Act V, Scene 2

Saint Alban’s.

[Alarums to the battle. Enter WARWICK]

• Earl of Warwick. Clifford of Cumberland, 'tis Warwick calls:
  And if thou dost not hide thee from the bear, 3210
  Now, when the angry trumpet sounds alarum
  And dead men's cries do fill the empty air,
  Clifford, I say, come forth and fight with me:
  Proud northern lord, Clifford of Cumberland,
  Warwick is hoarse with calling thee to arms. 3215
  [Enter YORK]
  How now, my noble lord? what, all afoot?

• Richard Plantagenet (Duke of Gloucester). The deadly-handed Clifford slew my steed,
  But match to match I have encounter'd him
  And made a prey for carrion kites and crows 3220
  Even of the bonny beast he loved so well.

[Enter CLIFFORD]

• Earl of Warwick. Of one or both of us the time is come.

• Richard Plantagenet (Duke of Gloucester). Hold, Warwick, seek thee out some other chase,
  For I myself must hunt this deer to death. 3225

• Earl of Warwick. Then, nobly, York; 'tis for a crown thou fight'st.
  As I intend, Clifford, to thrive to-day,
  It grieves my soul to leave thee unassail'd.

[Exit]

• Lord Clifford. What seest thou in me, York? why dost thou pause? 3230

• Richard Plantagenet (Duke of Gloucester). With thy brave bearing should I be in love,
  But that thou art so fast mine enemy.

• Lord Clifford. Nor should thy prowess want praise and esteem,
  But that 'tis shown ignobly and in treason.

• Richard Plantagenet (Duke of Gloucester). So let it help me now against thy sword 3235
  As I in justice and true right express it.

• Lord Clifford. My soul and body on the action both!

• Richard Plantagenet (Duke of Gloucester). A dreadful lay! Address thee instantly.

[They fight, and CLIFFORD falls]

• Lord Clifford. La fin couronne les oeuvres. 3240

[Dies]

• Richard Plantagenet (Duke of Gloucester). Thus war hath given thee peace, for thou art still.
  Peace with his soul, heaven, if it be thy will!

[Exit]

[Enter YOUNG CLIFFORD]

• Young Clifford. Shame and confusion! all is on the rout;
  Fear frames disorder, and disorder wounds
  Where it should guard. O war, thou son of hell,
  Whom angry heavens do make their minister
  Throw in the frozen bosoms of our part 3250
  Hot coals of vengeance! Let no soldier fly.
  He that is truly dedicate to war
  Hath no self-love, nor he that loves himself
  Hath not essentially but by circumstance
  The name of valour. 3255
  [Seeing his dead father]
  O, let the vile world end,
  And the premised flames of the last day
  Knit earth and heaven together!
  Now let the general trumpet blow his blast, 3260
  Particularities and petty sounds
  To cease! Wast thou ordain'd, dear father,
  To lose thy youth in peace, and to achieve
  The silver livery of advised age,
  And, in thy reverence and thy chair-days, thus 3265
  To die in ruffian battle? Even at this sight
  My heart is turn'd to stone: and while 'tis mine,
  It shall be stony. York not our old men spares;
  No more will I their babes: tears virginal
  Shall be to me even as the dew to fire, 3270
  And beauty that the tyrant oft reclaims
  Shall to my flaming wrath be oil and flax.
  Henceforth I will not have to do with pity:
  Meet I an infant of the house of York,
  Into as many gobbets will I cut it 3275
  As wild Medea young Absyrtus did:
  In cruelty will I seek out my fame.
  Come, thou new ruin of old Clifford's house:
  As did AEneas old Anchises bear,
  So bear I thee upon my manly shoulders; 3280
  But then AEneas bare a living load,
  Nothing so heavy as these woes of mine.
  [Exit, bearing off his father]
  [Enter RICHARD and SOMERSET to fight. SOMERSET]
  is killed] 3285

• Richard Plantagenet the Younger. So, lie thou there;
  For underneath an alehouse' paltry sign,
  The Castle in Saint Alban's, Somerset
  Hath made the wizard famous in his death.
  Sword, hold thy temper; heart, be wrathful still: 3290
  Priests pray for enemies, but princes kill.
  [Exit]
  [Fight: excursions. Enter KING HENRY VI, QUEEN]
  MARGARET, and others]

• Queen Margaret. Away, my lord! you are slow; for shame, away! 3295

• Henry VI. Can we outrun the heavens? good Margaret, stay.

• Queen Margaret. What are you made of? you'll nor fight nor fly:
  Now is it manhood, wisdom and defence,
  To give the enemy way, and to secure us
  By what we can, which can no more but fly. 3300
  [Alarum afar off]
  If you be ta'en, we then should see the bottom
  Of all our fortunes: but if we haply scape,
  As well we may, if not through your neglect,
  We shall to London get, where you are loved 3305
  And where this breach now in our fortunes made
  May readily be stopp'd.

[Re-enter YOUNG CLIFFORD]

• Young Clifford. But that my heart's on future mischief set,
  I would speak blasphemy ere bid you fly: 3310
  But fly you must; uncurable discomfit
  Reigns in the hearts of all our present parts.
  Away, for your relief! and we will live
  To see their day and them our fortune give:
  Away, my lord, away! 3315

[Exeunt]