The True History of Edward IV

Act 1, Scene 4 of Shakespeare's Lost Play

Act I, Scene IV

St. Albans. The town barricades are manned by the Duke of Somerset, the Duke of Buckingham, the Earl of Northumberland and Lord Clifford. King Henry VI is present beside his banner.

   Enter Mowbray Herald from York’s side who meets with Buckingham Herald.

Mowbray Herald:
Good herald, I bring terms from York’s bold heart,
That bloodshed may be spared this fateful day.
We seek the rightful place of York in this land,
To honour our king, and not to spill his noble blood.

Buckingham Herald:
Our lords, entrenched behind these sturdy barrs,
Will hear thy plea, but trust not peaceful words.
Too oft has York’s ambition cloaked in peace,
Brought swords unsheathed and treachery’s cruel bite.

Mowbray Herald:
Return, then, swift, and counsel with your lords.
Bid them consider well this call for truce,
Or else let battle be the answer given.

Buckingham Herald:
Aye, to Somerset and Northumberland,
To Buckingham and Clifford I return.
Yet know, fair herald, these lords are resolved to fight.

				               Exit Buckingham Herald.

   Enter the Duke of York, Edward of March and the earl’s of Salisbury and 
   Warwick.

Edward: (aside to York)
Father, this parley doth foretell but war.
These barricades, these armoured men in place,
Speak not of peace but of battle’s grim resolve.

York:
Indeed, my son, yet hope remains our guide.
Should words fail, then let our swords speak loud,
For England’s future lies in balanced scales,
And we shall tip them, if needs be, with force.

Edward: 
Then let us to arms and cry St George for England!

         (He draws his sword)

York:
Fear not my noble son, I alone will make this Beaufort pay,
That he ever cross'd us in such an ignoble way. 
But today thou shall observe the fight,
Lest tomorrow our House be cleaved of life...

Edward: 
But sire...

   Alarums. Enter Somerset, Buckingham, Northumberland, and Clifford, with 
   Buckingham Herald.

Somerset:
Thus York, thy words reach us through this our herald.
Yet know, we stand for Henry and the crown,
And not some Neville’s scheme nor York’s cruel hand,
Shall force us from this rightful path.

York:
Then let the die be cast and fate decree.
Prepare thy men, and let battle commence.
But mark my words, Somerset, this day’s end
Will write the story of the future’s dawn!

Somerset:
So be it, York. To arms, and let’s to the field.
Our king doth curse every mother’s son,
And all those who stand ‘gainst his crown imperial.
So beware proud York and let this fight,
Be judge and jury of our cause and might!

				Exeunt Somerset, Buckingham, Northumberland, and 
                                Lord Clifford. 

	(Trumpets sound and the armies prepare to fight)

Warwick: (aside to York)
The moment’s nigh, the tension thick as night.

	(He draws his sword)

Our forces are ready. Steel or hearts and minds,
To claim this town and crown our rightful cause!

Salisbury: (embraces York)
Brother, the time has come to cast aside
All fear and doubt, and let our valour shine.
With courage and with strength, we shall prevail.

York:
Aye, my lords. To arms! To arms! and let us fight,
For honour, for our claim, with English zeal!

	(A fight ensues and the town becomes a field of battle)

Somerset: (hard pressed)
Hold fast, my lords! For Lancaster, we fight,
And in this day’s grim work, we find our might!

       (Arrows fly and Warwick's men advance crying, A Warwick!)

Clifford:
Percy, to me! Let us these traitors rout,
And drive them from our barrs with deathly shout!

Northumberland:
With thee, brave Clifford, shall our valour shine,
And York’s ambition meet with swift decline!

	(The battle rages on. Somerset fights valiantly but is confronted by York)

York:
Thy end is nigh, thou treacherous, vile cur.
This day shall mark thy fall, and Lancaster’s end!

	(They fight and Somerset is grievously wounded)

Somerset: (breathless)
Foul York, thy triumph is but a fleeting breath,
For shadows loom upon thy path to death...
	
       (He dies)

       (Nearby, Salisbury and Clifford engage in a fierce combat)

Salisbury:
Have at thee, Clifford! Thou who spurns our northern cause,
Thou shall meet thy end and feel our righteous claws!

Clifford:
Come, Neville, meet thy fate with sword in hand,
For in this fight, I’ll make my stand!

	(Clifford is struck down by Salisbury. Northumberland is killed by Warwick) 

   Enter King Henry waving his arms in horror.

King Henry:
Woe to thee O land! God help us we are undone...

	(He is hit by an arrow in the neck)

Buckingham: (seeing the king fall)
Retreat! The day is lost! Retreat, I say!
Protect the king and guard him from this fray!

	(York’s forces overrun the barricades and the Lancastrians flee)

York:
My lords, the king is injured in this strife!
Tend to him gently, and though our cause is just,
We still must honour majesty in the field.

King Henry:  (groaning)
Oh, York, what madness drives thee to this end?
My wounds doth mirror England torn apart.

York: (helping Henry)
My liege, forgive this turmoil, this dark day,
My heart swears fealty, my sword shall guard
Thy throne, thy realm, ‘gainst all your enemies.
We fight to save thee from foul counsel’s snare.

King Henry:
May heaven’s mercy heal this shattered land,
And bring us peace, though bloodstains mar the ground.

   Enter York’s surgeon with Edward of March who surveys the scene.

Edward: (aside)
O England, thou art torn by war’s cruel hand,
And I, a witness to this bloodied land,
Must bear the weight of York’s chosen path,
As civil war engulfs in furious wrath.
The blood of Percy, Somerset and Clifford doth stain
These hallowed grounds, and feeds this dark refrain.
What future holds, when fathers’ sins shall breed
A bitter feud that next in line shall lead?
O fate, thy hand is heavy, cruel, and stark,
To pit us ‘gainst each other in the dark.
Yet in this strife, my heart must find a way,
To steer this realm to a brighter day.

   Enter Young Clifford, who has witnessed his father’s death.

Young Clifford: (aside in tears)
York, by my father’s blood that stains this earth,
I swear thy sons shall pay for this foul birth!
Thy line shall meet with vengeance, swift and sure,
And Clifford’s wrath shall haunt thy days, endure.
This war is far from ended, traitorous foe,
For every drop of blood, ten more shall flow!

				Exits, casting a dark glance at York and Edward. 

   Enter Mowbray Herald and Buckingham Herald.

York:
Our work here is settled in chivalry’s name,
The traitors are killed and our king reigns again.

	(To Edward)

As for thee, you’ve earned your spurs my thrice proud son,
Let’s us away to London our journey’s done!

				Exuent all with King Henry leaving the heralds on the field.

Mowbray Herald:
O noble herald, what is this we see?
When once chivalric code and honour bright,
Held sway in war, and noble blood was spared,
Now death and vengeance rule the field of war.

Buckingham Herald:
In times of yore, ransom saved the knight,
And mercy’s gentle hand did stay the blade.
Yet now, in civil strife, all mercy’s fled,
And noble houses fall in pools of blood.

Mowbray Herald:
If chivalry doth die upon this field,
What then becomes of us, who bears its charge?
For we, the messengers of noble hearts,
Shall find our words and worth to shadows fall.

Buckingham Herald:
Without the shield of honour’s guiding light,
The darkness of our times shall deeper grow.
Yet hope remains that chivalry’s bright flame
Might yet be kindled, though the night is long.

Mowbray Herald:
Then let us strive, in service and deed,
To keep a spark of honour in our hearts.
Though war’s cruel tide may sweep away our creed,
We stand as beacons, till the light departs.

			    They both begin to account the dead.

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