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While we bethink a means to break it off. Queen. The more we stay, the stronger grows our foe.

K. Lew. The more I flay, the more I'll fuccour thee.

Queen. O, but impatience waiteth on true forrow; And fee, where comes the breeder of my forrow. Enter WARWICK.

K. Lew. What's he, approacheth boldly to our prefence?

Queen. Our earl of Warwick, Edward's greatest friend.

K. Lew. Welcome, brave Warwick! What brings

thee to France? [He defcends. She arifeth. Queen. Ay, now begins a fecond ftorm to rife; For this is he, that moves both wind and tide. War. From worthy Edward, king of Albion, My lord and fovereign, and thy vowed friend, I come-in kindnefs, and unfeigned loveFirst, to do greetings to thy royal perfon; And, then, to crave a league of amity; And, laftly, to confirm that amity With nuptial knot, if thou vouchfafe to grant That virtuous lady Bona, thy fair fifter, To England's king in lawful marriage.

Queen. If that go forward, Henry's hope is done. War. And, gracious madam, in our king's behalf, [Speaking to BONA.

I am commanded with your leave and favour, Humbly to kiss your hand, and with my tongue To tell the paffion of my fovereign's heart; Where fame late entering at his heedful ears, Hath plac'd thy beauty's image and thy virtue. F 3

Queen

Queen. King Lewis-and lady Bona-hear me

fpeak,

Before you anfwer Warwick. His demand

Springs not from Edward's well meant honeft love,
But from deceit, bred by neceffity:

For how can tyrants fafely govern home,
Unless abroad they purchafe great alliance?
Το prove him tyrant, this reafon may fuffice—
That Henry liveth ftill: but were he dead,

Yet here prince Edward ftands, king Henry's fon. Look therefore, Lewis, that by this league and marriage

Thou draw not on thy danger and difhonour:
For though ufurpers fway the rule a while,
Yet heavens are juft, and time suppresseth wrongs.
War. Injurious Margaret!

Prince. And why not queen?

War. Because thy father Henry did ufurp; And thou no more art prince, than fhe is queen. Oxf. Then Warwick difannuls great John of Gaunt,

And, after John of Gaunt, Henry the fourth,
Whofe wisdom was a mirror to the wifeft;
And, after that wife prince, Henry the fifth,
Who by his prowefs conquered all France:
From these our Henry lineally defcends.

War. Oxford, how haps it, in this fmooth difcourfe,
You told not, how Henry the fixth hath loft
All that which Henry the fifth hath gotten?
Methinks, these peers of France thould smile at that.
But for the reft-You tell a pedigree

Of threefcore and two years, a filly time
To make prescription for a kingdom's worth.

Oxf. Why, Warwick, canft thou speak against thy liege,

Whom thou obeyed'st thirty and fix

years,
And not bewray thy treason with a blush?
War. Can Oxford, that did ever fence the right,
Now buckler falfehood with a pedigree?
For fhame, leave Henry, and call Edward king.
Oxf. Call him my king, by whofe injurious doom,
My elder brother, the lord Aubrey Vere,
Was done to death? and more than fo, my father,
Even in the downfall of his mellow'd years,
When nature brought him to the door of death?
No, Warwick, no; while life upholds this arm,
This arm upholds the house of Lancaster.
War. And I the house of York.

K. Lew. Queen Margaret, prince Edward, and
Oxford,

Vouchfafe, at our requeft, to ftand afide,
While I ufe further conference with Warwick.
Queen. Heavens grant, that Warwick's words
bewitch him not!
[They retire.
K.Lew. Now Warwick, tell me, even upon thy
confcience,

Is Edward your true king? for I were loth,
To link with him that were not lawful chofen.
War. Thereon I pawn my credit and mine honour.
K. Lew. But is he gracious in the people's eyes?
War. The more, that Henry was unfortunate.
K.Lew. Then further-all diffembling fet afide,
Tell me for truth the measure of his love
Unto our fifter Bona.

War. Such it feems,

As may befeem a monarch like himself.
Myfelf have often heard him fay, and swear-

That

That this his love was an eternal plant;
Whereof the root was fix'd in virtue's ground,
The leaves and fruit maintain'd with beauty's fun;
Exempt from envy, but not from difdain,
Unless the lady Bona quit his pain.

K. Lew. Now, fifter, let us hear your firm refolve. Bona. Your grant, or your denial fhall be mine:Yet I confefs that often ere this day,

[Speaking to WARWICK. When I have heard your king's defert recounted, Mine ear hath tempted judgment to defire.

K. Lew. Then, Warwick, this-Our fister shall be Edward's;

And now forthwith fhall articles be drawn Touching the jointure that your king must make, Which with her dowry fhall be counterpois'd :Draw near, queen Margaret; and be a witnefs, That Bona fhall be wife to the English king.

Prince. To Edward, but not to the English king. Queen. Deceitful Warwick! it was thy device By this alliance to make void my fuit; Before thy coming, Lewis was Henry's friend. K. Lew. And ftill is friend to him and Margaret: But if your title to the crown be weakAs may appear by Edward's good fuccefsThen 'tis but reafon, that I be releas'd From giving aid, which late I promised. Yet fhall you have all kindness at my hand, That your eftate requires, and mine can yield. War. Henry now lives in Scotland at his ease; Where having nothing, nothing he can lofe. And as for you yourfelf, our quondam queenYou have a father able to maintain you;

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And better 'twere, you troubled him than France.

Queen

Queen. Peace, impudent and fhameless Warwick,

peace;

Proud fetter-up and puller-down of kings!
I will not hence, 'till with my talk and tears,
Both full of truth, I make king Lewis behold
Thy fly conveyance, and thy lord's false love;

[Poft, blowing a Horn within. For both of you are birds of felf-fame feather. K. Lew. Warwick, this is fome poft to us, or thee.

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Poft. My lord ambaffador, thefe letters arc for you;

[To WARWICK. Sent from your brother, marquis Montague.Thefe from our king unto your majefty.

[To King LEWIS. And, madam, these for you; from whom, I know not. [To the Queen. They all read their Letters. Oxf. I like it well, that our fair queen and mistress Smiles at her news, while Warwick frowns at his. Prince. Nay, mark, how Lewis ftamps as he hope, all's for the best. [were nettled: 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 And now, to footh your forgery and his, [Grey? Sends me a paper to perfuade me patience? Is this the alliance that he feeks with France? Dare he prefume to scorn us in this manner? Queen. I told your majefty as much before:

This

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