Original Text |
Translated Text |
| Source: Folger Shakespeare Library |
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Enter Richard of Gloucester, Clarence, Somerset,
and Montague, all wearing the white rose. RICHARD
Now tell me, brother Clarence, what think you
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? 5 Flourish. SOMERSET
My lords, forbear this talk. Here comes the King. RICHARD And his well-chosen bride. CLARENCE
I mind to tell him plainly what I think. | Richard and George talk about their brother Edward's wedding. They think
Edward should have waited to tie the knot until Warwick returned. |
Enter King Edward, with Attendants,
Lady Grey, now Queen Elizabeth, Pembroke, Stafford,
Hastings, and others, all wearing the white rose.
Four stand on one side, and four on the other. KING EDWARD
Now, brother of Clarence, how like you our choice,
That you stand pensive, as half malcontent? 10 CLARENCE
As well as Lewis of France or the Earl of Warwick,
Which are so weak of courage and in judgment
That they’ll take no offense at our abuse. KING EDWARD
Suppose they take offense without a cause,
They are but Lewis and Warwick; I am Edward, 15
Your king and Warwick’s, and must have my will. | Edward, Lady Grey, and some courtiers enter, and right away, Edward asks his brothers what they think of his new bride. George says he likes her as much as Lewis and Warwick do… so not at all. No offence, Lady Grey.
Some taken, counters Edward: I'm the king and you'll do what I say. Where have we heard that before? |
RICHARD
And shall have your will because our king.
Yet hasty marriage seldom proveth well. KING EDWARD
Yea, brother Richard, are you offended too? RICHARD Not I. 20
No, God forbid that I should wish them severed
Whom God hath joined together. Ay, and ’twere pity
To sunder them that yoke so well together. KING EDWARD
Setting your scorns and your mislike aside,
Tell me some reason why the Lady Grey 25
Should not become my wife and England’s queen?
And you too, Somerset and Montague,
Speak freely what you think. CLARENCE
Then this is mine opinion: that King Lewis
Becomes your enemy for mocking him 30
About the marriage of the Lady Bona. RICHARD
And Warwick, doing what you gave in charge,
Is now dishonorèd by this new marriage. KING EDWARD
What if both Lewis and Warwick be appeased
By such invention as I can devise? 35 MONTAGUE
Yet to have joined with France in such alliance
Would more have strengthened this our
commonwealth
’Gainst foreign storms than any home-bred marriage. HASTINGS
Why, knows not Montague that of itself 40
England is safe, if true within itself? | Maybe Edward won't be king for long, George points out. Sure, he's the king now, but he's just gone and totally dissed King Lewis of France and Warwick with this union. And for what? Who cares, Edward replies. Montague jumps in and says it would have been really helpful if they had an ally in France. Hastings, however, thinks England is strong enough by itself. |
MONTAGUE
But the safer when ’tis backed with France. HASTINGS
’Tis better using France than trusting France.
Let us be backed with God and with the seas
Which He hath giv’n for fence impregnable, 45
And with their helps only defend ourselves.
In them and in ourselves our safety lies. CLARENCE
For this one speech, Lord Hastings well deserves
To have the heir of the Lord Hungerford. KING EDWARD
Ay, what of that? It was my will and grant, 50
And for this once my will shall stand for law. RICHARD
And yet methinks your Grace hath not done well
To give the heir and daughter of Lord Scales
Unto the brother of your loving bride.
She better would have fitted me or Clarence; 55
But in your bride you bury brotherhood. CLARENCE
Or else you would not have bestowed the heir
Of the Lord Bonville on your new wife’s son,
And leave your brothers to go speed elsewhere. KING EDWARD
Alas, poor Clarence, is it for a wife 60
That thou art malcontent? I will provide thee. CLARENCE
In choosing for yourself you showed your judgment,
Which, being shallow, you shall give me leave
To play the broker in mine own behalf.
And to that end, I shortly mind to leave you. 65 | Then Richard jumps in to say that Edward just set up other marriages but has never once thought of him. Where's Richard's wife? |
KING EDWARD
Leave me or tarry, Edward will be king
And not be tied unto his brother’s will. QUEEN ELIZABETH
My lords, before it pleased his Majesty
To raise my state to title of a queen,
Do me but right and you must all confess 70
That I was not ignoble of descent,
And meaner than myself have had like fortune.
But as this title honors me and mine,
So your dislikes, to whom I would be pleasing,
Doth cloud my joys with danger and with sorrow. 75 KING EDWARD
My love, forbear to fawn upon their frowns.
What danger or what sorrow can befall thee
So long as Edward is thy constant friend
And their true sovereign, whom they must obey?
Nay, whom they shall obey, and love thee too, 80
Unless they seek for hatred at my hands;
Which if they do, yet will I keep thee safe,
And they shall feel the vengeance of my wrath. RICHARD, aside
I hear, yet say not much, but think the more. Enter a Post. | Edward doesn't care. He tells Richard—and everyone else—that he's the
king, so they should do as he says. Lady Grey interrupts his little pity
party by saying that his brothers are ruining her day. Edward comforts
her as the mail arrives. |
KING EDWARD
Now, messenger, what letters or what news from 85
France? POST
My sovereign liege, no letters and few words
But such as I without your special pardon
Dare not relate. KING EDWARD
Go to, we pardon thee. Therefore, in brief, 90
Tell me their words as near as thou canst guess them.
What answer makes King Lewis unto our letters? POST
At my depart, these were his very words:
“Go tell false Edward, the supposèd king,
That Lewis of France is sending over maskers 95
To revel it with him and his new bride.” KING EDWARD
Is Lewis so brave? Belike he thinks me Henry.
But what said Lady Bona to my marriage? POST
These were her words, uttered with mild disdain:
“Tell him, in hope he’ll prove a widower shortly, 100
I’ll wear the willow garland for his sake.” KING EDWARD
I blame not her; she could say little less;
She had the wrong. But what said Henry’s queen?
For I have heard that she was there in place. POST
“Tell him,” quoth she, “my mourning weeds are 105
done,
And I am ready to put armor on.” KING EDWARD
Belike she minds to play the Amazon.
But what said Warwick to these injuries? POST
He, more incensed against your Majesty 110
Than all the rest, discharged me with these words:
“Tell him from me that he hath done me wrong,
And therefore I’ll uncrown him ere ’t be long.” KING EDWARD
Ha! Durst the traitor breathe out so proud words?
Well, I will arm me, being thus forewarned. 115
They shall have wars and pay for their presumption.
But say, is Warwick friends with Margaret? POST
Ay, gracious sovereign, they are so linked in
friendship
That young Prince Edward marries Warwick’s 120
daughter. | The mailman delivers the news that Warwick has switched sides, Lewis is sending troops to back Henry... and oh, yeah: Margaret is putting armor on, too. Edward is taken aback at the news, but forewarned is forearmed, he supposes. |
CLARENCE, aside
Belike the elder; Clarence will have the younger.—
Now, brother king, farewell, and sit you fast,
For I will hence to Warwick’s other daughter,
That, though I want a kingdom, yet in marriage 125
I may not prove inferior to yourself.
You that love me and Warwick, follow me. Clarence exits, and Somerset follows. RICHARD, aside
Not I. My thoughts aim at a further matter:
I stay not for the love of Edward, but the crown. KING EDWARD
Clarence and Somerset both gone to Warwick? 130
Yet am I armed against the worst can happen,
And haste is needful in this desp’rate case.
Pembroke and Stafford, you in our behalf
Go levy men and make prepare for war.
They are already, or quickly will be, landed. 135
Myself in person will straight follow you. Pembroke and Stafford exit. But ere I go, Hastings and Montague,
Resolve my doubt: you twain, of all the rest,
Are near to Warwick by blood and by alliance.
Tell me if you love Warwick more than me. 140
If it be so, then both depart to him.
I rather wish you foes than hollow friends.
But if you mind to hold your true obedience,
Give me assurance with some friendly vow,
That I may never have you in suspect. 145 | George steps up and says he's had enough of Edward calling the shots and messing stuff up. He's done with Edward, and he plans to marry Warwick's other daughter so that he'll still have a tie to him. Take that, Edward. George and Somerset leave and ask anyone else who is on their side to do the same.
Richard stays. Don't be fooled: as he says, he's not actually on Edward's side. He just wants the crown for himself, so he'll stick around. |
MONTAGUE
So God help Montague as he proves true! HASTINGS
And Hastings as he favors Edward’s cause! KING EDWARD
Now, brother Richard, will you stand by us? RICHARD
Ay, in despite of all that shall withstand you. KING EDWARD
Why, so. Then am I sure of victory. 150
Now therefore let us hence and lose no hour
Till we meet Warwick with his foreign power. They exit. | Edward can't believe that George and Somerset deserted him. He checks in with Montague and Hastings to make sure they're still on his side: yes and yes. Edward says victory will be theirs, but we're not so sure everyone is as confident as he is. |