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?
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 rescued him;
For hunting was his daily exercise.
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, Henry Of Richmond, and Oxford
Somerset
My lord, I like not of this flight of Edward’s;
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 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.
Somerset
It shall be so; he shall to Brittany.
Come, therefore, let’s about it speedily.
Exeunt
SCENE VII. BEFORE YORK.
Flourish. Enter King Edward IV, Gloucester, Hastings, and Soldiers
King Edward IV
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 desired help from Burgundy:
What then remains, we being thus arrived
From Ravenspurgh haven before the gates of York,
But that we enter, as into our dukedom?
Gloucester
The gates made fast! Brother, I like not this;
For many men that stumble at the threshold
Are well foretold that danger lurks within.
King Edward IV
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.
Hastings
My liege, I’ll knock once more to summon them.
Enter, on the walls, the Mayor of York, and his Brethren
Mayor
My lords, we were forewarned of your coming,
And shut the gates for safety of ourselves;
For now we owe allegiance unto Henry.
King Edward IV
But, master mayor, if Henry be your king,
Yet Edward at the least is Duke of York.
Mayor
True, my good lord; I know you for no less.
King Edward IV
Why, and I challenge nothing but my dukedom,
As being well content with that alone.
Gloucester
[Aside] But when the fox hath once got in his nose,
He’ll soon find means to make the body follow.
Hastings
Why, master mayor, why stand you in a doubt?
Open the gates; we are King Henry’s friends.
Mayor
Ay, say you so? the gates shall then be open’d.
They descend
Gloucester
A wise stout captain, and soon persuaded!
Hastings
The good old man would fain that all were well,
So ’twere not ’long of him; but being enter’d,
I doubt not, I, but we shall soon persuade
Both him and all his brothers unto reason.
Enter the Mayor and two Aldermen, below
King Edward IV
So, master mayor: these gates must not be shut
But in the night or in the time of war.
What! fear not, man, but yield me up the keys;
Takes his keys
For Edward will defend the town and thee,
And all those friends that deign to follow me.
March. Enter Montgomery, with drum and soldiers
Gloucester
Brother, this is Sir John Montgomery,
Our trusty friend, unless I be deceived.
King Edward IV
Welcome, Sir John! But why come you in arms?
Montague
To help King Edward in his time of storm,
As every loyal subject ought to do.
King Edward IV
Thanks, good Montgomery; but we now forget
Our title to the crown and only claim
Our dukedom till God please to send the rest.
Montague
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.
The drum begins to march
King Edward IV
Nay, stay, Sir John, awhi le, and we’ll debate
By what safe means the crown may be recover’d.
Montague
What talk you of debating? in few words,
If you’ll not here proclaim yourself our king,
I’ll leave you to your fortune and be gone
To keep them back that come to succor you:
Why shall we fight, if you pretend no title?
Gloucester
Why, brother, wherefore stand you on nice points?
King Edward IV
When we grow stronger, then we’ll make our claim:
Till then, ’tis wisdom to conceal our meaning.
Hastings
Away with scrupulous wit! now arms must rule.
Gloucester
And fearless minds climb soonest unto crowns.
Brother, we will proclaim you out of hand:
The bruit thereof will bring you many friends.
King Edward IV
Then be it as you will; for ’tis my right,
And Henry but usurps the diadem.
Montague
Ay, now my sovereign speaketh like himself;
And now will I be Edward’s champion.
Hastings
Sound trumpet; Edward shall be here proclaim’d:
Come, fellow-soldier, make thou proclamation.
Flourish
Soldier
Edward the Fourth, by the grace of God, king of
England and France, and lord of Ireland, & c.
Montague
And whosoe’er gainsays King Edward’s right,
By this I challenge him to single fight.
Throws down his gauntlet
All
Long live Edward the Fourth!
King Edward IV
Thanks, brave Montgomery; and thanks unto you all:
If fortune serve me, I’ll requite this kindness.
Now, for this night, let’s harbour here in York;
And when the morning sun shall raise his car
Above the border of this horizon,
We’ll forward towards Warwick and his mates;
For well I wot that Henry is no soldier.
Ah, froward Clarence! how evil it beseems thee
To flatter Henry and forsake thy brother!
Yet, as we may, we’ll meet both thee and Warwick.
Come on, brave soldiers: doubt not of the day,
And, that once gotten, doubt not of large pay.
Exeunt
SCENE VIII. LONDON. THE PALACE.
&nbs
p; Flourish. Enter King Henry VI, Warwick, Montague, Clarence, Exeter, and Oxford
Warwick
What counsel, lords? Edward from Belgia,
With hasty Germans and blunt Hollanders,
Hath pass’d in safety through the narrow seas,
And with his troops doth march amain to London;
And many giddy people flock to him.
King Henry VI
Let’s levy men, and beat him back again.
Clarence
A little fire is quickly trodden out;
Which, being suffer’d, rivers cannot quench.
Warwick
In Warwickshire I have true-hearted friends,
Not mutinous in peace, yet bold in war;
Those will I muster up: and thou, son Clarence,
Shalt stir up in Suffolk, Norfolk, and in Kent,
The knights and gentlemen to come with thee:
Thou, brother Montague, in Buckingham,
Northampton and in Leicestershire, shalt find
Men well inclined to hear what thou command’st:
And thou, brave Oxford, wondrous well beloved,
In Oxfordshire shalt muster up thy friends.
My sovereign, with the loving citizens,
Like to his island girt in with the ocean,
Or modest Dian circled with her nymphs,
Shall rest in London till we come to him.
Fair lords, take leave and stand not to reply.
Farewell, my sovereign.
King Henry VI
Farewell, my Hector, and my Troy’s true hope.
Clarence
In sign of truth, I kiss your highness’ hand.
King Henry VI
Well-minded Clarence, be thou fortunate!
Montague
Comfort, my lord; and so I take my leave.
Oxford
And thus I seal my truth, and bid adieu.
King Henry VI
Sweet Oxford, and my loving Montague,
And all at once, once more a happy farewell.
Warwick
Farewell, sweet lords: let’s meet at Coventry.
Exeunt all but King Henry VI and Exeter
King Henry VI
Here at the palace I will rest awhile.
Cousin of Exeter, what thinks your lordship?
Methinks the power that Edward hath in field
Should not be able to encounter mine.
Exeter
The doubt is that he will seduce the rest.
King Henry VI
That’s not my fear; my meed hath got me fame:
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 dried 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:
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!’
Exeter
Hark, hark, my lord! what shouts are these?
Enter King Edward IV, Gloucester, and soldiers
King Edward IV
Seize on the shame-faced Henry, bear 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 sha$l 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 VI
And, lords, towards Coventry bend we our course
Where peremptory Warwick now remains:
The sun shines hot; and, if we use delay,
Cold biting winter mars our hoped-for hay.
Gloucester
Away betimes, before his forces join,
And take the great-grown traitor unawares:
Brave warriors, march amain towards Coventry.
Exeunt
ACT V
SCENE I. COVENTRY.
Enter Warwick, the Mayor of Coventry, two Messengers, and others upon the walls
Warwick
Where is the post that came from valiant Oxford?
How far hence is thy lord, mine honest fellow?
First Messenger
By this at Dunsmore, marching hitherward.
Warwick
How far off is our brother Montague?
Where is the post that came from Montague?
Second Messenger
By this at Daintry, with a puissant troop.
Enter Sir John Somerville
Warwick
Say, Somerville, what says my loving son?
And, by thy guess, how nigh is Clarence now?
Somerset
At Southam I did leave him with his forces,
And do expect him here some two hours hence.
Drum heard
Warwick
Then Clarence is at hand, I hear his drum.
Somerset
It is not his, my lord; here Southam lies:
The drum your honour hears marcheth from Warwick.
Warwick
Who should that be? belike, unlook’d-for friends.
Somerset
They are at hand, and you shall quickly know.
March: flourish. Enter King Edward IV, Gloucester, and soldiers
King Edward IV
Go, trumpet, to the walls, and sound a parle.
Gloucester
See how the surly Warwick mans the wall!
Warwick
O unbid spite! is sportful Edward come?
Where slept our scouts, or how are they seduced,
That we could hear no news of his repair?
King Edward IV
Now, Warwick, wilt thou ope the city gates,
Speak gentle words and humbly bend thy knee,
Call Edward king and at his hands beg mercy?
And he shall pardon thee these outrages.
Warwick
Nay, rather, wilt thou draw thy forces hence,
Confess who set thee up and pluck’d thee own,
Call Warwick patron and be penitent?
And thou shalt still remain the Duke of York.
Gloucester
I thought, at least, he would have said the king;
Or did he make the jest against his will?
Warwick
Is not a dukedom, sir, a goodly gift?
Gloucester
Ay, by my faith, for a poor earl to give:
I’ll do thee service for so good a gift.
Warwick
’Twas I that gave the kingdom to thy brother.
King Edward IV
Why then ’tis mine, if but by Warwick’s gift.
Warwick
Thou art no Atlas for so great a weight:
And weakling, Warwick takes his gift again;
And Henry is my king, Warwick his subject.
King Edward IV
But Warwick’s king is Edward’s prisoner:
And, gallant Warwick, do but answer this:
What is the body when the head is off?
Gloucester
Alas, that Warwick had no more forecast,
But, whiles he thought to steal the single ten,
The king was slily finger’d from the deck!
You left poor Henry at the Bishop’s palace,
And, ten to one, you’ll meet him in the Tower.
Edward
’Tis even so; yet you are Warwick still.
Gloucester
Come, Warwick, take the time; kneel down, kneel down:
Na
y, when? strike now, or else the iron cools.
Warwick
I had rather chop this hand off at a blow,
And with the other fling it at thy face,
Than bear so low a sail, to strike to thee.
King Edward IV
Sail how thou canst, have wind and tide thy friend,
This hand, fast wound about thy coal-black hair
Shall, whiles thy head is warm and new cut off,
Write in the dust this sentence with thy blood,
‘Wind-changing Warwick now can change no more.’
Enter Oxford, with drum and colours
Warwick
O cheerful colours! see where Oxford comes!
Oxford
Oxford, Oxford, for Lancaster!
He and his forces enter the city
Gloucester
The gates are open, let us enter too.
King Edward IV
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.
Warwick
O, welcome, Oxford! for we want thy help.
Enter Montague with drum and colours
Montague
Montague, Montague, for Lancaster!
He and his forces enter the city
Gloucester
Thou and thy brother both shall buy this treason
Even with the dearest blood your bodies bear.
King Edward IV
The harder match’d, the greater victory:
My mind presageth happy gain and conquest.
Enter Somerset, with drum and colours
Somerset
Somerset, Somerset, for Lancaster!
He and his forces enter the city
Gloucester
Two of thy name, both Dukes of Somerset,
Have sold their lives unto the house of York;
And thou shalt be the third if this sword hold.
Enter Clarence, with drum and colours
Warwick
And lo, where George of Clarence sweeps along,
Of force enough to bid his brother battle;
With whom an upright zeal to right prevails
More than the nature of a brother’s love!
Come, Clarence, come; thou wilt, if Warwick call.
Clarence
Father of Warwick, know you what this means?
Taking his red rose out of his hat
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
Complete Plays, The Page 224