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?
MONTAGUE But the safer when ’tis back’d with France.
40
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:
In them and in ourselves our safety lies.
45
GEORGE
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.
RICHARD
And yet, methinks, your Grace hath not done well
50
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.
GEORGE Or else you would not have bestow’d the heir
55
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.
GEORGE
In choosing for yourself you show’d your judgment,
60
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.
65
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.
70
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
75
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,
80
And they shall feel the vengeance of my wrath.
RICHARD [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?
POST My sovereign liege, no letters, and few words,
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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?
90
POST At my depart, these were his very words:
‘Go tell false Edward, thy supposed king,
That Lewis of France is sending over maskers
To revel it with him and his new bride.’
KING EDWARD
Is Lewis so brave? Belike he thinks me Henry.
95
But what said Lady Bona to my marriage?
POST
These were her words, utter’d 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;
100
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.’
KING EDWARD Belike she minds to play the Amazon.
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But what said Warwick to these injuries?
POST 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.’
110
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?
POST
Ay, gracious sovereign, they are so link’d in friendship
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That young Prince Edward marries Warwick’s daughter.
GEORGE
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
120
I may not prove inferior to yourself.
You that love me and Warwick, follow me.
Exit George, and Somerset follows.
RICHARD [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!
125
Yet am I arm’d against the worst can happen,
And haste is needful in this desperate case.
Pembroke and Stafford, you in our behalf
Go levy men and make prepare for war;
They are already, or quickly will be, landed:
130
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 nearest to Warwick by blood and by alliance:
Tell me if you love Warwick more than me.
135
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.
140
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?
RICHARD Ay, in despite of all that shall withstand you.
KING EDWARD Why, so! then am I sure of victory.
145
Now, therefore, let us hence, and lose no hour
Till we meet Warwick with his foreign power.’
Exeunt.
4.2 Enter WARWICK and OXFORD in England, with French soldiers.
WARWICK Trust me, my lord, all hitherto goes well;
The common people by numbers swarm to us.
Enter GEORGE and SOMERSET.
But see where Somerset and Clarence comes.
Speak suddenly, my lords: are we all friends?
GEORGE Fear not that, my lord.
5
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,
10
Were but a feigned friend to our proceedings.
But come, 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,
15
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,
20
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.
25
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 St George!
Exeunt.
4.3 Enter three Watchmen to guard the King’s tent.
1 WATCHMAN
Come on, my masters, each man take his stand:
The King by this is set him down to sleep.
2 WATCHMAN What, will he not to bed?
1 WATCHMAN
Why, no; for he hath made a solemn vow
Never to lie and take his natural rest
5
Till Warwick or himself be quite suppress’d.
2 WATCHMAN
To-morrow then belike shall be the day,
If Warwick be so near as men report.
3 WATCHMAN
But say, I pray, what nobleman is that
That with the King here resteth in his tent?
10
1 WATCHMAN
’Tis the Lord Hastings, the King’s chiefest friend.
3 WATCHMAN
O, is it so? But why commands the King
That his chief followers lodge in towns about him,
While he himself keeps in the cold field?
2 WATCHMAN
’Tis the more honour because more dangerous.
15
3 WATCHMAN
Ay, but give me worship and quietness;
I like it better than a dangerous honour.
If Warwick knew in what estate he stands,
’Tis to be doubted he would waken him.
1 WATCHMAN
Unless our halberds did shut up his passage.
20
2 WATCHMAN
Ay, wherefore else guard we his royal tent
But to defend his person from night-foes?
Enter WARWICK, GEORGE, OXFORD, SOMERSET and French soldiers, silent all.
WARWICK
This is his tent; and see where stand his guard.
Courage, my masters! Honour now or never!
But follow me, and Edward shall be ours.
25
1 WATCHMAN Who goes there?
2 WATCHMAN Stay, or thou diest.
[Warwick and the rest cry all, ‘ Warwick! Warwick!’ and set upon the guard, who fly, crying, ‘ Arm! Arm!’, Warwick and the rest following them.]
The drum playing and the trumpet sounding, enter WARWICK, SOMERSET and the rest, bringing the KING out in his gown, sitting in a chair.RICHARD and HASTINGS fly over the stage.
SOMERSET What are they that fly there?
WARWICK Richard and Hastings; let them go;
Here is the Duke.
KING EDWARD Why, Warwick, when we parted,
30
Thou call’dst me King.
WARWICK Ay, but the case is alter’d.
When you disgrac’d me in my embassade,
Then I degraded you from being King,
And come now to create you Duke of York.
Alas, how should you govern any kingdom
35
That know not how to use ambassadors,
Nor how to be contented with one wife,
Nor how to use your brothers brotherly,
Nor how to study for the people’s welfare,
Nor how to shroud yourself from enemies?
40
KING EDWARD
Yea, brother of Clarence, art thou here too?
Nay, then I see that Edward needs must down.
The Arden Shakespeare Complete Works Page 240