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Flourish. Enter KING EDWARD IV, GLOUCESTER, CLARENCE,
and soldiers; with QUEEN MARGARET, OXFORD, and
SOMERSET, prisoners -
Now here a period of tumultuous broils.
Away with Oxford to Hames Castle straight:
For Somerset, off with his guilty head.
Go, bear them hence; I will not hear them speak.
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For my part, I'll not trouble thee with words.
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Nor I, but stoop with patience to my fortune.
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Exeunt Oxford and Somerset, guarded
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So part we sadly in this troublous world,
To meet with joy in sweet Jerusalem.
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Is proclamation made, that who finds Edward
Shall have a high reward, and he his life?
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It is: and lo, where youthful Edward comes!
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Enter soldiers, with PRINCE EDWARD
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Bring forth the gallant, let us hear him speak.
What! can so young a thorn begin to prick?
Edward, what satisfaction canst thou make
For bearing arms, for stirring up my subjects,
And all the trouble thou hast turn'd me to?
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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,
Whilst I propose the selfsame words to thee,
Which traitor, thou wouldst have me answer to.
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Ah, that thy father had been so resolved!
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That you might still have worn the petticoat,
And ne'er have stol'n the breech from Lancaster.
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Let AEsop fable in a winter's night;
His currish riddles sort not with this place.
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By heaven, brat, I'll plague ye for that word.
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Ay, thou wast born to be a plague to men.
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For God's sake, take away this captive scold.
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Nay, take away this scolding crookback rather.
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Peace, wilful boy, or I will charm your tongue.
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Untutor'd lad, thou art too malapert.
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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.
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Take that, thou likeness of this railer here.
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Stabs him
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Sprawl'st thou? take that, to end thy agony.
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Stabs him
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And there's for twitting me with perjury.
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Stabs him
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O, kill me too!
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Marry, and shall.
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Offers to kill her
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Hold, Richard, hold; for we have done too much.
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Why should she live, to fill the world with words?
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What, doth she swoon? use means for her recovery.
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Clarence, excuse me to the king my brother;
I'll hence to London on a serious matter:
Ere ye come there, be sure to hear some news.
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What? what?
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The Tower, the Tower.
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Exit
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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:
He was a man; this, in respect, a child:
And men ne'er spend their fury on a child.
What's worse than murderer, that I may name it?
No, no, my heart will burst, and if I speak:
And I will speak, that so my heart may burst.
Butchers and villains! bloody cannibals!
How sweet a plant have you untimely cropp'd!
You have no children, butchers! if you had,
The thought of them would have stirr'd up remorse:
But if you ever chance to have a child,
Look in his youth to have him so cut off
As, deathmen, you have rid this sweet young prince!
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Away with her; go, bear her hence perforce.
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Nay, never bear me hence, dispatch me here,
Here sheathe thy sword, I'll pardon thee my death:
What, wilt thou not? then, Clarence, do it thou.
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By heaven, I will not do thee so much ease.
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Good Clarence, do; sweet Clarence, do thou do it.
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Didst thou not hear me swear I would not do it?
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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;
Petitioners for blood thou ne'er put'st back.
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Away, I say; I charge ye, bear her hence.
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So come to you and yours, as to this Prince!
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Exit, led out forcibly
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Where's Richard gone?
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To London, all in post; and, as I guess,
To make a bloody supper in the Tower.
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He's sudden, if a thing comes in his head.
Now march we hence: discharge the common sort
With pay and thanks, and let's away to London
And see our gentle queen how well she fares:
By this, I hope, she hath a son for me.
Exeunt
3 KING HENRY VI