| ACT V SCENE I | Coventry. | |
| [
Enter WARWICK, the Mayor of Coventry, two Messengers,
and others upon the walls
] |
| WARWICK | Where is the post that came from valiant Oxford? |
| How far hence is thy lord, mine honest fellow? |
| First Messenger | By this at Dunsmore, marching hitherward. |
| WARWICK | How far off is our brother Montague? |
| Where is the post that came from Montague? | 5 |
| Second Messenger | By this at Daintry, with a puissant troop. |
| [Enter SIR JOHN SOMERVILLE] |
| WARWICK | Say, Somerville, what says my loving son? |
| And, by thy guess, how nigh is Clarence now? |
| SOMERSET | At Southam I did leave him with his forces, |
| And do expect him here some two hours hence. | 10 |
| [Drum heard] |
| WARWICK | Then Clarence is at hand, I hear his drum. |
| SOMERSET | It is not his, my lord; here Southam lies: |
| The drum your honour hears marcheth from Warwick. |
| WARWICK | Who should that be? belike, unlook'd-for friends. |
| SOMERSET | They are at hand, and you shall quickly know. | 15 |
| [
March: flourish. Enter KING EDWARD IV, GLOUCESTER,
and soldiers
] |
| KING EDWARD IV | Go, trumpet, to the walls, and sound a parle. |
| GLOUCESTER | See how the surly Warwick mans the wall! |
| WARWICK | O unbid spite! is sportful Edward come? |
| Where slept our scouts, or how are they seduced, |
| That we could hear no news of his repair? | 20 |
| KING EDWARD IV | Now, Warwick, wilt thou ope the city gates, |
| Speak gentle words and humbly bend thy knee, |
| Call Edward king and at his hands beg mercy? |
| And he shall pardon thee these outrages. |
| WARWICK | Nay, rather, wilt thou draw thy forces hence, | 25 |
| Confess who set thee up and pluck'd thee own, |
| Call Warwick patron and be penitent? |
| And thou shalt still remain the Duke of York. |
| GLOUCESTER | I thought, at least, he would have said the king; |
| Or did he make the jest against his will? | 30 |
| WARWICK | Is not a dukedom, sir, a goodly gift? |
| GLOUCESTER | Ay, by my faith, for a poor earl to give: |
| I'll do thee service for so good a gift. |
| WARWICK | 'Twas I that gave the kingdom to thy brother. |
| KING EDWARD IV | Why then 'tis mine, if but by Warwick's gift. | 35 |
| WARWICK | Thou art no Atlas for so great a weight: |
| And weakling, Warwick takes his gift again; |
| And Henry is my king, Warwick his subject. |
| KING EDWARD IV | But Warwick's king is Edward's prisoner: |
| And, gallant Warwick, do but answer this: | 40 |
| What is the body when the head is off? |
| GLOUCESTER | Alas, that Warwick had no more forecast, |
| But, whiles he thought to steal the single ten, |
| The king was slily finger'd from the deck! |
| You left poor Henry at the Bishop's palace, | 45 |
| And, ten to one, you'll meet him in the Tower. |
| EDWARD | 'Tis even so; yet you are Warwick still. |
| GLOUCESTER | Come, Warwick, take the time; kneel down, kneel down: |
| Nay, when? strike now, or else the iron cools. |
| WARWICK | I had rather chop this hand off at a blow, | 50 |
| And with the other fling it at thy face, |
| Than bear so low a sail, to strike to thee. |
| KING EDWARD IV | Sail how thou canst, have wind and tide thy friend, |
| This hand, fast wound about thy coal-black hair |
| Shall, whiles thy head is warm and new cut off, | 55 |
| Write in the dust this sentence with thy blood, |
| 'Wind-changing Warwick now can change no more.' |
| [Enter OXFORD, with drum and colours] |
| WARWICK | O cheerful colours! see where Oxford comes! |
| OXFORD | Oxford, Oxford, for Lancaster! |
| [He and his forces enter the city] |
| GLOUCESTER | The gates are open, let us enter too. | 60 |
| KING EDWARD IV | So other foes may set upon our backs. |
| Stand we in good array; for they no doubt |
| Will issue out again and bid us battle:
|
| If not, the city being but of small defence, |
| We'll quickly rouse the traitors in the same. | 65 |
| WARWICK | O, welcome, Oxford! for we want thy help. |
| [Enter MONTAGUE with drum and colours] |
| MONTAGUE | Montague, Montague, for Lancaster! |
| [He and his forces enter the city] |
| GLOUCESTER | Thou and thy brother both shall buy this treason |
| Even with the dearest blood your bodies bear. |
| KING EDWARD IV | The harder match'd, the greater victory: | 70 |
| My mind presageth happy gain and conquest. |
| [Enter SOMERSET, with drum and colours] |
| SOMERSET | Somerset, Somerset, for Lancaster! |
| [He and his forces enter the city] |
| GLOUCESTER | Two of thy name, both Dukes of Somerset, |
| Have sold their lives unto the house of York; |
| And thou shalt be the third if this sword hold. | 75 |
| [Enter CLARENCE, with drum and colours] |
| WARWICK | And lo, where George of Clarence sweeps along, |
| Of force enough to bid his brother battle; |
| With whom an upright zeal to right prevails |
| More than the nature of a brother's love! |
| Come, Clarence, come; thou wilt, if Warwick call. | 80 |
| CLARENCE | Father of Warwick, know you what this means? |
[Taking his red rose out of his hat] |
| Look here, I throw my infamy at thee |
| I will not ruinate my father's house, |
| Who gave his blood to lime the stones together, |
| And set up Lancaster. Why, trow'st thou, Warwick, | 85 |
| That Clarence is so harsh, so blunt, unnatural, |
| To bend the fatal instruments of war |
| Against his brother and his lawful king? |
| Perhaps thou wilt object my holy oath: |
| To keep that oath were more impiety | 90 |
| Than Jephthah's, when he sacrificed his daughter. |
| I am so sorry for my trespass made |
| That, to deserve well at my brother's hands, |
| I here proclaim myself thy mortal foe, |
| With resolution, wheresoe'er I meet thee-- | 95 |
| As I will meet thee, if thou stir abroad-- |
| To plague thee for thy foul misleading me. |
| And so, proud-hearted Warwick, I defy thee, |
| And to my brother turn my blushing cheeks. |
| Pardon me, Edward, I will make amends: | 100 |
| And, Richard, do not frown upon my faults, |
| For I will henceforth be no more unconstant. |
| KING EDWARD IV | Now welcome more, and ten times more beloved, |
| Than if thou never hadst deserved our hate. |
| GLOUCESTER | Welcome, good Clarence; this is brotherlike. | 105 |
| WARWICK | O passing traitor, perjured and unjust! |
| KING EDWARD IV | What, Warwick, wilt thou leave the town and fight? |
| Or shall we beat the stones about thine ears? |
| WARWICK | Alas, I am not coop'd here for defence! |
| I will away towards Barnet presently, | 110 |
| And bid thee battle, Edward, if thou darest. |
| KING EDWARD IV | Yes, Warwick, Edward dares, and leads the way. |
| Lords, to the field; Saint George and victory! |
[
Exeunt King Edward and his company. March. Warwick
and his company follow
] |
The Essential Student History Quiz (with answers and illustrations)