A Park near Middleham Caftle in Yorkshire.
Exter Glofter, Haftings, and Sir William Stanley.
Gb. Now, my lord Haftings, and Sir William
Stanley,

Leave off to wonder why I drew you hither,
Into this chiefeft thicket of the park. [brother,
Thus ftands the cafe: You know, our king, my
Is prifoner to the bishop here, at whofe hands
He hath good ufage and great liberty;
And often, but attended with weak guard,
Comes hunting this way to difport himself.
I have advertis'd him by fecret means,
That if, about this hour, he make this way,
Under the colour of his usual game,

He shall here find his friends, with horse and men,
To fet him free from his captivity.

Ay, fuch a pleasure as incaged birds
Conceive, when, after many moody thoughts,
At laft, by notes of houfhold harmony,
They quite forget their lofs of liberty.-

5 But, Warwick, after God, thou fett'st me free,
And chiefly therefore I thank God and thee;
He was the author, thou the inftrument.
Therefore, that I may conquer fortune's fpights
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 ftill wear the crown,
I here refign my government to thee,

15

For thou art fortunate in all thy deeds.

War. Your grace hath still been fam'd for virtuous;
And now may feem as wife as virtuous,
By fpying, and avoid.ng, fortune's malice,
For few men rightly temper with the stars :
Yet in this one thing let me blame your grace,
20 For chufing me, when Clarence is in place.

Cla. No, Warwick, thou art worthy of the fway,
To whom the heavens, in thy nativity,
Adjudg'd an olive branch, and laurel crown,
As likely to be bleft in peace, and war;
And therefore I yield thee my free confent.
War. And 1 chufe Clarence only for protector.
K. Henry. Warwick, and Clarence, give me both
your hands;
[hearts,
Now join your hands, and, with your hands, your
30 That no diffention hinder government:

Enter King Edward, and a Huntsman. Hunt. This way, my lord; for this way lies the game. [huntfmen ftand.-25 K. Edw. Nay, this way, man; fee, where the Now, brother of Glofter, lord Haftings, and the reft, Stand you thus close to steal the bishop's deer?

Glo. Brother, the time and cafe requireth hafte; Your horse stands ready at the park-corner.

K. Edw. But whither fhall we then?

Haft. To Lynn, my Lord; and ship from thence
[meaning.
to Flanders.

Gh. Well guefs'd, believe me; for that was my
K. Edw. Stanley, I will requite thy forwardnefs. 35
Gis. But wherefore ftay we? 'tis no time to talk.
K. Edw. Huntíman, what say'st thou? wilt thou
go along?

Hunt. Better do so, than tarry and be hang'd.
Gl. Come then, away; let's ha' no more ado.
K. Edw. Bishop, farewel: fhield thee from
Warwick's frown;

And pray that I may repoffefs the crown. [Exeunt.
SCENE

The Tower in London.

VI.

Later King Henry, Clarence, Warwick, Somerfet,
Young Richmond, Oxford, Montague, and Lieutenant
of the Tower.

K. Henry. Mafter lieutenant, now that God and
Have fhaken Edward from the regal feat; [friends
And turn'd my captive state to liberty,
My fear to hope, my forrows unto joys;
At our enlargement what are thy due fees?

Lie. Subjects may challenge nothing of their
fovereigns;

But, if an humble prayer may prevail,

I then crave pardon of your majefty.

40

I make you both protectors of this land;
While I myfelf will lead a private life,
And in devotion spend my latter days,
To fin's rebuke, and my Creator's praife. [will?
War. What answers Clarence to his fovereign's
Clar. That he confents, if Warwick yield con-
For on thy fortune I repofe myself. [fent;
War. Why then, though loth, yet must I be
content;
We'll yoke together, like a double fhadow
To Henry's body, and supply his place;

I mean, in bearing weight of government,
While he enjoys the honour, and his eafe.
And, Clarence, now then it is more than needful,
45 Forthwith that Edward be pronounc'd a traitor,
And all his lands and goods confifcated. [min'd.
Clar. What elfe? and that fucceffion be deter-
War. Ay, therein Clarence fhall not want his
part.
[fairs,

K. Hen. For what, lieutenant? for well ufing me? 60
Nay, be thou fure, I'll well requite thy kindness,
For that it made my imprisonment a pleasure :

that,

Of whom you feem to have fo tender care? [mond. Sem. My liege, it is young Henry, carl of Richenry. Come hither, England's hope: If fecret powers [Lays his band on his head.

Suggest but truth to my divining thoughts,
This pretty lad I will prove our country's blifs.
His looks are full of peaceful majesty;
His head by nature fram'd to wear a crown,
His hand to wield a fcepter; and himself
Likely, in time, to blefs 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 Poft.

War. What news, my friend?

Poft. That Edward is efcaped from your brother,
And fled, as he hears fince, to Burgundy.

War. Unfavoury news: But how made he escape?
Peft. He was convey'd byRichard duke of Glofter,
And the lord Haftings, who attended him
In fecret ambush on the foreft fide,
And from the bishop's huntsmen rescued him;
For hunting was his daily exercise.

War. My brother was too careless of his charge.-
But let us hence, my fovereign, to provide
A falve for any fore that may betide. [Exeunt.
Manent Somerset, Richmond, and Oxford.

Som. My lord, I like not of this flight of Ed-
ward's:

[mond;

For, doubtless, Burgundy will yield him help:
And we fhall have more wars, before 't be long.
As Henry's late prefaging prophecy
Did glad my heart, with hope of this young Rich-
So doth my heart mifgive me, in these conflicts
What may befall him, to his harm, and ours:
Therefore, lord Oxford, to prevent the worst,
Forthwith we'll fend him hence to Britany,
'Till ftorms be paft of civil enmity.

Oxf. Ay: for, if Edward re-poffefs the crown,

[king,

And shut the gates for safety of ourselves;
For now we owe allegiance unto Henry.
K. Edw. But, mafter mayor, if Henry be your
Yet Edward, at the leaft, is duke of York.
Mayor. True, my good lord; I know you for
no lefs.

K. Edw. Why, and I challenge nothing but my
dukedom;

As being well content with that alone.

Glo. But, when the fox has once got in his nofe, He'll foon find means to make the body follow. [Afide.

Haft. Why, mafter mayor, why stand you in a doubt?

15 Open the gates, we are king Henry's friends. Mayor. Ay, fay you fo? the gates fhall then be [He defcends. Glo. A wife ftout captain, and perfuaded soon! Haft. The good old man would fain that all

20

25

open'd.

were well,

So 'twere not 'long of him: but, being enter'd,

I doubt not, I, but we shall foon persuade
Both him, and all his brothers, unto reason.
Re-enter the Mayor and tavo Aldermen, below.
K. Ed. So, mafter mayor: these gates muft
not be shut,

But in the night, or in the time of war.
What! fear not, man, but yield me up the keys;
[Takes bis keys.

30 For Edward will defend the town, and thee,
And all thofe friends that deign to follow me.
March. Enter Montgomery, with a Drum and Soldiers.

Glo. Brother, this is Sir John Montgomery,

'Tis like, that Richmond with the rest shall down. 35 Our trufty friend, unless I be deceiv'd. [in arms? Som. It fhall be fo; he fhall to Britany. Come therefore, let's about it speedily.

SCENE

York.

VII.

[Exeunt.

K. Edw. Welcome, Sir John! But why come you
Montg. To help king Edward in his time of ftorm,
As every loyal fubject ought to do. [now forget
K. Edw. Thanks, good Montgomery: But we

Enter King Edward, Glofter, Haftings, and Soldiers. 40 Our title to the crown; and only claim
K. Edw. Now, brother Richard, lord Haftings,

and the reft;

Our dukedom, 'till God please to send the rest. Montg. Then fare you well, for I will hence again;

I came to ferve a king, and not a duke.45 Drummer, ftrike up, and let us march away. [The drum begins a march. Sir John, a while; and

Yet thus far fortune maketh us amends,
And fays-that once more I fhall enterchange
My wained state for Henry's regal crown.
Well have we pafs'd, and now repafs'd the feas,
And brought defired help from Burgundy :
What then remains, we being thus arriv'd
From Ravenfpurg haven before the gates of York,
But that we enter, as into our dukedom? [this; 50
Gl. The gates made faft!-Brother, I like not
For many men, that stumble at the threshold,
Are well foretold-that danger lurks within.

K. Edw. Tufh, man! abodements muft ot now
affright us:

By fair or foul means we must enter in,
For hither will our friends repair to us. [mon them.
Haft. My liege, I'll knock once more, to fum-
Enter, on the walls, the Mayor of York, and bis
Brethren.

Mayer, My lords, we were forewarned of your
coming,

55

60

K. Edw. Nay, stay,
we'll debate,

By what fafe means the crown may be recover'd.
Montg. 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 fuccour you:
Why should we fight, if you pretend no title?
Glo. Why, brother, wherefore ftand you on nice
points?
[make our claim:

K. Edw. When we grow ftronger, then we'll
Till then, 'tis wildom to conceal our meaning.
Haft. Away with fcrupulous wit! now arms
must rule.
[crowns.

Glo. And fearless minds climb fooneft unto Brother, we will proclaim you out of hand;

He was afterwards Henry VII. a man who put an end to the civil war of the two Houfes. He was grandfather to queen Elizabeth, and the king from whom James inherited.

The

[Throws derun bis gauntlet. 15| All. Long live Edward the fourth! K. Edw. Thanks, brave Montgomery ;-and thanks unto you all.

If fortune ferve me, I'll requite this kindness.

ventry.

[Exeunt Warwick, Clarence, Oxford, and Montague. K. Henry. Here at the palace will I reft a while. Coufin of Exeter, what thinks your lordship? Methinks, the power, that Edward hath in field,

Now, for this night, let's harbour here in York: 20 Should not be able to encounter mine.

And, when the morning fun fhall raife his car
Above the border of this horizon,

We'll forward towards Warwick, and his mates;
For well I wot that Henry is no foldier.

Ah, froward Clarence!-how evil it befeems thee, 25
To flatter Henry, and forfake thy brother! [wick.
Yet, as we may, we'll meet both thee and War-
Come on, brave soldiers; doubt not of the day;
And, that once gotten, doubt not of large pay.

Exe. The doubt is, that he will feduce the rest.
K. Henry. That's not my fear, my meed hath
got me fame :

I have not stopp'd mine ears to their demands,
Nor pofted off their fuits with flow delays;
My pity hath been balm to heal their wounds,
My mildness hath allay'd their fwelling griefs,
My mercy dry'd their water-flowing tears:
I have not been defirous of their wealth,
[Exeunt. 30 Nor much opprefs'd them with great fubfidies,
Nor forward of revenge, though they much err'd;
Then why should they love Edward more than me?
No, Exeter, thefe graces challenge grace:
And, when the lion fawns upon the lamb,
The lamb will never cease to follow him.

Enter King Henry, Warwick, Clarence, Montague,
Exeter, and Oxford.

War. What counsel, lords? Edward from Belgia, 35
With hafty Germans, and blunt Hollanders,
Hath pafs'd in fafety through the narrow feas,
And with his troops doth march amain to London;
And many giddy people flock to him.

[again.

K. Henry. Let's levy men, and beat him back 40
Clar. A little fire is quickly trodden out;
Which, being fuffer'd, rivers cannot quench.

War. In Warwickshire I have true-hearted
Not mutinous in peace, yet bold in war; [friends,
Thofe will I mufter up :-and thou, fon Clarence, 45
Shall ftir, 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 inclin'd to hear what thou command'ft:--50
And thou, brave Oxford, wondrous well belov'd,
In Oxfordshire fhalt mufter up thy friends.-
My fovereign, with the loving citizens,-
Like to his ifland, girt in with the ocean,

[Sbout within. A Lancaster! A Lancaster!
Exe. Hark, hark,my lord! what shouts are these?
Enter King Edward, Glofter, and Soldiers.
K. Edw. Seize on the fhame-fac'd Henry, bear
him hence,

And once again proclaim us king of England.-
You are the fount, that makes small brooks to flow:
Now ftops thy fpring; my fea fhall fuck them dry,
And fwell fo much the higher by their ebb.
Hence with him to the Tower; let him not speak.
[Exeunt fome with King Henry.
And, lords, towards Coventry bend we our course,
Where peremptory Warwick now remains:
The fun fhines hot, and, if we use delay,
Cold biting winter mars our hop'd-for hay.

Glo. Away betimes, before his forces join,
And take the great-grown traitor unawares:
Brave warriors, march amain towards Coventry.
[Exeunt.

V.

1 Mcf.By this at Dunfmore,marching hitherward. War. How far off is our brother Montague ?Where is the poft that came from Montague ? 2 Mef. By this at Daintry, with a puissant troop. Enter Sir John Somerville. War. Say, Somerville, what fays my loving fon? And, by thy guess, how nigh is Clarence now?

i. e. noife or report.
$ 12

2 i, e. merit.

Somery.

Somerv. AtSoutham I did leave him with his forces,
And do expect him here fome two hours hence.
War. Then Clarence is at hand, I hear his drum.
Somerv. It is not his, my lord; here Southam lies;
The drum your honour hears, marcheth from 5
Warwick.
[friends.

War. Who fhould that be? belike, unlook'd-for
Somerv. They are at hand, and you shall quickly

March. Flourish. Enter King Edward, Glifter, and 10 We'll quickly rouze the traitors in the fame.

Glo. See, how the furly Warwick mans the wall.
War. Oh, unbid fpight! is fportful Edward 15
come?

Where flept our scouts, or how are they feduc'd,
That we could hear no news of his repair?

K. Edw. 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. [hence,

War. Nay, rather, wilt thou draw thy forces
Confefs who set thee up and pluck'd thee down?-25
Call Warwick-patron, and be penitent,
And thou shalt ftill remain the duke of York.

Glo. I thought, at least he would have faid-the
king;

Or did he make the jest against his will?

War. Is not a dukedom, fir, a goodly gift? Glo. Ay, by my faith, for a poor earl to give ; I'll do thee fervice for fo good a gift.

War. 'Twas I, that gave the kingdom to thy

[wick's gift. 35 K: Edw. Why, then 'tis mine, if but by WarWar. Thou art no Atlas for fo great a weight:

And, weakling, Warwick takes his gift again;
And Henry is my king, Warwick his subject.

Clar. Father of Warwick, know you what this means?

Look here, I throw my infamy at thee:

I will not ruinate my father's house,

Who gave his blood to lime2 the stones together,
And fet up Lancaster. Why,trow'ft thou, Warwick,

K. Edw. But Warwick's king is Edward's 40 That Clarence is fo harsh, so blunt 3, unnatural,

1 A pack of cards was anciently, and is ftill in Staffordshire, term'd a deck of cards. cement the ftones. Lime makes mortar.

Stupid, infenfible of fraternal fondness.

A Field of Battle near Barnet.

Alarum and Excurfions. Enter Edward, bringing 15 forth Warwick wounded.

K. Edw. So, lie thou there: die thou, and die
our fear;

For Warwick was a bug ', that fear'd 2 us all.
Now, Montague, fit faft; I feek for thee,
That Warwick's bones may keep thine company.
[Exit.

War. Ah, who is nigh? come to me, friend,
or foe,

Flourish.

SCENE

III.

Another Part of the Field.

Enter King Edward in triumph; with
Glofter, Clarence, 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 midft of this bright-shining day,
201 fpy a black, fufpicious, threat'ning cloud,
That will encounter with our glorious fun,
Ere he attain his eafqful western bed:

25

30

And tell me, who is victor, York, or Warwick?
Why afk I that? my mangled body shows, [fhows,
My blood, my want of ftrength, my fick heart
That I must yield my body to the earth,
And, by my fall, the conqueft to my foe.
Thus yields the cedar to the axe's edge,
Whofe arms gave fhelter to the princely eagle,
Under whofe fhade the ramping lion slept ;
Whofe top branch over-peer'd Jove's spreading tree,
And kept low fhrubs from winter's powerful wind.
These eyes, that now are dimm'd with death's 35
black veil,

Have been as piercing as the mid-day fun,
To fearch the fecret treafons of the world:
The wrinkles in my brows, now fill'd with blood,
Were liken'd oft to kingly fepulchres;
For who liv'd king, but I could dig his grave?
And who durft fmile,when Warwick bent his brow?
Lo, now my glory smear'd in dust and blood !
My parks, my walks, my manors that I had,
Even now forfake me; and, of all my lands,
Is nothing left me, but my body's length !
Why, what is pomp, rule, reign, but earth and duft?
And, live we how we can, yet die we must.

Enter Oxford and Somerset.

I mean, my lords, thofe powers, that the queen
Hath rais'd in Gallia, have arriv'd our coaft,
And, as we hear, march on to fight with us.
Clar. A little gale will foon difperfe that cloud,
And blow it to the fource from whence it came:
Thy very beams will dry thofe vapours up;
For every cloud engenders not a storm.

Glo. The queen is valu'd thirty thousand strong,
And Somerfet, with Oxford, fled to her;
If the have time to breathe, be well affur'd,
Her faction will be full as ftrong as ours.

K. Edw. We are advertis'd by our loving friends,
That they do hold their course towards Tewksbury:
We, having now the best at Barnet field,

Will thither ftraight, for willingness rids way;
And, as we march, our strength will be augmented
In every county as we go along.-

49 Strike up the drum: cry-Courage! and away.
[Exeunt.

1451

But chearly feek how to redress their harms.
What though the maft be now blown over-board,

Som. Ah, Warwick, Warwick! wert thou as 50 The cable broke, our holding anchor loft,

we are,

We might recover all our lofs again!

[power;
The queen from France hath brought a puiffant
Even now we heard the news: Ah, couldst thou fly!
War.Why, then I would not fly.-Ah, Montague, 55
If thou be there, fweet brother, take my hand,
And with thy lips keep in my foul a while!
Thou lov'ft me not; for, brother, if thou didst,
Thy tears would wash this cold congealed blood,
That glews my lips, and will not let me speak. 60
Come quickly, Montague, or I am dead. [laft;
Sam. Ah, Warwick, Montague hath breath'd his
And to the latest gafp, cry'd out for Warwick,

1 Bug means a bugbear.

And half our failors swallow'd in the flood?
Yet lives our pilot ftill: Is't meet, that he
Should leave the helm, and, like a fearful lad,
With tearful eyes add water to the fea, [much;
And give more ftrength to that which hath too
Whiles, in his moan, the ship splits on the rock,
Which industry and courage might have fav'd?
Ah, what a fhame! ah, what a fault were this!"
Say, Warwick was our anchor; What of that?
And Montague our top-mast; What of him?
Our flaughter'd friends the tackles; What of these?
Why, is not Oxford here, another anchor ?
And Somerfet another goodly mast ?

2 i. e. which made us all fear. 3 i. e, a clamour of tongues.
Sf3

The