SC. XI. eak
[♦] Lewis. Welcome Queene Margaret to the Court of France,
It fits not Lewis to sit while thou dost stand,
Sit by my side, and here I vow to thee,
Thou shalt haue aide to repossesse thy right,
5 And beat proud Edward from his vsurped seat.
And place king Henry in his former rule.
Queen. I humblie thanke your royall maiestie.
And pray the God of heauen to blesse thy state,
Great king of France, that thus regards our wrongs.
Enter Warwike.
10 Lew. How now, who is this?
Queen. Our Earle of Warwike Edwardes chiefest friend.
Lew. Welcome braue Warwike, what brings thee to France?
War. From worthy Edward king of England,
My Lord and Soueraigne and thy vowed friend,
15 I come in kindnes and vnfained loue,
First to do greetings to thy royall person,
And then to craue a league of amitie,
And lastlie to confirme that amitie
With nuptiall knot if thou vouchsafe to grant
20 That vertuous ladie Bona thy faire sister,
To Englands king in lawfull marriage.
Queen. And if this go forward all our hope is done.
War. And gratious Madam, in our kings behalfe,
I am commanded with your loue and fauour,
25 Humblie to kisse your hand and with my tongue,
To tell the passions of my soueraines hart,
Where fame late entring at his heedfull eares,
[♦] Hath plast thy glorious image and thy vertues.
Queen. King Lewes and Lady Bona heare me speake,
30 Before you answere Warwike or his words,
For hee it is hath done vs all these wrongs.
War. Iniurious Margaret.
Prince Ed. And why not Queene?
War. Because thy father Henry did vsurpe,
35 And thou no more art Prince then shee is Queene.
Ox. Then Warwike disanuls great Iohn of Gaunt,
That did subdue the greatest part of Spaine,
And after Iohn of Gaunt wise Henry the fourth,
Whose wisedome was a mirrour to the world.
40 And after this wise prince Henry the fift,
Who with his prowesse conquered all France,
[♦] From these our Henries lineallie discent.
War. Oxford, how haps that in this smooth discourse
You told not how Henry the sixt had lost
45 All that Henry the fift had gotten.
Me thinkes these peeres of France should smile at that,
[♦] But for the rest you tell a pettigree
[♦] Of threescore and two yeares a sillie time,
To make prescription for a kingdomes worth.
50 Oxf. Why Warwike, canst thou denie thy king,
Whom thou obeyedst thirtie and eight yeeres,
And bewray thy treasons with a blush?
War. Can Oxford that did euer fence the right,
Now buckler falshood with a pettigree?
55 For shame leaue Henry and call Edward king.
[♦] Oxf. Call him my king by whom mine elder
Brother the Lord Awbray Vere was done to death,
And more then so, my father euen in the
Downefall of his mellowed yeares,
60 When age did call him to the dore of death?
No Warwike no, whilst life vpholds this arme
This arme vpholds the house of Lancaster.
War. And I the house of Yorke.
[♦] K Lewes. Queene Margaret, prince Edward and
65 Oxford, vouchsafe to forbeare a while,
Till I doe talke a word with Warwike.
Now Warwike euen vpon thy honor tell me true;
Is Edward lawfull king or no?
For I were loath to linke with him, that is not lawful heir.
70 War. Thereon I pawne mine honour and my credit.
[♦] Lew. What is he gratious in the peoples eies?
War. The more, that Henry is vnfortunate.
[♦] Lew. What is his loue to our sister Bona?
War. Such it seemes
75 As maie beseeme a monarke like himselfe.
My selfe haue often heard him saie and sweare,
That this his loue was an eternall plant,
The root whereof was fixt in vertues ground,
The leaues and fruite maintainde with beauties sun,
80 Exempt from enuie, but not from disdaine,
Vnlesse the ladie Bona quite his paine.
Lew. Then sister let vs heare your firme resolue.
[♦] Bona. Your grant or your denial shall be mine,
But ere this daie I must confesse, when I
85 Haue heard your kings deserts recounted,
Mine eares haue tempted iudgement to desire.
[♦] Lew. Then draw neere Queene Margaret and be a
Witnesse, that Bona shall be wife to the English king.
Prince Edw. To Edward, but not the English king.
90 War. 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 mainetaine your state,
[♦] And better twere to trouble him then France.
Sound for a post within.
95 Lew. Here comes some post Warwike to thee or vs.
Post. My Lord ambassador this letter is for you,
Sent from your brother Marquis Montague.
This from our king vnto your Maiestie.
And these to you Madam, from whom I know not.
100 Oxf. I like it well that our faire Queene and mistresse,
[♦] Smiles at her newes when Warwike frets as his.
P. Ed. And marke how Lewes stamps as he were nettled.
Lew. Now Margaret & Warwike, what are your news?
[♦] Queen. Mine such as fils my hart full of ioie.
105 War. Mine full of sorrow and harts discontent.
Lew. What hath your king married the Ladie Gray,
And now to excuse himselfe sends vs a post of papers?
How dares he presume to vse vs thus?
Quee. This proueth Edwards loue, & Warwiks honesty.
110 War. King Lewis, I here protest in sight of heauen,
And by the hope I haue of heauenlie blisse,
That I am cleare from this misdeed of Edwards.
No more my king, for he dishonours me,
And most himselfe, if he could see his shame.
115 Did I forget that by the house of Yorke,
[♦] My father came vntimelie to his death?
[♦] Did I let passe the abuse done to my neece?
Did I impale him with the regall Crowne,
[♦] And thrust king Henry from his natiue home,
120 And most vngratefull doth he vse me thus?
My gratious Queene pardon what is past,
And henceforth I am thy true seruitour,
I will reuenge the wrongs done to ladie Bona,
And replant Henry in his former state.
[125] Queen. Yes Warwike I doe quite forget thy former
Faults, if now thou wilt become king Henries friend.
War. So much his friend, I his vnfained friend,
That if king Lewes vouchsafe to furnish vs
With some few bands of chosen souldiers,
130 Ile vndertake to land them on our coast,
And force the Tyrant from his seate by warre,
Tis not his new made bride shall succour him.
Lew. Then at the last I firmelie am resolu’d,
[♦] You shall haue aide: and English messenger returne
In post, and tell false Edward thy supposed king,
That Lewis of France is sending ouer Maskers
To reuell it with him and his new bride.
[♦] Bona. Tell him in hope heele be a Widower shortlie,
Ile weare the willow garland for his sake.
140 Queen. Tell him my mourning weedes be laide aside,
And I am readie to put armour on.
War. Tell him from me, that he hath done me wrong,
And therefore Ile vncrowne him er’t be long.
[♦] Thears thy reward, begone.
145 Lew. But now tell me Warwike, what assurance
I shall haue of thy true loyaltie?
War. This shall assure my constant loyaltie,
If that our Queene and this young prince agree,
Ile ioine mine eldest daughter and my ioie
[150] To him forthwith in holie wedlockes bandes.
[♦] Queen. Withall my hart, that match I like full wel,
Loue her sonne Edward, shee is faire and yong,
And giue thy hand to Warwike for thy loue.
Lew. It is enough, and now we will prepare,
[155] To lcuie souldiers for to go with you.
And you Lord Bourbon our high Admirall,
Shall waft them safelie to the English coast,
And chase proud Edward from his slumbring trance,
For mocking marriage with the name of France.
[160] War. I came from Edward as Imbassadour
But I returne his sworne and mortall foe:
Matter of marriage was the charge he gaue me,
But dreadfull warre shall answere his demand.
Had he none else to make a stale but me?
165 Then none but I shall turne his iest to sorrow.
I was the chiefe that raisde him to the crowne,
And Ile be chiefe to bring him downe againe,
Not that I pittie Henries miserie,
But seeke reuenge on Edwards mockerie. Exit.