Queen. Thanks, gentle Somerfet; fweet Oxford, thanks. Prince. And take his thanks, that yet hath nothing else. Enter a Messenger. Me. Prepare you, Lords, for Edward is at hand, Ready to fight; therefore be resolute. Oxf. I thought no lefs; it is his policy, Som. But he's deceiv'd; we are in readinefs. SCENE VI March. Enter King Edward, Gloucefter, Clarence, and Soldiers, on the other fide of the stage. *K. Edw. Brave followers, yonder stands the thorny wood, Which, by the heav'n's affiftance and your ftrength, Muft by the roots be hewn up yet ere night. I need not add more fuel to your fire, For, well I wot, ye blaze to burn them out. Queen. Lords, Knights, and Gentlemen, what I fhould fay, My tears gainfay, for every word I speak, Therefore no more but this: Henry, your Sov'reign, Is pris'ner to the foe, his State ufurp'd, His Realm a flaughter-houfe, his Subjects flain, K. Edw. Brave followers, &c.] This fcene is ill contrived, in which the king and queen appear at once on the flage at the head of oppofite armies. It had been easy to make one retire before the other en tered. P 4 Alarm, Alarm. Retreat. Excurfions. Both Parties go out, Re Enter King Edward, Gloucefter, Clarence, &c. The Queen, Oxford, and Somerfet, Prisoners. K. Edw. Now here's a period of tumultuous broils. Away with Oxford to Hammes-caftle straight; For Somerfet, off with his guilty head. -Go, bear them hence; I will not hear them speak. Oxf. For my part, I'll not trouble thee with words. Som. Nor I, but ftoop with patience to my fortune. [Exeunt. Queen. So part we fadly in this troublous world, To meet with joy in fweet Jerufalem. K. Edw. Is Proclamation made that who finds Edward, Shall have a high reward, and he his life? Glo. It is, and lo where youthful Edward comes. Enter the Prince of Wales. K. Edw. Bring forth the Gallant, let us hear him fpeak. -What can fo young a thorn begin to prick? Prince. Speak like a Subject, proud ambitious York, Let Elop, &c.] The prince calls Richard, for his crookednefs, fop; and the poet, fol lowing nature, makes Richard highly incenfed at the reproach. His His currifh riddles fort not with this place. Glo. By heav'n, Brat, I'll plague ye for that word. Cla. Untutor'd lad, thou art too malapert. [Stabs him. K. Edw. And take thou that, to end thy agony. [Edw. ftabs him, Cla. And there's for twitting me with perjury. Queen. Oh, kill me too! Glo. Marry, and shall—— [Clar. ftabs him. [Offers to kill her. K. Edw. Hold, Richard, hold; for we have done too much. Glo. Why fhould the live, to fill the world with words? K. Edw. What? doth fhe fwoon? ufe means for her recov❜ry. Glo. Clarence, excufe me to the King my brother; I'll hence to London on a ferious matter. Ere ye come there, be fure to hear fome news. Cla. What? what? Glo. The Tower, man, the Tower!- I'll root 'em out. [Exit. Queen. Oh Ned! fweet Ned! fpeak to thy mother, Boy. Canft thou not fpeak? O traitors, murderers! -thou likeness of this railr here.] Thou that refembleft thy failing mother, Did not offend, and were not worthy blame, How fweet a plant have you untimely cropt! Look in his youth to have him fo cut off; As, Deathfmen!* you have rid this fweet young Prince. K. Edw. Away with her, go bear her hence by force. Queen. Nay, never bear me hence, dispatch me here, Here fheath thy fword, I'll pardon thee my death. What, wilt thou not? Then, Clarence, do it thou. Cla. By heav'n, I will not do thee fo much eafe. Queen. Good Clarence, do; fweet Clarence, do thou do it. Cla. Didit thou not hear me fwear I would not do it? Queen, Ay, but thou ufeft to forfwear thyself. 'Twas fin before, but now 'tis charity. What, wilt thou not? 7 where is that Devil's butcher, Richard? hard-favour'd Richard, where art thou? Thou art not here; Murder is thy Alms-deed, Petitioner for blood thou ne'er put'ft back. - you have rid this feet young Prince.] The condition of this warlike queen would move compaffion could it be forgotten that he gave York, to wipe his eyes in his captivity, a handkerchief ttained with his young child's blood. 'Twas fin.] She alludes to the defertion of Clarence. 7 Where is that Devil's Butcher, Richard?] Thus all the Editions. But Devil's Butcher, in other Terms, I think, is Kill-devil: rare News for the Free-Thinkers, if there were any Grounds for depending on it. But the Poet certainly wrote devil-Butcher; and the firft Part of the Compound is to be taken adjectively, meaning, execrable, infernal, devilish. THEOBALD. Devil's butcher is a butcher fet on by the devil. Either reading may ferve, without fo long a note. K. Edw. K. Edw. Away,, I fay; I charge ye, bear her hence. Queen. So come to you and yours, as to this Prince.. [Exit Queen. K. Edw. Where's Richard gone ? Cla. To London all in poft; and, as I guess, To make a bloody fupper in the Tower. K. Edw. He's fudden, if a thing comes in his head. Now march we hence, difcharge the common fort SCENE VII.. Changes to the Tower of London. [Exeunt Enter King Henry with a book, and Gloucefter, with the Lieutenant on the Tower Walls. Glo. OOD day, my Lord; what at your book fo hard? K. Henry. Ay, my good Lord; my Lord, I should fay rather; 'Tis fin to flatter, good was little better; [Exit Lieutenant, K. Henry, So flies the reckless fhepherd from the wolf. So firft the harmless flock doth yield his fleece, And next his throat unto the butcher's knife. 8 What fcene of death bath ROSCIUS now to act] Rofcius was certainly put for Richard by fome fimple conceitcd player, who had heard of Rofcius and of Rome; but did not know that he was an Actor in Comedy, not in Tragedy. WARBURTON. Gle |