LADY BONA (to King Louis)
Dear brother, how shall Bona be revenged,
But by thy help to this distressed Queen?
QUEEN MARGARET (to King Louis)
Renowned Prince, how shall poor Henry live
Unless thou rescue him from foul despair?
LADY BONA (to King Louis)
My quarrel and this English Queen’s are one.
WARWICK
And mine, fair Lady Bona, joins with yours.
KING LOUIS
And mine with hers, and thine, and Margaret’s.
Therefore at last I firmly am resolved:
You shall have aid.
QUEEN MARGARET
Let me give humble thanks for all at once.
KING LOUIS (to the Post)
Then, England’s messenger, return in post
And tell false Edward, thy supposed king,
That Louis of France is sending over masquers
To revel it with him and his new bride.
Thou seest what’s passed, go fear thy king withal.
LADY BONA (to the Post)
Tell him, in hope he’ll prove a widower shortly,
I’ll wear the willow garland for his sake.
QUEEN MARGARET (to the Post)
Tell him my mourning weeds are laid aside,
And I am ready to put armour on.
WARWICK (to the Post)
Tell him from me that he hath done me wrong,
And therefore I’ll uncrown him ere’t be long.
(Giving money) There’s thy reward—be gone.
Exit Post
KING LOUIS
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?
WARWICK
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.
QUEEN MARGARET
Yes, I agree, and thank you for your motion.
(To Prince Edward) Son Edward, she is fair and virtuous,
Therefore delay not. Give thy hand to Warwick,
And with thy hand thy faith irrevocable
That only Warwick’s daughter shall be thine.
PRINCE EDWARD
Yes, I accept her, for she well deserves it,
And here to pledge my vow I give my hand.
He and Warwick clasp hands
KING LOUIS
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
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?
Then none but I shall turn his jest to sorrow.
I was the chief that raised 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
4.1 Enter Richard Duke of Gloucester, George Duke of Clarence, the Duke of Somerset, and the Marquis of Montague
RICHARD OF GLOUCESTER
Now tell me, brother Clarence, what think you
Of this new marriage with the Lady Gray?
Hath not our brother made a worthy choice ?
GEORGE OF CLARENCE
Alas, you know ’tis far from hence to France;
How could he stay till Warwick made return?
SOMERSET
My lords, forbear this talk—here comes the King.
Flourish. Enter King Edward, the Lady Gray his
Queen, the Earl of Pembroke, and the Lords
Stafford and Hastings. Four stand on one side ⌈of
the King⌉, and four on the other
RICHARD OF GLOUCESTER And his well-chosen bride.
GEORGE OF CLARENCE
I mind to tell him plainly what I think.
KING EDWARD
Now, brother of Clarence, how like you our choice,
GEORGE OF CLARENCE
As well as Louis of France, or the Earl of Warwick,
Which are so weak of courage and in judgement
That they’ll take no offence at our abuse.
KING EDWARD
Suppose they take offence without a cause—
They are but Louis and Warwick; I am Edward,
Your king and Warwick’s, and must have my will.
RICHARD OF GLOUCESTER
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 OF GLOUCESTER
Not I, no—God forbid that I should wish them severed
Whom God hath joined together. 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 Gray
Should not become my wife and England’s queen.
And you too, Somerset and Montague,
Speak freely what you think.
GEORGE OF CLARENCE
Then this is my opinion: that King Louis
Becomes your enemy for mocking him
About the marriage of the Lady Bona.
RICHARD OF GLOUCESTER
And Warwick, doing what you gave in charge,
Is now dishonoured by this new marriage.
KING EDWARD
What if both Louis and Warwick be appeased
By such invention as I can devise?
MONTAGUE
Yet, to have joined with France in such alliance
Would more have strengthened 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 backed with France.
HASTINGS
’Tis better using France than trusting France.
Let us be backed with God and with the seas
Which he hath giv’n for fence impregnable,
And with their helps only defend ourselves.
In them and in ourselves our safety lies.
GEORGE OF CLARENCE
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 OF 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.
GEORGE OF CLARENCE
Or else you would not have bestowed the heir
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 OF CLARENCE
In choosing for yourself you showed your judgement,
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.
LADY GRAY
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—
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,
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
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,
And they shall feel the vengeance of my wrath.
RICHARD OF GLOUCESTER (aside)
I hear, yet say not much, but think the more.
Enter the Post from France
KING EDWARD
Now, messenger, what letters or what news from France ?
POST
My sovereign liege, no letters and few words,
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 Louis unto our letters?
POST
At my depart these were his very words:
‘Go tell false Edward, thy supposed king,
That Louis of France is sending over masquers
To revel it with him and his new bride.’
KING EDWARD
Is Louis so brave ? Belike he thinks me Henry.
But what said Lady Bona to my marriage?
POST
These were her words, uttered with mild disdain:
‘Tell him in hope he’ll prove a widower shortly,
I’ll wear the willow garland for his sake.’
KING EDWARD
ame 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.’
KING EDWARD
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,
And therefore I’ll uncrown him ere’t be long.’
KING EDWARD
Ha! Durst the traitor breathe out so proud words?
Well, I will arm me, being thus forewarned.
They shall have wars and pay for their presumption.
But say, is Warwick friends with Margaret?
POST
Ay, gracious sovereign, they are so linked in friendship
That young Prince Edward marries Warwick’s daughter.
GEORGE OF CLARENCE
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
I may not prove inferior to yourself.
You that love me and Warwick, follow me.
Exit Clarence, and Somerset follows
RICHARD OF GLOUCESTER
Not I—⌈aside⌉ 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?
Yet am I armed against the worst can happen,
And haste is needful in this desp’rate 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’st 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.
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 OF GLOUCESTER
Ay, in despite of all that shall withstand you.
KING EDWARD
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. Exeunt
4.2 Enter the Earls of Warwick and Oxford in England, with French soldiers
WARWICK
Trust me, my lord, all hitherto goes well.
The common sort by numbers swarm to us.
Enter the Dukes of Clarence and Somerset
But see where Somerset and Clarence comes.
Speak suddenly, my lords, are we all friends ?
GEORGE OF CLARENCE Fear not that, my lord.
WARWICK
Then, gentle Clarence, welcome unto Warwick—
And welcome, Somerset. I hold it cowardice
To rest mistrustful where a noble heart
Hath pawned 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 come, sweet Clarence, my daughter shall be thine.
And now what rests but, in night’s coverture,
Thy brother being carelessly encamped,
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 Diomed
With sleight and manhood stole to Rhesus’ tents
And brought from thence the Thracian fatal steeds,
So we, well covered 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
4.3 Enter three Watchmen, to guard King Edward’s tent
FIRST WATCHMAN
Come on, my masters, each man take his stand.
The King by this is set him down to sleep.
SECOND WATCHMAN What, will he not to bed?
FIRST WATCHMAN
Why, no—for he hath made a solemn vow
Never to lie and take his natural rest
Till Warwick or himself be quite suppressed.
SECOND WATCHMAN
Tomorrow then belike shall be the day,
If Warwick be so near as men report.
THIRD WATCHMAN
But say, I pray, what nobleman is that
That with the King here resteth in his tent?
FIRST WATCHMAN
’Tis the Lord Hastings, the King’s chiefest friend.
THIRD 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?
SECOND WATCHMAN
’Tis the more honour, because more dangerous.
THIRD 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.
FIRST WATCHMAN
Unless our halberds did shut up his passage.
SECOND WATCHMAN
Ay, wherefore else guard we his royal tent
But to defend his person from night-foes?
Enter silently the Earl of Warwick, George Duke of
Clarence, the Earl of Oxford, and the Duke of
Somerset, with French soldiers
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.
FIRST WATCHMAN Who goes there?
SECOND WATCHMAN Stay or thou diest.
Warwick and the rest all cry ‘Warwick, Warwick!’
and set upon the guard, who fly, crying ‘Arm, arm!’
Warwick and the rest follow them
4.4 With the drummer playing and trumpeter sounding, enter the Earl of Warwick, the Duke of Somerset, and the rest bringing King Edward out in his gown, sitting in a chair. Richard Duke of Gloucester and Lord Hastings flies over the stage
SOMERSET What are they that fly there?
WARWICK
Richard and Hastings—let them go. Here is the Duke.
KING EDWARD
‘The Duke’! Why, Warwick, when we parted,
Thou calledst me king.
WARWICK Ay, but the case is altered.
When you disgraced 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