 | The misery of civil-war |  |
ACT II.
An Alarm.Enter Warwick and Souldiers chasing others over the Stage. Enter Plantagenet, and Old Clifford fighting.—Old Clifford falls.
P
Farewell, old valiant Clifford, I shou'd now
Be sorry for thee, wer't thou not my Enemy.
[Ex.
Old Cl.
Be sorry for thy self, thou art a Traytour,
And I for loyalty die honourably.
Enter Young Clifford.
Y. Cl.
Shame and Confusion, all is on the rout.
My men are fled or kill'd, and I alone
Stand like a lofty Mast, shewing my head
Above the Waves, when all the Ship is sunk,
I cannot find my Father nor my King.
15
Son!
Yo. Cl.
I heard a voice resembling much
My Fathers, very weak and faint it seemed,
As he were far from me, or near to death.
Old Cl.
Son!
Yo. Cl.
Ha! again he calls! Oh! there he lyes!
All weltring in his gore, gasping for life.
Oh! Father! Father! if thou hast breath enough,
Leave with me but the name of him that wounded thee
That I may give thee and my self revenge,
And I'll prefer that glorious Legacy,
Before the Estate and Honour which thou leav'st me
Ol. Cl.
Plantagenet gave me my death!—Farewel—
[Dyes.
Y. Cl.
Plantagenet gave thee thy death—Plantagenet
Then gave himself and all his race destruction.
He kills our old men, and I'll kill his Children.
Henceforth I will not have to do with pitty,
Tears shall be to me as the dew to fire,
I will be famous for inhumane cruelty,
My Father hear's me not, he's dead! he's gone.
Come thou new ruin of Old Clifford's house,
I'll bear thee on my shouldiers as Æneas
Did old Anchises, but with this sad difference,
He bore a living Father, mine is dead,
And so my burden and my grief is heavier.
He takes his Father on his back, and going out meets the King, Queen, and Souldiers.
Q.
Away, away, Sir, what do you mean to stay?
All's lost, you have no safety but in flight.
Hen.
My heart's so heavy that I cannot flye.
Q.
Ha! who goes there? Clifford thou art, I think.
Yo. Cl.
I am.
Qu.
What burden hast thou on thy shoulders.
Yo. Cl.
I carry vengeance for Plantagenet.
Hen.
Plantagenet dead?
Yo. Cl.
A braver honester man,
My valiant loyal Father.
Hen.
Clifford dead?
Yo. Cl.
Kill'd by Plantagenet.
Qu.
Take comfort, Clifford.
We'll streight to London, where we have pow'r enough
To revenge our selves and thee, and to assist us.
The Parliament shall meet and raise the Kingdom.
16
For your revenge raise Kingdoms and for mine,
I'll raise my self, and I'll have bloody Vegeance,
I'll kill Plantagenet, and all his Sons
That when he is dead he may not have a Son.
To bear him to the grave, as I my Father;
And so cut off his memory from the Earth,
Meet I but any Infants of his House,
Into as many gobbits will I cut 'em
As wild Medea did the young Absyrtis,
And I will starve my men that they may eat 'em,
And so let us about our several business.
[Exit.
A Shout of Victory. Enter at one door Warwick, at another Plantagenet, Edward, Richard, Souldiers. Plantagenet embraces VVarwick.
Pl.
Let me embrace the greatest man that breaths.
War.
Pray cease, my Lord, you know this does not please me.
Edw.
England will learn again to Fight and Conquer,
A glorious science we have almost lost,
Under the reign of this tame bookish Henry.
War.
What is become of the young boasting Clifford?
Fate as if tender of him, did to day,
VVhen e're I met him, thrust a crowd betwixt us.
Pl.
I met his Father in the field; and there
I put the brave old man to his last bed.
The stout old winter Lyon, that had long
Endur'd the brush of time, fought with that heat,
As he had been but in the spring of youth.
Like arras-hangings in a homely house,
So was his gallant Spirit in his body.
Edw.
Whilst we pursued the horsemen o' the North,
With too much heat, the King escap'd our hands;
But he has left behind some of his friends,
I fell upon the gallant Duke of Buckingham,
And with one fortunate substantial blow,
I cleft his good steel Helmet, and his Scull,
And see, his Brains are yet upon my Sword.
Rich.
To speak the truth, my Brother Edward fought
To day, as if he had fought for a Mistress.
Ed.
I must confess, I fought with more dispatch;
'Cause had the Battle lasted, 'twou'd have spoil'd
An assignation that I have to night.
Rich.
Did not I say as much?
Pl.
Thou, good Son Richard,
Dost not disturb thy heart with cares of love.
17
The hill upon my back fence's my heart;
The women love not me, so I hate them.
War.
We have all cut our names deep on the Pillars
Of Fame's high Temple, where shall be for ever
Written this glorious Battle at S. Albons.
Now, my Lord, post away with speed to London,
For thither I am told the King is Fled,
And there he will repair this day's wide breaches.
Citizens always love Tame Godly Princes,
And such as abhor fighting like themselves.
Then, if you can, enter the Town before 'em,
And fill it with your Troops; and then to morrow
Get very early into the Parliament House,
And guarded well, openly claim the Crown.
My Tongue and Sword shall both assert your Title.
Then let me see, what Peer dare be so bold,
Or Common so sawcy, to oppose it.
Pl.
Thou Soul of valour, Wisdom, and Nobility,
I'll take thy Counsel.
War.
Go then march with speed,
I'll tarry for a moment to take care
For any of quality that are dead or wounded.
[Ex. Plantagenet, Richard one way, Warwick another.
Edw.
I well approve this speedy March to London,
For there to Night I hope to meet my Mistress.
[Ex. Edward,
Enter two bearing a Body, Warwick meets 'em.
War.
Whose Body is that?
Tis Sir John Grey of Grooby.
War.
A fierce bigot for the Lancastrian Faction.
I've heard of him, and whither do you carry him?
2.
To his fair Widow; she had only news
He had some wounds, and so came in her Chariot
To carry him away with her, but all
Her care is now too late; see here she is.
Enter Lady Grey attended.
La. Gr.
Where is my Husband? I am impatient for him.
1.
We have found him, Madam, in a state too bad
For you to look on.
L. Gr.
Oh! he's dead! he's dead!
2.
Help! help! she's falling on him dead as he.
War.
I never saw so beautiful a Creature.
18
She is come to her self,
War.
But I'm so lost,
That I shall never be my self again.
La. Gr.
Oh! my dear Husband!
War.
See! see! she embalmes
His Body with per pretious Tears and Kisses.
I know not to what place his Soul is fled;
But I am sure his Body is in Heaven.
Forms, Ceremonies, Civil Fooleries,
Insects engendred of corrupt false Wit.
I will ride o're you in my way to joy;
Though this is the first I ever saw her,
And she lies drown'd in Tears o're her dead Husband
Drown'd in his blood, shed may be by my self;
Yet here, and now I'll tell her that I Love,
And here, and now resolve to make her mine.
Madam, your pardon that I interrupt you.
La. Gr.
Who are you, Sir?
War.
You, Madam, best can tell,
When I came hither I was Earl of Warwick;
But you have chang'd me to I know not what.
La. Gr.
The Earl of Warwick! Oh! my Lord I beg you,
Conjure you by the Honour of a Nobleman,
That you permit a miserable Woman
To give her Husbands Body decent Burial.
War.
Madam, with all my heart; and I cou'd wish
He had been buried when he first saw light,
And never liv'd to do Prodigious mischiefs.
La. Gr.
What wondrous mischiefs dying for his King?
War.
Oh! he has done more ill, than Frantick Alexander
When he set fair Persepolis o' Fire,
Or him that burnt the fam'd Ephesian Temple.
La. Gr.
Who did all this?
War.
He, whom Heav'n there has punisht;
And did it, Madam, by enjoying you,
By kindling in your heart love for himself,
He fir'd a stately Palace, only fit
For hearts of mighty Kings, He burnt a Temple
The master piece of Nature, the Worlds wonder.
La. Gr.
Is this fit talk to one in my condition?
War.
I know old Tyrant Cnstom does command
You Widows to be stretch'd on the long rack
Of twelve months mournful abstinence from love.
And, which methinks is an immodest fashion,
You must wear black the colour of the night,
To put you in remembrance of the pleasure.
Night for your service pays you no more Wages,
19
And you must sigh and weep to tell the World
What skill you have in man, for who e're weeps
For loss of that whose value they ne're knew?
Fy! what ill woman brought up those ill Customs?
La. Gr.
What horrid insolence you treat me with?
Enter one running.
1.
My Lord, the Enemy begins to rally.
War.
Go fight 'em, for I'm busily employ'd.
Enter a Second.
2.
Mount, mount, my Lord, or you'l be taken Prisoner.
War.
I am a Prisoner, nor can stir from hence:
Unless this beauty with a smile release me.
La. Gr.
Grief, Horror, and Confusion put me again
Into a deadly Fainting.
War.
I perceive
Formality the Governess of Women,
And Custom the great Tyrant of the World
Are married in the Temple of this beauty.
Take with you then your pale Companion,
And pay to it the Tax of some Months tears,
And lock your self in solitude and darkness,
But after that by my renown and fortune,
By this days victory, by that great power,
By which I to the King say, be a Subject;
And to a Subject I say, be a King.
I swear I shortly will say to my self,
Warwick, be thou Possessour of this beauty.
I'll have you, though you hate, and Heaven envy me,
And the first joy I reap cost me my life.
La. Gr.
In spight of me I am compel'd to speak,
I swear by the dead body of my Husband,
By my unspotted fame most sacred to me,
I rather will chuse death than any man,
But I'll chuse Hell e're you.
War.
Cruelly sworn;
But yet such Oaths are heriots, which Widows
To custom always pay, when a life falls.
The world expects to have 'em pay such fines,
E're they renew another life in love.
Then, Madam, take your fallen tenement,
20
And for your safety all my guard shall wait you.
La. Gr.
Though paying rights of burial to my husband
Be all that I desire to do on Earth,
E're I will be oblig'd to you for any thing,
I'll dye upon him and be all his monument.
War.
Oh Beauteous Monument! all men wou'd dye
To be so buried!—envy will not suffer me
To let the dead have so much happiness,
Therefore I'll take my leave.
La. Gr.
The only favour
I will receive, or can endure from you.
War.
Take it, one kindness oft begets another,
Farewel, most cruel, but most beauteous creature.
La. Gr.
Farewel most rude and most abhorr'd of men.
War.
[Softly to his men.]
Guard her safe hence, but do not let her know it,
Lest she refuse it, and shou'd meet with injury.
[Ex.
Scene a Room in London, Table, Lights.
Enter Edward pulling in Lady Elianor Butler.
L. El.
Oh! do not tempt me, for I know
You will be false.
Ed.
Well but I know I shall not.
L. El.
Oh! to how many women have you sworn
As much as you ha' done to me to night?
Ed.
Oh is there not great difference among VVomen?
Some Women are but petty Inns to lodg at,
And though perhaps rather than want a lodging,
We wou'd pay all they ask, though most unreasonable:
But if they wou'd pay me, I wou'd not dwell with 'em;
But your sweet beauty is my journey's end.
L. El.
Oh! yes till you begin another journey.
Ed.
Besides the many thousand Charmes about you,
From which it is impossible to 'scape,
Your Birth and Quality will not permit me
To trifle with you as with trifling women,
I dare not but regard Lady Elianor Butler.
L. El.
But when you have enjoy'd Lady Elianour Butler.
She'l seem as very a trifle as the rest.
Ed.
Then what a perjur'd Villain must I be?
L. El.
VVhen you are Prince of Wales, perhaps you'l think
The Prince of Wales is not obliged to keep
Lord Edwards Oaths, and when I follow you,
21
And I must marry for the Nation's good;
I'm very sorry I am forc'd to lose you,
But pardon me, it is the Nation's fault.
So, Madam, I'm your very humble Servant,
If I can serve you any way, command you;
Then instead of being made Princesse of Wales
I sneak away poor cheated Elianor Butler.
Ed.
Well this is very unkind to make me throw
So sweet a Night so foolishly away.
I thought you wou'd have given me a clear draught
Of Love without the dreggs of Oaths and Vows.
L. El.
Oh! you are too charming not to be belov'd,
And when once lov'd, not to be lov'd for ever.
I know I've not desert to keep you constant;
And 'tis enough for me that you once lov'd me,
To blame you that you will not love me always,
as a beggar blam'd a Prince, for giving him
Only one Jewel. No one Woman merit's
Your Love, so you divide it among all.
But oh! methinks I feign wou'd have it al
And have it always.
Ed.
So I swear you shall.
Then come away, for night is stealing from us,
Weary with holding up her sable Robe,
To hide two loytring lovers to no purpose.
Then come away.
L. El.
Oh swear to me once more.
Ed.
I'll swear no more, whil'st we by foolish Oaths
Secure delights to come, we lose the present.
Then come away, for else I shall be call'd.
Oh Heaven's! see! the day is broke already.
The vast and heavy business of a Kingdom
Heave up the scale of Morn before it's time.
Oh! come away for fear I be undone.
L. El.
Oh! do not ask for fear I be undone.
[Knocking.
Ed.
Hark! I hear knocking! I am call'd, I'm ruin'd.
Enter the waiting Woman.
Wo.
My Lord! here is your Brother my Lord Richard
Is come to fetch you to the Parliament,
He says, your Father's going thither already.
Ed.
Did not I tell you, Love, what you wou'd do?
Confound my Lord Richard, tell him I'm not here.
Wo.
He says you are here, and he'l not part with you.
22
So, we have manag'd our occasion finely.
Was this well done of you?
L. El.
You may forgive me,
Since I'm almost as sorry as you are.
Ed.
Then will you mend the fault another time?
L. El.
I fancy I shall do my weak endeavour.
Rich.
within.
Why, Brother!—
Ed.
Heark he calls! I must be gone,
Farewel, my dear, remember what you have promis'd.
L. El.
Remember you your Vows of constancy.
[Exit.
Rich.
within.
Brother, what do you mean? leave your damn'd Woman,
For I'm sure 'tis some damn'd Woman stays you.
But for my part I'll stay no longer for you.
For I will not be chidden for your faults,
My Father; and his Friends shall know how it is.
Ed.
Thank thee, good natur'd honest vertuous Brother;
How proud this Leper is of one sound place?
Though he has all the vices in the world,
Yet he insults o're me, because he is free
From my one fault my almost faultless fault
He is a Hell at whose foul front appears,
Ill manners, and ill nature, and ill shape,
Like a three-headed Dog, that barks at all things
That dare come near him, specially at beauty;
But has within a thousand ugly Haggs
His Soul embraces, bloody cruelty,
Lean envy, and insatiable Ambition.
And he has this advantage over me,
His Mistresses are Devils, and so invisible.
Some time or other I'll descend like Hercules
Into this Hell, and dragg to humane sight
The Monster that so barks at my delight.
[Ex.
Scene the Parliament House, a Throne, Canopy, Seats for the Lords.
Enter Plantagenet, George, Richard, Warwick, Clarence, Rutland, Guard all with drawn Swords.
War,
This is the palace of the fearful King,
And this the Regal Seat; Richard Plantagenet,
Sit down, and from this hour be King of England.
Pl.
I think if mighty Warwick said, be Emperour
Of the whole world, the Genii of all Kingdoms
Wou'd vanish and give place to his great spirit.
23
[Sits in the Throne
And take possession of my Royal Right.
War.
I plant you here, now Root you up who dares.
Enter Edward,
Pl.
Where's my Son Edward? Son! why loiter you?
War.
Sir, why do you neglect your Father thus?
Ed.
Reprov'd by Warwick? what does Warwick cheat us?
[Aside.
Give us a Crown to cheat us of our liberty?
Hire us to be his slaves? so soon so arrogant?
This humour I must quell, I cannot bear it.
Pl.
Sons, I here take possession of my right,
And will be Crown'd or kill'd:—if I shou'd fall,
Son Edward, claim the Crown, if you fall with me,
Then, George, the Crown is thine, if both you dye,
Then, Richard, thou art King.
War.
Three goodly Pillars,
Pl.
And last in birth but not in my Affection.
Here is my litle pretty darling Rutland,
Look to him, Guard, for if his brothers Perish,
He is your King; fear not my pretty Boy.
We'll be too hard for wretched timerous Henry.
Rut.
Sir, let him come, and all his Souldiers with him.
If you will beat his Souldiers, I'll beat him.
Pl.
Well said my boy; and heark; I think he comes.
Enter King Henry in his Robes, his Crown on his head, the Sword born before him, Attended by Clifford, Northumberland, Westmorland, Exeter, in their Robes.
Hen.
My Lords, look where the sturdy Rebel sits.
War.
Look where your King is seated, Duke of Lancaster,
What say you? will you resign in peace the Crown
To him whose right it is, Richard Plantagenet?
Or shall we force it from you by our Swords?
Rich.
Let's tear the Crown from the Usurpers head.
Ed.
Sound but the Trumpets and the King will fly.
Pl.
Peace, Sons.
Hen
Peace all of you, and hear your King.
Rebels, I fear all danger less than you do,
For I am better arm'd with innocence.
But I confess I do fear Civil War;
Not for my own, but for my peoples sake,
I am afraid to shed the blood of English men,
But you indeed are bold in cruelty.
24
His who desires to have it cut in peices,
Or mine, who strive in tenderness to save it.
For my own part I fear no power, but Heaven,
Rebels may be successful for a time,
And overturn all order, right, and justice,
But Heaven does not let the world stand long
In that unnatural uneasie posture,
But soon put's all things in their proper places.
Pl.
Thy own mouth, Henry, has pronounc'd thy doom.
Successful Murder, and Rebellion,
Swell'd for two Generations of thy race
Over all right, and all that durst oppose 'em;
But Heaven in thee has dryed up the black stream,
And made it such a Brook all trample over it.
Hen.
I've oft been told by thee, my Grand-father
Depos'd his King.
Pl.
And I did tell thee truth.
Hen.
Cannot a King adopt an Heir?
Pl.
VVhat then?
Hen.
Did not King Richard to my Grand-father
Resign the Crown in open Parliament?
Pl.
Did not thy Grand-father compel him to it
By force of Arms? and then the Parliament,
To their eternal shame, if not Damnation,
Flatter'd the wicked fortunate Usurper.
War.
But say, the King had done it unconstrain'd,
He cou'd not give away another's right.
Henry usurp'd the right of the next Heirs.
Hen.
My Conscience tells me that my Title is weak.
Cl.
How, Sir, will you revolt from your own self?
Who will stand by you then?
War.
Clifford, thou dyest,
If thou permit'st not Henry to resign.
Cl.
Let Henry give his Title to the Crown,
He shall not give my Title to revenge.
May the ground gape and swallow me alive,
When e're I kneel to him who kill'd my Father.
War.
Ho! there within.—
Cl.
I am prepar'd for you.
War. stamps, and enter Souldiers of his side. Cl. does the same and enter Souldiers on his side; as they are going to fight, King Henry interposes.
Hen.
Hold! hold! my Lords: Oh! let not Blood be shed;
25
Pray hear me all; I find my Title's weak,
And to defend it were to fight with Justice.
Besides, there lyes already on my head
The Blood of Richard, murder'd by my Grand-father,
And I'd be loth to add my peoples Blood;
For saving which, hear this proposal from me,
I have been King these eight and thirty years,
And many Interests must grow to mine
That you can never tear me from the Throne,
But you will set a thousand Veins a bleeding,
Then let me reign in quiet all my life,
And when I'm dead, Plantagenet be King
Pl.
I approve of it, and on that condition
Kneels and kisses Hen's hand.
I swear to be King Henry's faithful Vassal.
Hen.
And not to seek the Throne by Arms or Treason?
Pl.
Never whilst king Henry lives.
Hen.
Then I entail
The Crown to thee and to thy Heirs for ever.
Cl.
The Devil to him, and to his Heirs for ever.
VVhat have you done?
War.
Good to himself and England.
Cl.
VVrong to his Son, his Subjects, and himself.
Ex.
VVhy sigh you, Sir?
[King Hen. sighs.
Hen.
For my poor Son I've wrong'd.
War.
You have not wrong'd him, you have wholly freed him
From all the Vengeance due to Usurpation.
Cl.
Oh! Henry, if thy Father's Soul did see
Thy baseness, it wou'd torture him in Heaven.
Plantagenet, when that great Monarch liv'd,
Thou durst have sooner let into thy Soul
Ten thousand Devils than a Traytrous Thought:
Farewel degenerate faint-hearted King,
May'st thou be beat in War, and scorn'd in Peace.
[Exit.
Pl.
Sons, head the Troops before the Palace Gate,
Lest furious Clifford shou'd do some rash thing.
[Ex. Ed. and Rich. and George.
Enter the Queen and Prince.
Pl.
Here comes the Queen.
Hen.
And with her my poor Son.
War.
She appears big with Thunder and with Lightning:
Expect a Tempest quickly, Sir, but slight it.
Qu.
Are the news true? can it be possible
26
And given your Crown to Trayterous Plantagenet?
Hen.
The Crown is his, I have no Title to it,
But what is founded on Rebellion,
The murder of a King and usurpation.
Qu.
Then hast thou not the spirit of a King,
Nor of a Father, timerous mean VVretch,
To let a Crew of Rebels hector thee
Out of a Crown, nay out of thy own Son?
For thou must think thou hast no Title to him,
Or thou'dst not disinherit him unnaturally.
Hen.
My Love, I do not disinherit him;
For what I give away is not his right;
And if I should entail another's right on him,
I shou'd entail Heaven's Vengeance on his head.
Qu.
Who says the Crown's not yours?
Hen.
I am convinc'd
By powerful Arguments.
Qu.
By Pikes and Swords.
Had I been here when thou mad'st this Agreement,
The Souldiers shou'd have tost me on their Pikes,
E're I'd have stoop'd to such unnatural baseness.
Oh! how came thee and I in Marriage joyn'd?
For I am Fire, thou art weak floating Water,
Driven by the breath of Rebels any way.
Wou'd I had dy'd a Maid, and never seen thee;
At least had never born thee such a Son.
Oh! my sweet Son, thou art no more a Prince,
Because thy Father is no more a King.
He has undone himself, and thee, and all of us.
Pr.
I am a Prince, and I will be a King.
Father, you cannot disinherit me;
You may bestow your Kingdom whil'st you live,
But when you are dead it is not yours, but mine.
Qu.
My Son, he shall not disinherit thee.
I have men here to guard me from these Rebels,
And Troops else-where to conquer 'em, and punish 'em.
And I will make my Son a Glorious Prince;
Whil'st thou, tame Prince, shalt be a slave to Traytors:
Made to assist in conquering thy self,
And then in digging thy own Sepulchre;
For Rebels will not do their work by halves.
Though thou art but the shadow of a King,
Rebels will tremble at a Royal Shadow,
And they'll be forc'd to kill thee, if 'tis possible,
27
Hen.
Oh! my dear Love, talk not so harshly to me.
Qu.
I will be harsher in my deeds than words.
For from this moment I divorce my self
For ever from thy Bed, thou art no King,
And thou shalt have no Sons of me to ruine;
I scorn to be the Mother of a Slave.
[Ex. Qu. and Pr.
Hen.
Poor Queen, how love and pity for my Son
Set her a-raging, as they set me grieving?
War.
Add her ambition to her love and pity,
For that has no small share in her disturbance.
Pl.
I know she's raising Forces in the North,
My Lord of Warwick, do you keep the King,
And stay to raise what Force you can in London,
VVhilst I will to the North, and so between us
VVe'll wall her in, and keep that fire from spreading.
Hen.
Pray, my Lords, do, I will assist you both
Against my self, I'll do to others right,
Though on my self I sure destruction bring,
E're I'll be wicked, I will be no King.
[Ex. omnes.
| The misery of civil-war | |