The Arden Shakespeare Complete Works

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The Arden Shakespeare Complete Works Page 241

by William Shakespeare


  Yet, Warwick, in despite of all mischance,

  Of thee thyself and all thy complices,

  Edward will always bear himself a king.

  45

  Though Fortune’s malice overthrow my state,

  My mind exceeds the compass of her wheel.

  WARWICK

  Then, for his mind, be Edward England’s king;

  [Takes off his crown.]

  But Henry now shall wear the English crown

  And be true King indeed; thou but the shadow.

  50

  My lord of Somerset, at my request,

  See that forthwith Duke Edward be convey’d

  Unto my brother, Archbishop of York.

  When I have fought with Pembroke and his fellows,

  I’ll follow you, and come and tell what answer

  55

  Lewis and the Lady Bona send to him.

  Now, for a while, farewell, good Duke of York.

  KING EDWARD

  What fates impose, that men must needs abide;

  It boots not to resist both wind and tide.

  They lead him out forcibly.

  OXFORD What now remains, my lords, for us to do

  60

  But march to London with our soldiers?

  WARWICK Ay, that’s the first thing that we have to do,

  To free King Henry from imprisonment

  And see him seated in the regal throne. Exeunt.

  4.4 Enter QUEEN ELIZABETH and RIVERS.

  RIVERS

  Madam, what makes in you this sudden change?

  QUEEN ELIZABETH

  Why, brother Rivers, are you yet to learn

  What late misfortune is befall’n King Edward?

  RIVERS

  What, loss of some pitch’d battle against Warwick?

  QUEEN ELIZABETH

  No, but the loss of his own royal person.

  5

  RIVERS Then is my sovereign slain?

  QUEEN ELIZABETH

  Ay, almost slain, for he is taken prisoner;

  Either betray’d by falsehood of his guard,

  Or by his foe surpris’d at unawares:

  And, as I further have to understand,

  10

  Is new committed to the Bishop of York,

  Fell Warwick’s brother, and by that our foe.

  RIVERS These news, I must confess, are full of grief;

  Yet gracious madam, bear it as you may:

  Warwick may lose that now hath won the day.

  15

  QUEEN ELIZABETH

  Till then, fair hope must hinder life’s decay,

  And I the rather wean me from despair

  For love of Edward’s offspring in my womb:

  This is it that makes me bridle passion

  And bear with mildness my misfortune’s cross,

  20

  Ay, ay, for this I draw in many a tear

  And stop the rising of blood-sucking sighs,

  Lest with my sighs or tears I blast or drown

  King Edward’s fruit, true heir to th’ English crown.

  RIVERS But, madam, where is Warwick then become?

  25

  QUEEN ELIZABETH

  I am inform’d that he comes towards London

  To set the crown once more on Henry’s head.

  Guess thou the rest: King Edward’s friends must down.

  But to prevent the tyrant’s violence –

  For trust not him that hath once broken faith –

  30

  I’ll hence forthwith unto the sanctuary

  To save at least the heir of Edward’s right.

  There shall I rest secure from force and fraud.

  Come, therefore, let us fly while we may fly:

  If Warwick take us, we are sure to die. Exeunt.

  35

  4.5 Enter RICHARD, LORD HASTINGS, Sir William Stanley and others.

  RICHARD

  Now, my Lord Hastings and Sir William Stanley

  Leave off to wonder why I drew you hither

  Into this chiefest thicket of the park.

  Thus stands the case: you know our King, my brother,

  Is prisoner to the Bishop here, at whose hands

  5

  He hath good usage and great liberty,

  And often but attended with weak guard

  Comes hunting this way to disport himself.

  I have advertis’d him by secret means

  That if about this hour he make this way,

  10

  Under the colour of his usual game,

  He shall here find his friends with horse and men

  To set him free from his captivity.

  Enter KING EDWARD and a Huntsman with him.

  HUNTSMAN

  This way, my lord, for this way lies the game.

  KING EDWARD

  Nay, this way, man: see where the huntsmen stand.

  15

  Now, brother of Gloucester, Hastings, and the rest,

  Stand you thus close to steal the Bishop’s deer?

  RICHARD Brother, the time and case requireth haste;

  Your horse stands ready at the park corner.

  KING EDWARD But whither shall we then?

  HASTINGS To Lynn, my lord?

  20

  And ship from thence to Flanders?

  RICHARD

  Well guess’d, believe me; for that was my meaning.

  KING EDWARD Stanley, I will requite thy forwardness.

  RICHARD But wherefore stay we? ’tis no time to talk.

  KING EDWARD

  Huntsman, what say’st thou? wilt thou go along?

  25

  HUNTSMAN Better do so than tarry and be hang’d.

  RICHARD Come then, away; let’s ha’ no more ado.

  KING EDWARD

  Bishop, farewell: shield thee from Warwick’s frown,

  And pray that I may repossess the crown. Exeunt.

  4.6 Flourish. Enter KING HENRY, GEORGE, WARWICK, SOMERSET, young RICHMOND, OXFORD, MONTAGUE and Lieutenant of the Tower.

  KING HENRY

  Master Lieutenant, now that God and friends

  Have shaken Edward from the regal seat

  And turn’d my captive state to liberty,

  My fear to hope, my sorrows unto joys,

  At our enlargement what are thy due fees?

  5

  LIEUTENANT

  Subjects may challenge nothing of their sovereigns;

  But, if an humble prayer may prevail,

  I then crave pardon of your Majesty.

  KING HENRY

  For what, Lieutenant? For well using me?

  Nay, be thou sure, I’ll well requite thy kindness,

  10

  For that it made my prisonment 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.

  15

  But, Warwick, after God, thou set’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,

  20

  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 are fortunate in all thy deeds.

  25

  WARWICK

  Your Grace hath still been fam’d for virtuous,

  And now may seem as wise as virtuous

  By spying and avoiding Fortune’s malice,

  For few men rightly temper with the stars;

  Yet in this one thing let me blame your Grace,

  30

  For choosing me when Clarence is in place.

  GEORGE N
o, Warwick, thou art worthy of the sway,

  To whom the heavens in thy nativity

  Adjudg’d an olive branch and laurel crown,

  As likely to be blest in peace and war;

  35

  And therefore I yield thee my free consent.

  WARWICK And I choose Clarence only for Protector.

  KING HENRY

  Warwick and Clarence, give me both your hands:

  Now join your hands, and with your hands your hearts,

  That no dissension hinder government.

  40

  I make you both Protectors of this land,

  While I myself will lead a private life

  And in devotion spend my latter days

  To sin’s rebuke and my Creator’s praise.

  WARWICK

  What answers Clarence to his sovereign’s will?

  45

  GEORGE That he consents, if Warwick yield consent;

  For on thy fortune I repose myself.

  WARWICK

  Why then, though loath, yet must I be content.

  We’ll yoke together, like a double shadow

  To Henry’s body, and supply his place;

  50

  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.

  55

  GEORGE

  What else? And that succession be determin’d.

  WARWICK Ay, therein Clarence shall not want his part.

  KING HENRY 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

  60

  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.

  GEORGE It shall be done, my sovereign, with all speed.

  KING HENRY

  My Lord of Somerset, what youth is that,

  65

  Of whom you seem to have so tender care?

  SOMERSET

  My liege, it is young Henry, Earl of Richmond.

  KING HENRY

  Come hither, England’s hope.

  [Lays his hand on his head.] If secret powers

  Suggest but truth to my divining thoughts,

  This pretty lad will prove our country’s bliss.

  70

  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

  75

  Must help you more than you are hurt by me.

  Enter a Post.

  WARWICK What news, my friend?

  POST That Edward is escaped from your brother

  And fled, as he hears since, to Burgundy.

  WARWICK Unsavoury news! But how made he escape?

  80

  POST

  He was convey’d by Richard, Duke of Gloucester

  And the Lord Hastings, who attended him

  In secret ambush on the forest side

  And from the Bishop’s huntsmen rescu’d him;

  For hunting was his daily exercise.

  85

  WARWICK 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 all but Somerset, Richmond and Oxford.

  SOMERSET

  My lord, I like not of this flight of Edward’s;

  For doubtless Burgundy will yield him help,

  90

  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.

  95

  Therefore, Lord Oxford, to prevent the worst,

  Forthwith we’ll send him hence to Brittany,

  Till storms be past of civil enmity.

  OXFORD Ay, for if Edward repossess the crown,

  ’Tis like that Richmond with the rest shall down.

  100

  SOMERSET It shall be so: he shall to Brittany.

  Come, therefore, let’s about it speedily. Exeunt.

  4.7 Flourish. Enter KING EDWARD, RICHARD, HASTINGS and soldiers.

  KING EDWARD

  Now, brother Richard, Hastings, and the rest,

 

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