Makes him oppose himself against his king.
CLIFFORD He is a traitor: let him to134 the Tower,
And chop away that factious pate135 of his.
QUEEN MARGARET He is arrested, but will not obey:
His sons, he says, shall give their words for him.
YORK Will you not, sons?
EDWARD Ay, noble father, if our words will serve.
RICHARD And if words will not, then our weapons shall.
CLIFFORD Why, what a brood of traitors have we here?
YORK Look in a glass142, and call thy image so.
I am thy king, and thou a false-heart143 traitor:
Call hither to the stake my two brave bears144,
That with the very shaking of their chains
They may astonish these fell-lurking curs146:
Bid Salisbury and Warwick come to me.
Enter the Earls of Warwick and Salisbury
CLIFFORD Are these thy bears? We'll bait thy bears to death,
And manacle the bearherd149 in their chains,
If thou dar'st bring them to the baiting place150.
RICHARD Oft have I seen a hot o'erweening151 cur
Run back and bite152, because he was withheld:
Who, being suffered with the bear's fell153 paw,
Hath clapped his tail between his legs and cried:
And such a piece of service155 will you do,
If you oppose yourselves to match156 Lord Warwick.
CLIFFORD Hence, heap of wrath, foul indigested lump157,
As crooked in thy manners as thy shape158!
YORK Nay, we shall heat you159 thoroughly anon.
CLIFFORD Take heed, lest by your heat you burn yourselves.
KING HENRY VI Why, Warwick, hath thy knee forgot to bow?
Old Salisbury, shame to thy silver hair,
Thou mad misleader of thy brainsick son!
What, wilt thou on thy death-bed play the ruffian,
And seek for sorrow with thy spectacles165?
O, where is faith? O, where is loyalty?
If it be banished from the frosty167 head,
Where shall it find a harbour168 in the earth?
Wilt thou go dig a grave to find out war,
And shame thine honourable age with blood?
Why art thou old and want'st experience,
Or wherefore dost abuse it if thou hast it?
For shame in duty bend thy knee to me,
That bows unto the grave with mickle174 age.
SALISBURY My lord, I have considered with myself
The title of this most renowned duke,
And in my conscience do repute177 his grace
The rightful heir to England's royal seat.
KING HENRY VI Hast thou not sworn allegiance unto me?
SALISBURY I have.
KING HENRY VI Canst thou dispense with181 heaven for such an oath?
SALISBURY It is great sin to swear unto a sin:
But greater sin to keep a sinful oath:
Who can be bound by any solemn vow
To do a murd'rous deed, to rob a man,
To force a spotless virgin's chastity,
To reave187 the orphan of his patrimony,
To wring188 the widow from her customed right,
And have no other reason for this wrong
But that he was bound by a solemn oath?
QUEEN MARGARET A subtle191 traitor needs no sophister.
KING HENRY VI Call Buckingham, and bid him arm himself.
YORK Call Buckingham, and all the friends thou hast,
I am resolved for death or dignity194.
CLIFFORD The first I warrant thee, if dreams prove true.
WARWICK You were best to go to bed and dream again,
To keep thee from the tempest of the field197.
CLIFFORD I am resolved to bear a greater storm
Than any thou canst conjure up today:
And that I'll write upon thy burgonet200,
Might I but know201 thee by thy household badge.
WARWICK Now by my father's202 badge, old Neville's crest,
The rampant bear chained to the ragged203 staff,
This day I'll wear aloft my burgonet204,
As on a mountain top the cedar shows205
That keeps his leaves in spite of any storm,
Even to affright thee with the view thereof.
CLIFFORD And from thy burgonet I'll rend208 thy bear
And tread it under foot with all contempt,
Despite the bearherd that protects the bear.
YOUNG CLIFFORD And so to arms, victorious father,
To quell the rebels and their complices212.
RICHARD Fie, charity, for shame! Speak not in spite,
For you shall sup with Jesu Christ tonight.
YOUNG CLIFFORD Foul stigmatic215, that's more than thou canst tell.
RICHARD If not in heaven, you'll surely sup in hell.
Exeunt [severally]
[Act 5 Scene 2]
running scene 21
[Alarums to the battle.] Enter Warwick
WARWICK Clifford of Cumberland, 'tis Warwick calls:
And if thou dost not hide thee from the bear,
Now, when the angry trumpet sounds alarum
And dead4 men's cries do fill the empty air,
Clifford, I say, come forth and fight with me:
Proud northern lord, Clifford of Cumberland,
Warwick is hoarse with calling thee to arms.
Enter York
How now, my noble lord? What, all afoot8?
YORK The deadly-handed Clifford slew my steed:
But match to match I have encountered him
And made a prey for carrion kites11 and crows
Even of the bonny beast he loved so well.
Enter Clifford
WARWICK Of13 one or both of us the time is come.
YORK Hold, Warwick: seek thee out some other chase14,
For I myself must hunt this deer to death.
WARWICK Then, nobly16, York: 'tis for a crown thou fight'st:--
As I intend, Clifford, to thrive today,
It grieves my soul to leave thee unassailed.
Exit Warwick
CLIFFORD What seest thou in me, York? Why dost thou pause?
YORK With thy brave bearing should I be in love,
But that thou art so fast21 mine enemy.
CLIFFORD Nor should thy prowess want praise and esteem,
But that 'tis shown ignobly and in treason.
YORK So let it help me now against thy sword
As I in justice and true right express it25.
CLIFFORD My soul and body on the action both26!
They fight, and Clifford falls
YORK A dreadful lay! Address27 thee instantly.
CLIFFORD La fin couronne les oeuvres.28
Dies
YORK Thus war hath given thee peace, for thou art still.
Peace with his soul, heaven, if it be thy will.
[Exit]
Enter Young Clifford
YOUNG CLIFFORD Shame and confusion, all is on the rout31!
Fear frames32 disorder, and disorder wounds
Where it should guard. O war, thou son of hell,
Whom angry heavens do make their minister,
Throw in the frozen bosoms of our part35
Hot coals of vengeance. Let no soldier fly36.
He that is truly dedicate37 to war
Hath no self-love38: nor he that loves himself
Hath not essentially but by circumstance39
Seeing his dead father
The name of valour.-- O, let the vile world end,
And the premised41 flames of the last day.
Knit42 earth and heaven together.
Now let the general trumpet43 blow his blast,
Particularities44 and petty sounds
To cease. Wast thou ordained45, dear father,
To lose46 thy youth in peace, and to achiev
e
The silver livery47 of advised age,
And in thy reverence and thy chair-days48, thus
To die in ruffian battle? Even at this sight
My heart is turned to stone: and while 'tis mine,
It shall be stony. York not our old men spares:
No more will I their babes: tears virginal52
Shall be to me even as the dew to fire53,
And beauty that the tyrant oft reclaims54
Shall to my flaming wrath be oil and flax55:
Henceforth I will not have to do with pity.
Meet I an infant of the House of York,
Into as many gobbets58 will I cut it
As wild Medea young Absyrtus59 did.
In cruelty will I seek out my fame.
Come, thou new ruin of old Clifford's house:
As did Aeneas old Anchises bear62,
So bear I thee upon my manly shoulders:
But then Aeneas bare64 a living load,
Nothing so heavy65 as these woes of mine.
[Exit with Clifford's body]
Enter Richard and Somerset to fight. [Somerset is killed]
RICHARD So lie thou there:
For underneath an ale-house' paltry sign,
The Castle in St Albans, Somerset
Hath made the wizard69 famous in his death:
Sword, hold thy temper: heart, be wrathful still70:
Priests pray for enemies, but princes kill.
[Exit]
Eight. Excursions. Enter King [Henry VI], Queen [Margaret]. and others
QUEEN MARGARET Away, my lord, you are slow: for shame, away!
KING HENRY VI Can we outrun the heavens? Good Margaret, stay73.
QUEEN MARGARET What are you made of? You'll nor74 fight nor fly:
Now is it75 manhood, wisdom and defence,
To give the enemy way, and to secure us76
By what77 we can, which can no more but fly.
Alarum afar off
If you be ta'en78, we then should see the bottom
Of all our fortunes: but if we haply scape79,
As well we may, if not through your neglect,
We shall to London get, where you are loved
And where this breach82 now in our fortunes made
May readily be stopped.
Enter [Young]. Clifford
YOUNG CLIFFORD But that my heart's on future mischief84 set,
I would speak blasphemy ere85 bid you fly:
But fly you must: uncurable discomfit86
Reigns in the hearts of all our present parts87.
Away, for your relief88, and we will live
To see their day and them our fortune give.89
Away, my lord, away!
Exeunt
[Act 5 Scene 3]
running scene 21 continues
Alarum. Retreat. Enter York, Richard, Warwick and Soldiers, with Drum and Colours
YORK Of Salisbury, who can report of him,
That winter2 lion, who in rage forgets
Aged contusions and all brush3 of time,
And, like a gallant in the brow4 of youth,
Repairs him with occasion5? This happy day
Is not itself, nor have we won one foot6,
If Salisbury be lost.
RICHARD My noble father:
Three times today I holp9 him to his horse,
Three times bestrid him10: thrice I led him off,
Persuaded him from any further act:
But still12 where danger was, still there I met him,
And like rich hangings in a homely13 house,
So was his will in his old feeble body.
But noble as he is, look where he comes.
Enter Salisbury
SALISBURY Now, by my sword, well hast thou fought today:
By th'mass, so did we all. I thank you, Richard.
God knows how long it is I have to live:
And it hath pleased him that three times today
You have defended me from imminent death.
Well, lords, we have not got that which we have21:
'Tis not enough our foes are this time fled,
Being opposites of such repairing nature23.
YORK I know our safety24 is to follow them,
For, as I hear, the king is fled to London,
To call a present26 court of parliament:
Let us pursue him ere the writs27 go forth.
What says Lord Warwick, shall we after them?
WARWICK After them? Nay, before them, if we can:
Now by my hand, lords, 'twas a glorious day.
St Albans battle won by famous York
Shall be eternized32 in all age to come.
Sound drum and trumpets, and to London all,
And more such days as these to us befall!
Exeunt
TEXTUAL NOTES
Q = First Quarto text of 1594
Q2 = Second Quarto text of 1600
Q3 = Third Quarto text of 1619 F = First Folio text of 1623
F2 = a correction introduced in the Second Folio text of 1632
F4 = a correction introduced in the Fourth Folio text of 1685
Ed = a correction introduced by a later editor
SD = stage direction
SH = speech heading (i.e. speaker's name)
List of parts = Ed
THE ... HUMPHREY = F. Printed as The First Part of the Contention betwixt the two famous Houses of York and Lancaster, with the death of the good Duke Humphrey in Q, Q2, and Q3
1.1.24-31 Great ... minister Q has the following alternative lines (all alternative Q passages are here edited and modernized):
Th'excessive love I bear unto your grace
Forbids me to be lavish of my tongue,
Lest I should speak more than beseems a woman:
Let this suffice: my bliss is in your liking,
And nothing can make poor Margaret miserable,
Unless the frown of mighty England's King.
50 SD Lets ... fall derived from Q's direction: Duke Humphrey lets it fall 92 had = Ed. F = hath 100 Razing = Ed. F = Racing 131 SH GLOUCESTER = Ed. F = Hum./Glo. (throughout) 168 hoist spelled hoyse in F 177 Protector = Q. F = Protectors 255 in my = Ed. F = in in my 256 grapple = F, Q3. Q = graffle, although there is no record of it in the OED
1.2.19 thought = F. Ed = hour 22 dreams = F (dreames). Ed = dream 38 are = Q. F = wer 75 witch = F. Q = witch of Ely. Q3 = witch of Rye. Ed = witch of Eye 1.3.6 SH FIRST PETITIONER = F4. F = Peter. In agreement with the Textual Companion that the First Petitioner must have pushed forward to warrant his apology, "Peter" and "Petitioner" being easily confused; other editors defend F 30 master = Ed. F = Mistresse 31 usurper = F. Q = usurer 66 haughty = F (haughtie). F2 = haught 88 the = F. Ed = their 99 At this point F has an exit direction for Suffolk, yet he contributes to the following discussion; therefore his exit direction has been removed
102 denied = Ed. F = denay'd 123 dauphin = Ed. F = Dolphin 140 I'd = Q. F = I could 148 fury = Ed. F = Fume. However, the emendation better fits the meter and the mistake can be explained as a minim error 185 SH HORNER = Ed. F = Armorer 202 judge = F. Ed = judge by case 216-18 Away ... away = F. The following alternative lines are spoken by Gloucester in Q, where the action takes place before Queen Margaret drops her glove (as opposed to F's fan):
The law my lord is this by case, it rests suspicious That a day of combat be appointed
And there to try each other's right or wrong
Which shall be on the thirtieth of this month,
With Eben staves and standbags combatting
In Smithfield before your royal majesty.
The reference to "Eben staves" and "standbags" might refer to the remembered performance of the scene
1.4.23 SH ASNATH = Ed. F = Spirit 24 SH MARGARET JORDAN = Ed. F = Witch 39-40 Descend ... avoid = F. Q has the following longer alternative:
Then down, I say, unto the damned pool,
Where Pluto in his fiery wagon sits
<
br /> Riding, amidst the singed and parched smokes,
The road of Ditis by the River Styx.
There howl and burn for ever in those flames.
Rise, Jordan, rise, and stay thy charming spells.
Zounds, we are betrayed!
59-60 The ... death some editors move the reading aloud of the prophecies to the next scene, following Q, which also assigns them to King Henry
2.1.27 such = F. Ed = some 52 SH CARDINAL ... you. = Ed. F = Cardinall, I am with you. F presents the line as a continuation of Gloucester's speech rather than a response from the cardinal 65 SH TOWNSMAN = Ed. F = One 138 his = Q. F = it, 2.2.35 Philippa = Ed. F = Phillip 46-47 who ... son = Ed. F's lines are considered unmetrical and nonsensical:
Who was to Edmond Langley,
Edward the thirds fift Sonnes Sonne;
2.3.3 sins = Ed. F = sinne 68 After the First Prentice Q inserts a third prentice who speaks the following line: Here, Peter, here's a pint of claret wine for thee. Q also adds the following extra line at the beginning of F's "Second" Prentice's line: And here's a quart for me.
3.1.0 SD Enter ... parliament = F. Q has the following stage direction, which may reflect contemporary performance:
Enter to the parliament. Enter two heralds before, then the Duke of Buckingham, and the Duke of Suffolk, and then the Duke of York, and the Cardinal of Winchester, and then the King and the Queen, and then the Earl of Salisbury, and the Earl of Warwick.
78 wolves = F. Ed = wolf 117 disbursed = Ed. F = dis-pursed which is now archaic 264 deceit = F. Ed = conceit 329 For = F. Ed = From 3.2.0 SD Enter ... Humphrey = F. Q = Then the curtains being drawn, Duke Humphrey is discovered in his bed, and two men lying on his breast and smothering him in his bed. And then enter the Duke of Suffolk to them. 14 Away ... gone = F. Q = Then draw the curtains again and get you gone. Ed = Then draw the curtains close; away, be gone! SD Sound ... Attendants F's original direction includes an entry for Suffolk, who is already onstage, and is therefore omitted here 26 Meg = Ed. F = Nell 76 leper = Ed. F = Leaper 80 Dame = F. Ed = Queen Margaret = Ed. F = Elianor 101 Margaret = Ed. F = Elianor 117 witch = Ed. F = watch 121 Margaret = Ed. F = Elinor 203 SD [Exeunt ... Somerset] the direction "Exit Cardinal" is found in Q; editors add an exit direction for Somerset here because he has no further activity in the scene 232 SD Exeunt ... Warwick based on Q's direction: Warwick pulls him out. Exit Warwick and Suffolk. F = Exeunt Q's stage direction continues: and then all the Commons within, cries, 'Down with Suffolk, down with Suffolk'. This presumably represents original performance, and it is on this basis that some editors have decided to insert stage directions and/or spoken lines for Commons 279 SH COMMONS = Ed. Not in F 309 enemies = Q. F = enemy. Privileging Q over F results in agreement with "them" in the following line 311 Could = Q. F = Would. Emendation directed by the editorial tradition in response to the repeated use of "would" in the following line 319 Mine = F. Q = My on = Ed. F = an 333 turn = Ed. F = turnes 335 the = F. Q = this 345 these = F. Ed = these lips 410 SD [She kisses him] = Q. Not in F 415 SD severally = Q. Not in F