• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

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.

The harder match'd, the greater victory.

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.

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.

CLARENCE.

Clarence, Clarence, for Lancaster!

KING EDWARD.

Et tu Brute- wilt thou stab Caesar too?

A parley, sirrah, to George of Clarence.

[Sound a parley. RICHARD and CLARENCE whisper]

WARWICK.

Come, Clarence, come. Thou wilt if Warwick call.

CLARENCE.

[Taking the red rose from his hat and throwing

it at WARWICK]

Father of Warwick, know you what this means?

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, trowest thou, Warwick,

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

Than Jephtha when he sacrific'd 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 whereso'er I meet thee-

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;

And, Richard, do not frown upon my faults,

For I will henceforth be no more unconstant.

KING EDWARD.

Now welcome more, and ten times more belov'd,

Than if thou never hadst deserv'd our hate.

GLOUCESTER.

Welcome, good Clarence; this is brother-like.

WARWICK.

O passing traitor, perjur'd and unjust!

KING EDWARD.

What, Warwick, wilt thou leave die 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

And bid thee battle, Edward, if thou dar'st.

KING EDWARD.

Yes, Warwick, Edward dares and leads the way.

Lords, to the field; Saint George and victory!

Exeunt YORKISTS

[March. WARWICK and his company follow]

SCENE II. A field of battle near Barnet

Alarum and excursions. Enter KING EDWARD, bringing forth WARWICK, wounded

KING EDWARD.

So, lie thou there. Die thou, and die our fear;

For Warwick was a bug that fear'd us all.

Now, Montague, sit fast; I seek for thee,

That Warwick's bones may keep thine company. Exit

WARWICK. Ah, who is nigh? Come to me, friend or foe,

And tell me who is victor, York or Warwick?

Why ask I that? My mangled body shows,

My blood, my want of strength, my sick heart shows,

That I must yield my body to the earth

And, by my fall, the conquest to my foe.

Thus yields the cedar to the axe's edge,

Whose arms gave shelter to the princely eagle,

Under whose shade the ramping lion slept,

Whose top-branch overpeer'd Jove's spreading tree

And kept low shrubs from winter's pow'rful wind.

These eyes, that now are dimm'd with death's black veil,

Have been as piercing as the mid-day sun

To search the secret treasons of the world;

The wrinkles in my brows, now fill'd with blood,

Were lik'ned oft to kingly sepulchres;

For who liv'd King, but I could dig his grave?

And who durst smile when Warwick bent his brow?

Lo now my glory smear'd in dust and blood!

My parks, my walks, my manors, that I had,

Even now forsake me; and of all my lands

Is nothing left me but my body's length.

what is pomp, rule, reign, but