passage. *2 Watch. Ay; wherefore else guard we his royal tent, * But to defend his person from night foes? Enter WARWICK, Clarence, Oxford, SomerSET, and Forces. 'War. This is his tent; and see, where stand his guard. Courage, my masters: honour now, or never! *2 Watch. Slay, or thou diest. [WARWICK, and the rest, cry all-Warwick! Warwick! and set upon the Guard; who fly, crying, Arm! Arm! WARWICK, and the rest, following them. *K. Edw. What fates impose, that men must needs abide; It boots not to resist both wind and tide. [Exit KING EDWARD, led out; SOMERSET with him. Oxf. What now remains, my lords, for us to do, But march to London with our soldiers? War. Ay, that's the first thing that we have 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? 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 The Drum beating, and Trumpets sounding. Re-* enter WARWICK, and the rest, bringing the King out in a Gown, sitting in a Chair; GLOSTER and HASTINGS fly. Thou call'dst me king? War. Ay, but the case is alter'd: 'When you disgrac'd me in my embassade, 'Then I degraded you from being king, And come now to create you duke of York. Alas! how should you govern any kingdom, That know not how to use ambassadors; Nor how to be contented with one wife; Nor how to use your brothers brotherly; *Nor how to study for the people's welfare; Nor how to shrowd yourself from enemies? *K. Edw. Yea, brother of Clarence, art thou here too? *Nay, then I see, that Edward needs must down.— 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 fellows, I'll follow you, and tell what answer This honest watchman's opinion coincides with that Falstaff. See the First Part of King Henry IV Act T. SC. 3. crown. * Riv. But, madam, where is Warwick then become? 'Q. Eliz. I 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 hath 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. SCENE V. A Park near Middleham Castle in Yorkshire.3 Enter GLOSTER, HASTINGS, SIR WILLIAM STANLEY, and others. Glo. Now, my Lord Hastings, and Sir William Leave off to wonder why I drew you hither, 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. 2 i. e. in his mind; as far as his own mind goes. 3 Shakspeare follows Holinshed in the representation here given of King Edward's capture and imprisonment. The whole, however, is untrue. Edward was never in the hands of Warwick. 'Now, brother of Gloster, Lord Hastings, and the rest, Stand you thus close, to steal the bishop's deer? 'Hast. To Lynn, my lord: and ship from thence to Flanders. Glo. Well guess'd, believe me; for that was K. Edw. Stanley, I will requite thy forwardness. talk. 'K. Edw. Huntsman, what say'st thou ? wilt thou go along? Hunt. Better do so, than tarry and be hang'd. *Glo. Come then, away; let's have no more ado. 'K. Edw. Bishop, farewell: shield thee from Warwick's frown; And pray that I may repossess the crown. [Exeunt. SCENE VI. A Room in the Tower. Enter KING HENRY, CLARENCE, WARWICK, SOMERSET, 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 fear to hope, my sorrows unto joys; *At our enlargement what are thy duc 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 author, 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 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. 1 Few men accommodate themselves to their destiny, or adapt themselves to circumstance. 2 See note 1, p. 78. part. *K. Hen. But, with the first of all your chief affairs, *Let me entreat (for I command no more) *That Margaret your queen, and my son Edward, * Be sent for, to return from France with speed: *For, till I see them here, by doubtful fear *My joy of liberty is half eclips'd. Clar. It shall be done, my sovereign, with all speed, K. Hen. My lord of Somerset, what youth is that, Of whom you seem to have so tender care? Som. My liege, it is young Henry, earl of Richmond. 'K. Hen. Come hither, England's hope: If se- His head by nature fram'd to wear a crown, *War. What news, my friend? * Mess. That Edward is escaped from your brother, *And fled, as he hears since, to Burgundy. *War. Unsavoury news: But how made be escape? * Mess. He was convey'd by Richard duke of Gloster, * And the Lord Hastings, who attended him * In secret ambush on the forest side, *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 Ed ward's: *For, doubtless, Burgundy will yield him help; first duke of Somerset. Edmond was half brother to King Henry VI. being the son of that king's mother, Queen Catharine, by her second husband, Owen Tudor. Henry the Seventh, to show his gratitude to Henry VI. for this 3 This was adopted from Hall by the author of the old early presage in his favour, solicited Pope Julius to ca play; Holinshed also copies Hall almost verbatim :-noníze him a saint; but either would not pay the price, Whom when the king had a good while beheld, he said to such princes as were with him, Lo, surelie this is he, to whom both we and our adversaries, leaving the possession of all things, shall hereafter give roome and place.' p. 678. Henry earl of Richmond, was the son of Edmond earl of Richmond, and Margaret, daughter to John the or, as Bacon supposes, the pope refused lest'as Henry was reputed in the world abroad but for a simple man, the estimation of that kind of honour might be dimin ished if there were not a distance kept between inno. cents and saints.' 4 i. e. waited for him. And we shall have more wars, before't be long. * Did glad my heart, with hope of this young Rich- *So doth my heart misgive me, in these conflicts *Orf. Ay; for if Edward repossess the crown, 'K. Edw. Now, brother Richard, Lord Hastings, and the rest; 'Yet thus far fortune maketh us amends, And says-that once more I shall interchange 'My waned state for Henry's regal crown. Well have we pass'd, and now repass the seas, And brought desired help from Burgundy: 'What then remains, we being thus arriv'd 'From Ravenspurg haven1 before the gates of York, But that we enter, as into our dukedom? Glo. The gates made fast!-Brother, I like not *For many men, that stumble at the threshold, By fair or foul means we must enter in, Enter, on the Walls, the Mayor of York, and his May. My lords, we were forewarned of your And shut the gates for safety of ourselves; 'Yet Edward, at the least, is duke of York. less. 'K. Edw. Why, and I challenge nothing but my dukedom; *As being well content with that alone. Glo. But, when the fox hath once got in his nose, 'He'll soon find means to make the body follow. [Aside. 'Hast. Why, master mayor, why stand you in a Open the gates, we are King Henry's friends. *So 'twere not 'long of him:2 but, being enter'd, Re-enter the Mayor, and Two Aldermen, below. But in the night, or in the time of war. 1 In the old play this is written Raunspurhaven, we may therefore infer that such was the pronunciation. 2 The mayor is willing we should enter, so he may not be blamed. 3 Report. Vide Macbeth, Act v. Sc. 7. 4 Know. Drum. Enter MONTGOMERY, and Forces, marching. 'K. Edw. Welcome, Sir John! But why come Mont. To help King Edward in his time of storm, As every loyal subject ought to do. K. Edw. Thanks, good Montgomery: But we now forget Our dukedom, till God please to send the rest. Our title to the crown! and only claim I came to serve a king, and not a duke,— 'Mont. Then fare you well, for I will hence again; 'Drummer, strike up, and let us march away. [A March begun. K. Edw. Nay, stay, Sir John, a while; and we'll debate, By what safe means the crown may be recover'd, "Mont. 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 succour you: Why should we fight, if you pretend no title? Glo. Why, brother, wherefore stand you on nice points? *K. Edw. When we grow stronger, then we'll *Till then, 'tis wisdom to conceal our meaning. Glo. And fearless minds climb soonest unto crowns. *Brother, we will proclaim you out of hand; *K. Edw. Then be it as you will; for 'tis my right, * And Henry but usurps the diadem. Mont. Ay, now my sovereign speaketh like him- And now will I be Edward's champion. * Come, fellow-soldier, make thou proclamation. Mont. And whosoe'er gainsays King Edward's By this I challenge him to single fight. [Throws down his Gauntlet. All. Long live Edward the Fourth! 'K. Edw. Thanks, brave Montgomery; - and thanks unto you all. 'If fortune serve me, I'll requite this kindness. Now, for this night, let's harbour here in York: And, when the morning sun shall raise his car 'Above the border of this horizon, We'll forward towards Warwick, and his mates; wick. * Come on, brave soldiers; doubt not of the day; SCENE VIII. London. A Room in the Palace. War. What counsel, lords? Edward from Belgia, these plays. Warwick has but just gone off the stage, 'And, lords, towards Coventry bend we our course, 5 This scene is perhaps the worst contrived of any in sixth scene of the present play. L *Orf. Let's levy men and beat him back again.' Clar. A little fire is quickly trodden out; Which, being suffer'd, rivers cannot quench. War. In Warwickshire I have true-hearted Not mutinous in peace, yet bold in war; K. Hen. Farewell, my Hector, and my Troy's *Clar. In sign of truth, I kiss your highness' hand. *K. Hen. Well-minded Clarence, be thou fortunate! *Mont. Comfort, my lord,-and so I take my leave. * Oxf. And thus, [Kissing HENRY's hand,] I seal my truth, and bid adieu. *K. Hen. Sweet Oxford, and my loving Montague, And all at once, once more a happy farewell. War. Farewell, sweet lords; let's meet at Coventry. [Exeunt WAR. CLAR. OXF. and MONT. *K. Hen. Here at the palace will I rest a while. *Cousin of Exeter, what thinks your lordship? Methinks, the power, that Edward hath in field *Should not be able to encounter mine. *Exe. The doubt is, that he will seduce the rest. *K. Hen. That's not my fear, my meed' hath got me fame. I have not stopp'd mine ears to their demands, *Nor posted off their suits with slow delays; *My pity hath been balm to heal their wounds, The sun shines hot, and, if we use delay, Cold biting winter mars our hop'd for hav. *Glo. Away betimes, before his forces join, And take the great-grown traitor unawares: *Brave warriors, march amain towards Coventry. [Exeunt. My mildness hath allay'd their swelling griefs, *My mercy dry'd their water-flowing tears: *I have not been desirous of their wealth, *Nor much oppres'd them with great subsidies, *Nor forward of revenge, though they much err'd: Then why should they love Edward more than me? *No, Exeter, these graces challenge grace; And, when the lion fawns upon the lamb, The lamb will never cease to follow him. [Shout within. A Lancaster! A Lancaster! Exe. Hark, hark, my lord! what shouts are these? Enter KING EDward, Gloster, and Soldiers. " K. Edw. Seize on the shame-fac'd Henry, bear him hence, ACT V. SCENE I. Coventry. Enter, upon the Walls, WARWICK, the Mayor of Coventry, Two Messengers, and others." And once again proclaim us king of England. [Exeunt some with KING HENRY. And, lords, towards Coventry bend we our course, Where peremptory Warwick now remains:4 War. Where is the post that came from valiant How far hence is thy lord, mine honest fellow? War. How far off is our brother Montague? 1 This line, in the folio copy, is given to the king, to whose character it is so unsuitable, that it has been thought best to give it to Oxford, who is the next speaker in the old play. 2 Shakspeare has twice repeated this passage, which And stood against them as the hope of Troy In the former instance no trace is to be found of the se 3 Merit. 2 Mess. By this at Daintry, with a puissant troop. Enter SIR JOHN SOMERVILLE. 'War. Say, Somerville, what says my loving son? And, by the 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 Drums. know. Enter KING EDWARD, GLOSTER, and * K. Edw. Go, trumpet, to the walls, and sound Glo. See how the surly Warwick mans the wall. War. O, unbid 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 * K. Edw. But Warwick's king is Edward's pri- | To bend the fatal instruments of war 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 slily finger'd from the deck! You left poor Henry at the bishop's palace,2 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, kneel 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 cold-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 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, I will make amends; And, Richard, do not frown upon my faults, For I will henceforth be no more unconstant. 'K. Edw. Now welcome more, and ten times more belov'd, Look here, I throw my infamy at thee: "That Clarence is so harsh, so blunt, unnatural, Than if thou never hadst deserv'd our hate. 'Glo. Welcome, good Clarence: this is brotherlike. War. O passing" traitor, perjur'd, and unjust! K. Edw. What, Warwick, wilt thou leave the town, and fight? Or shall we beat the stones about thine ears? 1 A pack of cards was anciently termed a deck of cards, or a pair of cards. An instance of a pack of cards being called a deck, occurs in the Sessions Paper for January, 1788. The term is said to be still used in Ireland. 2 The palace of the bishop of London. 3 This expression of impatience has been already noticed in The Tempest, and King Richard II. K. Edw. Yes, Warwick, Edward dares, and leads the way :Lords, to the field; Saint George, and victory. [March. Exeunt. 4 The first of these noblemen was Edmund, slain at the battle of St. Albans, 1455. The second was Henry his son, beheaded after the battle of Hexham, 1463. SCENE II. A Field of Battle near Barnet. Alarums, and Excursions. Enter KING EDWARD, bringing in WARWICK wounded. *K. Edw. So, lie thou there: die thou, and die our fear; *For Warwick was a bug," that fear'd us all.Now, Montague, sit fast; I seek for thee, That Warwick's bones may keep thine company. [Exit. War. Ah, who is nigh? Come to me, friend, or foe, And tell me who is victor, York or Warwick? That I must yield my body to the earth, black veil, *Have been as piercing as the mid-day sun, *To search the secret treasons of the world: The wrinkles in my brows, now fill'd with blood, Were liken'd oft to kingly sepulchres; For who liv'd king, but I could dig his grave? And who durst smile, 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 forsake me; and, of all my lands, Is nothing left me, but my body's length !10 Why, what is pomp, rule, reign, but earth and dus? And, live we how we can, yet die we must. taken prisoner at Tewksbury, 1471, and there beheaded; his brother John losing his life in the same fight. 5 i. e. To cement. 6 i. c. stupid, insensible of paternal fondness. 7 i. e. exceeding, egregious. A passing impudent fellow; insigniter impudens.'-Baret. 8 Warwick was the bugbear that frightened us all. 9 All the fowls of heaven made their nest in his boughs, and under his branches did all the beasts of the field bring forth their young. Ezekiel, c. xxxi. Cedes coemptis saltibus, et domo 10 Villaque.' Mors sola fatetur Hor. Quantula sint hominum corpuscula.' Juv. The present duke, Edmund, brother to Henry, was Camden mentions in his Remaines, that Constantine, in |