Come, York, and Richard, Warwick, and the rest; ' I stabb'd your fathers' bosoms, split my breast." [He faints.

Alarum and Retreat. Enter EDWARD, GEORge, RICHARD, MONTAGUE, WARWICK, and Soldiers.,

8

'EDW. Now breathe we, lords; good fortune bids us pause,

And smooth the frowns of war' with peaceful looks.

* Some troops pursue the bloody-minded queen ;That led calm Henry, though he were a king, As doth a sail, fill'd with a fretting gust,

"I stabb'd your fathers' bosoms, split my breast.] So the folio. The quartos read:

"I stabb'd your father's, now come split my breast."

STEEVENS.

• Now breathe we, lords;] Instead of this speech the quartos have the following:

"Thus far our fortunes keep an upward course,
"And we are grac'd with wreaths of victory.
"Some troops pursue the bloody-minded queen,
"That now towards Berwick doth post amain:-
"But think you that Clifford is fled away with them?"

STEEVENS.

This battle, in which the house of York was victorious, was fought on a plain between Towton and Saxton, on the 29th of March, (Palm Sunday) 1461. The royal army consisted, according to Hall, of about forty thousand men ; and the young Duke of York's forces were 48,760. In this combat, which lasted fourteen hours, and in the actions of the two following days, thirty-six thousand seven hundred and seventy-six persons are said to have been killed; the greater part of whom were undoubtedly Lancastrians. MALONE.

• And smooth the frowns of war-] So, in K. Richard III: "Grim-visag'd war hath smooth'd his wrinkled front." STEEVENS.

Command an argosy to stem the waves.

'But think you, lords, that Clifford fled with them?
WAR. No, 'tis impossible he should escape:
For, though before his face I speak the words,
Your brother Richard mark'd him for the grave:1
And, wheresoe'er he is, he's surely dead.

[CLIFFORD groans, and dies. EDW. Whose soul is that which takes her heavy

leave?

RICH. A deadly groan, like life and death's departing.3

EDW. See who it is: and, now the battle's ended, If friend, or foe, let him be gently us❜d.

mark'd him for the grave:] Young has transferred this expression to Alonzo in The Revenge:

"This only marks my body for the grave."

A similar phrase occurs in Chapman's version of the fifth Iliad: "Our bravest foe is mark'd for death; he cannot long

sustain

"My violent shaft,-" STEEVens.

Edw. Whose soul &c.] I have distinguished this and the two following speeches according to the authority of the quarto. The folio gave all to Richard, except the last line and half.

STEEVENS.

I have also followed the original regulation, because it seems absurd that Richard should first say to his brother, or to one of the soldiers, "See who it is;"—and then, himself declare that it is Clifford; and therefore I suppose the variation in the folio arose, not from Shakspeare, but from some negligence or inaccuracy of a compositor or transcriber. MALONE.

3

like life and death's departing.] Sir Thomas Hanmer reads, like life in death departing; which Dr. Warburton has received. JOHNSON.

The quartos read, like life and death's departure. STEEVENS. -like life and death's departing.] Departing for separation. MALONE.

There is no occasion for correction. ""Till death us depart” was the expression in the old Marriage Service. FARMER.

RICH, Revoke that doom of mercy, for 'tis
Clifford ;

Who not contented that he lopp'd the branch
In hewing Rutland when his leaves put forth,
But set his murdering knife unto the root
From whence that tender spray did sweetly spring,
‹ I mean, our princely father, duke of York.

WAR. From off the gates of York fetch down the head,

Your father's head, which Clifford placed there : Instead whereof, let this supply the room; Measure for measure must be answered.

EDW. Bring forth that fatal screech-owl to our

house,

That nothing sung but death to us and ours:5 'Now death shall stop his dismal threatening sound, And his ill-boding tongue no more shall speak. [Attendants bring the Body forward. WAR. I think his understanding is bereft :—

In hewing Rutland when his leaves put forth,] It is mannest from this and many other passages, that the author of the old play, where the corresponding line stands thus:

"Who killed our tender brother Rutland—.”

imagined that Rutland was younger than George and Richard; whereas he was in fact older than them both, being the Duke of York's second son; in consequence of which he bore a title by courtesy: and a particular stipulation was made in the compact entered into between Henry and the Duke of York, that Rutland, as well as his elder brother Edward Earl of March, should swear to the due observance of the agreement. Shakspeare has, we see, fallen into the same error; as have Habington in his nervous and elegant History of Edward IV. and several other historians. MALONE.

screech-owl to our house,

That nothing sung but death &c.] So, in K. Richard III: "Out on you, owls! nothing but songs of death?”

STEEVENS.

Speak, Clifford, dost thou know who speaks to

thee?

Dark cloudy death o'ershades his beams of life, And he nor sees, nor hears us what we say.

RICH. O, 'would he did! and so, perhaps, he doth;

'Tis but his policy to counterfeit,

'Because he would avoid such bitter taunts 'Which in the time of death he

gave our father. GEO. If so thou think'st, vex him with eager words."

RICH. Clifford, ask mercy, and obtain no grace. EDW. Clifford, repent in bootless penitence. WAR. Clifford, devise excuses for thy faults. GEO. While we devise fell tortures for thy faults. 'RICH. Thou didst love York, and I am son to York.

EDW. Thou pitied'st Rutland, I will pity thee. GEO. Where's captain Margaret, to fence you

now?

WAR. They mock thee, Clifford ! swear as thou

wast wont.

• RICH. What, not an oath? nay, then the world goes hard,

When Clifford cannot spare his friends an oath:I know by that, he's dead; And, by my soul, "If this right hand would buy two hours' life, That I in all despite might rail at him,

eager words.] Sour words; words of asperity.

JOHNSON.

So, in Hamlet:
"It is a nipping and an eager air." STEEVens.

This hand should chop it off; and with the issuing blood

Stifle the villain, whose unstaunched thirst

York and young Rutland could not satisfy.

WAR. Ay, but he's dead: Off with the traitor's head,

And rear it in the place your father's stands.—
And now to London with triumphant march,
There to be crowned England's royal king.
From whence shall Warwick cut the sea to France,
And ask the lady Bona for thy queen:

So shalt thou sinew both these lands together; And, having France thy friend, thou shalt not dread

The scatter'd foe, that hopes to rise again;
For though they cannot greatly sting to hurt,
Yet look to have them buz, to offend thine ears.
First, will I see the coronation;

"And then to Britany I'll cross the sea,"
To effect this marriage, so it please my lord.

EDW. Even as thou wilt, sweet Warwick, let it be:

*For on thy shoulder do I build my seat; * And never will I undertake the thing, * Wherein thy counsel and consent is wanting.Richard, I will create thee duke of Gloster;'And George, of Clarence;-Warwick, as ourself, 'Shall do, and undo, as him pleaseth best.

RICH. Let me be duke of Clarence; George, of Gloster;

" And then to Britany I'll cross the sea,] Thus the folio. The quartos thus:

"And afterward I'll cross the seas to France."

STEEVENS.