And Nero will be tainted with remorse,
To hear and see her plaints, her brinish tears.
Ay, but she's come to beg; Warwick, to give;
She on his left side craving aid for Henry,
He on his right asking a wife for Edward.
She weeps, and says her Henry is deposed;
He smiles, and says his Edward is install'd;
That she, poor wretch, for grief can speak no more:
Whiles Warwick tells his title, smooths the wrong,
Inferreth arguments of mighty strength,
And in conclusion wins the king from her,
With promise of his sister, and what else,

40

45

50

O Margaret! thus 'twill be; and thou, poor soul,
Art then forsaken, as thou went'st forlorn.

To strengthen and support King Edward's place.

Second Keep. Say, what art thou that talk'st of kings and

queens?

K. Hen. More than I seem, and less than I was born to:
A man at least, for less I should not be;
And men may talk of kings, and why not I?

Second Keep. Ay, but thou talk'st as if thou wert a king.
K. Hen. Why, so I am, in mind; and that's enough.

43-46. She on

23. He laughes
on ... Henry Q.
58. Say, what

He on... she weeps

...

55

60

55

.. He smiles . . . install'd] 20instalde, she weepes. He on his right hand . . . She 47-54. That she went'st forlorn] omitted Q. and less man be; And... not I?] 24-27. A man . . . and more I cannot be, And .. enough] 28, 29. I but . . .

A

What . for lesse I should not be.
not I? Q.
mind
59, 60. Ay, but
mind though not in shew Q.

...

40. tainted with remorse] improperly touched with pity. See "tainted with such shame" (Part I. Iv. v. 46), and "tainted with a thousand vices" (ibid. v. iv. 45). And "taint with love (ibid. v. iii. 183) means impure love. Always the term has the sense of a blemish. Pity would be a blemish in such a conception as Nero's character. He is a type with Shakespeare. See "You bloody Neroes " (King John, v. II. 152, and above, Part I. 1. iv. 95). The view of Margaret here is to be remembered. Shakespeare is not nearly done with her in this play.

41. brinish tears] salt tears. See "brinish bowels" (of the surge) (Titus Andronicus, III. i. 97). And Lucrece, 1213; Lover's Complaint, 284. Shakespeare has not " briny." See Introduction to Part I., on adjectives. And

Second Keep. But if thou be a king, where is thy crown?
K. Hen. My crown is in my heart, not on my head;
Not deck'd with diamonds and Indian stones,
Nor to be seen: my crown is call'd content;
A crown it is that seldom kings enjoy.

Second Keep. 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 deposed;
And we his subjects, sworn in all allegiance,
Will apprehend you as his enemy.

65

70

K. Hen. But did you never swear, and break an oath?
Second Keep. No, never such an oath; nor will not now.
K. Hen. Where did you dwell when I was king of England?
Second Keep. Here in this country, where we now remain. 75
K. Hen. I was anointed king at nine months old;

My father and my grandfather were kings,
And you were sworn true subjects unto me:

And tell me then, have you not broke your oaths?

First Keep. No;

For we were subjects but while you were king.
K. Hen. Why am I dead? do I not breathe a man?

Ah! simple men, you know not what you swear.
Look! as I blow this feather from my face,

61, 62. But if ... my head] 30, 31. And if . . . my head Q. Not deck'd... be seen] omitted Q. 64-67. my crown..

..

.

...

80

63, 64.

it is that

enjoy. Well, if. contented] 32-35. My crowne . . . that kings doe seldome times enioy And if thou. content Q. 68, 69. To go. To go with us vnto the officer, for 70-96. And we his subjects

for, as ... the king

deposed] 36, 37.
deposde Q.

as... our quondam king King Edward is] omitted Q.

allusion here to "My mind to me a kingdom is," an old ballad.

64. my crown is call'd content] Compare Henry's speech on shepherd's content ("methinks it were a happy life") at II. v. 20-54. Elsewhere in Shakespeare, Henry VIII. II. iii. 20 ; and Othello, III. iii. 172-4 may be recalled. And "crown and content " are denied association in 2 Henry IV. III. i. 30-31. See Iden's speech in Part II. IV. x. 18: "This small inheritance Contenteth me and worth a monarchy." Compare Kyd's Cornelia, IV. i. 246-248:

"He onely lives most happily
That, free and farre from maiestie,
Can liue content."

And Lodge, Wounds of Civil Warre:"If there content be such a pleasant

thing

Why leave I country life to live a king?'

(Hazlitt's Dodsley, vii. 187).

69. You are... deposed] This line recalls the famous one in 2 Henry VI. I. iv. 33: "The duke yet lives that Henry shall depose," minus the ambiguity.

76. anointed king] See above, 1. 17, note. This Biblical expression is again additional to Q.

84-89. I blow this feather . . . lightness of you common men] Shakespeare often has this figure: "I am a feather for each wind that blows" (Winter's

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 gust;
Such is the lightness of you common men.
But do not break your oaths; for of that sin
My mild entreaty shall not make you guilty.
Go where you will, the king shall be commanded;
And be you kings: command, and I'll obey.

First Keep. We are true subjects to the king, King Edward.
K. Hen. So would you be again to Henry,

If he were seated as King Edward is.

First Keep. We charge you, in God's name, and the king's, Το go with us unto the officers.

85

90

95

100

K. Hen. In God's name, lead; your king's name be obey'd:
And what God will, that let your king perform;
And what he will, I humbly yield unto.

[Exeunt.

Enter King EDWARD, GLOUCESTER, CLARENCE, and
Lady GREY.

K. Edw. Brother of Gloucester, at Saint Alban's field

This lady's husband, Sir Richard Grey, was slain,

97,98. We charge . . . go with... officers] 38, 39. And therefore we charge you in Gods name & the kings To go along with us vnto the officers Q. 99-101. In God's name. yield unto] 40, 41. Gods name be fulfild, your kings name be Obaide, and be you kings, command and Ile obey. Exeunt Omnes.

SCENE II.

Enter .] Ff; Enter King Edward, Clarence, and Gloster, Montague, Hastings, and the Lady Gray Q. I, 2. Brother slain] 1-3. Brothers of Clarence, and of Glocester, This ladies husband heere Sir Richard Gray, At the battaile of saint Albones did lose his life Q.

Tale, 1. iii. 154). And "Was ever feather so lightly blown to and fro as this multitude?" (2 Henry VI. IV. viii. 57).

SCENE II.

2. This lady's husband, Sir Richard Grey] Hall continues (see extract at III. i. 30): "But now consider the old prouerbe to be true that saieth: that mariage is destinie. For during ye time that the erle of Warwicke was thus in Fraunce, concludyng a mariage for Kyng Edward, the Kyng being

on hunting in the forest of Wychwood besyde stonny stratford, came for his recreacion to the mannor of Grafton, where the duches of Bedford soiorned, then wyfe to Syr Richard Woduile, lord Ryuers, on whom then was attendyng a doughter of hers, called dame Elizabeth Greye, wydow of syr Ihon Grey knight, slaine at the last battell of saincte Albons, by the power of Kyng Edward. This wydow hauyng a suite to ye kyng" (continued at "too good to be your concubine," 1. 93, below). The death of Ihon Grey,

C

His lands then seiz'd on by the conqueror:
Her suit is now to repossess those lands;
Which we in justice cannot well deny,

Because in quarrel of the house of York
The worthy gentleman did lose his life.

Glou. Your highness shall do well to grant her suit;
It were dishonour to deny it her.

K. Edw. It were no less; but yet I'll make a pause.
Glou. [Aside to Clar.] Yea; is it so?

I see the lady hath a thing to grant,

Before the king will grant her humble suit.

5

ΙΟ

Clar. [Aside to Glou.] He knows the game: how true he keeps the wind!

Glou. [Aside to Clar.] Silence!

K. Edw. Widow, we will consider of your suit;

And come some other time to know our mind. L. Grey. Right gracious lord, I cannot brook delay: May it please your highness to resolve me now, And what your pleasure is shall satisfy me.

.

lands Q.

8, 9. Your

15

20

5-7.

pause] 10. I,

. a thing
some thing

3, 4. His lands .. lands] 4, 5. His lands then were. Which we Because in .. The worthy life] 6-8. And sith in The noble life, In honor we cannot denie her sute Q. her] 9. Your it then Q (9 omitted). 10. It... but. so I will, but 11-13. Glou. Yea . . . I see pause Q. suit] 11-13. Glo. I, is the winde in that doore? Clarence, I see sute Q. 14, 15. He knows knowes .. how well the wind Q. mind] 15. Widow come ... mind Q. me] 16, 17. La. May it please your grace to dispatch me now Q.

Silence !] 14. He And come... satisfy

the wind! Glou.
16, 17. Widow
18-20. L. Grey. Right.

...

delaies, I beseech your highnesse

II. Yea; is it so?] "is the winde in that doore?" (Q) is very properly omitted, being a confusion of metaphors. It is a very old expression, occurring in Heywood's Proverbs (ed. Sharman, p. 118), 1546; in Udall's Erasmus (Roberts' rept. p. 318), 1542; in Gascoigne, The Supposes, 1566, etc. And see 1 Henry IV. III. iii. 102.

knighted the same day, at Colney, is in Hall, p. 252. Malone pointed out the falsification of history in the words, " quarrel of the house of York." Grey fell on the side of King Henry, and his lands were seized, not by the conqueror (Queen Margaret) but by Edward after Towton. This is truly stated in Richard III. 1. ii.: "You and your husband Gray were factious for 14. game. wind] The comthe house of Lancaster," and "In Mar- parison is to a dog in pursuit of his garet's battle at Saint Albans slain." prey. "Wind" is scent. See Hamlet, Malone may be right, but it is not III. ii. 362. King Edward bore this easy to follow the chronicles. Henry character. Polydore Vergil says: "for made knights of thirty foes, in obedience as muche as the King was a man who to Margaret on that occasion. See wold readyly cast an eye uppon young above, II. ii. 59. But also the dates ladyes, and loove them inordinately are astray. (Camden Soc. rept., Three Books, etc., p. 117).

4. repossess] Only in 3 Henry VI. See note at III. iii. 2-16 below.

Glou. [Aside to Clar.] Ay, widow? then I'll warrant you all your lands,

An if what pleases him shall pleasure you.

Fight closer, or, good faith, you'll catch a blow.

Clar. [Aside to Glou.] I fear her not, unless she chance to fall. Glou. [Aside to Clar.] God forbid that! for he'll take vantages. 25

K. Edw. How many children hast thou, widow? tell me.
Clar. [Aside to Glou.] I think he means to beg a child of her.
Glou. [Aside to Clar.] Nay, whip me then; he'll rather give

her two.

L. Grey. Three, my most gracious lord.

Glou. [Aside to Clar.] You shall have four, if you'll be

ruled by him.

K. Edw. 'Twere pity they should lose their father's lands.
L. Grey. Be pitiful, dread lord, and grant it then.

30

K. Edw. Lords, give us leave; I'll try this widow's wit. Glou. [Aside to Clar.] Ay, good leave have you; for you will have leave,

Till youth take leave and leave you to the crutch.

35 [Glou, and Clar. retire.

you'll

21-23. Ay, widow?... blow] 33-36. Naie then widow Ile warrant you all your Husbands lands, if you grant to do what he Commands. Fight close or in good faith, You catch a clap Q. 24, 25. I fear she fall for. vantages] 37, 38. Naie I feare. she fall. Glo. Marie. godsforbot man, for... vantage then Q. 26-30. How many. of her be ruled by him] 22-26. Come hither widdow, how many children haste thou? on her and you wil be rulde by him Q. 31, 32. 'Twere pity dread it then] 27, 28. Were it not pittie . then dread... it them Q. 33-35. Lords Glou. Ay. the crutch] 18-21. Lords .. wee meane to trie. . . Cla. I, good you. Glou. For you your crouch Q. (516, a): "But I may say to you, my neighbour Hodge's maid had a clap,well, let them laugh that win!"

I'll try

...

...

23. Fight closer] Must be taken devoid of the literal sense of "close," i.e., near. Fight, or resist better. Compare "close fighting" (in serious conflict) (Romeo and Juliet, 1. i. 118).

23. catch a blow] come to disgrace. "Catch a clap" (Q) came to be used expressly of women being "in trouble." Hawes has it in a proper context:—

66

'My hearte was in a trap

By Venus caught, and wyth so sore a clap (Pastime of Pleasure, rept. p. 64, 1500). Nashe has it more generally :"Martin, your mast(er) alas hath caught a clap,

And is.. like to fall" (Martins Months Minde, Grosart, i. 197). Peele gives an example of the vulgar use (meant here) in Sir Clyomon

...

25. God forbid] The old "Godsforbot" (Q) does not occur elsewhere in Shakespeare. It was formerly very common, and is found in Golding's Ovid (xiii. 891). It is used by Nashe (Have with you, etc.), and by Nicholas Breton (several times) in Shakespeare's time. Generally with the sense of something wholly anathema-beyond God's forbod.

28. whip me then] Compare Othello, 1. i. 49 and v. ii. 277. Ând Pericles, IV. ii. 91. When the whip was in its glory it gave rise to several expressions now forgotten.

33-35. give us leave... good leave .. take leave and leave you] There

...