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 Mar-
garet,
[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.
K. Lew. Whate'er it be, be thou still like thyself,
And 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 droop-
ing thoughts,

And give my tongue-tied sorrows leave to speak.
Now, therefore, be it known to noble Lewis, -
That Henry, sole possessor of my love,
Is, of a king, become a banish'd man,
And forc'd to live in Scotland a forlorn;
While proud ambitious Edward, duke of York,
Usurps the regal title, and the seat

Of England's true-anointed lawful king.
This is the cause, that I, poor Margaret,
With this my son, prince Edward, Henry's heir, -
Am come to crave thy just and lawful aid;
And, if thou fail us, all our hope is done:
Scotland hath will to help, but cannot help;
Our people and our peers are both misled,
Our treasure seiz'd, our soldiers put to flight,
And, as thou see'st, ourselves in heavy plight.
K. Lew. Renowned queen, with patience calm
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. War. From worthy Edward, king of Albion, My lord and sovereign, and thy vowed friend, I come, in kindness and unfeigned love, First, to do greetings to thy royal person; And, then, to crave a league of amity: And, lastly, to confirm that amity With nuptial knot, if thou vouchsafe to grant 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

But for the rest, You tell a pedigree
Of threescore and two years; a silly time
To make prescription for a kingdom's worth.
Orf. Why, Warwick, canst thou speak against
thy liege,

Whom thou obey'dst 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.

Orf. 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!

[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,
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 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 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 he can 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 Warwick, peace; 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 my 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.
Lew. What! has your king married the lady
Grey?

Ana 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
honesty.

War. King Lewis, I here protest,

heaven,

- in sight of

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 the 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 ain 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.
Therefore, at last, I firmly am resolv'd,
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,

I'll 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
wrong;

And therefore I'll uncrown him, ere't be long.
There's thy reward; be gone.
[Exit Mess.
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 irrevocable,
That only Warwick's daughter shall be thine.
Prince. Yes, I accept her, for she well de-
serves 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, 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.

That you stand pensive, as half malcontent?

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 my opinion, that king Lewis Becomes your enemy, for mocking him About the marriage of the lady Bona. Glo. And Warwick, doing what you gave in charge,

Is now dishonoured by this new marriage.

K. Edw. What, if both Lewis and Warwick be appeas'd,

By such invention as I can devise?

Mont. Yet to have join'd with France in such alliance,

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:

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 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.
Glo. I hear, yet say not much, but think the

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.

K. Edw. Belike, she minds to play the Amazon. But what said Warwick to these injuries?

Mess. He, more incens'd against your majesty Than all the rest, discharg'd me with these words; Tell him from me, that he hath done me wrong, And therefore I'll uncrown him, ere't be long.

K. Edw. Ha! durst the traitor breathe out so proud words?

Well, I will arm me, being thus forwarn'd:
They shall have wars, and pay for their presumption.
But 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

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
Glo. Not I.

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

news,

From France?

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?
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 willor garland for his sake.

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 you. K. Edw. 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.

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, 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 surprize and take him at our pleasure?
Our scouts have found the adventure very easy:
That as Ulysses, and stout Diomede,

With slight 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 surprize 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.
SCENE III. - Edward's Camp near Warwick.
Enter certain Watchmen, to guard the KING's tent.
1 Watch. Come on, my masters, each man take
his stand;

The king, by this, is set him down to sleep.
2 Watch. What, will he not to bed?

1 Watch. Why, no: for he hath made a solemn

VOW

Never to lie and take his natural rest,
Till Warwick, or himself, be quite suppress'd.

2 Watch. To-morrow then, belike, shall be the day, If Warwick be so near as men report.

3 Watch. But say, I pray, what nobleman is that, That with the king here resteth in his tent?

I Watch. 'Tis the lord Hastings, the king's chiefest friend.

3 Watch. O, is it so? But why commands the king,

That his chief followers lodge in towns about him, While he himself keepeth 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 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.

Nay, then I see, that Edward needs must down.
Yet, Warwick, in despite of all mischance,
Of thee thyself, and all thy complices,
Edward will always bear himself as king:
Though fortune's malice overthrow my state,
My mind exceeds the compass of her wheel.
War. Then, for his mind, be Edward England's
king:
[Takes off his crown.
But Henry now shall wear the English crown,
And be true king indeed; thou but the shadow. -
My lord of Somerset, at my request,

See that forthwith duke Edward be convey'd
Unto my brother, archbishop of York.
When I have fought with Pembroke and his fellows,
I'll follow you, and tell what answer
Lewis, and the lady Bona, send to him:
Now, for a while, farewell, good duke of York.
K. Edw. What fates impose, that men must needs
abide;