Henry VI, Part III, William Shakespeare [detective books to read txt] 📗

him here some two hours hence. 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. March: flourish. Enter King Edward, Gloucester, and soldiers. King Edward 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?

King Edward

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,
Confess who set thee up and pluck’d thee down,
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?

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 Why then ’tis mine, if but by Warwick’s gift. 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

But Warwick’s king is Edward’s prisoner:
And, gallant Warwick, do but answer this:
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 slyly finger’d from the deck!
You left poor Henry at the Bishop’s palace,
And, ten to one, you’ll meet him in the Tower.

King 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,
And with the other fling it at thy face,
Than bear so low a sail, to strike to thee.

King Edward

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,
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. King Edward

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.

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

The harder match’d, the greater victory:
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.

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.

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,
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
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—
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:
And, Richard, do not frown upon my faults,
For I will henceforth be no more unconstant.

King Edward

Now welcome more, and ten times more beloved,
Than if thou never hadst deserved our hate.

Gloucester Welcome, good Clarence; this is brother-like. Warwick O passing traitor, perjured and unjust! King Edward

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,
And bid thee battle, Edward, if thou darest.

King Edward

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.

Scene II

A field of battle near Barnet.

Alarum and excursions. Enter King Edward, bringing forth Warwick wounded. King Edward

So, lie thou there: die thou, and die our fear;
For Warwick was a bug that fear’d us all.
Now, Montague, sit fast; I seek for thee,
That Warwick’s bones may keep thine company. Exit.

Warwick

Ah, who is nigh? come to me, friend or foe,
And tell me who is victor, York or Warwick?
Why ask I that? my mangled body shows,
My blood, my want of strength, my sick heart shows,
That I must yield my body to the earth
And, by my fall, the conquest to my foe.
Thus yields the cedar to