Shakespeare's First Folio Part 398

Now therefore be it knowne to n.o.ble Lewis, That Henry, sole possessor of my Loue, Is, of a King, become a banisht man, And forc'd to liue in Scotland a Forlorne; While prowd ambitious Edward, Duke of Yorke, Vsurpes the Regall t.i.tle, and the Seat Of Englands true anoynted lawfull King.

This is the cause that I, poore Margaret, With this my Sonne, Prince Edward, Henries Heire, Am come to craue thy iust and lawfull ayde: And if thou faile vs, all our hope is done.

Scotland hath will to helpe, but cannot helpe: Our People, and our Peeres, are both mis-led, Our Treasure seiz'd, our Souldiors put to flight, And (as thou seest) our selues in heauie plight

Lewis. Renowned Queene, With patience calme the Storme, While we bethinke a meanes to breake it off

Marg. The more wee stay, the stronger growes our Foe

Lewis. The more I stay, the more Ile succour thee

Marg. O, but impatience waiteth on true sorrow.

And see where comes the breeder of my sorrow.

Enter Warwicke.

Lewis. What's hee approacheth boldly to our presence?

Marg. Our Earle of Warwicke, Edwards greatest Friend

Lewis. Welcome braue Warwicke, what brings thee to France?

Hee descends. Shee ariseth.

Marg. I now begins a second Storme to rise, For this is hee that moues both Winde and Tyde

Warw. From worthy Edward, King of Albion, My Lord and Soueraigne, and thy vowed Friend, I come (in Kindnesse, and vnfayned Loue) First, to doe greetings to thy Royall Person, And then to craue a League of Amitie: And lastly, to confirme that Amitie With Nuptiall Knot, if thou vouchsafe to graunt That vertuous Lady Bona, thy faire Sister, To Englands King, in lawfull Marriage

Marg. If that goe forward, Henries hope is done

Warw. And gracious Madame,

Speaking to Bona.

In our Kings behalfe, I am commanded, with your leaue and fauor, Humbly to kisse your Hand, and with my Tongue To tell the pa.s.sion of my Soueraignes Heart; Where Fame, late entring at his heedfull Eares, Hath plac'd thy Beauties Image, and thy Vertue

Marg. King Lewis, and Lady Bona, heare me speake, Before you answer Warwicke. His demand Springs not from Edwards well-meant honest Loue, But from Deceit, bred by Necessitie: For how can Tyrants safely gouerne home, Vnlesse abroad they purchase great allyance?

To proue him Tyrant, this reason may suffice, That Henry liueth still: but were hee dead, Yet here Prince Edward stands, King Henries Sonne.

Looke therefore Lewis, that by this League and Mariage Thou draw not on thy Danger, and Dis-honor: For though Vsurpers sway the rule a while, Yet Heau'ns are iust, and Time suppresseth Wrongs

Warw. Iniurious Margaret

Edw. And why not Queene?

Warw. Because thy Father Henry did vsurpe, And thou no more art Prince, then shee is Queene

Oxf. Then Warwicke disanulls great Iohn of Gaunt, Which did subdue the greatest part of Spaine; And after Iohn of Gaunt, Henry the Fourth, Whose Wisdome was a Mirror to the wisest: And after that wise Prince, Henry the Fift, Who by his Prowesse conquered all France: From these, our Henry lineally descends

Warw. Oxford, how haps it in this smooth discourse, You told not, how Henry the Sixt hath lost All that, which Henry the Fift had gotten: Me thinkes these Peeres of France should smile at that.

But for the rest: you tell a Pedigree Of threescore and two yeeres, a silly time To make prescription for a Kingdomes worth

Oxf. Why Warwicke, canst thou speak against thy Liege, Whom thou obeyd'st thirtie and six yeeres, And not bewray thy Treason with a Blush?

Warw. Can Oxford, that did euer fence the right, Now buckler Falsehood with a Pedigree?

For shame leaue Henry, and call Edward King

Oxf. Call him my King, by whose iniurious doome My elder Brother, the Lord Aubrey Vere Was done to death? and more then so, my Father, Euen in the downe-fall of his mellow'd yeeres, When Nature brought him to the doore of Death?

No Warwicke, no: while Life vpholds this Arme, This Arme vpholds the House of Lancaster

Warw. And I the House of Yorke

Lewis. Queene Margaret, Prince Edward, and Oxford, Vouchsafe at our request, to stand aside, While I vse further conference with Warwicke.

They stand aloofe.

Marg. Heauens graunt, that Warwickes wordes bewitch him not

Lew. Now Warwicke, tell me euen vpon thy conscience Is Edward your true King? for I were loth To linke with him, that were not lawfull chosen

Warw. Thereon I p.a.w.ne my Credit, and mine Honor

Lewis. But is hee gracious in the Peoples eye?

Warw. The more, that Henry was vnfortunate

Lewis. Then further: all dissembling set aside, Tell me for truth, the measure of his Loue Vnto our Sister Bona

War. Such it seemes, As may beseeme a Monarch like himselfe.

My selfe haue often heard him say, and sweare, That this his Loue was an externall Plant, Whereof the Root was fixt in Vertues ground, The Leaues and Fruit maintain'd with Beauties Sunne, Exempt from Enuy, but not from Disdaine, Vnlesse the Lady Bona quit his paine

Lewis. Now Sister, let vs heare your firme resolue

Bona. Your graunt, or your denyall, shall be mine.

Yet I confesse, that often ere this day,

Speaks to War[wicke].

When I haue heard your Kings desert recounted, Mine eare hath tempted iudgement to desire

Lewis. Then Warwicke, thus: Our Sister shall be Edwards.

And now forthwith shall Articles be drawne, Touching the Ioynture that your King must make, Which with her Dowrie shall be counter-poys'd: Draw neere, Queene Margaret, and be a witnesse, That Bona shall be Wife to the English King

Pr.Edw. To Edward, but not to the English King

Marg. Deceitfull Warwicke, it was thy deuice, By this alliance to make void my suit: Before thy comming, Lewis was Henries friend

Lewis. And still is friend to him, and Margaret.

But if your t.i.tle to the Crowne by weake, As may appeare by Edwards good successe: Then 'tis but reason, that I be releas'd From giuing ayde, which late I promised.

Yet shall you haue all kindnesse at my hand, That your Estate requires, and mine can yeeld

Warw. Henry now liues in Scotland, at his ease; Where hauing nothing, nothing can he lose.

And as for you your selfe (our quondam Queene) You haue a Father able to maintaine you, And better 'twere, you troubled him, then France

Mar. Peace impudent, and shamelesse Warwicke, Proud setter vp, and puller downe of Kings, I will not hence, till with my Talke and Teares (Both full of Truth) I make King Lewis behold Thy slye conueyance, and thy Lords false loue,

Post blowing a horne Within.