 | The misery of civil-war |  |
ACT. IV.
An Alarm.Enter King Henry, the Queen, Prince, Clifford.
Cl.
Damn your unlucky Planets, pray Sir, get you
Out of the Battel, 'tis impossible
For men to fight the malice of your Planets.
Qu.
He tells you true, Sir, Victory will never
Come where you are.
Hen.
Victory will not come
Where Perjury is, you make me break my Oath.
Cl.
You ought not to have sworn so ill an Oath.
Pr.
Father, you cannot give away my Right,
I'll rather lose my life than my Inheritance.
Cl.
Spoke like a Prince.
Hen.
Oh! Boy, if thou didst know
What a Crown was, thou wou'dst be more content,
If I shou'd leave thee no Inheritance,
But the Example of my vertuous deeds;
I wish my Father had left me no more.
Cl.
Oh! damn all this!—come, let us to the Battel.
[Ex. Cl. Qu. Pr.
Hen.
Oh! how this Fellow curses? he accuses
43
Wound all my Men, and poyson the Enemies shot.
Wou'd I were dead if it were Heav'ns good will!
[Lyes down
For I am very weary of this World.
Troublesome folly governs all this World.
Men live her Vassals, and they dye her Martyrs.
Oh! happy he who in an humble state
Only attends on Nature's easie business,
And brings white heirs down to a quiet Grave,
Falling to earth, as gently as the Snow.
Alarm! Enter a Son bearing his Father.
Here comes a wretch laden, as he believes,
With happy Fortune, 'tis with bloudy folly,
And Heaven has carv'd Fool on his breast with wounds.
Son.
Who e're thou art thy life has cost me dear,
But I'll repay my self out of thy Gold;
If thou hast any; with the hopes of that
I took such pains to kill thee. And yet I
Who plunder thee, may be compel'd e're Night,
To give my life, and plunder to another.
What's this? Oh! Heaven! I have kill'd my Father.
Oh Father pardon me, I did not know thee.
I was in London prest to serve the King,
And thou the Earl of Warwick's servant prest,
To fight on th' other side, and so unknown
We met and Fought; and so unknown I kill'd thee.
Oh from thy Bosom I will wash away,
With tears, the marks of this unnatural Crime.
Hen.
Oh piteous spectacle! Oh sad confusions!
What horrid errours, and unnatural ills
Our horrid and unnatural war produces!
Poor wretch, didst thou want tears I cou'd supply thee.
Enter a Father bearing his Son.
Fath.
Thou that so stoutly hast resisted me;
Give me thy gold, if thou hast any gold,
For I have bought it with a hundred blows.
Ha! let me see, is this my Enemy?
Ah no, my Son, I've kill'd my only Son.
Hen.
Ah woe on woe, Heaven stop these bloudy mischiefs,
Though by the Death of me and all my Race.
Son.
Oh I have ta'ne his life who gave me mine.
44
Oh! I've kill'd him for whom I wou'd have dyed.
Son.
How will my Mother for my Fathers death
Take on with me?
Fath.
How will my mourning Wife,
Accuse me of the slaughter of my Son?
Hen.
How will my people charge all this on me?
Son.
I'll bear thee hence and weep, but fight no more.
[Ex.
Fath.
I'll bear thee hence and weep; but kill no more,
Except my self with sorrow.
[Ex.
Hen.
Oh! poor men!
Here is a King more woful than you all;
For you grieve for your selves, I for you all.
Oh you, who when you suffer by your Kings,
Think to mend all by War, and by Rebellion!
See here, your sad mistakes! how dreadfully
You scourge your selves! learn here the greatest Tyrant
Is to be chose before the least Rebellion.
And Oh you Kings, who let your people rule,
Till they have run themselves into confusion,
See here your gentleness is greatest Tyranny!
Enter Prince, and Queen.
Pr.
Fly, Father fly, all's lost, your Friends are fled.
Qu.
The day is lost, and with the day, the Kingdom.
Hen.
Where's Clifford?
Qu.
I believe he's dead by this time,
I met him bleeding with a hundred wounds.
He all the day rowl'd like a fiery meteor,
About the field, and burnt up men like reeds;
But now in lakes of blood his fire is quench'd.
Post you to Scotland with all haste you can;
I will to France, to beg that Kings assistance.
[Ex. Qu. Pr.
Hen.
I go, but care not what becomes o'me.
[Ex.
Enter Clifford wounded.
Cl.
Here burns my Candle out, that lighted Henry.
Warwick, and all Plantagenets three Sons.
And all King Henry's malicious Planets
With much ado to day have kill'd one man.
Henry's Stars ruine me and my fall him.
But his soft sway made way for his destruction:
Oh! Henry, hadst thou rul'd as Kings shou'd do,
Or as thy Father, or his Father did,
45
Rebels you thrive, and may Rebellion thrive
That Rogues may cut your throats as you do ours.
The Ayr has got into my deadly wounds;
I am too faint to Fight or Fly; and Mercy,
I deserve none, and will have none from Rebels,
I scorn to live by them who deserve death.
Fate Guards the Scaffold, but she hates the Office,
And will e're long let Rebels have their own.
I'm going! All you of Plantagenets Race—
My comfort is in death: I kill'd your Father.
[Fall's
Enter Edward, George, Richard, Warwick.
Ed.
Now the great cause is come to its decision:
Are any Troops gone to pursue the Queen?
On her tame Henry's fortune does depend
As the Seas ebb and flow does on the Moon.
War.
Yes, I took care o' that.
Rich.
My chief care was,
To hunt the bloudy Clifford, but I cou'd not
Find him among the living, or the dead.
War.
I thought you set death's mark so deep upon him,
Death cou'd not miss him.
Geo.
Fortune at us all
Play'd him to day, but when he was in danger,
Snatch'd him away again, as who shou'd say,
When I have lost this card my game is gone.
Cl.
Oh!— (Groans)
Ed.
What Soul is that, that takes her heavy leave?
See who it is, and be he Friend or Enemy
Use him with mercy.
Ric.
No—'tis bloody Clifford.
Ed., War., Geo.
Clifford?—
Rich.
He's dead! oh that he had but life,
And sense enough to see and hear, and know us!
That we might scoff him as he did our Father.
Ric.
Damn him, he counterfeits to shun our taunts.
Clifford, you know me, ask me mercy, Clifford;
I am the Son of your dear Friend, Plantagenet,
I'll pity you, for you did pity Rutland.
Geo.
No answer? prithee swear as thou wast wont.
War.
He's dead I'm certain, if he does not swear.
46
Damnation on you all—
[Dyes
Ed.
He Curses! he Curses!
War.
Then there is hopes of him.
Ed.
'Twas his last Prayer:
Off with his Head, and place it on the pinacle,
Where the bold bloudy Slave durst place our Fathers.
War.
Now let the Trumpets proclaim Edward King.
A Flourish of Trumpets.
Trum.
Long live Edward the fourth, King of England and France,
And Lord of Ireland.
(a Shout.)
War.
Now march to London, Sir, I will to France,
About the Marriage you so much approved of
With the fair Lady Bona that Queens Sister.
Ed.
Oh! thou hast made me much in love with her
And all Relations have encreas'd my Passion.
War.
Sir, She's the fairest Creature in the Woorld;
And in that Marriage you will not only
Have a fair bedfellow for your delight,
But that great King your friend for your security.
Ed.
I cannot marry better; haste away.
War.
I'm glad of this, I have secur'd my Mistress.
[Aside.
Some days ago (as you commanded me)
I did dispatch an Envoy to King Lewis,
To make the offer, and he seem'd unwilling,
Not knowing what th' event of War wou'd be.
But now I with the Sword, that conquer'd Henry,
Will go my self Embassador, and try,
If a French King dare's deny any thing
To an English conquering Sword.
Ed.
Oh! thou hast given me
A Crown, give me this Beauty, and thou art
A God to me, thy gifts are all divine.
Geo.
My life too on his bounty does depend.
War.
Is it in me to give you happiness?
Geo.
Yes, if a Father can bestow a Daughter.
War.
I shall be very proud, you will accept her.
Geo.
I shall be very happy to attain her.
War.
She shall be yours, if the King give consent.
Ed.
My Brother cou'd not have oblig'd me more
Than in this choice.
War.
Then she's at his devotion.
Geo.
Then I'm a happy man.
Ed.
The Earl of Warwick
47
Ric.
Of what strange stuff so different from my Brothers
Am I made? they are all-over love;
I have appetite, but not one grain of Love.
Ed.
Thou art not of a mould for love to grow in;
Men plant not flowers in a Kitchen garden.
Well, Brother, I create you Duke of Clarence.
You, Brother Richard, I make Duke of Gloucester.
Ric.
I do not like the Title, it is ominous.
Ed.
A foolish observation!—
War.
Royal Sir,
I'll take my leave.—
Ed.
Success attend thy Embassay.
[Ex.
Geo.
I'll take my leave.
Ed.
Success attend your love—
[Ex.
Scene a Chamber.
Enter Lady Grey, and her Woman.
La. Gr.
King Henry beaten? poor unfortunate King!
I and my Children are all ruin'd with him;
The conquerors will seize my Husbands lands.
War.
Madam, the greatest Conquerour is your Friend,
The Earl of Warwick, he'll preserve your Fortune,
Yes, and advance 'em, if you'l give him leave.
La. Gr.
Name not that insolent great man, I hate him.
Enter a Page.
Pa,
Madam, the Earl of Warwick's coming up.
La. Gr.
He coming up? how knows he I am here?
Pa.
His Servants learnt it accidentally.
Enter Earl of Warwick.
War.
So near fair Widow, and my beating pulses,
And quivering flesh give me no notice of it?
For the kind needle never fails to tremble
When it approaches it's beloved Pole.
What have you paid formality her wages,
And turn'd off that old Governess of Women?
Have you yet dryed your eyes, and drawn your Curtains?
Is the Son good enough to be admitted o you?
If so I hope his humble kindred may,
For I am near a-kin to him in heat.
48
Others a Crown, I'll give my self a wife.
La. Gr.
If you were serious, as I think you are not,
You give me a brave occasion to revenge
My Husbands blood and your affronts to me,
By making you unhappy in a Wife.
War.
Were you the first of Widows that talk'd thus,
I must confess I think 'twou'd damp my courage,
But when this is the constant language spoke
In the dark shady Land of Vailes and mourning,
Shou'd I be scar'd, I were as rank a fool
As the dull Heroe that shou'd leave a pleasant
Country he conquer'd, 'cause the people speak
A strange odd Language; you are a conquer'd Province
And you may keep your Language and your Customs;
But I will have the Government and Tribute.
La. Gr.
My Lord, I have affairs of greater consequence
Then this fond talk, and so your humble Servant.
War
So have not I, and therefore you shall stay.
La. Gr.
What do you mean my Lord?
War.
I mean, my Lady,
To marry you this day, enjoy you this night.
La. Gr.
My Lord, I tell you plainly I do not love you.
War.
All's one, I tell you plainly I will have you.
I know you are a woman of great virtue,
And time will file away these rugged humours.
But if it do not, though your soul be rough,
Your body will be smooth, your Cheeks be soft,
Your eyes be sparkling, and your lips be tempting:
And more perhaps might make me mad with love.
Ho! call a Parson!
La. Gr.
Now my Lord?
VVar.
Ay! now.
La. Gr.
What, and my Husband dyed so very lately?
War.
What then? what has the dead to do with us?
La. Gr.
I'll rather go a begging with my Children.
War.
Come leave this fooling!—by this kiss you shall.
La. Gr.
I'll dye e're suffer all this barb'rous rudeness.
War.
VVell thou art a most beauteous Creature,
I'm going now Embassadour for France,
I'll let thee keep thy humour one month more;
But then at my return be sure I find thee
Divorc'd from sorrow and the dead for ever;
Give not one sigh or to the dead or living.
Sigh thou for any Man alive but me
49
Sigh for the dead, I'll tear him from his Grave.—
[Ex.
La. Gr.
What shall I do? for I abhor this man.
What comes into my thoughts? is it not said
King Edward (for we now must call him so)
Lodges to night at his own Neighb'ring Castle?
Wom.
Yes, Madam.
La. Gr.
I'm inform'd he is a Prince
Of a most noble Nature; I'm resolv'd
To fling my self in sorrow at his Feet,
And beg him to have pity on my Children,
What e're their Father was, they are not his Enemies;
And if I can obtain their Father's Lands,
Then I shall 'scape this man, I so much hate.
[Ex.
Scene a Room of State.
Enter Edward, Richard, Guards.
Ed.
The Scituation of this Castle pleases me.
Rich.
But, Sir, not me, for I'm afraid it stands
Too near a Beauty that once stopt your way,
And I'm afraid will do it once again.
Ed.
Women are moving Creatures, and may follow us.
Rich.
Pardon my confidence, I love to serve
My Friends as boldly as I fight my Enemies.
Ed.
You say well, Brother, and I'll promise you,
Nothing shall stay me here, beyond this night.
Enter a Lord.
Lord.
A Lady, Sir, desires to kiss your hands.
Ric.
A Lady? Pox o' Ladies; he is tinder
To every Lady, and will catch new fire.
Enter Lady Grey, and her Women: She kneels, kisses King Edward's hand, he raises her, and Salutes her.
Rich.
A very lovely woman! he is ruin'd!
Ed.
I ne're had Eyes, or my eyes ne're saw beauty,
Till this amazing minute.
Ric.
So! he's gone:
Any one may have London now that will.
La. Gr.
Sir, I present you humbly the petition
[Kneels again, and the King gazes.
Of a poor Widow, and her little Orphans:
50
Who in S. Alban's Battel lost his life,
In the defence of him we thought our King.
If my poor Husband's Loyalty did err,
He dearly for that fatal error paid.
My humble prayer is, that my poor Orphans
May not be punish'd for their Fathers Faults,
If erring Loyalty can be a fault.
Ed.
I am so rapt, I mind not what she say;
Nor that she is all this while upon her knees:
Pray, Madam, rise,—leave us—.
[To the Attendants.
Ric.
So she (I find)
Must grant a thing, before her things be granted.
Ex.
Ed.
Had you a Husband, Madam, did you say?
La. Gr.
Yes, Sir, I had one at S. Alban's Battel;
His Name was Sir John Grey.
Ed.
Oh happy man!
What excellence had he above mankind,
That he shou'd be more blest than all mankind?
And have you Children?
La. Gr.
Many poor young Orphans.
Ed.
Oh! wondrous happy man t' enjoy this Woman!
(Aside.)
I must inquire about her, I was never,
Never so charm'd before. My Lord, come hither,
Pray do you know this Lady?
Lord.
Yes, Sir, well.
She is the Widow of Sir John Grey of Groaby,
A man of Quality, and great Estate.
But a most vehement Lancastrian.
Ed.
No matter: of what Family is she?
Lord.
Her quality does far exceed her Husbands;
And yet her Virtue does exceed her quality.
She is the Daughter of Sir Richard Woodvile,
Her Mother was sometimes Dutchesse of Bedford.
Ed.
Dutchesse of Bedford? Ha!
Lord.
Dutchesse of Bedford.
And Daughter of the Earl of S. Pool.
Ed.
Of noble birth, and by her Mothers side
Related to the house of Lancaster.
Lord.
She is by Marriage, Sir; that was the cause
That Sir John Grey was such a fierce Lancastrian.
Ed.
She has Beauty, she has Virtue, she has Birth:
(Aside)
Why may not this fair Lady be a Queen?
But she's a Subject, England will not like it.
And th' English Nation, like the Sea it governs,
51
And always beats against the shore, that bounds it.
What? is the people free, and not the King?
Not free where every Slave is free, his bed?
Yes, so it is, it seems, and English fury
Will easily with any wind be rais'd,
To dash the Palaces, and Beds of Kings.
Come what come will, this Lady shall be mine.
She shall be, or my Mistress, or my Wife.
What was it, Madam, you desir'd o' me?
La. Gr.
To give poor Orphans, Sir, their Father's Lands.
Ed.
Heaven forbid I shou'd retain 'em from 'em!
La. Gr.
Then, Sir, with humble thanks I take my leave.
Ed.
Hold, Madam, for I must have one word more,
I must impose a Tax upon this Land.
La. Gr.
It shall be thankfully, and gladly paid.
Ed.
It will I'm sure more gladly be receiv'd.
It is an easie Tax, no more but Love.
La. Gr.
No Loyal Subjects, Sir, but love their King.
Ed.
But this is love, that none but you can grant.
La. Gr.
I do not understand your meaning, Sir.
Ed.
Truly, I scarcely understand my self,
For I have gaz'd my self out of my Reason.
La. Gr.
With your permission, Sir, I'll take my leave.
Ed.
Oh! you shall never, never part from me.
La. Gr.
VVhat do you mean, Sir?
Ed.
I mean all the Love,
E're was or can be in the heart of man.
La. Gr.
Love, Sir?
Ed.
Ay Love.
La. Gr.
I dare not understand you,
Because I dare not think ill of my Prince.
Ed.
Can there be ill in Love? there will be all
The happiness to me, glory to you,
Your heart and mine can possibly desire.
Why do you tremble, and draw back your hand?
You must not, shall not stir till you have granted,
What all this languishing, and pressing means.
La. Gr.
Oh! I shall swoon! wou'd I had ne're come here!
Sir, I thus low most humbly beg of you,
Let it suffice your conquering armes have seiz'd
My Husbands life, your laws have seiz'd his Lands,
Seek not to take my honour, and my Vertue.
I never fought against you, ne're oppos'd you.
Ed.
I wrong her beauty, it deserves a Crown,
(Aside.
52
And I, who gain'd my right, shou'd not wrong others.
Madam, I mean nothing but honour to you,
I am resolv'd to make you Queen of England.
La. Gr.
Now, Sir, you mean dishonour to your self.
I am as much unworthy to be Queen,
As I'm above serving an ill design.
Ed.
Rather the crown's unworthy of your Beauty.
La. Gr.
It is impossible, you shou'd descend
To such mean thoughts.
Ed.
It is impossible,
I shou'd have happiness without your Love.
I had rather with your Love be your dead Husband,
Than with your hatred be a living King.
La. Gr.
I lately wish'd I never had come here
For my own sake, I wish it now for yours:
Oh! think Sir, what will all your Subjects say?
Ed.
They'l say, I am in Love.
La. Gr.
But will they not
Be much displeas'd, their Prince shou'd love so low?
Ed.
I give them leave to chuse where they like best;
Why shou'd I be the only man impos'd on?
La. Gr.
But I'm a Widow, and have many Children.
Ed.
And I have Children too, though I'm a Batchelour;
So we are tryed, and shall be sure of Heirs.
La. Gr.
But you have sent to Court a foreign Princesse,
May bring your Kingdom great advantages.
Ed.
Then let my Kingdom go and marry her.
La. Gr.
Consider, you may enrage the Earl of Warwick.
Ed.
He is my Friend, and Servant, not my Guardian.
La. Gr.
But, Sir, they say you are promis'd to another.
Ed.
When I'm a priest I will do penance for it.
La. Gr.
I am afraid you'l lose your Subjects love.
Ed.
Why shou'd I lose their love, by loving Subjects?
La. Gr.
But you have many Subjects of more Beauty.
Ed.
My Subjects if they please may marry 'em.
I give them freedom, and I'll take my own,
I'll take it too this minute.
La. Gr.
At first sight?
You'l think me, Sir, immodest, shou'd I grant.
Ed.
A King is above forms; I'll have it so.
Then come away.
La. Gr.
What in this Mourning habit?
Ed.
I marry not your habit, but your self.
La. Gr.
The world will much condemn you, Sir.
53
I care not,
I had rather live a minute in your Armes,
Than many ages in the praise of Fools.
Enter a Gentleman.
Gent.
Most happy tydings, Sir! Henry your Enemy,
Wandring alone, disguis'd in homelyhabit,
Was taken by the Keepers of the Forrest,
As he was reading in shady Covert.
Ed.
Good news indeed! where is he? bring him to me.
Enter King Henry in a poor habit, brought in by a Couple of Forresters.
Why how now Henry? in this humble dress?
Hen.
Insult not, Edward, over my misfortunes,
But from this garb, in which thou scarce canst know me,
Learn thou to know thy self; for in my fall
Heaven humbles every King as well as me.
Ed.
Henry, I pity thee, thou dost not suffer
For thy own Crimes, but those of thy usurping
And trayterous Ancestours. To London with him.
And keep him a close Prisoner in the Tower.
But let him there command all things but Liberty.
[Ex. Hen. with a guard.
How all my happinesses flow together:
A Crown upon my Head, my chiefest Enemy
Under my Feet, and Beauty in my Armes.
[Ex.
Enter Richard.
Ric.
What's this? a Chaplain call'd for? he is mad—
He'll marry her, and marry at first sight.
Marry a Subject, nay, and a mean Subject,
Nay, the poor wretched leavings of a Subject,
A Widow, and the Widow of a Knight!
I fear this Marriage will enrage the Kingdom,
But I fear more the furious Warwick's Rage,
Whose haughty temper will not bear the affront
Of being sent on a mock-Embassy.
Now, though I'd have him fight him, have him kill him,
Kill both my Brothers, if he'd set up me:
But that he cannot do, for he must fight
In Henry's Name, and so must set up Henry.
He's not far from hence, I'll after him,
54
And let the King mean while finish his marriage.
For I wou'd have him finish it, because
I'm told he has another Wife, if so,
The Children of this Marriage must be Bastards,
Then when I've kill'd Henry, and his Son,
And by some Arts destroy'd my Brother Clarence,
The King once dead, I'll Bastardize his Children;
Then am I King, but some will say by Villany:
That's Villany, that by it's ill success
Betray's a man and into ruin throws;
When once it gains a Crown, it vertue grows.
[Ex.
The Scene a Chapel
Edward, and Lady Grey, A Priest, Attendants. The solemnity end.
Enter Lady Elianor Butler.
La. El.
Ha! is it so? and can the news be true?
It cannot be, I'll not believe my Eyes,
I'll know the truth—King Edward.
Ed.
Lady Elianor?—
La. El.
My heart's so full I cannot speak to him.
Ha! is he shunning me? Nay, then he's guilty.
What is the cause, King Edward, you wou'd shun me?
Am I so strangely chang'd since I last saw you,
You cannot bear my sight?
Ed.
No surely, Madam,
You are not alter'd for the worse, I'm certain,
And for the better 'tis impossible.
La. El.
Oh! Sir, your passion's dead, and you are weaving
Garlands of fine expressions for it's Funeral.
If my small beauty were extreamly improv'd,
I were a horrid sight to thee; an Angel
Is a most dreadful Vision to a sinner.
La. Gr.
Who is this?
Ed.
One your beauty Triumphs over.
La. El.
Come to the Bar, and answer me, great sinner,
What dost thou with this wretched Woman here?
How far hast thou undone thy Soul and her?
I'm told, thou hast sinn'd with her even to Marriage.
Thou durst not do it sure!—say, is it true?
Ed.
Madam, I must confess, 'tis very true.
La. El.
How? is it true?
Ed.
Yes, Madam, it is true.
55
What after all the Oaths thou hast sworn to me?
Ed.
Beauties, like palaces, have several ways
Of access to 'em; I believ'd those Oaths
A form of speaking, which did please you best.
What form o' damning in do you expect?
The lowest place in Hell?
Ed.
Rather a place
Among the Saints of the Old Testament.
La. El.
Yes, Jewish Saints; but pray, will Christian Saintship
Admit such things?
Ed.
Oh! yes! I, when I please,
Can have a dispensation from his Holiness.
La. El.
What then his Holiness will be your pardon?
A very excellent office for a Pope!
To be the Universal Bawd of Christendom!
A very excellent Shepherd, that will give
His sheep a dispensation to be rotten!
Ed.
Well, you shall be my fair Confessor then,
I'll own my sins to you, and ask your pardon.
La. El.
And dost thou hope to have it?
Ed.
I will give you
Any other satisfaction.
La. El.
What? thy blood?
Do, kill thy self I swear I'll pardon thee.
Ed.
I wou'd do much for that; but I wou'd live
A little while to mend and to repent.
La. El.
Would'st thou repent? oh! I will pray thou mayst.
Oh may heaven lash thee with so many plagues,
May fill thee, and surround thee with repentance!
I will not curse this most unhappy VVoman;
For she alas! is curst enough in thee.
Poor VVoman, he has gull'd thee horridly,
For he has only pick'd the name of wife
Out of my Marriage sheet's, to hide thy shame with.
As for his love in which thou think'st thee happy,
'Tis like a Green-land-Summer, short and hot,
And whilst it lasts 'tis day, all smiling day,
But soon he goes to visit other provinces,
But oh! he never like the Sun returns.
Farewel, poor wretch, pitied not envied by me,
Thou think'st we part with very different fortunes,
I go to sorrow, and thou stay'st with joy;
Alas! I leave thee but in a fools paradise,
And very shortly we shall meet in Bedlam.
[Ex.
46
Oh, Sir, I like not this! this is an ill
Beginning o' this day.
Ed.
VVhy so, my Love?
That's well begun, that is begun with sacrifice,
She is thy sacrifice.
A Cry within, Arm, Arm. Treason, VVarwick! VVarwick!
Then Enter Warwick and his Souldiers, and seize Edward, and Lady Grey.
Ed.
Why how now Warwick? What dost mean by this?
War.
What mean'st thou Duke to put this scorn upon me?
Ed.
Duke! when we parted thou didst call me King.
War.
Then I disgrac'd the Title, and I gave it
To one, who merit's not the name of Friend.
Were I a King, I'd hang that common Fellow,
That shou'd abuse a Friend, as thou hast me,
And such a friend as I have been to thee.
Ed.
Thou dost abuse thy self, in talking thus.
War.
Then it is no abuse to me, to make me
The scorn of every French Page, and waiting Woman.
The Marriage is agreed on, nothing wanting
To compleat all, but my arrival there,
And all my Equipage and Train are gone.
Now, when instead of me, this news arrives,
I shall have all my Servants hist from France,
My self be made a Common publick jest,
I shall be call'd the great Ambassador,
That goe's with splendour to negotiate nothing.
But my Embassage is but like my conquest,
For I have fought for thee, that is, for nothing.
I've stole the Royal Robes to adorn nothing,
And help it to another nothing—Woman.
La. Gr.
I'll tell you, Sir, whence all this fury spring's;
This haughty Lord, who thinks his Sword has given
Chains to our Sex, as well as to the men,
Did strive to drag me to his marriage bed.
And using many threats, I out of fear,
Made some faint yieldings, but he finding now
I'm plac'd above his reach, his burning envy
Seek's to destroy what he cannot attain;
Then calls his fury his revenge of honour.
Ed.
Is that the mystery indeed?
War.
Yes, Duke;
57
And bought her with the Kingdom which I gave thee.
Ed.
Com'st thou to ruin me for love of beauty,
And thou thy self rebel for love of it?
War.
I come to punish thy ingratitude.
Ed.
I did not know thy Love, but say I did,
If I commit a fault to take a Woman,
To whom thou hast no right, then what dost thou,
Who plunder'st thy Kings Right, thy Countreys peace?
War.
Thy glory's mine, my Sword created it.
My Crime is thine, thy wrongs to me created it.
Ed.
I'm a great Criminal to wrong a Subject,
Thou none, to ruin both the King and Kingdom.
Thus men, like Bears, devour the young of others;
But strive to lick their own fowl Cubs to shape.
War.
I do no wrong in ruining you all,
I but restore to every thing it's own.
I to the Kingdom shall restore the damn'd
Confusion, which my Sword took away from it.
I shall restore this Woman to her tears.
I found her weeping over her dead Husband:
I'll leave her weeping over thy dead fortunes.
I will restore thee, and all thy Family
To the subjection from which I advanc'd it.
Thy fortunes to their proper state I'll bring,
Beauty shall be thy plague, thy foe thy King.
[Ex.
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