I have not stopp'd mine ears to their demands, Then why should they love Edward more than me? No, Exeter, these graces challenge grace: [Shout within. A Lancaster! a Lancaster! Exe. Hark, hark, my lord! what shouts are these? Enter KING EDWARD, GLOSTER, and Soldiers. K. Edw. Seize on the shame-fac'd Henry, bear him hence, And once again proclaim us king of England. You are the fount that makes small brooks to flow; Now stops thy spring; my sea shall suck them dry, And swell so much the higher by their ebb. Hence with him to the Tower; let him not speak. [Exeunt some with KING HENRY. And, lords, towards Coventry bend we our course, Where peremptory Warwick now remains : Glo. Away betimes, before his forces join, And take the great-grown traitor unawares : Brave warriors, march amain towards Coventry. [Exeunt. THE defection of Clarence from the cause of his brother has been worked up by the poet into a sudden resolve;-it was probably the result of much contrivance slowly operating upon a feeble mind, coupled with his own passion for the daughter of Warwick. What is rapid and distinct in the play is slow and obscure in the Chronicles. Warwick and Clarence in the play are quickly transformed into enemies to the brother and the ally; in the Chronicles we have to trace them through long courses of intrigue and deception. When Warwick possessed himself of the person of Edward it is difficult, from the contemporary historians, to understand his real intentions. Hall, however, who compiles with a picturesque eye, tells the story of his capture and release in a manner which was not unfitted to be expanded into dramatic effect:"All the king's doings were by espials declared to the Earl of Warwick, which, like a wise and politic captain, intending not to lose so great an advantage to him given, but trusting to bring all his purposes to a final end and determination by only obtaining this enterprise, in the dead of the night, with an elect company of men of war, as secretly as was possible, set on the king's field, killing them that kept the watch, and or the king were ware (for he thought of nothing less than of that chance that happened), at a place called Wolney, four miles from Warwick, he was taken prisoner, and brought to the castle of Warwick. And to the intent that the king's friends might not know where he was, nor what was chanced of him, he caused him by secret journeys in the night to be conveyed to Middleham Castle in Yorkshire, and there to be kept under the custody of the Archbishop of York his brother, and other his trusty friends, which entertained the king like his estate, and served him like a prince. But there was no place so far off but that the taking of the king was shortly known there with the wind, which news made many men to fear and greatly to dread, and many to wonder and lament the chance. King Edward, being thus in captivity, spake ever fair to the archbishop and to the other keepers; but, whether he corrupted them with money or fair promises, he had liberty divers days to go on hunting; and one day on a plain there met with him Sir William Stanley, Sir Thomas of Borogh, and divers other of his friends, with such a great band of men, that neither his keepers would nor once durst move him to return to prison again." In the beginning of 1471 Edward was a fugitive, almost without a home. The great Earl of Warwick had placed Henry again in the nominal seat of authority; a counter-revolution had been effected. By one of those bold movements which set aside all calculation of consequences Edward leaped once more into the throne of England. In an age when perjury and murder were equally resorted to, Edward, on landing, did not hesitate to disguise his real objects, and to maintain that he was in arms only to enforce his claims as Duke of York. The scene before the walls of York is quite borne out by the contemporary historians; and especially in that most curious 'Historie of the Arrival of Edward IV. in England,' published by the Camden Society. Shakspere evidently went to Hall as his authority:"King Edward, without any words spoken to him, came peaceably near to York, of whose coming when the citizens were certified, without delay they armed themself and came to defend the gates, sending to him two of the chiefest aldermen of the city, which earnestly admonished him on their behalf to come not one foot nearer, nor temerariously to enter into so great a jeopardy, considering that they were fully determined and bent to compel him to retract with dint of sword. King Edward, marking well their message, was not a little troubled and unquieted in his mind, and driven to seek the farthest point of his wit; for he had both two mischievous and perilous chances even before his eyes, which were hard to be evaded or repelled:-one was, if he should go back again he feared lest the rural and common people, for covetousness of prey and spoil, would fall on him, as one that fled away for fear and dread; the other was, if he should proceed any farther in his journey, then might the citizens of York issue out with all their power, and suddenly circumvent him and take him. Wherefore he determined to set forward, neither with army nor with weapon, but with lowly words and gentle entreatings, requiring most heartily the messengers that were sent to declare to the citizens that he came neither to demand the realm of England nor the superiority of the same, but only the duchy of York, his old inheritance; the which duchy if he might by their means readopt and recover, he would never pass out of his memory so great a benefit and so friendly a gratuity to him exhibited. And so, with fair words and flattering speech, he dismissed the messengers; and with good speed he and his followed so quickly after, that they were almost at the gates as soon as the ambassadors. The citizens, hearing his good answer, that he meant nor intended nothing prejudicial to King Henry nor his royal authority, were much mitigated and cooled, and began to commune with him from their walls, willing him to convey himself into some other place without delay, which if he did, they assured him that he should have neither hurt nor damage. But he, gently speaking to all men, and especially to such as were aldermen, whom he called worshipful, and by their proper names them saluted, after many fair promises to them made, exhorted and desired them that, by their favourable friendship and friendly permission, he might enter into his own town, of the which he had both his name and title. All the whole day was consumed in doubtful communication and earnest interlocution. The citizens, partly won by his fair words, and partly by hope of his large promises, fell to this pact and convention, that if King Edward would swear to entertain his citizens of York after a gentle sort and fashion, and hereafter to be obedient and faithful to all King Henry's commandments and precepts, that then they would receive him into their city, and aid and comfort him with money. King Edward (whom the citizens called only Duke of York), being glad of this fortunate chance, in the next morning, at the gate where he should enter, a priest being ready to say mass, in the mass time, receiving the body of our blessed Saviour, solemnly swearing to keep and observe the two articles above mentioned and agreed upon, when it was far unlike that he either intended or purposed to observe any of them, which plainly afterwards was to all men manifest." Where slept our scouts, or how are they seduc'd, K. Edw. Now, Warwick, wilt thou ope the Speak gentle words, and humbly bend thy Call Edward king, and at his hands beg mercy,- War. Nay, rather, wilt thou draw thy forces Confess who set thee up and pluck'd thee Call Warwick patron, and be penitent,- Or did he make the jest against his will? War. Is not a dukedom, sir, a goodly gift? Glo. Ay, by my faith, for a poor earl to give; I'll do thee service for so good a gift. War. 'T was I that gave the kingdom to thy brother. K. Edw. Why then 't is mine, if but by Warwick's gift. War. Thou art no Atlas for so great a weight: And, weakling, Warwick takes his gift again; And Henry is my king, Warwick his subject. Write in the dust this sentence with thy blood, more. Enter OXFORD, with drum and colours. War. O cheerful colours! see, where Oxford comes! Oxf. Oxford, Oxford, for Lancaster! [OXFORD and his Forces enter the City. Stand we in good array; for they, no doubt, Enter MONTAGUE, with drum and colours. Even with the dearest blood your bodies bear. K. Edw. The harder match'd, the greater victory: K. Edw. But Warwick's king is Edward's My mind presageth happy gain, and conquest. prisoner: And, gallant Warwick, do but answer this, Glo. Alas, that Warwick had no more fore-- But whiles he thought to steal the single ten, still. Glo. Come, Warwick, take the time, kneel down, kneel down : Nay, when? strike now, or else the iron cools. blow, And with the other fling it at thy face, K. Edw. Sail how thou canst, have wind and This hand, fast wound about thy coal-black hair, Shall, whiles thy head is warm, and new cut off, Deck-a pack of cards was formerly called a deck. There is a similar example in Selimus, 1594: "Well, if I chance but once to get the deck, To deal about and shuffle as I would." Enter SOMERSET, with drum and colours. merset, Have sold their lives unto the house of York; Enter CLARENCE, with drum and colours. War. And lo, where George of Clarence sweeps along, Of force enough to bid his brother battle; Clar. Father of Warwick, know you what this [Taking the red rose out of his cap. That Clarence is so harsh, so blunt, unnatural, |