The Works of William Shakespeare [Cambridge Edition] [Vol. 5 of 9] · William Shakespeare
SCENE X.
Enter king _Edward_, _Clarence_, and _Gloster_, _Montague_, _Hastings_, and the Lady _Gray_. _K Edw._ Brothers of _Clarence_, and of _Glocester_, [eaj001] This ladies husband heere sir _Richard Gray_, At the battaile of saint Albones did lose his life, [eaj003] His lands then were seazed on by the conqueror. Her sute is now to repossesse those lands, ·eaj005· And sith in quarrell of the house of _Yorke_, The noble gentleman did lose his life, In honor we cannot denie her sute. _Glo._ Your highnesse shall doe well to grant it then. _K Edw_ I, so _I_ will, but yet Ile make a pause. ·eaj010· _Glo._ I, is the winde in that doore? _Clarence,_ I see the Lady hath some thing to grant, [eaj012] Before the king will grant her humble sute. _Cla._ He knowes the game, how well he keepes the wind. [eaj014] _K. Ed._ Widow come some other time to know our mind. ·eaj015· _La._ May it please your grace _I_ cannot brooke delaies, I beseech your highnesse to dispatch me now. _K Ed._ Lords giue vs leaue, wee meane to trie this widowes wit. _Cla._ I, good leaue haue you. _Glo._ For you will haue leaue till youth take leaue, ·eaj020· And leaue you to your crouch. _K Ed._ Come hither widdow, howe many children haste thou? _Cla._ I thinke he meanes to begge a child on her.
_Glo._ Nay whip me then, heele rather giue hir two. [eaj024] _La._ Three my most gratious Lord. [eaj025] _Glo._ You shall haue foure and you wil be rulde by him. [eaj026] _K Ed._ Were it not pittie they shoulde loose their fathers lands? [eaj027] _La._ Be pittifull then dread L. and grant it them. [eaj028] _K Edw._ Ile tell thee how these lands are to be got. _La._ So shall you bind me to your highnesse seruice. ·eaj030· _K Ed._ What seruice wilt thou doe me if I grant it them? _La._ Euen what your highnesse shall command. _Glo._ Naie then widow Ile warrant you all your [eaj033] Husbands lands, if you grant to do what he Commands. Fight close or in good faith ·eaj035· You catch a clap. _Cla._ Naie I feare her not vnlesse she fall. _Glo._ Marie godsforbot man, for heele take vantage then. [eaj038] _La._ Why stops my Lord, shall I not know my taske? _K Ed._ An easie taske, tis but to loue a king. ·eaj040· _La._ Thats soone performde, because I am a subiect. [eaj041] _K Ed._ Why then thy husbandes landes _I_ freelie giue thee. _La._ I take my leaue with manie thousand thankes. _Cla._ The match is made, shee seales it with a cursie. [eaj044] _K Ed._ Staie widdow staie, what loue dost thou thinke I sue so much to get?
_K Edw._ Well ieast on brothers, _I_ can tell you, hir [eaj095] Sute is granted for her husbands lands. [eaj096] Enter a Messenger. _Mes._ And it please your grace, _Henry_ your foe is [eaj097] Taken, and brought as prisoner to your pallace gates. _K Edw._ Awaie with him, and send him to the Tower, And let vs go question with the man about [eaj100] His apprehension. Lords along, and vse this Ladie honorablie. _Exeunt Omnes._ [eaj102] _Manet Gloster_ and speakes. _Glost._ I, _Edward_ will vse women honourablie, Would he were wasted marrow, bones and all, That from his loines no issue might succeed ·eaj105· To hinder me from the golden time _I_ looke for, For _I_ am not yet lookt on in the world. First is there _Edward_, _Clarence_, and _Henry_ And his sonne, and all they lookt for issue [eaj109] Of their loines ere _I_ can plant my selfe, ·eaj110· A cold premeditation for my purpose, What other pleasure is there in the world beside? _I_ will go clad my bodie in gaie ornaments, And lull my selfe within a ladies lap, And witch sweet Ladies with my words and lookes. ·eaj115· Oh monstrous man, to harbour such a thought! Why loue did scorne me in my mothers wombe. And for _I_ should not deale in hir affaires, [eaj118] Shee did corrupt fraile nature in the flesh, And plaste an enuious mountaine on my backe, [eaj120] Where sits deformity to mocke my bodie, To drie mine arme vp like a withered shrimpe. To make my legges of an vnequall size, And am _I_ then a man to be belou’d? Easier for me to compasse twentie crownes. ·eaj125· Tut _I_ can smile, and murder when _I_ smile, _I_ crie content, to that that greeues me most. [eaj127] _I_ can adde colours to the Camelion, And for a need change shapes with _Protheus_, And set the aspiring _Catalin_ to schoole. ·eaj130· Can _I_ doe this, and cannot get the crowne? [eaj131] Tush were it ten times higher, _I_le pull it downe. _Exit._
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