The Illustrated Works of Shakespeare/Illustrated Works of Shakespeare, The (1990)(Animated Pixels)[!][CDTV-PC].iso/shakes/text/01/04_01

Text File | 1991-04-10 | 8KB | 210 lines

London. A Room in the Palace.
 Enter RICHARD, GEORGE, SOMERSET, and MONTAGUE.

Richard    Now tell me, brother Clarence, what think you
    Of this new marriage with the Lady Grey?
    Hath not our brother made a worthy choice?

George    Alas, you know 'tis far from hence to France!
    How could he stay till Warwick made return?

Somerset    My lords, forbear this talk; here comes the king.

                                Flourish.
             Enter KING EDWARD attended, LADY GREY as Queen,
                      PEMBROKE, STAFFORD, HASTINGS.
              Four stand on one side, and four on the other.

Richard    And his well-chosen bride.

George    I mind to tell him plainly what I think.

King Edward    Now, brother Clarence, how like you our choice,
    That you stand pensive and half malcontent?

George    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.

King Edward    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.

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

King Edward    Yea, brother Richard, are you offended too?

Richard    Not I.
    No, God forbid that I should wish them severed
    Whom God hath joined together; ay, and 'twere pity
    To sunder them that yoke so well together.

King Edward    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.

George    Then this is my opinion: that King Lewis
    Becomes your enemy for mocking him
    About the marriage of the Lady Bona.

Richard    And Warwick, doing what you gave in charge,
    Is now dishonoured by this new marriage.

King Edward    What if both Lewis and Warwick be appeased
    By such invention as I can devise?

Montague    Yet, to have joined with France in such alliance
    Would more have strengthened this our commonwealth
    'Gainst foreign storms than any home-bred marriage.

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

Montague    But the safer when 'tis backed with France.

Hastings    'Tis better using France than trusting France.
    Let us be backed 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.

George    For this one speech Lord Hastings well deserves
    To have the heir of the Lord Hungerford.

King Edward    Ay, what of that? It was my will and grant;
    And for this once my will shall stand for law.

Richard    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.

George    Or else you would not have bestowed the heir
    Of the Lord Bonville on your new wife's son,
    And leave your brothers to go speed elsewhere.

King Edward    Alas, poor Clarence, is it for a wife
    That thou art malcontent? I will provide thee.

George    In choosing for yourself, you showed 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.

King Edward    Leave me, or tarry, Edward will be king,
    And not be tied unto his brother's will.

Lady Grey    My lords, before it pleased 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,
    Doth cloud my joys with danger and with sorrow.

King Edward    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.

Richard    [Aside.] I hear, yet say not much, but think the more.

                              Enter a POST.

King Edward    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.

King Edward    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 supposd king,
    That Lewis of France is sending over masquers
    To revel it with him and his new bride'.

King Edward    Is Lewis so brave? Belike he thinks me Henry.
    But what said Lady Bona to my marriage?

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

King Edward    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.'

King Edward    Belike she minds to play the Amazon.
    But what said Warwick to these injuries?

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

King Edward    Ha, durst the traitor breathe out so proud words?
    Well, I will arm me, being thus forewarned;
    They shall have wars and pay for their presumption.
    But say, is Warwick friends with Margaret?

Post    Ay, gracious sovereign, they are so linked in friendship
    That young Prince Edward marries Warwick's daughter.

George    Belike the elder; Clarence will have the younger.
    Now, brother king, farewell, 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.
    You that love me and Warwick, follow me.
                                [Exit GEORGE, and SOMERSET follows.

Richard    [Aside.] Not I; my thoughts aim at a further matter:
    I stay not for the love of Edward, but the crown.

King Edward    Clarence and Somerset both gone to Warwick!
    Yet am I armed against the worst can happen,
    And haste is needful in this desperate case.
    Pembroke and Stafford, you in our behalf
    Go levy men and make prepare for war;
    They are already, or quickly will be, landed:
    Myself in person will straight follow you.
                                      [Exeunt PEMBROKE and STAFFORD.
    But, ere I go, Hastings and Montague,
    Resolve my doubt. You twain, of all the rest,
    Are nearest to Warwick by blood and by alliance:
    Tell me if you love Warwick more than me.
    If it be so, then both depart to him;
    I rather wish you foes than hollow friends:
    But if you mind to hold your true obedience,
    Give me assurance with some friendly vow,
    That I may never have you in suspect.

Montague    So God help Montague as he proves true!

Hastings    And Hastings as he favours Edward's cause!

King Edward    Now, brother Richard, will you stand by us?

Richard    Ay, in despite of all that shall withstand you.

King Edward    Why, so; then am I sure of victory.
    Now therefore let us hence, and lose no hour
    Till we meet Warwick with his foreign power.
                                                    [Exeunt.