King Henry VI, the third part

by William Shakespeare

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.
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.
Why, and I challenge nothing but my dukedom,
As being well content with that alone.

RICHARD.
[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 opened.

[He descends.]