按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
my sorrow！
Enter WARWICK
LEWIS。 What's he approacheth boldly to our presence？ QUEEN
MARGARET。 Our Earl of Warwick； Edward's greatest friend。 LEWIS。
Welcome； brave Warwick！ What brings thee to France？ ＇He descends。 She
ariseth＇ QUEEN MARGARET。 Ay； now begins a second storm to rise； For
this is he that moves both wind and tide。 WARWICK。 From worthy
Edward； King of Albion； My lord and sovereign； and thy vowed friend； I
come； in kindness and unfeigned love； First to do greetings to thy royal
person； And then to crave a league of amity； And lastly to confirm that
amity With nuptial knot； if thou vouchsafe to grant That virtuous Lady
Bona； thy fair sister； To England's King in lawful marriage。 QUEEN
MARGARET。 ＇Aside＇ If that go forward； Henry's hope is done。
WARWICK。 ＇To BONA＇ And； gracious madam； in our king's behalf； I am
commanded； with your leave and favour； Humbly to kiss your hand； and
with my tongue To tell the passion of my sovereign's heart； Where fame；
late ent'ring at his heedful ears； Hath plac'd thy beauty's image and thy
virtue。 QUEEN MARGARET。 King Lewis and Lady Bona； hear me speak
Before you answer Warwick。 His demand Springs not from Edward's well…
meant honest love； But from deceit bred by necessity； For how can tyrants
safely govern home Unless abroad they purchase great alliance？ To prove
him tyrant this reason may suffice； That Henry liveth still； but were he
dead； Yet here Prince Edward stands； King Henry's son。 Look therefore；
Lewis； that by this league and marriage Thou draw not on thy danger and
dishonour； For though usurpers sway the rule a while Yet heav'ns are just；
and time suppresseth wrongs。 WARWICK。 Injurious Margaret！ PRINCE
OF WALES。 And why not Queen？ WARWICK。 Because thy father Henry
did usurp； And thou no more art prince than she is queen。 OXFORD。 Then
Warwick disannuls great John of Gaunt； Which did subdue the greatest
part of Spain； And； after John of Gaunt； Henry the Fourth； Whose wisdom
was a mirror to the wisest； And； after that wise prince； Henry the Fifth；
Who by his prowess conquered all France。 From these our Henry lineally
descends。 WARWICK。 Oxford； how haps it in this smooth discourse You
told not how Henry the Sixth hath lost All that which Henry the Fifth had
47
… Page 48…
King Henry VI； Part 3
gotten？ Methinks these peers of France should smile at that。 But for the
rest： you tell a pedigree Of threescore and two years… a silly time To make
prescription for a kingdom's worth。 OXFORD。 Why； Warwick； canst thou
speak against thy liege； Whom thou obeyed'st thirty and six years； And not
betray thy treason with a blush？ WARWICK。 Can Oxford that did ever
fence the right Now buckler falsehood with a pedigree？ For shame！ Leave
Henry； and call Edward king。 OXFORD。 Call him my king by whose
injurious doom My elder brother； the Lord Aubrey Vere； Was done to
death； and more than so； my father； Even in the downfall of his mellow'd
years； When nature brought him to the door of death？ No； Warwick； no；
while life upholds this arm； This arm upholds the house of Lancaster。
WARWICK。 And I the house of York。 LEWIS。 Queen Margaret； Prince
Edward； and Oxford； Vouchsafe at our request to stand aside While I use
further conference with Warwick。 ＇They stand aloof＇ QUEEN
MARGARET。 Heavens grant that Warwick's words bewitch him not！
LEWIS。 Now； Warwick； tell me； even upon thy conscience； Is Edward
your true king？ for I were loath To link with him that were not lawful
chosen。 WARWICK。 Thereon I pawn my credit and mine honour。 LEWIS。
But is he gracious in the people's eye？ WARWICK。 The more that Henry
was unfortunate。 LEWIS。 Then further： all dissembling set aside； Tell me
for truth the measure of his love Unto our sister Bona。 WARWICK。 Such
it seems As may beseem a monarch like himself。 Myself have often heard
him say and swear That this his love was an eternal plant Whereof the root
was fix'd in virtue's ground； The leaves and fruit maintain'd with beauty's
sun； Exempt from envy； but not from disdain； Unless the Lady Bona quit
his pain。 LEWIS。 Now； sister； let us hear your firm resolve。 BONA。 Your
grant or your denial shall be mine。 ＇To WARWICK＇ Yet I confess that
often ere this day； When I have heard your king's desert recounted； Mine
ear hath tempted judgment to desire。 LEWIS。 Then； Warwick； thus： our
sister shall be Edward's。 And now forthwith shall articles be drawn
Touching the jointure that your king must make； Which with her dowry
shall be counterpois'd。 Draw near； Queen Margaret； and be a witness That
Bona shall be wife to the English king。 PRINCE OF WALES。 To Edward；
but not to the English king。 QUEEN MARGARET。 Deceitful Warwick； it
48
… Page 49…
King Henry VI； Part 3
was thy device By this alliance to make void my suit。 Before thy coming；
Lewis was Henry's friend。 LEWIS。 And still is friend to him and Margaret。
But if your title to the crown be weak； As may appear by Edward's good
success； Then 'tis but reason that I be releas'd From giving aid which late I
promised。 Yet shall you have all kindness at my hand That your estate
requires and mine can yield。 WARWICK。 Henry now lives in Scotland at
his case； Where having nothing； nothing can he lose。 And as for you
yourself； our quondam queen； You have a father able to maintain you； And
better 'twere you troubled him than France。 QUEEN MARGARET。 Peace；
impudent and shameless Warwick； Proud setter up and puller down of
kings！ I will not hence till with my talk and tears； Both full of truth； I
make King Lewis behold Thy sly conveyance and thy lord's false love； For
both of you are birds of self…same feather。 ＇POST blowing a horn within＇
LEWIS。 Warwick； this is some post to us or thee。
Enter the POST
POST。 My lord ambassador； these letters are for you； Sent from your
brother； Marquis Montague。 These from our King unto your Majesty。 And；
madam； these for you； from whom I know not。 ＇They all read their letters＇
OXFORD。 I like it well that our fair Queen and mistress Smiles at her
news； while Warwick frowns at his。 PRINCE OF WALES。 Nay； mark how
Lewis stamps as he were nettled。 I hope all's for the best。 LEWIS。
Warwick； what are thy news？ And yours； fair Queen？ QUEEN
MARGARET。 Mine such as fill my heart with unhop'd joys。 WARWICK。
Mine； full of sorrow and heart's discontent。 LEWIS。 What； has your king
married the Lady Grey？ And now； to soothe your forgery and his； Sends
me a paper to persuade me patience？ Is this th' alliance that he seeks with
France？ Dare he presume to scorn us in this manner？ QUEEN
MARGARET。 I told your Majesty as much before。 This proveth Edward's
love and Warwick's honesty。 WARWICK。 King Lewis； I here protest in
sight of heaven； And by the hope I have of heavenly bliss； That I am clear
from this misdeed of Edward's… No more my king； for he dishonours me；
But most himself； if he could see his shame。 Did I forget that by the house
of York My father came untimely to his death？ Did I let pass th' abuse
done to my niece？ Did I impale him with the regal crown？ Did I put Henry
49
… Page 50…
King Henry VI； Part 3
from his native right？ And am I guerdon'd at the last with shame？ Shame
on himself！ for my desert is honour； And to repair my honour lost for him
I here renounce him and return to Henry。 My noble Queen； let former
grudges pass； And henceforth I am thy true servitor。 I will revenge his
wrong to Lady Bona； And replant Henry in his former state。 QUEEN
MARGARET。 Warwick； these words have turn'd my hate to love； And I
forgive and quite forget old faults； And joy that thou becom'st King
Henry's friend。 WARWICK。 So much his friend； ay； his unfeigned friend；
That if King Lewis vouchsafe to