A Crown it is that feldom Kings enjoy.

Hum. Well, if you be a King crown'd with Content,
Your Crown Content, and you, must be contented
To go along with us. For, as we think,

You are the King, King Edward hath depos'd:
And we his Subjects, fworn in all Allegiance,
Will apprehend you as his Enemy.

K. Henry. But did you never fwear, and break an Oath? Hum. No, never such an Oath, nor will not now. K.Henry. Where did you dwell when I was King of England?

Hum. Here in this Country, where we now remain.
K. Henry. I was anointed Ring at nine Months old,
My Father, and my Grandfather were Kings;
And you were fworn true Subjects unto me:

And tell me then, have you not broke your Oaths?
Sink. No, for we were Subjects but while you were a
King.

K. Henry. Why, am I dead? do I not breathe a Man?
Ah fimple Men, you know not what you fwear:
Look, as I blow this Feather from my Face,
And as the Air blows it to me again,
Obeying with my Wind when I do blow,
And yielding to another when it blows,
Commanded always by the greater guft;
Such is the Lightness of you common Men.
But do not break your Oath, for of that Sin
My mild intreaty fhall not make you guilty.
Go where you will, the King shall be commanded,
And be you Kings, command, and I'll obey.
Sink. We are true Subje&s to the King,

King Edward.

K. Henry. So would you be again to Henry, If he were feated as King Edward is.

Sink. We charge you in God's Name and in the King's To go with us unto the Officers.

K. Henry. In God's Name lead, your King's Name be obey'd,

And

And what God will, that let your King perform,
And, what he will, I humbly yield unto.

[Exeunt

Enter King Edward, Gloucefter, Clarence, and Lady Gray!

K.Edw. Brother of Glo'fter, at St. Alban's Field
This Lady's Husband, Sir Richard Gray, was flain,
His Land then feiz'd on by the Conqueror:
Her fuit is now, to repoffefs thofe Lands,
Which we in Juftice cannot well deny,
Because in quarrel of the House of York,
The worthy Gentleman did lose his Life.

Glo. Your Highness fhall do well to grant her Suit:
It were dishonour to deny it her.

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

I fee 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 ?

Glo. Silence.

`K. Edw. Widow, we will confider of your Suit, And come, fome other time, to know our Mind. Gray. Right gracious Lord, I cannot brook delay, May it please your Highness to refolve me now. And what your Pleasure is, fhall satisfie me.

Glo. Ay, Widow! then I'll warrant you all your Lands, And if what pleases him, fhall please you: Fight clofer, or good faith you'll catch a Blow. Clar. I fear her not, unless fhe chance to fall. Glo. God forbid that, for he'll take vantages.

K. Edw. How many Children haft thou, Widow ! tell me.

Clar. I think he means to beg a Child of her.

Glo. Nay then whip me; he'll rather give her two.
Gray. Three, my moft gracious Lord.

Glo. You fhall have four, if you'll be rul'd by him.

K. Edw. 'Twere pity they fhould lose their Father's
Lands.

Gray. Be pitiful, dread Lord, and grant it then.
VOL. IV.

R

K. Ed

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. K. Edw. Now tell me, Madam, do you love your Children. Gray Ay, full as dearly as I love my felf.

K. Edw. And would you not do much to do them good? Gray. To do them good, I would fuftain some harm. K. Edw. Then get your Husband's Lands, to do them good.

Gray. Therefore I came unto your Majefty.

K. Edw. I'll tell you how thefe Lands are to be got. Gray. So fhall you bind me to your Highnefs Service, K. Edw. What Service wilt thou do me, if I give them? Gray. What you command that refts in me to do. K. Edw. But you will take Exceptions to my Boon. Gray. No, gracious Lord, except I cannot do it. K. Edw. Ay, but thou canft do what I mean to ask. Gray. Why then I will do what your Grace commands. Glo. He plies her hard, and much Rain wears the Marble. Clar. As red as fire! nay, then her Wax must melt. Gray. Why ftops my Lord? fhall I not hear my Task? K. Edw. An eafie Task, 'tis but to love a King. Gray. That's foon perform'd, because I am a Subject. K. Edw. Why then, thy Husband's Lands I freely give thee. Gray. I take my leave with many thousand Thanks. Glo. The match is made, fhe feals it with a Curtfie. K. Edw. But ftay thee, 'tis the fruits of Love I mean. Gray. The fruits of Love, I mean, my loving Liege. K. Edw. Ay, but I fear me in another sense.. What Love, think'ft thou, I fue fo much to get? Gray. My Love'till Death, my humble Thanks, my Prayers. That Love which Virtue begs, and Virtue grants.

K. Edw. No, by my troth, I did not mean fuch Love. Gray. Why then you mean not as I thought you did K. Edw. But now you partly may perceive my Mind. Gray. 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 lye with thee.
Gray. To tell you plain, I had rather lye in Prifon.

K. Edw.

K. Edw. Why then thou shalt not have thy Husband's Lands.

Gray. Why then mine Honefty fhall be my Dower,
For by that Lofs I will not purchase them.

K. Edw. Therein thou wrong'ft thy Children mightily.
Gray. Herein your Highness wrongs both them and

me:

But, mighty Lord, this merry inclination

Accords not with the sadness of my Suit;
Please you difmifs me, either with Ay, or No.
K. Edw. Ay; if thou wilt fay Ay to my request;
No; if thou doft fay No to my demand.

Gray. Then No, my Lord; my Suit is at an end.
Glo. The Widow likes him not, fhe knits her Brows.
Clar. He is the blunteft Wooer in Chriftendom.
K. Edw. Her Looks do argue her repleat with Modefty,
Her Words do fhew her Wit incomparable,

All her Perfections challenge Sovereignty,

One way or other fhe is for a King,

And the fhall be my Love, or elfe my Queen.
Say, that King Edward take thee for his Queen?

Gray. 'Tis better faid than done, my gracious Lord;
I am a Subject fit to jeft withal,

But far unfit to be a Sovereign.

K. Edw. Sweet Widow, by my State I fwear to thee, 1 fpeak no more than what my Soul intends,

And that is, to enjoy thee for my Love.

Gray. 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. You cavil; Widow, I did mean my Queen.
Gray. 'Twill grieve your Grace, my Sons fhall call you
Father.

K. Edw. No more than when my Daughters call thee
Mother.

Thou art a Widow, and thou haft fome Children,
And by God's Mother, I being but a Batchelor,
Have other fome. Why, 'tis a happy thing,
To be the Father unto many Sons:

R 2

Anfwer

Anfwer no more, for thou shalt be my Queen.

Glo. The Ghoftly Father now hath done his Shrift.
Clar. When he was made a Shriver, it was for a fhift.
K. Edw. Brothers, you muse what Chat we two have had.
Glo. The Widow likes it not, for fhe looks fad.

K. Edw. You'ld think it strange, if I fhould marry her.
Clar. To whom, my Lord?

K. Edw. Why Clarence, to my felf.

Glo. That would be ten days wonder at the least. Clar. That's a day longer than a Wonder lasts. Glo. By fo much is the Wonder in extreams. K. Edw. Well, jeft 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 Prifoner 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 queftion of his Apprehenfion.

Widow, go you along: Lords, ufe her honourably.

Manet Gloucester.

[Exeunt.

Glo. Ay, Edward will use Women honourably.
Would he were wafted, 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 defire and me,
The luftful Edward's Title buried,

Is Clarence, Henry, and his Son young Edward,
And all the unlook'd for Iffue of their Bodies,
To take their Rooms ere I can place my felf:
A cold premeditation for my purpose.
Why then I do but dream on Sovereignty,
Like one that ftands upon a Promontory,
And fpys a far-off fhore, where he would tread,
Withing his Foot were equal with his Eye,
And chides the Sea that funders him from thence,

Saying,