Henry VI, Pt. 3
Act V, Scene 3
Another part of the battlefield near Barnet.
Battle of Barnet
Late 15th century
- Flourish. Enter King Edward in triumph, with Richard of
- Gloucester, Clarence, and the rest.
King Edward
1 - 9- Thus far our fortune keeps an upward course,
- And we are grac’d with wreaths of victory.
- But in the midst of this bright-shining day,
- I spy a black, suspicious, threat’ning cloud,
- That will encounter with our glorious sun,
- Ere he attain his easeful western bed:
- I mean, my lords, those powers that the Queen
- Hath rais’d in Gallia have arriv’d our coast,
- And as we hear, march on to fight with us.
Duke of Clarence
10 - 13- A little gale will soon disperse that cloud,
- And blow it to the source from whence it came;
- Thy very beams will dry those vapors up,
- For every cloud engenders not a storm.
Duke of Gloucester
14 - 17- The Queen is valued thirty thousand strong,
- And Somerset, with Oxford, fled to her;
- If she have time to breathe, be well assur’d
- Her faction will be full as strong as ours.
King Edward
18 - 24- We are advertis’d by our loving friends
- That they do hold their course toward Tewksbury.
- We, having now the best at Barnet field,
- Will thither straight, for willingness rids way,
- And as we march, our strength will be augmented
- In every county as we go along.
- Strike up the drum, cry “Courage!” and away.
- Exeunt.