Yet heavens are just, and time suppresseth wrongs.

War. Injurious Margaret!

Prince. And why not queen ?

380

War. Because thy father Henry did usurp;
And thou no more art prince, than she is queen.
Oxf. 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.

War. Oxford, how haps it, in this smooth dis

course,

You told not, how Henry the sixth hath lost

All that which Henry the fifth had 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.

390

Oxf. Why, Warwick, canst thou speak against thy

liege,

Whom thou obeyed'st thirty and six years,

And not bewray thy treason with a blush?

War. Can Oxford, that did ever fence the right,
Now buckler falsehood with a pedigree?

For shame, leave Henry, and call Edward king.
Oxf. Call him my king, by whose injurious doom
My elder brother, the lord Aubrey Vere,

Was

401

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.

War. And I the house of York.

K. Lew. Queen Margaret, prince Edward, and Oxford,

Vouchsafe, at our request, to stand aside,

While I use further conference with Warwick.
Queen. Heavens grant, that Warwick's words be.

witch him not!

[They retire, K. Lew. Now, Warwick, tell me, even upon thy

conscience,

410

Is Edward your true king? for I were loth,
To link with him that were not lawful chosen.
War. Thereon I pawn my credit and mine honour,
K. Lew. But is he gracious in the people's eye?
War. The more, that Henry was unfortunate.
K. Lew. Then further-all dissembling set aside,
Tell me for truth the measure of his love
Unto our sister Bona.

War. Such it seems,

As may beseem a monarch like himself.

420

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.

K. Lew.

K. Lew. Now, sister, let us hear your firm resolve. Bona. Your grant, or your denial, shall be mine :Yet I confess, that often ere this day,

429

[Speaking to WARWICK. When I have heard your king's desert recounted, Mine ear hath tempted judgment to desire.

K. Lew. Then, Warwick, this-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. To Edward, but not to the English king.
Queen. Deceitful Warwick! it was thy device
By this alliance to make void my suit;
Before thy coming, Lewis was Henry's friend.

440

K. Lew. And still is friend to him and Margaret : But if your title to the crown be weak— As may appear by Edward's good successThen '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. War. Henry now lives in Scotland, at his ease; Where having nothing, nothing he can 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.

450

Queen.

Queen. Peace, impudent and shameless Warwick,

peace;

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;
[Post, blowing a Horn within.

For both of you are birds of self-same feather.
K. Lew. Warwick, this is some post to us, or

thee.

Enter a Post.

460

Post. My lord ambassador, these letters are for you;

[TO WARWICK.

Sent from your brother, marquis Montague.

These from our king unto your majesty.

[To King LEWIS.

And, madam, these for you; from whom, I know not. [To the Queen. They all read their Letters. Oxf. I like it well, that our fair queen and mistress Smiles at her news, while Warwick frowns at his. Prince. Nay, mark, how Lewis stamps as he were nettled:

I hope, all's for the best.

K. Lew. Warwick, what are thy news? and your's,

fair queen?

Queen. Mine, such as fills my heart with unhop'd

joys.

470

War. Mine, full of sorrow and heart's discontent.

K. Lew.

K. Lew. What! has your king marry'd the lady

Grey?

And now, to sooth your forgery and his,

Sends me a paper to persuade me patience?
Is this the alliance that he seeks with France ?
Dare he presume to scorn us in this manner?

Queen. I told your majesty as much before:

This proveth Edward's love, and Warwick's honesty.

War. King Lewis, I here protest-in sight of

heaven,

And by the hope I have of heavenly bliss

480

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 the abuse done to my niece?
Did I impale him with the regal crown?
Did I put Henry 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. Warwick, these words have turn'd

to love;

And I forgive and quite forget old faults,

490

my

hate