Not Peer Reviewed
Henry VI, Part 3 (Folio 1, 1623)
The third Part of Henry the Sixt.169
2771Against his Brother, and his lawfull King.
2772Perhaps thou wilt obiect my holy Oath:
2773To keepe that Oath, were more impietie,
2776That to deserue well at my Brothers hands,
2777I here proclayme my selfe thy mortall foe:
2779(As I will meet thee, if thou stirre abroad)
2780To plague thee, for thy foule mis-leading me.
2782And to my Brother turne my blushing Cheekes.
2783Pardon me Edward, I will make amends:
2784And Richard, doe not frowne vpon my faults,
2785For I will henceforth be no more vnconstant.
2786 Edw. Now welcome more, and ten times more belou'd,
2788Rich. Welcome good Clarence, this is Brother-like.
2790Edw. What Warwicke,
2791Wilt thou leaue the Towne, and fight?
2792Or shall we beat the Stones about thine Eares?
2793Warw. Alas, I am not coop'd here for defence:
2794I will away towards Barnet presently,
2795And bid thee Battaile, Edward, if thou dar'st.
2796 Edw. Yes Warwicke, Edward dares, and leads the way:
2798March. Warwicke and his companie followes.
2799Alarum, and Excursions. Enter Edward bringing
2800forth Warwicke wounded.
2801Edw. So, lye thou there: dye thou, and dye our feare,
2802For Warwicke was a Bugge that fear'd vs all.
2804That Warwickes Bones may keepe thine companie.
2805 Exit.
2806Warw. Ah, who is nigh? come to me, friend, or foe,
2807And tell me who is Victor, Yorke, or Warwicke?
2810That I must yeeld my body to the Earth,
2811And by my fall, the conquest to my foe.
2812Thus yeelds the Cedar to the Axes edge,
2816And kept low Shrubs from Winters pow'rfull Winde.
2817These Eyes, that now are dim'd with Deaths black Veyle,
2818Haue beene as piercing as the Mid-day Sunne,
2820The Wrinckles in my Browes, now fill'd with blood,
2821Were lik'ned oft to Kingly Sepulchers:
2822For who liu'd King, but I could digge his Graue?
2825My Parkes, my Walkes, my Mannors that I had,
2826Euen now forsake me; and of all my Lands,
2827Is nothing left me, but my bodies length.
2828Why, what is Pompe, Rule, Reigne, but Earth and Dust?
2829And liue we how we can, yet dye we must.
2830Enter Oxford and Somerset.
2831Som. Ah Warwicke, Warwicke, wert thou as we are,
2832We might recouer all our Losse againe:
2833The Queene from France hath brought a puissant power.
2836If thou be there, sweet Brother, take my Hand,
2837And with thy Lippes keepe in my Soule a while.
2839Thy teares would wash this cold congealed blood,
2840That glewes my Lippes, and will not let me speake.
2841Come quickly Mountague, or I am dead.
2844And said, Commend me to my valiant Brother.
2846Which sounded like a Cannon in a Vault,
2848I well might heare, deliuered with a groane,
2849Oh farewell Warwicke.
2852For Warwicke bids you all farewell, to meet in Heauen.
2853 Oxf. Away, away, to meet the Queenes great power.
2854Here they beare away his Body. Exeunt.
2855Flourish. Enter King Edward in triumph, with
2856Richard, Clarence, and the rest.
2858And we are grac'd with wreaths of Victorie:
2861That will encounter with our glorious Sunne,
2863I meane, my Lords, those powers that the Queene
2864Hath rays'd in Gallia, haue arriued our Coast,
2865And, as we heare, march on to fight with vs.
2867And blow it to the Source from whence it came,
2868Thy very Beames will dry those Vapours vp,
2869For euery Cloud engenders not a Storme.
2874King. We are aduertis'd by our louing friends,
2878And as we march, our strength will be augmented:
2879In euery Countie as we goe along,
2880Strike vp the Drumme, cry courage, and away. Exeunt.
2881Flourish. March. Enter the Queene, young
2882Edward, Somerset, Oxford, and
2883Souldiers.
2886What though the Mast be now blowne ouer-boord,
2887The Cable broke, the holding-Anchor lost,
2889Yet liues our Pilot still. Is't meet, that hee
2890Should leaue the Helme, and like a fearefull Lad,
2891With tearefull Eyes adde Water to the Sea,
2892And giue more strength to that which hath too much,
2893Whiles in his moane, the Ship splits on the Rock,
2895Ah what a shame, ah what a fault were this.
2896Say Warwicke was our Anchor: what of that?
q3 And