London. A Room in the Palace. | |
| |
Enter KING HENRY, in conference with SUFFOLK; GLOUCESTER and EXETER following. | |
| K. Hen. Your wondrous rare description, noble earl, | |
| Of beauteous Margaret hath astonish’d me: | 4 |
| Her virtues, graced with external gifts | |
| Do breed love’s settled passions in my heart: | |
| And like as rigour of tempestuous gusts | |
| Provokes the mightiest hulk against the tide, | 8 |
| So am I driven by breath of her renown | |
| Either to suffer shipwrack, or arrive | |
| Where I may have fruition of her love. | |
| Suf. Tush! my good lord, this superficial tale | 12 |
| Is but a preface of her worthy praise: | |
| The chief perfections of that lovely dame— | |
| Had I sufficient skill to utter them— | |
| Would make a volume of enticing lines, | 16 |
| Able to ravish any dull conceit: | |
| And, which is more, she is not so divine, | |
| So full replete with choice of all delights, | |
| But with as humble lowliness of mind | 20 |
| She is content to be at your command: | |
| Command, I mean, of virtuous chaste intents, | |
| To love and honour Henry as her lord. | |
| K. Hen. And otherwise will Henry ne’er presume. | 24 |
| Therefore, my Lord Protector, give consent | |
| That Margaret may be England’s royal queen. | |
| Glo. So should I give consent to flatter sin. | |
| You know, my lord, your highness is betroth’d | 28 |
| Unto another lady of esteem; | |
| How shall we then dispense with that contract, | |
| And not deface your honour with reproach? | |
| Suf. As doth a ruler with unlawful oaths; | 32 |
| Or one that, at a triumph having vow’d | |
| To try his strength, forsaketh yet the lists | |
| By reason of his adversary’s odds. | |
| A poor earl’s daughter is unequal odds, | 36 |
| And therefore may be broke without offence. | |
| Glo. Why, what, I pray, is Margaret more than that? | |
| Her father is no better than an earl, | |
| Although in glorious titles he excel. | 40 |
| Suf. Yes, my good lord, her father is a king, | |
| The King of Naples and Jerusalem; | |
| And of such great authority in France | |
| As his alliance will confirm our peace, | 44 |
| And keep the Frenchmen in allegiance. | |
| Glo. And so the Earl of Armagnac may do, | |
| Because he is near kinsman unto Charles. | |
| Exe. Beside, his wealth doth warrant liberal dower, | 48 |
| Where Reignier sooner will receive than give. | |
| Suf. A dower, my lords! disgrace not so your king, | |
| That he should be so abject, base, and poor, | |
| To choose for wealth and not for perfect love. | 52 |
| Henry is able to enrich his queen, | |
| And not to seek a queen to make him rich: | |
| So worthless peasants bargain for their wives, | |
| As market-men for oxen, sheep, or horse. | 56 |
| Marriage is a matter of more worth | |
| Than to be dealt in by attorneyship: | |
| Not whom we will, but whom his Grace affects, | |
| Must be companion of his nuptial bed; | 60 |
| And therefore, lords, since he affects her most | |
| It most of all these reasons bindeth us, | |
| In our opinions she should be preferr’d. | |
| For what is wedlock forced, but a hell, | 64 |
| An age of discord and continual strife? | |
| Whereas the contrary bringeth bliss, | |
| And is a pattern of celestial peace. | |
| Whom should we match with Henry, being a king, | 68 |
| But Margaret, that is daughter to a king? | |
| Her peerless feature, joined with her birth, | |
| Approves her fit for none but for a king: | |
| Her valiant courage and undaunted spirit— | 72 |
| More than in women commonly is seen— | |
| Will answer our hope in issue of a king; | |
| For Henry, son unto a conqueror, | |
| Is likely to beget more conquerors, | 76 |
| If with a lady of so high resolve | |
| As is fair Margaret he be link’d in love. | |
| Then yield, my lords; and here conclude with me | |
| That Margaret shall be queen, and none but she. | 80 |
| K. Hen. Whether it be through force of your report, | |
| My noble lord of Suffolk, or for that | |
| My tender youth was never yet attaint | |
| With any passion of inflaming love, | 84 |
| I cannot tell; but this I am assur’d, | |
| I feel such sharp dissension in my breast, | |
| Such fierce alarums both of hope and fear, | |
| As I am sick with working of my thoughts. | 88 |
| Take, therefore, shipping; post, my lord, to France; | |
| Agree to any covenants, and procure | |
| That Lady Margaret do vouchsafe to come | |
| To cross the seas to England and be crown’d | 92 |
| King Henry’s faithful and anointed queen: | |
| For your expenses and sufficient charge, | |
| Among the people gather up a tenth. | |
| Be gone, I say; for till you do return | 96 |
| I rest perplexed with a thousand cares. | |
| And you, good uncle, banish all offence: | |
| If you do censure me by what you were, | |
| Not what you are, I know it will excuse | 100 |
| This sudden execution of my will. | |
| And so, conduct me, where, from company | |
| I may revolve and ruminate my grief. [Exit. | |
| Glo. Ay, grief, I fear me, both at first and last. [Exeunt GLOUCESTER and EXETER. | 104 |
| Suf. Thus Suffolk hath prevail’d; and thus he goes, | |
| As did the youthful Paris once to Greece; | |
| With hope to find the like event in love, | |
| But prosper better than the Trojan did. | 108 |
| Margaret shall now be queen, and rule the king; | |
| But I will rule both her, the king, and realm. [Exit. | |
