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SOMERSET.

My lords, forbear this talk; here comes the King.

Flourish. Enter KING EDWARD, attended; LADY GREY, as Queen; PEMBROKE, STAFFORD, HASTINGS, and others. Four stand on one side, and four on the other GLOUCESTER. And his well-chosen bride.

CLARENCE.

I mind to tell him plainly what I think.

KING EDWARD.

Now, brother of Clarence, how like you our choice

That you stand pensive as half malcontent?

CLARENCE.

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.

GLOUCESTER.

And shall have your will, because our King.

Yet hasty marriage seldom proveth well.

KING EDWARD.

Yea, brother Richard, are you offended too?

GLOUCESTER.

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.

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.

CLARENCE.

Then this is mine opinion: that King Lewis

Becomes your enemy for mocking him

About the marriage of the Lady Bona.

GLOUCESTER.

And Warwick, doing what you gave in charge,

Is now dishonoured by this new marriage.

KING EDWARD.

What if both Lewis and Warwick be appeas'd

By such invention as I can devise?

MONTAGUE.

Yet to have join'd with France in such alliance

Would more have strength'ned 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 back'd with France.

HASTINGS.

'Tis better using France than trusting France.

Let us be back'd with God, and with the seas

Which He hath giv'n for fence impregnable,

And with their helps only defend ourselves.

In them and in ourselves our safety lies.

CLARENCE.

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.

GLOUCESTER.

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.

CLARENCE.

Or else 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.

KING EDWARD.

Alas, poor Clarence! Is it for a wife

That thou art malcontent? I will provide thee.

CLARENCE.

In choosing for yourself you show'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.

KING EDWARD.

Leave me or tarry, Edward will be King,

And not be tied unto his brother's will.

QUEEN ELIZABETH.

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,

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.

GLOUCESTER.

[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?