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ACT IV. SCENE I.

The Palace in England.

Enter Gloucester, Clarence, Somerset and Montague.

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GLOUCESTER.

WOW tell me, brother Clarence, what think you Of this new marriage with the lady Gray? 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.

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?

Clar. 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. Suppofe, they take offence without a cause. They are but Lewis and Warwick, and I am Edward, Your King and Warwick's, and must have my will.

Glo. And you shall have your will, because our King. Yet hafty marriage feldom proveth well.

K. Edw, Yea, brother Richard, are you offended too? Glo. Not I; no. God forbid that I fhould wish Them fevered whom God hath join'd together;

Pity to funder them, that yoke fo well.

K. Edw. Setting your fcorns and your mislike afide, Tell me fome reafon, why the Lady Gray

Should not become my wife, and England's Queen?
And you too, Somerfet and Montague,
Speak freely what you think.

Clar. 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 'Gainft foreign ftorms, than any home-bred marriage.

Haft. Why, knows not Montague, that of itself England is fafe, if true within itself?

Mont. Yes; but the fafer, when 'tis back'd with France.

Haft. 'Tis better ufing France, than trufting France. Let us be back'd with God, and with the feas, 4 Which he hath given for fence impregnable, And with their helps alone defend ourselves: In them, and in ourselves, our fafety lies.

Clar. 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 fhall ftand for law.

Glo. And yet, methinks, your Grace hath not done

well,

To give the heir and daughter of Lord Scales

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with the feas,] This and favoured the intereft of

has been the advice of every England.

man who in any age underflood

Unto

Unto the brother of your loving bride.
She better would have fitted Me, or Clarence;
But in your bride you bury brotherhood.

*

Clar. Or elfe you would not have beftow'd the heir Of the Lord Bonvil 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. Clar. In chufing for yourself, you shew'd

your judg

ment; 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 myfelf have had like fortune.
But as this Title honours me and mine,

So your diflikes, to whom I would be pleasing,
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 befal thee,
So long as Edward is thy conftant friend,

And their true Sovereign, whom they must obey?
Nay, whom they fhall obey, and love thee too,
Unless they feek for hatred at my hands,
Which if they do, yet will I keep thee fafe,
And they fhall feel the vengeance of my wrath.
Glo. [afide] I hear, yet fay not much, but think the

more.

-you would not have beftow'd the heir] It must be remembered, that till the reftoration the heireffes of great eftates were in the wardship of the king, who in their minority gave

them up to plunder, and afterwards matched them to his favourites. I know not when li berty gained more than by the abolition of the court of wards,

SCENE

SCENE 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 guefs 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 mafkers
To revel it with him and his new bride.

K. Edw. Is Lewis fo brave? belike, he thinks me
Henry.

But what faid lady Bona to my marriage?

Poft. These were her words, utter'd with mild difdain; -Tel him, in hope he'll prove a widower fhortly, I'll wear the willow garland for his fake.

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

Poft. Tell him, quoth the, my mourning weeds are done;

And I am ready to put armour on.

K. Edw. Belike, the means to play the Amazon. But what faid Warwick to thefe injuries?

Poft. He, more incens'd against your Majefty Than all the reft, difcharg'd me with thefe words; Tell him from me, that he hath done me Wrong, And therefore I'll uncrown him ere't be long.

K. Edw. Ha! durft the Traitor breathe out so proud words?

Well, I will arm me, being thus forewarn'd:
They fhall have wars, and pay for their prefumption.
But fay, is Warwick friends with Margaret?

Poft.

Poft. Ay, gracious Sov'reign, they're fo link'd in friendfhip,

That young Prince Edward marries Warwick's daughter.

[Exit. Clar. Belike the younger; Clarence will have the elder." -Now, brother King, farewel, and fit you faft, For I will hence to Warwick's other daughter; That though I want a Kingdom, yet in Marriage I may not prove inferior to yourfelf..

-You, *that love me and Warwick, follow me.

[Exit Clarence, and Somerfet follows.

Glo. Not I: my thoughts aim at a further matter: I ftay not for love of Edward, but the Crown. [Afide. K. Edw. Clarence and Somerfet 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; They are already, or will foon be landed; Myself in perfon will strait follow you.

[Exe. Pembroke and Stafford.

But ere I go, Haftings and Montague,
Refolve my doubt: You twain, of all the reft,
Are near to Warwick by blood and by alliance;
Tell me, if you love Warwick more than me?
If it be fo, then both depart to him,

in fufpect.

I rather wish you foes, than hollow friends.
But if you mind to hold your true obedience,
Give me affurance with fome friendly vow,
That I may never have you
s Belike the Elder; Clarence
will have the Younger.] I
have ventured to make Elder and
Younger change Places in this
Line against the Authority of All
the printed Copies. The Rea-

fon of it will be obvious.

THEOBALD. You, that love me and Warwick, fellow me.]

That

Clarence should make this speech in the king's hearing is very improbable, yet I do not fee how it can be palliated. The king never goes out, nor can Clarence

be talking to a company apart, for he aufwers immediately to that which the Poft fays to the king.

Mon.

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