Page 817 - Shakespeare - Vol. 1

I, then in London, keeper of the king,
Mustered my soldiers, gathered flocks of friends,
And very well appointed, as I thought,
Marched toward Saint Albans to intercept the queen,
Bearing the king in my behalf along; [115]
For by my scouts I was advertisèd
That she was coming with a full intent
To dash our late decree in parliament
Touching King Henry’s oath and your succession.
Short tale to make, we at Saint Albans met, [120]
Our battles joined, and both sides fiercely fought:
But whether ’twas the coldness of the king,
Who looked full gently on his warlike queen,
That robbed my soldiers of their heated spleen,
Or whether ’twas report of her success, [125]
Or more than common fear of Clifford’s rigour
Who thunders to his captives blood and death,
I cannot judge: but, to conclude with truth,
Their weapons like to lightning came and went;
Our soldiers’, like the night-owl’s lazy flight, [130]
Or like an idle thresher with a flail,
Fell gently down, as if they struck their friends.
I cheered them up with justice of our cause,
With promise of high pay and great rewards,
But all in vain: they had no heart to fight [135]
And we, in them, no hope to win the day;
So that we fled: the king unto the queen,
Lord George, your brother, Norfolk, and myself
In haste, post-haste, are come to join with you;
For in the Marches here we heard you were, [140]
Making another head to fight again.

EDWARD

Where is the Duke of Norfolk, gentle Warwick?
And when came George from Burgundy to England?

WARWICK

Some six miles off the duke is with the soldiers;
And, for your brother, he was lately sent [145]
From your kind aunt, Duchess of Burgundy,
With aid of soldiers to this needful war.