That the, poor wretch, for grief can speak no more,
While Warwick tells his title, fmooths the wrong,
Inferreth arguments of mighty ftrength,
And in conclufion wins the king from her,
With promife of his fifter, and what else,
To strengthen, and support king Edward's place.
-O Margʼret, thus 'twill be, and thou, poor foul,

Art then forfaken, as thou went❜ft forlorn.

HUM. Say, what art thou that talk'st of kings and queens ? K. HEN.. More than I feem, and less than I was born to; A man at least, for lefs I fhould not be ;

And men may talk of kings, and why not I?

HUм. Ay, but thou talk'ft, as if thou wert a king.
K. HEN. Why, fo I am in mind, and that's enough.
HUM. But if thou be a king, where is thy crown?
K. HEN. My crown is in my heart, not on my head,
Not deck'd with diamonds and Indian ftones,

Not to be feen; my crown is call'd CONTENT,
A crown it is, that feldom kings enjoy.

HUM. Well, if you be a king crown'd with content,
Your crown CONTENT and you must be contented
To go along with us. For, as we think,

You are the king, king Edward hath dépos'd,
And we his fubjects, fworn in all allegiance,
Will apprehend you as his enemy.

K. HEN. But did you never fwear, and break an oath ?
HUM. No, never fuch an oath; nor will not now. -

K. HEN. Where did you dwell when I was king of Eng

land?

HUM. Here, in this country, where we now remain. K. HEN. I was anointed king at nine months old; My father and my grandfather were kings,

And you were fworn true fubjects unto me;

And tell me then, have you not broke your oaths?

SINK. No, we were fubjects, but while you were king.

K. HEN Why am I dead? do I not breathe a man?
Ah, fimple men, you know not what you fwear.

Look, as I blow this feather from my face,
And as the air blows it to me again,

Obeying with my wind when I do blow,
And yielding to another when it blows,
Commanded always by the greater guft,
Such is the lightness of you common men.
-But do not break your oaths, for of that fin
My mild entreaty shall not make you guilty.
Go where you will, the king fhall be commanded,
And be you, kings, command, and I'll obey.

SINK. We are true fubjects to the king, king Edward.
K. HEN. So would you be again to Henry,

If he were feated as king Edward is.

SINK. We charge you in God's name, and in the king's,

To go with us unto the officers.

K. HEN. In God's name lead, your king's name be o

And what God will, that let your king perform;

And what he will, I humbly yield unto.

SCENE II. Changes to the palace.

[bey'd?

[Exeunt.

Enter king Edward, Gloucefter, Clarence, and lady Gray.

K. EDW. Brother of Glo'ster, at St. Alban's field

This lady's husband, fir John Gray, was flain,
His land then feiz'd on by the conqueror;
Her fuit is now to repoffefs those lands,
Which we in justice cannot well deny,
Because, in quarrel of the house of York,

The worthy gentleman did lose his life.

It

GLO. Your highness shall do well to grant her fuit, were dishonour to deny her.

K. Edw. It were no lefs; but yet I'll make a pause. GLO. Yea! is it fo?

I fee, the lady hath a thing to grant,

Before the king will grant her humble fuit.

[Afide.

CLAR. He knows the game; how true he keeps the

wind?

GLO. Silence.

K. EDW. Widow we will confider of your fuit, And come fome other time to know our mind.

GRAY. Right gracious lord, I cannot brook delay, May't please your highness to resolve me now,

And what your pleasure is, fhall fatisfy me.

GLO. [Afide.] Ay, widow? then I'll warrant you all And if what pleases him shall pleasure you.

[your lands, -Fight clofer, or, good faith you'll catch a blow.

CLAR. I fear her not, unless she chance to fall. [Afide. GLO. God forbid that! for he'll take vantages. [Afide. K. EDW. How many children haft thou, widow? tell

me.

CLAR. I think, he means to beg a child of her. [Afide. GLO. [Afide.] Nay, whip me then: he'll rather give her

GRAY. Three, my moft gracious lord.

GLO. [Afide.] You fhall have four, if you'll be ruled by him.

K. Edw. "Twere pity they should lose their father's lands. GRAY. Be pitiful, dread lord, and grant it then.

for

K. EDW. Lords, give us leave; I'll try this widow's wit.
Gro. Ay, good leave have you, you will have leaves
VOL. IV.
Bb

Til youth take leave, and leave you to the crutch.

[Gloucester and Clarence retire to the other fide. K. EDW. Now tell me, madam, do you love your children? GRAY. Ay, full as dearly as I love myself.

K. EDW. And would you not do much to do them good?
GRAY. To do them good, I would fuftain fome harm.
K. EDW. Then get thy hufband's lands to do them good.
GRAV. Therefore I come unto your majesty.

K. EDw. I'll tell you how these lands are to be got.
GRAY. So fhall you bind me to your highness' fervice.
K. EDW. What fervice wilt thou do me if I give them?
GRAY. What you command it refts in me to do.
K. Epw. But you will take exceptions to my boon?
GRAY. No, gracious lord, except I cannot do it.
K. Edw. Ay, but thou canft do what I mean to afk.
GRAY. Why, then I will do what your grace commande.
GLO. He plies her hard, and much rain wears the marble.
CLAR. As red as fire! nay, then her wax must melt.
GRAY. Why ftops my lord? fhall I not hear my task?
K. EDW. An easy task, 'tis but to love a king.

GRAY. That's foon perform'd, because I am a fubject. K. EDW. Why then, thy husband's lands I freely give thee.

GRAY. I take my leave with many thousand thanks,
GLO. The match is made, fhe feals it with a curt'fy.
K. Edw. But ftay thee, 'tis the fruits of love I mean.
GRAY. The fruits of love I mean, my loving liege,
K. EDw. Ay, but I fear me, in another sense.
What love, think'ft thou, I fue fo much to get?

GRAY My love till death, my humble thanks, my prayers; That love which virtue begs, and virtue grants.

K. Eow. No, by my troth, I did not mean fuch love.

GRAY. Why, then you mean not as I thought you did. K. EDW. But now you partly may perceive my mind. GRAY. My mind will never grant what I perceive Your highness aims at, if I aim aright.

K. EDW. To tell thee plain, I aim to lie with thee.
GRAY. To tell you plain, I'd rather lie in prison.

K. Edw. Why, then thou shalt not have thy husband's lands.

GRAY. Why, then mine honefty fhall be my dower; For by that lofs I will not purchase them.

K. EDW. Therein thou wrong'ft thy children mightily. GRAY. Herein your highness wrongs both them and me. But, mighty lord, this merry inclination

Accords not with the sadness of

my

fuit;

Please you difmifs me, or with AY, or No.

K. EDW. Ay, if thou wilt fay, AV, to my request:
No, if thou doft say, No, to my demand.

GRAY. Then, No, my lord. My fuit is at an end.
GLO. The widow likes him not, the knits her brows.
CLAR. He is the blunteft wooer in Chriftendom.

K. EDW. [Afide.] Her looks do argue her replete with Her words do fhew her wit incomparable,

All her perfections challenge fovereignty;

One way, or other, fhe is for a king;

And the fhall be my love, or elfe my queen.

-Say, that king Edward take thee for his queen?

[modesty.

GRAY. 'Tis better faid than done, my gracious lord;

i am a fubject fit to jeft withal,

But far unfit to be a fovereign.

K. EDW. Sweet widow, by my state, I wear to thee,

1 speak no more than what my foul intends;

And that is, to enjoy thee for my love,