-You are the fount that makes small brooks to flow;
Now stops thy spring; my sea shall suck them dry,
And swell so much the higher by their ebb.-
Hence with him to the Tower; let him not speak.

[Exeunt some with King HENRY.
-And, lords, towards Coventry bend we our course,
Where peremptory Warwick now remains :
The sun shines hot, and, if we use delay,
Cold biting winter mars our hop'd-for hay.

Glo. Away betimes, before his forces join,
And take the great-grown traitor unawares :
Brave warriors, march amain towards Coventry.

ACT V.

[Exeunt.

SCENE I-Coventry. Enter, upon the Walls, WARWICK, the Mayor of Coventry, two Messengers, and others.

Warwick.

WHERE is the post, that came from valiant Oxford ? How far hence is thy lord, mine honest fellow ?

1 Mes. By this at Dunsmore, marching hitherward. War. How far off is our brother Montague ? -Where is the post that came from Montague? 2 Mes. By this at Daintry, with a puissant troop Enter Sir JOHN SOMERVILLE.

War. Say, Somerville, what says my loving son? And, by thy guess, how nigh is Clarence now?

Somerv. At Southam I did leave him with his forces, And do expect him here some two hours hence.

[Drum heard. War. Then Clarence is at hand, I hear his drum. Somerv. It is not his, my lord; here Southam lies; The drum your honour hears, marcheth from Warwick. War. Who should that be? belike, unlook'd-for

friends.

Somerv. They are at hand, and you shall quickly know. Drums. Enter King EDWARD, GLOSTER, and Forces marching. K.Edw. Go, trumpet, to the walls, and sound a parley. Glo. See, how the surly Warwick mans the wall. War. Oh, unbid spite is sportful Edward come? Where slept our scouts, or how were they seduc'd, That we could hear no news of his repair?

K.Edw. Now, Warwick, wilt thou ope the city-gates, Speak gentle words, and humbly bend thy knee? Call Edward-king, and at his hands beg mercy, And he shall pardon thee these outrages,

War. Nay, rather, wilt thou draw thy forces hence, Confess who set thee up and pluck'd thee down? Call Warwick-patron, and be penitent, And thou shalt still remain the duke of York.

Glo. I thought, at least, he would have said—the king; Or did he make the jest against his will?

War. Is not a dukedom, sir, a goodly gift? Glo. Ay, by my faith, for a poor earl to give ; I'll do thee service3 for so good a gift.

War. 'Twas I, that gave the kingdom to thy brother. K.Edw. Why, then,'tis mine, if but by Warwick's gift. War. Thou art no Atlas for so great a weight: And, weakling, Warwick takes his gift again; And Henry is my king, Warwick his subject. K.Edw. But Warwick's king is Edward's prisoner: And, gallant Warwick, do but answer this,What is the body when the head is off?

Glo. Alas, that Warwick had no more fore-cast,
But, whiles he thought to steal the single ten,
The king was slily finger'd from the deck !4
You left poor Henry at the bishop's palace,
And, ten to one, you'll meet him in the Tower.
K.Edw. 'Tis even so; yet you are Warwick still.
Glo. Come, Warwick, take the time, kneel down,
kneel down.

Nay, when? strike now, or else the iron cools.
War. I had rather chop this hand off at a blow,
And with the other fling it at thy face,

Than bear so low a sail, to strike to thee.

K.Edw. Sail how thou canst, have wind and tide thy

friend;

This hand, fast wound about thy coal-black hair, Shall, whiles the head is warm, and new cut off, Write in the dust this sentence with thy blood,Wind-changing Warwick now can change no more. Enter OXFORD, with drum and colours. War. O cheerful colours! see, where Oxford comes ! [3] That is, enroll myself among thy dependants. Cowell informs us, that servitium is "that service which the tenant, by reason of his fee, oweth unto his lord."

STEEV.

[4] A pack of cards was anciently termed a deck of cards, or a pair of cards. STEEV.--An instance of a pack of cards being called a deck, occurs in the sessions paper, for January, 1788. So that the term appears to be still in use. RITSON.

Oxf. Oxford! Oxford! for Lancaster !
Glo. The gates are open, let us enter too.

[OX FORD and his Forces enter the city. K.Edw. So other foes may set upon our backs. Stand we in good array; for they, no doubt, Will issue out again, and bid us battle: If not, the city being but of small defence, We'll quickly rouse the traitors in the same. War. O, welcome, Oxford! for we want thy help. Enter MONTAGUE, with drum and colours. Mont. Montague, Montague, for Lancaster!

[He and his Forces enter the city. Glo. Thou and thy brother both, shall buy this treason Even with the dearest blood your bodies bear. K.Edw. The harder match'd, the greater victory; My mind presageth happy gain and conquest.

Enter SOMERSET, with drum and colours.

Som. Somerset, Somerset, for Lancaster !

[He and his Forces enter the city. Glo. Two of thy name, both dukes of Somerset, 5 Have sold their lives unto the house of York;

And thou shalt be the third, if this sword hold.

Enter CLARENCE, with drum and colours.

War. And lo, where George of Clarence sweeps along, Of force enough to bid his brother battle:

With whom an upright zeal to right prevails,

More than the nature of a brother's love:

Come, Clarence, come; thou wilt, if Warwick calls.

Cla. Father of Warwick, know you what this means? [Taking the red rose out of his cap.

Look here, I throw my infamy at thee:

I will not ruinate my father's house,

Who gave his blood to lime the stones together,"
And set up Lancaster. Why, trow'st thou, Warwick,
That Clarence is so harsh, so blunt, unnatural,

To bend the fatal instruments of war

[5] The first of these noblemen was Edmund, slain at the battle of Saint Alban's 1455. The second was Henry his son, beheaded after the battle of Hexham, 1463. The present duke Edmund, brother to Henry was taken pris oner at Tewksbury, 1471, and there beheaded, (infra, sc. v.) his brother john losing his life in the same fight. RITSON.

[6] That is to, cement the stones. Lime makes mortar, [7] Stupid, insensible of paternal fondness.

JOHNS.

JOHNS.

Against his brother, and his lawful king?
Perhaps, thou wilt object my holy oath :
To keep that oath, were more impiety

Than Jepthah's, when he sacrific'd his daughter,
I am so sorry for my trespass made,

That, to deserve well at my brother's hands,
I here proclaim myself thy mortal foe;
With resolution, wheresoe'er I meet thee,
(As I will meet thee, if thou stir abroad,)
To plague thee for thy foul misleading me.
And so, proud-hearted Warwick, I defy thee,
And to my brother turn my blushing cheeks.-
Pardon me, Edward, I will make amends ;-
And, Richard, do not frown upon my faults,
For I will henceforth be no more unconstant.

K.Edw. Now, welcome more, and ten times more belov'd,

Than if thou never hadst deserv'd our hate.

Glo. Welcome, good Clarence; this is brother-like. War. O passing traitor, perjur'd, and unjust!

K.Edw. What, Warwick, wilt thou leave the town, and fight?

Or shall we beat the stones about thine ears?
War. Alas, I am not coop'd here for defence:

I will away towards Barnet presently,

And bid thee battle, Edward, if thou dar'st.

K.Edw. Yes, Warwick, Edward dares, and leads

the way :

Lords, to the field; Saint George and victory!

SCENE II.

[March. Exeunt.

A Field of Battle near Barnet. Alarums and Excursions. Enter King EDWARD, bringing in WARWICK wounded.

K.Edw. So, lie thou there: die thou, and die our fear; For Warwick was a bug, that fear'd us all. 9—

Now, Montague, sit fast; I seek for thee,

That Warwick's bones may keep thine company. [Exit.
War. Ah, who is nigh? come to me, friend, or foe,
And tell me, who is victor, York, or Warwick?
Why ask I that? my mangled body shows,

My blood, my want of strength, my sick heart shows,
That I must yield my body to the earth,

[8] See the book of Judges, xi. 30.
[9] Bug is a bugbear, a terrifick bring.

STEEV.

JOHNS,

And, by my fall, the conquest to my foe.
'Thus yields the cedar to the axe's edge,

Whose arms gave shelter to the princely eagle, '
Under whose shade the ramping lion slept :

Whose top-branch over-peer'd Jove's spreading tree,
And kept low shrubs from winter's powerful wind.
These eyes that now are dimm'd with death's black veil,
Have been as piercing as the mid-day sun,

To search the secret treasons of the world:
The wrinkles in my brows, now fill'd with blood,
Were liken'd oft to kingly sepulchres;

For who liv'd king, but I could dig his grave ?

And who durst smile, when Warwick bent his brow?
Lo, now my glory smear'd in dust and blood!
My parks, my walks, my manors that I had, 2
Even now forsake me; and, of all my lands,
Is nothing left me, but my body's length !

Why, what is pomp, rule, reign, but earth and dust?
And, live we how we can, yet die we must.

Enter OXFORD and SOMERSET.

Som. Ah, Warwick, Warwick wert thou as we are, We might recover all our loss again!

The queen from France hath brought a puissant power;
Even now we heard the news: Ah, couldst thou fly !
War. Why, then I would not fly.—Ah, Montague,
If thou be there, sweet brother, take my hand,
And with thy lips keep in my soul awhile!
Thou lov'st me not; for, brother, if thou didst,
Thy tears would wash this cold congealed blood,
That glews my lips, and will not let me speak.
Come quickly, Montague, or I am dead.

Som. Ah, Warwick, Montague hath breath'd his last;
And to the latest gasp, cry'd out for Warwick,
And said-Commend me to my valiant brother.
And more he would have said; and more he spoke,
Which sounded like a cannon in a vault,

That might not be distinguish'd; but, at last,

I well might hear deliver'd with a groan,

[1] It has been observed to me, that the 31st chapter of the prophet Ezekiel suggested these images to Shakspeare! "All the fowls of heaven made their nests in his boughs, and under his branches did all the beasts of the field bring forth their young." STEEV.

[2]

Cedes coemptis saltibus, et domo,
Villaque. Hor.

This mention of his parks and manors diminishes the pathetick effect of the foregoing lines. JOHNS.