Come, fellow-foldier, make thou proclamation.

[Flourish. Sold. Edward the Fourth, by the grace of God, King of England and France, and Lord of Ireland, &c.

Montg. And whofoe'er gainfays King Edward's right,

By this I challenge him to single fight.

[Throws down his gauntlet. All. Long live Edward the Fourth!

K. Edw. Thanks, brave Montgomery; and thanks to all.

If fortune ferve me, I'll requite this kindness.
Now for this night let's harbour here in York;
And when the morning fun fhall 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 foldier.
Ah, froward Clarence, evil it befeems thee
To flatter Henry, and forfake thy brother!
Yet as we may we'll meet both thee and Warwick.
Come on, brave foldiers, doubt not of the day;
And that once gotten, doubt not of large-pay.
[Exeunt

S CE. NE IXA

Changes again to London.

Enter King Henry, Warwick, Montague, Clarence, Oxford, and Somerfet.

War. What counfel, Lords? Edward from Belgia, With hafty Germans, and blunt Hollanders, Hath pafs'd in fafety through the narrow feas; And with his troops doth march amain to London, And many giddy people flock to him.

K. Hen. Let's levy men, and beat him back again. Clar. A little fire is quickly trodden out, Which, being fuffer'd, rivers cannot quench. War. In Warwickshire I have true-hearted friends, Not mutinous in peace, yet bold in war;

Thofe will I muffer up; and thou, fon Clarence,

Shalt ftir, in Suffolk, Norfolk, and in Kent,
The knights and gentlemen to come with thee.
Thou, brother Montague, in Buckingham,
Northampton, and in Liecefterfhire fhalt find
Men well inclin'd to hear what thou command'st.
And thou, brave Oxford, wondrous well belov'd,
In Oxfordshire fhall mufter up thy friends.
My Sovereign, with the loving citizens,
Like to his ifland girt with th' ocean,
Or modeft Dian circled with her nymphs,
Shall reft in London 'till we come to him.
-Fair Lords, take leave, and stand not to reply.
-Farewell, my Sovereign.

K. Henry. Farewell, my Hector, and my Troy's true hope.

Clar. In fign of truth I kifs your Highness' hand. K. Henry. Well-minded Clarence, be thou fortu→ nate!

Mont. Comfort, my Lord: and fo I take my leave. Oxf. kiffing Henry's hand.] And thus I feal my truth, and bid adieu..

ventry.

K. Henry. Sweet Oxford, and my loving Montague, And all at once, once more a happy farewell. War. Farewell, fweet Lords; let's meet at Co[Exeunt. K. Henry Here at the palace will I reft a while. Cousin of Exeter, what thinks your Lordfhip? Methinks the pow'r that Edward hath in field Should not be able to encounter mine.

Exet. The doubt is, that he will feduce the rest. K. Henry. That's not my fear, my meed hath got me fame;

I have not stop'd mine ears to their demands,
Nor posted off their suits with flow delays;
My pity hath been balm to heal their wounds,
My mildnefs hath allay'd their fwelling griefs,
My mercy dry'd their water-flowing tears.
I have not been defirous of their wealth,
Nor much opprefs'd them with great fubfidies,
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.

[Shout within. A Lancaster! a Lancaster*! Exet. Hark, hark, my Lord, what shouts are these?

Enter King Edward, and his Soldiers.

K. Edw. Seize on the fhame-fac'd Henry, bear him hence,

And once again proclaim us King of England.
-You are the fount that make fmall brooks to flow:
Now ftops thy fpring; my fea fhall fuck them dry,
And fwell fo much the higher by their ebb.
-Hence with him to the Tower, let him not speak.
[Exit with King Henry.
And, Lords, to Coventry bend we our course,
Where peremptory Warwick now remains.
The fun fhines hot; and if we use delay,
Cold biting winter mars our hop'd-for hay.
Glou.. Away betimes, before his forces join,
And take the great-grown traitor unawares :
Brave warriors, march amain tow'rds Coventry.
[Exeunt.

ACT V.

SCENE I.

Before the Town of Coventry.

Enter Warwick, the Mayor of Coventry, two Meffengers and others, upon the walls.

WH

Warwick.

Here is the poft that came from valiant Oxford? How far hence is thy Lord, mine honeft fellow? 1 Meff. By this at Dunmore, marching hitherward.

War. How far off is our brother Montague? -Where is the poft that came from Montague? 2 Meff. By this at Daintry with a puiflant troop.

Surely the fhouts that ufhered King Edward should be a York, a York. I fuppofe the author did not write the marginal directions, and the players confounded the characters. Johnson.

Enter Somerville.

War. Say, Somerville, what fays my loving fon? And by thy guess how nigh is Clarence now?

Som. At Southam I did leave him with his forces, And do expect him here fome two hours hence. War. Then Clarence is at hand, I hear his drum. Som. It is not his, my Lord; here Southam lyes. The drum your Honour hears marcheth from Warwick.

War. Who fhould that be? belike, unlook'd for friends.

Som. They are at hand, and you fhall quickly know.

March. Flouris. Enter King Edward, Gloucester, and Soldiers.

K. Edw. Go, trumpet, to the walls, and found a parle.

Glou. See how the furly Warwick mans the walk War. Oh, unbid fpight! is (portful Edward come? Where flept our fcouts, or how-are they feduc'd, That we could hear no news of his repair?

K. Edw. Now, Warwick, wilt thou ope the city-
gates,

Speak gentle words, and humbly bend thy knee?
Call Edward King, and at his hands beg mercy,
And he fhall pardon thee thefe outrages.

War. Nay, rather, wilt thou draw thy forces hence,
Confefs who fet thee up and pluck'd thee down?
Call Warwick patron, and be penitent,
And thou fhalt ftill remain the Duke of York.

Glou: I thought at leaft he would have faid the Or did he make the jeft against his will? [King: War. Is not a dukedom, Sir, a goodly gift? Glou. Ay, by my faith, for a poor Earl to give: I'll do thee fervice for fo good a gift.

War. 'Twas I that gave the kingdom to thy bro

ther.

K. Edw. Why, then 'tis mine, if but by Warwick's

gift.

War. Thou art no Atlas for fo great a weight
VOL. VI.

Y

And, weakling, Warwick takes his gift again;
And Henry is my King, Warwick his fubject.
K. Edw. But Warwick's King is Edward's prifoner;
And, gallant Warwick, do but anfwer this,
What is the body when the head is off?

Glou. Alas! that Warwick had no more fore-cast,
But while he thought to fteal the fingle ten,
The King was flyly finger'd from the deck;
You left poor Henry at the bishop's palace,
And, ten to one, you'll meet him in the Tower.
K. Edw. 'Tis even fo; yet you are Warwick still.
Glou. Come, Warwick, take the time, kneel down,
kneel down.

Nay, when? Strike now, or else the iron cools.
War. I'd rather chop this hand off at a blow,
And with the other fling it at thy face,

Than bear fo low a fail to ftrike to thee.

K. Edw. Sail how thou canst; have wind and tide thy friend;

This hand fast wound about thy coal-black hair Shall, while thy head is warm and new cut off, Write in the duft this fenténce with thy blood; Wind-changing Warwick now can change no more.

Enter Oxford, with drum and colours!

War. O chearful colours! fee, where Oxford comes !

Oxf. Oxford! Oxford! for Lancaster!

Glou. The gates are open, let us enter too. K. Edw. So other foes may fet upon our back. Stand we in good array; for they, no doubt, Will iffue out again and bid us battle; If not, the city being of small defence, We'll quickly rouze the traitors in the fame. War. O, welcome, Oxford! for we want thy help. Enter Montague, with drum and colours.

Mont. Montague! Montague! for Lancafter! Glou. Thou, and thy brother both, fhall buy this

treafon