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Brother, this is Sir John Montgomery,
Our trusty friend, unless I be deceived.
KING EDWARD IV:
Welcome, Sir John! But why come you in arms?
MONTAGUE:
To help King Edward in his time of storm,
As every loyal subject ought to do.
KING EDWARD IV:
Thanks, good Montgomery; but we now forget
Our title to the crown and only claim
Our dukedom till God please to send the rest.
MONTAGUE:
Then fare you well, for I will hence again:
I came to serve a king and not a duke.
Drummer, strike up, and let us march away.
KING EDWARD IV:
Nay, stay, Sir John, awhile, and we'll debate
By what safe means the crown may be recover'd.
MONTAGUE:
What talk you of debating? in few words,
If you'll not here proclaim yourself our king,
I'll leave you to your fortune and be gone
To keep them back that come to succor you:
Why shall we fight, if you pretend no title?
GLOUCESTER:
Why, brother, wherefore stand you on nice points?
KING EDWARD IV:
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.
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 IV:
Then be it as you will; for 'tis my right,
And Henry but usurps the diadem.
MONTAGUE:
Ay, now my sovereign speaketh like himself;
And now will I be Edward's champion.
HASTINGS:
Sound trumpet; Edward shall be here proclaim'd:
Come, fellow-soldier, make thou proclamation.
Soldier:
Edward the Fourth, by the grace of God, king of
England and France, and lord of Ireland, &c.
MONTAGUE:
And whosoe'er gainsays King Edward's right,
By this I challenge him to single fight.
All:
Long live Edward the Fourth!
KING EDWARD IV:
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.
3 KING HENRY VI
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;
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,