Page 608 - Shakespeare - Vol. 1

Thus war hath given thee peace, for thou art still; [Exit.]
Peace with his soul, heaven, if it be thy will! [30]

[Alarums, then] enter Young Clifford [alone].

YOUNG CLIFFORD

Shame and confusion! All is on the rout;
Fear frames disorder, and disorder wounds
Where it should guard. O war, thou son of hell,
Whom angry heavens do make their minister,
Throw in the frozen bosoms of our part [35]
Hot coals of vengeance! Let no soldier fly.
He that is truly dedicate to war
Hath no self-love: nor he that loves himself
Hath not essentially but by circumstance
The name of valour. [Seeing his dead father] O let the vile world end,

[40]
And the premised flames of the last day
Knit earth and heaven together!
Now let the general trumpet blow his blast,
Particularities and petty sounds
To cease! Wast thou ordained, dear father, [45]
To lose thy youth in peace, and to achieve
The silver livery of advisèd age
And, in thy reverence and thy chair-days, thus
To die in ruffian battle? Even at this sight
My heart is turned to stone: and while ’tis mine, [50]
It shall be stony. York not our old men spares;
No more will I their babes: tears virginal
Shall be to me even as the dew to fire,
And beauty, that the tyrant oft reclaims,
Shall to my flaming wrath be oil and flax. [55]
Henceforth I will not have to do with pity:
Meet I an infant of the house of York,
Into as many gobbets will I cut it
As wild Medea young Absyrtis did;
In cruelty will I seek out my fame. [60]

[He takes his father’s body up on his back.]
Come, thou new ruin of old Clifford’s house:
As did Aeneas old Anchises bear,