RICHARD OF GLOUCESTER (to King Edward)

Why, brother, wherefore stand you on nice points?

KING EDWARD

When we grow stronger, then we’ll make our claim.

Till then ’tis wisdom to conceal our meaning.

HASTINGS

Away with scrupulous wit! Now arms must rule.

RICHARD OF GLOUCESTER

And fearless minds climb soonest unto crowns.

Brother, we will proclaim you out of hand,

The bruit thereof will bring you many friends.

KING EDWARD

Then be it as you will, for ’tis my right,

And Henry but usurps the diadem.

MONTGOMERY

Ay, now my sovereign speaketh like himself,

And now will I be Edward’s champion.

HASTINGS

Sound trumpet, Edward shall be here proclaimed.

⌈To Montgomery⌉

Come, fellow soldier, make thou proclamation.

Flourish

⌈MONTGOMERY⌉ Edward the Fourth, by the grace of God

King of England and France, and Lord of Ireland—

And whosoe’er gainsays King Edward’s right,

By this I challenge him to single fight.

He throws down his gauntlet

ALL Long live Edward the Fourth!

KING EDWARD

Thanks, brave Montgomery, and thanks unto you all.

If fortune serve me I’ll requite this kindness.

Now, for this night, let’s harbour here in York;

And when the morning sun shall raise his car

Above the border of this horizon,

We’ll forward towards Warwick and his mates.

For well I wot that Henry is no soldier.

Ah, froward Clarence, how evil it beseems thee

To flatter Henry and forsake thy brother!

Yet, as we may, we’ll meet both thee and Warwick.

Come on, brave soldiers—doubt not of the day

And, that once gotten, doubt not of large pay.

Exeunt

4.9 Flourish. Enter King Henry, the Earl of Warwick, the Marquis of Montague, George Duke of Clarence, and the Earl of Oxford

WARWICK

What counsel, lords? Edward from Belgia,

With hasty Germans and blunt Hollanders,

Hath passed in safety through the narrow seas,

And with his troops doth march amain to London,

And many giddy people flock to him.

KING HENRY

Let’s levy men and beat him back again.

GEORGE OF CLARENCE

A little fire is quickly trodden out,

Which, being suffered, rivers cannot quench.

WARWICK

In Warwickshire I have true-hearted friends,

Not mutinous in peace, yet bold in war.

Those will I muster up. And thou, son Clarence,

Shalt stir 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

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,

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

Farewell, my Hector, and my Troy’s true hope.

GEORGE OF CLARENCE

In sign of truth, I kiss your highness’ hand.

He kisses King Henry’s hand

KING HENRY

Well-minded Clarence, be thou fortunate.

MONTAGUE

Comfort, my lord, and so I take my leave.

⌈He kisses King Henry’s hand⌉

OXFORD

And thus I seal my truth and bid adieu.

⌈He kisses King Henry’s hand⌉

KING HENRY

Sweet Oxford, and my loving Montague,

And all at once, once more a happy farewell.

⌈Exit⌉

WARWICK

Farewell, sweet lords—let’s meet at Coventry.

Exeunt ⌈severally!⌉

4.10 ⌈Erenter King Henry and the Duke of Exeter⌉

KING HENRY

Here at the palace will I rest a while.

Cousin of Exeter, what thinks your lordship?

Methinks the power that Edward hath in field

Should not be able to encounter mine.

EXETER

The doubt is that he will seduce the rest.

KING HENRY

That’s not my fear. My meed hath got me fame.

I have not stopped mine ears to their demands,

Nor posted off their suits with slow delays.

My pity hath been balm to heal their wounds,

My mildness hath allayed their swelling griefs,

My mercy dried their water-flowing tears.

I have not been desirous of their wealth,

Nor much oppressed them with great subsidies,

Nor forward of revenge, though they much erred.

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.

Shout within ‘A Lancaster’, ⌈‘A York’⌉

EXETER

Hark, hark, my ford—what shouts are these?

Enter King Edward and Richard Duke of Gloucester, with soldiers

KING EDWARD

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 shall suck them dry,

And swell so much the higher by their ebb.

Hence with him to the Tower—tet him not speak.

Exeunt some with King Henry and Exeter

And lords, towards Coventry bend we our course,

Where peremptory Warwick now remains.

The sun shines hot, and, if we use delay,

Cold biting winter mars our hoped-for hay.