The Works of William Shakespeare [Cambridge Edition] [Vol. 5 of 9] · William Shakespeare
SCENE III. _Edward’s camp, near Warwick_.
_Enter three_ Watchmen, _to guard the_ KING’S _tent_. _First Watch._ Come on, my masters, each man take his stand: [cdc001] The king by this is set him down to sleep. [cdc002] _Second Watch._ What, will he not to bed? _First Watch._ Why, no; for he hath made a solemn vow Never to lie and take his natural rest ·cdc005· Till Warwick or himself be quite suppress’d. _Second Watch._ To-morrow then belike shall be the day, If Warwick be so near as men report. _Third Watch._ But say, I pray, what nobleman is that That with the king here resteth in his tent? ·cdc010· _First Watch._ ’Tis the Lord Hastings, the king’s chiefest friend. _Third Watch._ O, is it so? But why commands the king That his chief followers lodge in towns about him, While he himself keeps in the cold field? [cdc014] _Second Watch._ ’Tis the more honour, because more dangerous. [cdc015] _Third Watch._ Ay, but give me worship and quietness; I like it better than a dangerous honour. If Warwick knew in what estate he stands, ’Tis to be doubted he would waken him. _First Watch._ Unless our halberds did shut up his passage. ·cdc020· _Second Watch._ Ay, wherefore else guard we his royal tent, [cdc021] But to defend his person from night-foes? [cdc022] _Enter_ WARWICK, CLARENCE, OXFORD, SOMERSET, _and French soldiers, silent all_.
_War._ This is his tent; and see where stand his guard. [cdc023] Courage, my masters! honour now or never! But follow me, and Edward shall be ours. ·cdc025· _First Watch._ Who goes there? _Second Watch._ Stay, or thou diest! [cdc027] [_Warwick and the rest cry all_, ‘Warwick! Warwick!’ _and set upon the Guard, who fly, crying_, ‘Arm! arm!’ _Warwick and the rest following them._ _The drum playing and trumpet sounding, re-enter_ WARWICK, SOMERSET, _and the rest, bringing the_ KING _out in his gown, sitting in a chair._ RICHARD _and_ HASTINGS _fly over the stage_. _Som._ What are they that fly there? _War._ Richard and Hastings: let them go; here is [cdc029] The duke. _K. Edw._ The duke! Why, Warwick, when we parted, [cdc030] Thou call’dst me king. _War._ Ay, but the case is alter’d: [cdc031] When you disgraced me in my embassade, [cdc032] Then I degraded you from being king, And come now to create you Duke of York. [cdc034] Alas! how should you govern any kingdom, ·cdc035· That know not how to use ambassadors, Nor how to be contented with one wife, Nor how to use your brothers brotherly, Nor how to study for the people’s welfare, Nor how to shroud yourself from enemies? ·cdc040· _K. Edw._ Yea, brother of Clarence, art thou here too? [cdc041] Nay, then I see that Edward needs must down. [cdc042] Yet, Warwick, in despite of all mischance, Of thee thyself and all thy complices, Edward will always bear himself as king: ·cdc045· Though fortune’s malice overthrow my state, My mind exceeds the compass of her wheel.
Text from Project Gutenberg, public domain in the United States.