Enter Sinklo, and Humphry, with Crofs-Bows in their Hands.
Sink. Nder 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 stand,
Culling the principal of all the Deer.
Hum. I'll ftay above the Hill, fo both may fhoot.
Sink. That cannot be, the noise 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 stand.
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 Sight:
No Harry, Harry, 'tis no Land of thine,
Thy place is fill'd, thy Scepter wrung from thee,
Thy Balm washt off wherewith thou waft anointed,
No bending Knee will call thee Cafar now,
No humble Sutors prefs to fpeak for right:
No, not a Man comes for redress to thee;
For how can I help them, and not my self?
Sink. Ay, here's a Deer, whofe Skin's a Keeper's Fee:
This is the quondam King, let's feize upon him.
K. Henry, Let me embrace the four Adversaries,
For wife Men fay, it is the wifeft Course.
Hum. Why linger we? let us lay Hands upon him.
Sink, Forbear a while, we'll hear a litttle more.
K. Henry. My Queen and Son are gone to France for
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 Sighs 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 brinish Tears.
Ay, but the'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 install'd;
That the, poor wretch, for grief can speak no more:
Whiles Warwick tells his Title, fmooths the Wrong,
Inferreth Arguments of mighty Strength,
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.
Hum. Say, what art thou that talk'st of Kings, and
Queens?
K. Henry. More than I seem, and less than I was born to; A Man at least, for lefs I fhould not be;
And Men may talk of Kings, and why not 1?
Hum. Ay, but thou talk'ft as if thou wert a King. K. Henry Why fo I am, in Mind, and that's enough. Hum. 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 seldom 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 England?
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 fworn 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 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 Lightness 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,
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 obey'd
And what God will, that let your King perform,
And, what he will, I humbly yield unto.
Enter King Edward, Gloucester, 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 those Lands,
Which we in Juftice cannot well deny,
Because in quarrel of the Houfe of York,
The worthy Gentleman did lose his Life.
Glo. Your Highness fhall do well to grant her Suit:
It were difhonour 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.
Clar. He knows the Game, how true he keeps the Wind?
K. Edw. Widow, we will confider of your Suit,
And come, fome other time, to know our Mind.
Gray. Right gracious Lord, I cannot brook delay,
May it please your Highness to resolve me now.
And what your Pleasure is, fhall fatisfic me.
Glo. Ay, Widow! then I'll warrant you all
And if what pleases him, fhall please you:
Fight clofer, or good faith you'll catch a Blow.
Clar. I fear her not, unless fhe chance to fall.
Glo. God forbid that, for he'll take vantages.
K. Edw. How many Children haft thou, Widow ?
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.
Glo. You fhall have four, if you'll be rul'd by him.
K. Edw. Twere pity they should lose their Father's Lands.
Gray. Be pitiful, dread Lord, and grant it then. VOL. IV.
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.
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 some harm, K. Edw. Then get your Husband's Lands, to do them good.
Gray. Therefore I came unto your Majesty.
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 command that refts in me to do.
K. Edw. But you will take Exceptions to my Boon.
Gray. No, gracious Lord, except 1 cannot do it.
K. Edm. Ay, but thou canst 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 must melt..
Gray. Why ftops my Lord? fhall I not hear my Task?
K. Edw. An ealie Task, 'tis but to love a King.
Gray, That's foon perform'd, because I am a Subject..
K. Ed
Why then, thy Husband's Lands 1 freely give thee.
Gray. I take
thousand Thanks.
leave with
my
many
Glo. The match is made, fhe feals it with a Curtiię.
K. Edw. But ftay thee, 'tis the fruits of Love I mean.
Gray. The fruits of Love, I mean, my loving Liege.
K. Edw. Ay, but I fear me in another fenfe.
What Love, think'ft thou, I fue fo much to get?
Gray.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 fuch Love.
did..
Gray. Why then you mean not as I thought you
K. Edo. But now you partiy may perceive my Mind.
Gray, 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 lye with thee.
Gray. To tell you plain, I had rather lye in Prison.
|