Glo.
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. Flourish. Enter king Edward, lady Grey, as queen; Pembroke, Stafford, and Hastings. Four stand on one side, and four on the other^{3 note}.

Glo.
And his well-chosen bride.

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

K. Edw.
Now, brother of Clarence, how like you our choice,
That you stand pensive, as half malecontent?

Clar.
As well as Lewis of France, or the earl of Warwick;
Which are so weak of courage, and in judgment,
That they'll take no offence at our abuse.

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

Glo.
And you shall have your will, because our king:
Yet hasty marriage seldom proveth well.

K. Edw.
Yea, brother Richard, ^{9 note}
are you offended too?

Glo.
Not I:
No; God forbid, that I should wish them sever'd
Whom God hath join'd together: ay, 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.
^{5 note}




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 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 marriage.

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

Mont.
Yes; 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 ^{6 note}with the seas,
Which he hath given for fence impregnable,
And with their helps alone defend ourselves;
In them, and in ourselves, our safety lies.

Clar.
For this one speech, lord Hastings well deserves
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 shall stand for law.

Glo.
^{7 note}




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 ^{8 note}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,
That thou art malecontent? I will provide thee.

Clar.
In choosing for yourself, you shew'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 ty'd unto his brother's will.

Queen.
My lords, before it pleas'd his majesty
To raise my state to title of a queen,
Do me but right, and you must all confess
That I was not ignoble of descent,
And meaner than myself have had like fortune.
But as this title honours me and mine,
So your dislikes, to whom I would be pleasing,
Do cloud my joys with danger and with sorrow.

K. Edw.
My love, forbear to fawn upon their frowns:
What danger, or what sorrow can befall thee,
So long as Edward is thy constant friend,
And their true sovereign, whom they must obey?
Nay, whom they shall obey, and love thee too,
Unless they seek for hatred at my hands:
Which if they do, yet will I keep thee safe,
And they shall feel the vengeance of my wrath.

Glo. [aside.]
I hear, yet say not much, but think the more.

Enter a Post.

K. Edw.
Now, messenger, what letters, or what news,
From France?

Post.
My sovereign liege, no letters; and few words,
But such as I, without your special pardon,
Dare not relate.

K. Edw.
Go to, we pardon thee: therefore, in brief,
Tell me their words as near as thou canst guess them.
What answer makes king Lewis unto our letters?

Post.
At my depart, these were his very words;
Go tell false Edward, thy supposed king,—
That Lewis of France is sending over maskers,
To revel it with him and his new bride.

K. Edw.
Is Lewis so brave? belike, he thinks me Henry.
But what said lady Bona ^{6 note}
to my marriage?

Post.
These were her words, utter'd with mild disdain:
Tell him, in hope he'll prove a widower shortly,
I'll wear the willow garland for his sake.

K. Edw.
I blame not her, she could say little less;
She had the wrong. But what said Henry's queen?
For I have heard, that she was there in place.

Post.
Tell him, quoth she, my mourning weeds are done,
And I am ready to put armour on.

K. Edw.
Belike, she minds to play the Amazon.
But what said Warwick to these injuries?

Post.
He, more incens'd against your majesty
Than all the rest, discharg'd me with these words;
Tell him from me, that he hath done me wrong,
And therefore I'll uncrown him, ere't be long.

K. Edw.
Ha! durst the traitor breathe out so proud words?
Well, I will arm me, being thus forewarn'd:
They shall have wars, and pay for their presumption.
But say, is Warwick friends with Margaret?

Post.
Ay, gracious sovereign; they are so link'd in friendship,
That young prince Edward marries Warwick's daughter.

Clar.
^{1 note}Belike, the younger; Clarence will have the elder.
Now, brother king, farewel, and sit you fast,
For I will hence to Warwick's other daughter;
That, though I want a kingdom, yet in marriage
I may not prove inferior to yourself.—
^{2 note}