Page:A tour through the northern counties of England, and the borders of Scotland - Volume I.djvu/50

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place or ties; they were forcibly torn from the asylum, and led to immediate execution. Prince Edward was reserved to be murdered in cold blood; Shakespeare, you know, with the truth of the historian, has handed down to us the high-spirited language which induced his assassination:

"K. Edw. 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?
Prince. 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 self-same words to thee,
Which, traitor, thou would'st have me answer to.

Queen. Ah, that thy father had been so resolv'd!
Glo. That you might still have worn the petticoat,
And ne'er have stol'n the breech from Lancaster.
Prince. Let Æsop fable in a winter's night;
His currish riddles sort not with this place.
Glo. By Heaven, brat, I'll plague ye for that word.
Queen. Aye, thou wast born to be a plague to men.
Glo. For God's sake take away this captive scold.
Prince. Nay, takeaway this scolding crook-back, rather.
K. Ed. Peace, wilful boy, or I will charm your tongue.
Clar. Untutor'd lad, thou art too malapert.
Prince. I know my duty ; you are all undutiful:
Lascivious Edward, and thou perjur'd George,
And thou misshapen Dick, I tell ye all
I am your better, traitors as ye are.
And thou usurp'st my father's right and mine.
K. Edw. Take that, thou likeness of this railer here.
[Edw. Stabs him.