Therefore at last I firmly am resolved

You shall have aid.

Q.Mar. Let me give humble thanks for all at once. K. Lew. Then, England's messenger, return in post,

And tell false Edward, thy supposed king,
That Lewis of France is sending over masquers
To revel it with him and his new bride:

Thou seest what's past, go fear thy king withal. Bona. Tell him, in hope he'll prove a widower shortly,

I'll wear the willow garland for his sake.

Q. Mar. Tell him, my mourning weeds are 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.

K. Lew.

[Exit Post.

But, Warwick,

Thou and Oxford, with five thousand men,
Shall cross the seas, and bid false Edward battle;
And, as occasion serves, this noble queen
And prince shall follow with a fresh supply.
Yet, ere thou go, but answer me one doubt,
What pledge have we of thy firm loyalty?

War. This shall assure my constant loyalty,
That if our queen and this young prince agree,
I'll join mine eldest daughter and my joy
To him forthwith in holy wedlock bands.
Q. Mar. Yes, I agree, and thank you for your

motion.

226. fear, frighten.

242. mine eldest daughter. An oversight. Anne was Warwick's younger daughter. This is cor

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rected in Rich. III. i. I.: 'For then I'll marry Warwick's youngest daughter' (Prince Edward's fiancée).

Son Edward, she is fair and virtuous,

Therefore delay not, give thy hand to Warwick;
And, with thy hand, thy faith irrevocable,
That only Warwick's daughter shall be thine.
Prince. Yes, I accept her, for she well deserves it;
And here, to pledge my vow, I give my hand.

[He gives his hand to Warwick. K. Lew. Why stay we now? These soldiers shall be levied,

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.
[Exeunt all but Warwick.

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 raised 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.

[Exit.

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260

ACT IV.

SCENE I. London. The palace.

Enter GLOUCESTER, CLARENCE, SOMERSET,
and MONTAGUE.

Glou. Now tell me, brother Clarence, what

think you

260. stale, dupe.

Of this new marriage with the Lady Grey?
Hath not our brother made a worthy choice?
Clar. Alas, you know, 'tis far from hence to
France;

How could he stay till Warwick made return?
Som. My lords, forbear this talk; here comes
the king.

Glou. And his well-chosen bride.

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

Flourish.

Enter KING EDWARD,

attended; LADY GREY, as Queen; PEMBROKE, STAFFORD, HASTINGS, and others.

K. Edw. Now, brother of Clarence, how like you our choice,

That you stand pensive, as half malcontent?

Clar. As well as Lewis of France, or the Earl of Warwick,

Which are so weak of courage and in judgement
That they'll take no offence at our abuse.

K. Edw. Suppose they take offence without

a cause,

They are but Lewis and Warwick: I am Edward, Your king and Warwick's, and must have my will.

Glou. And shall have your will, because our king:

Yet hasty marriage seldom proveth well.

K. Edw. Yea, brother Richard, are you offended

too?

Glou. Not I:

No, God forbid that I should wish them sever'd Whom God hath join'd together; ay, and 'twere pity

6. Somerset. See the note on iv. 2. 3.

13. abuse, deception of them.

IO

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To sunder them that yoke so well together.

K. Edw. Setting your scorns and your mislike aside,

Tell me some reason why the Lady Grey

Should not become my wife and England's queen.
And you too, Somerset and Montague,

Speak freely what you think.

Clar. Then this is mine opinion: that King
Lewis

Becomes your enemy, for mocking him
About the marriage of the Lady Bona.

Glou. And Warwick, doing what you gave in charge,

Is now dishonoured by this new marriage.

K. Edw. What if both Lewis and Warwick be appeased

By such invention as I can devise?

Mont. Yet, to have join'd with France in such alliance

Would more have strengthen'd this our common

wealth

'Gainst foreign storms than any home-bred marriage.

Hast. Why, knows not Montague that of itself
England is safe, if true within itself?

Mont. But the safer when 'tis back'd with
France.

Hast. 'Tis better using France than trusting
France:

Let us be back'd with God and with the seas
Which He hath given for fence impregnable,
And with their helps only defend ourselves;
In them and in ourselves our safety lies.

Clar. For this one speech Lord Hastings well
deserves

To have the heir of the Lord Hungerford.

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40

K. Edw. Ay, what of that? it was my will

and grant;

And for this once my will shall stand for law.

Glou. 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.

Clar. Or else you would not have bestow'd the heir

Of the Lord Bonville on your new wife's son,
And leave your brothers to go speed elsewhere.

K. Edw. Alas, poor Clarence! is it for a wife That thou art malcontent? I will provide thee. Clar. In choosing for yourself, you show'd your judgement,

Which being shallow, you shall give me leave
To play the broker in mine own behalf;

And to that end I shortly mind to leave you.

K. Edw. Leave me, or tarry, Edward will be king,

And not be tied unto his brother's will.

Q. Eliz. My lords, before it pleased his majesty To raise my state to title of a queen,

Do me but right, and you must all confess
That I was not ignoble of descent;

And meaner than myself have had like fortune.
But as this title honours me and mine,
So your dislike, to whom I would be pleasing,
Doth cloud my joys with danger and with sorrow.

53. the brother of your . bride, Anthony Woodville, made Lord Rivers in 1469. He married Elizabeth Scales in 1462, and during the intervening years himself bore the title of Lord

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Scales,' formerly borne by his father-in-law (French).

57. your new wife's son, Sir Thomas Grey, made Marquess of Dorset.

63. broker, intermediary.

Z