ACT IV SCENE I

King Henry VI, Part III

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?	5
SOMERSET	My lords, forbear this talk; here comes the king.
GLOUCESTER	And his well-chosen bride.
CLARENCE	I mind to tell him plainly what I think.
[ Flourish. Enter KING EDWARD IV, attended; QUEEN ELIZABETH, PEMBROKE, STAFFORD, HASTINGS, and others ]
KING EDWARD IV	Now, brother of Clarence, how like you our choice,
	That you stand pensive, as half malcontent?	10
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 IV	Suppose they take offence without a cause,
	They are but Lewis and Warwick: I am Edward,	15
	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 IV	Yea, brother Richard, are you offended too?
GLOUCESTER	Not I:	20
	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 IV	Setting your scorns and your mislike aside,
	Tell me some reason why the Lady Grey	25
	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	30
	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 IV	What if both Lewis and Warwick be appeased
	By such invention as I can devise?	35
MONTAGUE	Yet, to have join’d with France in such alliance
	Would more have strengthen’d 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?	40
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 given for fence impregnable,
	And with their helps only defend ourselves;	45
	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 IV	Ay, what of that? it was my will and grant;
	And for this once my will shall stand for law.	50
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.	55
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 IV	Alas, poor Clarence! is it for a wife
	That thou art malcontent? I will provide thee.	60
CLARENCE	In choosing for yourself, you show’d your judgment,
	Which being shallow, you give me leave
	To play the broker in mine own behalf;
	And to that end I shortly mind to leave you.
KING EDWARD IV	Leave me, or tarry, Edward will be king,	65
	And not be tied unto his brother’s will.
QUEEN ELIZABETH	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;	70
	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.
KING EDWARD IV	My love, forbear to fawn upon their frowns:	75
	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;	80
	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 IV	Now, messenger, what letters or what news
	From France?	85
Post	My sovereign liege, no letters; and few words,
	But such as I, without your special pardon,
	Dare not relate.
KING EDWARD IV	Go to, we pardon thee: therefore, in brief,
	Tell me their words as near as thou canst guess them.	90
	What answer makes King Lewis unto our letters?
Post	At my depart, these were his very words:
	‘Go tell false Edward, thy supposed king,
	That Lewis of France is sending over masquers
	To revel it with him and his new bride.’	95
KING EDWARD IV	Is Lewis so brave? belike he thinks me Henry.
	But what said Lady Bona to my marriage?
Post	These were her words, utter’d with mad disdain:
	‘Tell him, in hope he’ll prove a widower shortly,
	I’ll wear the willow garland for his sake.’	100
KING EDWARD IV	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.
Post	‘Tell him,’ quoth she, ‘my mourning weeds are done,
	And I am ready to put armour on.’	105
KING EDWARD IV	Belike she minds to play the Amazon.
	But what said Warwick to these injuries?
Post	He, more incensed against your majesty
	Than all the rest, discharged me with these words:
	‘Tell him from me that he hath done me wrong,	110
	And therefore I’ll uncrown him ere’t be long.’
KING EDWARD IV	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?	115
Post	Ay, gracious sovereign; 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,	120
	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 CLARENCE, and SOMERSET follows]
GLOUCESTER	[Aside] Not I:	125
	My thoughts aim at a further matter; I
	Stay not for the love of Edward, but the crown.
KING EDWARD IV	Clarence and Somerset both gone to Warwick!
	Yet am I arm’d against the worst can happen;
	And haste is needful in this desperate case.	130
	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,	135
	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:	140
	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!	145
KING EDWARD IV	Now, brother Richard, will you stand by us?
GLOUCESTER	Ay, in despite of all that shall withstand you.
KING EDWARD IV	Why, so! then am I sure of victory.
	Now therefore let us hence; and lose no hour,
	Till we meet Warwick with his foreign power.	150
[Exeunt]

Continue to 3 Henry VI, Act 4, Scene 2