Then none but I shall turn his jest to sorrow.

I was the chief that raised him to the crown,

And I’ll be chief to bring him down again.

Not that I pity Henry’s misery,

But seek revenge on Edward’s mockery. Exit

4.1 Enter Richard Duke of Gloucester, George Duke of Clarence, the Duke of Somerset, and the Marquis of Montague

RICHARD OF GLOUCESTER

Now tell me, brother Clarence, what think you

Of this new marriage with the Lady Gray?

Hath not our brother made a worthy choice ?

GEORGE OF CLARENCE

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, the Lady Gray his

Queen, the Earl of Pembroke, and the Lords

Stafford and Hastings. Four stand on one side ⌈of

the King⌉, and four on the other

RICHARD OF GLOUCESTER And his well-chosen bride.

GEORGE OF 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?

GEORGE OF CLARENCE

As well as Louis of France, or the Earl of Warwick,

Which are so weak of courage and in judgement

That they’ll take no offence at our abuse.

KING EDWARD

Suppose they take offence without a cause—

They are but Louis and Warwick; I am Edward,

Your king and Warwick’s, and must have my will.

RICHARD OF GLOUCESTER

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 OF GLOUCESTER

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 Gray

Should not become my wife and England’s queen.

And you too, Somerset and Montague,

Speak freely what you think.

GEORGE OF CLARENCE

Then this is my opinion: that King Louis

Becomes your enemy for mocking him

About the marriage of the Lady Bona.

RICHARD OF GLOUCESTER

And Warwick, doing what you gave in charge,

Is now dishonoured by this new marriage.

KING EDWARD

What if both Louis 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 giv’n for fence impregnable,

And with their helps only defend ourselves.

In them and in ourselves our safety lies.

GEORGE OF 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.

RICHARD OF 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.

GEORGE OF CLARENCE

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 OF CLARENCE

In choosing for yourself you showed your judgement,

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 GRAY

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 OF GLOUCESTER (aside)

I hear, yet say not much, but think the more.

Enter the Post from France

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 Louis unto our letters?