That if our Queen and this young Prince agree,
I'll join my younger daughter and my joy
To him forthwith, in holy wedlock bands.

you for

your

Q. Mar. Yes, I agree, and thank
Son Edward, fhe is fair and virtuous;
Therefore delay not, give thy hand to Warwick,
And with thy hand, thy faith irrevocable,
That only Warwick's daughter fhall be thine.

motion.

Prince. Yes, I accept her, for fhe well deferves it: And here to pledge my vow, I give my hand.

[He gives his band to Warwick. K. Lewis. Why stay we now? these foldiers fhall be And thou, Lord Bourbon, our high Admiral,

Shalt waft them over with our royal fleet.
I long 'till Edward fall by war's mischance,
For mocking marriage with a Dame of France.

[levy'd,

[Exeunt. Manet Warwick.

War. I came from Edward as ambassador,
But I return his fworn and mortal foe:
Matter of marriage was the charge he gave me,
But dreadful war fhall anfwer his demand.
Had he none else to make a stale but me?
Then none but I fhall turn his jeft to forrow.
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 mifery,
But feek revenge on Edward's mockery.

5 eldeft... old edit. Theob. emend.

[Exit.

ACT

ACT IV,

SCENE I.

Changes to England.

Enter Gloucester, Clarence, Somerfet, and Montague.

GLOUCESTER.

OW tell me, brother Clarence, what think you Now

Of this new marriage with the Lady Gray?

Hath not our brother made a worthy choice? Cla. Alas, you know 'tis far from hence to France: How could he ftay 'till Warwick made return?

Som. My Lords, forbear this talk: here comes the King.

Flourish. Enter King Edward, Lady Gray as Queen, Pembroke, Stafford, and Haftings: Four ftand on one fide, and four on the other.

Glo. And his well-chofen bride.

Cla. I mind to tell him plainly what I think.

K. Edw. Now, brother Clarence, how like you our choice, That you stand penfive as half malecontent?

Cla. As well as Lewis of France, or th' Earl of Warwick, Which are fo weak of courage, and in judgment, That they'll take no offence at our abuse.

K. Edw. Suppose they take offence without a caufe.
They are but Lewis and Warwick, I am Edward,
Your King and Warwick's, and must have my will.
Glo. And you fhall have your will, because our King.
Yet hafty marriage feldom proveth well.

K. Edw. Yea, brother Richard, you offended too?
Glo. Not I; no: God forbid that I should wish
Them fevered whom God hath joined together!
Pity to funder them, that yoak fo well.

K. Edw.

K. Edw. Setting your fcorns and your

Tell me some reason why the Lady Gray

miflike afide,

Should not become my wife, and England's Queen.
And you too, Somerfet and Montague,

Speak freely what you think.

Cla. Then this is my opinion; that King Lewis Becomes your enemy, for mocking him

About the marriage of the Lady Bona.

Glo. And Warwick, doing what you gave in charge, Is now dishonoured by this new marriage.

K. Edw. What if both Lewis and Warwick be appeas'd, By fuch invention as I can devife?

Mont. Yet to have join'd with France in fuch alliance, Would more have ftrengthen'd this our commonwealth 'Gainst foreign ftorms, than any home-bred marriage. Haft. Why, knows not Montague that of it self England is fafe, if true within it felf?

Mont. Yes, but the fafer when 'tis back'd with France. Haft. 'Tis better ufing France, than trusting France. Let us be back'd with God, and with the feas, Which he hath giv'n for fence impregnable, And with their helps alone defend our felves: In them, and in our felves, our fafety lyes.

Cla. For this one fpeech, Lord Haftings well deferves To have the heir of the Lord Hungerford.

K. Edw. Ay, what of that? it was my will and grant, And for this once my will shall stand for law.

Glo. And yet methinks your Grace hath not done well, To give the heir and daughter of Lord Scales

Unto the brother of your loving bride;

She better would have fitted me or Clarence;
But in your bride you bury brotherhood.

Cla. Or elfe you would not have bestow'd the heir
Of the Lord Bonvill on your new wife's fon,
And leave your brothers to go speed elsewhere.
K. Edw. Alas, poor Clarence! is it for a wife
That thou art malecontent? I will provide thee.
Cla. In chufing for your felf, you fhew'd your judgment;

Which being shallow, you fhall give me leave
To play the broker in mine own behalf
And to that end I fhortly mind to leave you.

K. Edw. Leave me, or tarry, Edward will be King; And not be ty'd unto his brother's will.

Queen. My Lords, before it pleas'd his Majesty
To raise my state to title of a Queen,

Do me but right, and you must all confefs
That I was not ignoble of defcent,

And meaner than my self have had like fortune.
But as this title honours me and mine,

So your diflikes, to whom I would be pleafing,
Do cloud my joys with danger and with forrow.
K, Edw. My love, forbear to fawn upon their frowns;
What danger or what forrow can befall thee,
So long as Edward is thy conftant friend,

And their true Sov'reign, whom they must obey?
Nay, whom they fhall obey, and love thee too,
Unless they seek for hatred at my hands:
Which if they do, yet will I keep thee safe,
And they shall feel the vengeance of my wrath.
Glo. I hear, yet fay not much, but think the more.

SCEN NE II.

Enter a Poft.

K. Edw. Now, meffenger, what letters, or what news from France?

Poft. My Sovereign Liege, no letters and few words, But fuch as I (without your fpecial pardon)

Dare not relate.

K. Edw. Go to, we pardon thee:

So tell their words, as near as thou canft guess them.
What answer makes King Lewis to our letters?
Poft. At my depart, these were his very words:
Go tell falfe Edward, thy fuppofed King,
That Lewis of France is fending over maskers
To revel it with him and his new bride.

K. Edw.

K. Edw. Is Lewis fo brave? belike he thinks me Henry. But what faid Lady Bona to my marriage?

Post. These were her words, utter'd with mild difdain: Tell him, in hope he'll prove a widower shortly, I'll wear the willow garland for his fake.

K. Edw. I blame not her, she could fay little lefs; She had the wrong. But what faid Henry's Queen? For fo I heard that she was there in place.

Poft. Tell him (quoth she) my mourning weeds are done, And I am ready to put armour on.

K. Edw. Belike fhe minds to play the Amazon.
But what faid Warwick to thefe injuries?

Poft. He, more incens'd against your Majesty
Than all the reft discharg'd me with these words:
Tell him from me that he bath done me wrong,
And therefore I'll uncrown him ere't be long.

K.Edw. Ha! durft the traitor breathe'out fo proud words?
Well, I will arm me, being thus fore-warn'd::
They shall have wars, and pay for their prefumption.
But fay, is Warwick friends with Margaret?

[fhip,

Poft. Ay, gracious Sov'reign, they're fo link'd in friend-. The young Prince Edward marries Warwick's daughter. Cla. Belike the 'younger; Clarence will have the elder. Now, brother King, farewel, and fit you fast, For I will hence to Warwick's other daughter, That though I want a kingdom, yet in marriage I may not prove inferior to your felf,

You that love me and Warwick, follow me.

[Exit Clarence, and Somerset follows. Glo. Not I: my thoughts aim at a further matter:

I ftay not for the love of Edward, but the crown.

[Afide,

K. Edw. Clarence and Somerset both gone to Warwick? Yet am I arm'd against the worst can happen; And hafte is needful in this defp'rate cafe: Pembroke and Stafford, you in our behalf Go levy men, and make prepare for war;

6 elder: Clarence will have the younger.

They

... old edit. Theob, emend.