| ACT IV SCENE I | London. The palace. | |
| [Enter GLOUCESTER, CLARENCE, SOMERSET, and MONTAGUE] |
| GLOUCESTER | Now tell me, brother Clarence, what think you |
| Of this new marriage with the Lady Grey? |
| Hath not our brother made a worthy choice? |
| CLARENCE | Alas, you know, 'tis far from hence to France; |
| How could he stay till Warwick made return? | 5 |
| SOMERSET | My lords, forbear this talk; here comes the king. |
| GLOUCESTER | And his well-chosen bride. |
| CLARENCE | I mind to tell him plainly what I think. |
| [
Flourish. Enter KING EDWARD IV, attended; QUEEN
ELIZABETH, PEMBROKE, STAFFORD, HASTINGS, and others
] |
| KING EDWARD IV | Now, brother of Clarence, how like you our choice, |
| That you stand pensive, as half malcontent? | 10 |
| CLARENCE | 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. |
| KING EDWARD IV | Suppose they take offence without a cause, |
| They are but Lewis and Warwick: I am Edward, | 15 |
| Your king and Warwick's, and must have my will. |
| GLOUCESTER | And shall have your will, because our king: |
| Yet hasty marriage seldom proveth well. |
| KING EDWARD IV | Yea, brother Richard, are you offended too? |
| GLOUCESTER | Not I: | 20 |
| 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. |
| KING EDWARD IV | Setting your scorns and your mislike aside, |
| Tell me some reason why the Lady Grey | 25 |
| Should not become my wife and England's queen. |
| And you too, Somerset and Montague, |
| Speak freely what you think. |
| CLARENCE | Then this is mine opinion: that King Lewis |
| Becomes your enemy, for mocking him | 30 |
| About the marriage of the Lady Bona. |
| GLOUCESTER | And Warwick, doing what you gave in charge, |
| Is now dishonoured by this new marriage. |
| KING EDWARD IV | What if both Lewis and Warwick be appeased |
| By such invention as I can devise? | 35 |
| MONTAGUE | 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. |
| HASTINGS | Why, knows not Montague that of itself |
| England is safe, if true within itself? | 40 |
| MONTAGUE | But the safer when 'tis back'd with France. |
| HASTINGS | 'Tis better using France than trusting France: |
| Let us be back'd with God and with the seas |
| Which He hath given for fence impregnable, |
| And with their helps only defend ourselves; | 45 |
| In them and in ourselves our safety lies. |
| CLARENCE | For this one speech Lord Hastings well deserves |
| To have the heir of the Lord Hungerford. |
| KING EDWARD IV | Ay, what of that? it was my will and grant; |
| And for this once my will shall stand for law. | 50 |
| 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. | 55 |
| CLARENCE | 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. |
| KING EDWARD IV | Alas, poor Clarence! is it for a wife |
| That thou art malcontent? I will provide thee. | 60 |
| CLARENCE | In choosing for yourself, you show'd your judgment, |
| Which being shallow, you give me leave |
| To play the broker in mine own behalf; |
| And to that end I shortly mind to leave you. |
| KING EDWARD IV | Leave me, or tarry, Edward will be king, | 65 |
| And not be tied unto his brother's will. |
| QUEEN ELIZABETH | 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; | 70 |
| And meaner than myself have had like fortune. |
| But as this title honours me and mine, |
| So your dislike, to whom I would be pleasing, |
| Doth cloud my joys with danger and with sorrow. |
| KING EDWARD IV | My love, forbear to fawn upon their frowns: | 75 |
| 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; | 80 |
| Which if they do, yet will I keep thee safe, |
| And they shall feel the vengeance of my wrath. |
| GLOUCESTER | [Aside] I hear, yet say not much, but think the more.
|
| [Enter a Post] |
| KING EDWARD IV | Now, messenger, what letters or what news |
| From France? | 85 |
| Post | My sovereign liege, no letters; and few words, |
| But such as I, without your special pardon, |
| Dare not relate. |
| KING EDWARD IV | Go to, we pardon thee: therefore, in brief, |
| Tell me their words as near as thou canst guess them. | 90 |
| What answer makes King Lewis unto our letters? |
| Post | At my depart, these were his very words: |
| 'Go tell false Edward, thy supposed king, |
| That Lewis of France is sending over masquers |
| To revel it with him and his new bride.' | 95 |
| KING EDWARD IV | Is Lewis so brave? belike he thinks me Henry. |
| But what said Lady Bona to my marriage? |
| Post | These were her words, utter'd with mad disdain: |
| 'Tell him, in hope he'll prove a widower shortly, |
| I'll wear the willow garland for his sake.' | 100 |
| KING EDWARD IV | 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. |
| Post | 'Tell him,' quoth she, 'my mourning weeds are done, |
| And I am ready to put armour on.' | 105 |
| KING EDWARD IV | 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, | 110 |
| And therefore I'll uncrown him ere't be long.' |
| KING EDWARD IV | Ha! durst the traitor breathe out so proud words? |
| Well I will arm me, being thus forewarn'd: |
| They shall have wars and pay for their presumption. |
| But say, is Warwick friends with Margaret? | 115 |
| Post | Ay, gracious sovereign; they are so link'd in |
| friendship |
| That young Prince Edward marries Warwick's daughter. |
| CLARENCE | Belike the elder; Clarence will have the younger. |
| Now, brother king, farewell, and sit you fast, | 120 |
| 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] |
| GLOUCESTER | [Aside] Not I:
| 125 |
| My thoughts aim at a further matter; I |
| Stay not for the love of Edward, but the crown. |
| KING EDWARD IV | 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. | 130 |
| 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, | 135 |
| 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: | 140 |
| 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! | 145 |
| KING EDWARD IV | Now, brother Richard, will you stand by us? |
| GLOUCESTER | Ay, in despite of all that shall withstand you. |
| KING EDWARD IV | 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. | 150 |
[Exeunt] |
The Essential Student History Quiz (with answers and illustrations)