第17章 ACT III(5)

Methinks these peers of France should smile at that.But for the rest:you tell a pedigree Of threescore and two years-a silly time To make preion for a kingdom's worth.OXFORD.Why,Warwick,canst thou speak against thy liege,Whom thou obeyed'st thirty and six years,And not betray thy treason with a blush?WARWICK.Can Oxford that did ever fence the right Now buckler falsehood with a pedigree?For shame!Leave Henry,and call Edward king.OXFORD.Call him my king by whose injurious doom My elder brother,the Lord Aubrey Vere,Was done to death;and more than so,my father,Even in the downfall of his mellow'd years,When nature brought him to the door of death?No,Warwick,no;while life upholds this arm,This arm upholds the house of Lancaster.WARWICK.And I the house of York.LEWIS.Queen Margaret,Prince Edward,and Oxford,Vouchsafe at our request to stand aside While I use further conference with Warwick.[They stand aloof]QUEEN MARGARET.Heavens grant that Warwick's words bewitch him not!LEWIS.Now,Warwick,tell me,even upon thy conscience,Is Edward your true king?for I were loath To link with him that were not lawful chosen.WARWICK.Thereon I pawn my credit and mine honour.LEWIS.But is he gracious in the people's eye?WARWICK.The more that Henry was unfortunate.LEWIS.Then further:all dissembling set aside,Tell me for truth the measure of his love Unto our sister Bona.WARWICK.Such it seems As may beseem a monarch like himself.Myself have often heard him say and swear That this his love was an eternal plant Whereof the root was fix'd in virtue's ground,The leaves and fruit maintain'd with beauty's sun,Exempt from envy,but not from disdain,Unless the Lady Bona quit his pain.LEWIS.Now,sister,let us hear your firm resolve.BONA.Your grant or your denial shall be mine.[To WARWICK]Yet I confess that often ere this day,When I have heard your king's desert recounted,Mine ear hath tempted judgment to desire.LEWIS.Then,Warwick,thus:our sister shall be Edward's.And now forthwith shall articles be drawn Touching the jointure that your king must make,Which with her dowry shall be counterpois'd.Draw near,Queen Margaret,and be a witness That Bona shall be wife to the English king.PRINCE OF WALES.To Edward,but not to the English king.QUEEN MARGARET.Deceitful Warwick,it was thy device By this alliance to make void my suit.Before thy coming,Lewis was Henry's friend.LEWIS.And still is friend to him and Margaret.But if your title to the crown be weak,As may appear by Edward's good success,Then 'tis but reason that I be releas'd From giving aid which late I promised.Yet shall you have all kindness at my hand That your estate requires and mine can yield.WARWICK.Henry now lives in Scotland at his case,Where having nothing,nothing can he lose.And as for you yourself,our quondam queen,You have a father able to maintain you,And better 'twere you troubled him than France.QUEEN MARGARET.Peace,impudent and shameless Warwick,Proud setter up and puller down of kings!I will not hence till with my talk and tears,Both full of truth,I make King Lewis behold Thy sly conveyance and thy lord's false love;For both of you are birds of self-same feather.[POST blowing a horn within]LEWIS.Warwick,this is some post to us or thee.