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Cla. Where's Captain Margaret, to fence you now?
War. They mock thee, Clifford,

Swear, as thou waft wont.

Rich. What, not an Oath ! Nay, then the World goes hard, When Clifford cannot fpare his Friends an Oath:

I know by that he's dead, and by my Soul,
If this right hand would buy but two hours life,
That I, in all defpight, might rail at kim,

This hand fhould chop it off; and with the iffuing Blood
Stifle the Villain, whofe unftanched thirst

York, and young Rutland, could not fatis fie.

War. Ay, but he's dead. Off with the Traitor's Head,
And rear it in the place your Father's ftands,
And now to London with triumphant march,
There to be crowned England's Royal King:
From whence fhall Warwick cut the Sea to France,
And ask the Lady Bona for thy Queen.

So fhalt thou finew both thefe Lands together,
'And having France thy Friend, thou shalt not dread
The scatter'd Foe, that hopes to rife again :
For though they cannot greatly fting to hurt,
Yet look to have them buz to offend thine Ears.
Firft will I fee the Coronation,

And then to Britany I'll cross the Sea,

To effect this Marriagae, fo it please my Lord,

Edw. Even as thou wilt, fweet Warwick, let it be, For on thy Shoulder do I build my Seat:

And never will I undertake the thing

Wherein thy Counfel and Confent is wanting.
Richard, I will create thee Duke of Glofter,
And George of Clarence; Warwick as our felf
Shall do, and undo, as him pleaseth best.

Rich. Let me be Duke of Clarence, George of Glofter,

For Glo'fter's Dukedom is too ominous,
War. Tut, that's a foolish obfervation:

Richard, be Duke of Glo'fter: Now to London,
To see these honours in poffeffion.

[Exeunt.

ACT

ACT III. SCENE I.

Enter Sinklo, and Humphry, with Cross-bows in their
Hands.

Sink-UNder this thick grown brake we'll throwd our felves;

For through this Laund anon the Deer will come,
And in this Covert will we make our ftand,
Culling the principal of all the Deer.

Hump. I'll ftay above the Hill, fo both may shoot,
Sink. That cannot be, the noife of thy Cross-bow
Will fcare the Herd, and fo my fhoot is loft:
Here ftand we both, and aim we at the beft,
And, for the time fhall not feem tedious,
I'll tell thee what befel me on a Day,

In this felf-place, where now we mean to ftand.
Sink. Here comes a Man, let's ftay 'till he be paft.
Enter King Henry with a Prayer-Book.

K. Henry. From Scotland am I ftol'n even of pure love,
To greet mine own Land with my wishful fight:
No Harry, Harry, 'tis no Land of thine,

Thy place is fill'd, thy Scepter wrung from thee,
Thy Balm wafht off wherewith thou waft anointed,
No bending Knee will call thee Cafar now,
No humble Sutors prefs to speak for right;
No, not a Man comes for redrefs to thee;
For how can I help them, and not my felf?
Sink. Ay, here's a Deer, whofe Skin's a Keeper's Fees
This is the quondam King; let's feize upon him.
K. Henry. Let me, embrace the four Adverfaries,
For wife Men fay, it is the wifeft course,

Hump. Why linger we? let us lay hands upon him.
Sink. Forbear a while, we'll hear a little more.

K. Henry. My Queen and Son are gone to France for aid
And, as I hear, the great commanding Warwick
Is thither gone, to crave the French King's Sifter
To Wife for Edward. If this news be true,
Poor Queen, and Son, your labour is but loft:
For Warwick is a fubtle Orator;

And Lewis a Prince foon won with moving Words:
By this account then Margaret may win him.
For fhe's a Woman to be pitied much :
Her fighs will make a batt'ry in his Breaft,
Her Tears will pierce into a Marble Heart:
The Tyger will be mild, whiles the doth mourn;
And Nero will be tainted with remorse,

To hear and fee her plaints, her brinifh Tears,
Ay, but he's come to beg, Warwick to give :
She on his left fide craving Aid for Henry;
He on his right, asking a Wife for Edward.
She weeps, and fays, her Henry is depos'd;
He fmiles, and fays, his Edward is inftall'd;
That the poor wretch for grief can fpeak no more:
Whiles Warwick tells his Title, fmooths the wrong,
Inferreth Arguments of mighty ftrength,
And in conclufion wins the King from her,
With promife of his Sifter, and what else,
To ftrengthen and fupport King Edward's Place.
O Margaret, thus 'twill be, and thou (poor Soul)
Art then forfaken, as thou went'st forlorn.

9

Hum. Say, what art thou that talk'st of Kings, and Queens? K. Henry. More than I seem, and lefs than I was born to; A Man at least, for lefs I should not be;

And Men may talk of Kings, and why not I?

Hum. Ay, but thou talk'ft as if thou wert a King. K. Henry. Why fo I am, in Mind, and that's enough. Hnm. But if thou be a King, where is thy Crown? K. Henry. My Crown is in my Heart, not on my Head: Not deck'd with Diamonds, and Indian Stones; Not to be feen: My Crown is call'd Content,

A Crown it is that feldom Kings enjoy.

Hum. Well, if you be a King crown'd with Content, Your Crown Content, and you must be contented

To go along with us. For, as we think,

You are the King, King Edward hath depos'd:
And we his Subjects, fworn in all Allegiance,
Will apprehend you as his Enemy.

K. Henry. But did you never fwear, and break an Oath.
Hum. No, never fuch an Oath, nor will not now.

K. Henry. Where did you dwell when I was King of Eng

and?

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Hum. Here in this Country, where we now remain.
K. Henry. I was anointed King at nine months old,
My Father, and my Grandfather were Kings;
And you were sworn true Subjects unto me:

And tell me then, have you not broke your Oaths?
Sink. No, for we were Subjects but while you were a King.
K. Henry. Why, am I dead? do I not breathe a Man?
Ah fimple Men, you know not what you fwear:
Look, as I blow this Feather from my Face,
And as the Air blows it to me again,

Obeying with my Wind when I do blow,
And yielding to another when it blows,
Commanded always by the greater guft;
Such is the lightnefs of you common Men.
But do not break your Oath, for of that Sin
My mild intreaty fhall not make you guilty.
Go where you will, the King fhall be commanded,
And be you Kings, command, and I'll obey.
Sink. We are true Subjects to the King,
King Edward.

K. Henry. So would you be again to Henry,
If he were feated as King Edward is.

Sink We charge you in God's Name and in the King's To go with us unto the Officers.

K. Henry. In God's Name lead, your King's Name be oAnd what God will, that let your King perform, [bey'd, And, what he will, I humbly yield unto. Exeunt. Enter King Edward, Gloucefter, Clarence, and Lady Gray. K. Edw. Brother of Glo'fter, at St. Alban's Field This Lady's Husband, Sir Richard Gray, was flain, His Land then feiz'd on by the Conqueror: Her fuit is now, to repoffefs thofe Lands, Which we in Juftice cannot well deny, Becaufe in quarrel of the Houfe of York, The worthy Gentleman did lofe his Life.

Glo. Your Highnefs fhall do well to grant her Suit:
It were dishonour to deny it her.

K. Edw. It were no lefs; but yet I'll make a pause.
Glo. Yea! is it fo?

I fee the Lady hath a thing to grant,

Before the King will grant her humble Suit.

D 4

Clar.

Clar. He knows the Game, how true he keeps the Wind? Glo. Silence.

K. Eaw. Widow, we will confider of your fuit, And come, fome other time, to know our Mind.

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Gray. Right gracious Lord, I cannot brook delay, May pleafe your Highnels to refolve me now. And what your pleature is, fhall fatisfie me.

Glo. Ay, Widow! then I'll warrant you all your Lands, And if what pleafes him, fhall please you:

Fight clofer, or good faith you'll catch a blow.
Clar. I fear her not, unless the chance to fall.
Glo God forbid that, for he'll take vantages.

K. Edw. How many Children haft thou, Widow? tell me,
Clar. I think he means to beg a Child of her.

Glo. Nay then whip me; he'll rather give her two.
Gray. Three, my moft gracious Lord.

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Gio. You fhall have four, if you'll be rul'd by him.
K. Edw. Twere pity they fhould lose their Father's Lands
Gray. Be pitiful, dread Lord, and grant it then.

K Edw. Lords, give us leave, I'll try this Widow's wit. Glo. Ay, good leave have you, for you will have leave, Till Youth take lave, and leave you to the Crutch.

K. Edw. Now tell me, Madam, do you love your Children.
Gray. Ay, full as dearly as I love my felf.

K. Edw. And would you not do much to do them good.
Gray. To do them good, I would fuftain fome harm.
K. Edw. Then get your Husband's Lands, to do them good,
Gray. Therefore I came unto your Majefty.

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K. Edw. I'll tell you how thefe Lands are to be got.
Gray. So fhall you bind me to your Highness Service.
K. Edw. What Service wilt thou do me, if I give them?
Gray. What you command that refts in me to do.
K. Edw. But you will take Exceptions to my Boon.
Gray. No, gracious Lord, except I cannot do it.
K. Edw. Ay, but thou canft do what I mean to ask.
Gray. Why then I will do what your Grace commands,
Glo. He plies her hard, and much Rain wears the Marble.
Clar. As red as fire! nay, then her Wax will melt.
Gray. Why ftops my Lord? fhall I not hear my Task?
K. Edw. An eafie Task, 'tis but to love a King.
Gray. That's foon perform'd, because I am a Subject.

K. Edw

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