The Works of William Shakespeare [Cambridge Edition] [Vol. 5 of 9] · William Shakespeare
SCENE XX.
Alarmes, and then enter _Warwike_ wounded. _War._ Ah, who is nie? Come to me friend or foe, And tell me who is victor _Yorke_ or _Warwike_? Why aske I that? my mangled bodie shewes, That I must yeeld my bodie to the earth. And by my fall the conquest to my foes, ·eat005· Thus yeelds the Cedar to the axes edge, Whose armes gaue shelter to the princelie Eagle, Vnder whose shade the ramping Lion slept, [eat008] Whose top branch ouerpeerd Ioues spreading tree. The wrinkles in my browes now fild with bloud, ·eat010· Were likened oft to kinglie sepulchers. For who liu’d king, but _I_ could dig his graue? And who durst smile, when _Warwike_ bent his brow? Lo now my glorie smeerd in dust and bloud, My parkes, my walkes, my mannors that _I_ had, [eat015] Euen now forsake me, and of all my lands, Is nothing left me but my bodies length. Enter _Oxford_ and _Summerset._ _Oxf._ Ah _Warwike_, _Warwike_, cheere vp thy selfe and liue, For yet thears hope enough to win the daie. [eat019] Our warlike _Queene_ with troopes is come from _France_, ·eat020· And at _South-hampton_ landed all hir traine, [eat021] And mightst thou liue, then would we neuer flie. [eat022] _War._ Whie then I would not flie, nor haue I now, But _Hercules_ himselfe must yeeld to ods, For manie wounds receiu’d, and manie moe repaid, [eat025] Hath robd my strong knit sinews of their strength, And spite of spites needes must I yeeld to death.
_Som._ Thy brother _Montague_ hath breathd his last, And at the pangs of death I heard him crie And saie, commend me to my valiant brother, ·eat030· And more he would haue spoke and more he said, [eat031] Which sounded like a clamor in a vault, [eat032] That could not be distinguisht for the sound, And so the valiant _Montague_ gave vp the ghost. _War._ What is pompe, rule, raigne, but earth and dust? And liue we how we can, yet die we must. Sweet rest his soule, flie Lords and saue your selues, For _Warwike_ bids you all farewell to meet in Heauen. He dies. _Oxf_ Come noble _Summerset_, lets take our horse, [eat039] And cause retrait be sounded through the campe, [eat040] That all our friends that yet remaine aliue, Maie be awarn’d and saue themselues by flight. [eat042] That done, with them weele post vnto the _Queene_, And once more trie our fortune in the field. _Ex. ambo._ [eat044] Enter _Edward_, _Clarence_, _Gloster_, with souldiers. _Edw._ Thus still our fortune giues vs victorie, ·eat045· And girts our temples with triumphant ioies, [eat046] The bigboond traytor _Warwike_ hath breathde his last, [eat047] And heauen this daie hath smilde vpon vs all, [eat048] But in this cleere and brightsome daie, _I_ see a blacke suspitious cloud appeare ·eat050· That will encounter with our glorious sunne Before he gaine his easefull westerne beames, I mean those powers which the _Queen_ hath got in _Frāce_ [eat053] Are landed, and meane once more to menace vs.
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