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Henry VI, Pt. 2: Act V, Scene 2

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Henry VI, Pt. 2
Act V, Scene 2

Battlefield at Saint Albans.

Medea's Murder of Absyrtus

Into as many gobbets will I cut it
As wild Medea young Absyrtus did

Medea's Murder of Absyrtus

Martin Didier Pape, circa 1590

  1. Alarums to the battle. Enter Warwick.

Earl of Warwick

1 - 8
  1. Clifford of Cumberland, ’tis Warwick calls!
  2. And if thou dost not hide thee from the bear,
  3. Now when the angry trumpet sounds alarum,
  4. And dead men’s cries do fill the empty air,
  5. Clifford, I say, come forth and fight with me.
  6. Proud northern lord, Clifford of Cumberland,
  7. Warwick is hoarse with calling thee to arms.
  8. Enter York.
  9. How now, my noble lord? What, all afoot?

Duke of York

9 - 12
  1. The deadly-handed Clifford slew my steed;
  2. But match to match I have encount’red him,
  3. And made a prey for carrion kites and crows
  4. Even of the bonny beast he lov’d so well.
  1. Enter old Clifford.

Earl of Warwick

13
  1. Of one or both of us the time is come.

Duke of York

14 - 15
  1. Hold, Warwick; seek thee out some other chase,
  2. For I myself must hunt this deer to death.

Earl of Warwick

16 - 18
  1. Then nobly, York, ’tis for a crown thou fight’st.
  2. As I intend, Clifford, to thrive today,
  3. It grieves my soul to leave thee unassail’d.
  1. Exit Warwick.

Lord Clifford

19
  1. What seest thou in me, York? Why dost thou pause?

Duke of York

20 - 21
  1. With thy brave bearing should I be in love,
  2. But that thou art so fast mine enemy.

Lord Clifford

22 - 23
  1. Nor should thy prowess want praise and esteem,
  2. But that ’tis shown ignobly and in treason.

Duke of York

24 - 25
  1. So let it help me now against thy sword,
  2. As I in justice and true right express it.

Lord Clifford

26
  1. My soul and body on the action both!

Duke of York

27
  1. A dreadful lay! Address thee instantly.
  1. They fight, and Clifford falls.

Lord Clifford

28
  1. La fin couronne les oeuvres.
  1. Dies.

Duke of York

29 - 30
  1. Thus war hath given thee peace, for thou art still.
  2. Peace with his soul, heaven, if it be thy will!
  1. Exit.
  1. Enter Young Clifford.

Young Clifford

31 - 66
  1. Shame and confusion! All is on the rout,
  2. Fear frames disorder, and disorder wounds
  3. Where it should guard. O war, thou son of hell,
  4. Whom angry heavens do make their minister,
  5. Throw in the frozen bosoms of our part
  6. Hot coals of vengeance! Let no soldier fly.
  7. He that is truly dedicate to war
  8. Hath no self-love; nor he that loves himself
  9. Hath not essentially but by circumstance
  10. The name of valor.
  11. Sees his dead father.
  12. O, let the vile world end,
  13. And the premised flames of the last day
  14. Knit earth and heaven together!
  15. Now let the general trumpet blow his blast,
  16. Particularities and petty sounds
  17. To cease! Wast thou ordain’d, dear father,
  18. To lose thy youth in peace, and to achieve
  19. The silver livery of advised age,
  20. And in thy reverence, and thy chair-days, thus
  21. To die in ruffian battle? Even at this sight
  22. My heart is turn’d to stone; and while ’tis mine,
  23. It shall be stony. York not our old men spares;
  24. No more will I their babes. Tears virginal
  25. Shall be to me even as the dew to fire,
  26. And beauty, that the tyrant oft reclaims,
  27. Shall to my flaming wrath be oil and flax.
  28. Henceforth I will not have to do with pity.
  29. Meet I an infant of the house of York,
  30. Into as many gobbets will I cut it
  31. As wild Medea young Absyrtus did;
  32. In cruelty will I seek out my fame.
  33. He takes him up on his back.
  34. Come, thou new ruin of old Clifford’s house:
  35. As did Aeneas old Anchises bear,
  36. So bear I thee upon my manly shoulders;
  37. But then Aeneas bare a living load—
  38. Nothing so heavy as these woes of mine.
  1. Exit bearing off his father.
  1. Enter Richard and Somerset to fight.
  1. Somerset is killed under the sign of the Castle Inn.

Richard Plantagenet

67 - 72
  1. So lie thou there;
  2. For underneath an alehouse’ paltry sign,
  3. The Castle in Saint Albans, Somerset
  4. Hath made the wizard famous in his death.
  5. Sword, hold thy temper; heart, be wrathful still:
  6. Priests pray for enemies, but princes kill.
  1. Exit.
  1. Fight.
  1. Excursions. Enter King, Queen, and others.

Queen Margaret

73
  1. Away, my lord! You are slow, for shame, away!

King Henry the Sixth

74
  1. Can we outrun the heavens? Good Margaret, stay.

Queen Margaret

75 - 84
  1. What are you made of? You’ll nor fight nor fly.
  2. Now is it manhood, wisdom, and defense
  3. To give the enemy way, and to secure us
  4. By what we can, which can no more but fly.
  5. Alarum afar off.
  6. If you be ta’en, we then should see the bottom
  7. Of all our fortunes; but if we haply scape
  8. (As well we may, if not through your neglect),
  9. We shall to London get, where you are lov’d,
  10. And where this breach now in our fortunes made
  11. May readily be stopp’d.
  1. Enter Young Clifford.

Young Clifford

85 - 91
  1. But that my heart’s on future mischief set,
  2. I would speak blasphemy ere bid you fly.
  3. But fly you must. Uncurable discomfit
  4. Reigns in the hearts of all our present parts.
  5. Away, for your relief! And we will live
  6. To see their day, and them our fortune give.
  7. Away, my lord, away!
  1. Exeunt.
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