Page images
PDF
EPUB

Motion.

Yet e'er thou go, but anfwer me one doubt:
What Pledge have we of thy firm Loyalty?
War. This fhall affure my conftant Loyalty,
That if our Queen and this young Prince agree,
I'll join my eldest Daughter, and my Joy,
To him forthwith, in holy Wedlock Bands.
Queen. Yes, I agree, and thank
you for
Son Edward, he is Fair and Virtuous,
Therefore delay not, give thy Hand to Warwick,
And with thy Hand, thy Faith irrevocable,
That only Warwick's Daughter fhall be thine.
Prince. Yes, I accept her, for the well deferves it,
And here to pledge my Vow, I give my Hand,

your

[He gives his Hand to Warwick. K. Lew. Why ftay we now? thefe Soldiers fhall be levy'd, And thou Lord Bourbon, our High Admiral, Shalt waft them over with our Royal Fleet. I long 'till Edward fall by War's Mifchance, For mocking Marriage with a Dame of France.

[Exeunt. Manet Warwick.

War. I came from Edward as Ambassador,
But I return his fworn and mortal Foe:

Matters of Marriage was the charge he gave me,
But dreadful War fhall anfwer his demand.

Had he none else to make a ftale but me?
Then none but I, fhall turn his Jeft to Sorrow.
I was the chief that rais'd him to the Crown,
And I'll be chief to bring him down again:
Not that I pity Henry's Mifery,

But feek Revenge on Edward's Mockery.

[Exit.

A CT IV.

SCENE I.

Glo.

Enter Gloucefter, Clarence, Somerfet and Montague.

Now

OW tell me, Brother Clarence, what think you Of this new Marriage with the Lady Gray? Hath not our Brother made a worthy choice? Clar. Alas, you know, 'tis far from hence to France, How could he stay 'till Warwick made return?

E 2

Som.

Som. My Lords, forbear this talk: Here comes the King. Flourish. Enter King Edward, Lady Gray as Queen, Pembrook, Stafford, and Haftings: Four ft and on one fide, and four on the other.

Glo. And his well-chofen Bride.

Clar. I mind to tell him plainly what I think.
K. Edw. Now, Brother of Clarence,
How like you our Choice,

That you ftand penfive as half Malecontent?
Clar. As well as Lewis of France,

Or the Earl of Warwick,

Which are fo weak of Courage, and in Judgment,
That they'll take no offence at our Abuse.

[ocr errors]

K. Edw. Suppofe they take offence without a caufe:
They are but Lewis and Warwick, I am Edward,
Your King and Warwick's, and muft have my will.
Glo. And you fhall have your will, because our King?
Yet hafty Marriage feldom proveth well.

K. Edw. Yes, Brother Richard, are you offended too?
Glo. Not I; no:

God forbid that I fhould wish them fever'd

Whom God hath join'd together.

Ay, and 'twere pity

funder them.

That yoak fo well together.

K. Edw. Setting your Scorns, and your miflike afide,
Tell me fome Reafon, why the Lady Gray

Should not become my Wife, and England's Queen ?
And you too, Somerset and Montague,

Speak freely what you think.

Clar. Then this is my Opinion;

That King Lewis becomes your Enemy,
For mocking him about the Marriage
Of the Lady Bona.

Glo. And Warwick, doing what you gave in charge,
Is now dishonoured by this new Marriage.

K. Edw. What, if both Lewis and Warwick be appeas'd, By fuch invention as I can devife?

Mont. Yet to have join'd with France in fuch Alliance, Would more have ftrength'ned this our Commonwealth, Gainst foreign Storms, than any home-bred Marriage.

Haft.

1

Haft. Why, knows not Montague that of it felf England is fafe, if true within it self?

Mont. Yes, but the fafer, when 'tis back'd with France. Haft. 'Tis better ufing France, than trufting France. Let us be back'd with God, and with the Seas, Which he hath given for fence impregnable, And with their Helps only defend our felves: In them, and in our felves, our fafety lyes.

Clar. For this one Speech, Lord Haftings well deferves 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 fhall ftand for Law.

Gle. And yet methinks your Grace hath not done well,
To give the Heir and Daughter of Lord Scales
Unto the Brother of your loving Bride;

She better would have fitted me or Clarence;
But in your Bride you bury Brotherhood.

Clar. Or elfe you would not have beftow'd the Heir
Of the Lord Bonvill on your new Wife's Son,
And leave your Brothers to go speed elfe where,
K. Edw. Alas, poor Clarence; is it for a Wife
That thou art Malecontent? I will provide thee.
Clar. In chufing for your felf,
You fhew'd your Judgment;

Which being fhallow, you fhall give me leave
To play the Brother in mine own behalf;

And to that end, I fhort y mind to leave you.

K Edw. Leave me, or tarry, Edward will be King;

And not be ty'd unto his Brother's will.

La. Gray. My Lords, before it pleas'd his Majesty
To raife my State to Title of a Queen,

Do me but right, and you must all confess,
That I was not ignoble of Defcent,

And meaner than my felf have had like fortune.
But as this Title honours me and mine,

So your diflikes, to whom I would be pleafing,

Do cloud my Joys with Danger, and with Sorrow.

K. Edw. My Love, forbear to fawn upon their Frowns ; What Danger, or what Sorrow can befall thee,

So long as Edward is thy conftant Friend,

Ard their true Soveraign, whom they must obey?

E 3

Nax

Nay, whom they fhall obey, and love thee too,
Unless they feek for hatred at my Hands:
Which if they do, yet will I keep thee fafe,
And they shall feel the Vengeance of my Wrath.
Glo. I hear, yet fay not much, but think the more.
Enter a Poft.

K. Edw. Now Meffenger, what Letters, or what News from France?

Poft. My Sovereign Liege, no Letters, and few Words, But fuch as I (without your special pardon)

Dare not relate.

K. Edw. Go too, we pardon thee:
Therefore, in brief, tell their Words;
As near as thou canft guess them.

What anfwer makes King Lewis unto our Letters ?
Poft. At my depart these were his very Words;

Go tell falfe Edward, thy fuppofed King,
That Lewis of France is fending over Maskers,
To revel it with him, and his new Bride.

K. Edw. Is Lewis fo brave? belike he thinks me Henry. But what faid Lady Bona to my Marriage?

Poft. These were her Words, utter'd with mild Disdain : Tell him, in hope he'll prove a Widower shortly,

I'll wear the Willow Garland for his fake

K. Edw. I blame not her, fhe could fay little less; She had the wrong. But what faid Henry's Queen? For fo I heard that fhe was there in place.

Poft. Tell him (quoth the)

My mourning Weeds are done,

And I am ready to put Armour on.

K. Edw. Belike the means to play the Amazon. But what faid Warwick to these Injuries?

Poft. He, more incens'd against your Majefty Than all the reft, discharg'd me with thefe Words; Tell him from me, that he hath done me wrong, And therefore I'll uncrown him e'er't be long.

K. Edw. Ha? durft the Traitor breathe out fo proud

Well, I will arm me, being thus fore-warn'd:

[Words?

They shall have Wars, and pay for their Prefumption,
But fay, is Warwick Friends with Margaret ?

Poft.

Poft. Ay, gracious Sovereign,

They are fo link'd in Friendship,

That young Prince Edward marries Warwick's Daughter.

Clar. Belike the elder;

Clarence will have the younger.

Now Brother King farewel, and fit you faft,
For I will hence to Warwick's other Daughter,
That though I want a Kingdom, yet in Marriage
I may not prove inferior to your felf.

You that love me, and Warwick, follow me.

Glo. Not I:

[Exit Clarence, and Somerset follows.

My Thoughts aim at a further Matter:

I ftay not for the love of Edward, but the Crown. [Afide.
K. Edw. Clarence and Somerset both gone to Warwick?
Yet I am arm'd against the worft can happen;
And hafte is needful in this defp'rate Case.
Pembrook and Stafford, you in our behalf
Go levy Men, and make prepare for War;
They are already, or quickly will be landed:
My felf in Perfon will straight follow you.

[Exit Pembrook and Stafford.

But e'er I go, Haftings and Montague
Refolve my doubt, you twain of all the rest
Are near to Warwick, by Blood and by Alliance;
Tell me, if you love Warwick more than me;
If it be fo, then both depart to him:
I rather with you Foes than hollow Friends.
But if you mind to hold your true Obedience,
Give me Affurance with fome friendly Vow,
That I may never have you in suspect.

Mon. So God help Montague, as he proves true.
Haft. And Haftings, as he favours Edward's Caufe.
K. Edw. Now, Brother Richard, will you ftand by us?
Glo. Ay, in defpight of all that fhall withstand you.
K. Edw. Why fo; then am I fure of Victory.
Now therefore let us hence, and lofe no hour,
Till we meet Warwick, with his Foreign Power.

E 4

[Exeunt.

Enter

« PreviousContinue »