Prescanned Shakespeare.com
presented by Acoustic Learning


Henry VI part three

Act IV, Scene 1

London. The palace.
 
[Enter GLOUCESTER, CLARENCE, SOMERSET, and MONTAGUE]
 
GLOUCESTER
            ,         ,        ,                 ,    ,
      Now tell | me broth|er Clar|ence, what / think you
                 ,   ,          ,         ,      ,
      Of this / new mar|riage with | the La|dy Grey?
            ,          ,        ,       ,         ,
      Hath not | our broth|er made | a worth|y choice?
 
CLARENCE
        ,          ,          ,           ,           ,
      Alas,| you know,| 'tis far | from hence | to France,
       ,               ,          ,         ,        ,
      How could | he stay | till War|wick made | return?
 
SOMERSET
           ,          ,           ,           ,           ,
      My lords,| forbear | this talk:| here comes | the king.
 
GLOUCESTER
       T   T    T    ,        ___    oo
      And his well-|chosen | bride.|
 
CLARENCE
          ,         ,          ,        ,        ,
      I mind | to tell | him plain|ly what | I think.
 
[Flourish. Enter KING EDWARD IV, attended; QUEEN ELIZABETH, PEMBROKE, STAFFORD, HASTINGS, and others]
 
KING EDWARD IV
             ,     2     ,
      Now* broth|er of Clar|ence,
                                   ,      ,               ,
                                  How | like you | our choice,
                   ,    ,               ,   ,       ,
      That you / stand pen|sive, as / half mal|content?
 
CLARENCE
             x       x           ,
      As well as | Lewis of | France,  ??
                                        2        ,        ,
                                      Or the | Earl of | Warwick,
        ,      2       ,        ,         ,         ,
      Which are so | weak of | courage,| and in | judgment,
              ,        T   T  .  T         ,       ,
      That they'll | take no offense | at our | abuse.
 
KING EDWARD IV
           ,           ,        ,         ,         ,
      Suppose | they take | offense | without | a cause:
        ,     2       ,   2       ,        ,       ,
      They are but | Lewis and | Warwick:| I am | Edward,
        T    T   .   T           ,           ,         ,
      Your king and War|wick's, and | must have | my will.
 
GLOUCESTER
       T    T     T           ,        ,           ,
      And shall have | your will,| because | our king:
           ,      ,         ,       ,         ,
      Yet has|ty mar|riage sel|dom prov|eth well.
 
KING EDWARD IV
       ,     ,       ,           ,     ,      ,
      Yea, brother Richard, are you offended too?  ????
 
GLOUCESTER
          ,   __
      Not I:| no:  \\
       ,       ,          ,            ,          ,
      God for|bid, that | I should | wish them | severed,
            ,            ,        ,
      Whom God | hath joined | togeth|er:  \\
       ,           ,    ,           ,        __
      Aye, and |'twere pi/ty, to | sunder | them,    ??
             ,     ,     2    ,
      That yoke | so well to|gether.  \\
 
KING EDWARD IV
       ,                ,      ,              ,       ,
      Setting | your scorns,| and your | mislike | aside,
        ,              ,        ,         ,      ,
      Tell me | some* reas|on, why | the La|dy Grey
              ,        ,         ,         ,           ,
      Should not | become | my wife,| and Eng|land's queen?
       .   T   T    T     ,          ,    ,
      And you too, Som|erset,| and Mont|ague,
        ,     ,                  ,
      Speak free/ly what | you think.
 
CLARENCE
               x       ,     ,
      Then this is | mine o|pinion:  (tri with prev)
             ,     ,          ,          ,    ,
      That King | Lewis | becomes | your en|emy,
            ,       ,       ,         ,         ,
      For mock|ing him | about | the mar|riage of
           ,     ,
      The La|dy Bo|na.   \\
 
GLOUCESTER
           ,         ,       ,          ,          ,
      And War|wick, do|ing what | you gave | in charge,
          ,        ,        ,         ,     ,
      Is now | dishon|ored by | this new | marriage.
 
KING EDWARD IV
            ,          x          ,        ,        ,
      What^if | both^Lewis | and War|wick be | appeased,
           ,       ,        ,      ,        ,
      By such | invent|ion as | I can | devise?
 
MONTAGUE
       ,     2          ,             ,          ,      ,
      Yet, to have | joined with | France in | such al|liance,
              ,            ,            ,         ,        ,
      Would more | have strength|ened this | our com|monwealth
              ,          ,           x      ,         ,
      Gainst^for|eign storms,| than any | home-bred^|marriage.  ??
 
HASTINGS
             ,           ,    ,          ,       ,
      Why* knows | not Mont|ague,| that of | itself,
       ,             ,         ,        ,        ,
      England | is safe,| if true | within | itself?
 
MONTAGUE
       ,         ,        ,            ,            __
      But the | safer,| when 'tis | backed with | France.
 
HASTINGS
            ,       ,        ,            ,          ,
      'Tis bet|ter us|ing France,| than trust|ing France:
           ,         ,           ,          ,          ,
      Let^us | be backed | with God,| and with | the seas,
             ,          x           ,         ,     ,
      Which he | hath given | for fence | impreg|nable,
            ,            ,      ,         ,          ,
      And with | their helps,| only | defend | ourselves:
           ,         ,         ,           ,       ,
      In them,| and in | ourselves,| our safe|ty lies.
 
CLARENCE
                  ,     ,            ,         ,         ,
      For this / one speech,| Lord^Hast|ings well | deserves
           ,          ,               ,   ,       ,
      To have | the heir | of the / Lord Hung|erford.
 
KING EDWARD IV
       ,           ,            ,         ,          ,
      Aye, what | of that?| It was | my will,| and grant,
           ,           ,         ,            ,          ,
      And for | this once,| my will | shall stand | for law.
 
GLOUCESTER
           ,         ,            ,           ,           ,
      And yet | methinks | your grace | hath not | done^well,
           ,          ,          ,              ,     ,
      To give | the heir | and daught|er of / Lord Scales
       ,           ,       ,         ,        ,
      Unto | the broth|er of | your lov|ing bride;
           ,        ,           ,       ,       ,         ->
      She bet|ter would | have fit|ted me | or Clar||ence:
       ,      2       ,          ,     ,        ,
      But | in your bride | you bu|ry broth|erhood.
 
CLARENCE
           ,          ,      ,              ,           ,
      Or else | you would | not have | bestowed | the heir
                 ,   ,                     ,    ,     ,
      Of the / Lord Bon|ville* on your // new wife's son,
            ,           ,       2    ,     T     T   T
      And leave | your broth|ers to go | speed elsewhere.
 
KING EDWARD IV
        ,           ,          ,       ,        ,
      Alas,| poor* Clar|ence: is | it for | a wife
             ,         ,       ,    ,     2      ,
      That thou | art mal|content?| I will pro|vide thee.
 
CLARENCE
           ,        ,          ,
      In choos|ing for | yourself,
             ,            ,        o
      You showed | your judg|ment,     (tri with prev)
        T    Tx     T        ,            ,         ,
      Which being shal|low, you | shall give | me leave
           ,          ,      ,         ,        ,
      To play | the brok|er in | mine^own | behalf;
       ,    2        ,         ,         ,         ,
      And to that | end, I | shortly | mind to | leave you.
 
KING EDWARD IV
        ,            ,       ,        ,         ,
      Leave me,| or tar|ry, Ed|ward will | be king,
           ,         ,       ,         ,          ,
      And not | be tied | unto | his broth|er's will.
 
QUEEN ELIZABETH
           ,         ,          ,           ,    ,
      My lords,| before | it pleased | his maj|esty
           ,          ,         ,      ,       ,
      To raise | my state | to tit|le of | a queen,
       ,            ,          ,          ,         ,
      Do me | but right,| and you | must all | confess,
           ,        ,       ,      ,       ,
      That I | was not | ignob|le of | descent,
            ,       ,        ,        2      ,     ,
      And mean|er than | myself | have had like | fortune.  ??
           ,         ,      ,       ,         ,
      But as | this tit|le hon|ors me | and mine,
           ,         ,          ,        ,          ,       o
      So your | dislikes,| to whom | I would | be pleas|ing,
             ,          ,           ,       ,          ,      o
      Doth^cloud | my joys | with dang|er, and | with sor|row.  (hex with prev)
 
KING EDWARD IV
           ,         ,         ,      ,             ,
      My love,| forbear | to fawn | upon | their frowns:
             ,    2     ,     ,        ,       ,
      What dang|er or what | sorrow | can be|fall thee,
           ,        ,       ,         ,          ,
      So long | as Ed|ward is | thy const|ant friend,
       .    T     T   T            ,           ,      ,
      And their true sove|reign, whom | they must | obey?
       ,       2         ,      ,           T    T   T
      Nay, whom they | shall o|bey, and | love thee too,
          ,           ,         ,       ,        ,
      Unless | they seek | for hat|red at | my hands:
             ,         ,    ,      2      T    T    T
      Which^if | they do,| yet will I | keep thee safe,
            ,            ,         ,          ,        ,
      And they | shall feel | the venge|ance of | my wrath.
 
GLOUCESTER
          ,         ,          ,          ,           ,
      I hear,| yet say | not much,| but think | the more.
 
[Enter a Post]
 
KING EDWARD IV
           ,      ,            x        2       ,            ,
      Now mes|senger,| what letters,| or what news | from France?
 
POST
           ,          ,         ,               ,    ,
      My sove|reign liege,| no let|ters, and / few words,
            ,       ,        ,          ,          x
      But such | as I |(without | your spe|cial pardon)
        T   T   .  T
      Dare not relate.
 
KING EDWARD IV
                            ,       ,        ,
                        Go to,| we pard|on thee:
             ,         ,       ,               ,
      Therefore,| in brief,| tell me | their words,
           ,         ,            ,          o
      As near | as thou | canst guess | them.   (tetra with prev)
            ,        ,            x      ,  2       ,
      What ans|wer makes | King^Lewis | unto our | letters?
 
POST
          ,       ,      ,               ,      ,
      At my | depart,| these were | his ve|ry words:
       T   T    T      ,          2    ,       ,
      Go tell false | Edward,| thy suppos|ed king,
             x           ,         ,        x       ,
      That Lewis | of France | is send|ing over | maskers,
          ,      ,         ,               ,    ,
      To rev|el it | with him,| and his / new bride.
 
KING EDWARD IV
           x          ,      x             ,         ,
      Is Lewis | so brave?| Belike he | thinks me | Henry.
            ,          ,     ,   2    ,    ,
      But what | said La|dy Bo|na to my | marriage?     ??
 
POST
        ,                ,      ,              ,         ,
      These were | her words,| uttered | with mad | disdain:
          x            ,            ,        ,  2       ,
      Tell him, in | hope he'll | prove a | widower | shortly,
             ,         ,        ,             ,    ,
      I'll wear | the wil|low garl|and for / his sake.
 
KING EDWARD IV
          ,          ,                 ,   ,        ,
      I blame | not her;| she could / say lit|tle less:
           ,          ,           ,          ,         ,
      She had | the wrong.| But what | said Hen|ry's queen?
          ,          ,           ,          ,          ,
      For I | have heard,| that she | was there | in place.
 
POST
         Tx       T    T
      Tell him (quoth she)
                               ,         ,           ,
                          My mourn|ing weeds | are done,
          ,       ,           ,   ,      ,
      And I | am rea|dy to / put arm|or on.
 
KING EDWARD IV
          ,          ,          ,         ,   ,
      Belike | she minds | to play | the Am|azon.
            ,          ,        ,          ,     ,
      But what | said War|wick to | these in|juries?
 
POST
       ,              ,         ,           ,    ,
      He, more | incensed | against | your maj|esty,
            ,          ,          ,                  ,     ,
      Than all | the rest,| discharged | me with / these words.
        ,              ,         ,          ,         ,
      Tell him | from me,| that he | hath done | me wrong,
            ,          ,        ,             x          ,
      And there|fore I'll | uncrown | him, ere it | be long.
 
KING EDWARD IV
       T    T    .    T     2         ,     T   T     T
      Ha? Durst the trait|or breathe^out | so proud words?  ??
        ,             ,         ,       ,           ,
      Well, I | will arm | me, be|ing thus | forewarned:
        ,       2         ,          ,          ,        ,
      They shall have | wars, and | pay for | their pre|sumption.
           ,        ,          ,            ,     ,
      But say,| is War|wick friends | with Marg|aret?
 
POST
      ___    ,           ,
      Aye,| gracious | sovereign,
          2     ,      ,           ,
      They are so | linked in | friendship,  (tri with prev)
             ,             ,       ,        ,           ,       2->
      That young | Prince^Ed|ward mar|ries War|wick's daugh||ter.
 
CLARENCE
          ,         ,      o
      Belike,| the eld|er;
       ,      2         ,          ,
      Clarence will | have the | younger.  (tri with prev)
            ,        ,          ,         ,          ,
      Now broth|er king | farewell,| and sit | you fast,
          ,          ,         ,          ,       ,       ->
      For I | will hence | to War|wick's oth|er daught||er,
        ,          2    ,        ,        ,        ,        2->
      That | though I want | a kingdom,| yet in | mar||riage
         ,          ,        ,   2   ,         ,
      I may | not prove | infer|ior to | yourself.
       ,           ,            ,         ,       ,
      You that | love me,| and War|wick, fol|low me.
 
[Exit CLARENCE, and SOMERSET follows]
 
GLOUCESTER
          ,
      Not I:
                    ,       ,    2     ,         ,
             My thoughts | aim at a | further | matter:
          ,     ,     2        ,        ,          2      ,
      I stay | not for the | love of | Edward,| but the crown.
 
KING EDWARD IV
       ,              ,    2     ,      ,        ,
      Clarence | and Som|erset both | gone to | Warwick?
       ,    2      ,        ,           ,          ,
      Yet am I | armed a|gainst the | worst can | happen:
            ,          ,       ,         ,    2      ,
      And haste | is need|ful in | this des|perate case.
       ,               ,         ,        ,        ,
      Pembroke | and Staf|ford, you | in our | behalf
           ,     ,          ,         ,         ,
      Go* le|vy men,| and make | prepare | for war;
        ,     2    ,    2       ,         ,        ,
      They are al|ready, or | quickly | will be | landed:  ??
          ,        ,                 ,     ,       ,
      Myself | in pers|on will / straight fol|low you.
 
[Exeunt PEMBROKE and STAFFORD]
           ,       ,    ,               ,    ,
      But ere | I go,| Hastings | and Mont|ague,
          ,          ,           ,         ,          ,
      Resolve | my doubt:| You twain,| of all | the rest,
            ,        ,       2     ,      ,    2    ,
      Are near | to War|wick, by blood,| and by al|liance:  ??
        ,                  ,   ,         ,          ,
      Tell me,| if you / love War|wick more | than me;
          ,       ,          ,        ,        ,
      If it | be so,| then both | depart | to him:
         ,        ,          ,          ,         ,
      I rath|er wish | you foes,| than hol|low friends.
           ,         ,         ,           ,      ,    2    ->
      But if | you mind | to hold | your true | obed||ience,
        ,      2   ,         ,           ,        ,
      Give | me assur|ance with | some friend|ly vow,
           ,        ,       ,              ,   ,
      That I | may nev|er have | you in / suspect.
 
MONTAGUE
       .  T    T    T    ,               ,     ,
      So God help Mont|ague,| as he / proves true.
 
HASTINGS
            ,         ,       ,       ,          ,
      And Hast|ings, as | he fav|ors Ed|ward's cause.
 
KING EDWARD IV
       ,     ,       ,            ,    ,       ,
      Now, brother Richard, will you stand by us?    ????
 
GLOUCESTER
       ,            ,         ,      ,       2       ,
      Aye, in | despite | of all | that shall with|stand you.
 
KING EDWARD IV
           ,     ,           ,        ,     ,
      Why so:| then am | I sure | of vict|ory.
            ,         ,         ,           ,         x
      Now there|fore let | us hence,| and lose | no hour,
            ,         ,          ,         ,         x
      Till we | meet War|wick, with | his for|eign power.
 
[Exeunt]

← Previous Scene | Next Scene →


Home