[Exeunt]