KING EDWARD IV Tush, man, abodements must not now affright us:
By fair or foul means we must enter in,
For hither will our friends repair to us.
HASTINGS My liege, I'll knock once more to summon them.
[Enter, on the walls, the Mayor of York, and his Brethren]
Mayor My lords, we were forewarned of your coming,
And shut the gates for safety of ourselves;
For now we owe allegiance unto Henry.
KING EDWARD IV But, master mayor, if Henry be your king,
Yet Edward at the least is Duke of York.
Mayor True, my good lord; I know you for no less.
KING EDWARD IV Why, and I challenge nothing but my dukedom,
As being well content with that alone.
GLOUCESTER [Aside] But when the fox hath once got in his nose,
He'll soon find means to make the body follow.
HASTINGS Why, master mayor, why stand you in a doubt?
Open the gates; we are King Henry's friends.
Mayor Ay, say you so? the gates shall then be open'd.
[They descend]
GLOUCESTER A wise stout captain, and soon persuaded!
HASTINGS The good old man would fain that all were well,
So 'twere not 'long of him; but being enter'd,
I doubt not, I, but we shall soon persuade
Both him and all his brothers unto reason.
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