[K. Edward.] Suppose they take offence without a cause, They are but Lewi's and Warwick; I am Edward, Your king and Warwick's, and must have my will. What, brother Richard, you offended too? [Gloster.] Not I: No, heaven forbid that I should wish them sever'd [K. Edward.] Setting your scorns and your mislike aside, Give me some reason why the lady Grey Should not have been my wife, and England's queen : [Clarence.] Full well I can. Because a French alliance would have strengthen'd Our commonwealth; this homebred marriage cannot. [K. Edward.] England is safe, if true within itself. [Clarence.] Yes; but the safer, being back'd by France. Hastings advances and speaks. [Hastings.] Let us be back'd by heaven and by the seas, [Clarence.] For that one speech, lord Hastings well deThe heiress of the lands of Hungerford. So does the brother of the royal bride [K. Edward.] Alas, poor Clarence! is it for a wife [serves [Clarence.] In choosing for yourself, you show'd a judgeWhich, by your leave, shall not decide for me. [ment I'll play the broker in mine own behalf, And, to that end, I shortly mean to leave you. [K. Edward.] Leave me, or tarry, Edward will be king.— -Make way there: let that man approach, and speak. Now, messenger, what letters, or what news From France? [Messenger.] My sovereign liege, no letters; and the words Are such as I, without your special pardon, Dare not repeat. [K. Edward.] Go to; we pardon thee: be brief. [Messenger.] Warwick, incens'd against your majesty, E'en more than lady Bona, or king Lewis, Dismiss'd me with these words :- "Tell him from me That he hath done me wrong; and I 'll uncrown him.” [K. Edward.] Ha! durst the traitor breathe out words so Well, I will arm me, being thus forewarn'd. [proud? But say, are Margaret and Warwick friends? [Messenger.] Ay, gracious sovereign; and so link'd are That young prince Edward is to marry Anne, [they, His second daughter. At this moment, Clarence, following Somerset, hastily quits the presence: saying, [Clarence.] Brother mine, farewell! Clarence shall hence to Warwick's other daughter. [a pause.] [K. Edward.] I rather would have foes than hollow friends. Now, brother Richard, will you stand by us? [Gloster.] Ay, in despite of all that shall withstand you. Now, therefore, let us hence; nor lose an hour We must pass by the intervening events,—the landing of Warwick in England with Clarence, who had become his son-in-law; the near capture, and sudden escape of Ed ward to Flanders; the march of Warwick to London, and the reseating of Henry on the throne; the return of Edward, and the events which immediately followed his reappearance in arms;—we must pass all this, till we reach a scene in which the poet places us on the walls of Coventry, at which spot the earl of Warwick is awaiting the junction of those who are pledged to make common cause with him against Edward: he speaks to the messengers and others: [Warwick.] Where is the post that came from valiant Ox How far hence is thy lord, mine honest fellow? [ford? [Messenger.] By this at Dunsmore, marching hitherward. [Warwick.] There was another post from brother Montague. [Second Mess.] 'Tis I, my lord: and I do bring you word, He is by this at Da'ntry with his troop. [Warwick.] 'Tis well and here is sír John Somerville. -Speak, Somerville, what says my loving son; And, by thy guess, how near us is he now? [Somerville.] My gracious lord, I left the duke of Clarence At Southam; only two hours march from hence. [Warwick.] Then is he close at hand: hark! that's his drum. [Somerville.] It is not his, my lord; here Southam lies: The drum, your lordship hears, marches from Warwick. [Warwick.] Who should it be? perchance, unlook'd-for They are at hand, and we shall quickly know. [friends. [a pause.] The colours look not of a friendly kind; Oh, welcome, Oxford! for we want thy help. And see, just now in sight the valiant Somerset. Were it not best to march toward Barnet, lords, [Somerset.] Yes, Warwick; yes. No words: but lead the Lords, to the field; and still hope victory. [way: Leaving the event of the next battle to be told by those who meet on the field of Tewkesbury to make the last struggle for the house of Lancaster, we now hasten to that event, and imagine queen Margaret and her son Edward surrounded by those who still adhere to their falling fortunes, on the morning of the fourth of May, in the year fourteen hundred and seventy-one. The queen addresses the noblemen around her :—prince Edward, Oxford, and Somerset are the other speakers. [Q. Margaret.] Wise men, my lords, ne'er sit and wail But keep our course, though the rough winds say—no, As good to chide the waves as speak them fair. And Clarence, but a quicksand of deceit ? [P. Edward.] Methinks a coward, hearing words like these, here: I speak not this as doubting any [Oxford.] Women and children of so high a courage, [Somerset.] Ay, my lord Oxford: he that will not fight [Q. Margaret.] Thanks, gentle Somerset, and Oxford, thanks; A mother's thanks, and his, who yet hath nothing, Therefore, no more but this: Henry, your sovereign, |