| ACT IV SCENE VIII | London. The palace. | |
| | Flourish. Enter KING HENRY VI, WARWICK, MONTAGUE,CLARENCE, EXETER, and OXFORD | |
| WARWICK | What counsel, lords? Edward from Belgia, | |
| | With hasty Germans and blunt Hollanders, | |
| | Hath pass'd in safety through the narrow seas, | |
| | And with his troops doth march amain to London; | 5 |
| | And many giddy people flock to him. | |
| KING HENRY VI | Let's levy men, and beat him back again. | |
| CLARENCE | A little fire is quickly trodden out; | |
| | Which, being suffer'd, rivers cannot quench. | |
| WARWICK | In Warwickshire I have true-hearted friends, | 10 |
| | Not mutinous in peace, yet bold in war; | |
| | Those will I muster up: and thou, son Clarence, | |
| | Shalt stir up in Suffolk, Norfolk, and in Kent, | |
| | The knights and gentlemen to come with thee: | |
| | Thou, brother Montague, in Buckingham, | 15 |
| | 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, | 20 |
| | 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. | 25 |
| KING HENRY VI | Farewell, my Hector, and my Troy's true hope. | |
| CLARENCE | In sign of truth, I kiss your highness' hand. | |
| KING HENRY VI | Well-minded Clarence, be thou fortunate! | |
| MONTAGUE | Comfort, my lord; and so I take my leave. | |
| OXFORD | And thus I seal my truth, and bid adieu. | 30 |
| KING HENRY VI | Sweet Oxford, and my loving Montague, | |
| | And all at once, once more a happy farewell. | |
| WARWICK | Farewell, sweet lords: let's meet at Coventry. | |
| | Exeunt all but KING HENRY VI and EXETER | |
| KING HENRY VI | Here at the palace I will rest awhile. | |
| | Cousin of Exeter, what thinks your lordship? | 35 |
| | 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 VI | That's not my fear; my meed hath got me fame: | |
| | I have not stopp'd mine ears to their demands, | 40 |
| | Nor posted off their suits with slow delays; | |
| | My pity hath been balm to heal their wounds, | |
| | My mildness hath allay'd their swelling griefs, | |
| | My mercy dried their water-flowing tears; | |
| | I have not been desirous of their wealth, | 45 |
| | Nor much oppress'd them with great subsidies. | |
| | 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, | 50 |
| | The lamb will never cease to follow him. | |
| | Shout within. 'A Lancaster! A Lancaster!' | |
| EXETER | Hark, hark, my lord! what shouts are these? | |
| | Enter KING EDWARD IV, GLOUCESTER, and soldiers | |
| KING EDWARD IV | 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: | 55 |
| | Now stops thy spring; my sea sha$l suck them dry, | |
| | And swell so much the higher by their ebb. | |
| | Hence with him to the Tower; let him not speak. | |
| | Exeunt some with KING HENRY VI | |
| | And, lords, towards Coventry bend we our course | |
| | Where peremptory Warwick now remains: | 60 |
| | The sun shines hot; and, if we use delay, | |
| | Cold biting winter mars our hoped-for hay. | |
| GLOUCESTER | Away betimes, before his forces join, | |
| | And take the great-grown traitor unawares: | |
| | Brave warriors, march amain towards Coventry. | 65 |
| | Exeunt | |
Sign up for the 
