K. Edw. You'd think it strange if I should marry her. Clar. To whom, my lord? least. Then, since this earth affords no joy to me, *But to command, to check, to o'erbear such * As are of better person than myself, *I'll make my heaven-to dream upon the crown; *And, whiles I live, to account this world but hell, Until my misshap'd trunk that bears this head, Be round impaled3 with a glorious crown. Clar. That's a day longer than a wonder lasts. Her suit is granted for her husband's lands. Enter a Nobleman. Nob. My gracious lord, Henry your foe is taken, And brought your prisoner to your palace gate. K. Edw. See, that he be convey'd unto the Tower : And go we, brothers, to the man that took him, To question of his apprehension. * And yet I know not how to get the crown, Widow, go you along;-Lords, use her honour-*I'll drown more sailors than the mermaid shall; able. [Exeunt KING EDWARD, LADY GREY, CLARENCE, and Lord. Glo. Ay, Edward will use women honourably. 'Would, he were wasted, marrow, bones, and all, That from his loins no hopeful branch may spring, To cross me from the golden time I look for! And yet, between my soul's desire and me *(The lustful Edward's title buried) Is Clarence, Henry, and his son young Edward, And all the unlook'd-for issue of their bodies, To take their rooms, ere I can place myself: A cold premeditation for my purpose! *Why, then I do but dream on sovereignty; *Like one that stands upon a promontory, *And spies a far-off shore where he would tread, *Wishing his foot were equal with his eye; *And chides the sea that sunders him from thence, *Saying-he'll lade it dry to have his way: *So do I wish the crown, being so far off; * And so I chide the means that keep me from it; *And so I say-I'll cut the causes off, Flattering me with impossibilities. * My eye's too quick, my heart o'erweens too much, Unless my hand and strength could equal them. *Well, say there is no kingdom then for Richard; *What other pleasure can the world afford? I'll make my heaven in a lady's lap, And deck my body in gay ornaments, And witch sweet ladies with my words and looks. 'O miserable thought! and more unlikely, "Than to accomplish twenty golden crowns! Why, love forswore me in my mother's womb : And, for I should not deal in her soft laws She did corrupt frail nature with some bribe To shrink mine arm up like a wither'd shrub; To make an envious mountain on my back, Where sits deformity to mock my body; To shape my legs of an unequal size; *To disproportion me in every part, Like to a chaos, or an unlick'd bear-whelp,' *That carries no impression like the dam. And am I then a man to be belov'd? I'll slay more gazers than the basilisk; I'll play the orator as well as Nestor, *Deceive more slily than Ulysses could, *And, like a Sinon, take another Troy; I can add colours to the cameleon; Change shapes, with Proteus, for advantages, And set the murd'rous Machiavel to school. Can I do this, and cannot get a crown? Tut! were it further off, I'll pluck it down. [Exit. SCENE III. France. A Room in the Palace. Flourish. Enter LEWIS, the French King, and LADY BONA, attended; the King takes his State. Then enter QUEEN MARGARET, PRINCE EDWARD her Son, and the EARL of OXFORD. 'K. Lew. Fair queen of England, worthy MarSit down with us: it ill befits thy state, garet, [Rising. 'And birth, that thou should'st stand, while Lewis doth sit. * Q. Mar. No, mighty king of France; now Margaret Where kings command. I was, I must confess, *Must strike her sail, and learn awhile to serve, But now mischance hath trod my title down, * Great Albion's queen in former golden days: *And with dishonour laid me on the ground; * Where I must take like seat unto my fortune, * And to my humble seat conform myself. *K. Lew. Why, say, fair queen, whence springs this deep despair? * Q. Mar. From such a cause as fills mine eyes with tears, * And stops my tongue, while heart is drown'd in Otherwise, he observes, the trunk that bears the head is to be encircled with the crown, and not the head itself. 4 The old play reads with more propriety :And set the aspiring Cataline to school.' By which the anachronism is also avoided. Machiavel is mentioned in various books of the poet's age as the instance of the odium attached to his name is to be found in Gill's Logonomia Anglica, 1621 :- Et ne semper Sidneios loquamur, audi epilogum fabulæ quam docuit Boreali dialecto poeta, titulumque fuit reus Machiavellus: 2 Richard speaks here the language of nature. Who-great exemplar of profound politicians. An amusing ever is stigmatized with deformity has a constant source of envy in his mind, and would counterbalance by some other superiority those advantages which he feels himself to want. Bacon remarks that the deformed are commonly daring; and it is almost proverbially observed that they are ill-natured. The truth is that the deformed, like all other men, are displeased with inferiority, and endeavour to gain ground by good or bad means, as they are virtuous or corrupt.-Johnson. 3 i.e. encircled. Steevens would read with Hanmer :Until my head that this misshap'd trunk bears.' "Machil iz hanged And brenned iz his buks: Though Machil iz hanged Yet he iz not wranged, The Di'el haz him fanged In hiz cruket cluks." *Q. Mar. Those gracious words revive my droop- | * That Henry liveth still: but were he dead, *Yet here Prince Edward stands, King Henry's ing thoughts, *And give my tongue-tied sorrows leave to speak. * And forc'd to live in Scotland a forlorn; * While proud ambitious Edward, duke of York, * Of England's true anointed lawful king. Scotland hath will to help, but cannot help; *While we bethink a means to break it off. Q. Mar. The more we stay, the stronger grows our foe. * K. Lew. The more I stay, the more I'll succour thee. * Q. Mar. O, but impatience waiteth on true sorrow: * And see, where comes the breeder of my sorrow. Enter WARWICK,' attended. K. Lew. What's he, approacheth boldly to our presence? Q. Mar. Our earl of Warwick, Edward's great est friend. K. Lew. Welcome, brave Warwick! What brings [Descending from his State, Queen * Q. Mar. Ay, now begins a second storm to rise; For this is he that moves both wind and tide. War. From worthy Edward, king of Albion, 'Q. Mar. If that go forward, Henry's hope is 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, son. *Look therefore, Lewis, that by this league and Prince. marriage, *Thou draw not on thy danger and dishonour : Which did subdue the greatest part of Spain; War. Oxford, how haps it, in this smooth dis course, You told not, how Henry the Sixth hath lost But for the rest,-You tell a pedigree Whom thou obey'dst thirty and six years, Oxf. Call him my king, by whose injurious doom When nature brought him to the door of death?3 K. Lew. Queen Margaret, Prince Edward, and Vouchsafe, at our request, to stand aside, [Retiring with the Prince and OXFORD. K. Lew. Now, Warwick, tell me, even upon thy conscience, Is Edward your true king? for I were loath 2 There is nearly the same line in a former speech of Margaret's. It is found in its present situation alone in the old play. 1 This nobleman's embassy and commission, the insult he receives by the king's hasty marriage, and his Annales of W. of Wyrcester, that no open rupture had consequent resolution to avenge it, with the capture, im- taken place between the king and Warwick, up to the prisonment, and escape of the king, Shakspeare found beginning of November, 1468; at least nothing appears in Hall and Holinshed; but later as well as earlier wri-to the contrary in that historian, whose work is unforters of better authority, incline us to discredit the whole; tunately defective from that period. and to refer the rupture between the king and his political creator to other causes. Perhaps we need seek no further than that jealousy and ingratitude which is but too often experienced in those who are under great obligations too great to be discharged There needs no other proof how little our common histories are to be depended on, than this fabulous story of Warwick and the Lady Bona. The king was privately married to the Lady Elizabeth Widville, in 1463, and in February, 1465, Warwick actually stood sponsor to the Princess Elizabeth, their first child. It should seem from the 3 This passage unavoidably brings to mind that admirable image of old age in Sackville's Induction to the Mirror for Magistrates: 'His withered fist still knocking at death's door.' 4 He means that Henry was unsuccessful in war,' having lost his dominions in France, &c. 5 In the language of Shakspeare's time, by an eternal olant was meant what we now call a perennial one. 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 WAR.] 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 he 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 he can lose. And as for you yourself, our quondam queen,You have a father able to maintain you ;2And better 'twere, you troubled him than France. *Q. Mar. Peace, impudent and shameless Warwick, peace; Proud setter-up and puller-down of kings !3 *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. No more my king, for he dishonours me; 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. 6 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 the help to this distressed queen? Henry live, poor * 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. Mess. My lord ambassador, these letters are for Therefore, at last, I firmly am resolv'd, you; Sent from your brother, Marquis Montague. [To MARGARET. They all read their Letters. Oxf. 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. K. Lew. Warwick, what are thy news? and 'Q. Mar. Mine, such as fill my heart with unhop'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 the 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 ho nesty. War. King Lewis, I here protest,-in sight of And by the hope I have of heavenly bliss,- 1 Steevens thinks that envy in this place, as in many others, is put for malice or hatred. His situation places him above these, though it cannot secure him from female disdain. You shall have aid. * Q. Mar. Let me give humble thanks for all at once. K. Lew. 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: *Thou seest what's past, go fear thy king withal. Bona. Tell him, In hope he'll prove a widower shortly, Pll wear the willow garland for his sake. Q. Mar. Tell him, My mourning weeds are laid aside, And I am ready to put armour on. War. Tell him from me, that he hath done me 5 To sooth, in ancient language, was to countenance a falsehood or forged tale, to uphold one in his talke, and affirme it to be true which he speaketh.' Baret. Malone blunders strangely, taking to sooth in its modern acceptation of to soften. 6 King Edward did attempt a thing once in the 2 Johnson is inclined to think this ironical. The po-earle's house, which was much against the earle's ho verty of Margaret's father being a frequent topic of reproach. 3 The queen here applies to Warwick the very words that King Edward, p. 69, addresses to the Deity. It seems doubtful whether these words in the former instance are not in the old play addressed to Warwick also. 4 Conveyance is used for any crafty artifice. The word has already been explained. Vide King Henry VI. Part I. Act i. Sc. 3. nestie (whether he would have deflowred his daughter or his niece, the certaintie was not for both their honours revealed,) for surely such a thing was attempted by King Edward,'-Holinshed, p. 668. 8 Fright. 7 Rewarded. 9 Here we are to suppose that, according to ancient custom, Warwick makes a present to the herald or messenger, who in the old play is called a Post. See note on King Henry V. Act iii. Sc. vii. 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. 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 embassador, 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,2 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. ACT IV. [Exit. SCENE I. London. A Room in the Palace. Enter GLOSTER, CLARENCE, SOMERSET, MONTAGUE, and others. '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, HASTINGS, and others. 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, my Whom God hath join'd together: ay, and 'twere To sunder them that yoke so well together. They are but Lewis and Warwick; I am Edward, • Your king and Warwick's, and must have will. Glo. And you shall have your will, because our king: Yet hasty marriage seldom proveth well. too? Glo. Not I: "No; God forbid, that I should wish them sever'd 1 This is a departure from the truth of history, for Edward prince of Wales was married to Anne, second daughter of the earl of Warwick. In fact Isabella, his eldest daughter, was married to Clarence in 1468. There is, however, no inconsistence in the present proposal; for at the time represented, when Warwick was in France, neither of his daughters were married. Shakspeare has here again followed the old play. In King Richard III. he has properly represented Lady Anne, the widow of Edward prince of Wales, as the youngest daughter of Warwick. 2 Astale here means a stalking horse, a pretence. 3 See King John, note on the final speech. Tell me some reason, why the Lady Grey Should not become my wife, and England's 'By such invention as I can devise? Mont. Yet to have join'd with France in such alliance, Would more have strengthen'd this our commonwealth 'Gainst foreign storms, than any home-bred marriage. Hast. Why, knows not Montague, that of itself 'England is safe, if true within itself?" * Mont. Yes; but the safer, when 'tis back'd with France. *Hast. 'Tis better using France, than trusting France: * Let us be back'd with God, and with the seas,4 *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 done well, To give the heir and daughter of Lord Scales She better would have fitted me, or Clarence: 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 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, *Do cloud my joys with danger and with sorrow. 4 This has been the advice of every man who in any age understood and favoured the interest of England.Johnson. 5 Until the Restoration minors coming into possession of great estates were in the wardship of the king, who bestowed them on his favourites, or in other words gave them up to plunder, and afterwards disposed of them in marriage as he pleased. I know not (says Johnson) when liberty gained more than, by the abolition of the court of wards. 6 Her father was Sir Richard Widville, Knight, afterwards earl of Rivers; her mother Jaqueline, duchess dowager of Bedford, who was daughter of Peter of Luxemburg, earl of St. Paul, and widow of John duke of Bedford, brother to King Henry V. K. Edw. My love, forbear to fawn upon their] What danger, or what sorrow can befall thee, And their true sovereign, whom they must obey? more. Enter a Messenger. Mess. My sovereign liege, no letters; and few words, 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? K. Edw. Is Lewis so brave? belike he thinks me But what said Lady Bona to my marriage? disdain; Tell him, in hope he'll prove a widower shortly, K. Edw. I blame not her, she could say little She had the wrong. But what said Henry's queen? And I am ready to put armour on. K. Edu. Belike, she minds to play the Amazon. Mess. He, more incens'd against your majesty And haste is needful in this desperate case.- [Exeunt PEMBROKE and STAFFORD. 'I rather wish you foes, than hollow friends; 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 Glo. Ay, in despite of all that shall withstand you. [Exeunt. SCENE II. A Plain in Warwickshire. Enter War. Trust me, my lord, all hitherto goes well; But, see, where Somerset and Clarence come: Speak suddenly, my lords, are we all friends? War. Then, gentle Clarence, welcome unto War- To rest mistrustful where a noble heart be thine. Hath pawn'd an open hand in sign of love; K. Edw. Ha! durst the traitor breathe out so Our scouts have found the adventure very easy: proud words? 'Well, I will arm me, being thus forewarn'd: They shall have wars, and pay for their presump But tion. say, is Warwick friends with Margaret? Mess. Ay, gracious sovereign; they are so link'd in friendship, That young Prince Edward marries Warwick's daughter. Clar. Belike, the elder; Clarence will have the *Now, brother king, farewell, and sit you fast, My thoughts aim at a further matter; I [Aside. K. Edv. Clarence and Somerset both gone to * Yet am I arm'd against the worst can happen; 1 In place signifies there present. The expression is of frequent occurrence in old English writers. It is from the French en place. 2 i. e. my mourning is ended. 3 This is consonant with the former passage of this play, though at variance with what really happened. 4 Johnson has remarked upon the actual improbability of Clarence making this speech in the king's hear. ing. Shakspeare followed the old play, where this line is also found. When the earl of Essex attempted to *That as Ulysses, and stout Diomede, And brought from thence the Thracian fatal *With sleight and manhood stole to Rhesus' tents, steeds; At unawares may beat down Edward's guard, Why, then, let's on our way in silent sort: SCENE III. Edward's Camp, near Warwick. *1 Watch. Come on my masters, each man take The king, by this, is set him down to sleep. *1 Watch. Why, no: for he hath made a solemn VOW raise a rebellion in the city, with a design, as was supposed, to storm the queen's palace, he ran about the streets with his sword drawn, crying out, They that love me, follow me.' 5 See the tenth book of the Iliad. These circum stances were accessible, however, without reference to Homer in the original. 6 We are told by some of the writers of the Trojan story, that the capture of these horses was one of the necessary preliminaries of the fate of Troy. |