Act III
Scene I
A forest in the north of England.
Enter two Keepers, with cross-bows in their hands. | |
First Keeper |
Under this thick-grown brake we’ll shroud ourselves;
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Second Keeper | I’ll stay above the hill, so both may shoot. |
First Keeper |
That cannot be; the noise of thy cross-bow
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Second Keeper | Here comes a man; let’s stay till he be past. |
Enter King Henry, disguised, with a prayer-book. | |
King Henry |
From Scotland am I stol’n, even of pure love,
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First Keeper |
Ay, here’s a deer whose skin’s a keeper’s fee:
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King Henry |
Let me embrace thee, sour adversity,
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Second Keeper | Why linger we? let us lay hands upon him. |
First Keeper | Forbear awhile; we’ll hear a little more. |
King Henry |
My queen and son are gone to France for aid;
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Second Keeper | Say, what art thou that talk’st of kings and queens? |
King Henry |
More than I seem, and less than I was born to:
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Second Keeper | Ay, but thou talk’st as if thou wert a king. |
King Henry | Why, so I am, in mind; and that’s enough. |
Second Keeper | But, if thou be a king, where is thy crown? |
King Henry |
My crown is in my heart, not on my head;
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Second Keeper |
Well, if you be a king crown’d with content,
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King Henry | But did you never swear, and break an oath? |
Second Keeper | No, never such an oath; nor will not now. |
King Henry | Where did you dwell when I was King of England? |
Second Keeper | Here in this country, where we now remain. |
King Henry |
I was anointed king at nine months old;
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First Keeper |
No;
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King Henry |
Why, am I dead? do I not breathe a man?
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First Keeper | We are true subjects to the king, King Edward. |
King Henry |
So would you be again to Henry,
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First Keeper |
We charge you, in God’s name, and the king’s,
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King Henry |
In God’s name, lead; your king’s name be obey’d:
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Scene II
London. The palace.
Enter King Edward, Gloucester, Clarence, and Lady Grey. | |
King Edward |
Brother of Gloucester, at Saint Alban’s field
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Gloucester |
Your highness shall do well to grant her suit;
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King Edward | It were no less; but yet I’ll make a pause. |
Gloucester |
Aside to Clarence. Yea, is it so?
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Clarence | Aside to Gloucester. He knows the game: how true he keeps the wind! |
Gloucester | Aside to Clarence. Silence! |
King Edward |
Widow, we will consider of your suit;
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Lady Grey |
Right gracious lord, I cannot brook delay:
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Gloucester |
Aside to Clarence. Ay, widow? then I’ll warrant you all your lands,
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Clarence | Aside to Gloucester. I fear her not, unless she chance to fall. |
Gloucester | Aside to Clarence. God forbid that! for he’ll take vantages. |
King Edward | How many children hast thou, widow? tell me. |
Clarence | Aside to Gloucester. I think he means to beg a child of her. |
Gloucester | Aside to Clarence. Nay, whip me then: he’ll rather give her two. |
Lady Grey | Three, my most gracious lord. |
Gloucester | Aside to Clarence. You shall have four, if you’ll be ruled by him. |
King Edward | ’Twere pity they should lose their father’s lands. |
Lady Grey | Be pitiful, dread lord, and grant it then. |
King Edward | Lords, give us leave: I’ll try this widow’s wit. |
Gloucester |
Aside to Clarence. Ay, good leave have you; for you will have leave,
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King Edward | Now tell me, madam, do you love your children? |
Lady Grey | Ay, full as dearly as I love myself. |
King Edward | And would you not do much to do them good? |
Lady Grey | To do them good, I would sustain some harm. |
King Edward | Then get your husband’s lands, to do them good. |
Lady Grey | Therefore I came unto your majesty. |
King Edward | I’ll tell you how these lands are to be got. |
Lady Grey | So shall you bind me to your highness’ service. |
King Edward | What service wilt thou do me, if I give them? |
Lady Grey | What you command, that rests in me to do. |
King Edward | But you will take exceptions to my boon. |
Lady Grey | No, gracious lord, except I cannot do it. |
King Edward | Ay, but thou canst do what I mean to ask. |
Lady Grey | Why, then I will do what your grace commands. |
Gloucester | Aside to Clarence. He plies her hard; and much rain wears the marble. |
Clarence | Aside to Gloucester. As red as fire! nay, then her wax must melt. |
Lady Grey | Why stops my lord, shall I not hear my task? |
King Edward | An easy task; ’tis but to love a king. |
Lady Grey | That’s soon perform’d, because I am a subject. |
King Edward | Why, then, thy husband’s lands I freely give thee. |
Lady Grey | I take my leave with many thousand thanks. |
Gloucester | Aside to Clarence. The match is made; she seals it with a curtsy. |
King Edward | But stay thee, ’tis the fruits of love I mean. |
Lady Grey | The fruits of love I mean, my loving liege. |
King Edward |
Ay, but, I fear me, in another sense.
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Lady Grey |
My love till death, my humble thanks, my prayers;
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King Edward | No, by my troth, I did not mean such love. |
Lady Grey | Why, then you mean not as I thought you did. |
King Edward | But now you partly may perceive my mind. |
Lady Grey |
My mind will never grant what I perceive
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King Edward | To tell thee plain, I aim to lie with thee. |
Lady Grey | To tell you plain, I had rather lie in prison. |
King Edward | Why, then thou shalt not have thy husband’s lands. |
Lady Grey |
Why, then mine honesty shall be my dower;
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King Edward | Therein thou wrong’st thy children mightily. |
Lady Grey |
Herein your highness wrongs both them and me.
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King Edward |
Ay, if thou wilt say “ay” to my request;
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Lady Grey | Then, no, my lord. My suit is at an end. |
Gloucester | Aside to Clarence. The widow likes him not, she knits her brows. |
Clarence | Aside to Gloucester. He is the bluntest wooer in Christendom. |
King Edward |
Aside. Her looks do argue her replete with modesty;
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Lady Grey |
’Tis better said than done, my gracious lord:
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King Edward |
Sweet widow, by my state I swear to thee
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Lady Grey |
And that is more than I will yield unto:
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King Edward | You cavil, widow: I did mean, my queen. |
Lady Grey | ’Twill grieve your grace my sons should call you father. |
King Edward |
No more than when my daughters call thee mother.
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Gloucester | Aside to Clarence. The ghostly father now hath done his shrift. |
Clarence | Aside to Gloucester. When he was made a shriver, ’twas for shift. |
King Edward | Brothers, you muse what chat we two have had. |
Gloucester | The widow likes it not, for she looks very sad. |
King Edward | You’ll think it strange if I should marry her. |
Clarence | To whom, my lord? |
King Edward | Why, Clarence, to myself. |
Gloucester | That would be ten days’ wonder at the least. |
Clarence | That’s a day longer than a wonder lasts. |
Gloucester | By so much is the wonder in extremes. |
King Edward |
Well, jest on, brothers: I can tell you both
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Enter a Nobleman. | |
Nobleman |
My gracious lord, Henry your foe is taken,
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King Edward |
See that he be convey’d unto the Tower:
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Gloucester |
Ay, Edward will use women honourably.
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Scene III
France. The King’s palace.
Flourish. Enter Lewis the French King, his sister Bona, his Admiral, called Bourbon: Prince Edward, Queen Margaret, and the Earl of Oxford. Lewis sits, and riseth up again. | |
King Lewis |
Fair Queen of England, worthy Margaret,
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Queen Margaret |
No, mighty King of France: now Margaret
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King Lewis | Why, say, fair queen, whence springs this deep despair? |
Queen Margaret |
From such a cause as fills mine eyes with tears
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King Lewis |
Whate’er it be, be thou still like thyself,
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Queen Margaret |
Those gracious words revive my drooping thoughts
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King Lewis |
Renowned queen, with patience calm the storm,
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Queen Margaret | The more we stay, the stronger grows our foe. |
King Lewis | The more I stay, the more I’ll succour thee. |
Queen Margaret |
O, but impatience waiteth on true sorrow.
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Enter Warwick. | |
King Lewis | What’s he approacheth boldly to our presence? |
Queen Margaret | Our Earl of Warwick, Edward’s greatest friend. |
King Lewis | Welcome, brave Warwick! What brings thee to France? He descends. She ariseth. |
Queen Margaret |
Ay, now begins a second storm to rise;
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Warwick |
From worthy Edward, King of Albion,
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Queen Margaret | Aside. If that go forward, Henry’s hope is done. |
Warwick |
To Bona. And, gracious madam, in our king’s behalf,
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Queen Margaret |
King Lewis and Lady Bona, hear me speak,
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Warwick | Injurious Margaret! |
Prince | And why not queen? |
Warwick |
Because thy father Henry did usurp;
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Oxford |
Then Warwick disannuls great John of Gaunt,
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Warwick |
Oxford, how haps it, in this smooth discourse,
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Oxford |
Why, Warwick, canst thou speak against thy liege,
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Warwick |
Can Oxford, that did ever fence the right,
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Oxford |
Call him my king by whose injurious doom
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Warwick | And I the house of York. |
King Lewis |
Queen Margaret, Prince Edward, and Oxford,
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Queen Margaret | Heavens grant that Warwick’s words bewitch him not! |
King Lewis |
Now, Warwick, tell me, even upon thy conscience,
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Warwick | Thereon I pawn my credit and mine honour. |
King Lewis | But is he gracious in the people’s eye? |
Warwick | The more that Henry was unfortunate. |
King Lewis |
Then further, all dissembling set aside,
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Warwick |
Such it seems
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King Lewis | Now, sister, let us hear your firm resolve. |
Bona |
Your grant, or your denial, shall be mine:
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King Lewis |
Then, Warwick, thus: our sister shall be Edward’s;
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Prince | To Edward, but not to the English king. |
Queen Margaret |
Deceitful Warwick! it was thy device
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King Lewis |
And still is friend to him and Margaret:
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Warwick |
Henry now lives in Scotland at his ease,
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Queen Margaret |
Peace, impudent and shameless Warwick, peace,
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King Lewis | Warwick, this is some post to us or thee. |
Enter a Post. | |
Post |
To Warwick. My lord ambassador, these letters are for you,
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Oxford |
I like it well that our fair queen and mistress
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Prince |
Nay, mark how Lewis stamps, as he were nettled:
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King Lewis | Warwick, what are thy news? and yours, fair queen? |
Queen Margaret | Mine, such as fill my heart with unhoped joys. |
Warwick | Mine, full of sorrow and heart’s discontent. |
King Lewis |
What! has your king married the Lady Grey!
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Queen Margaret |
I told your majesty as much before:
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Warwick |
King Lewis, I here protest, in sight of heaven,
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Queen Margaret |
Warwick, these words have turn’d my hate to love;
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Warwick |
So much his friend, ay, his unfeigned friend,
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Bona |
Dear brother, how shall Bona be revenged
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Queen Margaret |
Renowned prince, how shall poor Henry live,
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Bona | My quarrel and this English queen’s are one. |
Warwick | And mine, fair lady Bona, joins with yours. |
King Lewis |
And mine with hers, and thine, and Margaret’s.
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Queen Margaret | Let me give humble thanks for all at once. |
King Lewis |
Then, England’s messenger, return in post,
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Bona |
Tell him, in hope he’ll prove a widower shortly,
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Queen Margaret |
Tell him, my mourning weeds are laid aside,
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Warwick |
Tell him from me that he hath done me wrong,
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King Lewis |
But, Warwick,
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Warwick |
This shall assure my constant loyalty,
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Queen Margaret |
Yes, I agree, and thank you for your motion.
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Prince |
Yes, I accept her, for she well deserves it;
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King Lewis |
Why stay we now? These soldiers shall be levied,
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Warwick |
I came from Edward as ambassador,
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