The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Part 218

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] G.o.d 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 mother.

Thou art a widow, and thou hast some children; And, by G.o.d's Mother, I, being but a bachelor, Have other some. Why, 'tis a happy thing To be the father unto many sons.

Answer no more, for thou shalt be my queen.

GLOUCESTER. The ghostly father now hath done his shrift.

CLARENCE. When he was made a shriver, 'twas for shrift.

KING EDWARD. Brothers, you muse what chat we two have had.

GLOUCESTER. The widow likes it not, for she looks very sad.

KING EDWARD. You'd think it strange if I should marry her.

CLARENCE. To who, my lord?

KING EDWARD. Why, Clarence, to myself.

GLOUCESTER. That would be ten days' wonder at the least.

CLARENCE. That's a day longer than a wonder lasts.

GLOUCESTER. By so much is the wonder in extremes.

KING EDWARD. Well, jest on, brothers; I can tell you both Her suit is granted for her husband's lands.

Enter a n.o.bLEMAN

n.o.bLEMAN. My gracious lord, Henry your foe is taken And brought your prisoner to your palace gate.

KING EDWARD. See that he be convey'd unto the Tower.

And go we, brothers, to the man that took him To question of his apprehension.