SCENE V. Another part of the field.
Flourish. Enter KING EDWARD IV, GLOUCESTER, CLARENCE, and soldiers; with QUEEN MARGARET, OXFORD, and SOMERSET, prisoners
KING EDWARD IV
Now here a period of tumultuous broils.
For Somerset, off with his guilty head.
OXFORD
For my part, I'll not trouble thee with words.
SOMERSET
Nor I, but stoop with patience to my fortune.
Exeunt Oxford and Somerset, guarded
QUEEN MARGARET
To meet with joy in sweet Jerusalem.
KING EDWARD IV
Is proclamation made, that who finds Edward
GLOUCESTER
It is: and lo, where youthful Edward comes!
Enter soldiers, with PRINCE EDWARD
KING EDWARD IV
Bring forth the gallant, let us hear him speak.
Edward, what satisfaction canst thou make
For bearing arms, for stirring up my subjects,
PRINCE EDWARD
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,
QUEEN MARGARET
Ah, that thy father had been so resolved!
GLOUCESTER
That you might still have worn the petticoat,
And ne'er have stol'n the breech from Lancaster.
PRINCE EDWARD
Let AEsop fable in a winter's night;
GLOUCESTER
By heaven, brat, I'll plague ye for that word.
QUEEN MARGARET
Ay, thou wast born to be a plague to men.
GLOUCESTER
For God's sake, take away this captive scold.
PRINCE EDWARD
Nay, take away this scolding crookback rather.
KING EDWARD IV
Peace, wilful boy, or I will charm your tongue.
CLARENCE
Untutor'd lad, thou art too malapert.
PRINCE EDWARD
I know my duty; you are all undutiful:
Lascivious Edward, and thou perjured George,
And thou mis-shapen Dick, I tell ye all
I am your better, traitors as ye are:
And thou usurp'st my father's right and mine.
KING EDWARD IV
Take that, thou likeness of this railer here.
Stabs him
GLOUCESTER
Sprawl'st thou? take that, to end thy agony.
Stabs him
CLARENCE
And there's for twitting me with perjury.
Stabs him
QUEEN MARGARET
O, kill me too!
GLOUCESTER
Marry, and shall.
Offers to kill her
KING EDWARD IV
Hold, Richard, hold; for we have done too much.
GLOUCESTER
Why should she live, to fill the world with words?
KING EDWARD IV
GLOUCESTER
Clarence, excuse me to the king my brother;
Ere ye come there, be sure to hear some news.
CLARENCE
What? what?
GLOUCESTER
The Tower, the Tower.
Exit
QUEEN MARGARET
O Ned, sweet Ned! speak to thy mother, boy!
Canst thou not speak? O traitors! murderers!
They that stabb'd Caesar shed no blood at all,
Did not offend, nor were not worthy blame,
If this foul deed were by to equal it:
And men ne'er spend their fury on a child.
What's worse than murderer, that I may name it?
Butchers and villains! bloody cannibals!
How sweet a plant have you untimely cropp'd!
You have no children, butchers! if you had,
But if you ever chance to have a child,
KING EDWARD IV
QUEEN MARGARET
Here sheathe thy sword, I'll pardon thee my death:
What, wilt thou not? then, Clarence, do it thou.
CLARENCE
By heaven, I will not do thee so much ease.
QUEEN MARGARET
Good Clarence, do; sweet Clarence, do thou do it.
CLARENCE
QUEEN MARGARET
Ay, but thou usest to forswear thyself:
'Twas sin before, but now 'tis charity.
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;
KING EDWARD IV
QUEEN MARGARET
So come to you and yours, as to this Prince!
Exit, led out forcibly
KING EDWARD IV
Where's Richard gone?
CLARENCE
To London, all in post; and, as I guess,
To make a bloody supper in the Tower.
KING EDWARD IV
By this, I hope, she hath a son for me.
Exeunt
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