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Come, York, and Richard, Warwick, and the rest; 'I ftabb'd your father's bofoms, fplit my breaft." [He faints.

Alarum and Retreat, Enter EDWARD, GEorge, RICHARD, MONTAGUE, WARWICK, and Soldiers.

EDW. Now breathe we, lords; good fortune bids us paufe,

And smooth the frowns of war with peaceful looks.

* Some troops purfue the bloody-minded queen ;That led calm Henry, though he were a king, 'As doth a fail, fill'd with a fretting gust,

7 Iftabb'd your fathers' bofoms, Split my breaft.] So the folio. The quartos read:

"I ftabb'd your father's, now come split my breast." STEEVENS. Now breathe we, lords ;] Inftead of this speech the quartos have the following:

"Thus far our fortunes keep an upward course,
"And we are grac'd with wreaths of victory.
"Some troops purfue the bloody-minded queen,
"That now towards Berwick doth post amain :
"But think you that Clifford is fled away with them?"
STEEVENS.

This battle, in which the house of York was victorious, was fought on a plain between Towton and Saxton, on the 29th of March, (Palm Sunday) 1461. The royal army confifted, according to Hall, of about forty thousand men; and the young Duke of York's forces were 48,760. In this combat, which lafted fourteen hours, and in the actions of the two following days, thirty-fix thousand feven hundred and feventy-fix perfons are said to have been killed; the greater part of whom were undoubtedly Lancaftrians. MALONE.

9 And smooth the frowns of war-] So, in K. Richard III: Grim-vifag'd war hath Smooth'd his wrinkled front."

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STEEVENS.

⚫ Command an argofy to stem the waves. 'But think you, lords, that Clifford fled with them?

WAR. No, 'tis impoffible he should escape: For, though before his face I speak the words, Your brother Richard mark'd him for the grave:' 'And, wherefoe'er he is, he's furely dead.

[CLIFFORD groans, and dies. EDW. Whofe foul is that which takes her heavy

leave?

RICH. A deadly groan, like life and death's departing.3

EDW. See who it is: and, now the battle's ended, If friend, or foe, let him be gently us❜d.

I

mark'd him for the grave:] Young has transferred this expreffion to Alonzo in The Revenge:

"This only marks my body for the grave."

A fimilar phrafe occurs in Chapman's version of the fifth Iliad : "Our braveft foe is mark'd for death; he cannot long fuftain

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My violent fhaft," STEEVENS.

2 Edw. Whofe foul &c.] I have distinguished this and the two following speeches according to the authority of the quarto. The folio gave all to Richard, except the laft line and half.

STEEVENS.

I have alfo followed the original regulation, because it seems abfurd that Richard fhould firft fay to his brother, or to one of the foldiers," See who it is ;"-and then, himself declare that it is Clifford; and therefore I suppose the variation in the folio arofe, not from Shakspeare, but from fome negligence or inaccuracy of a compofitor or transcriber. MALONE.

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like life and death's departing.] Sir Thomas Hanmer reads, like life in death departing; which Dr. Warburton has received. JOHNSON.

The quartos read, like life and death's departure. STEEVENS. like life and death's departing.] Departing for feparation.

MALONE.

There is no occafion for correction. "Till death us depart". was the expreffion in the old Marriage Service. FARMER.

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"RICH. Revoke that doom of mercy, for 'tis Clifford;

'Who not contented that he lopp'd the branch 'In hewing Rutland when his leaves put forth,4 'But fet his murdering knife unto the root

From whence that tender fpray did fweetly fpring, I mean, our princely father, duke of York.

WAR. From off the gates of York fetch down the head,

Your father's head, which Clifford placed there: 'Instead whereof, let this fupply the room; Measure for measure must be answered.

EDW. Bring forth that fatal fcreech-owl to our house,

That nothing fung but death to us and ours :5 'Now death fhall stop his dismal threatening found, And his ill-boding tongue no more shall speak.

[Attendants bring the Body forward.

WAR. I think his understanding is bereft :

* In hewing Rutland when his leaves put forth,] It is manifeft from this and many other paffages, that the author of the old play, where the corresponding line ftands thus :

"Who killed our tender brother Rutland-." imagined that Rutland was younger than George and Richard; whereas he was in fact older than them both, being the Duke of York's fecond fon; in confequence of which he bore a title by courtefy and a particular ftipulation was made in the compact entered into between Henry and the Duke of York, that Rutland, as well as his elder brother Edward Earl of March, should fwear to the due obfervance of the agreement. Shakspeare has, we fee, fallen into the fame error; as have Habington in his nervous and elegant Hiftory of Edward IV. and several other hiftorians. MALONE.

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fcreech-owl to our house,

That nothing fung but death &c.] So, in K. Richard III: "Out on you, owls! nothing but fongs of death ?"

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Speak, Clifford, doft thou know who speaks to

thee?

Dark cloudy death o'erfhades his beams of life,
And he nor fees, nor hears us what we fay.

RICH. O, 'would he did! and fo, perhaps, he doth';

'Tis but his policy to counterfeit,

'Because he would avoid fuch bitter taunts "Which in the time of death he gave our father.

GEO. If fo thou think'ft, vex him with eager

words.6

RICH. Clifford, afk mercy, and obtain no grace.
EDW. Clifford, repent in bootless penitence.
WAR. Clifford, devife excufes for thy faults.
GEO. While we devife fell tortures for thy faults.
RICH. Thou didft love York, and I am fon to

York.

EDW. Thou pitied'ft Rutland, I will pity thee. GEO. Where's captain Margaret, to fence you now?

WAR. They mock thee, Clifford ! fwear as thou waft wont.

RICH. What, not an oath? nay, then the world goes hard,

"When Clifford cannot fpare his friends an oath :I know by that, he's dead; And, by my foul, 'If this right hand would buy two hours' life, That I in all despite might rail at him,

eager words.] Sour words; words of afperity.

So, in Hamlet:

JOHNSON.

"It is a nipping and an eager air." STEEVENS.

This hand fhould chop it off; and with the iffu ing blood

Stifle the villain, whofe unftaunched thirst

York and young Rutland could not fatisfy.

WAR. Ay, but he's dead: Off with the traitor's
head,

And rear it in the place your father's stands.—
And now to London with triumphant march,
There to be crowned England's royal king.

• From whence fhall Warwick cut the fea to France, And ask the lady Bona for thy queen :

So fhalt thou finew both these lands together;
And, having France thy friend, thou shalt not
dread

The scatter'd foe, that hopes to rife again;
For though they cannot greatly fting to hurt,
Yet look to have them buz, to offend thine ears.
Firft, will I fee the coronation ;

And then to Britany I'll cross the fea,"

To effect this marriage, fo it please my lord.

EDW. Even as thou wilt, fweet Warwick, let it

be:

*For on thy fhoulder do I build my feat; * And never will I undertake the thing, *Wherein thy counfel and confent is wanting.'Richard, I will create thee duke of Glofter;And George, of Clarence ;-Warwick, as ourself, 'Shall do, and undo, as him pleaseth best.

RICH. Let me be duke of Clarence; George, of Glofter;

7 And then to Britany I'll cross the fea,] Thus the folio. The quartos thus:

"And afterward I'll crofs the feas to France."

STEEVENS..

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