London. A Room in the Tower.
 Flourish.
 Enter KING HENRY the Sixth, GEORGE, WARWICK, SOMERSET,
 young HENRY Earl of Richmond, OXFORD, MONTAGUE,
 and LIEUTENANT of the Tower.

King Henry	Master lieutenant, now that God and friends
	Have shaken Edward from the regal seat
	And turned 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 sovereigns;
	But, if a 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 incagd 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 sett'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 blessd land
	May not be punished with my thwarting stars,
	Warwick, although my head still wear the crown,
	I here resign my government to thee,
	For thou are fortunate in all thy deeds.

Warwick	Your grace hath still been famed 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.

George	No, Warwick, thou art worthy of the sway,
	To whom the heavens, in thy nativity,
	Adjudged 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?

George	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 pronounced a traitor,
	And all his lands and goods be confiscate.

George	What else? And that succession be determined.

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 eclipsed.

George	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 framed 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 escapd from your brother
	And fled, as he hears since, to Burgundy.

Warwick	Unsavoury news! But how made he escape?

Post	He was conveyed 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 rescued 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.
                  Manet 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 before'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.
