K. Edw.
Brother of Glo'ster, at St. Alban's field
This lady's husband, ^{1 note}Sir John Gray, was slain,
His land then seiz'd on by the Conqueror:
Her suit is now to repossess those lands,
Which we in justice cannot well deny;
Because, in quarrel of the House of York,
The worthy gentleman did lose his life.

Glo.
Your Highness shall do well to grant her suit:
It were dishonour to deny it her.

K. Edward.
It were no less; but yet I'll make a pause.

Glo.
Yea! is it so?
I see, the lady hath a thing to grant,
Before the King will grant her humble suit.

Clar.
He knows the game; how true he keeps the wind?

Glo.
Silence.

K. Edw.
Widow, we will consider of your suit,
And come some other time to know our mind.

Gray.
Right gracious lord, I cannot brook delay.
May't please your Highness to resolve me now?
And what your Pleasure is, shall satisfy me.

Glo.
Ay, widow? then I'll warrant you all your lands,
An if what pleases him, shall pleasure you:
Fight closer, or, good faith, you'll catch a blow.

Clar.
I fear her not, unless she chance to fall.

Glo.
God forbid That! for he'll take vantages.

K. Edw.
How many children hast thou, widow? tell me.

Clar.
I think, he means to beg a child of her.

Glo.
Nay, whip me then: he'll rather give her two.

Gray.
Three, my most gracious lord.

Glo.
You shall have four, if you'll be rul'd by him.

K. Edw.
'Twere pity they should lose their father's lands.

Gray.
Be pitiful, dread lord, and grant it then.

K. Edw.
Lords, give us leave; I'll try this widow's wit.

Glo.
Ay, good leave have you, for you will have leave;
Till youth take leave, and leave you to the crutch.

K. Edw.
Now tell me, Madam, do you love your children?

Gray.
Ay, full as dearly as I love myself.

K. Edw.
And would you not do much to do them good?

Gray.
To do them good, I would sustain some harm.

K. Edw.
Then get your husband's lands, to do them good.

Gray.
Therefore I came unto your Majesty.

K. Edw.
I'll tell you how these lands are to be got.

Gray.
So shall you bind me to your Highness' service.

K. Edw.
What service wilt thou do me, if I give them?

Gray.
What you command, that rests in me to do.

K. Edw.
But you will take exceptions to my boon?

Gray.
No, gracious lord, except I cannot do it.

K. Edw.
Ay, but thou canst do what I mean to ask.

Gray.
Why, then I will do what your Grace commands.

Glo.
He plies her hard, and much rain wears the marble.

Clar.
As red as fire! nay, then her wax must melt.

Gray.
Why stops my lord? shall I not hear my task?

K. Edw.
An easie task, 'tis but to love a King.

Gray.
That's soon perform'd, because I am a Subject.

K. Edw.
Why then, thy husband's lands I freely give thee.

Gray.
I take my leave with many thousand thanks.

Glo.
The match is made, she seals it with a curtsie.

K. Edw.
But stay thee, 'tis the fruits of love I mean.

Gray.
The fruits of love I mean, my loving Liege.

K. Edw.
Ay, but I fear me, in another sense.
What love, think'st thou, I sue so much to get?

Gray.
My love till death, my humble thanks, my prayers;
That love, which virtue begs, and virtue grants.

K. Edw.
No, by my troth, I did not mean such love.

Gray.
Why, then you mean not as I thought you did.

K. Edw.
But now you partly may perceive my mind.

Gray.
My mind will never grant what I perceive
Your Highness aims at, if I aim aright.

K. Edw.
To tell thee plain, I aim to lie with thee.

Gray.
To tell you plain, I'd rather lye in prison.

K. Edw.
Why, then thou shalt not have thy husband's lands.

Gray.
Why, then mine honesty shall be my dower;
For by that loss I will not purchase them.

K. Edw.
Therein thou wrong'st thy children mightily.

Gray.
Herein your Highness wrongs both them and me:
But, mighty lord, this merry inclination
Accords not with the sadness of my suit;
Please you dismiss me, or with ay, or no.

K. Edw.
Ay; if thou wilt say, Ay, to my request:
No; if thou dost say, No, to my demand.

Gray.
Then, No, my lord; my suit is at an end.

Glo.
The widow likes him not, she knits her brows.

Clar.
He is the bluntest wooer in Christendom.

K. Edw.
Her looks do argue her replete with modesty.
Her words do shew her wit incomparable,
All her perfections challenge Sovereignty;
One way, or other, she is for a King;
And she shall be my love, or else my Queen.
Say, that King Edward take thee for his Queen?

Gray.
'Tis better said than done, my gracious lord;
I am a Subject fit to jest withal,
But far unfit to be a Sovereign.

K. Edw.
Sweet Widow, by my State I swear to thee,
I speak no more than what my soul intends;
And that is, to enjoy thee for my love.

Gray.
And that is more than I will yield unto:
I know, I am too mean to be your Queen;
And yet too good to be your Concubine.

K. Edw.
You cavil, Widow; I did mean my Queen.

Gray.
'Twill grieve your Grace, my sons should call you father.

K. Edw.
No more than when my daughters call thee mother.
Thou art a widow, and thou hast some children;
And, by God's mother, I, being but a batchelor,
Have other Some: why, 'tis a happy thing,
To be the father unto many sons.
Answer no more, for thou shalt be my Queen.

Glo.
The ghostly father now hath done his shrift.

Clar.
When he was made a shriver, 'twas for shift.

K. Edw.
Brothers, you muse what Chat we two have had.

Glo.
The widow likes it not, for she looks sad.

K. Edw.
You'd think it strange, if I should marry her.

Clar.
To whom, my lord?

K. Edw.
Why, Clarence, to myself.

Glo.
That would be ten days' Wonder at the least.

Clar.
That's a day longer than a Wonder lasts.

Glo.
By so much is the Wonder in extreams.

K. Edw.
Well, jest on, Brothers; I can tell you both,
Her suit is granted for her husband's lands. Enter a Nobleman.

Nob.
My gracious lord, Henry your foe is taken,
And brought your prisoner to your Palace-gate.

K. Edw.
See, that he be convey'd unto the Tower:
And go we, Brothers, to the man that took him,
To question of his Apprehension.
Widow, go you along: Lords, use her honourably. [Exeunt.

Previous section

Next section