Internet Shakespeare Editions

Author: William Shakespeare
Not Peer Reviewed

Henry VI, Part 3 (Octavo 1, 1595)

Enter two keepers with bow and arrowes.
Keeper. Come, lets take our stands vpon this hill,
And by and by the deere will come this waie.
1400But staie, heere comes a man, lets listen him a while.
1410Enter king Henrie disguisde.
Hen. From Scotland am I stolne euen of pure loue,
And thus disguisde to greet my natiue land.
No, Henrie no. It is no land of thine,
No bending knee will call thee Caesar now,
No humble suters sues to thee for right,
For how canst thou helpe them and not thy selfe?
1420Keeper. I marrie sir, here is a deere, his skin is a
Keepers fee. Sirra stand close, for as I thinke,
This is the king, king Edward hath deposde.
Hen. My Queene and sonne poore soules are gone to
France, and as I heare the great commanding Warwike,
To intreat a marriage with the ladie Bona,
If this be true, poore Queene and sonne,
1430Your labour is but spent in vaine,
For Lewis is a prince soone wun with words,
And Warwike is a subtill Orator.
He laughes and saies, his Edward is instalde,
She weepes, and saies her Henry is deposde,
He on his right hand asking a wife for Edward,
She on his left side crauing aide for Henry.
Keeper. What art thou that talkes of kings and queens?
Hen. More then I seeme, for lesse I should not be.
1455A man at least, and more I cannot be,
And men maie talke of kings, and why not I?
Keeper
Yorke, and Henrie the Sixt.
Keeper. I but thou talkest as if thou wert a king thy selfe.
Hen. Why so I am in mind though not in shew.
Keeper. And if thou be a king where is thy crowne?
1460Hen. My crowne is in my hart, not on my head.
My crowne is calde content, a crowne that
Kings doe seldome times enioy.
Keeper. And if thou be a king crownd with content,
1465Your crowne content and you, must be content
To go with vs vnto the officer, for as we thinke
You are our quondam king, K. Edward hath deposde,
And therefore we charge you in Gods name & the kings
1495To go along with vs vnto the officers.
Hen. Gods name be fulfild, your kings name be
Obaide, and be you kings, command and Ile obay. Exeunt Omnes.