But seek
revenge on Edward's
mockery. Exit
ACT IV. SCENE I.
London. The palace
Enter GLOUCESTER, CLARENCE, SOMERSET, and MONTAGUE
GLOUCESTER. Now tell me, brother Clarence, what think you
Of this new marriage with the Lady Grey?
Hath not our brother made a
worthy choice?
CLARENCE. Alas, you know 'tis far from hence to France!
How could he stay till Warwick made return?
SOMERSET. My lords,
forbear this talk; here comes the King.
Flourish. Enter KING EDWARD, attended; LADY
GREY, as Queen; PEMBROKE, STAFFORD, HASTINGS,
and others. Four stand on one side, and four on the other
GLOUCESTER. And his well-chosen bride.
CLARENCE. I mind to tell him
plainly what I think.
KING EDWARD. Now, brother of Clarence, how like you our choice
That you stand
pensive as half malcontent?
CLARENCE. As well as Lewis of France or the Earl of Warwick,
Which are so weak of courage and in judgment
That they'll take no offence at our abuse.
KING EDWARD. 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.
GLOUCESTER. And shall have your will, because our King.
Yet hasty marriage seldom proveth well.
KING EDWARD. Yea, brother Richard, are you offended too?
GLOUCESTER. Not I.
No, God
forbid that I should wish them sever'd
Whom God hath join'd together; ay, and 'twere pity
To sunder them that yoke so well together.
KING EDWARD. 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.
CLARENCE. Then this is mine opinion: that King Lewis
Becomes your enemy for mocking him
About the marriage of the Lady Bona.
GLOUCESTER. And Warwick, doing what you gave in charge,
Is now dishonoured by this new marriage.
KING EDWARD. What if both Lewis and Warwick be appeas'd
By such
invention as I can devise?
MONTAGUE. Yet to have join'd with France in such alliance
Would more have strength'ned this our commonwealth
'Gainst foreign storms than any home-bred marriage.
HASTINGS. Why, knows not Montague that of itself
England is safe, if true within itself?
MONTAGUE. But the safer when 'tis back'd with France.
HASTINGS. 'Tis better using France than
trusting France.
Let us be back'd with God, and with the seas
Which He hath giv'n for fence impregnable,
And with their helps only defend ourselves.
In them and in ourselves our safety lies.
CLARENCE. For this one speech Lord Hastings well deserves
To have the heir of the Lord Hungerford.
KING EDWARD. Ay, what of that? it was my will and grant;
And for this once my will shall stand for law.
GLOUCESTER. 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.
CLARENCE. 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.
KING EDWARD. Alas, poor Clarence! Is it for a wife
That thou art malcontent? I will provide thee.
CLARENCE. In choosing for yourself you show'd your judgment,
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.
KING EDWARD. Leave me or tarry, Edward will be King,
And not be tied unto his brother's will.
QUEEN ELIZABETH. 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 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 dislikes, to whom I would be pleasing,
Doth cloud my joys with danger and with sorrow.
KING EDWARD. My love,
forbear to fawn upon their frowns.
What danger or what sorrow can
befall thee,
So long as Edward is thy
constant friend
And their true
sovereign whom they must obey?
Nay, whom they shall 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.
GLOUCESTER. [Aside] I hear, yet say not much, but think the more.
Enter a POST
KING EDWARD. Now,
messenger, what letters or what news
From France?
MESSENGER. My
sovereign liege, no letters, and few words,
But such as I, without your special
pardon,
Dare not relate.
KING EDWARD. Go to, we
pardon thee;
therefore, in brief,
Tell me their words as near as thou canst guess them.
What answer makes King Lewis unto our letters?
MESSENGER. At my depart, these were his very words:
'Go tell false Edward, the
supposed king,
That Lewis of France is sending over masquers
To revel it with him and his new bride.'
KING EDWARD. IS Lewis so brave? Belike he thinks me Henry.
But what said Lady Bona to my marriage?
MESSENGER. These were her words, utt'red with mild disdain:
'Tell him, in hope he'll prove a widower
shortly,
I'll wear the willow-garland for his sake.'
KING EDWARD. I blame not her: she could say little less;
She had the wrong. But what said Henry's queen?
For I have heard that she was there in place.
MESSENGER. 'Tell him' quoth she 'my
mourning weeds are done,
And I am ready to put
armour on.'
KING EDWARD. Belike she minds to play the Amazon.
But what said Warwick to these injuries?
MESSENGER. He, more incens'd against your Majesty
Than all the rest, discharg'd me with these words:
'Tell him from me that he hath done me wrong;
And
therefore I'll uncrown him ere't be long.'
KING EDWARD. Ha! durst the
traitor breathe out so proud words?
Well, I will arm me, being thus forewarn'd.
They shall have wars and pay for their presumption.
But say, is Warwick friends with Margaret?
MESSENGER. Ay,
gracioussovereign; they are so link'd in friendship
That young Prince Edward marries Warwick's daughter.
CLARENCE. Belike the elder; Clarence will have the younger.
Now, brother king,
farewell, and sit 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 yourself.
You that love me and Warwick, follow me.
Exit, and SOMERSET follows
GLOUCESTER. [Aside] Not I.
My thoughts aim at a further matter; I
Stay not for the love of Edward but the crown.
KING EDWARD. Clarence and Somerset both gone to Warwick!
Yet am I arm'd against the worst can happen;
And haste is needful in this desp'rate case.
Pembroke and Stafford, you in our behalf
Go levy men and make prepare for war;
They are already, or quickly will be landed.
Myself in person will straight follow you.
Exeunt PEMBROKE and STAFFORD
But ere I go, Hastings and Montague,
Resolve my doubt. You twain, of all the rest,
Are near to Warwick by blood and by alliance.
Tell me if you love Warwick more than me?
If it be so, then both depart to him:
I rather wish you foes than hollow friends.
But if you mind to hold your true obedience,
Give me
assurance with some friendly vow,
That I may never have you in suspect.
MONTAGUE. So God help Montague as he proves true!
HASTINGS. And Hastings as he favours Edward's cause!
KING EDWARD. Now, brother Richard, will you stand by us?
GLOUCESTER. Ay, in
despite of all that shall
withstand you.
KING EDWARD. Why, so! then am I sure of victory.
Now
therefore let us hence, and lose no hour
Till we meet Warwick with his foreign pow'r. Exeunt
SCENE II.
A plain in Warwickshire
Enter WARWICK and OXFORD, with French soldiers
WARWICK. Trust me, my lord, all
hitherto goes well;
The common people by numbers swarm to us.
Enter CLARENCE and SOMERSET
But see where Somerset and Clarence comes.
Speak suddenly, my lords- are we all friends?
CLARENCE. Fear not that, my lord.
WARWICK. Then, gentle Clarence,
welcome unto Warwick;
And
welcome, Somerset. I hold it cowardice
To rest mistrustful where a noble heart
Hath pawn'd an open hand in sign of love;
Else might I think that Clarence, Edward's brother,
Were but a feigned friend to our proceedings.
But
welcome, sweet Clarence; my daughter shall be thine.
And now what rests but, in night's coverture,
Thy brother being
carelessly encamp'd,
His soldiers lurking in the towns about,
And but attended by a simple guard,
We may surprise and take him at our pleasure?
Our scouts have found the adventure very easy;
That as Ulysses and stout Diomede
With sleight and
manhood stole to Rhesus' tents,
And brought from
thence the Thracian fatal steeds,
So we, well cover'd with the night's black mantle,
At unawares may beat down Edward's guard
And seize himself- I say not 'slaughter him,'
For I intend but only to surprise him.
You that will follow me to this attempt,
Applaud the name of Henry with your leader.
[They all cry 'Henry!']
Why then, let's on our way in silent sort.
For Warwick and his friends, God and Saint George! Exeunt
SCENE III.
Edward's camp, near Warwick
Enter three WATCHMEN, to guard the KING'S tent
FIRST WATCHMAN. Come on, my masters, each man take his stand;
The King by this is set him down to sleep.
SECOND WATCHMAN. What, will he not to bed?
FIRST WATCHMAN. Why, no; for he hath made a
solemn vow
Never to lie and take his natural rest