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Home > King Henry VI Part 3 > ACT IV - SCENE VI. London. The Tower.

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ACT IV - SCENE VI. London. The Tower.
KING HENRY VI
1    Master lieutenant, now that God and friends
2    Have shaken Edward from the regal seat,
3    And turn'd my captive state to liberty,
4    My fear to hope, my sorrows unto joys,
5    At our enlargement what are thy due fees?
Lieutenant
6    Subjects may challenge nothing of their sovereigns;
7    But if an humble prayer may prevail,
8    I then crave pardon of your majesty.
KING HENRY VI
9    For what, lieutenant? for well using me?
10   Nay, be thou sure I'll well requite thy kindness,
11   For that it made my imprisonment a pleasure;
12   Ay, such a pleasure as incaged birds
13   Conceive when after many moody thoughts
14   At last by notes of household harmony
15   They quite forget their loss of liberty.
16   But, Warwick, after God, thou set'st me free,
17   And chiefly therefore I thank God and thee;
18   He was the author, thou the instrument.
19   Therefore, that I may conquer fortune's spite
20   By living low, where fortune cannot hurt me,
21   And that the people of this blessed land
22   May not be punish'd with my thwarting stars,
23   Warwick, although my head still wear the crown,
24   I here resign my government to thee,
25   For thou art fortunate in all thy deeds.
WARWICK
26   Your grace hath still been famed for virtuous;
27   And now may seem as wise as virtuous,
28   By spying and avoiding fortune's malice,
29   For few men rightly temper with the stars:
30   Yet in this one thing let me blame your grace,
31   For choosing me when Clarence is in place.
CLARENCE
32   No, Warwick, thou art worthy of the sway,
33   To whom the heavens in thy nativity
34   Adjudged an olive branch and laurel crown,
35   As likely to be blest in peace and war;
36   And therefore I yield thee my free consent.
WARWICK
37   And I choose Clarence only for protector.
KING HENRY VI
38   Warwick and Clarence give me both your hands:
39   Now join your hands, and with your hands your hearts,
40   That no dissension hinder government:
41   I make you both protectors of this land,
42   While I myself will lead a private life
43   And in devotion spend my latter days,
44   To sin's rebuke and my Creator's praise.
WARWICK
45   What answers Clarence to his sovereign's will?
CLARENCE
46   That he consents, if Warwick yield consent;
47   For on thy fortune I repose myself.
WARWICK
48   Why, then, though loath, yet must I be content:
49   We'll yoke together, like a double shadow
50   To Henry's body, and supply his place;
51   I mean, in bearing weight of government,
52   While he enjoys the honour and his ease.
53   And, Clarence, now then it is more than needful
54   Forthwith that Edward be pronounced a traitor,
55   And all his lands and goods be confiscate.
CLARENCE
56   What else? and that succession be determined.
WARWICK
57   Ay, therein Clarence shall not want his part.
KING HENRY VI
58   But, with the first of all your chief affairs,
59   Let me entreat, for I command no more,
60   That Margaret your queen and my son Edward
61   Be sent for, to return from France with speed;
62   For, till I see them here, by doubtful fear
63   My joy of liberty is half eclipsed.
CLARENCE
64   It shall be done, my sovereign, with all speed.
KING HENRY VI
65   My Lord of Somerset, what youth is that,
66   Of whom you seem to have so tender care?
SOMERSET
67   My liege, it is young Henry, earl of Richmond.
KING HENRY VI
68   Come hither, England's hope.
Lays his hand on his head
69   If secret powers
70   Suggest but truth to my divining thoughts,
71   This pretty lad will prove our country's bliss.
72   His looks are full of peaceful majesty,
73   His head by nature framed to wear a crown,
74   His hand to wield a sceptre, and himself
75   Likely in time to bless a regal throne.
76   Make much of him, my lords, for this is he
77   Must help you more than you are hurt by me.
Enter a Post

WARWICK
78   What news, my friend?
Post
79   That Edward is escaped from your brother,
80   And fled, as he hears since, to Burgundy.
WARWICK
81   Unsavoury news! but how made he escape?
Post
82   He was convey'd by Richard Duke of Gloucester
83   And the Lord Hastings, who attended him
84   In secret ambush on the forest side
85   And from the bishop's huntsmen rescued him;
86   For hunting was his daily exercise.
WARWICK
87   My brother was too careless of his charge.
88   But let us hence, my sovereign, to provide
89   A salve for any sore that may betide.
Exeunt all but SOMERSET, HENRY OF RICHMOND, and OXFORD

SOMERSET
90   My lord, I like not of this flight of Edward's;
91   For doubtless Burgundy will yield him help,
92   And we shall have more wars before 't be long.
93   As Henry's late presaging prophecy
94   Did glad my heart with hope of this young Richmond,
95   So doth my heart misgive me, in these conflicts
96   What may befall him, to his harm and ours:
97   Therefore, Lord Oxford, to prevent the worst,
98   Forthwith we'll send him hence to Brittany,
99   Till storms be past of civil enmity.
OXFORD
100  Ay, for if Edward repossess the crown,
101  'Tis like that Richmond with the rest shall down.
SOMERSET
102  It shall be so; he shall to Brittany.
103  Come, therefore, let's about it speedily.
Exeunt
104  3 KING HENRY VI

< (Previous) ACT IV, SCENE VACT IV, VII (Next) >
Scene Index
ACT I
  • SCENE I
  • SCENE II
  • SCENE III
  • SCENE IV


  • ACT II
  • SCENE I
  • SCENE II
  • SCENE III
  • SCENE IV
  • SCENE V
  • SCENE VI


  • ACT III
  • SCENE I
  • SCENE II
  • SCENE III


  • ACT IV
  • SCENE I
  • SCENE II
  • SCENE III
  • SCENE IV
  • SCENE V
  • SCENE VI
  • SCENE VII
  • SCENE VIII


  • ACT V
  • SCENE I
  • SCENE II
  • SCENE III
  • SCENE IV
  • SCENE V
  • SCENE VI
  • SCENE VII

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