.: Like men born to renown, by life, or death. With this, we charged again: but, out, alas! Enter Queen MARGARET, CLIFFORD, NORTHUMBERLAND, and Soldiers. Come, bloody Clifford,-rough Northumberland,- North. Yield to our mercy, proud Plantagenet. York. My ashes, as the phoenix, may bring forth A bird that will revenge upon you all : And, in that hope, I throw mine eyes to heaven, Scorning whate'er you can afflict me with. Why come you not? What! Multitudes, and fear? Clif. So cowards fight, when they can fly no further; So doves do peck the faulcon's piercing talons; So desperate thieves, all hopeless of their lives," Breathe out invectives 'gainst the officers. York. O, Clifford, but bethink thee once again, And in thy thought o'er-run my former time: And, if thou canst for blushing, view this face; * i. e, We boggled, made bad or bungling work of our attempt to rally. + Noontide point on the dial. And bite thy tongue, that slanders him with cow. ardice, Whose frown hath made thee faint and fly ere this. Clif. I will not bandy with thee word for word; But buckle with thee blows, twice two for one. [Draws. Q. Mar. Hold, valiant Clifford! For a thousand causes, I would prolong awhile the traitor's life:Wrath makes him deaf: Speak thou, Northumberland. North. Hold, Clifford; do not honour him so To prick thy finger, though to wound his heart: And ten to one is no impeach of valour. [They lay hands on York, who struggles. Clif. Ay, ay, so strives the woodcock with the gin. North. So doth the coney struggle in the net. [York is taken Prisoner. Yerk. So triumph thieves upon their conquer'd booty; So true men yield, with robbers so o'er-match'd, North. What would your grace have done unte him now t Q. Mur. Brave warriors, Clifford, and Northumberland, Come make him stand upon this molehill here; Or, with the rest, where is your darling Rutland ? Honest men. + Reached. I give thee this to dry thy cheeks withal, I pr'ythee, grieve, to make me merry, York; Why art thou patient, man? Thou shouldst be mad ; [Putting a paper Crown on his Head. But how is it, that great Plantagenet Is crown'd so soon, and broke his solemn oath? Till our king Henry had shook hands with death. Now in his life, against your holy oath ? O, 'tis a fault too unpardonable! Off with the crown; and with the crown his head And, whilst we breathe, take time to do him dead t. Cliff. That is my office, for my father's sake. Q. Mar. Nay, stay; let's hear the orisons he makes. York. She-wolf of France, but worse than wolves of France, Whose tongue more poisons than the adder's tooth! To triumph, like an Amazonian trull, I would assay, proud queen, to make thee blush: Thy father bears the type of king of Naples, Yet not so wealthy as an English yeoman. • Impale, encircle with a crown. The distinguishing mark. VOL. IV. D + Kill him. It needs not, nor it boots thee not, proud queen; Unless the adage must be verified, That beggars, mounted, run their horse to death. 'Tis beauty that doth oft make women proud; But God, he knows, thy share thereof is smail: 'Tis virtue that doth make them most admired; The contrary doth make thee wonder'd at: 'Tis government, that makes them seem divine; The want thereof makes thee abominable: Thou art as opposite to every good, As the antipodes are unto us, Or as the south to the septentrion +. O, tiger's heart, wrapp'd in a woman's hide! How couldst thou drain the life-blood of the child, And yet be seen to bear a woman's face? Thou stern, obdurate, flinty, rough, remorseless. will: For raging wind blows up incessant showers, woman. North. Beshrew me, but his passions move me so, That hardly can I check my eyes from tears. York. That face of his the hungry cannibals Would not have touch'd, would not have stain'd with blood: But you are more inhuman, more inexorable,- [He gives back the Handkerchief. And, if thou tell'st the heavy story right, Yea, even my foes will shed fast-falling tears; There, take the crown, and with the crown, my curse; Government, in the language of the time, signified evenness of temper and decency of manners. + The North. Sufferings. And, in thy need, such comfort come to thee, Q. Mar. What, weeping-ripe, my lord Northum berland? Think but upon the wrong he did us all, death. Q. Mar. And here's to right our gentle-hearted king. [Stabbing him. York. Open thy gate of mercy, gracious God! My soul flies through these wounds to seek out thee. [Dies. Q. Mar. Off with his head, and set it on York gates; So York may overlook the down of York. [Exeunt. ACT II.' SCENE I-A Plain near Mortimer's Cross, in Herefordshire. Drums.-Enter EDWARD, and RICHARD, with their Forces, marching. Edw. I wonder how our princely father 'scaped, Or whether he be 'scaped away or no, From Clifford's and Northumberland's pursuit ; Had he been ta'en, we would have heard the news Had he been slain, we should have heard the news; Or, had he 'scaped, methinks we should have heard The happy tidings of his good escape.How fares my brother? Why is he so sad? Rich. I cannot joy, until I be resolved Where our right valiant father is become. I saw him in the battle range about; And watch'd him how he singled Clifford forth. Methought he bore him in the thickest troop, As doth a lion in a herd of neat+: Or as a bear, encompass'd round with dogs; Who having pinch'd a few, and made them cry, The rest stand all aloof, and bark at him. • Demeaned himself. + Neat cattle; cows, oxen, &c. |