Q. Eliz. Till then, fair hope must hinder life's decay.

* And I the rather wean me from despair,

* For love of Edward's offspring in my womb: * This is it that makes me bridle passion,

*And bear with mildness my misfortune's cross; Ay, ay, for this I draw in many a tear,

*

* And stop the rising of blood sucking sighs,

* Lest with my sighs or tears I blast or drown 'King Edward's fruit, true heir to the English crown. * Riv. But, madam, where is Warwick then be

come?

Q. Eliz. I am informed, that he comes towards
London,

*To set the crown once more on Henry's head:
*Guess thou the rest; King Edward's friends must
down.

But to prevent the tyrant's violence

(For trust not him that hath once broken faith),

I'll hence forthwith unto the sanctuary,

'To save at least the heir of Edward's right;

There shall I rest secure from force, and fraud.
Come therefore, let us fly, while we may fly;
If Warwick take us, we are sure to die. [Exeunt.

SCENE V.

A Park near Middleham Castle in Yorkshire1.

Enter GLOSTER, HASTINGS, SIR WILLIAM STANLEY, and Others.

'Glo. Now, my Lord Hastings, and Sir William Stanley,

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

Shakspeare follows Holinshed in the representation here. given of King Edward's capture and imprisonment. The whole, however, is untrue, Edward was never in the hands of Warwick.

< Thus stands the case: You know, our king, my

brother,

Is prisoner to the bishop here, at whose hands
He hath good usage and great liberty;
And often, but attended with weak guard,
Comes hunting this way to disport himself.
• I have advértis'd him by secret means,
That if, about this hour, he make his way,
Under the colour of his usual game,

• He shall here find his friends, with horse and men, To set him free from his captivity.

Enter KING EDWARD and a Huntsman.

'Hunt. This way, my lord; for this way lies the game.

'K. Edw. Nay, this way, man; see, where the huntsmen stand.

Now, brother of Gloster, Lord Hastings, and the

rest,

'Stand you thus close, to steal the bishop's deer? Glo. Brother, the time and case requireth haste; Your horse stands ready at the park corner. 6 K. Edw. But whither shall we then?

'Hast. To Lynn, my lord: and ship from thence to Flanders.

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

'K. Edw. Stanley, I will requite thy forwardness. * Glo. But wherefore stay we? 'tis no time to talk. 'K. Edw. Huntsman, what say'st thou? wilt thou go along?

'Hunt. Better do so, than tarry and be hang'd. * Glo. Come then, away; let's have no more ado. 'K. Edw. Bishop, farewell: shield thee from Warwick's frown;

And

pray that I

may repossess the crown. [Exe ̈

SCENE VI. A Room in the Tower.`

Enter KING HENRY, CLARENCE, WARWICK, SOMERSET, young RICHMOND, OXFORD, MONTAGUE, Lieutenant of the Tower, and Attendants. * K. Hen. 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?

* Lieu. Subjects may challenge nothing of their sovereigns;

* But, if an humble prayer may prevail,

* I then crave pardon of your majesty.

*K. Hen. For what, lieutenant? for well using me? *Nay, be thou sure, I'll well requite thy kindness, *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.* 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; * 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.

* War. Your grace hath still been fam'd for vir

tuous;

* And now may seem as wise as virtuous,

*By spying, and avoiding, fortune's malice,
* For few men rightly temper with the stars1:
* Yet in this one thing let me blame your grace,
*For choosing me, when Clarence is in place2.

*Clar. No, Warwick, thou art worthy of the sway, * To whom the heavens, in thy nativity,

*

Adjudg'd an olive branch, and laurel crown, * As likely to be blest in peace, and war;

* And therefore I yield thee my free consent.

* War. And I choose Clarence only for protector. *K. Hen. Warwick, and Clarence, give me both your hands;

* Now join your hands, and, with your hands, your hearts,

* That no dissension hinder government:

'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.

War. What answers Clarence to his sovereign's will?

*Clar. That he consents, if Warwick yield consent: *For on thy fortune I repose myself.

* War. 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: * 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 be confiscate.

Few men accommodate themselves to their destiny, or adapt themselves to circumstance.

2 See note 8, p. 348.

VOL. VI.

I I

Clar. What else? and that succession be de

termin'd.

*War. Ay, therein Clarence shall not want his part. * K. Hen. 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, *Be sent for, to return from France with speed: For, till I see them here, by doubtful fear

*

* My joy of liberty is half eclips'd.

Clar. It shall be done, my sovereign, with all speed. 'K. Hen. My lord of Somerset, what youth is that, Of whom you seem to have so tender care?

Som. My liege, it is young Henry, earl of Richmond.

'K. Hen. Come hither, England's hope: If secret [Lays his Hand on his Head. Suggest but truth to my divining thoughts,

powers

This pretty lad3 will prove our country's bliss.
His looks are full of peaceful majesty ;

His head by nature fram'd to wear a crown,

'His hand to wield a sceptre; and himself

Likely, in time, to bless a regal throne.

3 This was adopted from Hall by the author of the old play; Holinshed also copies Hall almost verbatim:- Whom when the king had a good while beheld, he said to such princes as were with him, Lo, surelie this is he, to whom both we and our adversaries, leaving the possession of all things, shall hereafter give roome and place.' P. 678. Henry earl of Richmond was the son of Edmond earl of Richmond and Margaret, daughter to John the first duke of Somerset. Edmond was half brother to King Henry VI. being the son of that king's mother, Queen Catherine, by her second husband, Owen Tudor. Henry the Seventh, to show his gratitude to Henry VI. for this early presage in his favour, solicited Pope Julius to canonize him a saint; but either would not pay the price, or, as Bacon supposes, the pope refused lest as Henry was reputed in the world abroad but for a simple man, the estimation of that kind of honour might be diminished if there were not a distance kept between innocents and saints.'