Page:Henry VI Part 3 (1923) Yale.djvu/49

King Henry the Sixth, II. iii

Edw. No, wrangling woman, we'll no longer stay:

These words will cost ten thousand lives this day.

Exeunt omnes.

War. Forspent with toil, as runners with a race,

I lay me down a little while to breathe;

For strokes receiv'd, and many blows repaid,

Have robb'd my strong-knit sinews of their strength,

And spite of spite needs must I rest a while.

Edw. Smile, gentle heaven! or strike, ungentle death!

For this world frowns, and Edward's sun is clouded.

War. How now, my lord! what hap? what hope of good?

Clar. Our hap is loss, our hope but sad despair,

Our ranks are broke, and ruin follows us.

What counsel give you? whither shall we fly?

Edw. Bootless is flight, they follow us with wings;

And weak we are and cannot shun pursuit.

Rich. Ah! Warwick, why hast thou withdrawn thyself?

Thy brother's blood the thirsty earth hath drunk,

 1 Forspent: utterly exhausted; cf. n.

8 hap: fortune

12 Bootless: fruitless

15 Thy brother's blood; cf. n. 