THE MISERY OF CIVIL-WAR A TRAGEDY As it is Acted at the DUKE's Theatre By His Royal Highnesses Servants Written by Mr. CROWN LONDON Printed for R. Bentley and M. Magnes in Russel-Street in Covent-Garden 1680. PROLOGUE REligious Broyles to such a height are grown All the sweet sound of Poetry they drown Were Orpheus here his Lute might charm our Beasts Our Mastiffs not our Robble or our Priests Good Heaven Sirs are there no other ways To damn the Pope but damning all our Plays To our Religion 't is no Praise at all That if our Wit must stand our Faith must fall All parties in a Play-House may agree The Stage is priviledg'd from Piety 'T is pleasant Sirs to see you fight and brawl About Religion but have none at all Most fiercely for the Road to Heav'n contend But never care to reach the Journeys end Though you lose Heaven you will keep the Way The Pope sha'n't have you though the Devil may These things such business for the Criticks find They 're not at leasure Poetry to mind Well for the Poet 't is they 're so employ'd Else this poor Work of his wou'd be destroy'd For by his feeble Skill 't is built alone The Divine Shakespear did not lay one Stone Besides this Tragedy a Rod will prove To whip us for a Fault we too much Love And have for ages liv'd call'd Civil Strife The English Nation like a Russian Wife Is to a gentle Husband always curst And loves him best who uses her the worst This Poet though perhaps in Colours faint Those scurvy Joys does in all Postures Paint Fools take in pelting out each others Brains A joy for which this Nation oft takes pains If any like the Ills he shews to day Let them be damn'd and let them damn the Play The Persons Represented in the Tragedy KIng Henry the Sixth Prince Edward King Henry's Son By Mr. Joseph Williams Richard Plantagenet Duke of York By Mr. David Williams Edward eldest Son of Richard Plantagenet and after his Fathers death King of England By Mr. Smith George Duke of Clarence second Son of the Duke of York By Mr. Bowman Richard the third Son called Crook-back By Mr. Gillow Rutland a Child the youngest Son  The Great Earl of Warwick By Mr. Batterton Old Lord Clifford By Mr. Pearcival Young Clifford his Son By Mr. Wiltshire Queen Margaret Wife of King Henry Mrs. Leigh Lady Grey the Widow of Sir John Grey belov'd and at length married by King Edward the fourth By Mrs. Batterton Lady Elianor Butler a young Lady of great quality that was one of King Edward's Mistresses By Mrs. Currer SCENE ENGLAND THE MISERIES OF Civil-War ACT. I. SCENE I. A Noise of Fighting a Shout for Victory Enter Cade and his Rabble Cade FLing all my dead Subjects into the Thames Now say what place is this Butch 'T is London-Stone Cade Then am I Mortimer Lord of this City And here I sitting upon London-Stone Declare this is the first day of our Reign So I command the Conduits all Piss Claret And I proclaim it Treason now for any man To call me other than Lord Mortimer Enter a Souldier running Sould. Jack Cade Jack Jack Cade Knock down that sawcy Fellow A Butcher kill 's him Butch If he has wit he 'll never call thy Honour Jack Cade again Cade I think he has fair warning Enter a Cobler with a Scrivener Cob. My Lord my Lord Cade Well said a mannerly Fellow Cob. I have catch'd a Scrivener here setting Boyes Copies Cade Oh! there 's a Villain a corrupter of Youth Cob. He has a Book in 's pocket with red Letters in 't Cade Then he 's a Conjurer Cob. He can write Bills and Bonds and Obligations to bind People to undo themselves and pay Money whether they Can or no such a Rogue is enough to undo a Nation Cade I 'm sorry for it for on my honour he 's a proper fellow He shall not dye unless I find him Guilty Cob. He shall die Guilty or not Guilty I brought him to be Hang'd and I will not lose my labour I love hanging there 's Never any hanging but I leave my Stall to go see it Hanging-day is my holy-day and I will keep Coblers holy-day Cade We 'll hang him but we 'll examine him first Cob. No hang him first for now no man will confess Till after he 's hang'd Cade I will examine him Sirrah what 's thy Name Scriv. Emanuel Cob. Emanuel That 's a strange Name Friend 't will go very hard with you Cade Let me alone Friend dost thou write thy Name Or use a mark like a plain honest man Scriv. Sir I thank Heaven I have been so well bred That I can write my name All. He has confest He 's a stranger and a Villain hang him Cade Hang him with his Pen and Ink about his Neck Enter others with the Lord Say Prisoner My Lord my Lord a prize an 't like thy Honour Here 's the Lord Say who sold the Townes in France And made us pay one and twenty Fifteens And a shilling to the pound last Subsidy Cade I will behead him one and twenty times Come scurvy Lord what canst thou say To our Mightiness for giving up our Towns To Monsieur Basimecu the Dolphin of France Be it known unto thee Traytor by these presents Even by the presence of my self Lord Mortimer That I will sweep the world clean of such filth Thou Trayterously hast built a Grammar-School To debauch all the youth and whereas formerly Our Grandsiers us'd no Book but Score and Tally Thou hast caus'd wicked Printing to be us'd And contrary to the King his Crown and Dignity Hast built a Paper-Mill It will be prov'd That thou hast Servants talk of Nouns and Verbs And such vile Words no Christian er'e can here Thou hast appointed Justices of Peace To call poor men before 'em about matters They cou'd not answer yes and thou hast hang'd 'em Because they cou'd not read Cob. There was a Villain Cade Thou rid'st upon a foot-cloth dost thou not Say Well what of that Cade Why is it not a shame Thy Horse shou'd weare a Cloak when honest men Go in their Hose and Doublets Say Well I find You men of Kent All. What of us men of Kent Say That Kent is bona terra mala gens Cade Bold Traytor he speaks Latin in my presence Go hang him hang him Say Hear me Country-men Cade Hear Latin Villain hang him All. Hang him hang him They drag him away Butch We 'll hang up every man that can speak-Latin Cade Well counsel'd Butcher counsel'd like a Butcher We will and more for they are but few Tay. We 'll hang up any man that can speak French For I 'm a Taylour and there is no man That can speak French will let me work a stitch for ' em Cob. We 'll hang up all the Lords and Gentlemen Spare none but such as go in clouted shoes For I 'm a Cobler
Heark he calls I must be gone Farewel my dear remember what you have promis'd L. El. Remember you your Vows of constancy Exit Rich. within Brother what do you mean leave your damn'd Women For I 'm sure 't is some damn'd Woman stays you But for my part I 'll stay no longer for you For I will not be chidden for your faults My Father and his Friends shall know how it is Ed. Thank thee good natur'd honest vertuous Brother How proud this Leper is of one sound place Though he has all the vices in the world Yet he insults o're me because he is free From my one fault my almost faultless fault He is a Hell at whose foul front appears Ill manners and ill nature and ill shape Like a three-headed Dog that barks at all things That dare come near him specially at beauty But has within a thousand ugly Haggs His Soul embraces bloody cruelty Lean envy and insatiable Ambition And he has this advantage over me His Mistresses are Devils and so invisible Some time or other I 'll descend like Hercules Into this Hell and dragg to humane sight The Monster that so barks at my delight Ex. Scene the Parliament House a Throne Canopy Seats for the Lords Enter Plantagenet George Richard Warwick Clarence Rutland Guard all with drawn Swords War This is the palace of the fearful King And this the Regal Seat Richard Plantagenet Sit down and from this hour be King of England Pl. I think if mighty Warwick said be Emperour Of the whole world the Genii of all Kingdoms Wou'd vanish and give place to his great spirit Assisted then by thee I here sit down Sits in the Throne And take possession of my Royal Right War I plant you here now Root you up who dares Enter Edward Pl. Where 's my Son Edward Son why loiter you War Sir why do you neglect your Father thus Ed. Reprov'd by Warwick what does Warwick cheat us Aside Give us a Crown to cheat us of our liberty Hire us to be his slaves so soon so arrogant This humour I must quell I cannot bear it Pl. Sons I here take possession of my right And will be Crown'd or kill'd if I shou'd fall Son Edward claim the Crown if you fall with me Then George the Crown is thine if both you dye Then Richard thou art King War Three goodly Pillars Pl. And last in birth but not in my Affection Here is my litle pretty darling Rutland Look to him Guard for if his brothers Perish He is your King fear not my pretty Boy We 'll be too hard for wretched timerous Henry Rut. Sir let him come and all his Souldiers with him If you will beat his Souldiers I 'll beat him Pl. Well said my boy and heark I think he comes Enter King Henry in his Robes his Crown on his head the Sword born before him Attended by Clifford Northumberland Westmorland Exeter in their Robes Hen. My Lords look where the sturdy Rebel sits War Look where your King is seated Duke of Lancaster What say you will you resign in peace the Crown To him whose right it is Richard Plantagenet Or shall we force it from you by our Swords Rich. Let 's tear the Crown from the Usurpers head Ed. Sound but the Trumpets and the King will fly Pl. Peace Sons Hen Peace all of you and hear your King Rebels I fear all danger less than you do For I am better arm'd with innocence But I confess I do fear Civil War Not for my own but for my peoples sake I am afraid to shed the blood of English men But you indeed are bold in cruelty By which oh Heaven judge whose is the Child His who desires to have it cut in peices Or mine who strive in tenderness to save it For my own part I fear no power but Heaven Rebels may be successful for a time And overturn all order right aud justice But Heaven does not let the world stand long In that unnatural uneasie posture But soon put 's all things in their proper places Pl. Thy own mouth Henry has pronounc'd thy doom Successful Murder and Rebellion Swell'd for two Generations of thy race Over all right and all that durst oppose 'em But Heaven in thee has dryed up the black stream And made it such a Brook all trample over it Hen. I 've oft been told by thee my Grand-father Depos'd his King Pl. And I did tell thee truth Hen. Cannot a King adopt an Heir Pl. VVhat then Hen. Did not King Richard to my Grand-father Resign the Crown in open Parliament Pl. Did not thy Grand-father compel him to it By force of Arms and then the Parliament To their eternal shame if not Damnation Flatter'd the wicked fortunate Usurper War But say the King had done it unconstrain'd He cou'd not give away another's right Henry usurp'd the right of the next Heirs Hen. My Conscience tells me that my Title is weak Cl. How Sir will you revolt from your own self Who will stand by you then War Clifford thou dyest If thou permit'st not Henry to resign Cl. Let Henry give his Title to the Crown He shall not give my Title to revenge May the ground gape and swallow me alive When e're I kneel to him who kill'd my Father War Ho! there within Cl. I am prepar'd for you War stamps and enter Souldiers of his side Cl. does the same and enter Souldiers on his side as they are going to fight King Henry interposes Hen. Hold hold my Lords Oh! let not Blood be shed Let us not make a Shambles of this place Pray hear me all I find my Title 's weak And to defend it were to fight with Justice Besides there lyes already on my head The Blood of Richard murder'd by my Grand-father And I 'd be loth to add my peoples Blood For saving which hear this proposal from me I have been King these eight and thirty years And many Interests must grow to mine That you can never tear me from the Throne But you will set a thousand Veins a bleeding Then let me reign in quiet all my life And when I 'm dead Plantagenet be King Pl. I approve of it and on that condition Kneels and kisses Hen's hand I swear to be King Henry's faithful Vassal Hen. And not to seek the Throne by Arms or Treason Pl. Never whilst King Henry lives Hen. Then I entail The Crown to thee and to thy Heirs for ever Cl. The Devil to him and to his Heirs for ever VVhat have you done War Good to himself and England Cl. VVrong to his Son his Subjects and himself Ex. VVhy sigh you Sir King Hen. sighs Hen. For my poor Son I 've wrong'd War You have not wrong'd him you have wholly freed him From all the Vengeance due to Usurpation Cl. Oh! Henry if thy Father's Soul did see Thy baseness it wou'd torture him in Heaven Plantagenet when that great Monarch liv'd Thou durst have sooner let into thy Soul
we ha' no use o' Churches nor Steeples Nor Priests the chief use o' Priests is to eat Pig we can eat Pig as well as they Cade We have no use o' the Inns of Court or Tower Pluck down the Tower and burn all the Records Why shou'd we keep Mouldy Records of what our Grandsiers did For we do what we will for all our Grandsiers On London bridge hang Traytours heads and quarters These are Records too but who minds Records Burn all Records Records All. Burn all Records Cade Who sounds a parley there Enter a Souldier Soul One from the King Cade Well let him come I don't care if I speak with him Enter Old Lord Clifford Well what 's thy business with me Old Cl. Thou vile Rebel VVhy dost thou thus disturb the King and Kingdome Cade Thou Fool to have my own I 'm heir to the Crown Old Cl. Impudent Slave thy Father was a Plaisterer Cob. Yes and his Mother was a Midwife what 's that Cade VVell Adam was a Gardiner what 's that Say did not Edmund Mortimer Earl of March Marry the Daughter o' the Duke of Clarence Old Cl. He did Sir Clown and what is that to you Cade By her he had two Children at a Birth The Elder of 'em being put to Nurse Was stole away by a stinking Beggar-woman Like a damn'd cursed jade and by that means The Princely Infant was bred up a Brick-layer And I 'm the Princely Off-spring of that Infant Old Cl. Plantagenet invented this fine story Cade You lye for I invented it my self Old Cl. I am sent by the King to offer pardon To all that will forsake thee and go home VVhat say you Countrymen will you be happy And leave this Rogue or follow him and be hang'd All. I don't know what to think on 't All mutter Cade Are you muttering VVhy you damn'd fools will you believe a Lord Do they not often run into your Debts And promise payment and ne're keep their words Do they not often with fine promises Delude your Daughters and when they have enjoyed them Do they e're keep their words Then follow me All. A Cade a Cade we 'll follow thee Jack Cade Old Cl. You 'll follow Cade pray whither to the Gallows He has no other home to lead you to He knows not how to live but by the spoil But say that whilst you robb and kill your Country-men The fearful French whom you but lately vanquisht Shou'd make a start o're Seas and vanquish you Had you not better go and spoil the French And the King pay you too for your good service Than here Rebel and the King hang you all For Rogues or worse the French come make you slaves All. I don't know what to think on 't All mutter Cade Again muttering VVho'll ever trust such cursed whisling Rascals Enter young Clifford and Followers Yo. Cl. What are you doing my Lord treating with Rascals It were too vile an Office for a Scavenger To sweep such dirt into the Common shore And are you treating with ' em Nay and treating In the Kings name too very fine indeed The King must barter for his Crown with Rascals What ever price the Villains make him pay Though his Crown shou'd be dear himself is cheap I with no Tongue but this will talk to Rebels Draws all fight on the Stage Ex. The Scene a Tent. Enter King Henry Hen. Never had King less joy in Throne than I Nor more misfortune Heaven was pleas'd to set My Cradle on the top of humane Glory Where I lay helpless open to all Storms My Childish hand not able to support My Fathers Sword dropt the victorious point And let fall all the Lawrels that adorn'd it And French and English fell a scrambling for 'em So lost I France now am I threatned too By wicked Rebels with the loss of England Cade and his Rebels drive me from my City Plantagenet seek's to drive me from my Kingdom Enter the Queen and her Train Qu. Take comfort Sir I bring you happy tidings The Villain Cade is kill'd by brave young Clifford Hen. Kill'd Qu. Kill'd and all the Rebels beg your mercy Hen. Oh! Heav'n accept my vows of thanks and praise But ha here comes his gallant Father weeping Enter Old Clifford Ol. Cl. Yes Sir I weep but I weep tears of Joy For I am crush'd between two mighty Joyes Your Royal safety and my Sons success But here he is to tell you his own story Enter Young Clifford Yo. Cl. Sir I most humbly here present your Majesty The Head of the notorious Rebel Cade Hen. Oh! Gallant Clifford how shall I reward thee Yo. Cl. I fought not for rewards or if I did I ought to end my work e're I be paid I have only now pull'd down a paltry Scaffold On which Plantagenet design'd to climbe To build his Trayt'rous Projects Hen. True indeed He is approaching me with a great Army But he gives out he only does intend To drive away from me some wicked Ministers Yo. Cl. The constant vizard of Rebellion Rebellion is so foul and grim a Monster That those that mount the horrid Beast are forc'd To cover it all o're with gaudy Trappings They mark it in the Forehead with white starrs Pretences Heavenly and Innocent Qu. Sir he has told you a most excellent truth Hen. I must confess I like not to have Subjects Present their Kings Petitions upon Pikes Old Cl. Sir let the Rebels come we are prepar'd Enter an Officer Offi. A Trumpet from Plantagenet craves audience Hen. Admit him Enter the Trumpet Trum. Royal Sir the Duke my master Does beg admission to your Kingly presence To give you the true Reason of his arming And prove his Loyalty Qu. Just as we thought Hen. Go tell my Cousin since he speaks so fair He shall have free access and all kind usage Exit Trum. Old Cl. What do you mean Sir Hen. To throw far from my self The guilt of all the ill that may ensue He shall not say that I refus'd to hear Or to redress any just grievances Y. Cl. Sir you will find your self will be the grievance The Tricks of these ambitious men are first To poison all the People with disloyalty And when they have made 'em sick they tell 'em nothing Can cure 'em but fome flowers out of the Crown And so they set the rabble raving for ' em Qu. Lord Clifford when the haughty rebelcom e's Arrest him of High-Treason Old Cl. I will do it Madam Enter Plantagenet Edward Richard George Plant. kneels and kisses the Kings Hand Hen. Welcome dear Cousin Pray acquaint me faithfully What do you mean by all the Troops you bring Pl. Only to drive some Traytours from your presence Qu. I know no greater Traytors than your self Old Cl. And therefore I arrest thee of High-Treason Pl. Arrest me ha Shall it be thus King Henry Hen. It shall not be I promis'd him safe Conduct Edw. My Lord we 'll be your Bail Pl. See
Ten thousand Devils than a Traytrous Thought Farewel degenerate faint-hearted King May'st thou be beat in War and scorn'd in Peace Exit Pl. Sons head the Troops before the Palace Gate Lest furious Clifford shou'd do some rash thing Ex. Ed. and Rich. and George Enter the Queen and Prince Pl. Here comes the Queen Hen. And with her my poor Son War She appears big with Thunder and with Lightning Expect a Tempest quickly Sir but slight it Qu. Are the news true can it be possible That you have disinherited your Son And given your Crown to Trayterous Plantagenet Hen. The Crown is his I have no Title to it But what is founded on Rebellion The murder of a King and usurpation Qu. Then hast thou not the spirit of a King Nor of a Father timerous mean VVretch To let a Crew of Rebels hector thee Out of a Crown nay out of thy own Son For thou must think thou hast no Title to him Or thou'dst not disinherit him unnaturally Hen. My Love I do not disinherit him For what I give away is not his right And if I should entail another's right on him I shou'd entail Heaven's Vengeance on his head Qu. Who says the Crown 's not yours Hen. I am convinc'd By powerful Arguments Qu. By Pikes and Swords Had I been here when thou mad'st this Agreement The Souldiers shou'd have tost me on their Pikes E're I 'd have stoop'd to such unnatural bafeness Oh! how came thee and I in Marriage joyn'd For I am Fire thou art weak floating Water Driven by the breath of Rebels any way Wou'd I had dy'd a Maid and never seen thee At least had never born thee such a Son Oh! my sweet Son thou art no more a Prince Because thy Father is no more a King He has undone himself and thee and all of us Pr. I am a Prince and I will be a King Father you cannot disinherit me You may bestow your Kingdom whil'st you live But when you are dead it is not yours but mine Qu. My Son he shall not disinherit thee I have men here to guard me from these Rebels And Troops else-where to conquer 'em and punish ' em And I will make my Son a Glorious Prince Whil'st thou tame Prince shalt be a slave to Traytors Made to assist in conquering thy self And then in digging thy own Sepulchre For Rebels will not do their work by halves Though thou art but the shadow of a King Rebels will tremble at a Royal Shadow And they 'll be forc'd to kill thee if 't is possible To make thee a more dead thing than thou art Hen. Oh! my dear Love talk not so harshly to me Qu. I will be harsher in my deeds than words For from this moment I divorce my self For ever from thy Bed thou art no King And thou shalt have no Sons of me to ruine I scorn to be the Mother of a Slave Ex. Qu. and Pr. Hen. Poor Queen how love and pity for my Son Set her a-raging as they set me grieving War Add her ambition to her love and pity For that has no small share in her disturbance Pl. I know she 's raising Forces in the North My Lord of Warwick do you keep the King And stay to raise what Force you can in London VVhilst I will to the North and so between us VVe 'll wall her in and keep that fire from spreading Hen. Pray my Lords do I will assist you both Against my self I 'll do to others right Though on my self I sure destruction bring E're I 'll be wicked I will be no King Ex. omnes ACT. III. Scene a Castle Enter Plantagenet Edward Richard Pl. HOW has this Woman charm'd these men together No less than twenty thousand a vast Army All my Troops here will scarcely make five thousand Then she is gotten between me and London That I can no way join the Earl of Warwick Nor can he possibly come time enough To my assistance I am in a strait Ed. I think not Sir brave men are never in a strait When they have Arms and Liberty to sight Pl. I shou'd slight odds if the Enemy were French But now our present Enemies are English Made of the same brave stuff as we our selves Rich. But such brave stuff as we have soundly beaten And such as are conducted by a Woman And men ne're think of fighting under Petticoats Pl. I 've sent your Brother George to raise some Troops I hop'd he might have been with me er'e now But I must take my fortune now the Enemy Approaches us bring in my dear Boy Rutland Enter Rutland and a Priest his Tutor My Darling let me kiss thee e're I go I know not if I ' ere shall see thee more If I should fall under the numerous Enemy I leave thee to the care of thy three Brothers All valiant men and some of 'em I hope Will be great men be Kings I charge 'em all On my last blessing to take care of thee My pretious Darling as of their own Souls Rut. Why do you talk thus Sir you make me weep If you must dye I hope I shall dye with you I had rather dye with you than live a King Pl. Sweet Boy farewell my Soul here take the Boy And guard him safely in the strong dark Vault And if things prove worse than I hope they will Convey him safely to our next Garrison And give his Brothers notice of his flight Ex. Pl. Ed. Rich one way another Rutl. with a Guard An Allarm shouts of Victory the Scene continues Enter Clifford and his Souldiers Cl. Pursue pursue pursue and give no quarter I charge you do not spare Man Woman or Child Ex. An Allarm Enter Rutland Rut. Oh! whither shall I fly how shall I escape Ah! Clifford comes and no one 's here to guard me Cl. Ha! have I found one of Plantagenet's Brats Rut. Oh! now I shall be murder'd hold my Lord Hear me but speak one word before I dye Cl. What canst thou say fond Boy that 's worth my hearing Rut. I 'd only beg you to regard your self You are a valiant man I am a Boy Stain not your fame by killing a poor Boy I wou'd not for your own sake you shou'd do it For I love gallant men and I love you Though you are my Enemy because you are gallant Cl. Away you insinuating flattering boy Who taught you this Hypocrisie your Priest Give o're give o're for were there in thy Voice Celestial Harmony my Father's Blood Has stop'd the passage where the sound shou'd enter Rut. I did not shed his Blood Cl. Thy Father did Rut. Then sight my Father that will get you honour Cl. Shou'd I kill thee thy Father all thy Brothers Nay shou'd I dig up thy Fore-father's Graves And hang their rotten Cossins up in Chains My rage wou'd not be quench'd Rut. That 's very strange VVhy shou'd your fury burn against the innocent Cl. I kill thee out of hatred to thy kind
principle If Kings may lose their Rights for want of Virtue And Subjects are the Judges of that Virtue Then Kings are Subjects and all Subjects Kings And by that Law that Subjects may destroy Their Kings for want of Virtue other Subjects May think those Subjects Rogues and cut their throats Thus Babel might be builded but no Kingdom Pr. Sir if you be no King we are all Rebels And ought to dye War And you shall reign or dye If you refuse the Crown I 'll carry it back And with it both your heads to ransommine I 'll quench your lives as Mariners wou'd do False lights that lead their Vessels to destruction Qu. Why do you pause Sir will you rather dye And let your Son dye too e're be a King Hen. Powerful Nature is too hard for me Will it not cost more bloud if I shou'd Reign War The VVar is at an end Edward's my Pris'ner Not only doom'd by Heaven unfit to Reign But by his flesh and bloud his Brother Clarence VVho has revolted from him and brought all His Troops to mine and to create between us A lasting league marries my youngest Daughter Pr. And I have given my heart Sir to her sister Oh! do not make me wretched every way Hen. Oh! Nature conquer's me Qu. Oh! happy conquest Pr. Upon my knees Sir I return you thanks Enter George War See here come's he who gallantly to serve His King and Country will forsake his Brother Geo. I thought my blood derived a Crown to us But now I find it derives only Treason To clear the taint I come to set it boyling Over a flaming zeal for the Kings service War VVhat think you now Sir do you judge your title Good when your very Enemies proclaim it Hen. I find it's Heav'ns will that I shou'd Reign My noble Friends let me embrace you both My Lord of Warwick you are fortunate I must beg you to rule for I 'm afraid My thwarting Stars will blast this blessed Land War Your Majesty is wise to foresee evils And good that you wou'd save your people from ' em Here stands a Prince most worthy of command Geo. The world has not more worth than th' Earl of Warwick Hen. Give me your hands I joyn you both together I make you both Protectors of the Kingdom Rule you while I wait only on devotion Qu. So now my Son thy inheritance is safe Pr. May I be happy in my Mistress too Qu. Yes if the King consent Hen. With all my heart War The Marriages shall then be both this minute Hen. VVith whom is Edward trusted War With my Brother The Arch-bishop of York Geo. I 'm told he gives him liberty To hunt and let 's him go out slender guarded War I will have that reform'd in the mean while We openly will proclaim Edward a Traytour And seize his Lands Geo. Let 's guard this City well He has friends here chiefly among the Women And they rule men Scene London Enter Edward Richard disguis'd Ed. Usurping Henry and false changing Warwick Little think certain ruin is so near ' em Ric. I cannot tell what absolution The Priest of York may give his Brother Warwick For all his horrid perjury's and Treason's Warwick will give him none for your escape Ed. I shou'd be sorry if host th' Arch-bishop For all his civil entertainment of me Shou'd have his reck'ning paid him with an Ax. Ric. So shou'd I too for if instead of giving you The publick Freedom which you had to hunt He had confin'd you to Domitians chace Only to hunt flyes in a bed chamber You had not now been here to hunt his Brother Well Sir Go you to all your City Friends I 'll to the Court I have intelligence How I may easily surprize your Enemies If it be feazible I 'll venture on it Ex The Scene a Chapel Prince George their Brides and a Priest at the Altar near 'em King Henry Queen Warwick Guards Attendants A Shout Enter an Officer Off. Arm Arm Arm Lord Edward's in the City War Thou art mad Off. I wish I were I say Lord Edward Is in the City War In the Womens hearts Off. No in the head of Troops of men and Women There 's nothing that can get a Pike or Spit But cry they 'l live and dye by brave King Edward Richard is with him they are all marching hither War Oh! good Arch-bishop You are a faithful Brother We are very wise to trust our souls with priests When their own Brothers cannot trust their heads with 'em I know this Trayt'rous Priest has sold my head To Edward for th' Archbishoprick of Canterbury Hen. Do not too rashly censure an Archbishop Edward might ' scape by wiles War How cheat a Priest Then he deserves the Kingdom for his cunning Do you think it is easie to cheat priests Who by the help but of some barbarous words As Entity Vnity Verity Bonity Qniddity Quantity Quality Causality Have conjur'd all you Kings out of their Kingdoms And Edward cheat a Priest Who let a VVidow cheat him of his Kingdom Oh! but you 'll say a VVoman cheated Adam But Priests cheat women cheat 'em too of things Dear to 'em as their lives their bawdy secrets They make S. Peter's Keys Open all Italian locks enough of prating I 'll go beat Edward and then hang my Brother My Lord Draw up your Troops you Sir stay here To K. Hen. You are unfortunate I do not care To have your curs'd Stars among my men Ex. Qu. I 'll follow and do you Son leave your Bride And go with us for I 'm resolv'd to see thee Heir to the Crown or dying at my Feet Ex. Pr. Fear nothing Love I shall return victorious Your Royal blessing Kneels to the King Hen. VVhat sad divining thoughts are these within me Pr. Oh Sir why do you weep Hen. For thee my Son I 'm bound in duty to thy soul to tell thee Something from Heaven suggests our deaths are near Thou first must dye I must behold the loss Of all that 's dear to me and then must dye Pr. Oh Sir Hen. 'T is so we never in this world Must meet again Pr. Oh how shall I be able To fight when e're I see the enemy My King and Father wounds me to the heart See my Love 's weeping too I 'm shot o' both sides And in my heart the deadly Arrows meet I 'll rather run among the Enemies Swords Than here be kill'd with sorrow by my Friends Ex. Geo. So now will I go joyn my Brother Edward Aside I am secure of Warwick's beautious daughter Now let the Devil take Warwick and his Treason He made me take that brass Coin with his Daughter But I will pay him the damn'd portion back again He made me swear he 'll say but war 's a game And so is Love and Gamesters Oaths are nothing My Brothers Souldiers are got in the place An Alarm They seek their Enemies but shall find Friends Ex. An Alarm
than Frantick Alexander When he set fair Persepolis o' Fire Or him that burnt the fam'd Ephesian Temple La. Gr. Who did all this War He whom Heav'n there has punisht And did it Madam by enjoying you By kindling in your heart love for himself He fir'd a stately Palace only fit For hearts of mighty Kings He burnt a Temple The master piece of Nature the Worlds wonder La. Gr. Is this fit talk to one in my condition War I know old Tyrant Custom does command You Widows to be stretch'd on the long rack Of twelve months mournful abstinence from love And which methinks is an immodest fashion You must wear black the colour of the night To put you in remembrance of the pleasure Night for your service pays you no more Wages Yet you in gratitude must wear Nights livery And you must sigh aud weep to tell the World What skill you have in man for who e're weeps For loss of that whose value they ne're knew Fy what ill woman brought up those ill Customs La. Gr. What horrid insolence you treat me with Enter one running 1. My Lord the Enemy begins to rally War Go fight 'em for I 'm busily employ'd Enter a Second 2. Mount mount my Lord or you 'l be taken Prisoner War I am a Prisoner nor can stir from hence Unless this beauty with a smile release me La. Gr. Grief Horror and Confusion put me again Into a deadly Fainting War I perceive Formality the Governess of Women And Custom the great Tyrant of the World Are married in the Temple of this beauty Take with you then your pale Companion And pay to it the Tax of some Months tears And lock your self in solitude and darkness But after that by my renown and fortune By this days victory by that great power By which I to the King say be a Subject And to a Subject I say be a King I swear I shortly will say to my self Warwick be thou Possessour of this beauty I 'll have you though you hate and Heaven envy me And the first joy I reap cost me my life La. Gr. In spight of me I am compel'd to speak I swear by the dead body of my Husband By my unspotted fame most sacred to me I rather will chuse death than any man But I 'll chuse Hell e're you War Cruelly sworn But yet such Oaths are heriots which Widows To custom always pay when a life falls The world expects to have 'em pay such sines E're they renew another life in love Then Madam take your fallen tenement And pay all custom'd dues you have your freedom And for your safety all my guard shall wait you La. Gr. Though paying rights of burial to my husband Be all that I desire to do on Earth E're I will be oblig'd to you for any thing I 'll dye upon him and be all his monument War Oh Beauteous Monument all men wou'd dye To be so buried envy will not suffer me To let the dead have so much happiness Therefore I 'll take my leave La. Gr. The only favour I will receive or can endure from you War Take it one kindness oft begets another Farewel most cruel but most beauteous creature La. Gr. Farewel most rude and most abhorr'd of men War Softly to his men Guard her safe hence but do not let her know it Lest she refuse it and shou'd meet with injury Ex. Scene a Room in London Table Lights Enter Edward pulling in Lady Elianor Butler L. El. Oh! do not tempt me for I know You will be false Ed. Well but I know I shall not L. El. Oh! to how many women have you sworn As much as you ha' done to me to night Ed. Oh is there not great difference among VVomen Some Women are but petty Inns to lodg at And though perhaps rather than want a lodging We wou'd pay all they ask though most unreasonable But if they wou'd pay me I wou'd not dwell with 'em But your sweet beauty is my journey's end L. El. Oh! yes till you begin another journey Ed. Besides the many thousand Charmes about you From which it is impossible to ' scape Your Birth and Quality will not permit me To trifle with you as with trifling women I dare not but regard Lady Elianor Butler L. El. But when you have enjoy'd Lady Elianour Butler She 'l seem as very a trifle as the rest Ed. Then what a perjur'd Villain must I be L. El. VVhen you are Prince of Wales perhaps you 'l think The Prince of Wales is not obliged to keep Lord Edwards Oaths and when I follow you You will cry Madam I am Prince of Wales And I must marry for the Nation 's good I 'm very sorry I am forc'd to lose you But pardon me it is the Nation 's fault So Madam I 'm your very humble Servant If I can serve you any way command you Then instead of being made Princesse of Wales I sneak away poor cheated Elianor Butler Ed. Well this is very unkind to make me throw So sweet a Night so foolishly away I thought you wou'd have given me a clear draught Of Love without the dreggs of Oaths and Vows L. El. Oh! you are too charming not to be belov'd And when once lov'd not to be lov'd for ever I know I 've not desert to keep you constant And 't is enough for me that you once lov'd me To blame you that you will not love me always â— as a beggar blam'd a Prince for giving him Only one Jewel No one Woman merit 's Your Love so you divide it among all But oh methinks I feign wou'd have it alle And have it always Ed. So I swear you shall Then come away for night is stealing from us Weary with holding up her fable Robe To hide two loytring lovers to no purpose Then come away L. El. Oh swear to me once more Ed. I 'll swear no more whil'st we by foolish Oaths Secure delights to come we lose the present Then come away for else I shall be call'd Oh Heaven's see the day is broke already The vast and heavy business of a Kingdom Heave up the scale of Morn before it's time Oh! come away for fear I be undone L. El. Oh! do not ask for fear I be undone Knocking Ed. Hark! I hear knocking I am call'd I 'm ruin'd Enter the waiting Woman Wo. My Lord here is your Brother my Lord Richard Is come to fetch you to the Parliament He says your Father 's going thither already Ed. Did not I tell you Love what you wou'd do Confound my Lord Richard tell him I 'm not here Wo. He says you are here and he 'l not part with you Ed. So we have manag'd our occasion finely Was this well done of you L. El. You may forgive me Since I 'm almost as sorry as you are Ed. Then will you mend the fault another time L. El. I fancy I shall do my weak endeavour Rich. within Why Brother Ed.
wou'd not have done the same War All of us wou'd and Sir I humbly beg you Think my wild passion was the Woman in me And I 've enjoy'd my Woman as you yours Ed. My Lord I know you wou'd enjoy your Woman I mean your Mistress for you have a Mistress And you who threatned to revolt from me Because some moments which were due to business I gave away to Beauty and to Love Had almost at S. Albans given away Our victory to a Woman that abhorr'd you War Ha! Ed. Yes my Lord I was inform'd the story You woo'd her over her dead Husband's Body Till you were almost taken by the Enemy I do not know her Name I never pry Into your pleasures though you censure mine But thou in Chastity wou'dst seem a Scipio Know that the Woman that thou saw'st me with Was thy own Whore Ric. Ha! Ed. Yes thy own poor Whore A Peasant's dirty Daughter whom thou keep'st By whom thou hast a little tawny Bastard Whom I o' purpose brought to shew thy Faults In th' eyes where thou hast often seen thy face This is the Lady Enter Woman Ric. Cursed treacherous jade Aside Ed. Now Sirs what think you Ge. Pray Sir give me leave To intercede for 'em I see shame covers 'em And to great minds no punishment like shame Rich. Sir not for mine but for my Father's sake Pardon my Errours and accept my Service Kneels both That I may aid you to revenge his Blood War Sir not for mine but for the Kingdoms sake Pardon my Errours and accept my service For I by placing you in the English Throne Shall place the English Throne above the World Ed. Rise both of you I freely pardon you And yet methinks it is unequal usage A King shou'd pardon all the faults of Subjects And Subjects pardon nothing in their King When a King 's crown'd he is not deifyed When he puts on the Royal Robes he does not Therefore put of th' Infirmities of man I own I have my faults and so have you You see I have convinc'd you and I did it That you might leave your faults and pardon mine Or if you kept your faults to part with me For if my Lord of Warwick does design By all his Service only to enslave me I shall lose nothing by his leaving me I can but be a Slave when I am conquer'd And if my Brother Richard has worse ends Ric. Oh! Sir no more unless you do design I shou'd rip up my Breast to shew my heart War Sir I 'll desire no farther pardon of you Till I have writ it in your Enemies Blood And pawn'd my Life and Fortune for my Loyalty Ed. Our Friendship then is stronger for this breach Now let us bend our talk to our Affairs On the sad tidings of my Father's death Which I but lately heard I sent Commissioners To Henry to demand the Crown of him According to the Oath he made in Parliament They are here what tydings Peace or War Enter Commissioners Com. War All. War 1 Com. Th' Amazon Queen drags Henry to the Battel He fain would keep his Oath but she 'll not suffer him Ric. I 'm glad of it I would not for a Kingdom Peace shou'd chain up that Bloody Mastiff Clifford And keep him safe from the edge of our keen Swords War You wrong the Beast to give that name to Clifford An English Mastiff scorns to bite a Child Ed. Now let us march to meet the Enemy This day decides who shall be King of England The right is ours War And Justice will prevail Since Right and Merit both are in the Scale Exeunt ACT. IV. An Alarm Enter King Henry the Queen Prince Clifford Cl. DAmn your unlucky Planets pray Sir get you Out of the Battel 't is impossible For men to fight the malice of your Planets Qu. He tells you true Sir Victory will never Come where you are Hen. Victory will not come Where Perjury is you make me break my Oath Cl. You ought not to have sworn so ill an Oath Pr. Father you cannot give away my Right I 'll rather lose my life than my Inheritance Cl. Spoke like a Prince Hen. Oh! Boy if thou didst know What a Crown was thou wou'dst be more content If I shou'd leave thee no Inheritance But the Example of my vertuous deeds I wish my Father had left me no more Cl. Oh! damn all this come let us to the Battel Ex. Cl. Qu. Pr. Hen. Oh! how this Fellow curses he accuses My Stars for my misfortunes when his Curses Wound all my Men and poyson the Enemies shot Wou'd I were dead if it were Heav'ns good will Lyes down For I am very weary of this World Troublesome folly governs all this World Men live her Vassals and they dye her Martyrs Oh! happy he who in an humble state Only attends on Nature's easie business And brings white heirs down to a quiet Grave Falling to earth as gently as the Snow Alarm Enter a Son bearing his Father Here comes a wretch laden as he believes With happy Fortune 't is with bloudy folly And Heaven has carv'd Fool on his breast with wounds Son Who e're thou art thy life has cost me dear But I 'll repay my self out of thy Gold If thou hast any with the hopes of that I took such pains to kill thee And yet I Who plunder thee may be compel'd e're Night To give my life and plunder to another What 's this Oh! Heaven I have kill'd my Father Oh Father pardon me I did not know thee I was in London prest to serve the King And thou the Earl of Warwick's servant prest To fight on th' other side and so unknown We met and Fought and so unknown I kill'd thee Oh from thy Bosom I will wash away With tears the marks of this unnatural Crime Hen. Oh piteous spectacle Oh sad confusions What horrid errours and unnatural ills Our horrid and unnatural war produces Poor wretch didst thou want tears I cou'd supply thee Enter a Father bearing his Son Fath. Thou that so stoutly hast resisted me Give me thy gold if thou hast any gold For I have bought it with a hundred blows Ha! let me see is this my Enemy Ah no my Son I 've kill'd my only Son Hen. Ah woe on woe Heaven stop these bloudy mischiefs Though by the Death of me and all my Race Son Oh I have ta'ne his life who gave me mine Fath. Oh! I 've kill'd him for whom I wou'd have dyed Son How will my Mother for my Fathers death Take on with me Fath. How will my mourning Wife Accuse me of the slaughter of my Son Hen. How will my people charge all this on me Son I 'll bear thee hence and weep but fight no more Ex. Fath. I 'll bear thee hence and weep but kill no more Except my self with sorrow Ex. Hen. Oh! poor men Here is a King more woful than you all For you grieve for your selves I for you all Oh
That Hour there was a Child of darkness born Winds blew down Trees as hell were making gallowses Thy mother had a kind of Hellish pain As She had been in labour of a Devil Thy legs came first and thou wert born with Teeth And cam'st to bite Ric. I 'll hear no more dye Prophet Stabs Hen. For this among the rest I was ordain'd Hen. I and for much more slaughter after this Heaven forgive me my sins and thee this murder Ric. Thou didst say truth I came with my legs forward Into the World but 't was to o're take thee And all that stand between the Crown and me Enter the Lieutenant Ric. What noise is that Lieu. The King is Coming Sir And all the Court with him to see the Prisoner And comfort him the King intends to keep His Court here till his Coronation Rich. Nay then I must be gone he will be angry At what I 've done Ex. Enter Edward George Train Guard Ed. Where is your prisoner Lieu. He 's murder'd Ed. Murder'd Oh! thou bloudy Villain Durst thou do this when I commanded thee To give him all Princely respect and usage Lieu. Sir on my knees I do beseech you hear me Your Brother my Lord Richard came to visit him And was left with him by his own command And now he 's fled that none but he cou'd do this deed Geo. Sir I believe him this is like my Brother Ed. Heaven to his crooked shape has bent his soul He was design'd for mischief and thrust forward Unfinish'd in the World to lose no time And I believe if we don't watch him narrowly He 'l make no scruple to use us as rudely For crowding rudely into the world before him But I believe I 'm safe England by this time Has had enough of Rebels and Usurpers I faney now the Sons of those poor Genlemen Those honest foolish cheated Gentlemen Who did turn Rebels but they meant no harm Who fought their King slaughter'd their Friends and Kinsmen Destroy'd their Country but they meant no harm And for reward had all their houses burn'd Their Wives and Daughters ravished their lands seiz'd And themselves knock'd o' th' head but meant no harm I say I fancy their unhappy Off-spring Will prove exceeding honest Loyal Subjects For by their Fathers Ruine they have learnt VVit Geo. That 's all a Nation gets by Civil War Ed. Yes with the Prodigal they learn 't is better Obeying their Kings the Fathers of their Country Than run and wast their Fortune and their Liberties And do the drudgeries of proud Usurpers Who will perhaps set 'em to keep their Swine And after a long beggery and slavery Return with shame and sorrow to their Loyalty Take up the Body of that unfortunate Prince I will bestow Royal interrement on it His and the Kingdom 's dreadful Ruines prove A Monarch's Right is an unshaken Rock No storms of War nor time can wear away And Wracks those Pirates that come there for prey Ex. EPILOGUE TO a cloy'd lover with his Mistress tyr'd How pall'd she seems who once was so desir'd He Shuns her sight and when she comes to sin Damn her he cries tell her I 'm not within So nauseous and unpleasant now are grown All the delights of wit to this cloyd Town Nowon Religious Brawls your time you spend When sinners grow devout they 're near their end The Nation of a natural humour Gay That in vile Pamphlets does begin to pray The ayd of Rascals for her sickly State Is in a malady as desperate As the young Spark who late Religion scorn'd Grown deadly sick is a Fanatick turn'd And begs in bits o' Paper up and down The Prayers of all the Godly of the Town Oh! we are sick at least our brains are bad England is ne're devout till it is mad Our Fathers to their cost did find it so And small things will make mad men fight you know Oh! what a Bedlam once was this sweet place When graceless Rogues did Fight about free-grace And wilful Fools wou'd obstinately spill His bloud who durst say man had a free-will Of all our Civil broyles those we have shewn To day our Nation with least shame may own For Subjects then for loyalty did fight And Princes to maintain their Royal Right Yet those rich Ornaments were very far From gracing that fowl Monster Civil-War How ugly then she is when ridden blind With Pope before but Presbyter behind Such a poor Nation 's case is very evil Those two wou'd ride a Kingdom to the Devil Learn then by what you have beheld to day To keep your wit and money whilest you may Better at Dice to throw away your Wealth Your time at cursed Plays with Punks your health Than by damn'd senseless bloudy strifes about No one knows what be trod on by the Rout Have your Wealth plunder'd and your brains beat out And dye like Jesuites to be thought devout FINIS