And George, of Clarence;-Warwick, as ourself, 'Shall do, and undo, as him pleaseth best.

Rich. Let me be duke of Clarence; George, of

Glo'ster;

For Glo'ster's dukedom is too ominous.

War. Tut, that's a foolish observation;

Richard, be duke of Glo'ster: Now to London,
To see these honours in possession.

[Exeunt.

ACT III. SCENE I.

A CHACE IN THE NORTH OF ENGLAND.

+

Enter two Keepers, with cross-bows in their hands. 1 Keep. Under this thick-grown brake we'll shroud ourselves;

For through this laund anon the deer will come; And in this covert will we make our stand, Culling the principal of all the deer.

* 2 Keep. I'll stay above the hill, so both may shoot.

* 1 Keep. That cannot be; the noise of thy cross-bow

* Will scare the herd, and so my shoot is lost.
* Here stand we both, and aim we at the best:
* And, for the time shall not seem tedious,
* I'll tell thee what befell me on a day,

In this self-place where now we mean to stand. 2 Keep. Here comes a man, let's stay till he be past.

Enter King Henry, disguised, with a prayer-book. K. Hen. From Scotland am I stol'n, even of

love,

pure

To greet mine own land with my wishful sight.

No, Harry, Harry, 'tis no land of thine;

Thy place is fill'd, thy scepter wrung from thee, Thy balm wash'd off, wherewith thou wast anoint

ed:

No bending knee will call thee Cæsar now,
No humble suitors press to speak for right,
* No, not a man comes for redress of thee;
For how can I help them, and not myself?

1 Keep. Ay, here's a deer whose skin's a keeper's
fee:

This is the quondam king; let's seize upon him. *K. Hen. Let me embrace these four adversities; * For wise men say, it is the wisest course.

* 2 Ксер. Why linger we? let us lay hands upon him.

* 1 Keep. Forbear a-while; we'll hear a little

more.

K. Hen. My queen, and son, are gone to France for aid;

And, as I hear, the great commanding Warwick

Is thither gone, to crave the French king's sister To wife for Edward: If this news be true,

· Poor queen, and son, your labour is but lost; 'For Warwick is a subtle orator,

'And Lewis a prince soon won with moving words.

By this account, then, Margaret may win him;

For she's a woman to be pity'd much:

* Her sighs will make a battery in his breast; * Her tears will pierce into a marble heart; *The tiger will be mild, while she doth mourn; * And Nero will be tainted with remorse,

* To hear, and see, her plaints, her brinish tears. * Ay, but she's come to beg; Warwick, to give: She, on his left side, craving aid for Henry; He, on his right, asking a wife for Edward. She weeps, and says-her Henry is depos'd;

He smiles, and says-his Edward is install'd; *That she, poor wretch, for grief can speak no

more:

* Whiles Warwick tells his title, smooths the wrong, * Inferreth arguments of mighty strength;

*

And, in conclusion, wins the king from her,

* With promise of his sister, and what else,

*To strengthen and support king Edward's place. * Q Margaret, thus 'twill be; and thou, poor soul, * Art then forsaken, as thou went'st forlorn.

2 Keep. Say, what art thou, that talk'st of kings and queens?

'K. Hen. More than I seem, and less than I was born to:

'A man at least, for less I should not be;

And men may talk of kings, and why not I?

'2 Keep. Ay, but thou talk'st as if thou wert a king.

K. Hen. Why, so I am, in mind; and that's

enough.

2 Keep. But, if thou be a king, where is thy crown?

K. Hen. My crown is in my heart, not on my

head;

*Not deck'd with diamonds, and Indian stones, *Nor to be seen: my crown is call'd, content;

'A crown it is, that seldom kings enjoy.

2 Keep. Well, if you be a king crown'd with

content,

Your crown content, and you, must be contented

6

To go along with us: for, as we think,

'You are the king, king Edward hath depos'd;

And we his subjects, sworn in all allegiance, • Will apprehend you as his enemy.

* K. Hen. But did you never swear, and break an oath?

* 2 Keep. No, never such an oath; nor will not

now.

* K. Hen. Where did you dwell, when I was king of England?

2 Keep. Here in this country, where we now

remain.

*K. Hen. I was anointed king at nine months

old;

My father, and my grandfather, were kings;

And you were sworn true subjects unto me: And, tell me then, have you not broke your oaths?

* 1 Keep. No;

For we were subjects, but while you were king.

*K. Hen. Why, am I dead? do I not breathe a

man?

* Ah, simple men, you know not what you swear. *Look, as I blow this feather from my face, * And as the air blows it to me again,

*

*

Obeying with my wind when I do blow,

And yielding to another when it blows, * Commanded always by the greater gust; *Such is the lightness of you common men. * But do not break your oaths; for, of that sin * My mild entreaty shall not make you guilty. * Go where you will, the king shall be commanded;

*And be you kings; command, and I'll obey.