 | Queen Catharine |  |
The Trumpets play an overture of Victory: Then Enter King Edward, Duke of Gloucester, Warwick, and Lords; Lord Dacres, and several other Prisoners.
Edw.
'Tis done, the business of the War is done.
The House of Lancaster has yielded back,
The honours unjustly they usurp'd in storms,
The Red Rose folds up her silken leaves,
And sinks beneath a Sea of blood; from whence
Our's the White emblem of Peace arises,
And shall bless the Land with plenty; henceforth
English Swords shall be no more sheathed
In English bosoms: in Foreign Lands we'll search
For new Acquests of Glory, for when our native
Earth is reduced with the Blood of those we
Call our Foes; we must blush to think
They shou'd have been our Brethren.
Warw.
Then after Conquest let 'em be so received,
To shew the War was just, shun cruelty.
Edw.
Far be it from my Nature, or if it were,
I wou'd submit to you, the mighty Warwick;
Whose very name brought Victory, whose Sword
Has led me on to all the Honours I have won.
Warw.
I am not used to flatter, yet must say,
A thousand eyes can witness that you fought
Almost beyond the power of Man,
Nor did your Brothers lag behind; thrice did I
Follow Clarence's rash inadvertency,
Which plung'd him headlong midst their thickest Troops,
Yet the bold youth despis'd my aid,
And with deaths a round him clear'd his way.
Glou.
I gave that fury to his arm,
When the imprison'd Lyon was let loose,
And told that Thyrrold was amongst our Foes.
Warw.
Why does he shun the glory's of this day,
And having shar'd the danger, refuse the Triumphs,
Which are to his valour due?
Edw.
That's a melancholy story,
But time will wean him of his follies:
My Lord Dacres, I think you've long been
Chamberlain to the late Queen, Catharine I mean.
Dac.
I have,
And wish more to express my Loyalty,
My blood was mingled with theirs whose brave Souls,
Now are mounted upwards, tho' their bodies
Lie weltring on the plain.
Edw.
Only do me Justice in your Reports,
And take your Liberty, hast to your afflicted Queen:
And tell her, Revenge, the insatiable Monster,
Now is gorg'd, and shall towards her for ever sleepe
Where e'er she chooses, there uninterrupted,
And in Peace she shall remain.
Dac.
I wou'd not, King,
(For that title now thou hast purchas'd)
Take a favour where I never mean to make returns:
Yet thus far my Age and Sorrows force me
To promise, no more to lift a Sword against thee;
I've seen the ruin of my Royal master's Race,
And in some Cell I'll not repine at thee,
But mourn their hard fate for ever.
(Exit Da.
Edw.
A truly honest man:
Nor wou'd power or perswasion bend him;
Loyalty is like Religion, that we suck in first,
Tho' with the strongest Arguments assail'd,
Most hardly is remov'd, on the Prisoners
In the List, see execution done,
The rest be guarded with effectual care,
Now let the sound of Victory fore-run us,
To every Quarter of the Camp, whilst we
Receive our well deserving Soldiers,
With Praise and Love.
[The Trumpets sound again. Exeunt.
Manent Gloucester, and a Servant.
Glou.
Thus far we have done well; the Clouds are
Vanish'd, and the bright Sun of Glory shines, but 'tis
Upon my Elder Brothers, and what's all this to me?
Edward and Clarence, two goodly spreading Oaks,
If both stand fair, I must expect no growth.
This Letter, as from an unknown hand, lays all the
Odium of his Imprisonment upon the King, and
What will touch him nearer, his Mistress loss;
Who by this time is married to Thyrrold, or worse,
For he had unbounded license; the Contents of the
Paper send him thither too; I am sure the Plot's
Well laid, and must produce some mischief, which
Ever way it makes for me: Here, trusty Friend,
With your usual Caution, get this deliver'd to the
Duke of Clarence.
Serv.
It shall, Sir?
[Exit Serv.
Glou.
Were it alone to fight for
Kingdoms, a well made thick Skull'd Hero might
Excell me, but to keep the Engine of the mind
At work by a deep thought, to do the
Business, and turn the fools Swords upon each other,
There I exceed the brawny Fellows and show my
Master piece.
[Exit.
Edw.
'Tis done, the business of the War is done.
The House of Lancaster has yielded back,
The honours unjustly they usurp'd in storms,
The Red Rose folds up her silken leaves,
And sinks beneath a Sea of blood; from whence
Our's the White emblem of Peace arises,
And shall bless the Land with plenty; henceforth
English Swords shall be no more sheathed
In English bosoms: in Foreign Lands we'll search
For new Acquests of Glory, for when our native
Earth is reduced with the Blood of those we
Call our Foes; we must blush to think
They shou'd have been our Brethren.
Warw.
Then after Conquest let 'em be so received,
To shew the War was just, shun cruelty.
Edw.
Far be it from my Nature, or if it were,
I wou'd submit to you, the mighty Warwick;
Whose very name brought Victory, whose Sword
Has led me on to all the Honours I have won.
Warw.
I am not used to flatter, yet must say,
A thousand eyes can witness that you fought
Almost beyond the power of Man,
Nor did your Brothers lag behind; thrice did I
Follow Clarence's rash inadvertency,
40
Yet the bold youth despis'd my aid,
And with deaths a round him clear'd his way.
Glou.
I gave that fury to his arm,
When the imprison'd Lyon was let loose,
And told that Thyrrold was amongst our Foes.
Warw.
Why does he shun the glory's of this day,
And having shar'd the danger, refuse the Triumphs,
Which are to his valour due?
Edw.
That's a melancholy story,
But time will wean him of his follies:
My Lord Dacres, I think you've long been
Chamberlain to the late Queen, Catharine I mean.
Dac.
I have,
And wish more to express my Loyalty,
My blood was mingled with theirs whose brave Souls,
Now are mounted upwards, tho' their bodies
Lie weltring on the plain.
Edw.
Only do me Justice in your Reports,
And take your Liberty, hast to your afflicted Queen:
And tell her, Revenge, the insatiable Monster,
Now is gorg'd, and shall towards her for ever sleepe
Where e'er she chooses, there uninterrupted,
And in Peace she shall remain.
Dac.
I wou'd not, King,
(For that title now thou hast purchas'd)
Take a favour where I never mean to make returns:
Yet thus far my Age and Sorrows force me
To promise, no more to lift a Sword against thee;
I've seen the ruin of my Royal master's Race,
And in some Cell I'll not repine at thee,
But mourn their hard fate for ever.
(Exit Da.
Edw.
A truly honest man:
Nor wou'd power or perswasion bend him;
Loyalty is like Religion, that we suck in first,
Tho' with the strongest Arguments assail'd,
Most hardly is remov'd, on the Prisoners
In the List, see execution done,
The rest be guarded with effectual care,
Now let the sound of Victory fore-run us,
To every Quarter of the Camp, whilst we
Receive our well deserving Soldiers,
With Praise and Love.
[The Trumpets sound again. Exeunt.
41
Glou.
Thus far we have done well; the Clouds are
Vanish'd, and the bright Sun of Glory shines, but 'tis
Upon my Elder Brothers, and what's all this to me?
Edward and Clarence, two goodly spreading Oaks,
If both stand fair, I must expect no growth.
This Letter, as from an unknown hand, lays all the
Odium of his Imprisonment upon the King, and
What will touch him nearer, his Mistress loss;
Who by this time is married to Thyrrold, or worse,
For he had unbounded license; the Contents of the
Paper send him thither too; I am sure the Plot's
Well laid, and must produce some mischief, which
Ever way it makes for me: Here, trusty Friend,
With your usual Caution, get this deliver'd to the
Duke of Clarence.
Serv.
It shall, Sir?
[Exit Serv.
Glou.
Were it alone to fight for
Kingdoms, a well made thick Skull'd Hero might
Excell me, but to keep the Engine of the mind
At work by a deep thought, to do the
Business, and turn the fools Swords upon each other,
There I exceed the brawny Fellows and show my
Master piece.
[Exit.
| Queen Catharine | |