And am I then a man to be belov'd? O, monstrous fault, to harbour such a thought! I'll make my heaven-to dream upon the crown; I'll drown more sailors than the mermaid shall; SCENE III. France. A Room in the Palace. K. Lew. Fair Queen of England, worthy Margaret, [Rising. Sit down with us; it ill befits thy state, And birth, that thou should'st stand, while Lewis doth sit. Q. Mar. No, mighty King of France; now Margaret Must strike her sail, and learn awhile to serve, Where kings command. I was, I must confess, Great Albion's queen in former golden days: But now mischance hath trod my title down, 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 cares. [self, K. Lew. Whate'er it be, be thou still like thyAnd sit thee by our side: yield not thy neck [Seats her by him. To fortune's yoke, but let thy dauntless mind Still ride in triumph over all mischance.. Be plain, Queen Margaret, and tell thy grief; It shall be eas'd, if France can yield relief. Q. Mar. Those gracious words revive my drooping thoughts, And give my tongue-tied sorrows leave to speak. Of England's true anointed lawful king. Am come to crave thy just and lawful aid; the storm, 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 greatest friend. K. Lew. Welcome, brave Warwick; What brings thee to France? [Descending from his State, QUEEN MARGARET rises. Q. Mar. Ay, now begins a second storm to rise; For this is he that moves both wind and tide. With nuptial knot, if thou vouchsafe to grant 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, Yet here Prince Edward stands, King Henry's son. [marriage Look therefore, Lewis, that by this league and Thou draw not on thy danger and dishonour: For though usurpers sway the rule awhile, Yet heavens are just, and time suppresseth wrongs. War. Injurious Margaret! 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 discourse, 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 Whom thou obeyedst thirty and six years, My elder brother, the Lord Aubrey Vere, 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! [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 K. Lew. But is he gracious in the people's eye? 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, K. Lew. Now, sister, let us hear your firm resolve. [mine :Bona. Your grant, or your denial, shall be 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; |