And yet I know not how to get the crown,

For many lives stand between me and home.

And I—like one lost in a thorny wood,

That rends the thorns and is rent with the thorns,

Seeking a way and straying from the way,

Not knowing how to find the open air,

But toiling desperately to find it out—

Torment myself to catch the English crown.

And from that torment I will free myself,

Or hew my way out with a bloody axe.

Why, I can smile, and murder whiles I smile,

And cry ‘Content!’ to that which grieves my heart,

And wet my cheeks with artificial tears,

And frame my face to all occasions.

I’ll drown more sailors than the mermaid shall;

I’ll slay more gazers than the basilisk;

I’ll play the orator as well as Nestor,

Deceive more slyly than Ulysses could,

And, like a Sinon, take another Troy.

I can add colours to the chameleon,

Change shapes with Proteus for advantages,

And set the murderous Machiavel to school.

Can I do this, and cannot get a crown?

Tut, were it farther off, I’ll pluck it down. Exit

3.3 ⌈Two⌉ chairs of state. Flourish. Enter King Louis of France, his sister the Lady Bona, Lord Bourbon his admiral, Prince Edward, Queen Margaret, and the Earl of Oxford. Louis goes up upon the state, sits, and riseth up again

KING LOUIS

Fair Queen of England, worthy Margaret,

Sit down with us. It ill befits thy state

And birth that thou shouldst stand while Louis

doth sit.

QUEEN MARGARET

No, mighty King of France, now Margaret

Must strike her sail and learn a while to serve

Where kings command. I was, I must confess,

Great Albion’s queen in former golden days,

But now mischance hath trod my title down,

And with dishonour laid me on the ground,

Where I must take like seat unto my fortune

And to my humble state conform myself.

KING LOUIS

Why, say, fair Queen, whence springs this deep despair ?

QUEEN MARGARET

From such a cause as fills mine eyes with tears

And stops my tongue, while heart is drowned in cares.

KING LOUIS

Whate’er it be, be thou still like thyself,

And sit thee by our side.

Seats her by him

Yield not thy neck

To fortune’s yoke, but let thy dauntless mind

Still ride in triumph over all mischance.

Be plain, Queen Margaret, and tell thy grief.

It shall be eased if France can yield relief.

QUEEN MARGARET

Those gracious words revive my drooping thoughts,

And give my tongue-tied sorrows leave to speak.

Now, therefore, be it known to noble Louis

That Henry, sole possessor of my love,

Is of a king become a banished man,

And forced to live in Scotland a forlorn,

While proud ambitious Edward, Duke of York,

Usurps the regal title and the seat

Of England’s true-anointed lawful King.

This is the cause that I, poor Margaret,

With this my son, Prince Edward, Henry’s heir,

Am come to crave thy just and lawful aid.

An if thou fail us all our hope is done.

Scotland hath will to help, but cannot help;

Our people and our peers are both misled,

Our treasure seized, our soldiers put to flight,

And, as thou seest, ourselves in heavy plight.

KING LOUIS

Renowned Queen, with patience calm the storm,

While we bethink a means to break it off.

QUEEN MARGARET

The more we stay, the stronger grows our foe.

KING LOUIS

The more I stay, the more I’ll succour thee.

QUEEN MARGARET

O, but impatience waiteth on true sorrow.

Enter the Earl of Warwick

And see where comes the breeder of my sorrow.

KING LOUIS

What’s he approacheth boldly to our presence?

QUEEN MARGARET

Our Earl of Warwick, Edward’s greatest friend.

KING LOUIS

Welcome, brave Warwick. What brings thee to France ?

He descends. She ariseth

QUEEN MARGARET (aside)

Ay, now begins a second storm to rise,

For this is he that moves both wind and tide.

WARWICK (to King Louis)

From worthy Edward, King of Albion,

My lord and sovereign, and thy vowed friend,

I come in kindness and unfeigned love,

First, to do greetings to thy royal person,

And then, to crave a league of amity,

And lastly, to confirm that amity

With nuptial knot, if thou vouchsafe to grant

That virtuous Lady Bona, thy fair sister,

To England’s King in lawful marriage.

QUEEN MARGARET (aside)

If that go forward, Henry’s hope is done.

WARWICK (to Lady Bona)

And, gracious madam, in our King’s behalf

I am commanded, with your leave and favour,

Humbly to kiss your hand, and with my tongue

To tell the passion of my sovereign’s heart,

Where fame, late ent‘ring at his heedful ears,

Hath placed thy beauty’s image and thy virtue.

QUEEN MARGARET

King Louis and Lady Bona, hear me speak

Before you answer Warwick. His demand

Springs not from Edward’s well-meant honest love,

But from deceit, bred by necessity.

For how can tyrants safely govern home

Unless abroad they purchase great alliance ?