Henry VI Part Three | Act 4.4

 London. The palace.

[Enter QUEEN ELIZABETH and RIVERS]

RIVERS     These news I must confess are full of grief;
Yet, gracious madam, bear it as you may:
Warwick may lose, that now hath won the day.

QUEEN ELIZABETH    Till then fair hope must hinder life’s decay.
And I the rather wean me from despair
For love of Edward’s offspring in my womb:
This is it that makes me bridle passion
And bear with mildness my misfortune’s cross;
Ay, ay, for this I draw in many a tear
And stop the rising of blood-sucking sighs,
Lest with my sighs or tears I blast or drown
King Edward’s fruit, true heir to the English crown.

RIVERS     But, madam, where is Warwick then become?

QUEEN ELIZABETH    I am inform’d that he comes towards London,
To set the crown once more on Henry’s head:
Guess thou the rest; King Edward’s friends must down,
But, to prevent the tyrant’s violence,–
For trust not him that hath once broken faith,–
I’ll hence forthwith unto the sanctuary,
To save at least the heir of Edward’s r;ight:
There shall I rest secure from force and fraud.
Come, therefore, let us fly while we may fly:
If Warwick take us we are sure to die.

 

[Exeunt] Act 4.3 | Act 4.5


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Updated: April 23, 2021 — 12:27 pm