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Henry VI, Pt. 3: Act III, Scene 1

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Henry VI, Pt. 3
Act III, Scene 1

Scene 1

A forest in the North of England.

  1. Enter two Gamekeepers with cross-bows in their hands.

First Gamekeeper

1 - 4
  1. Under this thick-grown brake we’ll shroud ourselves,
  2. For through this laund anon the deer will come,
  3. And in this covert will we make our stand,
  4. Culling the principal of all the deer.

Second Gamekeeper

5
  1. I’ll stay above the hill, so both may shoot.

First Gamekeeper

6 - 11
  1. That cannot be, the noise of thy crossbow
  2. Will scare the herd, and so my shoot is lost.
  3. Here stand we both and aim we at the best;
  4. And for the time shall not seem tedious,
  5. I’ll tell thee what befell me on a day
  6. In this self place where now we mean to stand.

Second Gamekeeper

12
  1. Here comes a man, let’s stay till he be past.
  1. Enter the King Henry, disguised, with a prayer-book.

King Henry the Sixth

13 - 21
  1. From Scotland am I stol’n, even of pure love,
  2. To greet mine own land with my wishful sight.
  3. No, Harry, Harry, ’tis no land of thine;
  4. Thy place is fill’d, thy sceptre wrung from thee,
  5. Thy balm wash’d off wherewith thou was anointed.
  6. No bending knee will call thee Caesar now,
  7. No humble suitors press to speak for right,
  8. No, not a man comes for redress of thee;
  9. For how can I help them and not myself?

First Gamekeeper

22 - 23
  1. Ay, here’s a deer whose skin’s a keeper’s fee:
  2. This is the quondam king; let’s seize upon him.

King Henry the Sixth

24 - 25
  1. Let me embrace thee, sour adversities,
  2. For wise men say it is the wisest course.

Second Gamekeeper

26
  1. Why linger we? Let us lay hands upon him.

First Gamekeeper

27
  1. Forbear awhile, we’ll hear a little more.

King Henry the Sixth

28 - 54
  1. My queen and son are gone to France for aid;
  2. And, as I hear, the great commanding Warwick
  3. Is thither gone to crave the French king’s sister
  4. To wife for Edward. If this news be true,
  5. Poor queen and son, your labor is but lost;
  6. For Warwick is a subtle orator,
  7. And Lewis a prince soon won with moving words.
  8. By this account then, Margaret may win him,
  9. For she’s a woman to be pitied much.
  10. Her sighs will make a batt’ry in his breast,
  11. Her tears will pierce into a marble heart;
  12. The tiger will be mild whiles she doth mourn;
  13. And Nero will be tainted with remorse
  14. To hear and see her plaints, her brinish tears.
  15. Ay, but she’s come to beg; Warwick, to give:
  16. She, on his left side, craving aid for Henry;
  17. He, on his right, asking a wife for Edward.
  18. She weeps, and says her Henry is depos’d;
  19. He smiles, and says his Edward is install’d;
  20. That she, poor wretch, for grief can speak no more;
  21. Whiles Warwick tells his title, smooths the wrong,
  22. Inferreth arguments of mighty strength,
  23. And in conclusion wins the King from her
  24. With promise of his sister and what else,
  25. To strengthen and support King Edward’s place.
  26. O Margaret, thus ’twill be, and thou, poor soul,
  27. Art then forsaken, as thou went’st forlorn!

Look, as I blow this feather from my face

1901

Second Gamekeeper

55
  1. Say, what art thou talk’st of kings and queens?

King Henry the Sixth

56 - 58
  1. More than I seem, and less than I was born to;
  2. A man at least, for less I should not be;
  3. And men may talk of kings, and why not I?

Second Gamekeeper

59
  1. Ay, but thou talk’st as if thou wert a king.

King Henry the Sixth

60
  1. Why, so I am—in mind, and that’s enough.

Second Gamekeeper

61
  1. But if thou be a king, where is thy crown?

King Henry the Sixth

62 - 65
  1. My crown is in my heart, not on my head;
  2. Not deck’d with diamonds and Indian stones,
  3. Nor to be seen. My crown is call’d content,
  4. A crown it is that seldom kings enjoy.

Second Gamekeeper

66 - 71
  1. Well, if you be a king crown’d with content,
  2. Your crown content and you must be contented
  3. To go along with us; for, as we think,
  4. You are the king King Edward hath depos’d;
  5. And we his subjects, sworn in all allegiance,
  6. Will apprehend you as his enemy.

King Henry the Sixth

72
  1. But did you never swear and break an oath?

Second Gamekeeper

73
  1. No, never such an oath, nor will not now.

King Henry the Sixth

74
  1. Where did you dwell when I was King of England?

Second Gamekeeper

75
  1. Here in this country where we now remain.

King Henry the Sixth

76 - 79
  1. I was anointed king at nine months old,
  2. My father and my grandfather were kings;
  3. And you were sworn true subjects unto me;
  4. And tell me then, have you not broke your oaths?

First Gamekeeper

80 - 81
  1. No,
  2. For we were subjects but while you were king.

King Henry the Sixth

82 - 93
  1. Why? Am I dead? Do I not breathe a man?
  2. Ah, simple men, you know not what you swear!
  3. Look, as I blow this feather from my face,
  4. And as the air blows it to me again,
  5. Obeying with my wind when I do blow,
  6. And yielding to another when it blows,
  7. Commanded always by the greater gust,
  8. Such is the lightness of you common men.
  9. But do not break your oaths, for of that sin
  10. My mild entreaty shall not make you guilty.
  11. Go where you will, the King shall be commanded;
  12. And be you kings: command, and I’ll obey.

First Gamekeeper

94
  1. We are true subjects to the King, King Edward.

King Henry the Sixth

95 - 96
  1. So would you be again to Henry,
  2. If he were seated as King Edward is.

First Gamekeeper

97 - 98
  1. We charge you, in God’s name and the King’s,
  2. To go with us unto the officers.

King Henry the Sixth

99 - 101
  1. In God’s name lead; your king’s name be obey’d,
  2. And what God will, that let your king perform;
  3. And what he will, I humbly yield unto.
  1. Exeunt.
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