The Works of William Shakespeare

And, having France thy friend, thou shalt not dread

The scatter'd foe that hopes to rise again;
For though they cannot greatly sting to hurt,
Yet look to have them buz, to offend thine
First, will I see the coronation;
[ears.
And then to Brittany I'll cross the sea,
To effect this marriage, so it please my lord.
Edw. Even as thou wilt, sweet Warwick,
let it be ;

For on thy shoulder do I build my seat,
And never will I undertake the thing
Wherein thy counsel and consent is wanting.
Richard, I will create thee duke of Gloster ;
And George, of Clarence: Warwick, as our-
Shall do and undo, as him pleaseth best. [self,
Rich. Let me be duke of Clarence, George
of Gloster,

For Gloster's dukedom is too ominous.

War. Tut! that's a foolish observation : Richard, be duke of Gloster. Now to London, To see these honours in possession. [Exeunt.

K. Hen. From Scotland am I stol'n, even of pure love, [sight. To greet mine own land with my wishful No, Harry, Harry, 'tis no land of thine; Thy place is fill'd, thy sceptre wrung from thee, [anointed Thy balm wash'd off wherewith thou wast No bending knee will call thee Cæsar now, No humble suitors press to speak for right, No, not a man comes for redress of thee; For how can I help them, and not myself? 1 Keep. Ay, here's a deer whose skin's a keeper's fee: [him.

This is the quondam king; let's seize upon K. Hen. Let me embrace these sour adversities;

For wise men say it is the wisest course.

2 Keep. Why linger we? let us lay hands upon him. [more.

1 Keep. Forbear a while; we'll hear a little K. Hen. My queen and son are gone to France for aid; [wick And, as I hear, the great commanding WarIs thither gone, to crave the French king's sister

To wife for Edward: if this news be true,
Poor queen, and son, your labour is but lost;
For Warwick is a subtle orator, [words.
And Lewis a prince soon won with moving
By this account, then, Margaret may win him;
For she's a woman to be pitied much:
Her sighs will make a battery in his breast;
Her tears will pierce into a marble heart ;
The tiger will be mild whiles she doth mourn,
And Nero will be tainted with remorse,
To hear and see her plaints, her brinish tears.
Ay, but she's come to beg; Warwick, to
give:

more;

She, on his left side, craving aid for Henry; He, on his right, asking a wife for Edward. She weeps, and says-her Henry is depos'd; He smiles, and says-his Edward is install'd; That she, poor wretch, for grief can speak no Whiles Warwick tells his title, smooths the [wrong, Inferreth arguments of mighty strength, And in conclusion wins the king from her, With promise of his sister, and what else, To strengthen and support King Edward's place. [soul, O Margaret, thus 'twill be; and thou, poor Art then forsaken, as thou went'st forlorn! 2 Keep. Say, what art thou, that talk'st of kings and queens?

K. Hen. More than I seem, and less than I was born to:

A man at least, for less I should not be; And men may talk of kings, and why not I? 2 Keep. Ay, but thou talk'st as if thou wert a king. [that's enough. K. Hen. Why, so I am, in mind; and 2 Keep. But, if thou be a king, where is thy [my head;

crown?

K. Hen. My crown is in my heart, not on Not deck'd with diamonds and Indian stones, Nor to be seen: my crown is call'd content, A crown it is, that seldom kings enjoy.

2 Keep. Well, if you be a king crown'd with content, [tented Your crown content, and you, must be conTo go along with us; for, as we think, You are the king, king Edward hath depos'd; And we his subjects, sworn in all allegiance, Will apprehend you as his enemy.

K. Hen. But did you never swear, and break an oath? [not now.

2 Keep. No, never such an oath; nor will K. Hen. Where did you dwell when I was

king of England?

2 Keep. Here in this country, where we now remain.

K. Hen. I was anointed king at nine months Fight closer, or, good faith, you'll catch a blow. old;

My father and my grandfather were kings;
And you were sworn true subjects unto me:
And tell me, then, have you not broke your
1 Keep. No:
[oaths?

For we were subjects but while you were king.
K. Hen. Why, am I dead? do I not breathe
a man?

Ah, simple men, you know not what you swear.
Look, as I blow this feather from my face,
And as the air blows it to me again,
Obeying with my wind when I do blow,
And yielding to another when it blows,
Commanded always by the greater gust;
Such is the lightness of you common men.
But do not break your oaths; for of that sin
My mild entreaty shall not make you guilty.
Go where you will, the king shall be com-
manded;

And be you kings, command, and I'll obey.
1 Keep. We are true subjects to the king,
king Edward.

K. Hen. So would you be again to Henry,
If he were seated as king Edward is.

1 Keep. We charge you, in God's name, and
To go with us unto the officers. [in the king's,
K. Hen. In God's name, lead; your king's
name be obey'd:
[form;
And what God will, that let your king per-
And what he will, I humbly yield unto.
[Exeunt.
SCENE II.-London. A Room in the Palace.
Enter King Edward, Gloster, Clarence, and
Lady Grey.

K. Edw. Brother of Gloster, at St. Albans'
field
[slain,
This lady's husband, Sir John Grey, was
His lands then seiz'd on by the conqueror :
Her suit is now, to repossess those lands;
Which we in justice cannot well deny,
Because in quarrel of the house of York
The worthy gentleman did lose his life.

Glo. Your highness shall do well to grant
It were dishonour to deny it her. [her suit;
K. Edw. It were no less: but yet I'll make

a pause.

Glo. [Aside to Clar.] Yea: is it so?
I see, the lady hath a thing to grant
Before the king will grant her humble suit.
Clar. [Aside to Glo.] He knows the game:
how true he keeps the wind!
Glo. Aside to Clar.] Silence!

[suit; K. Edw. Widow, we will consider of your And come some other time to know our mind. L. Grey. Right gracious lord, I cannot brook delay:

[now; May it please your highness to resolve me And what your pleasure is, shall satisfy me. Glo. [Aside.] Ay, widow? then I'll warrant you all your lands,

An if what pleases him shall pleasure you.

Clar. [Aside. I fear her not, unless she

chance to fall. [vantages. Glo. [Aside.] God forbid that, for he'll take K. Edw. How many children hast thou, widow? tell me.

Clar. [Aside. I think, he means to beg a child of her.

Glo. [Aside.] Nay, whip me, then; he'll
rather give her two.

L. Grey. Three, my most gracious lord.
Glo. [Aside.] You shall have four, if you'll
be rul'd by him.

K. Edw. Twere pity, they should lose
their father's lands.
[then.
L. Grey. Be pitiful, dread lord, and grant it
K. Edw. Lords, give us leave: I'll try this
widow's wit.

Glo. Ay, good leave have you; for you
will have leave.

[Retiring with Clarence. Till youth take leave, and leave you to the crutch.

K. Edw. Now, tell me, madam, do you
love your children?

L. Grey. Ay, full as dearly as I love myself.
K. Edw. And would you not do much to

do them good?

L. Grey. To do them good, I would sustain
some harm.

K. Edw. Then get your husband's lands to
do them good.
[jesty.
L. Grey. Therefore I came unto your ma-
K. Edw. I'll tell you how these lands are to
be got.

L. Grey. So shall you bind me to your high-
ness' service.

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

L. Grey. What you command, that rests in
[boon.

me to do.

K. Edw. But you will take exceptions to my L. Grey. No, gracious lord, except I cannot [to ask.

do it. K. Edw. Ay, but thou canst do what I mean L. Grey. Why then, I will do what your grace commands.

Glo. Aside.] He plies her hard; and much

rain wears the marble.

Clar. [Aside.] As red as fire! nay then, her wax must melt.

L. Grey. Why stops my lord? shall not I hear my task?

[king.

K. Edw. An easy task: 'tis but to love a L. Grey. That's soon perform'd, because I am a subject.

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

L. Grey. I take my leave with many thousand thanks.

Glo. [Aside.] The match is made: she seals it with a court'sy.

K. Edw. But stay thee; 'tis the fruits of love I mean.

L. Grey. The fruits of love I moan, my Have other some: why, 'tis a happy thing loving liege. [sense. To be the father unto many sons. K. Edw. Ay, but, I fear me, in another Answer no more, for thou shalt be my queen. What love, think'st thou, I sue so much to Glo. [Aside.] The ghostly father now ha h done his shrift.

get?

L. Grey. My love till death, my humble thanks, my prayers;

That love which virtue begs, and virtue grants. K. Edw. No, by my troth, I did not mean such love.

L. Grey. Why, then you mean not as I thought you did.

K. Edw. But now you partly may perceive my mind. [perceive L. Grey. My mind will never grant what I Your highness aims at, if I aim aright.

K. Edw. To tell thee plain, I aim to lie with thee. [in prison. L. Grey. To tell you plain, I had rather lie K. Edw. Why then, thou shalt not have thy husdand's lands.

L. Grey. Why then, mine honesty shall be my dower;

For by that loss I will not purchase them. K. Edw. Therein thou wrong'st thy children mightily.

L. Grey. Herein your highness wrongs both them and me.

But, mighty lord, this merry inclination Accords not with the sadness of my suit : Please you dismiss me, either with ay, or no. K. Edw. Ay, if thou wilt say ay to my request;

No, if thou dost say no to my demand. L. Grey. Then, no, my lord. My suit is at at end.

Glo. [Aside to Clar.] The widow likes him not, she knits her brows.

Clar. [Aside to Glo.] He is the bluntest wooer in Christendom.

K. Edw. [Aside.] Her looks do argue her replete with modesty; Her words do show her wit incomparable; All her perfections challenge sovereignty : One way or other, she is for a king; And she shall be my love, or else my queen. Say, that king Edward take thee for his queen? L. Grey. "Tis better said than done, my graI am a subject fit to jest withal, [cious lord: But far unfit to be a sovereign. [to thee, K. Edw. Sweet widow, by my state I swear I speak no more than what my soul intends; And that is, to enjoy thee for my love.

L. Grey. And that is more than I will yield I know I am too mean to be your queen, [unto: And yet too good to be your concubine.

K. Edw. You cavil, widow: I did mean, my

queen.

L. Grey. Twill grieve your grace, my sons should call you father.

K. Edw. No more, than when my daughters call thee mother.

And go we, brothers, to the man that took him,
To question of his apprehension.-
Widow, go you along :-lords, use her hon-
ourably.

[Exeunt King Edward, Lady Grey, Clarence, and Noblemen. Glo. Ay, Edward will use women honour. ably.

fall, 'Would he were wasted, marrow, bones, and That from his loins no hopeful branch may spring,

To cross me from the golden time I look for!
And yet, between my soul's desire and me,
(The lustful Edward's title buried,)

Is Clarence, Henry, and his son young Edward,
And all the unlook'd-for issue of their bodies,
To take their rooms, ere I can place myself:
A cold premeditation for my purpose!
Why then, I do but dream of sovereignty;
Like one that stands upon a promontory,
And spies a far-off shore were he would tread,
Wishing his foot were equal with his eye;
And chides the sea that sunders him from
thence,

Saying he'll lade it dry to have his way:
So do I wish the crown, being so far off;
And so I chide the means that keep me from it;
And so I say I'll cut the causes off,
Flattering me with impossibilities.
My eye's too quick, my heart o'erweens too
Unless my hand and strength could equal them.
Well, say there is no kingdom, then, for
Richard;

[much,

What other pleasure can the world afford? I'll make my heaven in a lady's lap, [ren; And deck my body in gay ornaments, [looks. Thou art a widow, and thou hast some child- And witch sweet ladies with my words and And, by God's mother, I, being but a bachelor, O miserable thought! and more unlikely,

Than to accomplish twenty golden crowns!
Why, love forswore me in my mother's womb:
And, for I should not deal in her soft laws,
She did corrupt frail nature with some bribe,
To shrink mine arm up like a wither'd shrub;
To make an envious mountain on my back,
Where sits deformity to mock my body;
To shape my legs of an unequal size ;
To disproportion me in every part,
Like to a chaos, or an unlick'd bear-whelp,
That carries no impression like the dam.
And am I, then, a man to be belov'd?
O monstrous fault, to harbour such a thought!
Then, since this earth affords no joy to me,
But to command, to check, to o'erbear such
As are of better person than myself,
I'll make my heaven to dream upon the crown;
And, whiles I live, to account this world but
hell,
[head,
Until my mis-shap'd trunk that bears this
Be round impaled with a glorious crown.
And yet I know not how to get the crown,
For many lives stand between me and home:
And I, like one lost in a thorny wood,
That rents 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 desperately to find it out,-
Torment myself to catch the English crown:
And from that torment I will free myself,
Or hew my way out with a bloody axe.
Why, I can smile, and murder while I smile;
And cry, content, to that which grieves my
heart;

And wet my cheeks with artificial tears,
And frame my face to all occasions.
I'll drown more sailors than the mermaid shall;
I'll slay more gazers than the basilisk;
I'll play the orator as well as Nestor;
Deceive more slyly than Ulysses could ;
And, like a Sinon, take another Troy :
I can add colours to the chameleon;
Change shapes with Proteus, for advantages;
And set the murd'rous Machiavel to school.
Can I do this, and cannot get a crown?
Tut! were it further off, I'll pluck it down.
[Exit.
SCENE III.-France. A Room in the Palace.
Flourish. Enter Lewis, the French King,|
and Lady Bona, attended: the King takes
his state. Then enter Queen Margaret,
Prince Edward, and the Earl of Oxford.
K. Lew. [Rising.] Fair queen of England,
worthy Margaret,

Sit down with us: it ill befits thy state
And birth, that thou shouldst stand, while
Lewis doth sit.

Q. Mar. No, mighty king of France: now
Margaret

Must strike her sail, and learn awhile to serve,
Where kings command. was, I must confess,
Great Albion's queen in former golden days:

But now mischance hath trod my title down,
And with dishonour laid me on the ground;
Where I must take like seat unto my fortune,
And to my humble seat conform myself.
K. Lew. Why, say, fair queen, whence
springs this deep despair?

Q. Mar. From such a cause as fills mine
eyes with tears,
[cares.
And stops my tongue, while heart is drown'd in
K. Lew. Whate'er it be, be thou still like

thyself,

And sit thee by our side: [Seats her by him.]
yield not thy neck

To fortune's yoke, but let thy dauntless mind
Still ride in triumph over all mischance.
Be plain, queen Margaret, and tell thy grief;
It shall be eas'd, if France can yield relief.

Q. Mar. Those gracious words revive my
drooping thoughts,

And give my tongue-tied sorrows leave to speak.
Now, therefore, be it known to noble Lewis,
That Henry, sole possessor 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,
Usurps the regal title, and the seat
Of England's true-anointed lawful king.
This is the cause, that I, poor Margaret,
With this my son, prince Edward, Henry's heir,
Am come to crave thy just 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 misled,
Our treasure seiz'd, our soldiers put to flight,
And, as thou seest, ourselves in heavy plight.

K. Lew. Renowned queen, with patience
calm the storm,

While we bethink a means to break it off.
Q. Mar. The more we stay, the stronger
grows our foe.

K. Lew. The more I stay, the more I'll
succour thee.
[sorrow :

Q. Mar. O, but impatience waiteth on true
And see where comes the breeder of my sorrow.
Enter Warwick, attended.

K. Lew. What's he, approacheth boldly to our presence?

Q. Mar. Our earl of Warwick, Edward's greatest friend.

K. Lew. Welcome, brave Warwick! What

brings thee to France? [Descending from his state. Queen Margaret rises. Q. Mar. Ay, now begins a second storm to

rise ;

For this is he that moves both wind and tide.

War. From worthy Edward, king of Albion,
My lord and sov'reign, and thy vowèd 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.

Q. Mar. If that go forward, Henry's hope is done.

War. [To Bona.] And, gracious madam, in our king's behalf,

virtue.

I am commanded, with your leave and favour, Humbly to kiss your hand, and with my tongue To tell the passion of my sov'reign's heart; Where fame, late ent'ring at his heedful ears, Hath plac'd thy beauty's image, and thy [me speak, Q. Mar. King Lewis, and lady Bona, hear Before you answer Warwick. His demand Springs not from Edward's well-meant honest But from deceit, bred by necessity; [love, For how can tyrants safely govern home, Unless abroad they purchase great alliance? To prove him tyrant this reason may suffice,That Henry liveth still; but were he dead, Yet here prince Edward stands, king Henry's

Which did subdue the greatest part of Spain; And, after John of Gaunt, Henry the fourth, Whose wisdom was a mirror to the wisest ; And, after that wise prince, Henry the fifth, Who by his prowess conquerèd all France : From these our Henry lineally descends.

War. Oxford, how haps it, in this smooth
discourse,

You told not how Henry the sixth hath lost
All that which 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.
Oxf. Why, Warwick, canst thou speak
against thy liege,

Whom thou obeyed'st thirty and six years,
And not bewray thy treason 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. [doom Oxf. Call him my king, by whose injurious My elder brother, the lord Aubrey Vere, Was done to death? and more than so, my father,

Even in the downfall of his mellow'd years, When nature brought him to the door of death? No, Warwick, no; while life upholds this arm, This arm upholds the house of Lancaster. War. And I the house of York.

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The Works of William Shakespeare: Life, Glossary, &c : Reprinted ..., Svazek 1