| ACT IV SCENE VIII | London. The palace. | |
| [
Flourish. Enter KING HENRY VI, WARWICK, MONTAGUE,
CLARENCE, EXETER, and OXFORD
] |
| WARWICK | What counsel, lords? Edward from Belgia, |
| With hasty Germans and blunt Hollanders, |
| Hath pass'd in safety through the narrow seas, |
| And with his troops doth march amain to London; |
| And many giddy people flock to him. | 5 |
| KING HENRY VI | Let's levy men, and beat him back again. |
| CLARENCE | A little fire is quickly trodden out; |
| Which, being suffer'd, rivers cannot quench. |
| WARWICK | In Warwickshire I have true-hearted friends, |
| Not mutinous in peace, yet bold in war; | 10 |
| Those will I muster up: and thou, son Clarence, |
| Shalt stir up in Suffolk, Norfolk, and in Kent, |
| The knights and gentlemen to come with thee: |
| Thou, brother Montague, in Buckingham, |
| Northampton and in Leicestershire, shalt find | 15 |
| Men well inclined to hear what thou command'st: |
| And thou, brave Oxford, wondrous well beloved, |
| In Oxfordshire shalt muster up thy friends. |
| My sovereign, with the loving citizens, |
| Like to his island girt in with the ocean, | 20 |
| Or modest Dian circled with her nymphs, |
| Shall rest in London till we come to him. |
| Fair lords, take leave and stand not to reply. |
| Farewell, my sovereign. |
| KING HENRY VI | Farewell, my Hector, and my Troy's true hope. | 25 |
| CLARENCE | In sign of truth, I kiss your highness' hand. |
| KING HENRY VI | Well-minded Clarence, be thou fortunate! |
| MONTAGUE | Comfort, my lord; and so I take my leave. |
| OXFORD | And thus I seal my truth, and bid adieu. |
| KING HENRY VI | Sweet Oxford, and my loving Montague, | 30 |
| And all at once, once more a happy farewell. |
| WARWICK | Farewell, sweet lords: let's meet at Coventry. |
| [Exeunt all but KING HENRY VI and EXETER] |
| KING HENRY VI | Here at the palace I will rest awhile. |
| Cousin of Exeter, what thinks your lordship? |
| Methinks the power that Edward hath in field | 35 |
| Should not be able to encounter mine. |
| EXETER | The doubt is that he will seduce the rest. |
| KING HENRY VI | That's not my fear; my meed hath got me fame: |
| I have not stopp'd mine ears to their demands, |
| Nor posted off their suits with slow delays; | 40 |
| My pity hath been balm to heal their wounds, |
| My mildness hath allay'd their swelling griefs, |
| My mercy dried their water-flowing tears; |
| I have not been desirous of their wealth, |
| Nor much oppress'd them with great subsidies. | 45 |
| Nor forward of revenge, though they much err'd: |
| Then why should they love Edward more than me?
|
| No, Exeter, these graces challenge grace: |
| And when the lion fawns upon the lamb, |
| The lamb will never cease to follow him. | 50 |
| [Shout within. 'A Lancaster! A Lancaster!'] |
| EXETER | Hark, hark, my lord! what shouts are these? |
| [Enter KING EDWARD IV, GLOUCESTER, and soldiers] |
| KING EDWARD IV | Seize on the shame-faced Henry, bear him hence; |
| And once again proclaim us King of England. |
| You are the fount that makes small brooks to flow: |
| Now stops thy spring; my sea sha$l suck them dry, | 55 |
| And swell so much the higher by their ebb. |
| Hence with him to the Tower; let him not speak. |
[Exeunt some with KING HENRY VI] |
| And, lords, towards Coventry bend we our course |
| Where peremptory Warwick now remains: |
| The sun shines hot; and, if we use delay, | 60 |
| Cold biting winter mars our hoped-for hay. |
| GLOUCESTER | Away betimes, before his forces join, |
| And take the great-grown traitor unawares: |
| Brave warriors, march amain towards Coventry. |
[Exeunt] |
The Essential Student History Quiz (with answers and illustrations)