HENRY THE SIXTH PART 3

Act 4 Scene 7

(Flourish. Enter the Earl of Warwick and George Duke of Clarence with the crown. Then enter King Henry, the Earl of Oxford, the Duke of Somerset with young Henry Earl of Richmond, the Marquis of Montague, and the Lieutenant of the Tower)
l1l	King Henry	 Master Lieutenant, now that God and friends
l2l		Have shaken Edward from the regal seat
l3l		And turned my captive state to liberty,
l4l		My fear to hope, my sorrows unto joys,
l5l		At our enlargement what are thy due fees?
l6l	Lieutenant	Subjects may challenge nothing of their sovereigns—
l7l		But if an humble prayer may prevail,
l8l		I then crave pardon of your majesty.
l9l	King Henry	For what, Lieutenant? For well using me?
l10l		Nay, be thou sure I’ll well requite thy kindness,
l11l		For that it made my prisonment a pleasure—
l12l		Ay, such a pleasure as encagèd birds
l13l		Conceive when, after many moody thoughts,
l14l		At last by notes of household harmony
l15l		They quite forget their loss of liberty.
l16l		But, Warwick, after God, thou sett’st me free,
l17l		And chiefly therefore I thank God and thee.
l18l		He was the author, thou the instrument.
l19l		Therefore, that I may conquer fortune’s spite
l20l		By living low, where fortune cannot hurt me,
l21l		And that the people of this blessèd land
l22l		May not be punished with my thwarting stars,
l23l		Warwick, although my head still wear the crown,
l24l		I here resign my government to thee,
l25l		For thou art fortunate in all thy deeds.
l26l	Warwick	Your grace hath still been famed for virtuous,
l27l		And now may seem as wise as virtuous
l28l		By spying and avoiding fortune’s malice,
l29l		For few men rightly temper with the stars.
l30l		Yet in this one thing let me blame your grace:
l31l		For choosing me when Clarence is in place.
l32l	George Of Clarence	No, Warwick, thou art worthy of the sway,
l33l		To whom the heav’ns in thy nativity
l34l		Adjudged an olive branch and laurel crown,
l35l		As likely to be blest in peace and war.
l36l		And therefore I yield thee my free consent.
l37l	Warwick	And I choose Clarence only for Protector.
l38l	King Henry	Warwick and Clarence, give me both your hands.
l39l		Now join your hands, and with your hands your hearts,
l40l		That no dissension hinder government.
l41l		I make you both Protectors of this land,
l42l		While I myself will lead a private life
l43l		And in devotion spend my latter days,
l44l		To sin’s rebuke and my creator’s praise.
l45l	Warwick	What answers Clarence to his sovereign’s will?
l46l	George Of Clarence	That he consents, if Warwick yield consent,
l47l		For on thy fortune I repose myself.
l48l	Warwick	Why, then, though loath, yet must I be content.
l49l		We’ll yoke together, like a double shadow
l50l		To Henry’s body, and supply his place—
l51l		I mean in bearing weight of government—
l52l		While he enjoys the honour and his ease.
l53l		And, Clarence, now then it is more than needful
l54l		Forthwith that Edward be pronounced a traitor,
l55l		And all his lands and goods be confiscate.
l56l	George Of Clarence	What else? And that succession be determined.
l57l	Warwick	Ay, therein Clarence shall not want his part.
l58l	King Henry	But with the first of all your chief affairs,
l59l		Let me entreat—for I command no more—
l60l		That Margaret your queen and my son Edward
l61l		Be sent for, to return from France with speed.
l62l		For, till I see them here, by doubtful fear
l63l		My joy of liberty is half eclipsed.
l64l	George Of Clarence	It shall be done, my sovereign, with all speed.
l65l	King Henry	My lord of Somerset, what youth is that
l66l		Of whom you seem to have so tender care?
l67l	Somerset	My liege, it is young Henry, Earl of Richmond.
l68l	King Henry	Come hither, England’s hope.
		(King Henry lays his hand on Richmond's head)
		 If secret powers
l69l		Suggest but truth to my divining thoughts,
l70l		This pretty lad will prove our country’s bliss.
l71l		His looks are full of peaceful majesty,
l72l		His head by nature framed to wear a crown,
l73l		His hand to wield a sceptre, and himself
l74l		Likely in time to bless a regal throne.
l75l		Make much of him, my lords, for this is he
l76l		Must help you more than you are hurt by me.
		(Enter a Post)
l77l	Warwick	 What news, my friend?
l78l	Post	That Edward is escapèd from your brother
l79l		And fled, as he hears since, to Burgundy.
l80l	Warwick	Unsavoury news—but how made he escape?
l81l	Post	He was conveyed by Richard Duke of Gloucester
l82l		And the Lord Hastings, who attended him
l83l		In secret ambush on the forest side
l84l		And from the Bishop’s huntsmen rescued him—
l85l		For hunting was his daily exercise.
l86l	Warwick	My brother was too careless of his charge.
l87l		(To King Henry)
		 But let us hence, my sovereign, to provide
l88l		A salve for any sore that may betide.
		(Exeunt all but Somerset, Richmond, and Oxford)
l89l	Somerset	(to Oxford)
		 My lord, I like not of this flight of Edward’s,
l90l		For doubtless Burgundy will yield him help,
l91l		And we shall have more wars before ’t be long.
l92l		As Henry’s late presaging prophecy
l93l		Did glad my heart with hope of this young Richmond,
l94l		So doth my heart misgive me, in these conflicts,
l95l		What may befall him, to his harm and ours.
l96l		Therefore, Lord Oxford, to prevent the worst,
l97l		Forthwith we’ll send him hence to Brittany,
l98l		Till storms be past of civil enmity.
l99l	Oxford	Ay, for if Edward repossess the crown,
l100l		’Tis like that Richmond with the rest shall down.
l101l	Somerset	It shall be so—he shall to Brittany.
l102l		Come, therefore, let’s about it speedily.
		(Exeunt)