Turn back, and fly, like ships before the wind,
Or lambs pursu❜d by hunger-starved wolves.
My.sons-God knows what hath bechanced them:
But this I know-they have demean'd themselves 411.
Like men born to renown, by life, or death.
Three times did Richard make a lane to me;
And thrice cry'd-Courage, father! fight it out!
And full as oft came Edward to my side,
With purple faulchion, painted to the hilt
In blood of those that had encounter'd him.:
And when the hardiest warriors did retire,
Richard cry'd-Charge! and give no foot of ground!
And cry'd-A crown, or else a glorious tomb!
A sceptre, or an earthly sepulchre!

With this we charg'd again: but, out, alas!*
We bodg'd again; as I have seen a swan
With bootless labour swim against the tide,

420

And spend her strength with over-matching waves.

[A short Alarum within.

Ah, hark! the fatal followers do pursue;

And I am faint, and cannot fly their fury:
And, were I strong, I would not shun their fury:
The sands are number'd, that make up my life;
Here must I stay, and here my life must end.

430

Enter the Queen, CLIFFORD, NORTHUMBERLAND, and Soldiers.

Come, bloody Clifford-rough NorthumberlandI dare your quenchless fury to more rage ;

I am your butt, and I abide your shot.

North. Yield to our mercy, proud Plantagenet. Clif. Ay, to such mercy, as his ruthless arm, With downright payment, shew'd unto my father. Now Phaeton hath tumbled from his car, And made an evening at the noon-tide prick.

440

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 fur

ther;

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; 450
And bite thy tongue, that slanders him with cowar.

dice,

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.

Queen. Hold, valiant Clifford ! for a thousand

causes,

I would prolong a while the traitor's life :

Wrath makes him deaf: speak thou, Northumber

land.

North.

North. Hold, Clifford; do not honour him so

much,

To prick thy finger, though to wound his heart:
What valour were it, when a cur doth grin,
For one to thrust his hand between his teeth,
When he might spurn him with his foot away?
It is war's prize to take all vantages;

And ten to one is no impeach of valour.

460

[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. York. 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 unto him

now?

Queen. Brave warriors, Clifford, and Northumber

land,

470

Come make him stand upon this mole-hill here;
That raught at mountains with out-stretched arms,
Yet parted but the shadow with his hand.—
What! was it you, that would be England's king?
Was't you, that revell'd in our parliament,
And made a preachment of your high descent ?
Where are your mess of sons, to back you now?
The wanton Edward, and the lusty George ?
And where's that valiant crook-back prodigy,
Dicky your boy, that, with his grumbling voice, 480
Was wont to cheer his dad in mutinies?

Or,

490

Or, with the rest, where is your darling Rutland ?
Look, York; I stain'd this napkin with the blood
That valiant Clifford, with his rapier's point,
Made issue from the bosom of the boy :
And, if thine eyes can water for his death,
I give thee this to dry thy cheeks withal.
Alas, poor York! but that I hate thee deadly,
I should lament thy miserable state.
I pr'ythee, grieve to make me merry, York.
What, hath thy fiery heart so parch'd thine entrails,
That not a tear can fall for Rutland's death?
Why art thou patient, man? thou shouldst be mad;
And I, to make thee mad, do mock thee thus..
Stamp, rave, and fret, that I may sing and dance.
Thou wouldst be fee'd, I see, to make me sport;
York cannot speak, unless he wear a crown.
A crown for York ;-and, lords, bow low to him.-
Hold you his hands, whilst I do set it on.-

500

[Putting a Paper Crown on his Head.
Ay, marry, sir, now looks he like a king!
Ay, this is he that took king Henry's chair;
And this is he was his adopted heir.—
But how is it, that great Plantagenet

Is crown'd so soon, and broke his solemn oath ?.
As I bethink me, you should not be king,

'Till our king Henry had shook hands with death.
And will you pale your head in Henry's glory,
And rob, his temples of the diadem,
Now in his life, against your holy oath ?
O, 'tis a fault too too unpardonable !—

510

Off

Off with the crown; and, with the crown, his head; And, whilst we breathe, take time to do him dead. Clif. That is my office, for my father's death. Queen. 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!
How ill-beseeming is it in thy sex,

To triumph, like an Amazonian trull,
Upon their woes, whom fortune captivates
But that thy face is, vizor-like, unchanging,
Made impudent with use of evil deeds,

520

I would assay, proud queen, to make thee blush :
To tell thee whence thou cam'st, of whom deriv'd,
Were shame enough to shame thee, wert thou not
shameless.

Thy father bears the type of king of Naples,

Of both the Sicils, and Jerusalem;

Yet not so wealthy as an English yeoman.

Hath that poor monarch taught thee to insult?
It needs not, nor it boots thee not, proud queen;
Unless the adage must be verify'd—

530 That beggars, mounted, run their horse to death. 'Tis beauty, that doth oft make women proud; But, God he knows, thy share thereof is small: 'Tis virtue, that doth make them most admir'd; 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