Obeying with my wind when I do blow,
And yielding to another when it blows,
Commanded always by the greater gust,
Such is the lightness of you common men.
But do not break your oaths; for of that sin
My mild entreaty shall not make you guilty.
Go where you will, the king shall be commanded,
And be you kings; command, and I'll obey.

1 Keep. We are true subjects to the king, king Edward.
K. Hen. So would you be again to Henry,

If he were seated as king Edward is.

1 Keep. We charge you, in God's name, and the king's, To go with us unto the officers.

K. Hen. In God's name, lead; your king's name be obey'd: And what God will, that let your king perform; And what he will, I humbly yield unto.

SCENE II.

London. A Room in the Palace.

[Exeunt.

Enter King Edward, Gloster, CLARENCE, and Lady GREY.
K. Edw. Brother of Gloster, at Saint Albans' field
This lady's husband, Sir John Grey, was slain,
His land then seiz'd on by the conqueror:
Her suit is now, to repossess those lands,
Which we in justice cannot well deny,
Because in quarrel of the house of York
The worthy gentleman did lose his life.

Glo. Your highness shall do well, to grant her suit;

It were dishonour, to deny it her.

K. Edw. It were no less; but yet I 'll make a pause.
Glo. Yea; is it so?

[Aside.

I see, the lady hath a thing to grant,

Before the king will grant her humble suit.

Clar. He knows the game: how true he keeps the wind!

[Aside.

Glo. Silence!

[Aside.

K. Edw. Widow, we will consider of your suit,

And come some other time to know our mind.

L. Grey. Right gracious lord, I cannot brook delay: May it please your highness to resolve me now,

And what your pleasure is shall satisfy me.

Glo. Ay, widow? then I'll warrant you all your lands,

An if what pleases him shall pleasure you.

Fight closer, or, good faith, you'll catch a blow.

[Aside.

Clar. I fear her not, unless she chance to fall.

[Aside.

Glo. God forbid that, for he 'll take vantages.

[Aside.

K. Edw. How many children hast thou, widow? tell me. Clar. I think, he means to beg a child of her.

[Aside.

Glo. Nay then, whip me; he 'll rather give her two. [Aside. L. Grey. Three, my most gracious lord.

Glo. You shall have four, if you 'll be rul'd by him. [Aside. K. Edw. "T were 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. Glo. Ay, good leave have you; for you will have leave, Till youth take leave, and leave you to the crutch.

[GLOSTER and CLARENCE stand apart. K. Edw. Now tell me, Madam, do you love your children? Ay, full as dearly as I love myself.

L. Grey.

K. Edw.

L. Grey.

K. Edw.

L. Grey.

K. Edw.

L. Grey.
K. Edw.

L. Grey.

And would you not do much, to do them good?
To do them good I would sustain some harm.
Then, get your husband's lands to do them good.
Therefore I came unto your majesty.

I'll tell you how these lands are to be got.
So shall you bind me to your highness' service.
What service wilt thou do me, if I give them?
What you command, that rests in me to do.
But you will take exceptions to my boon.
No, gracious lord, except I cannot do it.
K. Edw. Ay, but thou canst do what I mean to ask.

K. Edw.

L. Grey.

L. Grey. Why then, I will do what your grace commands. Glo. He plies her hard; and much rain wears the marble.

[Aside.

Clar. As red as fire! nay then, her wax must melt. [Aside.
L. Grey. Why stops my lord? shall I not hear my task?
An easy task: 't is but to love a king.

K. Edw.

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.
Glo. The match is made: she seals it with a curt'sy.
K. Edw. But stay thee; 't is 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.

L. Grey.

K. Edw. No, by my troth, I did not mean such love.
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.

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.

Glo. The widow likes him not, she knits her brows. [Aside.
Clar. He is the bluntest wooer in Christendom. [Aside.
K. Edw. Her looks do argue her replete with modesty;

[Aside.

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.

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.

L. Grey.

You cavil, widow: I did mean, my queen.

'T will 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, 't is a happy thing

To be the father unto many sons.

Answer no more, for thou shalt be my queen.

Glo. The ghostly father now hath done his shrift.

[Aside.

Clar. When he was made a shriver, 't was for shift. [Aside.

K. Edw. Brothers, you muse what chat we two have had.
Glo. The widow likes it not, for she looks very sad.

K. Edw. You'd think it strange if I should marry her.
Clar. To whom, my lord?

K. Edw.

Why, Clarence, to myself?

Glo. That would be ten days' wonder, at the least.

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

Glo. 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 King EDWARD, Lady GREY, CLARence,
and Lord.

Glo. 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 keep 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,