*And turned 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 punished 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:1

1

* 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 chose Clarence only for protector. * K. Hen. Warwick, and Clarence, give me both your hands;

1 Few men accommodate themselves to their destiny, or adapt them selves to circumstance.

*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 honor, 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

6

* 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 lad1 will prove our country's bliss.

1 This was adopted from Hall by the author of the old play; Holinshed also copies Hall almost verbatim :"Whom when the king had a good while beheld. he said to such princes as were with him, Lo, surelie this is

'His looks are full of peaceful majesty;
His head by nature framed 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 a Messenger.

* War. What news, my friend?

*Mess. That Edward is escaped from your brother, * And fled, as he hears since, to Burgundy.

War. Unsavory news; but how made he escape? * Mess. He was conveyed 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 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,

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 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 early presage in his favor, solicited pope Julius to canonize him a saint; but either would not pay the price, 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 honor might be diminished if there were not a distance kept between innocents and saints."

*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.

*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 Brittany. * 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 passed, and now repass the seas, And brought desired help from Burgundy. 'What then remains, we being thus arrived 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 this;

* 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.

1 In the old play this is written Raunspurhaven; we may, therefore, infer that such was the pronunciation.

Enter, on the walls, the Mayor of York, and his

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 [Exeunt, from above. 'Glo. A wise, stout captain, and persuaded soon! * Hast. The good old man would fain that all were

opened.

well,

*So 'twere not 'long of him; but, being entered,

*

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 keys.
For Edward will defend the town, and thee,
And all those friends that deign to follow me.

1 The mayor is willing we should enter, so he may not be blamed.