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King Henry VI, Part 2: Act 5 Scene 2

Scene II Saint Alban's.

[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 dead 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 afoot?

YORK

The deadly-handed Clifford slew my steed,

But match to match I have encounter'd him

And made a prey for carrion kites and crows

Even of the bonny beast he loved so well.

[Enter CLIFFORD]

WARWICK

Of one or both of us the time is come.

YORK

Hold, Warwick, seek thee out some other chase,

For I myself must hunt this deer to death.

WARWICK

Then, nobly, York; 'tis for a crown thou fight'st.

As I intend, Clifford, to thrive to-day,

It grieves my soul to leave thee unassail'd.

[Exit]

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 fast 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 it.

CLIFFORD

My soul and body on the action both!

YORK

A dreadful lay! Address thee instantly.

[They fight, and CLIFFORD falls]

CLIFFORD

La fin couronne les oeuvres.

[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 rout;

Fear frames 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 part

Hot coals of vengeance! Let no soldier fly.

He that is truly dedicate to war

Hath no self-love, nor he that loves himself

Hath not essentially but by circumstance

The name of valour.

[Seeing his dead father]

O, let the vile world end,

And the premised flames of the last day

Knit earth and heaven together!

Now let the general trumpet blow his blast,

Particularities and petty sounds

To cease! Wast thou ordain'd, dear father,

To lose thy youth in peace, and to achieve

The silver livery of advised age,

And, in thy reverence and thy chair-days, thus

To die in ruffian battle? Even at this sight

My heart is turn'd to stone: and while 'tis mine,

It shall be stony. York not our old men spares;

No more will I their babes: tears virginal

Shall be to me even as the dew to fire,

And beauty that the tyrant oft reclaims

Shall to my flaming wrath be oil and flax.

Henceforth I will not have to do with pity:

Meet I an infant of the house of York,

Into as many gobbets will I cut it

As wild Medea young Absyrtus did:

In cruelty will I seek out my fame.

Come, thou new ruin of old Clifford's house:

As did AEneas old Anchises bear,

So bear I thee upon my manly shoulders;

But then AEneas bare a living load,

Nothing so heavy as these woes of mine.

[Exit, bearing off his father]

[Enter RICHARD and SOMERSET to fight. SOMERSET

is killed]

RICHARD

So, lie thou there;

For underneath an alehouse' paltry sign,

The Castle in Saint Alban's, Somerset

Hath made the wizard famous in his death.

Sword, hold thy temper; heart, be wrathful still:

Priests pray for enemies, but princes kill.

[Exit]

[Fight: 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, stay.

QUEEN MARGARET

What are you made of? you'll nor fight nor fly:

Now is it manhood, wisdom and defence,

To give the enemy way, and to secure us

By what we can, which can no more but fly.

[Alarum afar off]

If you be ta'en, we then should see the bottom

Of all our fortunes: but if we haply scape,

As well we may, if not through your neglect,

We shall to London get, where you are loved

And where this breach now in our fortunes made

May readily be stopp'd.

[Re-enter YOUNG CLIFFORD]

YOUNG CLIFFORD

But that my heart's on future mischief set,

I would speak blasphemy ere bid you fly:

But fly you must; uncurable discomfit

Reigns in the hearts of all our present parts.

Away, for your relief! and we will live

To see their day and them our fortune give:

Away, my lord, away!

[Exeunt]