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War. They mock thee, Clifford; swear as thou 5 Rich. What, not an oath nay, then the world goes hard,

And, having France thy friend, thou shalt not dread
The scatter'd foe, that hopes to rise again;
For though they cannot greatly sting to hurt,
Yet look to have them buz, to offend thine ears.
First, will I see the coronation;

And then to Britany I'll cross the sea,
To effect this marriage, so it please my lord. [be;
Edw. Even as thou wilt, sweet Warwick, let it
For on thy shoulder do I build my seat;
10 And never will I undertake the thing,
Wherein thy counsel and consent is wanting.-
Richard, I will create thee duke of Gloster;-
And George, of Clarence;-Warwick, as ourself,
Shall do, and undo, as him pleaseth best.

When Clifford cannot spare his friends an oath :-
I know by that, he's dead; And, by my soul,
Would this right hand buy but an hour's life,
That I in all despight might rail at him,
I'd chop it off; and with the issuing blood
Stifle the villain, whose unstanched thirst
York and young Rutland could not satisfy. [head,
War. Ay, but he's dead: Off with the traitor's 15
And rear it in the place your father's stands.—
And now to London with triumphant march,
There to be crowned England's royal king.
From thence shall Warwick cut the sea to France,
And ask the lady Bona for thy queen:
So shalt thou sinew both these lands together;

Rich. Let me be duke of Clarence; George,
of Gloster;

For Gloster's dukedom is too ominous'.
War. Tut, that's a foolish observation:
Richard, be duke of Gloster: Now to London,
20To see these honours in possession.

[Exeunt,

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For through this laund anon the deer will come;
And in this covert will we make our stand,
Culling the principal of all the deer.

Hum. I'll stay above the hill, so both may shoot.
Sink. That cannot be; the noise of thy cross-bow
Will scare the herd, and so my shoot is lost.
Here stand we both, and aim we at the best:
And, for the time shall not seem tedious,
I'll tell thee what befel me on a day,
In this self place where now we mean to stand.
Hum.Here comes a man, let's stay till he be past.

And, as I hear, the great commanding Warwick
Is thither gone, to crave the French king's sister
To wife for Edward: If this news be true,
Poor queen, and son, your labour is but lost;
40 For Warwick is a subtle orator,

Enter King Henry, with a prayer-book.
K. Henry. From Scotland am I stol'n, even of 50
pure love,

To greet mine own land with my wishful sight.
No, Harry, Harry, 'tis no land of thine;

And Lewis a prince soon won with moving words.
By this account, then, Margaret may win him;
For she's a woman to be pity'd much:
Her sighs will make a battery in his breast;
45tler tears will pierce into a marble heart;
The tyger will be mild, while she doth mourn;
And Nero will be tainted with remorse,
To hear, and see, her plaints, her brinish tears.
Ah, but she's come to beg; Warwick, to give:
Sne, on his left side, craving aid for Henry;
He, on his right, asking a wife for Edward.
she weeps, and says-her Henry is depos'd;
He smiles, and says-his Edward is install'd;
That she, poor wretch, for grief can speak no more;
Whiles Warwick tells his title, smooths the wrong,
Inferreth arguments of mighty strength;
And, in conclusion, wins the king from her,
With promise of his sister, and what else,
To strengthen and support king Edward's place.
Margaret, thus 'twill be; and thou, poor soul,
Art then forsaken, as thou went'st forlorn.

Thy place is fill'd, thy scepter wrung from thee,
Thy balm wash'd off, wherewith thou wast anoint-55
No bending knee will call thee Casar now, [ed:{
No humble suitors press to speak for right,
No, not a man comes for redress to thee;
For how can I help them, and not myself? [fee:
Sink. Ay, here's a deer whose skin's a keeper's
This is the quondam king; let's seize upon him.

60

Alluding, perhaps, (says Mr. Steevens,) to the deaths of Thomas of Woodstock, and Humphrey, dukes of Gloster. According to Hall and Holinshed, the name of the person who took King

Henry was Cantlore.

2

i. e. lawn.

Hum.

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K, Henry. 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?
Hum. Ay, but thou talk'st as if thou wert a king.
K. Henry. Why, so I am, in mind; and that's
enough.

5

Hum. But, if thou be a king, where is thy crown? 10 K. Henry. My crown is in my heart, not on my head;

Not deck'd with diamonds, and Indian stones,
Nor to be seen: my crown is call'd, content;
A crown it is, that seldom kings enjoy. [tent, 15
Hum. Well, if you be a king crown'd with con-
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, sworn in all allegiance,
Will apprehend you as his enemy.

[oath? K. Henry. But did you never swear, and break an Hum. No, never such an oath; nor will we now. K. Henry. Where did you dwell, when I was king of England?

20

[main. 25

Hum. Here in this country, where we now reK. Henry. I was anointed king at nine months My father and my grandfather were kings; [old; And you were sworn true subjects unto me: And, tell me then, have you not broke your oaths: 30 Sink. No; for we were subjects but while you

were king.

35

[a man? K. Henry. Why, am I dead? do I not breathe Ah, simple men, you know not what you swear. 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 gust; Such is the lightness of you common men. But do not break your oaths; for, of that sin My mild entreaty shall not make you guilty. Go where you will, the king shall be commanded; And be you kings; command, and I'll obey. Sink. We are true subjects to the king, 'king 45 Edward.

40

K. Henry. So would you be again to Henry,
If he were seated as king Edward is. [the king's,
Sink. We charge you, in God's name, and in
To go with us unto the officers. [be obey'd: 50
K. Hen. In God's name, lead; your king's name
And what God will, that let your king perform;
And what he will, I humbly yield unto. [Exeunt.
SCENE II.
London. 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,
His land then seiz'd on by the conqueror:
Her suit is now, to repossess those lands;

Which we

55

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K. Edtv. Widow, we will consider of your suit;
And come some other time, to know our mind.
Grey. Right gracious lord, I cannot brook delay:
May it please your highness to resolve me now;
And what your pleasure is, shall satisfy me.
Glo. [Aside.] Ay, widow? then I'll warrant you
all your lands,

An if what pleases him, shall pleasure you.
Fight closer, or, good faith, you'll catch a blow.
Clar. [Aside.] I fear her not, unless she chance

to fall.

[vantages. Glo. [Aside.] God forbid that, for he'll take K.Edw. How many children hast thou, widow ?

tell me.

[of her.

Clar. [4side.] I think, he means to beg a child Glo. [Aside.] Nay, whip me then; he'll rather give her two.

rul'd by him.

Grey. Three, my most gracious lord. Glo, [Aside.] You shall have four, if you'll be [ther's land. K. Edzo. 'Twere pity they should lose their faGrey. Be pitiful, dread lord, and grant it then. K. Edw. Lords, give us leave; I'll try this wi[leave, Glo. Ay,good leave have you; for you will have Till youth take leave, and leaveyou to yourcrutch. [Gloster and Clarence retire to the other side. K. Edw. Now tell me, madam, do you love your children?

dow's wit,

Grey. Ay, full as dearly as I love myself.
K. Edw. And would you not do much to do

them good?

[harm. Grey. To do them good, I would sustain some K. Edw. Then get your husband's lands to do them good.

Grey. Therefore I came unto your majesty. K.Edw. I'lltell you how these lands are to be got. Grey. So shall you bind me to your highness'

service.

[them?

K. Edw. What service wilt thou do me, if I give Grey. What you command, that rests in me to do. K. Edw. But you will take exceptions to my

boon?

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60

melt. Grey. Why stops my lord? shall I not hear my task?

[Aside.

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my prayers;

That love, which virtue begs, and virtue grants. K. Edw. No, by my troth, I did not mean such love.

[did. 15 Grey. Why, then you mean not as I thought you K.Edw. But now you partly may perceive my mind.

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.
Grey. To tell you plain, I had rather lie in prison.
K. Edw. Why, then thou shalt not have thy
husband's lands.

20

[er; Grey. Why, then mine honesty shall be my dow-25 For by that loss I will not purchase them,

K. Edw. Herein thou wrong'st thy children mightily. [and me. Grey. Herein your highness wrongs both them But, mighty lord, this merry inclination Accords not with the sadness of my suit; Please you dismiss me, either with ay, or no.

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Glo. The widow likes it not, for she looks sad. K. Edw. You'd think it strange, if I should Clar. To whom, my lord? [marry her. K. Edw. Why, Clarence, to myself. Glo.That would be tendays' 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 Her suit is granted for her husband's lands. [both,

Enter a Nobleman.

Nob. My gracious lord, Henry your foe is taken, And brought as prisoner to your palace gate. K. Edw. See that he be convey'd unto the Tower:

And go we, brothers, to the man that took him, To question of his apprehension.- [ably. Widow, go you along:-Lords, use her honour

[Exeunt King, Lady, Clarence, and Lords. 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! 30 And yet, between my soul's desire and me, (The lustful Edward's title buried)

K.Edw. Ay; if thou wilt say ay, to my request:
No; if thou dost say no, to my demand.
Grey. Then, no, my lord. My suit is at an end. 35
Glo. The widow likes him not, she knits her
brows.

[Aside.

Clar. He is the bluntest wooer in Christendom.

[Aside.

Is Clarence, Henry, and his young son Edward,
And all the unlook'd-for issue of their bodies,
To take their rooms, ere I can place myself:
A cold premeditation for my purpose!
Why, then I do but dream on sovereignty;
Like one that stands upon a promontory,
And spies a far-off shore where he would tread,
Wishing his foot were equal with his eye;

K. Edw. [Aside.] Her looks do argue her re- 40 And chides the sea that sunders him from thence,

plete with modesty;

Her words do shew her wit incomparable;

All her perfections challenge sovereignty:
One way, or other, she is for a king;
And she shall be my love, or else my queen.
Say, that king Edward take thee for his queen?
Grey.'Tis better said than done, my gracious lord;
I am a subject fit to jest withal,
But far unfit to be a sovereign.

K.Edw.Sweetwidow, by my state Iswear to thee, I speak no more than what my soul intends; And that is, to enjoy thee for my love.

Grey. And that is more than I will yield unto :| I know, I am too mean to be your queen; And yet too good to be your concubine. K. Edw. You cavil, widow; I did mean, my [call you-father.

queen. Grey. "Twill grieve your grace, my sons should K. Edw. No more, than when my daughters call

thee mother.

Thou art a widow, and thou hast some children;
And, by God's mother, I, being but a batchelor,
Have other some: why, 'tis a happy thing
To be the father unto many sons.

45

Saying—he'll lade it dry to have his way:
So do I wish the crown, being so far off;

And so I chide the means that keep me from it;
And so I say I'll cut the causes off,
Flattering me with impossibilities.-

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?
50 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 forswore me in my mother's womb:
And, for I should not deal in her soft laws,
She did corrupt frail nature with some bribe
To shrink mine arm up like a wither'd shrub ;
To make an envious mountain on my back,
60 Where sits deformity to mock my body;
To shape my legs of an unequal size;
To disproportion me in every part,
Like to a chaos, or an unlick'd bear-whelp,
That carries no impression like the dam.

55

And

61

And am I then a man to be belov'd;

O, monstrous fault to harbour such a thought!
Then, since this earth affords no joy to me,
But to command, to check, to o'erbear such
As are of better person than myself,
I'll make my heaven-to dream upon the crown;
And, while I live, to account this world but hell,
Until my mis-shap'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.
Why, I can smile, and murder while I smile;
And cry, content, to that which grieves my heart;
And wet my cheeks with artificial tears,
And frame my face to all occasions.

I'll drown more sailors than the mermaid shall;
I'll slay more gazers than the basilisk;
I'll play the orator as well as Nestor,
Deceive more slily than Ulysses could,
And, like a Sinon, take another Troy:
I can add colours to the cameleon;
Change shapes, with Proteus, for advantages,
And set the murd'rous Machiavel to school.
Can I do this, and cannot get a crown?
Tut! were it further off, I'll pluck it down.

SCENE III.

France.

And sit thee by our side: yield not thy neck [Seats her by him To fortune's yoke, but let thy dauntless mind Still ride in triumph over all mischance. 5 Be plain, queen Margaret, and tell thy grief; It shall be eas'd, if France can yield relief. Queen. Those gracious words revive my droop ing thoughts,

And give my tongue-ty'd sorrows leave to speak 10 Now, therefore, be it known to noble Lewis,That Henry, sole possessor of my love,

Is, of a king, become a banish'd man,
And forc'd to live in Scotland a forlorn;
While proud ambitious Edward, duke of York,
15 Usurps the regal title, and the seat

Of England's true-anointed lawful king.
This is the cause, that I, poor Margaret,-
With this my son, prince Edward, Henry's heir,-
Am come to crave thy just and lawful aid;
20 And, if thou fail us, all our hope is done:

25

30

[Exit.

35

Flourish. Enter Lewis the French King, Lady
Bona, Bourbon, Queen Margaret, Prince Ed
ward her Son, and the Earl of Oxford. Lewis 40|
sits, and riseth up again.

K. Lewis. Fair queen of England, worthy
Margaret,

Sit down with us; it ill befits thy state,
And birth, that thou shouldst stand, while Lewis 45

doth sit.

Queen. No, mighty king of France; now Mar-
garet

Must strike her sail, and learn a while to serve,
Where kings command. I was, I must confess,
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. Lewis. Why say, fair queen, whence springs
this deep despair?

Scotland hath will to help, but cannot help;
Our people and our peers are both mis-led,
Our treasure seiz'd, our soldiers put to flight,
And, as thou seest, ourselves in heavy plight.
K. Lewis. Renowned queen, with patience calm
the storm,

While we bethink a means to break it off.
Queen. The more we stay, the stronger grows
our foe.
[thee
K.Lewis. The more I stay, the more I'll succour
Queen.O,but impatience waiteth on true sorrow
where comes the breeder of my sorrow.

And

see,

Enter Warwick. K. Lewis. What's he approacheth boldly to our presence?

Queen. Our earl of Warwick, Edward's greatest friend.

K. Lewis. Welcome, brave Warwick! What
brings thee to France?

[He descends. She ariseth.
Queen. Ay, now begins a second storm to rise:
For this is he, that moves both wind and tide.
My lord and sovereign, and thy vowed friend,
War. From worthy Edward, king of Albion,
First, to do greetings to thy royal person;
I come,-in kindness and unfeigned love,—
And, then, to crave a league of amity;
50 With nuptial knot, if thou vouchsafe to grant
And, lastly, to confirm that amity
That virtuous lady Bona, thy fair sister,
To England's king in la ful marriage.
Queen. If that go forward, Henry's hope is done.
War. And, gracious madam, in our king's be-
half,
[Speaking to Bona.
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;
Hath plac'd thy beauty's image, and thy virtue.
Where fame, late entering at his heedful ears,
Queen. King Lewis,-and lady Bona,-hear me

55

Queen. From such a cause as fills mine eyes with tears, [cares. And stops my tongue, while heart is drown'd in 60 K, Lewis. Whate'er it be, be thou still like thyself,

speak,

[graphic]

For how can tyrants safely govern home,
Unless abroad they purchase great alliance!
To prove him tyrant, this reason may suffice,-
That Henry liveth still: but were he dead,
Yet here prince Edward stands, king Henry's son.
Look therefore, Lewis, that by this league and
marriage

Thou draw not on thy danger and dishonour:
For though usurpers sway the rule a while,
Yet heavens are just, and time suppresseth wrongs.
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.
Orf. 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 conquered all France:
From these our Henry lineally descends.

War. Oxford, how haps it, in this smooth
discourse,

You told not, how Henry the sixth hath lost
All that which Henry the fifth had gotten?

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Bona. Yourgrant,oryourde Yet I confess, that often ere [S

When I have heard your kin Mine ear hath tempted judg K. Lewis. Then, Warwic shall be Edward's And now forthwith shall arti 25 Touching the jointure that y Which with her dowry shall Draw near, queen Margaret That Bona shall be wife to th Prince. To Edward, but no

Methinks, these peers of France should smile at 30 Queen. Deceitful Warwick

that.

But for the rest,-You tell a pedigree

Of threescore and two years; a silly time

To make prescription for a kingdom's worth.

By this alliance to make void
Before thy coming, Lewis wa
K. Lewis. And still is frie

garet:

Orf. Why, Warwick, canst thou speak against 35 But if your title to the crown

thy liege,

Whom thou obeyed'st thirty and six years,
And not bewray thy treason with a blush?
War. Can Oxford, that did ever fence the right,
Now buckler falsehood with a pedigree?
For shame, leave Henry, and call Edward king.
Orf. Call him my king, by whose injurious doom
My elder brother, the lord Aubrey Vere,
Was done to death! and more than so, my father,
Even in the downfall of his mellow'd years,
When nature brought him to the door of death!
No, Warwick, no; while life upholds this arm,
This arm upholds the house of Lancaster.
War. And I the house of York.

As may appear by Edward's Then 'tis but reason, that I b From giving aid, which late Yet shall you have all kindn 40 That your estate requires, an

45

2

War. Henry now lives in S
Where having nothing, nothi
And as for yourself, our quo
You have a father able to n
And better 'twere, you troubl
Queen. Peace, impudent a
wick, peace;

Proud setter-up and puller d
I will not hence, 'till with my

K.Lewis. Queen Margaret, prince Edward, and 50 Both full of truth, I make ki

Oxford,

Vouchsafe, at our request, to stand aside,
While I use further conference with Warwick.
Queen. Heavens grant that Warwick's words

bewitch him not!

[They retire. 55

K. Lewis. Now, Warwick, tell me, even upon

thy conscience,

Is Edward your true king? for I were loth,
To link with him that were not lawful chosen.

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War. Thereon I pawn my credit and mine 60 These from our king unto you

honour.

3

'Envy in this place seems to be put for malice or hatred. 2 This seems to be the poverty of Margaret's father being a very frequent topic of reproach. put for artifice and fraud.

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