*But, if an humble prayer may prevail, I then crave pardon of your majesty. *K. Hen. For what, lieutenant ? for well using me? *Nay, be thou sure, I'll well requite thy kind ness, For that it made my imprisonment a pleasure: Ay, such a pleasure as incaged birds *Conceive, when, after many moody thoughts, *At last, by notes of household harmony, They quite forget their loss of liberty.But, Warwick, after God, thou sett'st me free, And chiefly therefore I thank God, and thee; *He was the author, thou the instrument. *Therefore, that I may conquer fortune's spite, *By living low, where fortune cannot hurt me; *And that the people of this blessed land *May not be punish'd with my thwarting stars; "Warwick, although my head still wear the crown, 'I here resign my government to thee, 'For thou art fortunate in all thy deeds. * War. Your grace hath still been fam'd for virtuous; *And now may seem as wise as virtuous, 'K. Hen. My lord of Somerset, what youth is that, Of whom you seem to have so tender care? 'K. Hen. Come hither, England's hope: If secret powers [Lays his hand on his head. 'Suggest but truth to my divining thoughts, This pretty lad will prove our country's bliss. His looks are full of peaceful majesty; 'His head by nature fram'd to wear a crown, 'His hand to wield a sceptre; and himself Likely, in time, to bless a regal throne. Make much of him, my lords; for this is he, 'Must help you more than you are hurt by me. Enter a Messenger. For few men rightly temper with the stars:1 *Yet in this one thing let me blame your grace, *For choosing me, when Clarence is in place.2" * Clar. No, Warwick, thou art worthy of the* sway, *To whom the heavens, in thy nativity, *War. And I choose Clarence only for protector. *K. Hen. Warwick, and Clarence, give me both your hands; *Now join your hands, and, with your hands, your hearts, *That no dissension hinder government: War. What answers Clarence to his sovereign's will? *Clar. That he consents, if Warwick yield consent; *For on thy fortune I repose myself. *War. Why then, though loth, yet must I be content: *We'll yoke together, like a double shadow *To Henry's body, and supply his place; * I mean, in bearing weight of government, *While he enjoys the honour, and his ease. *And, Clarence, now then it is more than needful, *Forthwith that Edward be pronounc'd a traitor, *And all his lands and goods be confiscate. Clar. What else? and that succession be determin'd. *War. Ay, therein Clarence shalt not want his part. *K. Hen. But, with the first of all your chief affairs, *Let me entreat (for I command no more,) That Margaret your queen, and my son Edward, Be sent for, to return from France with speed: *For, till I see them here, by doubtful fear *My joy of liberty is half eclips'd. Clar. It shall be done, my sovereign, with all speed. (1) Few men conform their temper to their destiny. (2) Present. (3) Afterwards Henry VII. * War. What news, my friend? *Mess. That Edward is escaped from your brother, *And fled, as he hears since, to Burgundy. * War. Unsavoury news: But how made he escape? * Mess. He was convey'd by Richard duke of Gloster, *And the lord Hastings, who attended him * In secret ambush on the forest's side, * War. My brother was too careless of his charge. *But let us hence, my sovereign, to provide * A salve for any sore that may betide. [Exeunt King Henry, War. Clar. Lieut. and attendants. For, doubtless, Burgundy will yield him help; And we shall have more wars, before't be long. *As Henry's late presaging prophecy Did glad my heart, with hope of this young Richmond; So doth my heart misgive me, in these conflicts What may befall him, to his harm, and ours: Therefore, lord Oxford, to prevent the worst, *Forthwith we'll send him hence to Britany, Till storms be past of civil enmity. Oxf. Ay; for, if Edward repossess the crown, 'Tis like that Richmond with the rest shall down. Som. It shall be so; he shall to Britany. *Come therefore, let's about it speedily. [Exeunt. SCENE VII.-Before York. Enter King Edward, Gloster, Hastings, and forces. 'K. Edw. Now, brother Richard, lord Hastings, and the rest; Yet thus far fortune maketh us amends, And says-that once more I shall interchange My waned state for Henry's regal crown. 'Well have we pass'd, and now repass'd the seas, 'And brought desir'd help from Burgundy: 'What then remains, we being thus arriv'd 'From Ravenspurg haven before the gates of York, 'But that we enter, as into our dukedom? 'Glo. The gates made fast!-Brother, I like not this; For many men, that stumble at the threshold, *Are well foretold-that danger lurks within. *K. Edw. Tush, man! abodements must not now affright us: By fair or foul means we must enter in, *For hither will our friends repair to us. (4) i. e. Waited for him. *Hast. My liege, I'll knock once more, to Enter, on the walls, the Mayor of York, and his 'May. My lords, we were forewarn'd of your coming, And shut the gates for safety of ourselves; 'For now we owe allegiance unto Henry. 'K. Edw. But, master mayor, if Henry be your king, 'Yet Edward, at the least, is duke of York. May. True, my good lord; I know you for no less; 'K. Edw. Why, and I challenge nothing but my dukedom; *As being well content with that alone. Glo. But, when the fox hath once got in his nose, 'He'll soon find means to make the body follow. [Aside. 'Hast. Why, master mayor, why stand you in a doubt? Brother, we will proclaim you out of hand; *The bruit thereof will bring you many friends. *K. Edw. Then be it as you will; for 'tis my right, *And Henry but usurps the diadem. Mont. Ay, now my sovereign speaketh like himself. And now will I be Edward's champion. Hast. Sound, trumpet; Edward shall be here proclaim'd: Come, fellow-soldier, make thou proclamation. [Gives him a paper. Flourish. Sold. [Reads.] Edward the Fourth, by the grace of God, king of England and France, and lord of Ireland, &c. Mont. And whosoe'er gainsays king Edward's right, By this I challenge him to single fight. [Throws down his gauntlet. All. Long live king Edward the Fourth! 'K. Edw. Thanks, brave Montgomery ;-and Open the gates, we are king Henry's friends. thanks unto you all. May. Ay, say you so? the gates shall then be If fortune serve me, I'll requite this kindness. open'd. [Exeunt from above. Now, for this night, let's harbour here in York: Glo. A wise stout captain, and persuaded soon! And, when the morning sun shall raise his car *Hast. The good old man would fain that allAbove the border of this horizon, were well, 'We'll forward towards Warwick, and his mates; *So 'twere not 'long of him: but, being enter'd,For, well, I wot, that Henry is no soldier. *I doubt not, I, but we shall soon persuade "But in the night, or in the time of war. 'K. Edw. Welcome, sir John! But why come Mont. To help king Edward in his time of storm, As every loyal subject ought to do. 'K. Edw. Thanks, good Montgomery: But we now forget Our title to the crown; and only claim 'Our dukedom, till God please to send the rest. 'Mont. Then fare you well, for I will hence again; I came to serve a king, and not a duke,'Drummer, strike up, and let us march away. [A march begun. 'K. Edw. Nay, stay, sir John, a while; and we'll debate, 'By what safe means the crown may be recover'd. * K. Edw. When we grow stronger, then we'll * Till then, 'tis wisdom to conceal our meaning. Hast. Away with scrupulous wit! now arms must rule. * Glo. And fearless minds climb soonest unto crowns. (1) The mayor is willing we should enter, so he may not be blamed. Ah, froward Clarence!-how evil it beseems thee, Come on, brave soldiers; doubt not of the day ; War. What counsel, lords? Edward from Belgia, *Oxf. Let's levy men, and beat him back again. Not mutinous in peace, yet bold in war; K. Hen. Farewell, my Hector, and my Troy's *Clar. In sign of truth, I kiss your highness' hand. * K. Hen. Well-minded Clarence, be thou fortunate! * Mont. Comfort, my lord;-and so I take my leave. (2) Noise, report. (3) Know. *Oxf. And thus [Kissing Henry's hand.] I seal my truth, and bid adieu. *K. Hen. Sweet Oxford, and my loving Mon- And all at once, once more a happy farewell. entry. [Exe. War. Clar. Oxf. and Mont. *Should not be able to encounter mine. *Exe. The doubt is, that he will seduce the rest. *K. Hen. That's not my fear, my meed' hath | got me fame. Glo, See, how the surly Warwick mans the wall. War. O, unbid spite! is sportful Edward come? Where slept our scouts, or how are they seduc'd, That we could hear no news of his repair? K. Edw. Now, Warwick, wilt thou ope the city I have not stopp'd mine ears, to their demands, *Nor posted off their suits with slow delays; *My pity hath been balm to heal their wounds, *My mildness hath allay'd their swelling griefs, My mercy dry'd their water-flowing tears: * I have not been desirous of their wealth, *Nor much oppress'd them with great subsidies, *Nor forward of revenge, though they much err'd;And *Then why should they love Edward more than me ? No, Exeter, these graces challenge grace : *And, when the lion fawns upon the lamb, The lamb will never cease to follow him. [Shout within. A Lancaster! A Lancaster! Exe. Hark, hark, my lord! what shouts are these? - Enter King Edward, Gloster, and Soldiers. him hence, And once again proclaim us king of England. *You are the fount, that makes small brooks to flow. Now stops thy spring; my sea shall suck them dry, And swell so much the higher by their ebb.— 'Hence with him to the Tower; let him not speak. [Exeunt some with King Henry. And, lords, towards Conventry bend we our course, 'Where peremptory Warwick now remains : 'The sun shines hot, and, if we use delay, 'Cold biting winter mars our hop'd-for hay.2 Glo. Away betimes, before his forces join, And take the great-grown traitor unawares : * Brave warriors, march amain towards Coventry. [Exeunt. How far hence is thy lord, mine honest fellow ? War. How far off is our brother Montague ?-- 2 Mess. By this at Daintry, with a puissant troop. Enter sir John Somerville. War. Say, Somerville, what says my loving son? 'And do expect him here some two hours hence. gates, Speak gentle words, and humbly bend thy knee?— 'Call Edward-king, and at his hands beg mercy, he shall pardon thee these outrages. 'War. Nay, rather, wilt thou draw thy forces Confess who set thee up and pluck'd thee down?- Glo. I thought, at least, he would have said— Or did he make the jest against his will? War. "Twas I, that gave the kingdom to thy K. Edw. Why, then 'tis mine, if but by War- War. Thou art no Atlas for so great a weight: prisoner: And, gallant Warwick, do but answer this,- Glo. Alas, that Warwick had no more forecast, down, kneel down: *Nay, when? strike now, or else the iron cools. *Than hear so low a sail, to strike to thee. Scene II. K. Edw. So other foes may set upon our backs. *Stand we in good array; for they, no doubt, * Will issue out again, and bid us battle: 'If not, the city being but of small defence, 'We'll quickly rouse the traitors in the same. K. Edo. Yes, Warwick, Edward dares, and leads Lords, to the field; Saint George, and victory! War. O, welcome, Oxford! for we want thy SCENE II-A field of battle_near Barnet.help. Enter Montague, with drum and colours. treason 'Even with the dearest blood your bodies bear. * My mind presageth happy gain, and conquest. [He and his forces enter the city. Enter Clarence, with drum and colours. War. And lo, where George of Clarence sweeps Of force enough to bid his brother battle; calls. Clar. Father of Warwick, know you what this means? [Taking the red rose out of his cap. 'Look here, I throw my infamy at thee: I will not ruinate my father's house, Who gave his blood to lime' the stones together, 'And set up Lancaster. Why, trow'st thou, Warwick, 'That Clarence is so harsh, so blunt, unnatural, 'To bend the fatal instruments of war "Against his brother, and his lawful king? * Perhaps, thou wilt object my holy oath: To keep that oath, were more impiety *Than Jephtha's, when he sacrific'd his daughter. *I am so sorry for my trespass made, *That, to deserve weil at my brother's hands, *I here proclaim myself thy mortal foe; *With resolution, wheresoe'er I meet thee, * (As I will meet thee, if thou stir abroad,) *To plague thee for thy foul misleading me. And so, proud-hearted Warwick, I defy thee, And to my brother turn my blushing cheeks.'Pardon me, Edward, I will make amends; 'And, Richard, do not frown upon my faults, 'For I will henceforth be no more unconstant. 'K. Edw. Now welcome more, and ten times more belov'd, Than if thou never hadst deserv'd our hate. Alarums, and Excursions. Enter King Edward bringing in Warwick wounded. *K. Edw. So, lie thou there: die thou, and *For Warwick was a bug, that fear'd' us all.— War. Ah, who is nigh? come to me, friend or foe, That I must yield my body to the earth, black veil, Have been as piercing as the mid-day sun, Enter Oxford and Somerset. *Som. Ah, Warwick, Warwick! wert thou as we are, *We might recover all our loss again! 'The queen from France hath brought a puissant power; Even now we heard the news: Ah could'st thou fly! 'War. Why, then I would not fly.-Ah, Mon tague, *If thou be there, sweet brother, take my hand, 'And to the latest gasp, cried out for Warwick, 'Glo. Welcome, good Clarence; this is brother-That might not be distinguish'd; but, at last, like. War. O passing traitor, perjur'd, and unjust! Or shall we beat the stones about thine ears? 'I well might hear deliver'd with a groan,- War. [Exeunt, bearing off Warwick's body. (3) Eminent, egregious. Terrified. (4) Bugbear. SCENE_III.—Another part of the field. Flou-* rish. Enter King Edward, in triumph; with Clarence, Gloster, and the rest. K. Edw. Thus far our fortune keeps an upward course, 'And we are grac'd with wreaths of victory. 'But, in the midst of this bright-shining day, 'I spy a black, suspicious, threat'ning cloud, "That will encounter with our glorious sun, 'Ere he attain his easeful western bed: 'I mean, my lords,-those powers, that the queen. 'Hath rais'd in Gallia, have arriv'd our coast, And, as we hear, march on to fight with us. *Clar. A little gale will soon disperse that cloud, *And blow it to the source from whence it came : Thy very beams will dry those vapours up; *For every cloud engenders not a storm. *Glo. The queen is valu'd thirty thousand strong, 'And Somerset, with Oxford, fled to her: 'If she have time to breathe, be well assur'd, Her faction will be full as strong as ours. K. Edw. We are advértis'd by our loving friends, That they do hold their course toward Tewksbury; 'We having now the best at Barnet field, 'Will thither straight, for willingness rids way; And, as we march, our strength will be augmented In every county as we go along. Strike up the drum; cry-Courage and away. [Exeunt. Q. Mar. Great lords, wise men ne'er sit and wail their loss, But cheerly seek how to redress their harms. "What though the mast be now blown over-board, The cable broke, the holding anchor lost, "And half our sailors swallow'd in the flood? "Yet lives our pilot still: Is't meet, that he Should leave the helm, and, like a fearful lad, * With tearful eyes add water to the sea, *And give more strength to that which hath too much; *Whiles, in his moan, the ship splits on the rock, * Which industry and courage might have saved? Ah, what a shame! ah, what a fault were this! 'Say, Warwick was our anchor; What of that? And Montague our top-mast; What of him? 'Our slaughter'd friends the tackles; What of these ? "Why, is not Oxford here another anchor? 'And Somerset another goodly mast? The friends of France our shrouds and tacklings? 'And, though unskilful, why not Ned and I "For once allow'd the skilful pilot's charge? 'We will not from the helm, to sit and weep ;. * But keep our course, though the rough wind say -no, From shelves and rocks that threaten us with wreck. *As good to chide the waves, as speak them fair. And what is Edward, but a ruthless sea? What Clarence, but a quicksand of deceit ? * And Richard, but a ragged fatal rock? *All these the enemies to our poor bark. *Say, you can swim; alas, 'tis but a while: *Tread on the sand; why, there you quickly sink: *Bestride the rock; the tide will wash you off, *Or else you famish, that's a threefold death. *This speak I, lords, to let you understand, * In case some one of you would fly from us, (1) Know. (2) Unsay, deny. That there's no hop'd-for mercy with the brothers, More than with ruthless waves, with sands, and rocks. "Twere childish weakness to lament, or fear. Why, courage, then! what cannot be avoided, *Prince. Methinks, a woman of this valiant spirit *Should, if a coward heard her speak these words, 'He should have leave to go away betimes; 'Let him depart, before we need his help. · And warriors faint! why, 'twere perpetual shame.- Go home to bed, and, like the owl by day, Som. And he, that will not fight for such a hope, 'If he arise, be mock'd and wonder'd at. * Q. Mar. Thanks, gentle Somerset ;-sweet Oxford, thanks. *Prince. And take his thanks, that yet hath nothing else. March. Enter, at a distance, King Edward, Clarence, Gloster, and forces. 'K. Edw. Brave followers, yonder stands the thorny wood, Which, by the heavens' assistance, and your strength, Must by the roots be hewn up yet ere night. For well I wot,' ye blaze to burn them out : My tears gainsay; for every word I speak, "Ye see, I drink the water of mine eyes. "Therefore, no more but this :-Henry, your sovereign, 'Is prisoner to the foe; his state usurp'd, His realm a slaughter-house, his subjects slain, His statutes cancell'd, and his treasure spent ; 'And yonder is the wolf, that makes this spoil. 'You fight in justice then, in God's name, lords, 'Be valiant, and give signal to the fight, [Exeunt both armies. |