H́nh ảnh trang
PDF
ePub

And wrap our bodies in black mourning gowns,
Numb'ring our Ave-Maries with our beads?
Or fhall we on the helmets of our foes
Tell our devotion with revengeful arms?
If for the last, say-Ay, and to it, lords.

WAR. Why, therefore Warwick came to seek you out;

And therefore comes my brother Montague.
Attend me, lords. The proud infulting queen,
With Clifford, and the haught Northumberland,"
And of their feather, many more proud birds,
Have wrought the easy-melting king like wax.8
He swore confent to your fucceffion,

His oath enrolled in the parliament;

And now to London all the crew are gone,
To fruftrate both his oath, and what beside
May make against the house of Lancaster.

'Their power, I think, is thirty thousand strong :9

[ocr errors]

7-haught Northumberland,] So, Grafton, in his Chronicle fays, p. 417: the lord Henry Percy, whom the Scottes for his haut and valiant courage called fir Henry Hotspurre."

PERCY.

The word is common to many writers. So, in Marlowe's King Edward II. 1598 :

"This haught refolve becomes your majefty."

Again, in Kyd's Cornelia, 1594:

[ocr errors]

Pompey, that fecond Mars, whofe haught renown," &c. Again, in Lyly's Woman in the Moon, 1597:

8

"Thy mind as haught as Jupiter's high thoughts."

STEEVENS.

the eafy-melting king like wax.] So again, in this play, of the Lady Grey:

9

"As red as fire; nay, then her wax muft melt."

JOHNSON.

is thirty thousand strong :] Thus the folio. The old

play reads

"Their power, I guess them fiftie thousand ftrong." A little lower the fame piece has-eight and forty thousand.

MALONE.

Now, if the help of Norfolk, and myself,
With all the friends that thou, brave earl of March,
Amongst the loving Welshmen canft procure,
Will but amount to five and twenty thousand,
Why, Via! to London will we march amain;
And once again beftride our foaming steeds,
'And once again cry-Charge upon our foes!
But never once again turn back, and fly.

RICH. Ay, now, methinks, I hear great Warwick
fpeak:

Ne'er may he live to fee a funshine, day,

"That cries-Retire, if Warwick bid him ftay. EDW. Lord Warwick, on thy fhoulder will I lean;

' And when thou fall'ft, (as God forbid the hour!) Muft Edward fall, which peril heaven forefend!

WAR. No longer earl of March, but duke of York;

The next degree is, England's royal throne:
For king of England fhalt thou be proclaim'd
In every borough as we pafs along;

And he that throws not up his cap for joy,
'Shall for the fault make forfeit of his head.
King Edward,—valiant Richard,-Montague,—
Stay we no longer dreaming of renown,
'But found the trumpets, and about our task.

* RICH. Then, Clifford, were thy heart as hard as fteel,

(As thou haft fhown it flinty by thy deeds,) * I come to pierce it,-or to give thee mine.

* Edw. Then strike up, drums ;-God, and Saint George, for us!

Enter a Meffenger.

WAR. How now? what news?

MESS. The duke of Norfolk fends you word by

me,

The queen is coming with a puiffant host;
And craves your company for speedy counsel.

'WAR. Why then it forts, brave warriors: Let's

away.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.

Before York.

Enter King HENRY, Queen MARGARET, the Prince of Wales, CLIFFORD, and NORTHUMBERLAND, with Forces.

Q. MAR. Welcome, my lord, to this brave town of York.

Yonder's the head of that arch-enemy,

That fought to be encompass'd with your crown: 'Doth not the object cheer your heart, my lord?

'K. HEN. Ay, as the rocks cheer them that fear their wreck ;

To fee this fight, it irks my very foul.Withhold revenge, dear God! 'tis not my fault, Not wittingly have I infring'd my vow.

Why then it forts,] Why then things are as they should be.

[ocr errors]

JOHNSON.

-thy love fhall

So, in Greene's Card of Fancy, 1608: fort to fuch happy fuccefs as thou thyfelf doft feek for."

STEEVENS.

CLIF. My gracious liege, this too much lenity And harmful pity, muft be laid aside.

To whom do lions caft their gentle looks?
Not to the beast that would ufurp their den.
Whofe hand is that the forest bear doth lick?
Not his, that fpoils her young before her face.
Who 'fcapes the lurking ferpent's mortal fting?
Not he, that fets his foot upon her back.
The smallest worm will turn, being trodden on;
And doves will peck, in fafeguard2 of their brood.
Ambitious York did level at thy crown,

Thou fmiling, while he knit his angry brows:
He, but a duke, would have his fon a king,
And raise his iffue, like a loving fire;

Thou, being a king, blefs'd with a goodly fon,
Didft yield confent to difinherit him,

"Which argued thee a moft, unloving father.3
Unreasonable creatures feed their young:
And though man's face be fearful to their eyes,
Yet, in protection of their tender ones,
Who hath not feen them (even with those wings
< Which fometime they have us'd with fearful flight,)
Make war with him that climb'd unto their neft,
Offering their own lives in their young's defence?
For fhame, my liege, make them your precedent!
Were it not pity that this goodly boy

Should lose his birthright by his father's fault;
And long hereafter fay unto his child,-
What my great-grandfather and grandfire got,
My careless father fondly gave away?

2

4

in fafeguard-] Thus the folio. The quartos read in refcue. STEEVENS.

3

4

-unloving father.] The quartos read unnatural father. STEEVENS.

fondly] i. e. foolishly. So, in King Richard II:

Ah, what a shame were this! Look on the boy;
And let his manly face, which promifeth

Successful fortune, fteel thy melting heart,

To hold thine own, and leave thine own with him. K. HEN. Full well hath Clifford play'd the orator,

Inferring arguments of mighty force.

6

But, Clifford, tell me, didft thou never hear,-
That things ill got had ever bad fuccefs ?5
And happy always was it for that fon,

Whofe father for his hoarding went to hell?
I'll leave my fon my virtuous deeds behind;
And 'would, my father had left me no more!
For all the reft is held at fuch a rate,

"As brings a thoufand-fold more care to keep,
'Than in poffeffion any jot of pleasure."

Ah, coufin York! 'would thy best friends did know, 'How it doth grieve me that thy head is here! 'Q. MAR. My lord, cheer up your spirits; our foes are nigh,

'And this foft courage makes your followers faint. You promis'd knighthood to our forward fon;

5

forrow and grief of heart

"Makes him speak fondly-." STEEVENS.

didst thou never hear,―

That things ill got had ever bad fuccefs? &c.] The proverb quoted by his majesty on this occafion, feems to militate directly against his own argument, and thows that things ill got might have good fuccefs. M. MASON.

6

Whofe father &c.] Alluding to a common proverb:
Happy the child whofe father went to the devil."

[ocr errors]

JOHNSON.

7 Than in poffeffion any jot of pleafure.] Thus the folio. The quarto thus:

"Than may the prefent profit countervaile,"

STEEVENS.

« TrướcTiếp tục »