To be the father unto many fons.

Answer no more, for thou shalt be my Queen.
Glo. The ghoftly father now hath done his fhrift.
Cla. When he was made a fhriver, 'twas for fhift.
K. Edw. Brothers, you muse what chat we two have had.
Glo. The widow likes it not, for fhe looks fad.

K. Edw. You'd think it ftrange, if I fhould marry her.
Cla. To whom, my Lord?

K. Edw. Why, Clarence, to my felf.

Glo. That would be ten days wonder at the leaft.
Cla. That's a day longer than a wonder lasts.
Glo. By fo much is the wonder in extreams.

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

Enter a Nobleman.

Nob. My gracious Lord, Henry your foe is taken,
And brought your prifoner 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 queftion of his apprehenfion.

Widow, go you along: Lords, ufe her honourably. [Exe.

Glo. Ay, Edward will ufe women honourably.
Would he were wafted, marrow, bones, and all,
That from his loins no hopeful branch may fpring,
To crofs me from the golden time I look for!
And yet between my foul's defire and me,
(The luftful Edward's title buried).

Is Clarence, Henry, and his fon young Edward,
And all th' unlook'd-for iffue of their bodies,
To take their rooms ere I can place my self.
A cold premeditation for my purpose!
Why then I do but dream on Sov'reignty,

Like one that stands upon a promontory
And spyes a far-off fhore where he would tread,
Wishing his foot were equal with his eye,
And chides the fea that funders him from thence,
Saying he'll lade it dry to have his way:
So do I wish the crown being fo far off,

And fo I chide the means that keep me from it,
And fo I fay I'll cut the causes off,

Flatt'ring my mind with things impoffible.

My eye's too quick, my heart o'er-weens too much,
Unless my hand and strength could equal them.
Well, fay there is no kingdom then for Richard:
What other pleasure can the world afford?
I'll make my heaven in a Lady's lap,
And deck my body in gay ornaments,

T

And 'witch fweet Ladies with my words and looks.
O miferable thought! and more unlikely,
Than to accomplish twenty golden crowns.
Why, love forfwore me in my mother's womb,
And, for I fhould not deal in her foft laws,
She did corrupt frail nature with fome bribe
To fhrink mine arm like to a wither'd fhrub;
To make an envious mountain on my back,
Where fits deformity to mock my body;
To fhape my legs of an unequal fize;
To difproportion me in every part:
Like to a Chaos, or unlick'd bear-whelp
That carries no impreffion like the dam.
And am I then a man to be belov'd?

Oh monftrous fault, to harbour fuch a thought!
Then fince this earth affords no joy to me,
But to command, to check, to o'er-bear fuch
As are of better perfon than my.felf;

I'll make my heav'n to dream upon the crown,
And while I live t'account this world but hell,
Until the 7 'head this mif-fhap'd trunk doth bear
Be round-impaled with a glorious crown.

7 mif-fhap'd trunk, that bears this head,

And

And yet I know not how to get the crown,

For many lives ftand between me and home:

And I, (like one loft in a thorny wood,
That rends 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 defp'rately to find it out)
Torment my felf to catch the English crown.
And from that torment I will free my self,
Or hew my way out with a bloody ax,
Why, I can fimile, and murther while I fmile,
And cry content to that which grieves my heart,
And wet my cheeks with artificial tears,
And frame my face to all occafions:

I'll drown more failors than the Mermaid fhall,
I'll flay more gazers than the Bafilisk,
I'll play the orator as well as Neftor,
Deceive more flily than Ulyffes could,
And, like a Sinon, take another Troy:
I can add colours to the Camelion,
Change shapes with Proteus, for advantages,
And fet the murth'rous Machiavel to fchool.
Can I do this, and cannot get a crown?
Tut, were it farther off, I'll pluck it down.

8

SCENE IV.

Changes to FRANCE.

[Exit.

Flourish. Enter King Lewis, Lady Bona, Bourbon, Prince of Wales, Queen Margaret, and the Earl of Oxford. Lewis fits, and rifeth up again.

K. Lewis. FAir Queen of England, worthy Margaret,

Sit down with us; it ill befits thy ftate, And birth, that thou fhould'ft ftand while Lewis fits.

Q. Mar

8 ev'n to

Q. Mar. No, mighty King of France; now Margaret Muft ftrike her fail, and learn a while to ferve, Where Kings command. I was, I must confefs, Great Albion's Queen in former golden days: But now mifchance hath trod my title down, And with dishonour laid me on the ground, Where I must take like feat unto my fortune, And to my humble feat conform my self.

K. Lewis. Why, fay, fair Queen, whence fprings this deep defpair?

Q. Mar. From fuch a caufe as fills mine eyes with tears And stops my tongue, while my heart's drown'd in cares. K. Lewis. Whate'er it be, be thou ftill like thy felf, And fit thee by our fide. Yield not thy neck.

[Seats her by him. To fortune's yoak, but let thy dauntlefs mind Still ride in triumph over all mifchance. Be plain, Queen Margaret, and tell thy grief; It fhall be eas'd, if France can yield relief.

[thoughts,
Q. Mar. Thofe gracious words revive my drooping
And give my tongue-ty'd forrows leave to fpeak.
Now therefore be it known to noble Lewis,
That Henry, fole poffeffor 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
Ufurps the regal title, and the feat

Of England's true anointed lawful King.
This is the caufe that I poor Margaret,
With this my fon Prince Edward, Henry's heir,
Am come to crave thy juft and lawful aid:
And if thou fail us, all our hope is done.
Scotland hath will to help, but cannot help:
Our people and our Peers are both mif-led,
Our treasure feiz'd, our foldiers put to flight,
And, as thou feeft, our felves in heavy plight.

K. Lewis. Renowned Queen, with patience
While we bethink a means to break it off,
VOL. IV.

[ftorm, calm the

Q. Mar.

Q. Mar. The more we ftay, the stronger grows our foe. K. Lewis. The more I ftay, the more I'll fuccour thee. Q. Mar. Oh, but impatience waiteth on true forrow: And fee where comes the breeder of my forrow.

K. Lewis. What's he approacheth boldly to our prefence? Q. Mar. Our Earl of Warwick, Edward's greatest

friend.
France?
K. Lewis. Welcome brave Warwick, what brings thee to
[He defcends. She arifeth.
Q. Mar. Ay, now begins a fecond storm to rife;
For this is he that moves both wind and tide.
War. From worthy Edward, King of Albion,
My Lord and Sov'reign, and thy vowed friend,
I come (in kindnefs and unfeigned love)
First to do greetings to thy royal person,
And then to crave a league of amity;
And laftly, to confirm that amity

With nuptial knot, if thou vouchfafe to grant
That virtuous Lady Bona, thy fair fifter,
To England's King in lawful marriage.

Q. Mar. If that go forward, Henry's hope is done.
War. And gracious Madam, in our King's behalf,
[Speaking to Bona.
I am commanded, with your leave and favour,
Humbly to kiss your hand, and with my tongue
To tell the paffion of my Sov'reign's heart;
Where fame late entring at his heedful ears,
Hath plac'd thy beauty's image and thy 'virtue's.

9

Q. Mar. King Lewis, and Lady Bona, hear me fpeak, Before you answer Warwick. His demand

Springs not from Edward's well-meant honest love,
But from deceit bred by neceffity:

For how can tyrants fafely govern home,

9 virtue.

Unless