For this is he that moves both wind and tide.
War. From worthy Edward, King of Albion,
My lord and sov'reign, and thy vowèd friend,
I come, in kindness and unfeignèd 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
Taat virtuous Lady Bona, thy fair sister,
To England's king in lawful marriage.

2. Mar. If that go forward, Henry's hope is done.

War. [To 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 sov'reign's heart;
Where fame, late ent'ring at his heedful ears,
Hath plac'd thy beauty's image and thy virtue.
2. Mar.
King Lewis, and Lady Bona, --hear
me speak,

Before you answer Warwick. His demand Springs not from Edward's well-meant honest love,

But from decei: bred by necessity;
For how can tyrants safely govern home,
Unless abroad they purchase great alliance?
To prove him tyrant this reason may suffice,—
That Henry liveth still; but were he dead,
Yet here Prince Edward stands, King Henry's

son.

30. John of Gaunt, which did subdue, &c. "Which" here used for who.'

31. Bewray. See Note 20, Act i.

Even in the downfall of his mellow'd years,
When nature brought him to the door of death?
No, Warwick, no; while life upholds this arin,
This arm upholds the house of Lancaster.
War. And I the house of York.

K. Lew. Queen Margaret, Prince Edward, and
Oxford,

Vouchsafe, at our request, to stand aside, While I use farther conference with Warwick. 2. Mar. [Aside.] Heaven grant that Warwick's words bewitch him not!

[Retiring with the PRINCE and OXFORD. K. Lew. Now, Warwick, tell me, even upon thy conscience,

Is Edward your true king? for I were loath
To link with him that were not lawful chosen.

32. Was done to death. An idiomatic phrase, before used in this play. See Note 13, Act ii.

K. Lew. Then, Warwick, thus, Our sister shall be Edward's;

And now forthwith shall articles be drawn Touching the jointure that your king must make, Which with her dowry shall be counterpois'd.Draw near, Queen Margaret, and be a witness That Bona shall be wife to the English king.

Prince. To Edward, but not to the English king. 2. Mar. Deceitful Warwick! it was thy device By this alliance to make void my suit : Before thy coming, Lewis was Henry's friend.

K. Lew. And still is friend to him and Margaret: But if your title to the crown be weak,As may appear by Edward's good success,Then 'tis but reason that I be releas'd From giving aid which late I promisèd, Yet shall you have all kindness at my hard That your estate requires, and mine can yield. War. Henry now lives in Scotland at his ease, Where having nothing, nothing can he lose. And as for you yourself, our quondam 36 queen, You have a father able to maintain you; And better 'twere you troubled him than France. 2. Mar. Peace, impudent and shameless Warwick,

33. An eternal plant. The Folio prints 'external for "eternal." Warburton's correction, from "The True Tragedie," &c.

34. Exempt from envy. "Envy" was often used in Shakespeare's time for 'hatred;' therefore it is probable that Warwick means to say that the strength of Edward's love secures it from exciting the French Princess's hatred, though not, perhaps, from iacurring her disdain.

35 Quit. Here used for 'requite,' 'make compensation for.' 36. Quondam. See Note 6 of the present Act.

37. Proud setter up and puller down of kings! The repetition of these epithets (here applied to Warwick, alluded to in Note 49, Act ii.

Proud setter up and puller down of kings !57
I will not hence, till, with my talk and tears,
Both full of truth, I make King Lewis behold
Thy sly conveyance,38 and thy lord's false love;
For both of you are birds of selfsame feather.

[A born sounded within. K. Lew. Warwick, this is some post to us, or thee. Enter a Messenger.

Mess. My lord embassador, these letters are for you,

Sent from your brother, Marquis Montague :These from our king unto your majesty :— [To Margaret.] And, macam, these for you; from whom I know not.

[They all read their letters. Oxf. I like it well, that our fair queen and mistress Smiles at her news, while Warwick frowns at his. Prince. Nay, mark how Lewis stamps, as he

were nettled: I hope all's for the best.

K. Lew. Warwick, what are thy news?—and yours, fair queen ?

2. Mar. Mine, such as fill my heart with unhop'd joys.

War. Mine, full of sorrow and heart's discontent. K. Lew. What! has your king married the

Lady Grey?

And now, to sooth 39 your forgery and his,
Sends me a paper to persuade me patience?
Is this the alliance that he seeks with France?
Dare he presume to scorn us in this manner?

2. Mar. I told your majesty as much before: This proveth Edward's love, and Warwick's honesty.

War. King Lewis, I here protest, in sight of

heaven,

And by the hope I have of heavenly bliss,

That I am clear from this misdeed of Edward's,—

No more my king, for he dishonours me,
But most himself, if he could see his shame.
Did I forget, that by the house of York
My father came untimely to his death?
Did I let pass the abuse done to my niece?
Did I impale 40 him with the regal crown?
Did I put Henry from his native right?
And am I guerdon'd11 at the last with shame?
Shame on himself! for my desert is honour:
And, to repair my honour lost for him,

38. Conveyance. Artifice,' 'crafty dealing.' See Note 44, Act i., First Part Henry VI." 39. To sooth. 'To give an air of truth to,' 'to impart an appearance of sincerity to.' "Sooth" was an old word for 'truth' (see Note 91, Act iv., "Winter's Tale'): and Baret gives as the interpretation of the verb "to sooth," "to countenance a falshood or forged tale, to uphold one in his talke, and affirme it to be true which he speaketh."

40. Impale. 'Encircle.' See Note 23 of the present Act. 41. Guerdon'd. Rewarded, recompensed. See Note 58, Act i., "Second Part Henry VI."

And I am ready to put armour on." 43

I here renounce him, and return to Henry.—
My noble queen, let former grudges pass,
And henceforth I am thy true servitor :
I will revenge his wrong to Lady Bona,
And replant Henry in his former state.

2. Mar. Warwick, these words have turn'd my hate to love;

And I forgive and quite forget old faults,

And joy that thou becom'st King Henry's frien 1.
War. So much his friend, ay, his unfeignè i friend,
That, if King Lewis vouchsafe to furnish us
With some few bands of chosen soldiers,
I'll undertake to land them on our coast,
And force the tyrant from his seat by war.
'Tis not his new-made bride shall succour him:
And as for Clarence,-as my letters tell me,-
He's very likely now to fall from him,
For matching more for wantonness than honour,
Or than for strength and safety of our country.
Bona. Dear brother, how shall Bona be reveng'd,
But by thy help to this distressèd queen?

2. Mar. Renowned prince, how shall poor Henry live,

Unless thou rescue him from foul despair?

Bona. My quarrel and this English queen's

Formerly it was not unwhen heading her forces

43. I am ready to put armour on. usual for a queen to be clad in armour, in the field. The suit of mail worn by Isabella of Castile at the siege of Granada is preserved in the armoury at Madrid; and the one in which Elizabeth of England appeared, when she rode through the lines at Tilbury to encourage the troops, on the approach of the Spanish Armada, is still to be seen in the Tower of London.

44. There's thy reward. These words indicate that Warwick, according to ancient custom, gives a gratuity to the messenger; who, in the Folio, is called a "Post."

45

K. Lew. But, Warwick, Thou and Oxford, with five thousand men, Shall cross the seas, and bid false Edward battle; "5 And, as occasion serves, this noble queen And prince shall follow with a fresh supply. Yet, ere thou go, but answer me one doubt,— What pledge have we of thy firm loyalty?

War. This shall assure my constant loyalty,— That if our queen and this young prince agree, I'll join mine eldest daughter, and my joy, To him forthwith in holy wedlock bands.

2. Mar. Yes, I agree, and thank you for your motion.

Son Edward, she is fair and virtuous,
Therefore delay not, give thy hand to Warwick;
And, with thy hand, thy faith irrevocable,
That only Warwick's daughter shall be thine.
Prince. Yes, I accept her, for she well deserves
it;

And here, to pledge my vow, I give my hand.
[He gives his hand to WARWICK.

K. Lew. Why stay we now? These soldiers shall be levied,

And thou, Lord Bourbon, our high-admiral,
Shall waft them over with our royal fleet.—
I long till Edward fall by war's mischance,
For mocking marriage with a dame of France.
[Exeunt all except WARWICK.

War. I came from Edward as embassador,
But I return his sworn and mortal foe:
Matter of marriage was the charge he gave

45. Bid false Edward battle. An idiomatic phrase formerly used.

46. Mine eldest daughter. Warwick here offers his "eldest" daughter in marriage to Prince Edward: but it was the second daughter, Anne, who became the prince's wife; while the eldest daughter, Isabella, was married to the Duke of Clarence. That the

younger daughter of Warwick was the one wedded to Prince Edward, and subsequently became queen to Richard III., is shown to be a fact known to Shakespeare, by his character of Anne, widow to Prince Edward, and wife to the usurping king, in the dramatist's play of Richard III. At the period when the present scene took place, both Warwick's daughters were unmarried.

47. Stale. Here used in the sense of 'butt,' 'dupe,' 'pretence,' 'stalking-horse.' See Note 15, Act ii., "Comedy of Errors."

How could he stay till Warwick made return? Som. My lords, forbear this talk; here comes the king.

Glo. And his well-chosen bride.

Clar. I mind' to tell him plainly what I think.

Flourish. Enter King EDWARD, attended; Lady GREY, as Queen; PEMBROKE, STAFFORD, HASTINGS, and others.

K. Edw. Now, brother of Clarence, how like you our choice,

That you stand pensive, as half malcontent?
Clar. As well as Lewis of France, or the Earl

1. I mind. 'I am in the mind,' 'I am disposed or inclined.' The verb was thus used in Shakespeare's time; and farther on in the present scene we have-“Belike she minds to play the Amazon."

2. So weak of courage. So wanting in spirit.' See Note 29, Act ii.

3. And shall have your will. The Folio thus gives this line; the wanting foot in which has been variously supplied by Rowe and others.

4. But the safer, &c. The second Folio prints 'Yes' at the commencement of this line; which presents similarly

Speak freely what you think.

Clar. Then this is mine opinion,-that King
Lewis

Becomes your enemy, for mocking him
About the marriage of the Lady Bona.
Glo. And Warwick, doing what you gave in
charge,

Is now dishonoured by this new marriage.
K. Edw. What if both Lewis and Warwick be

appeas'd

By such invention as I can devise?

Mont. Yet, to have join'd with France in such

alliance,

Would more have strengthen'd this our commonwealth

'Gainst foreign storms, than any home-bred marriage.

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

Mont. But the safer when 'tis back'd with France. 4

Hast. 'Tis better using France than trusting
France:

Let us be back'd 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.

Clar. For this one speech Lord Hastings well deserves

To have the heir of the Lord Hungerford.5

K. Edw. Ay, what of that? it was my will and grant;

And for this once my will shall stand for law.
Glo. 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.

Clar. 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.

defective measure with the one referred to in our previous Note.

5. The heir of the Lord Hungerford. "Heir" is here used for 'heiress.' See Note 6, Act ii., "Love's Labour's Lost." 6. To give the heir and daughter, &c. In feudal times, and until the period of the Restoration, the heiresses of great estates were, during their minority, in the wardship of the king, who bestowed them in marriage upon whom he pleased, and made their wealth the prey of his favourites.

7. Speed. Here used in the sense of 'succeed,' 'prosper.' See Note 25, Act iii., "Winter's Tale."