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, Unless my hand and strength could equal them.
Well, say there is no kingdom then for Richard;What other pleasure can the world afford?
I'll make my heaven in a lady's lap, And deck my body in gay ornaments, And witch sweet ladies with my words and looks.
O miserable thought! and more unlikely Than to accomplish twenty golden crowns!
Why, love forswore me in my mother's womb:
And, for I should not deal in her soft laws, She did corrupt frail nature with some bribe, To shrink mine arm up like a wither'd shrub;To make an envious mountain on my back, Where sits deformity to mock my body;To shape my legs of an unequal size;To disproportion me in every part, Like to a chaos, or an unlick'd bear-whelp That carries no impression like the dam.
And am I then a man to be beloved?
O monstrous fault, to harbour such a thought!
Then, since this earth affords no joy to me, But to command, to cheque, to o'erbear such As are of better person than myself, I'll make my heaven to dream upon the crown, And, whiles I live, to account this world but hell, Until my mis-shaped trunk that bears this head Be round impaled with a glorious crown.
And yet I know not how to get the crown, For many lives stand between me and home:
And I,--like one lost in a thorny wood, That rends the thorns and is rent with the thorns, Seeking a way and straying from the way;Not knowing how to find the open air, But toiling desperately to find it out,--Torment myself to catch the English crown:
And from that torment I will free myself, Or hew my way out with a bloody axe.
Why, I can smile, and murder whiles I smile, And cry 'Content' to that which grieves my heart, And wet my cheeks with artificial tears, And frame my face to all occasions.
I'll drown more sailors than the mermaid shall;I'll slay more gazers than the basilisk;I'll play the orator as well as Nestor, Deceive more slily than Ulysses could, And, like a Sinon, take another Troy.
I can add colours to the chameleon, Change shapes with Proteus for advantages, And set the murderous Machiavel to school.
Can I do this, and cannot get a crown?
Tut, were it farther off, I'll pluck it down.
Exit SCENE III. France. KING LEWIS XI's palace. Flourish. Enter KING LEWIS XI, his sister BONA, his Admiral, called BOURBON, PRINCE EDWARD, QUEEN MARGARET, and OXFORD. KING LEWIS XIsits, and riseth up again KING LEWIS XI Fair Queen of England, worthy Margaret, Sit down with us: it ill befits thy state And birth, that thou shouldst stand while Lewis doth sit. QUEEN MARGARET No, mighty King of France: now Margaret Must strike her sail and learn awhile to serve Where kings command. I was, I must confess, Great Albion's queen in former golden days:
But now mischance hath trod my title down, And with dishonour laid me on the ground;Where I must take like seat unto my fortune, And to my humble seat conform myself. KING LEWIS XI Why, say, fair queen, whence springs this deep despair? QUEEN MARGARET From such a cause as fills mine eyes with tears And stops my tongue, while heart is drown'd in cares. KING LEWIS XI Whate'er it be, be thou still like thyself, And sit thee by our side:
Seats her by him Yield not thy neck To fortune's yoke, but let thy dauntless mind Still ride in triumph over all mischance.
Be plain, Queen Margaret, and tell thy grief;It shall be eased, if France can yield relief. QUEEN MARGARET Those gracious words revive my drooping thoughts And give my tongue-tied sorrows leave to speak.
Now, therefore, be it known to noble Lewis, That Henry, sole possessor of my love, Is of a king become a banish'd man, And forced to live in Scotland a forlorn;While proud ambitious Edward Duke of York Usurps the regal title and the seat Of England's true-anointed lawful king.
This is the cause that I, poor Margaret, With this my son, Prince Edward, Henry's heir, Am come to crave thy just and lawful aid;And if thou fail us, all our hope is done:
Scotland hath will to help, but cannot help;Our people and our peers are both misled, Our treasures seized, our soldiers put to flight, And, as thou seest, ourselves in heavy plight. KING LEWIS XI Renowned queen, with patience calm the storm, While we bethink a means to break it off. QUEEN MARGARET The more we stay, the stronger grows our foe. KING LEWIS XI The more I stay, the more I'll succor thee. QUEEN MARGARET O, but impatience waiteth on true sorrow.
And see where comes the breeder of my sorrow!
Enter WARWICK KING LEWIS XI What's he approacheth boldly to our presence? QUEEN MARGARET Our Earl of Warwick, Edward's greatest friend. KING LEWIS XI Welcome, brave Warwick! What brings thee to France?