me By making you unhappy in a Wife War Were you the first of Widows that talk'd thus I must confess I think 't wou'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 And though a King he had better be a slave 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 Poxo ' 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 I am the Widow of one Sir John Grey 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 thing 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 I must inquire about her I was never Aside 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 Grooby 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 sierce 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 Is bold and turbulent and easily mov'd 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.
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 sly 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 siery 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 These Summer slies had never sprung to sting thee 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 slow 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 't is bloody Clifford Ed. Clifford War Clifford 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 Cl. Damnation on you all Dyes Ed. He Curses he Curses War Then there is hopes of him Ed. 'T was 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 Is the good Angel of our Family 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 om inous Ed. A foolish observation War Royal Sir I 'll take my leave Ed. Success attend thy Embassy 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 In short you shall be mine if I can give 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
Enter Richard George Souldiers and seize Henry and the Women Ric. How now thou Traytour thou unnatural Traytor Geo. Thou wrong'st me I am as Loyal as thy self VVhat I have done was only in design To gain this beauty and now she is mine My Loyalty is mine Ric. Can this be true Geo. Thou saw'st it true thou saw'st I fought for thee Ric. Thou didst but I believ'd it was thy Cowardize That made thee now betray thy Friend as lust Made thee betray thy Brother Geo. It is false And if I don't appear to day in Battel As valiant and as Loyal as thy self I 'll kill my self Ric. Do that and I 'll embrace thee But let 's away our Royal Brother wants us Ex. The Scene the Field Enter VVarwick Queen Prince guards Qu. Oh! cursed Traytour why wou'd you e're trust One that was always false War I was bewitch'd To trust a man who had betray'd his Brother Pr. My Fathers words now sink into my breast He said at parting we shou'd never meet On Earth again War VVell if the Villains murder him I will revenge his bloud and make you King VVhene're I went to work to make a King Ine're yet fail'd whatever stuff I had But hark the Traytors come let us fall on Ex. Trumpets An Alarm Enter Edward Enter Lady Elianor in mans habit La. El. Turn this way Edward here 's an Enemy Thirsts for thy bloud La. El. and Ed. Fight La. El. falls Ed. VVhat bold young man is this Thou art dispatch'd I wonder who thou art La. El. Look on me well see if thou dost not know me Ed. May I believe my eyes La. El. Thou may'st King Edward They speak more truth than e're thou didst to me Ed. Oh! killing sight La. El. VVou'd thou hadst never seen me The cold Earth had not been my Death-bed then Nor had I needed as I do two graves One for my self the other for my name Ed. Oh Heaven How have I wrong'd this beautious Creature First robb'd her of her Fame now of her Life La. El. Ah! Monarch do I merit this for Love Ed. Oh no but I deserve a thousand plagues And I have here with my own hand broke open A fair Pandora's box to let 'em out To fly about my head La. El. Indeed King Edward My injuries have already found thee out Have driven thee from thy throne how far will drive thee I cannot tell I will not curse thee now Cursing is not a language spoke in Heaven And I am very near that glorious Kingdom Therefore I 'll speak the language that is blessing May this be the last day of all thy Troubles And I be the last woman thou shalt wrong May Heaven forgive thy broken Vows as I do And quicklier forget 'em all than thou didst And this one poor request I beg of thee Since I was all the staine of my great Family And I have made thy self who wert the cause of it With thy own Sword cut out the ruined piece Oh hide it where it may no more be seen But be forgot by all as 't will by thee Dyes Ed. She 's gone She 's gone Oh! thou sweet injur'd beauty I never shall forget thee whilst I live Thy wrongs I fear will haunt my mind and fortune In this sweet spot of Earth I fear I 've planted Much mischief for my self I gather'd all The Sweets and now Thorns will spring up to tear me Enter an Officer Offi. Oh Sir the Earl of Warwick ranges o're The Field with so much fury and success Your Troops are just upon the point of flying Ed. My punishment so soon pursue my Crime This beauties wrongs steel that proud Rebels Sword And give it all the kneenness that it has Oh Heav'n hide thy eyes from this sweet Creature At least for this one hour and here I vow I will give o're robbing such spicy Isles And take an honest dwelling at my own Lest sailing to a fro a Tempest fall That shall revenge the injuries of 'em all Ex. Enter Edward and VVarwick Fighting VVar. falls Ed. Now I am King of England and Iowe My Crown to my own Sword and not to thine War Insult not Edward for I am not kill'd By thee but Henries cursed Destiny I 'm crush'd under the wheels of his damn'd fortune I am ground all to pieces by his Stars My fortune sickned when I first came under 'em Truth is my Spirit led her such a dance She cou'd not keep me company but tyr'd Now sit's her down and like a poor cast Whore Is glad to be pick'd up by any body Now thou maist banish fear for I am dying Who when I liv'd cou'd frown thee into a Subject Bury thee in the wrinckle of my brow Ed. Talk not of burying Kings but rather think Of burying all thy Crimes in penitence War My greatest Crime is that I e're serv'd thee Whose base ingratitude has ruin'd me I gave thee Kingdoms and thou giv'st me death Dyes Ed. I ne're wrong'd thee nor didst thou e're serve me Thou hast been wrong'd by nothing but my ignorance And hast serv'd nothing but thy vanity And nothing else I fear will e're reward thee Enter George Richard and Guards Geo. Now Sir I hope you will forgive my errours For Beauties sake for Beauty drew me in And you have felt the mighty power of Beauty Ed. Brother your errours are all buried under Heaps of my Enemies you have kill'd to day I have dispatch'd my greatest Enemy Warwick will make and unmake no more Kings Ric. And the bold Amazon Queen and insolent Boy Her fierce Son Edward are both taken Prisoners I 've order'd Sir they shall attend you here And here they are Enter Queen Prince Guarded as Prisoners Ed. So Madam and young Edward What satisfaction will you make to me For all the Mischief you have done my Kingdom And all the Trouble you have given me Pr. What satisfaction wilt thou make my Father Me and the Kingdom for thy bold usurping My Fathers Crown and my inheritance Ruining us and slaughtering our people Qu. Oh! that thy Father had been so resolv'd Ric. That so your Distaff might have been our Scepter Pr. Why how now AEsop Nay mistake me not AEsop I mean in Body not in mind Ric. Brat I will crush thy brains out Ed. Hold forbear He is a Boy Ric. Why then to School with him To learn him manners Pr. If I learn thy manners The Devil must be my Tutour Ed. Hold your peace You foolish Child Geo. The Boy 's too malapert Pr. The man is too perjur'd I mean perjur'd George And you are all Traytors to me your Prince Ed. How now proud Boy take that Strikes him with his hand Ric. Nay then take that Geo. And that for twitting me with Perjury Rich. and Geo. draw and kill him Qu. Oh! they have kill'd my Son oh murderers Oh! kill me too Ric. Marry with all my heart The Qu. swoons upon the Prince Ed. Hold Brother we have done too