Ay, but she's come to beg; Warwick to give: 2nd Keep. Say what art thou that talk'st of kings and queens? K. Hen. More than I seem, and less than I was born to. A man at least; for less I should not be : And men may talk of kings, and why not I? 2nd Keep. Ay, but thou talk'st as if thou wert a king. K. Hen. Why, so I am in mind; and that's enough. 2nd Keep. But if thou be a king, where is thy K. Hen. Where did you dwell when I was King of England? 2nd Keep. Here in this country where we now remain. K. Hen. 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? 1st Keep. No: For we were subjects but while you were king. K. Hen. Why, am I dead? do I not breathe a man? Ah simple men, you know not what you swear. And yielding to another when it blows, 1st Keep. We are true subjects to the King, King Edward. K. Hen. So would you be again to Henry, If he were seated as King Edward is. 1st Keep. We charge you, in God's name and in the King's, To go with us unto the officers. K. Hen. In God's name, lead; your King's name be obeyed: And what God will, that let your King perform; And what He will I humbly yield unto. [Exeunt. SCENE II.-London. A Room in the Palace. Enter KING EDWARD, GLOSTER, CLARENCE, and LADY GREY. K. Edw. Brother of Gloster, at Saint Alban's field This lady's husband, Sir John Grey, was slain; Glo. Your highness shall do well to grant her suit: It were dishonour to deny it her. K. Edw. It were no less: but yet I'll make a Glo. God forbid that, for he 'll take vantages. [Aside. K. Edw. How many children hast thou, widow? tell me. Clar. I think he means to beg a child of her. [Aride. Glo. Nay, whip me then: he'll rather give her two. [Aside. L. Grey. Three, my most gracious lord. Glo. You shall have four, if you'll be ruled by him. [Aside. K. Edw. 'T were pity they should lose their father's land. L. Grey. 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 leave, and leave you to the crutch. [GLOSTER and CLARENCE 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 husband's lands to do them good. L. Grey. Therefore I came unto your majesty. K. Edw. 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 I 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. I. Grey. Why stops my lord? shall I not hear my task? K. Edw. An easy task: 't is but to love a king. L. Grey. That's soon performed, because I am a subject. K. Edw. 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 mean. L. Grey. The fruits of love I mean, my loving liege. K. Edw. Ay, but I fear me in another sense. What love think'st thou I sue so much to get? L. Grey. My love till death, my humble thanks, my prayers: That love which virtue begs and virtue grants. K. Edw. No, by my troth, I did not mean such love. L. Grey. Why then you mean not as I thought you did. K. Edw. But now you partly may perceive my mind. L. Grey. My mind will never grant what I perceive Your highness aims at, if I aim aright. thee. L. Grey. To tell you plain, I had rather lie in prison. K. Edw. 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. suit: 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. Her words do shew her wit incomparable; [Aside. Say that King Edward take thee for his queen? L. Grey. 'Tis better said than done, my gracious lord: I am a subject fit to jest withal, K. Edw. Sweet widow, by my state I swear I speak no more than what my soul intends: L.Grey. And that is more than I will yield unto: K. Edw. You cavil, widow: I did mean my queen. L. Grey. 'T will grieve your grace my sons should call you father. K. Edw. No more than when my daughters Thou art a widow, and thou hast some children; Clar. When he was made a shriver 't was for K. Edw. Brothers, you muse what chat we two have had. Glo. The widow likes it not, for she looks sad. K. Edw. You'd think it strange if I should marry her. Clar. To whom, my lord? K. Edw. Why, Clarence, to myself. Glo. That would be ten days' wonder at the least. Clar That's a day longer than a wonder lasts. Glo. By so much is the wonder in extremes. K. Edw. Well, jest on, brothers: I can tell you both, Her suit is granted for her husband's lands. Enter a Nobleman. Nob. My gracious lord, Henry your foe is taken, And brought your prisoner to your palace gate. K. Edw. See that he be conveyed unto the Tower: And go we, brothers, to the man that took him. Glo. Ay, Edward will use women honourably. 'Would he were wasted marrow, bones, and all, That from his loins no hopeful branch may spring, To cross me from the golden time I look for! And yet between my soul's desire and me (The lustful Edward's title buried) Is Clarence, Henry, and his son young Edward, Like one that stands upon a promontory, Like to a chaos, or an unlicked bear-whelp, O monstrous fault to harbour such a thought! I'll make my heaven to dream upon the crown; heart; And wet my cheeks with artificial tears, Be plain, Queen Margaret, and tell thy grief: Q. Mar. Those gracious words revive my And give my tongue-tied sorrows leave to speak. Of England's true-anointed lawful King. 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 true 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: what brings thee to France? [Descending from his state. QUEen MarGARET rises. Q. Mar. Ay, now begins a second storm to rise: For this is he that moves both wind and tide. War. From worthy Edward, King of Albion, My lord and sovereign, and thy vowéd friend, I come, in kindness and unfeignéd love, First to do greetings to thy royal person, And then to crave a league of amity; And lastly, to confirm that amity With nuptial knot, if thou vouchsafe to grant That virtuous lady, Bona, thy fair sister, To 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, Humbly to kiss your hand, and with my tongue To tell the passion of my sovereign's heart; Where fame, late entering at his heedful ears, Hath placed thy beauty's image and thy virtue. Q. Mar. King Lewis and Lady Bona, hear me speak Before you answer Warwick. His demand Springs not from Edward's well-meant honest love, But from deceit, bred by necessity: Thou draw not on thy danger and dishonour: War. Injurious Margaret! Prince. And why not Queen? War. Because thy father Henry did usurp; And thou no more art Prince than she is Queen. Oxf. Then Warwick disannuls great John of Gaunt, Which did subdue the greatest part of Spain: And after John of Gaunt, Henry the fourth, Whose wisdom was a mirror to the wisest: And after that wise prince, Henry the fifth, Who by his prowess conqueréd all France. From these our Henry lineally descends. War. Oxford, how haps it in this smooth dis course You told not how Henry the sixth hath lost But for the rest, you tell a pedigree Whom thou obey'dst thirty-and-six years, War. Can Oxford, that did ever fence the right, K. Lew. Queen Margaret, Prince Edward, and Oxford, |