Act V, Scene v

[Flourish. Enter KING EDWARD, CLARENCE, GLOSTER, and Forces;With QUEEN MARGARET, OXFORD, and SOMERSET, as prisoners.]

KING EDWARD.:

Now, here a period of tumultuous broils.

Away with Oxford to Hames Castle straight;

For Somerset, off with his guilty head.

Go, bear them hence; I will not hear them speak.

OXFORD.:

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

SOMERSET.:

Nor I, but stoop with patience to my fortune.

[Exeunt Oxford and Somerset, guarded.]

QUEEN MARGARET.:

So part we sadly in this troublous world,

To meet with joy in sweet Jerusalem.

KING EDWARD.:

Is proclamation made that who finds Edward

Shall have a high reward, and he his life?

GLOSTER.:

It is; and lo, where youthful Edward comes!

[Enter soldiers with PRINCE EDWARD.]

KING EDWARD.:

Bring forth the gallant; let us hear him speak.

What! can so young a man 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 selfsame words to thee

Which, traitor, thou wouldst have me answer to.

QUEEN MARGARET.:

Ah, thy father had been so resolv'd!

GLOSTER.:

That you might still have worn the petticoat,

And ne'er have stol'n the breech from Lancaster.

PRINCE.:

Let Aesop fable in a winter's night;

His currish riddle sorts not with this place.

GLOSTER.:

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

QUEEN MARGARET.:

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

GLOSTER.:

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

PRINCE.:

Nay, take away this scolding crook-back rather.

KING EDWARD.:

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

CLARENCE.:

Untutor'd lad, thou art too malapert.

PRINCE.:

I know my duty; you are all undutiful.

Lascivious Edward,—and thou perjur'd George,—

And thou misshapen Dick,—I tell ye all,

I am your better, traitors as ye are;—

And thou usurp'st my father's right and mine.

KING EDWARD.:

Take that, the likeness of this railer here.

[Stabs him.]

GLOSTER.:

Sprawl'st thou? take that, to end thy agony.

[Stabs him.]

CLARENCE.:

And there's for twitting me with perjury.

[Stabs him.]

QUEEN MARGARET.:

O, kill me too!

GLOSTER.:

Marry, and shall.

[Offers to kill her.]

KING EDWARD.:

Hold, Richard, hold! for we have done to much.

GLOSTER.:

Why should she live to fill the world with words?

KING EDWARD.:

What! doth she swoon? use means for her recovery.

GLOSTER.:

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.

CLARENCE.:

What? what?

GLOSTER.:

The Tower! the Tower!

[Exit.]

QUEEN MARGARET.:

O Ned! sweet Ned! speak to thy mother, boy.

Canst thou not speak?—O traitors! murtherers!

They that stabb'd Caesar shed no blood at all,

Did not offend, nor 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, an 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 cropp'd!

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!

KING EDWARD.:

Away with her! go, bear her hence perforce.

QUEEN MARGARET.:

Nay, never bear me hence, dispatch me here;

Here sheathe thy sword, I'll pardon thee my death.

What! wilt thou not?—then, Clarence, do it thou.

CLARENCE.:

By heaven, I will not do thee so much ease.

QUEEN MARGARET.:

Good Clarence, do; sweet Clarence, do thou do

it.

CLARENCE.:

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

QUEEN MARGARET.:

Ay, but thou usest to forswear thyself;

'T was sin before, but now 't is charity.

What! wilt thou not? where is that devil's butcher,

Hard-favour'd Richard?—Richard, where art thou?

Thou art not here; murther is thy alms-deed,

Petitioners for blood thou ne'er putt'st back.

KING EDWARD.:

Away, I say! I charge ye, bear her hence.

QUEEN MARGARET.:

So come to you and yours as to this prince!

[She is taken out.]

KING EDWARD.:

Where's Richard gone?

CLARENCE.:

To London, all in post, and, as I guess,

To make a bloody supper in the Tower.

KING EDWARD.:

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.]