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I cannot weep; for all my body's moisture |
Scarce serves to quench my furnace-burning heart: |
Nor can my tongue unload my heart's great burthen; |
For selfsame wind that I should speak withal |
Is kindling coals that fires all my breast, |
And burns me up with flames that tears would quench. |
To weep is to make less the depth of grief: |
Tears then for babes; blows and revenge for me |
Richard, I bear thy name; I'll venge thy death, |
Or die renowned by attempting it. |
EDWARD: |
His name that valiant duke hath left with thee; |
His dukedom and his chair with me is left. |
RICHARD: |
Nay, if thou be that princely eagle's bird, |
Show thy descent by gazing 'gainst the sun: |
For chair and dukedom, throne and kingdom say; |
Either that is thine, or else thou wert not his. |
WARWICK: |
How now, fair lords! What fare? what news abroad? |
RICHARD: |
Great Lord of Warwick, if we should recount |
Our baleful news, and at each word's deliverance |
Stab poniards in our flesh till all were told, |
The words would add more anguish than the wounds. |
O valiant lord, the Duke of York is slain! |
EDWARD: |
O Warwick, Warwick! that Plantagenet, |
Which held three dearly as his soul's redemption, |
Is by the stern Lord Clifford done to death. |
WARWICK: |
Ten days ago I drown'd these news in tears; |
And now, to add more measure to your woes, |
I come to tell you things sith then befall'n. |
After the bloody fray at Wakefield fought, |
Where your brave father breathed his latest gasp, |
Tidings, as swiftly as the posts could run, |
Were brought me of your loss and his depart. |
I, then in London keeper of the king, |
Muster'd my soldiers, gather'd flocks of friends, |
And very well appointed, as I thought, |
March'd toward Saint Alban's to intercept the queen, |
Bearing the king in my behalf along; |
For by my scouts I was advertised |
That she was coming with a full intent |
To dash our late decree in parliament |
Touching King Henry's oath and your succession. |
Short tale to make, we at Saint Alban's met |
Our battles join'd, and both sides fiercely fought: |
But whether 'twas the coldness of the king, |
Who look'd full gently on his warlike queen, |
That robb'd my soldiers of their heated spleen; |
Or whether 'twas report of her success; |
Or more than common fear of Clifford's rigour, |
Who thunders to his captives blood and death, |
I cannot judge: but to conclude with truth, |
Their weapons like to lightning came and went; |
Our soldiers', like the night-owl's lazy flight, |
Or like an idle thresher with a flail, |
Fell gently down, as if they struck their friends. |
I cheer'd them up with justice of our cause, |
With promise of high pay and great rewards: |
But all in vain; they had no heart to fight, |
And we in them no hope to win the day; |
So that we fled; the king unto the queen; |
Lord George your brother, Norfolk and myself, |
In haste, post-haste, are come to join with you: |
For in the marches here we heard you were, |
Making another head to fight again. |
EDWARD: |
Where is the Duke of Norfolk, gentle Warwick? |
And when came George from Burgundy to England? |
WARWICK: |
Some six miles off the duke is with the soldiers; |
And for your brother, he was lately sent |
From your kind aunt, Duchess of Burgundy, |
With aid of soldiers to this needful war. |
RICHARD: |
'Twas odds, belike, when valiant Warwick fled: |
Oft have I heard his praises in pursuit, |
But ne'er till now his scandal of retire. |
WARWICK: |
Nor now my scandal, Richard, dost thou hear; |
For thou shalt know this strong right hand of mine |
Can pluck the diadem from faint Henry's head, |
And wring the awful sceptre from his fist, |
Were he as famous and as bold in war |
As he is famed for mildness, peace, and prayer. |
RICHARD: |
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