| ACT IV SCENE VI | London. The Tower. | |
| [
Flourish. Enter KING HENRY VI, CLARENCE, WARWICK,
SOMERSET, HENRY OF RICHMOND, OXFORD, MONTAGUE, and
Lieutenant of the Tower
] |
| KING HENRY VI | 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? | 5 |
| Lieutenant | Subjects may challenge nothing of their sovereigns; |
| But if an humble prayer may prevail, |
| I then crave pardon of your majesty. |
| KING HENRY VI | For what, lieutenant? for well using me? |
| Nay, be thou sure I'll well requite thy kindness, | 10 |
| 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. | 15 |
| 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, | 20 |
| 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. | 25 |
| WARWICK | 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, | 30 |
| For choosing me when Clarence is in place. |
| CLARENCE | 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 blest in peace and war; | 35 |
| And therefore I yield thee my free consent. |
| WARWICK | And I choose Clarence only for protector. |
| KING HENRY VI | Warwick and Clarence give me both your hands: |
| Now join your hands, and with your hands your hearts, |
| That no dissension hinder government: | 40 |
| 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. |
| WARWICK | What answers Clarence to his sovereign's will? | 45 |
| CLARENCE | That he consents, if Warwick yield consent; |
| For on thy fortune I repose myself. |
| WARWICK | 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; | 50 |
| 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. | 55 |
| CLARENCE | What else? and that succession be determined. |
| WARWICK | Ay, therein Clarence shall not want his part. |
| KING HENRY VI | 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 | 60 |
| 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. |
| CLARENCE | It shall be done, my sovereign, with all speed. |
| KING HENRY VI | My Lord of Somerset, what youth is that, | 65 |
| Of whom you seem to have so tender care? |
| SOMERSET | My liege, it is young Henry, earl of Richmond.
|
| KING HENRY VI | Come hither, England's hope. |
[Lays his hand on his head] |
| If secret powers |
| Suggest but truth to my divining thoughts, | 70 |
| 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, |
| His hand to wield a sceptre, and himself |
| Likely in time to bless a regal throne. | 75 |
| Make much of him, my lords, for this is he |
| Must help you more than you are hurt by me. |
| [Enter a Post] |
| WARWICK | What news, my friend? |
| Post | That Edward is escaped from your brother, |
| And fled, as he hears since, to Burgundy. | 80 |
| WARWICK | Unsavoury news! but how made he escape? |
| Post | 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 rescued him; | 85 |
| For hunting was his daily exercise. |
| WARWICK | 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 all but SOMERSET, HENRY OF RICHMOND, and OXFORD] |
| SOMERSET | My lord, I like not of this flight of Edward's; | 90 |
| 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 | 95 |
| 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. |
| OXFORD | Ay, for if Edward repossess the crown, | 100 |
| 'Tis like that Richmond with the rest shall down. |
| SOMERSET | It shall be so; he shall to Brittany. |
| Come, therefore, let's about it speedily. |
[Exeunt] |
The Essential Student History Quiz (with answers and illustrations)