(SCENE I.)

Enter two Keepers with bow and arrows. Keep. Come, let's take our stands upon this hill; And by and by the deer will come this way. But stay, here comes a man, let's listen him awhile.

Enter King HENRY disguised.

King. From Scotland am I stolen, even of pure love,

And thus disguis'd, to greet my native land.

No, Henry, no, it is no land of thine;

No bending knee will call thee Cæsar now,
No humble suitors sue to thee for right;
For how canst thou help them, and not thyself?
Keep. Ay, marry sir, here's a deer, his skin is a
keeper's fee. Sirrah, stand close, for, as I think, this
is the king king Edward hath deposed.

King. My queen and son, poor souls, are gone to
France;

And, as I hear, the great commanding Warwick,
To entreat a marriage with the lady Bona.

If this be true, poor queen and son,

Your labour is but spent in vain;

For Lewis is a prince soon won with words,

And Warwick is a subtle orator.

He laughs, and says his Edward is install'd;

She weeps, and says her Henry is depos'd:

He, on his right hand, asking a wife for Edward;
She, on his left side, craving aid for Henry.

Keep. What art thou that talk'st of kings and
queens?

King. More than I seem, for less I should not be : A man at least, and more I cannot be: And men may talk of kings, and why not I?

Keep. Ay, but thou talk'st as if thou wert a king thyself.

King. Why, so I am in mind, though not in show? Keep. And if thou be a king, where is thy crown? King. My crown is in my heart, not on my head; My crown is call'd content,

A crown that kings do seldom times enjoy.

Keep. And if thou be a king crown'd with content,
Your crown content and you must be content
To go with us unto the officers,

For, as we think, you are our quondam king,
King Edward hath depos'd,

And therefore we charge you in God's name and the king's,

To go along with us unto the officers.

King. God's name be fulfill'd, your king's name be obey'd;

And be you kings; command, and I'll obey.

(SCENE II.)

[Exeunt omnes.

Enter King EDWARD, CLARENCE, and GLOSter,
MONTAGUE, HASTINGS, and the Lady GREY.
K. Edw. Brothers of Clarence and of Gloster,
This lady's husband here, sir Richard Grey,
At the battle of St. Alban's did lose his life:
His lands then were seiz'd on by the conqueror.
Her suit is now to repossess those lands;
And sith in quarrel of the house of York
The noble gentleman did lose his life,

In honour we cannot deny her suit.

K. Edw. What service wilt thou do me, if I grant it them?

Lady G. Even what your highness shall command. Glo. Nay then, widow, I'll warrant you all your husband's lands,

If you grant to do what he commands.
Fight close, or in good faith you catch a clap.
Cla. Nay, I fear her not unless she fall.

Glo. Marry, God forbid, man, for he 'll take 'vantage then.

Lady G. Why stops my lord; shall I not know my task?

K. Edw. An easy task, 'tis but to love a king. Lady G. That's soon perform'd, because I am a

subject.

K. Edw. Why then thy husband's lands I freely give thee.

Lady G. I take my leave with many thousand thanks.

Cla. The match is made; she seals it with a curtsy. K. Edw. Stay, widow, stay; what love dost thou think I sue so much to get?

Lady G. My humble service,
Such as subjects owe, and the laws command.

K. Edw. No, by my troth, I meant no such love, But to tell thee the truth, I aim to lie with thee. Lady G. To tell you plain, my lord, I had rather lie in prison.

K. Edw. Why then thou canst not get thy husband's lands.

Lady G. Then mine honesty shall be my dower, For by that loss I will not purchase them.

K. Edw. Herein thou wrong'st thy children mightily.

Lady G. Herein your highness wrongs both them and me.

But, mighty lord, this merry inclination
Agrees not with the sadness of my suit.

Please it your highness to dismiss me, either with ay

or no.

K. Edw. Ay, if thou say ay to my request; No, if thou say no to my demand.

Lady G. Then no, my lord; my suit is at an end. Glo. The widow likes him not; she bends the brow. Cla. Why he is the bluntest wooer in Christendom. K. Edw. Her looks are all replete with majesty: One way, or other, she is for a king;

And she shall be my love, or else my queen.
Say, that king Edward took thee for his queen.

Lady G. 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. Sweet widow, by my state I swear,

I speak no more than what my heart intends,
And that is, to enjoy thee for my love.

Lady G. And that is more than I will yield unto;

I know I am too bad to be your queen,
And yet too good to be your concubine.

K. Edw. You cavil, widow; I did mean my queen. Lady G. Your grace would be loth my sons should call you father.

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 bachelor,
Have other some: Why, 'tis a happy thing
To be the father of many children.
Argue no more, for thou shalt be my queen.

Glo. The ghostly father now hath done his shrift.
Cla. When he was made a shriver, 'twas for shift.
K. Edw. Brothers, you muse what talk the widow
and I have had.

You would think it strange if I should marry her.
Cla. Marry her, my lord, to whom?
K. Edw. Why, Clarence, to myself.

Glo. That would be ten days' wonder at the least.
Cla. Why that's a day longer than a wonder lasts.
Glo. And so much more are the wonders in ex-
tremes.

K. Edw. Well, jest on, brothers; I can tell you
Her suit is granted for her husband's lands.

Enter a Messenger.

Mess. An it please your grace, Henry your foe is taken,

And brought as prisoner to your palace gates.
K. Edw. Away with him, and send him to the Tower;
And let's go question with the man about
His apprehension. Lords along, and use
This lady honourably.

[Exeunt omnes.
Manet GLOSTER, and speaks.
Glo. Ay, Edward will use women honourably.
Would he were wasted, marrow, bones, and all,
That from his loins no issue might succeed,
To hinder me from the golden time I look for:
For I am not yet look'd on in the world!
First is there Edward, Clarence, and Henry,
And his son, and all they look for issue
Of their loins, ere I can plant myself:
A cold premeditation for my purpose!

What other pleasure is there in the world beside?
I will go clad my body in gay ornaments,

And lull myself within a lady's lap,
And witch s veet ladies with my words and looks.
Oh monstrous man, to harbour such a thought!
Why, love did scorn me in my mother's womb;
And, for I should not deal in her affairs,
She did corrupt frail nature in the flesh,
And plac'd an envious mountain on my back,
Where sits deformity to mock my body;
To dry mine arm up like a wither'd shrimp;
To make my legs of an unequal size.
And am I then a man to be belov`d?
Easier for me to compass twenty crowns.
Tut, I can smile, and murder when I smile;
I cry content to that which grieves me most;
I can add colours to the chamelion;
And for a need change shapes with Proteus,
And set the aspiring Catiline to school.
Can I do this, and cannot get the crown?
Tush, were it ten times higher, I'll pull it down.
[Exit.

(SCENE III.)

Enter King LEWIS, and the Lady BONA, Queen MAR-
GARET, Prince EDWARD, and OXFORD, with others.
Lew. Welcome, queen Margaret, to the court of
France.

It fits not Lewis to sit while thou dost stand;
Sit by my side, and here I vow to thee,
Thou shalt have aid to repossess thy right,
And beat proud Edward from his usurped seat,
And place king Henry in his former rule.

Queen. I humbly thank your royal majesty;
And pray the God of heaven to bless thy state,
Great king of France, that thus regards our wrongs.
Enter WARWICK,

Lew. How now! who is this?

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

Lew. Welcome, brave Warwick; what brings thee to France?

War. From worthy Edward, king of England,
My lord and sovereign, and thy vowed friend,

I come in kindness and unfeigned 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.

Queen. And if this go forward all our hope is done.
War. And, gracious madam, in our king's behalf,
I am commanded, with your love and favour,
Humbly to kiss your hand, and with my tongue
To tell the passions of my sovereign's heart,
Where fame, late entering at his heedful ears,
Hath plac'd thy glorious image and thy virtues.
Queen. King Lewis and lady Bona, hear me speak
Before you answer Warwick or his words,
For he it is hath done us all these 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, That did subdue the greatest part of Spain; And after John of Gaunt, wise Henry the Fourth, Whose wisdom was a mirror to the world; And after this wise prince Henry Fifth,

Who with his prowess conquered all France :—
From these our Henry is lineally descent.

War. Oxford, how haps that in this smooth dis

course,

You told not how Henry the Sixth had lost
All that Henry the Fifth had gotten?

Methinks these peers of France should smile at 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.

Orf. Why, Warwick, canst thou deny thy king,
Whom thou obeyedst thirty and eight years,
And (not) bewray thy treasons 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 whom mine elder
brother.

The lord Aubrey Vere, was done to death;
And more than so, my father

Even in the downfal of his mellow'd years,
When age did call him to the door of death?
No, Warwick, no; whilst life upholds this arm,
This arm upholds the house of Lancaster.

War. And I the house of York.

Lew. Queen Margaret, prince Edward, and Oxford, Vouchsafe to forbear a while, till I do talk

A word with Warwick.

Now, Warwick, even upon thy honour tell me true;
Is Edward lawful king or no? for I were loth
To link with him that is not lawful heir.

War. Thereon I pawn mine honour and my credit.
Lew. What, is he gracious in the people's eyes?
War. The more that Henry is unfortunate.
Lew. What is his love to our sister Bona?
War. Such it seems,

As may beseem a monarch like himself.
Myself have often heard him say and swear,
That this his love was an eternal plant,
The root whereof was fix'd in virtue's ground,
The leaves and fruit maintain'd with beauty's sun;
Exempt from envy, but not from disdain,
Unless the lady Bona quit his pain.

Lew. Then, sister, let us hear your firm resolve.
Bona. Your grant or denial shall be mine.
But ere this day I must confess,
When I have heard your king's deserts recounted,
Mine ears have tempted judgment to desire.

Lew. Then draw near, queen Margaret, and be a witness,

That Bona shall be wife to the English king.

Prince. To Edward, but not the English king.
War. Henry now lives in Scotland, at his ease;
Where, having nothing, nothing can he lose.
And as for you yourself, our quondam queen,
You have a father able to maintain your state,
And better 't were to trouble him than France.

Sound for a Post within.

Lew. Here comes some post, Warwick, to thee or us. Post. My lord ambassador, this letter is for you, Sent from your brother, Marquess Montague. This from our king, unto your majesty.

And these to you, madam, from whom I know not.

Orf. I like it well, that our fair queen and mistress Smiles at her news, when Warwick frets at his.

Prince. And mark how Lewis stamps as he were nettled.

Lew. Now, Margaret and Warwick, what are your news?

Queen. Mine is such as fills my heart with joy. War. Mine full of sorrow and heart's discontent. Lew. What, hath your king married the lady Grey, And now, to excuse himself, sends us a post of papers? How dares he presume to use us thus?

Queen. This proveth Edward's love, and Warwick's honesty.

War. King Lewis, I here protest, in sight of heaven,
And by the hope I have of heavenly bliss,
That I am clear from this misdeed of Edward's.
No more my king, for he dishonours me;
And most himself, if he could see his shame.
Did I forget, that by the house of York
My father came to an untimely death?
Did I let pass the abuse done to my niece?
Did I impale him with the regal crown,
And thrust king Henry from his native home?
And (most ungrateful) doth he use me thus?
My gracious queen, pardon what is past,
And henceforth I am thy true servitor:

I will revenge the wrongs done to lady Bona,
And replant Henry in his former state.

Queen, Yes, Warwick, I'll quite forget thy former faults,

If now thou wilt become king Henry's friend.
War. So much his friend, ay, his unfeigned friend,
That if king Lewis vouchsafe to furnish us
With some few bands of chosen soldiers,
I'll undertake to land them on our coast,
And force the tyrant from his seat by war.
'T is not his new-made bride shall succour him.
Lew. Then at the last I firmly am resolv'd
You shall have aid:

And, English messenger, return in post,
And tell false Edward, thy supposed king,
That Lewis of France is sending over maskers

To revel it with him and his new bride.

Bona. Tell him, in hope he 'll be a widower shortly, I'll wear the willow garland for his sake.

Queen. Tell him, my mourning weeds be laid aside, And I am ready to put armour on.

War. Tell him from me, that he hath done me

wrong;

And therefore I ll uncrown him ere 't be long. There's thy reward; be gone.

[Exit Messenger.

Lew. But now tell me, Warwick,
What assurance I shall have of thy true loyalty?
War. This shall assure my constant loyalty:
If that our queen and this young prince agree,
I ll join mine eldest daughter and my joy
To him forthwith in holy wedlock bands.

Queen. With all my heart; that match I like full well:
Love her, son Edward, she is fair and young,
And give thy hand to Warwick for thy love.

Lew. It is enough; and now we will prepare
To levy soldiers for to go with you.

And you, lord Bourbon, our high admiral,
Shall waft them safely to the English coast;
And chase proud Edward from his slumb'ring trance,
For mocking marriage with the name of France.
War. I came from Edward as ambassador,
But I return his sworn and mortal foe:
Matter of marriage was the charge he gave me,
But dreadful war shall answer his demand.
Had he none else to make a stale but me?
Then none but I shall turn his jest 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 misery,

But seek revenge on Edward's mockery.

[Exeunt.

(SCENE I.)

Enter King EDWARD, the QUEEN, CLARENCE, GLOSTER, MONTAGUE, HASTINGS, and PEMBROKE, with Soldiers.

K. Edw. Brothers of Clarence, and of Gloster, what think you of our marriage with the lady Grey?

Cla. My lord, we think as Warwick and Lewis, that are so slack in judgment that they will take no offence at this sudden marriage.

K. Edw. Suppose they do, they are but Lewis and Warwick; and I am both your king and Warwick's, and will be obeyed.

Glo. And shall, because our king, but yet such sudden marriages seldom prove well.

K. Edw. Yea, brother Richard, are you against us, too?

Glo. Not I, my lord; no, God forfend, that I Should once gainsay your highness' pleasure; Ay, and 't were pity

To sunder them that yoke so well together.

K. Edw. Setting your scorns and your dislikes aside, Show me some reasons why the lady Grey May not be my love, and England's queen? Speak freely, Clarence, Gloster, Montague, and Hastings.

Cla. My lord, then this is mine opinion,-that
Warwick,

Being dishonour'd in his embassage,
Doth seek revenge to quit his injuries.

Glo. And Lewis, in regard of his sister's wrongs, Doth join with Warwick to supplant your state. K.Edw. Suppose that Lewis and Warwick be appeas'd By such means as I can best devise.

Mont. But yet to have join'd with France in this alliance,

Would more have strengthen'd this our common

wealth,

'Gainst foreign storms, than any home-bred marriage. Hast. Let England be true within itself, We need not France, nor any alliance with them.

Cla. For this one speech, lord Hastings well deserves To have the daughter and heir of the lord Hungerford. K. Edw. And what then? It was our will it should

be so.

Cla. Ay, and for such a thing, too, the lord Scales Did well deserve at your hands

To have the daughter of the lord Bonfield,
And left your brothers to go seek elsewhere:
But in your madness you bury brotherhood.

K. Edw. Alas, poor Clarence! is it for a wife
That thou art malecontent?

Why, man, be of good cheer, I'll provide thee one.

Cla. Nay, you play'd the broker so ill for yourself, That you shall give me leave to make my choice As I think good: and to that intent

I shortly mean to leave you.

K. Edw. Leave me, or tarry, I am full resolv'd Edward will not be tied to his brothers' wills. Queen. My lords, do me but right,

And you must confess, before it pleas'd his highness To advance my state to title of a queen,

That I was not ignoble from my birth.

K. Edw. Forbear, my love, to fawn upon their frowns; For thee they must obey, nay shall obey, An if they look for favour at my hands.

Mont. My lord, here is the messenger return'd from France.

Enter Messenger.

K. Edw. Now, sirrah, what letters? or what news?
Mess. No letters, my lord,

And such news, as without your highness' pardon
I dare not relate.

K. Edw. We pardon thee, and (as near as thou canst) tell me,

What said Lewis to our letters?

Mess. At my departure these were his very words Go, tell false Edward, thy supposed king, That Lewis of France is sending over maskers To revel it with him and his new bride.'

K. Edw. Is Lewis so brave? Belike, he thinks me Henry.

But what said lady Bona to these wrongs?

Mess. Tell him,' quoth she, in hope he 'll prove a widower shortly,

I'll wear a willow garland for his sake.'

K. Edw. She had the wrong;

Indeed she could say little less. But what said Heury's queen,

For, as I hear, she was then in place?

Mess. Tell him,' quoth she, my mourning weeds be done,

And I am ready to put armour on.'

K. Edw. Then belike she means to play the Amazon. But what said Warwick to these injuries?

Mess. He, more incensed than the rest, my lord,
Tell him, quoth he, that he hath done me wrong,
And therefore I'll uncrown him ere 't be long.'
K. Edw. Ha! durst the traitor breathe out such
proud words?

But I will arm me to prevent the worst.
But what, is Warwick friends with Margaret?

Mess. Ay, my good lord, they are so link'd in
friendship,

That young prince Edward marries Warwick's daughter.

Cla. The elder, belike; Clarence shall have the

stand you.

For why hath nature made me halt downright,
But that I should be valiant and stand to it:
For if I would I cannot run away.

K. Edw. Pembroke, go raise an army presently.
Pitch up my tent; for in the field this night

I mean to rest, and on the morrow morn

I'll march to meet proud Warwick, ere he land
Those straggling troops which he hath got in France.
But ere I go, Montague and Hastings,
You above all the rest are near allied
In blood to Warwick; therefore tell me

If you favour him more than me, or not. Speak truly;

For I had rather have you open enemies,
Than hollow friends.

Mont. So God help Montague, as he proves true.
Hast. And Hastings, as he favours Edward's cause.

Enter WARWICK and OXFORD, with Soldiers. War. Trust me, my lords, all hitherto goes well; The common people by numbers swarm to us. But see, where Somerset and Clarence come; Speak suddenly, my lords, are we all friends? Cla. Fear not that, my lord.

War. Then, gentle Clarence, welcome unto Warwick,

And welcome, Somerset: I hold it cowardice,
To rest mistrustful, where a noble heart
Hath pawn'd an open hand in sign of love :
Else might I think that Clarence, Edward's brother,
Were but a feigned friend to our proceedings:

But welcome, sweet Clarence, my daughter shall be thine.

And now what rests, but, in night's coverture,
Thy brother being carelessly encamp'd,

His soldiers lurking in the town about,

And but attended by a simple guard,

We may surprise and take him at our pleasure?
Our scouts have found the adventure very easy.
Then cry king Henry with resolved minds,
And break we presently into his tent.

Cla. Why then let's on our way in silent sort:
For Warwick and his friends, God, and St. George!
War. This is his tent, and see where his guard
doth stand:

Courage, my soldiers, now or never;

But follow me now, and Edward shall be ours.
All. A Warwich, a Warwick.

(SCENE III.)

Alarums, and GLOSTER and HASTINGS fly. Orf. Who goes there?

War. Richard and Hastings: let them go, here's the duke.

K. Edw. The duke! why, Warwick, when we parted last

Thou call dst me king.

War. Ay, but the case is alter'd now.
When you disgrac'd me in my embassage,
Then I disgraced you from being king,

And now am come to create you duke of York.
Alas, how should you govern any kingdom,
That know not how to use ambassadors;
Nor how to use your brothers brotherly;
Nor how to shroud yourself from enemies?

K. Edw. Well, Warwick, let fortune do her worst, Edward in mind will bear himself a king.

War. Then, for his mind, be Edward England's

Enter GLOSTER, HASTINGS, and Sir WILLIAM
STANLEY.

Glo. Lord Hastings, and Sir William Stanley,
Know that the cause I sent for you is this:
I look my brother, with a slender train,
Should come a hunting in this forest here.
The bishop of York befriends him much,
And lets him use his pleasure in the chase;
Now I have privily sent him word,
How I am come with you to rescue him,
And see where the huntsman and he doth come.
Enter EDWARD and a Huntsman.

Hunt. This way, my lord, the deer is gone.
K. Edw. No, this way, huntsman ;

See where the keepers stand. Now, brother, and the rest,

What, are you provided to depart?

Glo. Ay, ay, the horse stands at the park corner; Come, to Lynn, and so take shipping into Flanders: K. Edw. Come, then.

Hastings and Stanley, I will requite your loves.
Bishop, farewell: shield thee from Warwick's frown,
And pray that I may repossess the crown.
Now, huntsman, what will you do?

Hunt. Marry, my lord, I think I had as good gɔ with you, as tarry here to be hanged. K. Edw. Come then, let 's away with speed. [Exeunt omnes.

Tush, fear not, fair queen, but cast those cares aside. King Edward's noble mind his honours doth display; And Warwick may lose, though then he got the day. Queen. If that were all my griefs were at an end; But greater troubles will I fear befall.

Rie. What, is he taken prisoner by the foe, To the danger of his royal person then? Queen. Ay, there's my grief, king Edward is surpris'd,

And led away as prisoner unto York.

Riv. The news is passing strange, I must confess; Yet comfort yourself, for Edward hath more friends; Then Lancaster at this time must perceive

That some will set him in his throne again.

Queen. God grant they may; but, gentle brother,

come,

And let me lean upon thine arm awhile,
Until I come unto the sanctuary,
There to preserve the fruit within my womb,
King Edward's seed, true heir to England's crown.
[Exeunt.

• This and the next scene are transposed in the amended play. This scene corresponds with Scene v. of Henry VI., Part III.

This scene corresponds with Scene Iv. of Henry VI., Part III.