10

  Under the color of his usual game,

  11

  He shall here find his friends with horse and men

  12

  To set him free from his captivity.

  13

  Enter King Edward,

  and a Huntsman with him.

  HUNTSMAN

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

  14

  KING EDWARD

  Nay, this way, man. See where the huntsmen stand.—

  15

  Now, brother of Gloucester, Lord Hastings, and the

  16

  rest,

  17

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

  18

  RICHARD

  Brother, the time and case requireth haste.

  19

  Your horse stands ready at the park corner.

  20

  KING EDWARD But whither shall we then?

  21

  HASTINGS To Lynn, my lord, and shipped from thence

  22

  to Flanders.

  23

  RICHARD

  Well guessed, believe me, for that was my meaning.

  24

  KING EDWARD

  Stanley, I will requite thy forwardness.

  25

  RICHARD

  But wherefore stay we? ’Tis no time to talk.

  26

  KING EDWARD

  Huntsman, what sayst thou? Wilt thou go along?

  27

  HUNTSMAN

  Better do so than tarry and be hanged.

  28

  RICHARD

  Come then, away! Let’s ha’ no more ado.

  29

  KING EDWARD

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

  30

  And pray that I may repossess the crown.

  31

  They exit.

 

  Flourish. Enter King Henry the Sixth, Clarence,

  Warwick, Somerset, young Henry

  Oxford, Montague,

  and Lieutenant

  KING HENRY

  Master lieutenant, now that God and friends

  1

  Have shaken Edward from the regal seat

  2

  And turned my captive state to liberty,

  3

  My fear to hope, my sorrows unto joys,

  4

  At our enlargement what are thy due fees?

  5

  LIEUTENANT

  Subjects may challenge nothing of their sov’reigns,

  6

  But, if an humble prayer may prevail,

  7

  I then crave pardon of your Majesty.

  8

  KING HENRY

  For what, lieutenant? For well using me?

  9

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

  10

  For that it made my imprisonment a pleasure,

  11

  Ay, such a pleasure as encagèd birds

  12

  Conceive when, after many moody thoughts,

  13

  At last by notes of household harmony

  14

  They quite forget their loss of liberty.—

  15

  But, Warwick, after God thou sett’st me free,

  16

  And chiefly, therefore, I thank God and thee.

  17

  He was the author, thou the instrument.

  18

  Therefore, that I may conquer Fortune’s spite

  19

  By living low where Fortune cannot hurt me,

  20

  And that the people of this blessèd land

  21

  May not be punished with my thwarting stars,

  22

  Warwick, although my head still wear the crown,

  23

  I here resign my government to thee,

  24

  For thou art fortunate in all thy deeds.

  25

  WARWICK

  Your Grace hath still been famed for virtuous

  26

  And now may seem as wise as virtuous

  27

  By spying and avoiding Fortune’s malice,

  28

  For few men rightly temper with the stars.

  29

  Yet, in this one thing let me blame your Grace:

  30

  For choosing me when Clarence is in place.

  31

  CLARENCE

  No, Warwick, thou art worthy of the sway,

  32

  To whom the heav’ns in thy nativity

  33

  Adjudged an olive branch and laurel crown

  34

  As likely to be blest in peace and war;

  35

  And therefore I yield thee my free consent.

  36

  WARWICK

  And I choose Clarence only for Protector.

  37

  KING HENRY

  Warwick and Clarence, give me both your hands.

  38

  Now join your hands, and with your hands your

  39

  hearts,

  40

  That no dissension hinder government.

  41

 

  I make you both Protectors of this land,

  42

  While I myself will lead a private life

  43

  And in devotion spend my latter days,

  44

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

  45

  WARWICK

  What answers Clarence to his sovereign’s will?

  46

  CLARENCE

  That he consents, if Warwick yield consent,

  47

  For on thy fortune I repose myself.

  48

  WARWICK

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

  49

  We’ll yoke together like a double shadow

  50

  To Henry’s body, and supply his place—

  51

  I mean, in bearing weight of government—

  52

  While he enjoys the honor and his ease.

  53

  And, Clarence, now then it is more than needful

  54

  Forthwith that Edward be pronounced a traitor

  55

  And all his lands and goods confiscate.

  56

  CLARENCE

  What else? And that succession be determinèd.

  57

  WARWICK

  Ay, therein Clarence shall not want his part.

  58

  KING HENRY

  But with the first of all your chief affairs

  59

  Let me entreat—for I command no more—

  60

  That Margaret your queen and my son Edward

  61

  Be sent for, to return from France with speed,

  62

  For till I see them here, by doubtful fear

  63

  My joy of liberty is half eclipsed.

  64

  CLARENCE

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

  65

  KING HENRY

  My lord of Somerset, what youth is that

  66

  Of whom you seem to have so tender care?

  67

  SOMERSET

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

  68

  KING HENRY,

  Come hither, England’s hope.

  69

  Lays his hand on head.

               If secret powers

  70

  Suggest but truth to my divining thoughts,

  71

  This pretty lad will prove our country’s bliss.

  72

  His looks are full of peaceful majesty,

  73

  His head by nature framed to wear a crown,

  74

  His hand to wield a scepter, and himself

  75

  Likely in time to bless a regal throne.

  76

  Make much of him, my lords, for this is he

  77

  Must help you more than you are hurt by me.

  78

  Enter a Post.

  WARWICK What news, my friend?

  79

  POST

  That Edward is escapèd from your brother

  80

  And fled, as he hears since, to Burgundy.

  81

  WARWICK

  Unsavory news! But how made he escape?

  82

  POST

  He was conveyed by Richard, Duke of Gloucester,

  83

  And the Lord Hastings, who attended him

  84

  In secret ambush on the forest side

  85

  And from the Bishop’s huntsmen rescued him,

  86

  For hunting was his daily exercise.

  87

  WARWICK

  My brother was too careless of his charge.

  88

  But let us hence, my sovereign, to provide

  89

  A salve for any sore that may betide.

  90

  All but Somerset, Richmond, and Oxford exit.

  SOMERSET,

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

  91

  For doubtless Burgundy will yield him help,

  92

  And we shall have more wars before ’t be long.

  93

  As Henry’s late presaging prophecy

  94

  Did glad my heart with hope of this young

  95

  Richmond,

  96

  So doth my heart misgive me in these conflicts

  97

  What may befall him, to his harm and ours.

  98

  Therefore, Lord Oxford, to prevent the worst,

  99

  Forthwith we’ll send him hence to Brittany

  100

  Till storms be past of civil enmity.

  101

  OXFORD

  Ay, for if Edward repossess the crown,

  102

  ’Tis like that Richmond, with the rest, shall down.

  103

  SOMERSET

  It shall be so. He shall to Brittany.

  104

  Come, therefore, let’s about it speedily.

  105

  They exit.

 

  Flourish. Enter Edward, Richard, Hastings,

  and Soldiers,

  KING EDWARD

  Now, brother Richard, Lord Hastings, and the rest:

  1

  Yet thus far Fortune maketh us amends,

  2

  And says that once more I shall interchange

  3

  My wanèd state for Henry’s regal crown.

  4

  Well have we passed, and now re-passed, the seas,

  5

  And brought desirèd help from Burgundy.

  6

  What then remains, we being thus arrived

  7

  From Ravenspurgh Haven before the gates of York,

  8

  But that we enter as into our dukedom?

  9

 

  RICHARD

  The gates made fast? Brother, I like not this.

  10

  For many men that stumble at the threshold

  11

  Are well foretold that danger lurks within.

  12

  KING EDWARD

  Tush, man, abodements must not now affright us.

  13

  By fair or foul means we must enter in,

  14

  For hither will our friends repair to us.

  15

  HASTINGS

  My liege, I’ll knock once more to summon them.

  16

 

  Enter on the walls the Mayor of York and his brethren,

 

  MAYOR

  My lords, we were forewarnèd of your coming,

  17

  And shut the gates for safety of ourselves,

  18

  For now we owe allegiance unto Henry.

  19

  KING EDWARD

  But, master mayor, if Henry be your king,

  20

  Yet Edward, at the least, is Duke of York.

  21

  MAYOR

  True, my good lord, I know you for no less.

  22

  KING EDWARD

  Why, and I challenge nothing but my dukedom,

  23

  As being well content with that alone.

  24

  RICHARD,