Rich. Are you there Butcher? O, I cannot speake
Clif. I Crooke-back, here I stand to answer thee, Or any he, the proudest of thy sort
Rich. "Twas you that kill"d yong Rutland, was it not?
Clif. I, and old Yorke, and yet not satisfied
Rich. For G.o.ds sake Lords giue signall to the fight
War. What say"st thou Henry, Wilt thou yeeld the Crowne?
Qu. Why how now long-tongu"d Warwicke, dare you speak?
When you and I, met at S[aint]. Albons last, Your legges did better seruice then your hands
War. Then "twas my turne to fly, and now "tis thine: Clif. You said so much before, and yet you fled
War. "Twas not your valor Clifford droue me thence
Nor. No, nor your manhood that durst make you stay
Rich. Northumberland, I hold thee reuerently, Breake off the parley, for sca.r.s.e I can refraine The execution of my big-swolne heart Vpon that Clifford, that cruell Child-killer
Clif. I slew thy Father, cal"st thou him a Child?
Rich. I like a Dastard, and a treacherous Coward, As thou didd"st kill our tender Brother Rutland, But ere Sunset, Ile make thee curse the deed
King. Haue done with words (my Lords) and heare me speake
Qu. Defie them then, or els hold close thy lips
King. I prythee giue no limits to my Tongue, I am a King, and priuiledg"d to speake
Clif. My Liege, the wound that bred this meeting here, Cannot be cur"d by Words, therefore be still
Rich. Then Executioner vnsheath thy sword: By him that made vs all, I am resolu"d, That Cliffords Manhood, lyes vpon his tongue
Ed. Say Henry, shall I haue my right, or no: A thousand men haue broke their Fasts to day, That ne"re shall dine, vnlesse thou yeeld the Crowne
War. If thou deny, their Blood vpon thy head, For Yorke in iustice put"s his Armour on
Pr.Ed. If that be right, which Warwick saies is right, There is no wrong, but euery thing is right
War. Who euer got thee, there thy Mother stands, For well I wot, thou hast thy Mothers tongue
Qu. But thou art neyther like thy Sire nor Damme, But like a foule mishapen Stygmaticke, Mark"d by the Destinies to be auoided, As venome Toades, or Lizards dreadfull stings
Rich. Iron of Naples, hid with English gilt, Whose Father beares the t.i.tle of a King, (As if a Channell should be call"d the Sea) Sham"st thou not, knowing whence thou art extraught, To let thy tongue detect thy base-borne heart
Ed. A wispe of straw were worth a thousand Crowns, To make this shamelesse Callet know her selfe: Helen of Greece was fayrer farre then thou, Although thy Husband may be Menelaus; And ne"re was Agamemnons Brother wrong"d By that false Woman, as this King by thee.
His Father reuel"d in the heart of France, And tam"d the King, and made the Dolphin stoope: And had he match"d according to his State, He might haue kept that glory to this day.
But when he tooke a begger to his bed, And grac"d thy poore Sire with his Bridall day, Euen then that Sun-shine brew"d a showre for him, That washt his Fathers fortunes forth of France, And heap"d sedition on his Crowne at home: For what hath broach"d this tumult but thy Pride?
Had"st thou bene meeke, our t.i.tle still had slept, And we in pitty of the Gentle King, Had slipt our Claime, vntill another Age
Cla. But when we saw, our Sunshine made thy Spring, And that thy Summer bred vs no increase, We set the Axe to thy vsurping Roote: And though the edge hath something hit our selues, Yet know thou, since we haue begun to strike, Wee"l neuer leaue, till we haue hewne thee downe, Or bath"d thy growing, with our heated bloods
Edw. And in this resolution, I defie thee, Not willing any longer Conference, Since thou denied"st the gentle King to speake.
Sound Trumpets, let our b.l.o.o.d.y Colours waue, And either Victorie, or else a Graue
Qu. Stay Edward
Ed. No wrangling Woman, wee"l no longer stay, These words will cost ten thousand liues this day.
Exeunt. omnes.
Alarum. Excursions. Enter Warwicke.
War. Fore-spent with Toile, as Runners with a Race, I lay me downe a little while to breath: For strokes receiu"d, and many blowes repaid, Haue robb"d my strong knit sinewes of their strength, And spight of spight, needs must I rest a-while.
Enter Edward running.
Ed. Smile gentle heauen, or strike vngentle death, For this world frownes, and Edwards Sunne is clowded
War. How now my Lord, what happe? what hope of good?
Enter Clarence
Cla. Our hap is losse, our hope but sad dispaire, Our rankes are broke, and ruine followes vs.
What counsaile giue you? whether shall we flye?
Ed. Bootlesse is flight, they follow vs with Wings, And weake we are, and cannot shun pursuite.
Enter Richard.
Rich. Ah Warwicke, why hast y withdrawn thy selfe?
Thy Brothers blood the thirsty earth hath drunk, Broach"d with the Steely point of Cliffords Launce: And in the very pangs of death, he cryde, Like to a dismall Clangor heard from farre, Warwicke, reuenge; Brother, reuenge my death.
So vnderneath the belly of their Steeds, That stain"d their Fetlockes in his smoaking blood, The n.o.ble Gentleman gaue vp the ghost
War. Then let the earth be drunken with our blood: Ile kill my Horse, because I will not flye: Why stand we like soft-hearted women heere, Wayling our losses, whiles the Foe doth Rage, And looke vpon, as if the Tragedie Were plaid in iest, by counterfetting Actors.
Heere on my knee, I vow to G.o.d aboue, Ile neuer pawse againe, neuer stand still, Till either death hath clos"d these eyes of mine, Or Fortune giuen me measure of Reuenge
Ed. Oh Warwicke, I do bend my knee with thine, And in this vow do chaine my soule to thine: And ere my knee rise from the Earths cold face, I throw my hands, mine eyes, my heart to thee, Thou setter vp, and plucker downe of Kings: Beseeching thee (if with thy will it stands) That to my Foes this body must be prey, Yet that thy brazen gates of heauen may ope, And giue sweet pa.s.sage to my sinfull soule.
Now Lords, take leaue vntill we meete againe, Where ere it be, in heauen, or in earth
Rich. Brother, Giue me thy hand, and gentle Warwicke, Let me imbrace thee in my weary armes: I that did neuer weepe, now melt with wo, That Winter should cut off our Spring-time so
War. Away, away: Once more sweet Lords farwell
Cla. Yet let vs altogether to our Troopes, And giue them leaue to flye, that will not stay: And call them Pillars that will stand to vs: And if we thriue, promise them such rewards As Victors weare at the Olympian Games.
This may plant courage in their quailing b.r.e.a.s.t.s, For yet is hope of Life and Victory: Foreslow no longer, make we hence amaine.
Exeunt.
Excursions. Enter Richard and Clifford.
Rich. Now Clifford, I haue singled thee alone, Suppose this arme is for the Duke of Yorke, And this for Rutland, both bound to reuenge, Wer"t thou inuiron"d with a Brazen wall