K. Henry. Let me embrace these four adversities;
For wise men say, it is the wiseft course.

Hum. Why linger we? let us lay hands upon him.
Sink. Forbear awhile, we'll hear a little more.

K. Henry. My Queen and son are gone to France for aid:
And, as I hear, the great commanding Warwick
Is thither gone to crave the French King's sister
To wife for Edward. If this news be true,
Poor Queen and fun! your labour is but loft :
For Warwick is a subtle orator :
And Lervis, a Prince soon won with moving words.
By this account, then, Margaret may win him,
For The's a woman to be pitied much :
Her fighs will make a batt'ry in his breast;
Her tears will pierce into a marble heart;
The tyger will be mild, while she doth mourn;
And Nero would be tainted with remorse,
To hear and see her plaints, her brinish tears.
Ay, but she's come to beg, Warwick to give :
She, on his left side, craving aid før Henry ;
He, on his right, aking a wife for Edward.
She weeps, and says, her Henry is depos'd;
He smiles, and says, his Edward is install’d;
That she, poor wretch, for grief can speak no more!
While Warrick tells his title, smooths the wrong,
Inferreth arguments of mighty strength,
And in conclusion wins the King from her;
With promise of his fifter, and what else,
To strengthen, and support, King Edward's place.
O Marg'ret, thus 'twill be, and thou (poor soul)
Art then forsaken, as thou went'ft forlorn.

Hum. Say, what art thou that talk'st of Kings and Queens?

K. Henry. More than I seem, and less than I was born to,
A man at least, for less I should not be ;
And men may talk of Kings, and why not I?

Hum. Ay, but thou talk'it, as if thou wert a King.
K. Henry. Why, so I am in mind, and that's enough.
Hum. But if thou be a King, where is thy crown?

K. Henry. My crown is in my heart, not on my head : Not deck'd with diamonds and Indian ftones ;

Not

Not to be seen : my crown is call'd content ;
A crown it is, that seldom Kings enjoy.

Hum. Well, if you be a King crown'd with content,
Your crown content, and you must be contented
To go along with us. For, as we think,
You are the King, King Edward hath depos'd:
And we his subjects, sworn in all allegiance,
Will apprehend you as his enemy.

K. Henry. But did you never fwear and break an oath?
Hum. No, never such an oath ; nor will not now.
K. Henry. Where did you dwell, when I was King of

England?
Hum. Here, in this country, where we now remain.

K. Henry. I was anointed King at nine months old, My father and my grandfather were Kings; And you were sworn true subjects unto me: And tell me then, have you not broke your oaths ?

Sink. No, we were subjects but while you were King. K. Henry. Why, am I dead ? do I not breathe, a man? Ah, simple men, you know not what

you

swear.
Look, as I blow this feather from my face,
And as the air blows it to me again,
Obeying with my wind when I do blow,
And yielding to another when it blows,
Commanded always by the greater gust;
Such is the lightness of you common men.
But do not break your oaths, for of that fin
My mild intreaty shall not make you guilty.
Go where you will, the King shall be commanded ;
And be you Kings, command, and I'll obey.

Sink. We are true subjects to the King, King Edward.

K. Henry. So would you be again to Henry, If he were feated as King Edward is.

Sink. We charge you in God's name, and in the King's, Το go

with us unto the officers. K. Henry. In God's name lead, your King's name be

obey'd : And what God will, that let your King perform ; And what he will, I humbly yield unto. [Exeunt.

SCEN E changes to the Palace. Enter King Edward, Gloucester, Clarence, and Lady Gray.

Rother

This John His land then seiz'd on by the conqueror : Her suit is now to repossess those lands, Which we in justice cannot well deny; Because, in quarrel of the house of York, (15) The worthy gentleman did lose his life.

Glo. Your Highness shall do well to grant her suit : It were dihhonour to deny it her.

K. Edw. It were no less; but yet I'll make a pause.

Glo. Yea! is it so?
I fee, the Lady hath a thing to grant,
Before the King will grant her humble fuit.

Clar. He knows the game; how true he keeps the wind :
Glo. Silence,

K. Edw. Widow, we will consider of your suit, And come fome other time to know our mind.

Gray. Right gracious Lord, I cannot brook delay. May't please your Highness to resolve me now? And what your pleasure is, fhall satisfy me.

Glo. Ay, widow? then I'll warrant you all your lands,
An if what pleases him, shall pleasure you :
Fight closer, or, good faith, you'll catch a blow.

Clar. I fear her not, unless the chance to fall.
Glo. God forbid that! for he'll take vantages.

(15) Because in quarrel of the house of York, The worthy gentleman did lose bis life.] I am afraid our poet puts fal se colours on the death of Sir John Gray, to palliate King Edward's marriage with the widow. Sir John Gray was nain at the last battle of St. Albans, by the power of King Edward; as Hall expressly says : so that he was in Queen Margaret's army, and really nain on the quarrel of Lancaster. And King Edward's Queen, in Richard III. is reproach'd of this by Gloucester.

In all which time you and your husband Gray
Were factious for the house of Lancaster,
------Was not your husband
In Marg'ret's battle at St. Alban's lain?

K. Edwi

K. Edw. How many children hast thou, widow ? tell me.
Clar. I think he means to beg a child of her.
Glo. Nay, whip me then, he'll rather give her two.
Gray. Three, my most gracious Lord.
Glo. You shall have four, if you'll be rul'd by him.
K. Edw. 'Twere pity they should lose their father's

lands, Gray. Be pitiful, dread Lord, and grant it then. K. Edw. Lords, give us leave; I'll try this widow's wit.

Glo. Ay, good leave have you, for you will have leave; Till youth take leave, and leave you to the crutch. K. Edw. Now tell me, Madam, do you love your

children? Gray. Ay, full as dearly as I love myself. K. Edw. And would you not do much to do them

good ? Gray. To do them good, I would sustain some harm. K. Edw. Then get your husband's lands, to do them

good. Gray. Therefore I came unto your Majesty. K. Edw. I'll tell you how these lands are to be got. Gray. So fall you bind me to your Highness' service. K. Edw. What service wilt thou do me, if I give them : Gray. What you command, that rests in me to do. K. Edw. But you will take exceptions to my boon? Gray. No, gracious Lord, except I cannot do it. K. Edw. Ay, but thou canst do what I mean to ak. Gray. Why, then I will do what your Grace commands. Glo. He plies her hard, and much rain wears the marble, Clar. As red as fire ! nay, then her wax must melt. Gray. Why stops my Lord ? shall I not hear my task ? K. Edw. An easy tak, 'tis but to love a King. Gray. That's soon perform’d, because I am a subject. K. Edw. Why, then thy husband's lands I freely give

thee. Gray. I take my leave with

many

thoufand thanks. Glo. The match is made, she seals it with a curtsy. K. Edw. But stay thee, 'tis the fruits of love I mean. Gray. The fruits of love I mean, my loving Liege. K. Edw. Ay, but I fear me, in another sense.

What love, think'st thou, I sue so much to get?
Gray. My love till death, my humble thanks, my

prayers ;
That love, which virtue begs, and virtue grants.

K. Edw. No, by my troth, I did not mean fuch love,
Gray. Why, then you mean not as I thought you did.
K. Edw. But now you partly may perceive my mind.

Gray. My mind will never grant what I perceive
Your Highness aims at, if I aim aright.
K. Edw. To tell thee plain, I aim

to lie with thoe.
Gray. To tell you plain, I'd rather lie in prison.
K. Edw. Why then thou shalt not have thy husband's

lands. Gray. Why, then mine honesty hall be my dower ; For by that loss I will not purchase them.

K. Edw. Therein thou wrong'it thy children mightily.

Gray. Herein your Highness wrongs both them and me:
But, mighty Lord, this merry inclination
Accords not with the sadness of my suit ;
Pleale you dismiss me, or with.ay, or no.

K. Édw. Ay; if thou wilt fay, ay, to my requcft:
No; if thou doft say, no, to my demand.

Gray. Then, no, my Lord; my suit is at an end.
Glo. The widow likes him not, the knits her brows.
Clar. He is the bluntest wooer in christendom.

K. Ed-w. Her looks do argue her replete with modefty,
Her words do fhew her wit incomparable,
All her perfections challenge sovereignty;
One way, or other, she is for a King.
And she shall be

my
love, or else

my Queen.
Say, that King Edzvard take thee for, his Queen ?

Gray. 'Tis better said than done, my gracious Lori;
I am a subject fit to jest withal,
But far unfit to be a Sovereign.

K. Edw. Sweet widow, by my state I swear to tl.ee,
I speak no more than what my soul intends ;
And that is, to enjoy thee for my

love.
Gray. And that is more than I will yield unto:
I know I am too mean to be your Quéin;
And yet too good to be your concubine.
Vol. V.

G

K. Edw.