Fight closer, or, good faith, you'll catch a blow. CLARENCE [Aside to GLOUCESTER] I fear her not, unless she chance to fall. GLOUCESTER [Aside to CLARENCE] God forbid that! for he'll take vantages. KING EDWARD IV How many children hast thou, widow? tell me. CLARENCE [Aside to GLOUCESTER] I think he means to beg a child of her. GLOUCESTER [Aside to CLARENCE] Nay, whip me then:
he'll rather give her two. LADY GREY Three, my most gracious lord. GLOUCESTER [Aside to CLARENCE] You shall have four, if you'll be ruled by him. KING EDWARD IV 'Twere pity they should lose their father's lands. LADY GREY Be pitiful, dread lord, and grant it then. KING EDWARD IV Lords, give us leave: I'll try this widow's wit. GLOUCESTER [Aside to CLARENCE] Ay, good leave have you; for you will have leave, Till youth take leave and leave you to the crutch.
GLOUCESTER and CLARENCE retire KING EDWARD IV Now tell me, madam, do you love your children? LADY GREY Ay, full as dearly as I love myself. KING EDWARD IV And would you not do much to do them good? LADY GREY To do them good, I would sustain some harm. KING EDWARD IV Then get your husband's lands, to do them good. LADY GREY Therefore I came unto your majesty. KING EDWARD IV I'll tell you how these lands are to be got. LADY GREY So shall you bind me to your highness'
service. KING EDWARD IV What service wilt thou do me, if I give them? LADY GREY What you command, that rests in me to do. KING EDWARD IV But you will take exceptions to my boon. LADY GREY No, gracious lord, except I cannot do it. KING EDWARD IV Ay, but thou canst do what I mean to ask. LADY GREY Why, then I will do what your grace commands. GLOUCESTER [Aside to CLARENCE] He plies her hard;and much rain wears the marble. CLARENCE [Aside to GLOUCESTER] As red as fire!
nay, then her wax must melt. LADY GREY Why stops my lord, shall I not hear my task? KING EDWARD IV An easy task; 'tis but to love a king. LADY GREY That's soon perform'd, because I am a subject. KING EDWARD IV Why, then, thy husband's lands I freely give thee. LADY GREY I take my leave with many thousand thanks. GLOUCESTER [Aside to CLARENCE] The match is made;she seals it with a curtsy. KING EDWARD IV But stay thee, 'tis the fruits of love I mean. LADY GREY The fruits of love I mean, my loving liege. KING EDWARD IV Ay, but, I fear me, in another sense.
What love, think'st thou, I sue so much to get? LADY GREY My love till death, my humble thanks, my prayers;That love which virtue begs and virtue grants. KING EDWARD IV No, by my troth, I did not mean such love. LADY GREY Why, then you mean not as I thought you did. KING EDWARD IV But now you partly may perceive my mind. LADY GREY My mind will never grant what I perceive Your highness aims at, if I aim aright. KING EDWARD IV To tell thee plain, I aim to lie with thee. LADY GREY To tell you plain, I had rather lie in prison. KING EDWARD IV Why, then thou shalt not have thy husband's lands. LADY GREY Why, then mine honesty shall be my dower;For by that loss I will not purchase them. KING EDWARD IV Therein thou wrong'st thy children mightily. LADY 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.' KING EDWARD IV Ay, if thou wilt say 'ay' to my request;No if thou dost say 'no' to my demand. LADY GREY Then, no, my lord. My suit is at an end. GLOUCESTER [Aside to CLARENCE] The widow likes him not, she knits her brows. CLARENCE [Aside to GLOUCESTER] He is the bluntest wooer in Christendom. KING EDWARD IV [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? LADY GREY 'Tis better said than done, my gracious lord:
I am a subject fit to jest withal, But far unfit to be a sovereign. KING EDWARD IV 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. LADY 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. KING EDWARD IV You cavil, widow: I did mean, my queen. LADY GREY 'Twill grieve your grace my sons should call you father. KING EDWARD IV 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. GLOUCESTER [Aside to CLARENCE] The ghostly father now hath done his shrift. CLARENCE [Aside to GLOUCESTER] When he was made a shriver, 'twas for shift. KING EDWARD IV Brothers, you muse what chat we two have had. GLOUCESTER The widow likes it not, for she looks very sad. KING EDWARD IV You'll think it strange if I should marry her. CLARENCE To whom, my lord? KING EDWARD IV Why, Clarence, to myself. GLOUCESTER That would be ten days' wonder at the least. CLARENCE That's a day longer than a wonder lasts. GLOUCESTER By so much is the wonder in extremes. KING EDWARD IV Well, jest on, brothers: I can tell you both Her suit is granted for her husband's lands.
Enter a Nobleman Nobleman My gracious lord, Henry your foe is taken, And brought your prisoner to your palace gate. KING EDWARD IV 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 GLOUCESTER 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!