Henry vi part 3, p.19
Henry VI, Part 3,
p.19
Our dukedom, till God please to send the rest.
47
MONTGOMERY
Then fare you well, for I will hence again.
48
I came to serve a king and not a duke.—
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Drummer, strike up, and let us march away.
50
The Drum begins to march.
KING EDWARD
Nay, stay, Sir John, a while, and we’ll debate
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By what safe means the crown may be recovered.
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MONTGOMERY
What talk you of debating? In few words,
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If you’ll not here proclaim yourself our king,
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I’ll leave you to your fortune and be gone
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To keep them back that come to succor you.
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Why shall we fight if you pretend no title?
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RICHARD
Why, brother, wherefore stand you on nice points?
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KING EDWARD
When we grow stronger, then we’ll make our claim.
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Till then ’tis wisdom to conceal our meaning.
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HASTINGS
Away with scrupulous wit! Now arms must rule.
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RICHARD
And fearless minds climb soonest unto crowns.
62
Brother, we will proclaim you out of hand;
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The bruit thereof will bring you many friends.
64
KING EDWARD
Then be it as you will, for ’tis my right,
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And Henry but usurps the diadem.
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MONTGOMERY
Ay, now my sovereign speaketh like himself,
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And now will I be Edward’s champion.
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HASTINGS
Sound, trumpet! Edward shall be here proclaimed.—
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Come, fellow soldier, make thou proclamation.
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Flourish. Sound.
SOLDIER
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God, King of England and France, and Lord of
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Ireland, &c.
73
MONTGOMERY
And whosoe’er gainsays King Edward’s right,
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By this I challenge him to single fight.
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Throws down his gauntlet.
ALL Long live Edward the Fourth!
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KING EDWARD
Thanks, brave Montgomery, and thanks unto you all.
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If fortune serve me, I’ll requite this kindness.
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Now, for this night let’s harbor here in York,
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And when the morning sun shall raise his car
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Above the border of this horizon,
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We’ll forward towards Warwick and his mates;
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For well I wot that Henry is no soldier.
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Ah, froward Clarence, how evil it beseems thee
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To flatter Henry and forsake thy brother!
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Yet, as we may, we’ll meet both thee and Warwick.
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Come on, brave soldiers; doubt not of the day;
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And that once gotten, doubt not of large pay.
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They exit.
Flourish. Enter King
Clarence, Oxford, and
WARWICK
What counsel, lords? Edward from Belgia,
1
With hasty Germans and blunt Hollanders,
2
Hath passed in safety through the Narrow Seas,
3
And with his troops doth march amain to London,
4
And many giddy people flock to him.
5
KING HENRY
Let’s levy men and beat him back again.
6
CLARENCE
A little fire is quickly trodden out,
7
Which, being suffered, rivers cannot quench.
8
WARWICK
In Warwickshire I have true-hearted friends,
9
Not mutinous in peace yet bold in war.
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Those will I muster up; and thou, son Clarence,
11
Shalt stir up in Suffolk, Norfolk, and in Kent
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The knights and gentlemen to come with thee.—
13
Thou, brother Montague, in Buckingham,
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Northampton, and in Leicestershire shalt find
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Men well inclined to hear what thou command’st.—
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And thou, brave Oxford, wondrous well beloved,
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In Oxfordshire shalt muster up thy friends.—
18
My sovereign, with the loving citizens,
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Like to his island girt in with the ocean,
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Or modest Dian circled with her nymphs,
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Shall rest in London till we come to him.
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Fair lords, take leave, and stand not to reply.—
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Farewell, my sovereign.
24
KING HENRY
Farewell, my Hector and my Troy’s true hope.
25
CLARENCE
In sign of truth, I kiss your Highness’ hand.
26
KING HENRY
Well-minded Clarence, be thou fortunate.
27
MONTAGUE
Comfort, my lord; and so I take my leave.
28
OXFORD
And thus I seal my truth, and bid adieu.
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KING HENRY
Sweet Oxford and my loving Montague
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And all at once, once more a happy farewell.
31
WARWICK
Farewell, sweet lords. Let’s meet at Coventry.
32
KING HENRY
Here at the palace will I rest awhile.
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Cousin of Exeter, what thinks your Lordship?
34
Methinks the power that Edward hath in field
35
Should not be able to encounter mine.
36
EXETER
The doubt is that he will seduce the rest.
37
KING HENRY
That’s not my fear. My meed hath got me fame.
38
I have not stopped mine ears to their demands,
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Nor posted off their suits with slow delays.
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My pity hath been balm to heal their wounds,
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My mildness hath allayed their swelling griefs,
42
My mercy dried their water-flowing tears.
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I have not been desirous of their wealth
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Nor much oppressed them with great subsidies,
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Nor forward of revenge, though they much erred.
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Then why should they love Edward more than me?
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No, Exeter, these graces challenge grace;
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And when the lion fawns upon the lamb,
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The lamb will never cease to follow him.
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Shout within “À
EXETER
Hark, hark, my lord, what shouts are these?
51
Enter
KING EDWARD
Seize on the shamefaced Henry, bear him hence,
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And once again proclaim us King of England.—
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You are the fount that makes small brooks to flow.
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Now stops thy spring; my sea shall suck them dry
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And swell so much the higher by their ebb.—
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Hence with him to the Tower. Let him not speak.
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And, lords, towards Coventry bend we our course,
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Where peremptory Warwick now remains.
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The sun shines hot, and if we use delay,
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Cold biting winter mars our hoped-for hay.
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RICHARD
Away betimes, before his forces join,
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And take the great-grown traitor unawares.
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Brave warriors, march amain towards Coventry.
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They exit.
HENRY VI
Part 3
* * *
ACT 5
* * *
Enter Warwick,
Coventry, two Messengers, and others, upon the walls.
WARWICK
Where is the post that came from valiant Oxford?—
1
How far hence is thy lord, mine honest fellow?
2
FIRST MESSENGER
By this at Dunsmore, marching hitherward.
3
WARWICK
How far off is our brother Montague?
4
Where is the post that came from Montague?
5
SECOND MESSENGER
By this at Daintry, with a puissant troop.
6
Enter,
WARWICK
Say, Somerville, what says my loving son?
7
And, by thy guess, how nigh is Clarence now?
8
SOMERVILLE
At Southam I did leave him with his forces
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And do expect him here some two hours hence.
10
WARWICK
Then Clarence is at hand; I hear his drum.
11
SOMERVILLE
It is not his, my lord; here Southam lies.
12
The drum your Honor hears marcheth from Warwick.
13
WARWICK
Who should that be? Belike unlooked-for friends.
14
SOMERVILLE
They are at hand, and you shall quickly know.
15
March. Flourish. Enter
Richard, and Soldiers,
all wearing the white rose.>
KING EDWARD
Go, Trumpet, to the walls, and sound a parle.
16
RICHARD
See how the surly Warwick mans the wall.
17
WARWICK
O unbid spite, is sportful Edward come?
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Where slept our scouts, or how are they seduced,
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That we could hear no news of his repair?
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KING EDWARD
Now, Warwick, wilt thou ope the city gates,
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Speak gentle words, and humbly bend thy knee?
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Call Edward king, and at his hands beg mercy,
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And he shall pardon thee these outrages.
24
WARWICK
Nay, rather wilt thou draw thy forces hence,
25
Confess who set thee up and plucked thee down,
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Call Warwick patron, and be penitent,
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And thou shalt still remain the Duke of York.
28
RICHARD
I thought at least he would have said “the King.”
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Or did he make the jest against his will?
30
WARWICK
Is not a dukedom, sir, a goodly gift?
31
RICHARD
Ay, by my faith, for a poor earl to give.
32
I’ll do thee service for so good a gift.
33
WARWICK
’Twas I that gave the kingdom to thy brother.
34
KING EDWARD
Why, then, ’tis mine, if but by Warwick’s gift.
35
WARWICK
Thou art no Atlas for so great a weight;
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And, weakling, Warwick takes his gift again,
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And Henry is my king, Warwick his subject.
38
KING EDWARD
But Warwick’s king is Edward’s prisoner.
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And, gallant Warwick, do but answer this:
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What is the body when the head is off?
41
RICHARD
Alas, that Warwick had no more forecast,
42
But whiles he thought to steal the single ten,
43
The King was slyly fingered from the deck.
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You left poor Henry at the Bishop’s palace,
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And ten to one you’ll meet him in the Tower.
46
KING EDWARD
’Tis even so; yet you are Warwick still.
47
RICHARD
Come, Warwick, take the time; kneel down, kneel
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down.
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Nay, when? Strike now, or else the iron cools.
50
WARWICK
I had rather chop this hand off at a blow
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And with the other fling it at thy face
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Than bear so low a sail to strike to thee.
53
KING EDWARD
Sail how thou canst, have wind and tide thy friend,
54
This hand, fast wound about thy coalblack hair,
55
Shall, whiles thy head is warm and new cut off,
56
Write in the dust this sentence with thy blood:
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“Wind-changing Warwick now can change no more.”
58
Enter Oxford,
with
