K. Hen. So would you be again to Henry, If he were seated as king Edward is. 1 Keep. We charge you, in God's name, and in the king's, To go with us unto the officers. K. Hen. In God's name, lead; your king's name be obey'd And what God will, then let your king perform; And what he will, I humbly yield unto. [Exeunt. SCENE II.-London.-A Room in the Palace. Enter King EDWARD, GLOSTER, CLARENCE, and Lady GREY. K. Edw. Brother of Gloster, at Saint Albans' field This lady's husband, Sir John Grey, was slain ; His lands then seized on by the conqueror : Her suit is now, to repossess those lands; Which we in justice cannot well deny, Because in quarrel of the house of York; The worthy gentleman did lose his life. Glo. Your highness shall do well, to grant her suit ; It were dishonour, to deny it her. K. Edw. It were no less; but yet I'll make a pause. Glo. Yea! is it so? I see, the lady-hath a thing to grant, Clar. He knows the game; how true he keeps Glo. Silence! K. Edw. Widow, we will consider of your suit, And come some other time to know our mind. L. Grey. Right gracious lord, I cannot brook delay: May it please your highness to resolve me now; Glo. [Aside.] Ay, widow? Then I'll warrant you all your lands, An if what pleases him, shall pleasure you. [Aside. Glo. God forbid that! for he'll take 'vantages. [Aside. K. Edw. How many children hast thou, widow? Tell me. Clar. I think he means to beg a child of her. [Aside. * Glo. Nay, whip me then; he'll rather give her two. [Aside. Glo. You shall have four, if you'll be ruled by L. Grey. Three, my most gracious lord. him. [Aside. K. Edw. Twere pity, they should lose their father's land. L. Grey. Be pitiful, dread lord, and grant it then. K. Edu. Lords, give us leave; I'll try this widow's wit. Glo. Ay, good leave⚫ have you; for you will have leave, Till youth take leave, and leave yon to the crutch. [Gloster and Clarence retire to the other side. K. Edw. Now tell me, madam, do you love your children? I. Grey. Ay, full as dearly as I love myself. K. Edw. And would you not do much to do them good? L. Grey. To do them good, I would sustain some harm. K. Edw. Then get your husband's land, to do them good. L. Grey. Therefore I came unto your majesty. K. Edw. I'll tell you how these lands are to be got. L. Grey. So shall you bind me to your highness' service. K. Edw. What service wilt thou do me, if I give them? me L. Grey. What you command, that rests in ne to do. K. Edw. But you will take exceptions to my boon. L. Grey. No, gracious lord, except I cannot do it. K. Edw. Ay, but thou canst do what I mean to ask. L. Grey. Why, then I will do what your grace commands. Glo. He plies her hard; and much rain wears. the marble. [Aside. Clar. As red as fire! Nay, then her wax must melt. [Aside. L. Grey. Why stops my lord? Shall I not hear my task? K. Edw. An easy task; 'tis but to love a king. L. Grey. That's soon perform'd, because 1 am a subject. This phrase implies readiness of assent. VOL. IV. K. Edw. Why then, thy husband's lands I freely give thee. L. Grey. I take my leave, with many thousand thanks. Glo. The match is made; she seals it with a curt'sy. K. Edw. But stay thee, 'tis the fruits of love I mean. L. Grey. The fruits of love I mean, my loving liege.1 K. Edw. Ay, but, I fear me, in another sense. What love, think'st thou, I sue so much to get? L. Grey. My love till death, my humble thanks, my prayers; That love, which virtue begs, and virtue grants.' K. Edw. No, by my troth, I did not mean such love. L. Grey. Why, then you mean not as I thought you did. K. Edw. But now you partly may perceive my mind. L. Grey. My mind will never grant what I perceive Your highness aims at, if I aim aright. K. Edw. To tell thee plain, I aim to lie with thee. L. Grey. To tell you plain, I had rather lie in prison. K. Edw. Why, then thou shalt not have thy husband's lands. L. Grey. Why, then mine honesty shall be my dower; For by that loss I will not purchase them. K. Edw. Therein thou wrong'st thy children mightily. L. Grey. Herein your highness wrongs both_them and me. But, mighty lord, this merry inclination, Accords not with the sadness of my suit; K. Edw. Ay; if thou wilt say ay, to my request: No'; if thou dost say no, to my demand. L. Grey. Then, no, my lord. My suit is at an end. Glo. The widow likes him not, she knits, her brows. [Aside. Clar. He is the bluntest wooer in Christendom. [Aside. K. Edw. [Aside.] Her looks do argue her replete with modesty ; * The seriousness. Her words do shew her wit incomparable; And she shall be my love, or else my queen.- lord: I am a subject fit to jest withal, K. Edw. Sweet, widow, by my state, I swear to I speak no more than what my soul intends; L. Grey. And that is more than I will yield unto : I know, I am too mean to be your queen; And yet too good to be your concubine. K. Edw. You cavil, widow; I did mean, my queen. L. Grey. Twill grieve your grace, my sons should call you-father. K. Edw. No more, than when thy daughters call thee mother. Thou art a widow, and thou hast some children; Answer no more, for thou shalt be my queen. Glo. The ghostly father now hath done his shrift. [Aside. Clar. When he was made a shriver, 'twas for shift. [Aside. K. Edw. Brothers, you muse what chat we two have had. Glo. The widow likes it not, for she looks sad. K. Edw. You'd think it strange, if I should marry her. Clar. To whom, my lord? K. Edw. Why, Clarence, to myself. Glo. That would be ten days' wonder, at the least. 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, Widow, go you along;-Lords, use her honourable. [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, My eye's too quick, my heart o'erweens too much, And witch sweet ladies with my words and looks. O, monstrous fault, to harbour such a thought! |