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War. I came from Edward as ambassador,

But I return his sworn and mortal foe:
Matter of marriage was the charge he gave me,
But dreadful war shall answer his demand.
Had he none else to make a stale but me? 260
Then none but I shall turn his jest to sorrow.
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 misery,

But seek revenge on Edward's mockery.

[Exit.

ACT FOURTH

SCENE I

London. The palace.

Enter Gloucester, Clarence, Somerset and

Montague.

Glou. Now tell me, brother Clarence, what think

you

Of this new marriage with the Lady Grey?

Hath not our brother made a worthy choice? Clar. Alas, you know, 'tis far from hence to France;

How could he stay till Warwick made return? Som. My lords, forbear this talk; here comes the king.

Glou. And his well-chosen bride.

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

Flourish. Enter King Edward, attended; Lady Grey, as Queen; Pembroke, Stafford, Hastings, and others.

K. Edre. Now, brother Clarence, how like you our choice,

That you stand pensive, as half malcontent? 10 Clar. As well as Lewis of France, or the Earl of

Warwick,

Which are so weak of courage and in judg

ment

That they'll take no offense at our abuse.

K. Edw. Suppose they take offense without a

cause,

They are but Lewis and Warwick: I am Edward,

Your king and Warwick's, and must have my
will.

Glou. And shall have your will, because our king:
Yet hasty marriage seldom proveth well.
K. Edw. Yea, brother Richard, are you offended

too?

Glou. Not I:

20

No, God forbid that I should wish them sever'd Whom God hath join'd together; aye, and 'twere pity

To sunder them that yoke so well together. K. Edw. 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.

Clar. Then this is mine opinion: that King Lewis Becomes your enemy, for mocking him

About the marriage of the Lady Bona.

13. "our"; Capell, "your."-I. G.

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17. “And shall"; Rowe, "And you shall"; Walker, “Ay, and shall,” or "Marry, and shall,”-I, G.

Glou. And Warwick, doing what you gave in

charge,

Is now dishonored by this new marriage.

K. Edw. What if both Lewis and Warwick be appeased

By such invention as I can devise?

Mont. Yet, to have join'd with France in such alliance

Would more have strengthen'd this our commonwealth

'Gainst foreign storms than any home-bred mar

riage.

Hast. Why, knows not Montague that of itself England is safe, if true within itself?

40

Mont. But the safer when 'tis back'd with France.
Hast. 'Tis better using France than trusting
France:

Let us be back'd with God and with the seas,
Which he hath given for fence impregnable,
And with their helps only defend ourselves;
In them and in ourselves our safety lies.

Clar. For this one speech Lord Hastings well de

serves

To have the heir of the Lord Hungerford. K. Edw. Aye, what of that? it was my will and grant;

And for this once my will shall stand for law. 50

41. "But the safer"; Ff. 2, 3, 4, "Yes, but the safer." S. Walker conj. "But then the safer"; Keightley, "Ay, but the safer"; Anon. conj. "But yet the safer"; Vaughan, “But all the safer"; F. 2, "safter."-I. G.

42. "using"; Vaughan, "losing."-I. G.

Glou. 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 bestow'd the heir
Of the Lord Bonville on your new wife's son,
And leave your brothers to go speed elsewhere.
K. Edw. Alas, poor Clarence! is it for a wife

60

That thou art malcontent? I will provide thee. Clar. In choosing for yourself, you show'd 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. K. Edw. Leave me, or tarry, Edward will be king, And not be tied unto his brother's will.

56. Until the Restoration minors coming into possession of great estates were in the wardship of the king, who bestowed them on his favorites, or in other words gave them up to plunder, and afterwards disposed of them in marriage as he pleased.-H. N. H.

58. The king's advancement of his wife's family is thus mentioned by Holinshed: "Hir father was created earle Rivers, and made high constable of England: hir brother, lord Anthonie, was married to the sole heire of Thomas lord Scales: sir Thomas Graie, sonne to sir John Graie, the queens first husband, was created marquesse of Dorset, and married to Cicelie, heire to the lord Bonville." In fact, however, the queen's son Thomas was married to Anne, the king's niece, daughter and heiress to the duke of Exeter. These things were done in the spring of 1465, the king's marriage having been publicly acknowledged a short time before, and the queen having been introduced at court and crowned.-H. N. H.

66. "brother's"; Rowe's emendation of Ff., "Brothers"; Anon. conj. "brothers"."-I. G.

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