K. Lew. Warwick, what are thy news? and yours

fair Queen?

Queen. Mine fuch, as fills my heart with unhop'd joys.
War. Mine full of forrow and heart's discontent.
K.Lew. What! has your King marry'd the lady Gray?
And now, to footh your forgery and his,

Sends me a paper to perfuade me patience ?
Is this th'alliance, that he feeks with France?
Dare he prefume to fcorn us in this manner?

Queen. I told your Majefty as much before;
This proveth Edward's love and Warwick's honesty.
War. King Lewis, I here proteft in fight of heav'n,
And by the hope I have of heav'nly blifs,

That I am clear from this mifdeed of Edward's:
No more my King; for he difhonours me,
But moft himself, if he could fee his fhame.
Did I forget, that by the Houfe of York,
My father came untimely to his death;
Did I let pafs th' abufe 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 defert is honour?
And to repair my honour loft for him,
I here renounce him, and return to Henry.
My noble Queen, let former grudges país,
And henceforth, I am thy true fervitor :
I will revenge his wrong to lady Bona,
And replant Henry in his former state.

Que. Warwick, thefe words have turn'd my hate to love,
And I forgive and quite forget old faults;

And joy, that thou becom'ft King Henry's friend.
War. So much his friend, ay, his unfeigned friend,
That if King Lewis vouchfafe to furnish us
With fome few bands of chofen foldiers,
I'll undertake to land them on our coaft,
And force the tyrant from his seat by war.
'Tis not his new-made bride fhall fuccour him,
And, as for Clarence, as my letters tell me,
He's very likely now to fall from him,

G 5

For

For matching more for wanton luft than honour,
Or than for ftrength and fafety of our Country.

Bona. Dear brother, how fhall Bona be reveng'd,
But by thy help to this diftreffed Queen?

Queen. Renowned Prince, how shall poor Henry live, Unless thou refcue him from foul defpair?

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 laft I firmly am refolv'd

You fhall have aid.

Queen. Let me give humble thanks for all at once.
K. Lew. Then, England's meffenger, return in poft,
And tell falfe Edward, thy fuppofed King,

That Lewis of France is fending over makers,
To revel it with him and his new bride.

Thou feet what's paft, go fear thy King withal.
Bona. Tell him, in hope he'll prove a widower shortly,
I wear the willow garland for his fake.

Queen. Tell him, my mourning weeds are laid afide; 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.

K. Lew. But, Warwick,

[Exit Poft

Thyfelf and Oxford with five thousand men
Shall crofs the feas, and give falfe Edward battle:
And, as occafion ferves, this noble Queen
And Prince fhall follow with a fresh fupply.
Yet ere thou go, but anfwer me one doubt:
What pledge have we of thy firm loyalty?

War. This fhall affure my conftant loyalty,
That if our Queen and this young Prince agree,
I'll join my younger daughter, and my joy, (6)

ΤΟ

(6) Fl join my eldest Daughter, and my for To bim forthwith,- -] Surely, this is a Miftake of the Copyifts. Hall, in the 9th Year of King Edward IV. fays, Edward, Prince of Wales, wedded Anne SECOND Daughter to the Earl of Warwick. And the Duke of Clarence was in Love with the ELDER, the Lady

Label

To him forthwith, in holy wedlock' bands.

Queen. Yes, I agree and thank you for your motion. Son Edward, he is fair and virtuous;

Therefore delay not, give thy hand to Warwick,
And, with thy hand, thy faith irrevocable,
That only Warwick's daughter fhall be thine,
Prince. Yes, I accept her, for fhe well deferves it :
And here to pledge my vow, I give my hand.

[He gives his hand to Warwick.
K.Lew. Why ftay we now; thefe foldiers fhall be levy'd.
And thou, Lord Bourbon, our high Admiral,
Shalt waft them over with our royal fleet.
I long, till Edward fall by war's mifchance,
For mocking marriage with a Dame of France.

[Exeunt. Manet Warwick.

War. I came from Edward as ambassador,
But I return his fworn and mortal foe:

Matter of marriage was the charge he gave me,
But dreadful war fhall anfwer his demand.
Had he none elfe to make a Stale, but me?
Then none but I fhall turn his jeft to forrow.
I was the chief that raised him to the Crown,
And I'll be chief to bring him down again:
Not that I pity Henry's mifery,

But feek revenge on Edward's mockery.

[Exit

Ilabel; and in reality was married to her five Years before Prince Edward took the Lady Anne to Wife.

And in K. Richard third, Gloucefter, who married this Lady Anne when a Widow, fays

For then I'll marry Warwick's YOUNGEST Daughter.

What tho' I kill'd ber Husband and her Father?

i. e. Prince Edward, and K. Henry VI. her Father-in Law. See Likewife Holing bead in his Chronicle; p. 671 and 674.

SCENE, the Palace in England.

Enter Gloucefter, Clarence, Somerfet and Montague.

N

GLOUCESTER,

OW tell me, brother Clarence, what think you, Of this new marriage with the lady Gray? Hath not our brother made a worthy choice?

Clar. Alas, you know, 'tis far from hence to France: How could he ftay till Warwick made Return?

Som. My Lords, forbear this talk: here comes the King. Flourish. Enter King Edward, Lady Gray as Queen, Pembroke, Stafford, and Haftings: Four ftand on one fide, and four on the other.

Glo. And his well chofen bride.

Clar. I mind to tell him plainly what I think.

K. Ed. Now, brother Clarence, how like you our choice, That you ftand penfive, as half malecontent?

Clar. As well as Lewis of France, or th' Earl of
Warwick,

Which are fo weak of courage, and in judgment,
That they'll take no offence at our abuse.

K. Edw. Suppofe they take offence without a cause, They are but Lewis and Warwick, and I am Edward, Your King and Warwick's, and must have my will.

Glo. And you fhall have your will, because our King, Yet hafty marriage feldom proveth well.

K. Edw. Yea, brother Richard, are you offended too? Glo. Not I: no: God forbid, that I fhould wish Them fevered whom God hath join'd together : Pity to funder them, that yoke fo well.

K. Edw.

K. Edw. Setting your fcorns and mislike afide, Tell me fome reafon, why the Lady Gray

Should not become my wife and England's Queen?
And you too, Somerfet 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 fuch invention as I can devife?

Mont. Yet to have join'd with France in fuch alliance, Would more have ftrengthen'd this our Commonwealth 'Gainst foreign ftorms, than any home-bred marriage. Haft. Why, knows not Montague, that of itself England is fafe, if true within itself?

Mont. Yes; but the safer, when 'tis back'd with France. Haft. 'Tis better ufing France, than trufting France. Let us be back'd with God, and with the feas, Which he hath given for fence impregnable, And with their helps alone defend ourselves: In them, and in ourfelves, our fafety lies.

Clar. For this one fpeech, Lord Haftings well deferves 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 fhall ftand 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 beftow'd the heir Of the Lord Benvill on your new wife's fon, And leave your brothers to go fpeed elsewhere. K. Edw. Alas, poor Clarence! is it for a wife That thou art malecontent? I will provide thee. Cl. In chufing for yourself, you fhew'd your judgment; Which being thallow, you fhall give me leave

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