of Clarence; a prince easily swayed by temporary motives, whose affections, by this tie, he vainly hoped to secure. He and Clarence landed in England in 1470. The hostile parties drew near each other in the neighbourhood of Nottingham; when Edward, while waiting the success of secret measures for detaching from Warwick his brother, and some others also closely allied to him, was very nearly surprised, in his own person, by a stratagem, and was glad to escape, by an immediate flight to Flanders. Warwick then marched to London, liberated Henry, and replaced him on the throne. Intelligence of these events reaching Margaret, she set sail from France with her son but while she was detained from the shores of England by contrary winds, Edward had re-landed in the north, and, gathering forces on his way, had gained London, reseated himself on the throne, and subsequently won the battle of Barnet (April, 1471), in which Warwick, "the king-maker," was defeated and slain. The queen, on landing, was nevertheless encouraged to collect forces, and try the event of another field. This was the battle of Tewkesbury, in Gloucestershire, which took place in the next month, and gave a last blow to the hopes of the Lancastrians. As a fact of history with which some passages in the following scenes are connected, it must be remembered that, before the reformation, the heiresses of great estates were in wardship of the king, who always took care to match them with his favourites.

We are to imagine a room in the palace: Lady Elizabeth Grey is in an attitude of supplication before the youthful king: the dukes of Clarence and Gloster stand at a little distance, exchanging significant looks and whispers.

[K. Edward IV.] Widow, we will consider of your

But come some other time to know our mind.

suit:

[L. Elizabeth.] Right gracious lord, I cannot brook delay: May i't please your highness to resolve me now; And what your pleasure is shall satisfy me.

[Gloster, in a whisper.] Do' you hear that, Clarence? Nay, I warrant you, the widow gets her lands. [an it be so, [K. Edward.] How many children hast thou, widow? tell

[me.

[L. Elizabeth.] Three, my most gracious lord. [Gloster, in a whisper.] She shall have four, if she be rul'd

[by him.

[K. Edward.] 'Twere pity they should lose their father's [land.

[L. Elizabeth.] Be pitiful, dread lord, and grant it then. [K. Edward.] Brothers, I see you: pray give leave awhile. They retire farther off, but still keep in view. Now tell me, madam, do you love your children?

[L. Elizabeth.] Ay, full as dearly as I love myself. [K. Edward.] And would you not do much to do them good? [L. Elizabeth.] To do them good, I would sustain some harm. [K. Edward.] Then get your husband's lands to do them

[good.

[L. Elizabeth.] Therefore I came unto your majesty. [K. Edward.] I'll tell you how these lands are to be got. [L. Elizabeth.] So shall you bind me to your highness' [service.

[K. Edward.] What service wilt thou do me, if I give them? [L. Elizabeth.] What you command that rests in me to do. [K. Edward.] Perchance you may except to what I ask. [L. Elizabeth.] No, gracious lord, unless I cannot do it. [K. Edward. Ay, but thou hast the power to act herein.

[mands.

[L. Elizabeth.] Why then I will do what your grace com[a pause.] Why stops my lord? shall I not know my task?

[K. Edward.] An easy task: 'tis but to love a king. [L.-Elizabeth.] That's soon perform'd, because I am a [subject.

[K. Edward.] Why, then, thy husband's lands I freely give. [L. Elizabeth.] I take my leave with many thousand thanks.

[stand me: [K. Edward.] Nay, stay thee, stay! thou dost not underWhat love, think'st thou, I sue so much to get?

[prayers; [L. Elizabeth.] My love till death, my humble thanks, my The love which virtue begs, and virtue grants.

[K. Edward.] No, by my troth, I did not quite mean so. [L. Elizabeth.] Why then you mean not as I thought you

[did.

[K. Edward.] But now you partly may perceive my mind. [L. Elizabeth.] If it can be, your highhess aims at aught That virtue should not beg, and cannot grant, My mind is fix'd: I will not understand you.

[K. Edward.] Why, then thou shalt not have thy husband's [lands. [L. Elizabeth.] Why, then mine honesty shall be my dower: By loss of that, I ne'er will purchase those.

[K. Edward.] Therein thou wrong'st thy children mightily.

[me.

[L. Elizabeth.] Herein your highness wrongs both them and But, mighty lord, this merry inclination Accords not with the sadness of my suit: Please you dismiss me.; say, or ay, or no. [K. Edward.] Ay, if thou wilt say ay to my request: But if thou wilt not, then I answer, no.

[L. Elizabeth.] Then no, my lord; my suit is at an end.

We now move on to the spot whither the brothers have partially withdrawn: Gloster speaks:

[Gloster.] The widow likes him not: she knits her brow: See, she desires to go; yet Edward hesitates : What would he now? he calls her back again.

[a pause.]

He plies her hard, and much rain wears the marble:

[a pause.]

Now red as fire! nay, then she melts anon.

The ghostly father now hath done his shrift,
Yet still the widow looketh something sad.
But see, he comes this way to tell the issue.

[a pause.]

[K. Edward.] Brothers, you muse what chat we two have You'd think it strange if I should marry her. [had: [Clarence.] To whom, my lord?

[K. Edward.] Why, Clarence, to myself.

[Clarence.] 'T would be a ten days' wonder at the least. [Gloster.] That's a day longer than it ought to last.

[K. Edward.] Well, jest on, brothers: I can tell you this; Her suit is granted for her husband's land.

Widow, we meet again: lords, use her honourably.
Richard is thoughtful: Clarence, come with me.
Gloster, being alone, thus meditates:

[Gloster.] 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,
E'en were the lustful Edward's title buried,
Stand Clarence, Henry, and his son young Edward,
And all the unlook'd-for issue of their loins.
Why then I do but dream on sovereignty:
My eye's too quick, my heart o'erweens too much,
Unless my hand and strength can equal them.
Well, say there is no kingdom then for Richard,
What other pleasure can the world afford?
I'll deck my body out in ornaments,
And make my heaven in a lady's love.
Oh, miserable thought!

.

Why, love forswore me in my mother's womb,
And, that I should not deal in her soft laws,
She did corrupt frail nature with a bribe

To shrink mine arm up, like a wither'd shrub;

To shape my legs of an unequal size;
To make an envious mountain on my back,
Where sits deformity to mock my body:
And am I then a man to be belov'd?

Oh, monstrous fault to harbour such a thought!
Then, since this earth affords no joy to me
But to command, to check, and o'erbear such
As are of happier person than myself,

Why, then, to me, this restless world's but hell,
Till this misshapen trunk's aspiring head
Be circled with a glorious diadem.

Though many lives stand between it and me,
Yet, like a man lost in a thorny wood,
Seeking a way, and straying from the way,
And toiling desperately to find it out,

I'll hew my way through with a bloody axe.
Why, I can smile, and murder while I smile,
And cry content to that which grieves my heart,
And frame my face to all occasions.

Can I do this, and cannot get a crown?

Tut! were it farther off, I'd pluck it down.

After a short interval of time, perhaps some weeks, we may imagine, without change of place, the two younger brothers again in discourse; and that it is interrupted by the entrance of Edward, and the lords Somerset, Montague, Hastings, and many others: Gloster speaks :

[Gloster.] Now, brother Clarence, tell me what you think Of this new marriage with the lady Grey?

Hath not our brother made a worthy choice?

[Clarence.] Alas! you know 'tis far from hence to France: How could he stay till Warwick made return ?— -Forbear awhile our talk: here comes the king; I care not if I tell him what I think. [a pause.] [K. Edward.] Clarence, you surely are not malcontent At this our marriage with the Lady Grey?

[be,

[Clarence.] Not more, my lord, than Lewi's of France can Nor than, perchance, you'll find the earl of Warwick.