Yet, Warwick, in despite of all mischance,
Of thee thyself, and all thy complices,
Edward will always bear himself as king:
Though fortune's malice overthrow my state,
My mind exceeds the compass of her wheel.
War. 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.
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 fel-
lows,

I'll follow you, and tell what answer
Lewis, and the Lady Bona, send to him:
Now for awhile, farewell, good duke of York.
K. Edw. What fates impose, that men must
needs abide;

It boots not to resist both wind and tide,

[Erit K. Edw. led out; Som. with him. Orf. What now remains, my lords, for us to do,

But march to London with our soldiers?

SCENE V. A Park near Middleham Castle in Yorkshire.

Enter Gloster, Hastings, Sir William Stanley, and others.

Glo. 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
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 his way,
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. Hunt. This way, my lord; for this way lies the game.

to do;

To free King Henry from imprisonment,
And see him seated in the regal throne.

[Exeunt. SCENE IV. London. A Room in the Palace.

Enter Queen Elizabeth and Rivers.

Riv. Madam, what makes you in this sudden change?

Q Eliz. Why, brother Rivers, are you yet to learn,

What late misfortune is befall'n King Edward? Riv. What, loss of some pitch'd battle against Warwick?

Q. Eliz. No, but the loss of his own royal person.

Riv. Then is my sovereign slain?

huntsmen stand.

Now, brother of Gloster, Lord Hastings, and

the rest,

Stand you thus close, to steal the bishop's deer?
Glo. Brother, the time and case requireth haste;
Your horse stands ready at the park corner.
K. Edw. But whither shall we then 7
Hast. To Lynn, my lord: and ship from thence
to Flanders.

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

K. Edw. Stanley, I will requite thy forward

K. Edw. Huntsman, what say'st thou wilt thou go along?

soner;

Either betray'd by falsehood of his guard,

Or by his foe surpris'd at unawares:

And, as I further have to understand,

Is new committed to the bishop of York,

Fell Warwick's brother, and by that our foe. Riv. 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.
Q. Eliz. 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;
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 the English

crown.

Riv. But, madam, where is Warwick then become?

Q. Eliz. 1 am informed, 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 hach once broken faith,)
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

Warwick's frown;

And pray that I may repossess the crown. [Exeunt.

SCENE VI. A Room in the Tower.

Enter King Henry, Clarence, Warwick, Somer
set, young Richmond, Oxford, Montague,
Lieutenant of the Tower, and Attendants.
K. Hen. Master Lieutenant, now that God
and friends

Have shaken Edward from the regal seat;
And turn'd my captive state to liberty,
My tear to hope, my sorrows unto joys;
At our enlargement what are thy due fees?
Lieu. Subjects may challenge nothing of their
sovereigns;

But, if an humble prayer may prevail,
I then crave pardon of your majesty.
K. Hen. For what, lieutenant? for well using

me ?

Nay, be thou sure, I'll well requite thy kindness,
For that it made my imprisonment 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.-
But, Warwick, after God, thou set'st me free,
And chiefly therefore I thank God, and thee;"
He was the anthor, thou the instrument.
Therefore, that I may conquer fortune's spite,
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 still wear the

crown,

I here resign my government to thee,
For thou art fortunate in all thy deeds.
War Your grace hath still been fam'd for vir-
tuous;

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,
For choosing me, when Clarence is in place.
Clar. No, 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;
And therefore I yield thee my free consent.
War. And I choose Clarence only for protector.
K. Hen. Warwick, and Clarence, give me both
your hands:

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

That no dissension hinder government:
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.
War. What answers Clarence to his sovereign's
will?

Clar. That he consents, if Warwick yield con

cret powers

ther,

1

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 sovereign, to provide
A salve for any sore that may betide.

[Exeunt King Henry, War. Clar. Lieut.
and Attendants.

Som. 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 Britany, Till storms be past of civil enmity!

Oxf. Ay; for if Edward repossess the crown, "Tis like, that Richmond with the rest shall down.

Som. It shall be so; he shall to Britany. Come, therefore, let's about it speedily.

SCENE VII. Before York.

[Exeunt.

York,

But that we enter, as into our dukedom?
Glo. The gates made fast!-Brother, I like not
this;

For many men, that stumble at the threshold,
Are well foretold-that danger lurks within.
K. Edw. Tush, inan! abodements must not
now affright us:

By fair or foul means we must enter in,
For hither will our friends repair to us.
Hust. My licge, I'll knock once more, to sum-
mon them.

Enter, on the Walls, the Mayor of York, and his Brethren.

May. My lords, we were forewarned of your coming,

And shut the gates for safety of ourselves;
For now we owe allegiance unto Henry.

K. Edw. But, master mayor, if Henry be your king,

Yet Edward, at the least, is duke of York.
May. True, my good lord; I know you for no

less.

And swell so much the higher by their ebb.Hence with him to the Tower; let him not speak. [Exeunt some with King Henry. 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 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.

ACT V.

SCENE I. Coventry.

Enter, upon the Walls, Warwick, the Mayor of Coventry, two Messengers, and others.

War. Where is the post that came from valiant Oxford ?

How far hence is thy lord, mine honest fellow 7 1 Mess. By this at Dunsmore, marching hitherward.

War. How far off is our brother Montague ? Where is the post that came from Montague? 2 Mess. By this at Daintry, with a puissant troop.

Enter Sir John Somerville.

War. Say, Somerville, what says my loving

son 7

And, by thy guess, how nigh is Clarence now? Som. At Southam I did leave him with his forces,

And do expect him here some two hours hence. [Drum heard.

War. Then Clarence is at hand, I hear his drum.

Som. It is not his, my lord: here Southam lies: The drum your honour hears, marcheth from Warwick.

War. Who should that be? belike, unlook'dfor friends.

Som. They are at hand, and you shall quickly know.

Drums. Enter King Edward, Gloster, and Forces, marching.

K. Edw. Go, trumpet, to the walls, and sound a parle."

Glo. See how the surly Warwick mans the wall. War. O, unoid spite! is sportful Edward come? Where slept our scouts, or how are they seduc'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.

War. Nay, rather, wilt thou draw thy forces hence,

Confess who set thee up and pluck'd thee down?

Call Warwick-patron, and be penitent,
And thou shalt still remain the duke of York.
Glo. I thought, at least, he would have said-
the king;

Or did he make the jest against his will?
War. Is not a dukedom, sir, a goodly gift?
Glo. Ay, by my faith, for a poor earl to give;
I'll do thee service for so good a gift.
War. 'Twas I, that gave the kingdom to thy

brother.

K. Edw. Why, then 'tis mine, if but by War. wick's gift.

War. Thou art no Atlas for so great a weight:
And, weakling, Warwick takes his gift again:
And Henry is my king, Warwick his subject.
K. Edw. But Warwick's king is Edward's pri-

soner:

And, gallant Warwick, do but answer this,What is the body, when the head is off?

Glo. Alas, that Warwick had no more forecast, But, whiles he thought to steal the single ten, The king was slyly finger'd from the deck! You left poor Heary at the bishop's palace, And, ten to one, you'll meet him in the Tower. K. Edw. "Tis even so; yet you are Warwick still.

Glo. Come, Warwick, take the time, kncel down, kneel down:

Nay, when? strike now, or else the iron cools.
War. 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.
K. Edw. Sail how thou canst, have wind and

tide thy friend;

This hand, fast wound about thy coal-black hair, Shall, whiles the 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. War. O cheerful colours! see where Oxford comes!

Orf. Oxford, Oxford, for Lancaster!

[Oxford and his Forces enter the City. Glo. The gates are open, let us enter too. K. Edw. 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. War. O, welcome, Oxford, for we want thy help.

Enter Montague, with Drum and Colours. Mont. Montague, Montague, for Lancaster! [He and his Forces enter the City. Glo. Thou and thy brother both shall buy this

treason

Even with the dearest blood your bodies bear. K. Edw. The harder match'd, the greater vic

tory;

My mind presageth happy gain, and conquest. Enter Somerset, with Drum and Colours. Som. Somerset, Somerset, for Lancaster!

[He and his Forces enter the City. Glo. 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 ColoursS. War. 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
calls.

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

[Taking the red Rose out of his Cap 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, War wick,

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
Than Jephtha's, when he sacrific'd his daughter.
I am so sorry for my trespass made,
That, to deserve well at my brother's hands,
I here proclaim myself thy mortal foe;
With resolution, wheresoe'er I meet thee,
(As I will meet thee, if thou stir abroad,)
To plague thee for thy foul misleading me.
And so, proud-hearted Warwick, I defy thee,
And to my brother turn my blushing cheeks➡
Pardon me, Edward, 1 will make amends;