Henry VI, part 3, Act 4 Scene 3 runs 65 lines of dialogue, spoken by 7 speakers. That is shorter than the play’s average scene length of about 105 lines. This scene is part of Act 4 of Henry VI, part 3.
Full Dialogue
First Watchman ♂
Come on, my masters, each man take his stand:
The king by this is set him down to sleep.
The king by this is set him down to sleep.
Second Watchman ♂
What, will he not to bed?
First Watchman ♂
Why, no; for he hath made a solemn vow
Never to lie and take his natural rest
Till Warwick or himself be quite suppress'd.
Never to lie and take his natural rest
Till Warwick or himself be quite suppress'd.
Second Watchman ♂
To-morrow then belike shall be the day,
If Warwick be so near as men report.
If Warwick be so near as men report.
Third Watchman ♂
But say, I pray, what nobleman is that
That with the king here resteth in his tent?
That with the king here resteth in his tent?
First Watchman ♂
'Tis the Lord Hastings, the king's chiefest friend.
Third Watchman ♂
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?
That his chief followers lodge in towns about him,
While he himself keeps in the cold field?
Second Watchman ♂
'Tis the more honour, because more dangerous.
Third Watchman ♂
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.
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 Watchman ♂
Unless our halberds did shut up his passage.
Second Watchman ♂
Ay, wherefore else guard we his royal tent,
But to defend his person from night-foes?
But to defend his person from night-foes?
Warwick ♂
This is his tent; and see where stand his guard.
Courage, my masters! honour now or never!
But follow me, and Edward shall be ours.
Courage, my masters! honour now or never!
But follow me, and Edward shall be ours.
First Watchman ♂
Who goes there?
Second Watchman ♂
Stay, or thou diest!
Somerset ♂
What are they that fly there?
Warwick ♂
Richard and Hastings: let them go; here is The duke.
King Edward Iv ♂
The duke! Why, Warwick, when we parted,
Thou call'dst me king.
Thou call'dst me king.
Warwick ♂
Ay, but the case is alter'd:
When you disgraced me in my embassade,
Then I degraded you from being king,
And come now to create you Duke of York.
Alas! how should you govern any kingdom,
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?
When you disgraced me in my embassade,
Then I degraded you from being king,
And come now to create you Duke of York.
Alas! how should you govern any kingdom,
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?
King Edward Iv ♂
Yea, brother of Clarence, are thou here too?
Nay, then I see that Edward needs must down.
Yet, Warwick, in despite of all mischance,
Of thee thyself and all thy complices,
Edward will always bear himself as king:
Though fortune's malice overthrow my state,
My mind exceeds the compass of her wheel.
Nay, then I see that Edward needs must down.
Yet, Warwick, in despite of all mischance,
Of thee thyself and all thy complices,
Edward will always bear himself as king:
Though fortune's malice overthrow my state,
My mind exceeds the compass of her wheel.
Warwick ♂
Then, for his mind, be Edward England's king:
But Henry now shall wear the English crown,
And be true king indeed, thou but the shadow.
My Lord of Somerset, at my request,
See that forthwith Duke Edward be convey'd
Unto my brother, Archbishop of York.
When I have fought with Pembroke and his fellows,
I'll follow you, and tell what answer
Lewis and the Lady Bona send to him.
Now, for a while farewell, good Duke of York.
But Henry now shall wear the English crown,
And be true king indeed, thou but the shadow.
My Lord of Somerset, at my request,
See that forthwith Duke Edward be convey'd
Unto my brother, Archbishop of York.
When I have fought with Pembroke and his fellows,
I'll follow you, and tell what answer
Lewis and the Lady Bona send to him.
Now, for a while farewell, good Duke of York.
King Edward Iv ♂
What fates impose, that men must needs abide;
It boots not to resist both wind and tide.
It boots not to resist both wind and tide.
Oxford ♂
What now remains, my lords, for us to do
But march to London with our soldiers?
But march to London with our soldiers?
Warwick ♂
Ay, that's the first thing that we have to do;
To free King Henry from imprisonment
And see him seated in the regal throne.
To free King Henry from imprisonment
And see him seated in the regal throne.
65 lines rendered verbatim from the dialogue corpus.
Who’s On Stage
Speaking characters in this scene
| Character | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Warwick | 27 | 41.5% |
| King Edward Iv | 11 | 16.9% |
| Third Watchman | 9 | 13.8% |
| First Watchman | 8 | 12.3% |
| Second Watchman | 7 | 10.8% |
| Oxford | 2 | 3.1% |
| Somerset | 1 | 1.5% |
Line distribution
The top speaker in this scene delivers 27 lines, while the scene’s average per speaker is about 9 lines.
Total speakers on stage
7 named characters speak in this scene.
Scene in Context
Position within Act 4
This is Scene 3 of 8 in Act 4 of Henry VI, part 3.
Scene length vs. play average
At 65 lines, this scene is shorter than the Henry VI, part 3 average scene in Henry VI, part 3 (~105 lines).
Adjacent scenes
Previous: Act 4 Scene 2 · Next: Act 4 Scene 4
About Act 4 Scene 3 of Henry VI, part 3
Who carries Act 4 Scene 3 of Henry VI, part 3?
Warwick, with 27 lines — about 42% of the scene.
Is the scene a dialogue or a solo?
With 7 speakers and the lead holding 42% of the lines, this scene is a balanced multi-voice exchange.