Henry VI, Pt. 3
Act IV, Scene 6
London. The Tower.
Quartered arms of Sir John Nevill, 1st Marquess of Montagu, KG
Rs-nourse
- Flourish. Enter King Henry the Sixth, Clarence, Warwick,
- Somerset, young Henry Richmond, Oxford, Montague, and
- Lieutenant of the Tower.
King Henry the Sixth
1 - 5- 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 due fees?
Lieutenant of the Tower
6 - 8- Subjects may challenge nothing of their sov’reigns,
- But if an humble prayer may prevail,
- I then crave pardon of your Majesty.
King Henry the Sixth
9 - 25- 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.
Earl of Warwick
26 - 31- Your Grace hath still been fam’d for virtuous,
- 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.
Duke of Clarence
32 - 36- No, Warwick, thou art worthy of the sway,
- To whom the heav’ns 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.
Earl of Warwick
37- And I choose Clarence only for Protector.
King Henry the Sixth
38 - 44- 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.
Earl of Warwick
45- What answers Clarence to his sovereign’s will?
Duke of Clarence
46 - 47- That he consents, if Warwick yield consent,
- For on thy fortune I repose myself.
Earl of Warwick
48 - 55- Why then, though loath, yet must I be content.
- We’ll yoke together like a double shadow
- To Henry’s body, and supply his place;
- I mean, in bearing weight of government,
- While he enjoys the honor and his ease.
- And, Clarence, now then it is more than needful
- Forthwith that Edward be pronounc’d a traitor,
- And all his lands and goods confiscate.
Duke of Clarence
56- What else? And that succession be determined.
Earl of Warwick
57- Ay, therein Clarence shall not want his part.
King Henry the Sixth
58 - 63- 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.
Duke of Clarence
64- It shall be done, my sovereign, with all speed.
King Henry the Sixth
65 - 66- My Lord of Somerset, what youth is that
- Of whom you seem to have so tender care?
Duke of Somerset
67- My liege, it is young Henry, Earl of Richmond.
King Henry the Sixth
68 - 77- Come hither, England’s hope.
- Lays his hand on his head.
- If secret powers
- Suggest but truth to my divining thoughts,
- This pretty lad will prove our country’s bliss.
- His looks are full of peaceful majesty,
- His head by nature fram’d to wear a crown,
- His hand to wield a sceptre, and himself
- Likely in time to bless a regal throne.
- Make much of him, my lords, for this is he
- Must help you more than you are hurt by me.
- Enter Warwick’s Messenger.
Earl of Warwick
78- What news, my friend?
Warwick’s Messenger
79 - 80- That Edward is escaped from your brother,
- And fled (as he hears since) to Burgundy.
Earl of Warwick
81- Unsavory news! But how made he escape?
Warwick’s Messenger
82 - 86- He was convey’d by Richard, Duke of Gloucester,
- And the Lord Hastings, who attended him
- In secret ambush on the forest side,
- And from the Bishop’s huntsmen rescu’d him;
- For hunting was his daily exercise.
Earl of Warwick
87 - 89- 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. Manent Somerset, Richmond, and Oxford.
Duke of Somerset
90 - 99- 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 Brittany,
- Till storms be past of civil enmity.
Earl of Oxford
100 - 101- Ay; for if Edward repossess the crown,
- ’Tis like that Richmond with the rest shall down.
Duke of Somerset
102 - 103- It shall be so; he shall to Brittany.
- Come therefore, let’s about it speedily.
- Exeunt.