The Complete Works of William Shakespeare by William Shakespeare (moboreader .TXT) 📕

SECOND KEEPER. I’ll stay above the hill, so both may shoot.

FIRST KEEPER. That cannot be; the noise of thy cross-bow Will scare the herd, and so my shoot is lost.

Here stand we both, and aim we at the best; And, for the time shall not seem tedious, I’ll tell thee what befell me on a day In this self-place where now we mean to stand.

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, To greet mine own land with my wishful sight.

No, Harry, Harry, ‘tis no land of thine; Thy place is fill’d, thy sceptre wrung from thee, Thy balm wash’d off wherewith thou wast anointed.

No bending knee will call thee Caesar now, No humble suitors press to speak for right, No, not a man comes for redress of thee; For how can I help them and not myself?

FIRST KEEPER. Ay, here’s a deer whose skin’s a keeper’s fee.

This is the quondam King; let’s seize upon him.

KING HENRY. Let me embrace thee, sour adversity, For wise men say it is the wisest course.

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; And, as I hear, the great commanding Warwick Is thither gone to crave the French King’s sister To wife for Edward. If this news be true, Poor queen and son, your labour is but lost; For Warwick is a subtle orator,

And Lewis a prince soon won with moving words.

By this account, then, Margaret may win him; For she’s a woman to be pitied much.

Her sighs will make a batt’ry in his breast; Her tears will pierce into a marble heart; The tiger will be mild whiles she doth mourn; And Nero will be tainted with remorse To hear and see her plaints, her brinish tears.

Ay, but she’s come to beg: Warwick, to give.

She, on his left side, craving aid for Henry: He, on his right, asking a wife for Edward.

She weeps, and says her Henry is depos’d: He smiles, and says his Edward is install’d; That she, poor wretch, for grief can speak no more; Whiles Warwick tells his title, smooths the wrong, Inferreth arguments of mighty strength, And in conclusion wins the King from her With promise of his sister, and what else, To strengthen and support King Edward’s place.

O Margaret, thus ‘twill be; and thou, poor soul, Art then forsaken, as thou went’st forlorn!

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: A man at least, for less I should not be; And men may talk of kings, and why not I?

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; Not deck’d with diamonds and Indian stones, Not to be seen. My crown is call’d content; A crown it is that seldom kings enjoy.

SECOND KEEPER. Well, if you be a king crown’d with content, Your crown content and you must be contented To go along with us; for as we think, You are the king King Edward hath depos’d; And we his subjects, sworn in all allegiance, Will apprehend you as his enemy.

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; My father and my grandfather were kings; And you were sworn true subjects unto me; And tell me, then, have you not broke your oaths?

FIRST KEEPER. No;

For we were subjects but while you were king.

KING HENRY. Why, am I dead? Do I not breathe a man?

Ah, simple men, you know not what you swear!

Look, as I blow this feather from my face, And as the air blows it to me again,

Obeying with my wind when I do blow,

And yielding to another when it blows, Commanded always by the greater gust, Such is the lightness of you common men.

But do not break your oaths; for of that sin My mild entreaty shall not make you guilty.

Go where you will, the King shall be commanded; And be you kings: command, and I’ll obey.

FIRST KEEPER. We are true subjects to the King, King Edward.

KING HENRY. So would you be again to Henry, If he were seated as King Edward is.

FIRST KEEPER. We charge you, in God’s name and the King’s, To go with us unto the officers.

KING HENRY. In God’s name, lead; your King’s name be obey’d; And what God will, that let your King perform; And what he will, I humbly yield unto. Exeunt

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SCENE II.

London. The palace

Enter KING EDWARD, GLOUCESTER, CLARENCE, and LADY GREY

KING EDWARD. Brother of Gloucester, at Saint Albans’ field This lady’s husband, Sir Richard Grey, 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.

GLOUCESTER. Your Highness shall do well to grant her suit; It were dishonour to deny it her.

KING EDWARD. It were no less; but yet I’ll make a pause.

GLOUCESTER. [Aside to CLARENCE] Yea, is it so?

I see the lady hath a thing to grant, Before the King will grant her humble suit.

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; And come some other time to know our mind.

LADY GREY. Right gracious lord, I cannot brook delay.

May it please your Highness to resolve me now; And what your pleasure is shall satisfy me.

GLOUCESTER. [Aside] 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.

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, then whip me; he’ll rather give her two.

LADY GREY. Three, my most gracious lord.

GLOUCESTER. [Aside] You shall have four if you’ll be rul’d 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] Ay, good leave have you; for you will have leave

Till youth take leave and leave you to the crutch.

[GLOUCESTER and CLARENCE withdraw]

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. He plies her hard; and much rain wears the marble.

CLARENCE. 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. 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.

What love, thinkst thou, I sue so much to get?

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

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 Your Highness aims at, if I aim aright.

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; For by that loss I will not purchase them.

KING EDWARD. Therein thou wrong’st thy children mightily.

LADY GREY. 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, either with ay or no.

KING EDWARD. Ay, if thou wilt say ay to my request; No, if thou dost say no to my demand.

LADY GREY. Then, no, my lord. My suit is at an end.

GLOUCESTER. The widow likes him not; she knits her brows.

CLARENCE. He is the bluntest wooer in Christendom.

KING EDWARD. [Aside] Her looks doth argue her replete with modesty; Her words doth show 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?

LADY GREY. ‘Tis better said than done, my gracious lord.

I am a subject fit to jest withal,

But far unfit to be a sovereign.

KING EDWARD. 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.

LADY GREY. 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.

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