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Henry VI, Part 2 - Act 5, scene 2
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Henry VI, Part 2 - Act 5, scene 2Act 5, scene 2
⌜Scene 2⌝
Synopsis:
York kills Lord Clifford, and York’s son Richard kills the Duke of Somerset. Defeated in battle, King Henry flees to London.
⌜The sign of the Castle Inn is displayed. Alarms.⌝Enter Warwick, ⌜wearing the white rose.⌝
WARWICK
3084 Clifford of Cumberland, ’tis Warwick calls!
3085 An if thou dost not hide thee from the bear,
3086 Now, when the angry trumpet sounds alarum
3087 And dead men’s cries do fill the empty air,
3088 5 Clifford, I say, come forth and fight with me;
3089 Proud northern lord, Clifford of Cumberland,
3090 Warwick is hoarse with calling thee to arms.
Enter York, ⌜wearing the white rose.⌝
3091 How now, my noble lord? What, all afoot?
YORK
3092 The deadly-handed Clifford slew my steed,
3093 10 But match to match I have encountered him
3094 And made a prey for carrion kites and crows
3095 Even of the bonny beast he loved so well.
Enter ⌜old⌝ Clifford, ⌜wearing the red rose.⌝
WARWICK
3096 Of one or both of us the time is come.
YORK
3097 Hold, Warwick! Seek thee out some other chase,
3098 15 For I myself must hunt this deer to death.
WARWICK
3099 Then, nobly, York! ’Tis for a crown thou fight’st.—
3100 As I intend, Clifford, to thrive today,
3101 It grieves my soul to leave thee unassailed.
Warwick exits.
CLIFFORD
3102 What seest thou in me, York? Why dost thou pause?
YORK
3103 20 With thy brave bearing should I be in love,
3104 But that thou art so fast mine enemy.
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243
CLIFFORD 3105 Nor should thy prowess want praise and esteem,
3106 But that ’tis shown ignobly and in treason.
YORK
3107 So let it help me now against thy sword
3108 25 As I in justice and true right express it!
CLIFFORD
3109 My soul and body on the action both!
YORK
3110 A dreadful lay! Address thee instantly.
⌜They fight and Clifford falls.⌝
CLIFFORD
3111 La fin courrone les oeuvres.⌜He dies.⌝
YORK
3112 Thus war hath given thee peace, for thou art still.
3113 30 Peace with his soul, heaven, if it be thy will!
⌜He exits.⌝
Enter young Clifford, ⌜wearing the red rose.⌝
YOUNG CLIFFORD
3114 Shame and confusion! All is on the rout.
3115 Fear frames disorder, and disorder wounds
3116 Where it should guard. O war, thou son of hell,
3117 Whom angry heavens do make their minister,
3118 35 Throw in the frozen bosoms of our part
3119 Hot coals of vengeance! Let no soldier fly.
3120 He that is truly dedicate to war
3121 Hath no self-love; nor he that loves himself
3122 Hath not essentially, but by circumstance,
3123 40 The name of valor. ⌜He sees his father, lying dead.⌝ O,
3124 let the vile world end
3125 And the premised flames of the last day
3126 Knit Earth and heaven together!
3127 Now let the general trumpet blow his blast,
3128 45 Particularities and petty sounds
3129 To cease! Wast thou ordained, dear father,
p.
245
3130
To lose thy youth in peace, and to achieve3131 The silver livery of advisèd age,
3132 And, in thy reverence and thy chair-days, thus
3133 50 To die in ruffian battle? Even at this sight
3134 My heart is turned to stone, and while ’tis mine,
3135 It shall be stony. York not our old men spares;
3136 No more will I their babes. Tears virginal
3137 Shall be to me even as the dew to fire;
3138 55 And beauty, that the tyrant oft reclaims,
3139 Shall to my flaming wrath be oil and flax.
3140 Henceforth I will not have to do with pity.
3141 Meet I an infant of the house of York,
3142 Into as many gobbets will I cut it
3143 60 As wild Medea young Absyrtis did.
3144 In cruelty will I seek out my fame.
⌜He takes his father’s body onto his back.⌝
3145 Come, thou new ruin of old Clifford’s house;
3146 As did Aeneas old Anchises bear,
3147 So bear I thee upon my manly shoulders.
3148 65 But then Aeneas bare a living load,
3149 Nothing so heavy as these woes of mine.⌜He exits.⌝
Enter Richard, ⌜wearing the white rose,⌝ and Somerset,
⌜wearing the red rose,⌝ to fight.
⌜Richard kills Somerset under the sign of Castle Inn.⌝
RICHARD 3150 So lie thou there.
3151 For underneath an alehouse’ paltry sign,
3152 The Castle in Saint Albans, Somerset
3153 70 Hath made the wizard famous in his death.
3154 Sword, hold thy temper! Heart, be wrathful still!
3155 Priests pray for enemies, but princes kill.⌜He exits.⌝
Fight. Excursions. Enter King ⌜Henry,⌝ Queen
⌜Margaret, both wearing the red rose,⌝ and Others.
QUEEN MARGARET
3156 Away, my lord! You are slow. For shame, away!
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247
KING HENRY 3157 Can we outrun the heavens? Good Margaret, stay!
QUEEN MARGARET
3158 75 What are you made of? You’ll nor fight nor fly.
3159 Now is it manhood, wisdom, and defense
3160 To give the enemy way, and to secure us
3161 By what we can, which can no more but fly.
Alarum afar off.
3162 If you be ta’en, we then should see the bottom
3163 80 Of all our fortunes; but if we haply scape,
3164 As well we may—if not through your neglect—
3165 We shall to London get, where you are loved
3166 And where this breach now in our fortunes made
3167 May readily be stopped.
Enter ⌜Young⌝ Clifford, ⌜wearing the red rose.⌝
YOUNG CLIFFORD
3168 85 But that my heart’s on future mischief set,
3169 I would speak blasphemy ere bid you fly;
3170 But fly you must. Uncurable discomfit
3171 Reigns in the hearts of all our present parts.
3172 Away, for your relief! And we will live
3173 90 To see their day and them our fortune give.
3174 Away, my lord, away!
They exit.