K. Edw.
Brave followers, yonder stands the thorny wood,
Which, by the heav'ns assistance and your strength,
Must by the roots be hewn up yet ere night.
I need not add more fuel to your fire,
For well I wot, ye blaze, to burn them out:
Give signal to the fight, and to it, lords.

Queen.
Lords, Knights, and gentlemen, what I should say

My tears gain-say; for every word I speak,
Ye see I drink the water of my eye:
Therefore no more but this; Henry, your Sov'raign,
Is prisoner to the foe, his state usurp'd,
His realm a slaughter-house, his subjects slain,
His statutes cancell'd, and his treasure spent:
And yonder is the wolf that makes this spoil.
You fight in justice: then in God's name, lords,
Be valiant, and give signal to the battle. Alarm. Retreat. Excursions. Re-Enter King Edward, Glocester, Clarence, &c. The Queen, Oxford, and Somerset Prisoners.

K. Edw.
Now here's a period of tumultuous broils.
Away with Oxford to Hammes castle straight:
For Somerset, off with his guilty head.
Go bear them hence, I will not hear them speak.

Oxf.
For my part, I'll not trouble thee with words.

Som.
Nor I, but stoop with patience to my fortune. [Exeunt.

Queen.
So part we sadly in this troublous world,
To meet with joy in sweet Jerusalem.

K. Edw.
Is proclamation made, that who finds Edward
Shall have a high reward, and he his life?

Glo.
It is, and lo where youthful Edward comes. Enter the Prince of Wales

K. Edw.
Bring forth the gallant, let us hear him speak.
What? can so young a thorn begin to prick?
Edward, what satisfaction canst thou make,
For bearing arms, for stirring up my subjects,
And all the trouble thou hast turn'd me to?

Prince.
Speak like a subject, proud ambitious York.

Suppose that I am now my father's mouth,
Resign thy chair, and where I stand kneel thou,
Whilst I propose the self-same words to thee,
Which, traitor, thou wouldst have me answer to.

Queen.
Ah! that thy father had been so resolv'd.

Glo.
That you might still have worn the petticoat,
And ne'er have stoln the breech from Lancaster.

Prince.
Let Æsop fable in a winter's night,
His currish riddles sort not with this place.

Glo.
By heaven, brat, I'll plague ye for that word.

Queen.
Ay, thou wast born to be a plague to men.

Glo.
For God's sake, take away this captive scold.

Prince.
Nay, take away this scolding crook-back rather.

K. Edw.
Peace, wilful boy, or I will charm your tongue.

Clar.
Untutor'd lad, thou art too malapert.

Prince.
I know my duty, you're undutiful:
Lascivious Edward, and thou perjur'd George,
And thou mis-shapen Dick, I tell ye all,
I am your better, traitors as ye are:
And thou usurp'st my father's right and mine.

Glo.
Take that, thou likeness of this railer here. [Stabs him.

K. Edw.
And take thou that, to end thy agony. [Edw. stabs him.

Clar.
And there's for twitting me with perjury. [Clar. stabs him.

Queen.
Oh, kill me too!

Glo.
Marry, and shall. [Offers to kill her.

K. Edw.
Hold Richard, hold, for we have done too much.

Glo.
Why should she live, to fill the world with words?

K. Edw.
What? doth she swoon? use means for her recov'ry.

Glo.
Clarence, excuse me to the King my brother:
I'll hence to London on a serious matter.

Ere ye come there, be sure to hear some news.

Clar.
What? what?

Glo.
Tower, the Tower! [Exit.

Queen.
Oh Ned, sweet Ned! speak to thy mother, boy.
Can'st thou not speak? O traitors, murderers!
They that stabb'd Cæsar shed no blood at all,
Did not offend, and were not worthy blame,
If this foul deed were by, to equal it.
He was a man; this (in respect) a child,
And men ne'er spend their fury on a child.
What's worse than murtherer, that I may name it?
No, no, my heart will burst, and if I speak—
And I will speak, that so my heart may burst.
Butchers and villains, bloody cannibals,
How sweet a plant have you untimely cropt!
You have no children, butchers; if you had,
The thought of them would have stirr'd up remorse;
But if you ever chance to have a child,
Look in his youth to have him so cut off,
As deathsmen! you have rid this sweet young Prince.

K. Edw.
Away with her, go bear her hence by force.

Queen.
Nay, never bear me hence, dispatch me here:
Here sheath thy sword, I'll pardon thee my death:
What? wilt thou not? then Clarence do it thou.

Clar.
By heav'n, I will not do thee so much ease.

Queen.
Good Clarence do, sweet Clarence do thou do it.

Clar.
Didst thou not hear me swear I would not do it?

Queen.
Ay, but thou usest to forswear thy self:
'Twas sin before, but now 'tis charity.
What, wilt thou not? where is that Devil's butcher,
Richard? hard-favour'd Richard, where art thou?
Thou art not here: Murther is thy Almsdeed.
Petitioner for blood thou ne'er put'st back.

K. Edw.
Away, I say, I charge ye bear her hence.

Queen.
So come to you and yours, as to this Prince! [Exit Queen.

K. Edw.
Where's Richard gone?

Clar.
To London all in post, and as I guess,
To make a bloody supper in the Tower.

K. Edw.
He's sudden, if a thing comes in his head.
Now march we hence, discharge the common sort
With pay and thanks, and let's away to London:
And see our gentle Queen how well she fares,
By this, I hope, she hath a son for me. [Exeunt.

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