Act II. sc. iii.-The action of this and the remaining scenes of Act II. cover the two days' fighting which ended at Towton on March 29, 1461. A preliminary skirmish at Ferrybridge, where Clifford discomfited the Yorkists, has been magnified into the serious reverse lamented by Edward and George, when this scene opens (11. 6-13). Richard enters and cries to Warwick (11. 14-16): Ah, Warwicke! why hast thou withdrawn thy selfe? Warwick responds: Then let the earth be drunken with our blood: Ile kill my Horse, because I will not flye! In the conflict at Ferrybridge was slain brother of [Hol. iii. 664/1/60. Halle, 255.] the bastard of Salisburie, (A bastard brother to the earle of Warwike, a valiant yoong gentleman, and Warwick of great audacitie. When the earle of Warwike was informed hereof, like a man desperat, he mounted on his hacknie, and hasted puffing and blowing to king Edward, saieng: "Sir, I praie God haue mercie of "their soules, which in the beginning of your enterprise haue lost "their liues! And bicause I see no succors of the world but in "God, I remit the vengeance to him our creator and redeemer." With that he alighted downe, and slue his horse with his sword, saieng: "Let him flee that will, for suerlie I will tarrie with him "that will tarrie with me": and kissed the crosse of his sword as it were for a vow to the promise. As Warwick and the three brothers are going forth to renew the battle, George says (11. 49-53): Yet let vs altogether to our Troopes, And giue them leaue to flye that will not stay; And call them Pillars that will stand to vs; And, if we thriue, promise them such rewards As Victors weare at the Olympian Games: 3 . . . After the slaughter of the horse, [Hol. iii. 664/1/74. Halle, 255.] King Edward, perceiuing the 1 The date from Rot. Parl., v. 477/2. The fighting began early on March 28, when Clifford took Ferrybridge from the Yorkists.-Greg., 216; cp. Halle, 254, 255. In the corresponding lines of T. T., Richard announces the death of Warwick's father, the Earl of Salisbury. Salisbury was put to death after the battle of Wakefield.-Wyrc., 485. In T. T. George advises that they should "hiely promise to remunerate" those who stood by them. Χ slain.] The earle of Warwike [slew his own horse]. tion A proclama courage of his trustie friend the earle of Warwike, made proclamation, that all men which were afraid to fight should depart: and, to all those that tarried the battell, he promised great rewards ; with addition, that anie souldier which voluntarilie would abide, and afterwards, either in or before the fight should seeme to flee or turne his backe, then he that could kill him should haue a great reward and double wages. [Ebb and flow of battle at Towton.] [Family and social ties broken at Towton.] King Henrie withdraweth to Berwike, & from thence into Scotland Act II. sc. v.-Viewed from afar the battle appears to King Henry (11. 5-12) like a Mighty Sea ... 12 Forc'd by the Tide to combat with the Winde; This deadly battayle and bloudy conflicte continued .x. houres in doubtful victorie, the one parte some tyme flowyng, and sometime ebbyng, There enter (11. 54, 79) "a Sonne that hath kill'd his Father, and a Father that hath kill'd his Sonne; " in both cases unwittingly. Each then recognizes his foeman's face, and laments the cruel chance of civil war. Halle says of Towton (256) : This conflict was in maner vnnaturall, for in it the sonne fought agaynst the father, the brother agaynst the brother, the nephew against the vncle, and the tenaunt agaynst his lord, . . . At the close of this scene Margaret, Prince Edward, and Exeter 2 rush in from the field where the Lancastrians have been defeated. The Queen cries to Henry (1. 128): Mount you, my Lord! towards Barwicke post amaine! [Hol. iii. 665/1/41. Halle, 256.] King Henrie, after he heard of the irrecoverable losse of his armie, departed incontinentlie with his wife and sonne to the towne of Berwike; and, leauing the duke 1 Not in T. T. 2 "the dukes of Summerset [Henry Beaufort] and Excester [Henry Holland] fled from the field and saued themselues."-Hol, iii. 665/1/31 (Halle, 256). of Summerset there, went into Scotland, and, comming to the king of Scots, required of him and his councell, aid and comfort. Act II. sc. vi.-"Enter Clifford wounded, with an arrow in his necke," ,"1 is the opening stage direction of this scene in The True Tragedie. On March 28, 1461,2 Clifford blocked the passage of the Aire at Ferrybridge. After the proclamation made by Edward (see p. 306 above), a Yorkist force passed the Aire [Hol. iii. 664/2/12. Halle, 255.] at Castelford, three miles from Ferribridge, intending to haue inuironed the lord Clifford and his companie. But they, being therof aduertised, departed in great hast toward king Henries armie; yet they met with some that they looked not for, & were so trapt yer they were aware. For the lord Clifford, either for heat or paine, putting off his gorget, suddenlie with an arrow (as some saie, without an head) was striken into the The lord throte, and immediatlie rendred his spirit;3 ... By order of Warwick,-who enters subsequently (1. 30) with Edward, George, and Richard,-Clifford's head is to be fixed where the head of Edward's father "stands" (1. 86). Edward reached York on March 30,4 Clifford elain. Edward's father removed from York [Hol. iii. 665/1/36. Halle, 256.] and first he caused the heads [The head of of his father, the earle of Salisburie, and other his freends, to be taken from the gates, and to be buried with their bodies: and gate.l there he caused the earle of Deuonshire, and three other, to be beheaded, and set their heads in the same place. Clifford's head being provided for, Warwick says to Edward (11. 87, 88): And now to London with Triumphant march, ... Edward assents, and thus addresses his brothers (11. 103, 104): Richard, I will create thee Duke of Gloucester, And George, of Clarence: In June 5 1461 Edward ... [Hol. iii. 665/2/9. Halle, 257, 258.] returned, after the maner and fashion of a triumphant conquerour, with great pompe vnto 1 A lowd alarum. Enter Clifford Wounded.] 3 Hen. VI. 2 Greg., 216. Halle, 254, 255 (Hol. iii. 664/1/37). 3 On Palm Sunday (March 29), 1461.-Ing. p. m. 4 E. IV. No. 52 (O. B.). 4 Paston, ii. 5. 5 On June 27 Edward rode from the Tower to Westminster.-Three Chronicles (B. L. C.), p. 174. [Edward crowned.] [George created Duke of Richard, Duke of Gloucester.] Dukes of London; where, according to the old custome of the realme, he called a great assemblie of persons of all degrees; and the nine & twentith daie of Iune 1 was at Westminster with solemnitie crowned and annointed king. 1 Also, after this, he created his two yoonger brethren dukes; that is to saie, lord George, duke of Clarence, lord Richard, duke of Glocester; Richard is rather loth to accept this title (1. 107): For Glosters Dukedome is too ominous. Holinshed derived from Halle (209) the following remark on Humphrey Duke of Gloucester's death: [Hol. iii. 627/1/52.] Some thinke that the name and title of unfortunate. Glocester hath beene vnluckie to diuerse, which for their honours haue beene erected by creation of princes to that stile and dignitie; as Thomas 2 Spenser, Thomas of Woodstoke, sonne to king Edward the third, and this duke Humfreie: which three persons by miserable death finished their daies; and after them king Richard the third also, duke of Glocester, in ciuill warre slaine. Act III. sc. i.-After 1. 12 (3 Hen. VI.) the stage direction in The True Tragedie is: "Enter king Henrie disguisde." Henry begins a soliloquy by saying: From Scotland am I stolne euen of pure loue, To greet mine owne Land with my wishfull sight.* He is overheard by two keepers, one of whom whispers to the other (1.23): This is the quondam King; let's seize vpon him. Henry asks the Second Keeper (1. 74): Where did you dwell when I was K. of England? 76 Hum. [Sec. Keep.]. Heere in this Country, where we now remaine. Oathes? 1 Edward was crowned on June 28, 1461.-Greg., 218. Another con temporary chronicle (Cottonian MS., Vitellius, A. xvi.)-cited in Paston, ii. 18, note-gives June 28 as the date of Edward's coronation. Thomas] Hugh Hol. 3 Enter the King with a Prayer booke.] 3 Hen. VI. 4 To. land.-T. T. sight.] 3 Hen. VI. And thus disguisde to greete my natiue title.] [Hol. iii. 691/2/33. Stow, 706.] being demanded whie he had so long held the crowne of England vniustlie, he replied: "My [Henry VI.'s "father was king of England, quietlie inioieng the crowne all his "reigne; and his father, my grandsire, was also king of England; "and I euen a child in my cradell was proclamed and crowned "king without anie interruption; and so held it fortie yeares "well-neere; all the states dooing homage vnto me, as to my "antecessors." The keepers arrest him; and, in the next scene, we find that he has been brought to the " Pallace Gate" of King Edward, who, on receiving this news, bids the messenger (III. ii. 120) See that he be conuey'd vnto the Tower: About four historical years after the battle of Towton,-probably in July, 1465,1-Henry, [Hol. iii. 667/1/26. Halle, 261.] whether he was past all feare; or that hee was not well established in his wits and perfect mind; or for that he could not long keepe himselfe secret, in disguised at[t]ire boldlie entred into England. taken. He was no sooner entred, but he was knowne and taken of one King Henrie Cantlow, and brought toward the king; whom the earle of Warwike met on the way by the kings commandement, and brought him through London to the Tower, & there he was laid in sure hold. Act III. sc. ii.-Edward and his brothers enter, accompanied by This Ladyes Husband, Sir Richard Grey, was slaine, Her suit is now to repossesse those Lands; Which wee in Iustice cannot well deny, 4 In the next historical drama (Rich. III., I. iii. 127, 128), she is reminded by Richard that, when he was a zealous servant of Edward, she and her 1 Henry was arrested about June 29, 1465.-Three Chron. (B. L. C.), 180, 181. He was brought to the Tower on July 24.-Greg., 232, 233. |