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. And, gracious madam,-[TO BONA.]-in our king's behalf,

I am commanded. with your leave and favour,
Humbly to kiss your hand, and with my tongue
To tell the passion of my sovereign's heart;
Where fame, late entering at his heedful ears,
Hath plac'd thy beauty's image, and thy virtue.
Q. Mar. King Lewis, and lady Bona, hear me
speak,

Before you answer Warwick. His demand
Springs not from Edward's well-meant honest love,
But from deceit, bred by necessity;
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 son. Look therefore, Lewis, that by this league and marriage

Thou draw not on thy danger and dishonour;
For though usurpers sway the rule a while,
Yet heavens are just, and time suppresseth wrongs.
War. Injurious Margaret!
Prince.

And why not queen?
War. Because thy father Henry did usurp,
And thou no more art prince, than she is queen.
Orf. Then Warwick disannuls great John of
Gaunt,

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 conquered all France:
From these our Henry lineally descends.

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

course,

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 obeyedst 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.
Oxf. Call him my king, by whose injurious doom
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.

K. Lew. Queen Margaret, prince Edward, and
Oxford,

Vouchsafe at our request to stand aside,
While I use further conference with Warwick.
Q. Mar. Heaven grant, that Warwick's words
bewitch him not! [They stand aloof.

K. Lew. 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.

War. Thereon I pawn my credit, and mine honour.

K. Lew. But is he gracious in the people's eye? War. The more, that Henry was unfortunate. K. Lew. Then further; all dissembling set aside, Tell me for truth the measure of his love Unto our sister Bona.

War.

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,
The leaves and fruit maintain'd with beauty's sun,
Exempt from envy, but not from disdain,
Unless the lady Bona quit his pain.

K. Lew. Now, sister, let us hear your firm resolve.

Bona. Your grant, or your denial, shall be mine.

Yet I confess,-[To WARWICK.]—that often ere this day,

When I have heard your king's desert recounted, Mine ear hath tempted judgment to desire.

K. Lew. Then, Warwick, thus:-our sister shall be Edward's;

And now forthwith shall articles be drawn 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.

Q. Mar. Deceitful Warwick! it was thy device By this alliance to make void my suit: Before thy coming, Lewis was Henry's friend.

K. Lew. And still is friend to him and Margaret: But if your title to the crown be weak, 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.

War. 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.
Q. Mar. Peace! impudent and shameless War-
wick.

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;
For both of you are birds of self-same feather.
[A horn sounded within.
K. Lew. Warwick, this is some post to us, or
thee.

K. Lew. Warwick, what are thy news? and yours, fair queen?

Q. Mar. Mine, such as fill my heart with un-
hop'd joys.

War. Mine, full of sorrow and heart's discontent.
K. Lew. What! has your king married the lady
Grey,

And now, to sooth your forgery and his,
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?

Q. Mar. I told your majesty as much before: This proveth Edward's love, and Warwick's honesty.

War. 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.
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,
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,
And henceforth I am thy true servitor.
I will revenge his wrong to lady Bona,
And replant Henry in his former state.

Q. Mar. Warwick, these words have turn'd my
hate to love;

And I forgive and quite forget old faults,
And joy that thou becom'st king Henry's friend.
War. 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,
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,
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?

Q. Mar. Renowned prince, how shall poor Henry live,

Unless thou rescue him from foul despair?

Bona. My quarrel, and this English queen's, are

one.

War. And mine, fair lady Bona, joins with yours. K. Lew. And mine, with hers, and thine, and Margaret's.

34

wrong,

And therefore I'll uncrown him ere't be long.
There's thy reward: be gone.

[Exit Post.
K. Lew.
But, Warwick,
Thou and Oxford, with five thousand men,
Shall cross the seas, and bid false Edward battle:
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?

War. This shall assure my constant loyalty:That if our queen and this young prince agree, I'll join mine eldest daughter, and my joy, To him forthwith in holy wedlock bands.

Q. Mar. Yes, I agree, and thank you for your
motion.-

Son Edward, she is fair and virtuous,
Therefore delay not, give thy hand to Warwick;
And with thy hand thy faith irrecovable,
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.
[He gives his hand to WARWICK-
K. Lew. Why stay we now? These soldiers
shall be levied,

And thou, lord Bourbon, our high admiral,
Shall waft them over with our royal fleet.-
I long, till Edward fall by war's mischance,
For mocking marriage with a dame of France.
[Exeunt all but WARWICK.
War. 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?
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.

SCENE I.-London. A Room in the Palace. Enter GLOSTER, CLARENCE, SOMERSET, and MONTAGUE.

Glo. Now tell me, brother Clarence, what think you

Of this new marriage with the lady Grey?
Hath not our brother made a worthy choice?
Clar. Alas! you know, 'tis far from hence to
France:

How could he stay till Warwick made return? Som. My lords, forbear this talk: here comes the king.

Flourish. Enter King EDWARD, attended; Lady GREY, as Queen; PEMBROKE, STAFFORD, and HASTINGS.

Glo. And his well-chosen bride.

Clar. I mind to tell him plainly what I think. K. Edw. Now, brother of Clarence, how like you our choice,

That you stand pensive as half malcontent? Clar. 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.

K. Edw. 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. Glo. And you shall have your will, because our king;

Yet hasty marriage seldom proveth well.

K. Edw. Yea, brother Richard, are you offended too?

Glo. 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.

K. Edw. 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.

Clar. Then this is mine opinion-that king Lewis Becomes your enemy, for mocking him About the marriage of the lady Bona.

Hast. '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.

Clar. For this one speech lord Hastings well deserves

To have the heir of the lord Hungerford.

K. Edw. Ay, what of that? it was my will, and grant;

And for this once my will shall stand for law.

Glo. 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.

Clar. 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.
K. Edw. Alas, poor Clarence! is it for a wife,
That thou art malcontent? I will provide thee.
Clar. 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.

K. Edw. Leave me, or tarry, Edward will be king,

And not be tied unto his brother's will.

Q. Eliz. 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,
Do cloud my joys with danger and with sorrow.
K. Edw. My love, forbear to fawn upon their
frowns.

What danger, or what sorrow can befal 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,

But such as I, without your special pardon,
Dare not relate.

K. Edw. 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?

Mess. 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."

K. Edw. Is Lewis so brave? belike, he thinks me Henry.

But what said lady Bona to my marriage?

Mess. 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."

K. Edw. 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. Mess. "Tell him," quoth she, "my mourning weeds are done,

And I am ready to put armour on."

My thoughts aim at a further matter: I
Stay not for the love of Edward, but the crown.

[Aside.

K. Edw. 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.-
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.

Mont. So God help Montague as he proves true!
Hast. And Hastings as he favours Edward's cause!
K. Edw. Now, brother Richard, will you stand
by us?

Glo. Ay, in despite of all that shall withstand

War. 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 come!
Speak suddenly, my lords, are we all friends?
Clar. Fear not that, my lord.

War. 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.

That his chief followers lodge in towns about him, While he himself keeps in the cold field?

2 Watch. 'Tis the more honour, because more dangerous.

3 Watch. 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 Watch. Unless our halberds did shut up his passage.

2 Watch. Ay; wherefore else guard we his royal

tent,

But to defend his person from night-foes?

Enter silently WARWICK, CLARENCE, OXFORD, SOMERSET, and Forces.

War. 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.
1 Watch. Who goes there?

2 Watch. 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.

Drums beating, and trumpets sounding, re-enter WARWICK, and the rest, bringing the King out in his gown, sitting in a chair: GLOSTER, and HASTINGS, fly over the stage.

Thou call'dst me king!

War. 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, 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?

K. Edw. Yea, brother of Clarence, art thou here too?

Nay then, I see that Edward needs must down.-Yet, Warwick, in despite of all mischance,