K. Edw. Lords, give us leave; I'll try this widow's wit. Glo. Ay, good leave1 have you, for you will have leave, "Till youth take leave, and leave you to the crutch. [Glo. and Clar. retire to the other side. *K. Edw. Now tell me, madam, do you love your children? * L. Grey. Ay, full as dearly as I love myself. K. Edw. And would you not do much, to do them good? * L. Grey. To do them good, I would sustain some harm. *K. Edw. Then get your husbands lands, to do them good. L. Grey. Therefore I came unto your majesty. K. Edio. I'll tell you how these lands are to be got. *L. Grey. So shall you bind me to your highness' service. *K. Edw. What service wilt thou do me, if give them? L. Grey. What you command, that rests in me to do. *K. Edw. But you will take exceptions to my boon. * L. Grey. No, gracious lord, except I cannot do it. * K. Edw. Ay, but thou canst do what I mean to ask. * L. Grey. Why, then I will do what your grace commands. * Glo. He plies her hard; and much rain wears the marble. [Aside. Clar. As red as fire! nay, then her wax must melt. [Aside. L. Grey. Why stops my lord? shall I not hear my task? K. Ed. An easy task; 'tis but to love a king. L. Grey. That's soon perform'd, because I am a subject. K. Edo. Why then, thy husband's lands I freely give thee. L. Grey. I take my leave with many thousand thanks. Glo. The match is made; she seals it with a curt'sy. 'K. Edw. But stay thee, 'tis the fruits of love I * L. Grey. My mind will never grant what I perceive Your highness aims at, if I aim aright. K. Edw. To tell thee plain, I aim to lie with thee. * L. Grey. To tell you plain, I had rather lie in prison. K. Edo. Why, then thou shalt not have thy husband's lands. L. Grey. Why, then mine honesty shall be my dower; For by that loss I will not purchase them. 'K. Edw. Therein thou wrong'st thy children mightily. L. Grey. Herein your highness wrongs both them and me. But, mighty lord, this merry inclination K. Edw. Ay; if thou wilt say ay, to my request: No; if thou dost say no, to my demand. L. Grey. Then, no, my lord. My suit is at an end. 'Glo. The widow likes him not, she knits her brows. [Aside Clar. He is the bluntest woer in Christendom. [Aside. 'K. Edw. [Aside.] Her looks do argue her re plete with modesty; Her words do show her wit incomparable; *All her perfections challenge sovereingty: One way, or other, she is for a king; And she shall be my love, or else my queen.- I am a subject fit to jest withal, But far unfit to be a sovereign. K. Edw. Sweet widow, by my state I swear to thee, I speak no more than what my soul intends; L. Grey. And that is more than I will yield unto. I know, I am too mean to be your queen; queen. L. Grey. Twill grieve your grace, my sons should call you-father. K. Edw. No more, than when thy daughters call thee mother. Thou art a widow, and thou hast some children; Clar. When he was made a shriver, 'twas for [Aside. shift. K. Edw. Brothers, you muse what chat we two have had. Glo. The widow likes it not, for she looks sad. K. Ed. You'd think it strange if I should marry her. Clar. To whom, my lord? K. Edw. (2) The seriousness. K. Edin. Well, jest on, brothers: I can tell you Her suit is granted for her husband's lands, Enter a Nobleman. Nob. My gracious lord, Henry your foe is taken, And go we, brothers, to the man that took him, Glo. Ay, Edward will use women honourably. Is Clarence, Henry, and his son young Edward, Like one that stands upon a promontory, My eye's too quick, my heart o'erweens too much, * Unless my hand and strength could equal them. Well, say there is no kingdom then for Richard *What other pleasure can the world afford? 'I'll make my heaven in a lady's lap, And deck my body in gay ornaments, And witch sweet ladies with my words and looks. 'O miserable thought! and more unlikely, Than to accomplish twenty golden crowns! Why, love fors wore me in my mother's womb: 'And, for I should not deal in her soft laws, She did corrupt frail nature with some bribe Why, I can smile, and murder while I smile; I'll slay more gazers than the basilisk; K. Lew. Fair queen of England, worthy Mar- 'Sit down with us; it ill befits thy state, *Q. Mar. No, mighty king of France; now Margaret Where kings command. I was, I must confess, *Must strike her sail, and learn a while to serve, *Great Albion's queen in former golden days: * But now mischance hath trod my title down, And with dishonour laid me on the ground; *Where I must take like seat unto my fortune, And to my humble seat conform myself. K. Lew. Why, say, fair queen, whence spring. this deep despair? *Q. Ma.. From such a cause as fills mine eyes with tears, And stops my tongue, while heart is drown'd in cares, *K. Lew. Whate'er it be, be thou still like thyself And give my tongue-tied sorrows leave to speak * I'll make my heaven-to dream upon the crown;* *And, whiles I live, to account this world but hell, Until my misshap'd trunk that bears this head, * Be round impaled' with a glorious crown. And yet I know not how to get the crown, For many lives stand between me and home: And I,-like one lost in a thorny wood, That rents the thorns, and is rent with the thorns; Seeking a way, and straying from the way; Not knowing how to find the open air, But toiling desperately to find it out,*Torment myself to catch the English crown: And from that torment I will free myself, Or hew my way out with a bloody axe. (1) Encircled. Scotland hath will to help, but cannot help; *Our people and our peers are both misled, *Our treasure seiz'd, our soldiers put to flight, *And, as thou see'st, ourselves in heavy plight, *K. Lew. Renowned queen, with patience calm the storm, While we bethink a means to break it off. Q. Mar. The more we stay, the stronger grows our foe. *K. Lew. The more I stay, the more I'll succour thee. * Q. Mar. O, but impatience waiteth on trus sorrow: And see, where comes the breeder of my sorrow. Enter Warwick, attended. 'K. Lew. What's he, approacheth boldly to our presence? Q. Mar. Our earl of Warwick, Edward's greatest friend. K. Lew. Welcome, brave Warwick! brings thee to France? What [Descending from his state, Queen Mar. rises. fo England's king in lawful marriage." Q. Mar. If that go forward, Henry's hope is done. War. And, gracious madam, [To Bona.] in our king's behalf, I am commanded, with your leave and favour, Before you answer Warwick. His demand Orf. Call him my king, by whose injurious doom K. Lew. Queen Margaret, prince Edward, and Vouchsafe, at our request, to stand aside, [Retiring with the Prince and Oxford. 'K. Lew. Now, Warwick, tell me, even upon thy conscience, Is Edward your true king? for I were loath, K. Lew. But is he gracious in the people's eye? War. Such it seems, As may beseem a monarch like himself. *Springs not from Edward's well-meant honest love, Unless the lady Bona quit his pain. K. Lew. Now, sister, let us hear your firm resolve. Thou draw not on thy danger and dishonour: And why not queen? Which did subdue the greatest part of Spain; K. Lew. Then, Warwick, thus,-Our sister shall be Edward's: And now forthwith shall articles be drawn Prince. To Edward, but not to the English king. garet: But if your title to the crown be weak,- War. Oxford, how haps it, in this smooth dis- That your estate requires, and mine can yield. course, You told not, how Henry the Sixth hath lost War. Henry now lives in Scotland, at his ease; "Whom thou obey'dst thirty and six years, wick, peace; Proud setter-up and puller-down of kings! *I will not hence, till with my talk and tears, *Both full of truth, I make king Lewis behold Thy sly conveyance, and thy lord's false love; For both of you are birds of self-same feather. [A horn sounded within. K. Lew. Warwick, this is some post to us, or thee. (2) Juggling. Enter a Messenger. K. Lew. And mine, with hers, and thine, and Mess. My lord ambassador, these letters are for Therefore, at last, I firmly am resolv'd, you; Sent from your brother marquis Montague. I hope, all's for the best. 'K. Lew. Warwick, what are thy news? and yours, fair queen? Q. Mar. Mine, such as fill my heart with unhop'd joys. War. Mine, full of sorrow and heart's discon tent. K. Lew. What! has your king married the lady "And now, to sooth your forgery and his, estv. War. King Lewis, I here protest,-in sight of heaven, And by the hope I have of heavenly bliss,That I am clear from this misdeed of Edward's; No more my king, for he dishonours me; But most himself, if he could see his shame.Did I forget, that by the house of York My father came untimely to his death? Did I let pass the abuse done to my niece? Did I impale him with the regal crown? Did I put Henry from his native right; 'And am I guerdon'd' at the last with shame? *Shame on himself! for my desert is honour. *And, to repair my honour lost for him, * I here renounce him, and return to Henry: My noble queen, let former grudges pass, And henceforth I am thy true servitor; A will revenge his wrong to lady Bona, And replant Henry in his former state. You shall have aid.. * Q. Mar. Let me give humble thanks for all at once. K. Lew. Then England's messenger, return in And tell false Edward, thy supposed king,— post; To revel it with him and his new bride: That Lewis of France is sending over maskers, Thou seest what's past, go fear thy king withal. Bona. Tell him, In hope he'll prove a widower shortly, I'll wear the willow garland for his sake. Q. Mar. Tell him, My mourning weeds are laid aside, And I am ready to put armour on. War. Tell him from me, That he hath done me wrong; And therefore I'll uncrown him, ere't be long. [Exil Mess. K. Lew. But, Warwick, thou, And Oxford, with five thousand men, Shall cross the seas, and bid false Edward battle: And prince shall follow with a fresh supply. *And, as occasion serves, this noble queen What pledge have we of thy firm loyalty? "Yet, ere thou go, but answer me one doubt; War. This shall assure my constant loyalty:That if our queen and this young prince agree, I'll join mine eldest daughter, and my joy, To him forthwith in holy wedlock bands. 'Q. Mar. Yes, I agree, and thank you for your motion : 'Son Edward, she is fair and virtuous, 'Therefore delay not, give thy hand to Warwick; And, with thy hand, thy faith irrevocable, 'That only Warwick's daughter shall be thine. *Prince. Yes, I accept her, for she well de serves it; * And here, to pledge my vow, I give my hand. [He gives his hand to Warwick. 'K. Lew. Why stay we now? These soldiers shall be levied, And thou, lord Bourbon, our high admiral, 'Shall waft them over with our royal fleet. Q. Mar. Warwick, these words have turn'd I long, till Edward fall by war's mischance, my hate to love; And I forgive and quite forget old faults, That, if king Lewis vouchsafe to furnish us But by thy help to this distressed queen? Q. Mar. Renowned prince, how shall poor| * Unless thou rescue him from foul despair? are one. * War. And mine, fair lady Bona, joius with yours. For mocking marriage with a dame of France. ACT IV. [Exit. SCENE I.-London. A room in the palace. Enter Gloster, Clarence, Somerset, Montague, and others. 'Glo. Now tell me, brother Clarence, what think you Of this new marriage with the lady Grey? (3) A stalking-horse, a pretence. Glo. Not I: No; God forbid, that I should wish them sever'd To sunder them that yoke so well together. Tell me some reason, why the lady Grey And you too, Somerset, and Montague, Clar. Then this is my opinion,-that king Lewis 'Becomes your enemy, for mocking him About the marriage of the lady Bona. 'Glo. And yet, methinks, your grace hath not To give the heir and daughter of lord Scales Of the lord Bonville on your new wife's son, Which being shallow, you shall give me leave And, to that end, I shortly mind to leave you. And not be tied unto his brother's will. Q. Eliz. My lords, before it pleas'd his majesty Do me but right, and you must all confess And meaner than myself have had like fortune. So your dislikes, to whom I would be pleasing, frowns: 'Glo. And Warwick, doing what you gave in From France? charge, Is now dishonoured by this new marriage. K. Edw. What, if both Lewis and Warwick be appeas'd, 'By such invention as I can devise? Mont. Yet to have join'd with France in such alliance, Would more have strengthen'd this our commonwealth, 'Gainst foreign storms, than any home-bred marriage. Hast. Why, knows not Montague, that of itself 'England is safe, if true within itself? * Mont. Yes; but the safer, when 'tis back'd with France. * Hast. "Tis better using France, than trusting * Let us be back'd with God, and with the seas, To have the heir of the lord Hungerford. K. Edw. Ay, what of that? it was my will, and grant; * And, for this once, my will shall stand for law. (1) The heiress of great estates were in the wardship of the king, who inatch'd them to his favourites. 'Mess. My sovereign liege, no letters; and few But such as I, without your special pardon, 'K. Edw. Go to, we pardon thee: therefore, Tell me their words as near as thou canst guess What answer makes king Lewis unto our letters? K. Edw. Is Lewis so brave? belike, he thinks But what said lady Bona to my marriage? Tell him, in hope he'll prove a widower shortly, K. Edw. I blame not her, she could say little less; And I am ready to put armour on. 'K. Edw. Belike, she minds to play the Amazon. But what said Warwick to these injuries? (2) Present. (3) Thrown off. |