For truft not him that once hath broken faith,
I'll hence forthwith unto the fanctuary,
To fave at least the heir of Edward's right.
There fhall I reft fecure from force and fraud.
Come therefore, let us fly, while we may fly;
If Warwick take us, we are fure to die.

[Exeunt.

A Park near Middleham-Castle in Yorkshire.

Enter Gloucefter, Lord Haftings, and Sir William

Glo.

Stanley.

OW, my Lord Haftings, and Sir William
Stanley,

Now,

Leave off to wonder why I drew you hither,
Into the chiefeft thicket of the park.

Thus ftands the cafe. You know, our King, my brother,
Is pris'ner to the bifhop, at whofe hands,
He hath good ufage and great liberty;
And often but attended with weak guard
Comes hunting this way to difport himself.
I have advertis'd him by fecret means,
That if about this hour he make his way,
Under the colour of his ufual game;

He fhall here find his friends with horfe and men,
To fet him free from his captivity.

Enter King Edward and a Huntfman with him.

Hunt. This way, my Lord, for this way lies the game.
K. Edw. Nay, this way, man; fee where the huntf-
men stand.

Now, brother Glo'fter, Haflings, and the reft,
Stand you thus close to steal the bishop's deer?
Glo. Brother, the time and cafe requireth hafte,
Your horfe ftands ready by at the park-corner.
O 2

K. Edw

K. Edw. But whither fhall we then?
Haft. To Lyn, my Lord,

And fhip from thence to Flanders.

Glo. Well guefs'd, believe me, for that was my
meaning.

K. Edw. Stanley, I will requite thy forwardness.
Glo. But wherefore ftay we ? 'tis no time to talk.
K. Edw. Huntsman, what fay'ft thou? wilt thou
go along?

Hunt. Better do fo, than tarry and be hang'd,
Glo. Come then away, let's ha' no more ado.
K. Edw. Bishop, farewel; fhield thee from War-
wick's frown;

And pray that I may repoffefs the crown.

[Exeunt.

Enter King Henry, Clarence, Warwick, Somerset, young Richmond, Oxford, Montague, and Lieutenant of the Tower.

K. Henry.

R. Lieutenant, now that God and friends

MR.

Have fhaken Edward from the regal seat,
And turn'd my captive ftate to liberty,
My fear to hope, my forrows unto joys,
At our enlargement what are thy due fees?

Lieu. Subjects may challenge nothing of their fovereigns,

But if an humble prayer may prevail,

I then crave pardon of your Majefty.

K. Henry. For what, lieutenant? for well using me? Nay, be thou fure, I'll well requite thy kindness, For that it made my imprisonment a pleasure,

Ay, fuch a pleasure as incaged birds

Conceive, when after many moody thoughts,
At last, by notes of houfhold harmony,
They quite forget their lofs of liberty.

-But

-But Warwick, after God, thou fett'ft me free,
And chiefly therefore I thank God and thee,
He was the author, thou the inftrument.
Therefore that I may conquer fortune's fpight,
By living low, where fortune cannot hurt me;
And that the people of this bleffed land
May not be punish'd with my thwarting stars;
Warwick, although my head ftill wear the crown,
I here refign my government to thee,
For thou art fortunate in all thy deeds.

War. Your grace has ftill been fam'd for virtuous,
And now may feem as wife as virtuous,
By fpying and avoiding fortune's malice;
For few men rightly temper with the ftars;
Yet in this one thing let me blame your Grace,
For chufing me, when Clarence is in place.

Clar. No, Warwick, thou art worthy of the fway, To whom the heav'ns in thy nativity

Adjudg'd an olive branch and lawrel crown,
As likely to be bleft in peace and war;

And therefore I yield thee my free confent.

War. And I chufe Clarence only for protector.

K. Henry. Warwick and Clarence, give me both your hands;

Now join your hands and with your hands, your hearts;
That no diffention hinder government

I make you both protectors of this land,
While I myself will lead a private life,
And in devotion fpend my latter days
To fin's rebuke and my Creator's praife.

War. What anfwers Clarence to his fov'reign's will? Clar. That he confents, if Warwick yield confent; For on thy fortune I repofe myself.

War. Why then, though loth, yet muft I be content:

7 few men rightly temper with the fars;] I fuppofe the meaning is, that few men conform their temper to their detiny, which King Henry did,

when finding himfelf unfortu nate he gave the management of publick affairs to more profperous hands.

03

We'll

We'll yoke together, like a double fhadow
To Henry's body, and fupply his place;
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 pronounc'd a traitor;
And all his lands and goods confifcated.

Clar. What elfe? and that fucceffion be determin'd,
War. Ay, therein Clarence fhall not want his part.
K. Henry. But with the first of all our chief affairs,
Let me intreat, for I command no more,
That Margaret your Queen and my fon Edward
Be fent for, to return from France with speed.
For till I fee them here, by doubtful fear
My joy of liberty is half eclips'd.

Clar. It fhall be done, my fov'reign, with all speed. K. Henry. My Lord of Somerfet, what youth is that, Of whom you seem to have fo tender care?

Som. My Liege, it is young Henry, Earl of Richmond. K. Henry. Come hither, England's hope: if fecret powers [Lays his hand on his head. Suggeft but truth to my divining thoughts, * This pretty lad will prove our country's blifs, His looks are full of peaceful majesty, His head by nature fram'd to wear a crown, His hand to wield a fcepter, and himself Likely in time to blefs a regal throne.

Make much of him, my Lords; for this is he
Muft help you more, than you are hurt by me,

Enter a Poft.

War. What news, my friend?

Post. That Edward is escaped from your brother, And fled, as he hears fince, to Burgundy.

This pretty lad.] He was afterwards Henry VII. A man who put an end to the civil war of the two houfes, but not otherwife remarkable for virtue.

Shakespeare knew his trade. Henry VII. was Grandfather to Queen Elizabeth, and the King from whom James inherited.

War. Unfavory news; but how made he escape? Poft. He was convey'd by Richard Duke of Glofter, And the Lord Haftings, who attended him

In fecret ambush on the foreft-fide,

And from the bishops huntsmen refcu'd him
For hunting was his daily exercise.

War. My brother was too careless of his charge.
But let us hence, my fovereign, to provide
A falve for any fore that may betide.

[Exeunt.

Manet Somerset, Richmond, and Oxford.

Som. My Lord, I like not of this flight of Edward's: For, doubtlefs, Burgundy will yield him help,

And we shall have more wars befor't be long.

As Henry's late prefaging prophefy

young

Did glad my heart, with hope of this Richmond;
So doth my heart mifgive me, in these conflicts-
What may befall him, to his harm and ours.
Therefore, Lord Oxford, to prevent the worst,
Forthwith we'll fend him hence to Britany,
Till storms be past of civil enmity.

Oxf. Ay, for if Edward re-poffefs the crown:
'Tis like that Richmond with the reft fhall down.
Som. It fhall be fo; he fhall to Britany.
Come therefore let's about it fpeedily.

SCENE

Changes to York.

[Exeunt.

VIII.

Enter King Edward, Glocefter, Haftings, and foldiers.

K. Edw.

OW, brother Richard, Haftings, and the

•Now, breft,

Yet thus far fortune maketh us amends,

And fays, that once more I fhall interchange
My wained ftate for Henry's regal crown.
Well have we pafs'd, and now repafs'd the feas,

O 4

And