The Battle of Hexham; or, Days of Old: a play in three actsColman, George
General
The Battle of Hexham; or, Days of Old: a play in three acts
Colman, George
Margaret, of Anjou, Queen, consort of Henry VI, King of England, 1430-1482 -- Drama
_Alarm--Shout--and Retreat sounded._
SCENE V.
_Open Country._
_Enter the MARQUIS OF MONTAGUE, EGBERT, and
other LORDS of the White Rose Party, SOLDIERS, &c._
_Mont._ Cheerly, my valiant friends! the field is ours.
The scatter'd Roses of the Lancasters,
Now deeper tinted, blush a double red,
In shame of this defeat. Oh! this will much
Rejoice King Edward!--Say, has any friend
Made Henry sure?
_Egbert._ He is escaped alone, my lord! and Margaret,
Who, with her little son, went, hand in hand,
Hovering about the field, with anxious hope,
Ev'n to the very last; when she perceived
Her lines broke thro'--her troops almost dispersed,--
She hung upon her boy, in silent anguish,
Till the big tear dropt in his lily neck:
Then, kissing him, as by a sudden impulse,
Which mothers feel, she snatch'd him to her bosom,
And fled with her young treasure in her arms:----
Nature so spoke in't, that our very soldiers
Were soften'd at the scene, and, dull'd with pity,
Grew sluggish in pursuit.
_Mont._ Well, let them go:--
Their cause is, now, become so weak, and sickly,
That, tho' the head exist, to plot fresh mischief,
They will want limbs to execute,--Their House,
(Once strong and mighty,) like a a palsied Hercules,
Must, now, lament it has outlived its powers.--
Meantime, as we return, in pride of conquest,
Let us impress the minds of Englishmen
With new-won glories of the House of York.
Strike drum!--Sound trumpet!--Let the air be rent,
With high and martial songs of victory.
GRAND CHORUS.
_Strike!--the God of Conquest sheds_
_His choicest laurels on our heads:_
_Mars, with fury-darting eye,_
_Smooths his brow, and stalks before us;_
_Leading our triumphant chorus,_
_Hand in hand, with victory._
_And hark! the thund'ring drum, and fife's shrill tone,_
_With brazen trumpet's clang, proclaim the day our own._
[_Huzzas._
ACT THE SECOND.
SCENE I.
_A Cave, in Hexham Forest; in which ROBBERS are discovered, drinking._
OLD GLEE, AND OLD WORDS.
_When Arthur first, in court, began_
_To wear long hanging-sleeves,_
_He entertain'd three serving-men,_
_And all of them were thieves._
_The first he was an Irishman,_
_The second was a Scot,_
_The third he was a Welshman,_
_And all were knaves, I wot._
_The Irishman, he loved Usquebaugh,_
_The Scot loved ale, called blue-cap;_
_The Welshman he loved toasted cheese,_
_And made his mouth like a mouse-trap._
_Usquebaugh burnt the Irishman,_
_The Scot was drown'd in ale;_
_The Welshman had like t' have been choak'd with a mouse,_
_But he pull'd her out by the tail._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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