The Third Part Of King Henry The Sixth

1 Flourish. Enter King Edward, Richard, George and Soldiers; with Queen
2 Margaret, Oxford and Somerset as prisoners.
3 KING EDWARD.
4 Now here a period of tumultuous broils.
5 Away with Oxford to Hames Castle straight.
6 For Somerset, off with his guilty head.
7 Go, bear them hence; I will not hear them speak.
8 OXFORD.
9 For my part, I’ll not trouble thee with words.
10 SOMERSET.
11 Nor I, but stoop with patience to my fortune.
12 [_Exeunt Oxford and Somerset, guarded._]
13 QUEEN MARGARET.
14 So part we sadly in this troublous world,
15 To meet with joy in sweet Jerusalem.
16 KING EDWARD.
17 Is proclamation made that who finds Edward
18 Shall have a high reward, and he his life?
19 RICHARD.
20 It is, and lo where youthful Edward comes.
21 Enter soldiers with Prince Edward.
22 KING EDWARD.
23 Bring forth the gallant; let us hear him speak.
24 What, can so young a man begin to prick?
25 Edward, what satisfaction canst thou make
26 For bearing arms, for stirring up my subjects,
27 And all the trouble thou hast turned me to?
28 PRINCE EDWARD.
29 Speak like a subject, proud, ambitious York.
30 Suppose that I am now my father’s mouth;
31 Resign thy chair, and where I stand kneel thou,
32 Whilst I propose the selfsame words to thee
33 Which, traitor, thou wouldst have me answer to.
34 QUEEN MARGARET.
35 Ah, thy father had been so resolved!
36 RICHARD.
37 That you might still have worn the petticoat
38 And ne’er have stol’n the breech from Lancaster.
39 PRINCE EDWARD.
40 Let Aesop fable in a winter’s night;
41 His currish riddle sorts not with this place.
42 RICHARD.
43 By heaven, brat, I’ll plague you for that word.
44 QUEEN MARGARET.
45 Ay, thou wast born to be a plague to men.
46 RICHARD.
47 For God’s sake, take away this captive scold.
48 PRINCE EDWARD.
49 Nay, take away this scolding crookback rather.
50 KING EDWARD.
51 Peace, wilful boy, or I will charm your tongue.
52 GEORGE.
53 Untutored lad, thou art too malapert.
54 PRINCE EDWARD.
55 I know my duty; you are all undutiful.
56 Lascivious Edward, and thou perjured George,
57 And thou misshapen Dick, I tell ye all
58 I am your better, traitors as ye are,
59 And thou usurp’st my father’s right and mine.
60 KING EDWARD.
61 Take that, the likeness of this railer here.
62 [_Stabs him._]
63 RICHARD.
64 Sprawl’st thou? Take that to end thy agony.
65 [_Stabs him._]
66 GEORGE.
67 And there’s for twitting me with perjury.
68 [_Stabs him._]
69 QUEEN MARGARET.
70 O, kill me too!
71 RICHARD.
72 Marry, and shall.
73 [_Offers to kill her._]
74 KING EDWARD.
75 Hold, Richard, hold; for we have done too much.
76 RICHARD.
77 Why should she live to fill the world with words?
78 KING EDWARD.
79 What, doth she swoon? Use means for her recovery.
80 RICHARD.
81 Clarence, excuse me to the King my brother.
82 I’ll hence to London on a serious matter.
83 Ere ye come there, be sure to hear some news.
84 GEORGE.
85 What? What?
86 RICHARD.
87 The Tower, the Tower!
88 [_Exit._]
89 QUEEN MARGARET.
90 O Ned, sweet Ned, speak to thy mother, boy.
91 Canst thou not speak? O traitors, murderers!
92 They that stabbed Caesar shed no blood at all,
93 Did not offend, nor were not worthy blame,
94 If this foul deed were by to equal it.
95 He was a man; this, in respect, a child,
96 And men ne’er spend their fury on a child.
97 What’s worse than murderer, that I may name it?
98 No, no, my heart will burst an if I speak;
99 And I will speak, that so my heart may burst.
100 Butchers and villains, bloody cannibals!
101 How sweet a plant have you untimely cropped!
102 You have no children, butchers; if you had,
103 The thought of them would have stirred up remorse.
104 But if you ever chance to have a child,
105 Look in his youth to have him so cut off
106 As, deathsmen, you have rid this sweet young prince!
107 KING EDWARD.
108 Away with her; go bear her hence perforce.
109 QUEEN MARGARET.
110 Nay, never bear me hence, dispatch me here.
111 Here sheathe thy sword; I’ll pardon thee my death.
112 What, wilt thou not? Then, Clarence, do it thou.
113 GEORGE.
114 By heaven, I will not do thee so much ease.
115 QUEEN MARGARET.
116 Good Clarence, do; sweet Clarence, do thou do it.
117 GEORGE.
118 Didst thou not hear me swear I would not do it?
119 QUEEN MARGARET.
120 Ay, but thou usest to forswear thyself.
121 ’Twas sin before, but now ’tis charity.
122 What, wilt thou not? Where is that devil’s butcher, Richard,
123 Hard-favoured Richard? Richard, where art thou?
124 Thou art not here. Murder is thy alms-deed;
125 Petitioners for blood thou ne’er putt’st back.
126 KING EDWARD.
127 Away, I say! I charge ye, bear her hence.
128 QUEEN MARGARET.
129 So come to you and yours as to this prince!
130 [_She is taken out._]
131 KING EDWARD.
132 Where’s Richard gone?
133 GEORGE.
134 To London all in post, and, as I guess,
135 To make a bloody supper in the Tower.
136 KING EDWARD.
137 He’s sudden if a thing comes in his head.
138 Now march we hence. Discharge the common sort
139 With pay and thanks, and let’s away to London
140 And see our gentle Queen how well she fares.
141 By this, I hope, she hath a son for me.
142 [_Exeunt._]