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?

Q. Eliz. Ay, almost slain, for he is taken prisoner;
Either betray'd by falsehood of his guard,
Or by his foe surprised 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,

womb:

For love of Edward's offspring in my
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. 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.

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 advértised him by secret means,

That if about this hour, he make this 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.

K. Edw. Nay, this way, man; see where the 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?

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 forwardness.
Glo. But wherefore stay we? 'tis no time to 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.

SCENE VI-A Room in the Tower.

[Exeunt.

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 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 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 famed 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.+
Clar. No, Warwick, thou art worthy of the sway,
To whom the heavens, in thy nativity,

Adjudged an olive branch and laurel crown,
As likely to be blessed 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 consent;

For on thy fortune I repose myself.

War. 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 honour, and his ease.
And, Clarence, now then it is more than needful,
Forthwith that Edward be pronounced a traitor,
And all his lands and goods be confiscate.

Clar. What else? and that succession be determined.
War. Ay, therein Clarence shall not want his 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 eclipsed.

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 secret powers
[Lays his hand on his head.

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 framed to wear a crown,

* Conform their temper to their destiny.

+ Present.

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 a MESSENGER.

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 he 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, WARWICK, CLARENCE, LIEUTENANT, 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 Britanny,
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 Britanny.

Come, therefore, let's about it speedily.

SCENE VII.-Before York.

[Exeunt

Enter KING EDWARD, GLOSTER, HASTINGS, and Forces.

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'd the seas,
And brought desired help from Burgundy:
What then remains, we being thus arrived
From Ravenspurg haven before the gates of York,
But that we enter, as into our dukedom?

Glo. The gates made fast!-Brother, I like not this;

* Waited for him.

For many men that stumble at the threshold,

Are well foretold--that danger lurks within.

K. Edw. Tush, man! abodements must not now affright us: By fair or foul means we must enter in,

For hither will our friends repair to us.

Hast. My liege, I'll knock once more to summon them.

Enter, on the walls, the MAYOR of York, and kis 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.

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 doubt? Open the gates, we are king Henry's friends. May. Ay, say you so? the gates shall then be open'd. [Exeunt from above. Glo. A wise stout captain, and persuaded soon! Hast. The good old man would fain that all were well, So 'twere not long of him: but, being enter'd,

I doubt not, I, but we shall soon persuade

Both him, and all his brothers, unto reason.

Re-enter the MAYOR and two ALDERMEN, below.

K. Edw. So, master mayor: these gates must not be shut, But in the night, or in the time of war.

What! fear not, man, but yield me up the keys; [Takes his keysFor Edward will defend the town, and thee,

And all those friends that deign to follow me.

Drum.-Enter MONTGOMERY, and Forces, marching.

Glo. Brother, this is Sir John Montgomery,

Our trusty friend, unless I be deceived.

K. Edw. Welcome, Sir John! But why come you in arms? 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 title to the crown; and only claim

Our dukedom, till God please to send the rest.

Mont. Then fare you well, for I will hence again;

I came to serve a king, and not a duke,-

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.

*So he may not be blamed.