K. Edw. 'Twere pity they should lose their father's lands.

L. Grey. Be pitiful, dread lord, and grant it then.

K. Edw. Lords, give us leave: I'll try this widow's wit.

Glou. [Aside to Clar.] Ay, good leave have you; for you will have leave,

Till youth take leave and leave you to the crutch. [Glou. and Clar. retire. K. Edw. Now tell me, madam, do you love your children?

L. Grey. Ay, full as dearly as I love myself. K. Edw. And would you not do much to do them good?

L. Grey. To do them good, I would sustain some harm.

K. Edw. Then get your husband's lands, to do them good.

L. Grey. Therefore I came unto your majesty. K. Edw. I'll tell you how these lands are to

be got.

L. Grey. So shall you bind me to your high

ness' service.

K. Edw. What service wilt thou do me, if I give them?

L. Grey. What you command, that rests in me to do.

K. Edw. But you will take exceptions to my boon.

L. Grey. No, gracious lord, except I cannot do it.

K. Edw. Ay, but thou canst do what I mean to ask.

L. Grey. Why, then I will do what your grace commands.

40

Glou. [Aside to Clar.] He plies her hard; and much rain wears the marble.

Clar. [Aside to Glou.] As red as fire! nay, then her wax must melt.

L. Grey. Why stops my lord? shall I not hear my task?

K. Edw. An easy task; 'tis but to love a king.

L. Grey. That's soon perform'd, because I am a subject.

K. Edw. Why, then, thy husband's lands I freely give thee.

L. Grey. I take my leave with many thousand thanks.

Glou. [Aside to Clar.] The match is made;
she seals it with a curtsy.

K. Edw. But stay thee, 'tis the fruits of love
I mean.

L. Grey. The fruits of love I mean, my loving
liege.

K. Edw. Ay, but, I fear me, in another

sense.

What love, think'st thou, I sue so much to get?
L. Grey. My love till death, my humble
thanks, my prayers;

That love which virtue begs and virtue grants.
K. Edw. No, by my troth, I did not mean
such love.

L. Grey. Why, then you mean not as I
thought you did.

K. Edw. But now you partly may perceive my mind.

L. Grey. My mind will never grant what I perceive

Your highness aims at, if I aim aright.

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60

68. aim, guess.

K. Edw. To tell thee plain, I aim to lie

with thee.

L. Grey. To tell you plain, I had rather lie in prison.

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

L. Grey. Why, then mine honesty shall be my dower;

For by that loss I will not purchase them.

K. Edw. Therein thou wrong'st thy children mightily.

L. Grey. Herein your highness wrongs both them and me.

But, mighty lord, this merry inclination

Accords not with the sadness of my suit:

Please you dismiss me, either with 'ay' or 'no.' K. Edw. Ay, if thou wilt say 'ay' to my request;

No, if thou dost say 'no' to my demand.

L. Grey. Then, no, my lord. My suit is at an end.

Glou. [Aside to Clar.] The widow likes him not, she knits her brows.

Clar. [Aside to Glou.] He is the bluntest wooer in Christendom.

K. Edw. [Aside] Her looks do argue her replete with modesty;

Her words do show her wit incomparable;
All her perfections challenge sovereignty :
One way or other, she is for a king;

And she shall be my love, or else my queen.—
Say that King Edward take thee for his queen?
L. Grey. 'Tis better said than done, my
gracious lord:

I am a subject fit to jest withal,
But far unfit to be a sovereign.

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K. Edw. Sweet widow, by my state I swear to thee

I speak no more than what my soul intends;
And that is, to enjoy thee for my love.

L. Grey. And that is more than I will yield

unto:

I know I am too mean to be your queen,

And yet too good to be your concubine.

K. Edw. You cavil, widow: I did mean, my

queen.

L. Grey. Twill grieve your grace my sons should call you father.

K. Edw. No more than when my daughters call thee mother.

Thou art a widow, and thou hast some children ;
And, by God's mother, I, being but a bachelor,
Have other some: why, 'tis a happy thing

To be the father unto many sons.

Answer no more, for thou shalt be my queen.

Glou. [Aside to Clar.] The ghostly father now

hath done his shrift.

Clar. [Aside to Glou.] When he was made a shriver, 'twas for shift.

K. Edw. Brothers, you muse what chat we two have had.

Glou. The widow likes it not, for she looks very sad.

K. Edw. You'ld think it strange if I should marry her.

Clar. To whom, my lord?

K. Edw.

Why, Clarence, to myself.

Glou. That would be ten days' wonder at the least.

Clar. That's a day longer than a wonder lasts.

107. done his shrift, finished

hearing confession.

VOL. V

100

ΣΤΟ

108. for shift, for a cunning purpose.

321

Glou. By so much is the wonder in extremes. K. Edw. Well, jest on, brothers: I can tell you both

Her suit is granted for her husband's lands.

Enter a Nobleman.

Nob. My gracious lord, Henry your foe is taken,
And brought your prisoner to your palace gate.
K. Edw. See that he be convey'd unto the
Tower:

And go we, brothers, to the man that took him,
To question of his apprehension.
Widow, go you along. Lords, use her honourably.
[Exeunt all but Gloucester.

Glou. Ay, Edward will use women honourably.
Would he were wasted, marrow, bones and all,
That from his loins no hopeful branch may spring,
To cross me from the golden time I look for!
And yet, between my soul's desire and me-
The lustful Edward's title buried-

Is Clarence, Henry, and his son young Edward,
And all the unlook'd for issue of their bodies,
To take their rooms, ere I can place myself:
A cold premeditation for my purpose!
Why, then, I do but dream on sovereignty;
Like one that stands upon a promontory,
And spies a far-off shore where he would tread,
Wishing his foot were equal with his eye,
And chides the sea that sunders him from thence,
Saying, he'll lade it dry to have his way:
So do I wish the crown, being so far off;

And so I chide the means that keeps me from it;
And so I say, I'll cut the causes off,

Flattering me with impossibilities.

My eye's too quick, my heart o'erweens too much,

139. lade, drain.

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