Henry VI, Part 3: Act 5, Scene 5

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    Another part of the field.

    Scene Summary

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    The Battle of Tewkesbury. The Yorkists win. Prince Edward — Henry VI's son and the legitimate heir of Lancaster — is captured. He defies Edward IV and his brothers to their faces. They stab him. Margaret, prevented from killing herself, is taken prisoner. Richard leaves separately, heading for London.

    Flourish. Enter KING EDWARD IV, GLOUCESTER, CLARENCE, and soldiers; with QUEEN MARGARET, OXFORD, and SOMERSET, prisoners
    KING EDWARD IV
    Now here a period of tumultuous broils.
    Away with Oxford to Hames Castle straight:
    For Somerset, off with his guilty head.
    Go, bear them hence; I will not hear them speak.
    OXFORD
    For my part, I'll not trouble thee with words.
    SOMERSET
    Nor I, but stoop with patience to my fortune.
    Exeunt Oxford and Somerset, guarded
    QUEEN MARGARET
    So part we sadly in this troublous world,
    To meet with joy in sweet Jerusalem.
    KING EDWARD IV
    Is proclamation made, that who finds Edward
    Shall have a high reward, and he his life?
    GLOUCESTER
    It is: and lo, where youthful Edward comes!
    Enter soldiers, with PRINCE EDWARD
    KING EDWARD IV
    Bring forth the gallant, let us hear him speak.
    What! can so young a thorn begin to prick?
    Edward, what satisfaction canst thou make
    For bearing arms, for stirring up my subjects,
    And all the trouble thou hast turn'd me to?
    PRINCE EDWARD
    Speak like a subject, proud ambitious York!
    Suppose that I am now my father's mouth;
    Resign thy chair, and where I stand kneel thou,
    Whilst I propose the selfsame words to thee,
    Which traitor, thou wouldst have me answer to.
    QUEEN MARGARET
    Ah, that thy father had been so resolved!
    GLOUCESTER
    That you might still have worn the petticoat,
    And ne'er have stol'n the breech from Lancaster.
    PRINCE EDWARD
    Let AEsop fable in a winter's night;
    His currish riddles sort not with this place.
    GLOUCESTER
    By heaven, brat, I'll plague ye for that word.
    QUEEN MARGARET
    Ay, thou wast born to be a plague to men.
    GLOUCESTER
    For God's sake, take away this captive scold.
    PRINCE EDWARD
    Nay, take away this scolding crookback rather.
    KING EDWARD IV
    Peace, wilful boy, or I will charm your tongue.
    CLARENCE
    Untutor'd lad, thou art too malapert.
    PRINCE EDWARD
    I know my duty; you are all undutiful:
    Lascivious Edward, and thou perjured George,
    And thou mis-shapen Dick, I tell ye all
    I am your better, traitors as ye are:
    And thou usurp'st my father's right and mine.
    KING EDWARD IV
    Take that, thou likeness of this railer here.
    Stabs him
    GLOUCESTER
    Sprawl'st thou? take that, to end thy agony.
    Stabs him
    CLARENCE
    And there's for twitting me with perjury.
    Stabs him
    QUEEN MARGARET
    O, kill me too!
    GLOUCESTER
    Marry, and shall.
    Offers to kill her
    KING EDWARD IV
    Hold, Richard, hold; for we have done too much.
    GLOUCESTER
    Why should she live, to fill the world with words?
    KING EDWARD IV
    What, doth she swoon? use means for her recovery.
    GLOUCESTER
    Clarence, excuse me to the king my brother;
    I'll hence to London on a serious matter:
    Ere ye come there, be sure to hear some news.
    CLARENCE
    What? what?
    GLOUCESTER
    The Tower, the Tower.
    Exit
    QUEEN MARGARET
    O Ned, sweet Ned! speak to thy mother, boy!
    Canst thou not speak? O traitors! murderers!
    They that stabb'd Caesar shed no blood at all,
    Did not offend, nor were not worthy blame,
    If this foul deed were by to equal it:
    He was a man; this, in respect, a child:
    And men ne'er spend their fury on a child.
    What's worse than murderer, that I may name it?
    No, no, my heart will burst, and if I speak:
    And I will speak, that so my heart may burst.
    Butchers and villains! bloody cannibals!
    How sweet a plant have you untimely cropp'd!
    You have no children, butchers! if you had,
    The thought of them would have stirr'd up remorse:
    But if you ever chance to have a child,
    Look in his youth to have him so cut off
    As, deathmen, you have rid this sweet young prince!
    KING EDWARD IV
    Away with her; go, bear her hence perforce.
    QUEEN MARGARET
    Nay, never bear me hence, dispatch me here,
    Here sheathe thy sword, I'll pardon thee my death:
    What, wilt thou not? then, Clarence, do it thou.
    CLARENCE
    By heaven, I will not do thee so much ease.
    QUEEN MARGARET
    Good Clarence, do; sweet Clarence, do thou do it.
    CLARENCE
    Didst thou not hear me swear I would not do it?
    QUEEN MARGARET
    Ay, but thou usest to forswear thyself:
    'Twas sin before, but now 'tis charity.
    What, wilt thou not? Where is that devil's butcher,
    Hard-favour'd Richard? Richard, where art thou?
    Thou art not here: murder is thy alms-deed;
    Petitioners for blood thou ne'er put'st back.
    KING EDWARD IV
    Away, I say; I charge ye, bear her hence.
    QUEEN MARGARET
    So come to you and yours, as to this Prince!
    Exit, led out forcibly
    KING EDWARD IV
    Where's Richard gone?
    CLARENCE
    To London, all in post; and, as I guess,
    To make a bloody supper in the Tower.
    KING EDWARD IV
    He's sudden, if a thing comes in his head.
    Now march we hence: discharge the common sort
    With pay and thanks, and let's away to London
    And see our gentle queen how well she fares:
    By this, I hope, she hath a son for me.
    Exeunt