RICHARD
Now tell me, brother Clarence, what think you
Of this new marriage with the Lady Grey?
not our brother made a worthy choice?
GEORGE
Alas, you know far from to France!
How could he stay till Warwick made return?
SOMERSET
My lords, forbear this talk; here comes the King.
RICHARD
And his well-chosen bride.
GEORGE
I mind to tell him plainly what I think.
KING EDWARD
Now, brother of Clarence, how like you our choice,
That you stand pensive as half malcontent?
GEORGE
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
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.
RICHARD
And shall have your will, because our King.
Yet hasty marriage seldom proveth well.
KING EDWARD
Yea, brother Richard, are you offended too?
RICHARD
Not I.
No, God forbid that I should wish them severed
Whom God 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 Grey
Should not become my wife and England’s queen.
And you too, Somerset and Montague,
Speak freely what you think.
GEORGE
Then this is mine opinion: that King Lewis
Becomes your enemy for mocking him
About the marriage of the Lady Bona.
RICHARD
And Warwick, doing what you gave in charge,
Is now dishonoured by this new marriage.
KING EDWARD
What if both Lewis 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 backed with France.
HASTINGS
better using France than trusting France.
Let us be backed with God and with the seas
Which He giv’n for fence impregnable,
And with their helps only defend ourselves.
In them and in ourselves our safety lies.
GEORGE
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
And yet, , your Grace 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
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 art malcontent? I will provide .
GEORGE
In choosing for yourself you showed 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.
KING EDWARD
Leave me or tarry, Edward will be king,
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,
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,
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
So long as Edward is constant friend
And their true sovereign, whom they must obey?
Nay, whom they shall obey, and love too,
Unless they seek for hatred at my hands;
Which if they do, yet will I keep safe,
And they shall feel the vengeance of my wrath.
RICHARD
I hear, yet say not much, but think the more.
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 . Therefore, in brief,
Tell me their words as near as canst guess them.
What answer makes King Lewis unto our letters?
POST
At my depart these were his very words:
“Go tell false Edward, supposed king,
That Lewis of France is sending over maskers
To revel it with him and his new bride.”
KING EDWARD
Is Lewis so brave? 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
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.”
KING EDWARD
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 done me wrong,
And therefore I’ll uncrown him ’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
the elder; Clarence will have the younger.
Now, brother king, farewell, and sit you fast,
For I will 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.
RICHARD
Not I. 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 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.
KING EDWARD
But, 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.
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
Ay, in despite of all that shall withstand you.
KING EDWARD
Why, so! Then am I sure of victory.
Now, therefore, let us , and lose no hour
Till we meet Warwick with his foreign power.