The Arden Shakespeare Complete Works

by William Shakespeare

  KING LEWIS

  Now, Warwick, tell me, even upon thy conscience,

  Is Edward your true king? for I were loath

  To link with him that were not lawful chosen.

  115

  WARWICK Thereon I pawn my credit and mine honour.

  KING LEWIS But is he gracious in the people’s eye?

  WARWICK The more that Henry was unfortunate.

  KING LEWIS Then further: all dissembling set aside,

  Tell me for truth the measure of his love

  120

  Unto our sister Bona.

  WARWICK Such it seems

  As may beseem a monarch like himself.

  Myself have often heard him say, and swear,

  That this his love was an eternal plant,

  Whereof the root was fix’d in Virtue’s ground,

  125

  The leaves and fruit maintain’d with Beauty’s sun,

  Exempt from envy, but not from disdain,

  Unless the Lady Bona quite his pain.

  KING LEWIS Now, sister, let us hear your firm resolve.

  BONA Your grant, or your denial, shall be mine:

  130

  [to Warwick] Yet I confess that often ere this day,

  When I have heard your king’s desert recounted,

  Mine ear hath temper’d judgment to desire.

  KING LEWIS

  Then, Warwick, thus: our sister shall be Edward’s.

  And now forthwith shall articles be drawn

  135

  Touching the jointure that your king must make,

  Which with her dowry shall be counterpois’d.

  Draw near, Queen Margaret, and be a witness

  That Bona shall be wife to the English king.

  PRINCE To Edward, but not to the English king.

  140

  QUEEN MARGARET

  Deceitful Warwick, it was thy device

  By this alliance to make void my suit:

  Before thy coming Lewis was Henry’s friend.

  KING LEWIS And still is friend to him and Margaret:

  But if your title to the crown be weak,

  145

  As may appear by Edward’s good success,

  Then ’tis but reason that I be releas’d

  From giving aid which late I promised.

  Yet shall you have all kindness at my hand

  That your estate requires and mine can yield.

  150

  WARWICK Henry now lives in Scotland, at his ease,

  Where having nothing, nothing can he lose.

  And as for you yourself, our quondam queen,

  You have a father able to maintain you,

  And better ’twere you troubled him than France.

  155

  QUEEN MARGARET

  Peace, impudent and shameless Warwick, peace,

  Proud setter up and puller down of kings!

  I will not hence till with my talk and tears,

  Both full of truth, I make King Lewis behold

  Thy sly conveyance and thy lord’s false love;

  160

  For both of you are birds of self-same feather.

  [Post blowing a horn within.]

  KING LEWIS Warwick, this is some post to us or thee.

  Enter the Post.

  POST [to Warwick]

  My lord ambassador, these are for you,

  Sent from your brother, Marquess Montague;

  [to Lewis] These from our King unto your Majesty:

  165

  [to Margaret] And, madam, these for you; from whom

  I know not. [They all read their letters.]

  OXFORD I like it well that our fair Queen and mistress

  Smiles at her news, while Warwick frowns at his.

  PRINCE

  Nay, mark how Lewis stamps as he were nettled:

  I hope all’s for the best.

  170

  KING LEWIS

  Warwick, what are thy news? and yours, fair Queen?

  QUEEN MARGARET

  Mine, such as fill my heart with unhop’d joys.

  WARWICK Mine, full of sorrow and heart’s discontent.

  KING LEWIS

  What? has your king married the Lady Grey?

  And now, to soothe your forgery and his,

  175

  Sends me a paper to persuade me patience?

  Is this th’alliance that he seeks with France?

  Dare he presume to scorn us in this manner?

  QUEEN MARGARET I told your Majesty as much before:

  This proveth Edward’s love and Warwick’s honesty.

  180

  WARWICK

  King Lewis, I here protest in sight of heaven,

  And by the hope I have of heavenly bliss,

  That I am clear from this misdeed of Edward’s –

  No more my king, for he dishonours me,

  But most himself, if he could see his shame.

  185

  Did I forget that by the house of York

  My father came untimely to his death?

  Did I let pass th’abuse done to my niece?

  Did I impale him with the regal crown?

  Did I put Henry from his native right?

  190

  And am I guerdon’d at the last with shame?

  Shame on himself! for my desert is honour;

  And to repair my honour lost for him

  I here renounce him and return to Henry.

  My noble Queen, let former grudges pass,

  195

  And henceforth I am thy true servitor.

  I will revenge his wrong to Lady Bona,

  And replant Henry in his former state.

  QUEEN MARGARET

  Warwick, these words have turn’d my hate to love;

  And I forgive and quite forget old faults,

  200

  And joy that thou becom’st King Henry’s friend.

  WARWICK So much his friend, ay, his unfeigned friend,

  That if King Lewis vouchsafe to furnish us

  With some few bands of chosen soldiers,

  I’ll undertake to land them on our coast

  205

  And force the tyrant from his seat by war.

  ’Tis not his new-made bride shall succour him;

  And as for Clarence, as my letters tell me,

  He’s very likely now to fall from him

  For matching more for wanton lust than honour

  210

  Or than for strength and safety of our country.

  BONA Dear brother, how shall Bona be reveng’d

  But by thy help to this distressed queen?

  QUEEN MARGARET

  Renowned Prince, how shall poor Henry live

  Unless thou rescue him from foul despair?

  215

  BONA My quarrel and this English queen’s are one.

  WARWICK And mine, fair Lady Bona, joins with yours.

  KING LEWIS

  And mine with hers, and thine, and Margaret’s.

  Therefore at last I firmly am resolv’d

  You shall have aid.

  220

  QUEEN MARGARET

  Let me give humble thanks for all at once.

  KING LEWIS

  Then, England’s messenger, return in post

  And tell false Edward, thy supposed king,

  That Lewis of France is sending over maskers

  To revel it with him and his new bride.

  225

  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.

  QUEEN MARGARET

  Tell him my mourning weeds are laid aside,

  And I am ready to put armour on.

  230

  WARWICK

  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. Exit Post.
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  KING LEWIS But, Warwick,

  Thou and Oxford, with five thousand men,

  Shall cross the seas and bid false Edward battle;

  235

  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?

  WARWICK This shall assure my constant loyalty:

  240

  That if our Queen and this young Prince agree,

  I’ll join mine eldest daughter and my joy

  To him forthwith in holy wedlock’s bands.

  QUEEN MARGARET

  Yes, I agree, and thank you for your motion.

  Son Edward, she is fair and virtuous,

  245

  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.

  250

  [He gives his hand to Warwick.]

  KING LEWIS

  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.

  255

  Exeunt all but Warwick.

  WARWICK 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?

  260

  Then none but I shall turn his jest to sorrow.

  I was the chief that rais’d 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.

  265

  4.1 Enter RICHARD, GEORGE, SOMERSET and MONTAGUE.

  RICHARD

  Now tell me, brother Clarence, what think you

  Of this new marriage with the Lady Grey?

  Hath not our brother made a worthy choice?

  GEORGE 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.

  Flourish. Enter KING EDWARD attended; LADY GREY, as QUEEN; Pembroke, Stafford, HASTINGS and others. Four stand on one side and four on the other.

  RICHARD And his well-chosen bride.

  GEORGE 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?

  10

  GEORGE

  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,

  15

  Your King and Warwick’s, and must have my will.

  RICHARD

  And you shall have your will, because our King:

  Yet hasty marriage seldom proveth well.

  KING EDWARD

  Yea, brother Richard, are you offended too?

  RICHARD

  No, God forfend that I should wish them sever’d

  20

  Whom God hath join’d: 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.

  25

  And you too, Somerset and Montague,

  Speak freely what you think.

  GEORGE Then this is my opinion: that King Lewis

  Becomes your enemy for mocking him

  About the marriage of the Lady Bona.

  30

  RICHARD

  And Warwick, doing what you gave in charge,

  Is now dishonour’d by this 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

  35