SCENE III-Another part of the field. Flou-That there's no hop'd-for mercy with the brothers, rish. Enter King Edward, in triumph; with* More than with ruthless waves, with sands, and Clarence, Gloster, and the rest. rocks. 'K. Edw. Thus far our fortune keeps an upward course, * Why, courage, then! what cannot be avoided, * "Twere childish weakness to lament, or fear. * Prince. Methinks, a woman of this valiant spirit Should, if a coward heard her speak these words, * Infuse his breast with magnanimity, * And make him, naked, foil a man at arms. And we are grac'd with wreaths of victory. But, in the midst of this bright-shining day, 'I spy a black, suspicious, threat'ning cloud, 'That will encounter with our glorious sun, 'Ere he attain his easeful western bed: 'I mean, my lords, those powers, that the 'Hath rais'd in Gallia, have arriv'd our coast, 'And, as we hear, march on to fight with us. *Clar. A little gale will soon disperse that cloud, * And blow it to the source from whence it came : Thy very beams will dry those vapours up; *For every cloud engenders not a storm. Glo. The queen is valu'd thirty thousand strong, 'And Somerset, with Oxford, fled to her : 'If she have time to breathe, be well assur'd, Her faction will be full as strong as ours. K. Edw. We are advertis'd by our loving friends, That they do hold their course toward Tewksbury; "We having now the best at Barnet field, Will thither straight, for willingness rids way; [Exeunt. SCENE IV.-Plains near Tewksbury. March. Enter Queen Margaret, Prince Edward, Somerset, Oxford and soldiers. * Q. Mar. Great lords, wise men ne'er sit and wail their loss, But cheerly seek how to redress their harms. *Whiles, in his moan, the ship splits on the rock, 'He should have leave to go away betimes; And warriors faint! why, 'twere perpetual shame.- Go home to bed, and, like the owl by day, * Prince. And take his thanks, that yet hath nothing else. Enter a Messenger. Mess. Prepare you, lords, for Edward is at hand, 'Ready to fight; therefore be resolute. Orf. I thought no less it is his policy, Orf. Here pitch our battle, hence we will not March. Enter, at a distance, King Edward, Clarence, Gloster, and forces." 'K. Edw. Brave followers, yonder stands the thorny wood, 'Which, by the heavens' assistance, and your Must by the roots be hewn up yet ere night. "Why, is not Oxford here another anchor? -no, *From shelves and rocks that threaten us with *As good to chide the waves, as speak them fair. Say, you can swim; alas, 'tis but a while: (1) Know, Q. Mar. Lords, knights, and gentlemen, what I should say, My tears gainsay; for every word I speak, 'Ye see, I drink the water of mine eyes. "Therefore, no more but this :-Henry, your sovereign, Is prisoner to the foe; his state usurp'd, 'His realm a slaughter-house, his subjects slain, His statutes cancell'd, and his treasure spent ; 'And yonder is the wolf, that makes this spoil. "You fight in justice: then, in God's name, lords, 'Be valiant, and give signal to the fight, [Exeunt both armies. For Somerset, off with his guilty head. And men ne'er spend their fury on a child. Go, bear them hence; I will not hear them speak. What's worse than murder, that I may name it? Oxf. For my part, I'll not trouble thee with words. No, no; my heart will burst, an if I speak:'Som. Nor I, but stoop with patience to my for-* And I will speak, that so my heart may burst.tune. [Exeunt Oxf. and Som. guarded. 'Butchers and villains, bloody cannibals! Q. Mar. So part we sadly in this troublous world,* How sweet a plant have you untimely cropp'd! To meet with joy in sweet Jerusalem. 'You have no children, butchers! if you had, K. Edw. Is proclamation made,-that, who 'The thought of them would have stirr'd up re finds Edward, * Shall have a high reward, and he his life? * Glo. It is: and, lo,where youthful Edward comes. Enter Soldiers with Prince Edward. K. Edw. 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. 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 self-same words to thee, Which, traitor, thou wouldst have me answer to. morse: 'But, if you ever chance to have a child, Look in his youth to have him so cut off, 'As deathsmen! you have rid this sweet young prince! K. Edw. Away with her; go, bear her hence perforce. Q. Mar. Nay, never bear me hence, despatch me here; Here sheath thy sword, I'll pardon thee my death: Clar. Didst thou not hear me swear, I would Q. Mar. Ah, that thy father had been so resolv'd! Q. Mar. Ay, But thou usest to forswear thyself; coat, And ne'er have stol'n the breech from Lancaster. 'K. Edw. Peace, wilful boy, or I will charm? your tongue. Clar. Untutor'd lad, thou art too malapert. Prince. I know my duty, you are all undutiful: Lascivious Edward,-and thou perjur'd George,And thou misshapen Dick,-I tell ye all, I am your better, traitors as ye are ;* And thou usurp'st my father's right and mine. K. Edw. Take that, the likeness of this railer here. [Stabs him. * Glo. Sprawl'st thou? take that, to end thy agony. [Glo. stabs him. * Clar. And there's for twitting me with perjury. [Clar. stabs him. Q. Mar. O, kill me too! [Offers to kill her. hold, for we have Glo. Why should she live, to fill the world with words? 'K. Edw. What! doth she swoon? use means for her recovery. Glo. 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. Clar. What? what? 'Glo. The Tower, the Tower! [Exit. 'Q. Mar. O, Ned, sweet Ned! speak to thy mother, boy! "Canst thou not speak?-O raitors! murderers!They, that stabb'd Cæsar, 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; (1) The prince calls Richard, for his crookedness, Esop. (2) i. e. I will compel you to be as silent as if you were deprived of speech by enchantment. '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. 'K. Ed. Away, I say; I charge ye, bear her hence. Q. Mar. So come to you, and yours, as to this prince! [Exit, led out forcibly. K. Edio. Where's Richard gone? 'Clar. To London, all in post; and, as I guess, To make a bloody supper in the Tower. K. Edw. 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. SCENE VI.-London. A room in the Tower. King Henry is discovered sitting with a book in his hand, the Lieutenant attending. Enter Gloster. Glo. Good day, my lord! What, at your book so hard? K. Hen. Ay, my good lord: My lord, I should say rather; 'Tis sin to flatter, good was little better: Good Gloster, and good devil, were alike, And both preposterous; therefore, not good lord. * Glo. Sirrah, leave us to ourselves: we must confer. [Exit Lieutenant. *K. Hen. So flies the reckless shepherd from the wolf: So first the harmless sheep doth yield his fleece, And next his throat unto the butcher's knife.What scene of death hath Roscius now to act? Glo. Suspicion always haunts the guilty mind; The thief doth fear each bush an officer. 'K. Hen. The bird, that hath been limed in a bush, With trembling wings misdoubteth every bush, And I, the hapless male to one sweet bird, Have now the fatal object in my eye, (3) Dispute, contention. (4) She alludes to the desertion of Clarence. (5) Careless. (6) To misdoubt is to suspect danger, to fear, Where my poor young was lim'd, was caught and kill'd. 'Glo. Why, what a pcevish' fool was that of Crete, Let hell make crook'd my mind to answer it. I have no brother, I am like no brother: And this word-love, which greybeards call divine Be resident in men like one another, And not in me; I am myself alone.Clarence, beware; thou keep'st me from the light; But I will sort a pitchy day for thee: For I will buzz abroad such prophecies, boy,That Edward shall be fearful of his life; That taught his son the office of a fowl? And yet, for all his wings, the fool was drown'd. 'K. Hen. I, Dædalus; my poor boy, Icarus ; Thy father, Minos, that denied our course; The sun, that sear'd the wings of my sweet Thy brother Edward; and thyself, the sea, Whose envious gulf did swallow up his life. *Ah, kill me with thy weapon, not with words! 'My breast can better brook thy dagger's point, Than can my ears that tragic history.*But wherefore dost thou come? is't for my life? 'Glo. Think'st thou I am an executioner? K. Hen. A persecutor, I am sure, thou art; 'If murdering innocents be executing, "Why, then thou art an executioner." Glo. Thy son I kill'd for his presumption. K. Hen. Hadst thou been kill'd, when first thou didst presume, Thou hadst not liv'd to kill a son of mine. And thus I prophesy,-that many a thousand, 'Which now mistrust no parcel of my fear; And many an old man's sigh, and many a widow's, And many an orphan's water-standing eye,Men for their sons, wives for their husbands' fate, 'And orphans for their parents' timeless death,'Shall rue the hour that ever thou wast born. The owl shriek'd at thy birth, an evil sign; The night-crow cried, aboding luckless time; Dogs howl'd, and hideous tempests shook down trees; The raven rook'd' her on the chimney's top, Glo. I'll hear no more;-Die, prophet, in thy speech; [Stabs him. For this, amongst the rest, was I ordain'd. K. Hen. Ay, and for much more slaughter after this. O God! forgive my sins, and pardon thee! [Dies. Glo. What, will the aspiring blood of Lancaster Sink in the ground? I thought it would have mounted. See, how my sword weeps for the poor king's death! O, may such purple tears be always shed 'From those that wish the downfal of our house!'If any spark of life be yet remaining, Down, down to hell; and say-I sent thee thither. [Stabs him again. I, that have neither pity, love, nor fear.Indeed, 'tis true, that Henry told me of; For I have often heard my mother say, I came into the world with my legs forward: Had I not reason, think ye, to make haste, And seek their ruin that usurp'd our right? The midwife wonder'd; and the women cried, O, Jesus bless us, he is born with teeth! 'And so I was; which plainly signifiedThat I should snarl, and bite, and play the dog. 'Then, since the heavens have shap'd my body so, Childish. No part of what my fears presage, And then, to purge his fear, I'll be thy death. ace. King Edward is discovered sitting on his throne; Queen Elizabeth with the infant prince, Clarence, Gloster, Hastings, and others, near him. K. Edw. Once more we sit in England's royal throne, Re-purchas'd with the blood of enemies. That in their chains fetter'd the kingly lion, Glo. I'll blast his harvest, if your head were laid, back: And hither have they sent it for her ransom. And now what rests, but that we spend the time matter itself will defeat the artist. Of every author's works one will be the best, and one will be the worst. The colours are not equally pleasing, nor the attitudes equally graceful, in all the pictures of Titian or Reynolds. Dissimilitude of style and heterogeneousness of sentiment, may sufliciently show that a work does not really belong to the reputed author. But in these plays no such marks of spuriousness are found. The diction, the versification, and the figures, are Shakspeare's. These plays, considered without regard to characters and incidents, merely as narratives in verse, more accurately finished, than those of King John, are more happily conceived, and Richard II. or the tragic scenes of King Henry IV. and V. If we take these plays from Shak speare, to whom shall they be given? What au thor of that age had the same easiness of expres sion and fluency of numbers? The three parts of King Henry VI. are suspected, by Mr. Theobald, of being suppositious, and are declared, by Dr. Warburton, to be certainly not Shakspeare's. Mr. Theobald's suspicion arises from some obsolete words; but the phraseology is like the rest of our author's style, and single words, of which however I do not observe more than two, can conclude little. Of these three plays I think the second the best. Dr. Warburton gives no reason, but I suppose The truth is, that they have not sufficient variety him to judge upon deeper principles and more of action, for the incidents are too often of the same comprehensive views, and to draw his opinion from kind; yet many of the characters are well dis the general effect and spirit of the composition, criminated. King Henry, and his Queen, King which he thinks inferior to the other historical plays. Edward, the Duke of Gloucester, and the Earl of From mere inferiority nothing can be inferred; Warwick, are very strongly and distinctly painted in the productions of wit there will be inequality. Sometimes judgment will err, and sometimes the VOL. II. 2 A JOHNSON. LIFE AND DEATH OF KING RICHARD III. PERSONS REPRESENTED. Sons to the king. Brothers to the king. Henry, earl of Richmond, afterwards king Cardinal Bouchier, archbishop of Canterbury. Duke of Buckingham. Duke of Norfolk; Earl of Surrey, his son. Sir Thomas Vaughan. Sir Richard Ratcliff. ACT I. Sir William Catesby. Sir James Tyrrel. Elizabeth, queen of king Edward IV. Lady Anne, widow of Edward, prince of Wales, son to king Henry VI.; afterwards married to the Duke of Gloster. A young Daughter of Clarence. Lords and other attendants; two Gentlemen, a Pursuivant, Scrivener, Citizens, Murderers, Messengers, Ghosts, Soldiers, &c. Scene, England. And hate the idle pleasures of these days. Plots have I laid, inductions3 dangerous, SCENE I.-London. A street. Enter Gloster. By drunken prophecies, libels, and dreams, Gloster. Now is the winter of our discontent I, that am rudely stamp'd, and want love's majesty, To set my brother Clarence, and the king, Dive, thoughts, down to my soul! here Clarence comes. Enter Clarence, guarded, and Brakenbury. Brother, good day: What means this armed guard That waits upon your grace? Clar. His majesty, Tendering my person's safety, hath appointed This conduct to convey me to the Tower. Glo. Upon what cause? Clar. Because my name is-George. Glo. Alack, my lord, that fault is none of yours; He should, for that, commit your godfathers :O, belike, his majesty hath some intent, That you shall be new christen'd in the Tower. But what's the matter, Clarence? may I know? Clar. Yea, Richard, when I know; for I protest, As yet I do not: But, as I can learn, He hearkens after prophecies, and dreams; And from the cross-row plucks the letter G, And says-a wizard told him, that by G His issue disinherited should be; And, for my name of George begins with G, It follows in his thought, that I am he: These, as I learn, and such like toys* as these, Have mov'd his highness to commit me now. (3) Preparations for mischief. (4) Fancies. |