SCENE VI. London. The Tower

Flourish. Enter KING HENRY, CLARENCE, WARWICK, SOMERSET, young HENRY,
EARL OF RICHMOND, OXFORD, MONTAGUE, LIEUTENANT OF THE TOWER, and attendants

  KING HENRY. 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?
  LIEUTENANT. Subjects may challenge nothing of their sov'reigns;
    But if an humble prayer may prevail,
    I then crave pardon of your Majesty.
  KING HENRY. 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.
  WARWICK. Your Grace hath still been fam'd for virtuous,
    And now may seem as wise as virtuous
    By spying and avoiding fortune's malice,
    For few men rightly temper with the stars;
    Yet in this one thing let me blame your Grace,
    For choosing me when Clarence is in place.
  CLARENCE. No, Warwick, thou art worthy of the sway,
    To whom the heav'ns 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.
  WARWICK. And I choose Clarence only for Protector.
  KING HENRY. 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.
  WARWICK. What answers Clarence to his sovereign's will?
  CLARENCE. That he consents, if Warwick yield consent,
    For on thy fortune I repose myself.
  WARWICK. 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 confiscated.
  CLARENCE. What else? And that succession be determin'd.
  WARWICK. Ay, therein Clarence shall not want his part.
  KING HENRY. 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.
  CLARENCE. It shall be done, my sovereign, with all speed.
  KING HENRY. My Lord of Somerset, what youth is that,
    Of whom you seem to have so tender care?
  SOMERSET. My liege, it is young Henry, Earl of Richmond.
  KING HENRY. Come hither, England's hope.
                                     [Lays his hand on his head]
    If secret powers
    Suggest but truth to my divining thoughts,
    This pretty lad 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.
    Make much of him, my lords; for this is he
    Must help you more than you are hurt by me.

Enter a POST

  WARWICK. What news, my friend?
  POST. That Edward is escaped from your brother
    And fled, as he hears since, to Burgundy.
  WARWICK. Unsavoury news! But how made he escape?
  POST. He was convey'd by Richard Duke of Gloucester
    And the Lord Hastings, who attended him
    In secret ambush on the forest side
    And from the Bishop's huntsmen rescu'd him;
    For hunting was his daily exercise.
  WARWICK. My brother was too careless of his charge.
    But let us hence, my sovereign, to provide
    A salve for any sore that may betide.
                   Exeunt all but SOMERSET, RICHMOND, and OXFORD
  SOMERSET. My lord, I like not of this flight of Edward's;
    For doubtless Burgundy will yield him help,
    And we shall have more wars befor't be long.
    As Henry's late presaging prophecy
    Did glad my heart with hope of this young Richmond,
    So doth my heart misgive me, in these conflicts,
    What may befall him to his harm and ours.
    Therefore, Lord Oxford, to prevent the worst,
    Forthwith we'll send him hence to Brittany,
    Till storms be past of civil enmity.
  OXFORD. Ay, for if Edward repossess the crown,
    'Tis like that Richmond with the rest shall down.
  SOMERSET. It shall be so; he shall to Brittany.
    Come therefore, let's about it speedily. Exeunt