SCENE IV. Plains near Teaksbury.
March. Enter QUEEN MARGARET, PRINCE EDWARD, SOMERSET, OXFORD, and soldiers
QUEEN MARGARET
Great lords, wise men ne'er sit and wail their loss,
But cheerly seek how to redress their harms.
What though the mast be now blown overboard,
And half our sailors swallow'd in the flood?
Yet lives our pilot still. Is't meet that he
With tearful eyes add water to the sea
And give more strength to that which hath too much,
Whiles, in his moan, the ship splits on the rock,
Which industry and courage might have saved?
And Montague our topmost; what of him?
Our slaughter'd friends the tackles; what of these?
And Somerset another goodly mast?
The friends of France our shrouds and tacklings?
And, though unskilful, why not Ned and I
From shelves and rocks that threaten us with wreck.
As good to chide the waves as speak them fair.
And what is Edward but ruthless sea?
What Clarence but a quicksand of deceit?
And Richard but a ragged fatal rock?
All these the enemies to our poor bark.
Say you can swim; alas, 'tis but a while!
Tread on the sand; why, there you quickly sink:
Bestride the rock; the tide will wash you off,
Or else you famish; that's a threefold death.
This speak I, lords, to let you understand,
If case some one of you would fly from us,
That there's no hoped-for mercy with the brothers
More than with ruthless waves, with sands and rocks.
Why, courage then! what cannot be avoided
'Twere childish weakness to lament or fear.
PRINCE EDWARD
Methinks a woman of this valiant spirit
Should, if a coward heard her speak these words,
I speak not this as doubting any here
He should have leave to go away betimes,
Lest in our need he might infect another
And make him of like spirit to himself.
OXFORD
Doth live again in thee: long mayst thou live
SOMERSET
And he that will not fight for such a hope.
If he arise, be mock'd and wonder'd at.
QUEEN MARGARET
PRINCE EDWARD
And take his thanks that yet hath nothing else.
Enter a Messenger
Messenger
Prepare you, lords, for Edward is at hand.
Ready to fight; therefore be resolute.
OXFORD
SOMERSET
But he's deceived; we are in readiness.
QUEEN MARGARET
This cheers my heart, to see your forwardness.
OXFORD
Flourish and march. Enter KING EDWARD IV, GLOUCESTER, CLARENCE, and soldiers
KING EDWARD IV
Which, by the heavens' assistance and your strength,
Must by the roots be hewn up yet ere night.
I need not add more fuel to your fire,
Give signal to the fight, and to it, lords!
QUEEN MARGARET
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,
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.
Alarum. Retreat. Excursions. Exeunt
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