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King Henry VI； Part 3
SCENE II。 London。 The palace
Enter KING EDWARD； GLOUCESTER； CLARENCE； and LADY
GREY
KING EDWARD。 Brother of Gloucester； at Saint Albans' field This
lady's husband； Sir Richard Grey； was slain； His land 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。 GLOUCESTER。 Your Highness shall do well
to grant her suit； It were dishonour to deny it her。 KING EDWARD。 It
were no less； but yet I'll make a pause。 GLOUCESTER。 ＇Aside to
CLARENCE＇ Yea； is it so？ I see the lady hath a thing to grant； Before the
King will grant her humble suit。 CLARENCE。 ＇Aside to GLOUCESTER＇
He knows the game； how true he keeps the wind！ GLOUCESTER。 ＇Aside
to CLARENCE＇ Silence！ KING EDWARD。 Widow； we will consider of
your suit； And come some other time to know our mind。 LADY 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。
GLOUCESTER。 ＇Aside＇ 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。 CLARENCE。 ＇Aside to GLOUCESTER＇ I fear her not；
unless she chance to fall。 GLOUCESTER。 ＇Aside to CLARENCE＇ God
forbid that； for he'll take vantages。 KING EDWARD。 How many children
hast thou； widow； tell me。 CLARENCE。 ＇Aside to GLOUCESTER＇ I think
he means to beg a child of her。 GLOUCESTER。 ＇Aside to CLARENCE＇
Nay； then whip me； he'll rather give her two。 LADY GREY。 Three； my
most gracious lord。 GLOUCESTER。 ＇Aside＇ You shall have four if you'll
be rul'd by him。 KING EDWARD。 'Twere pity they should lose their
father's lands。
LADY GREY。 Be pitiful； dread lord； and grant it； then。 KING
EDWARD。 Lords； give us leave； I'll try this widow's wit。 GLOUCESTER。
＇Aside＇ Ay； good leave have you； for you will have leave Till youth take
leave and leave you to the crutch。 ＇GLOUCESTER and CLARENCE
withdraw＇ KING EDWARD。 Now tell me； madam； do you love your
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King Henry VI； Part 3
children？ LADY GREY。 Ay； full as dearly as I love myself。 KING
EDWARD。 And would you not do much to do them good？ LADY GREY。
To do them good I would sustain some harm。 KING EDWARD。 Then get
your husband's lands； to do them good。 LADY GREY。 Therefore I came
unto your Majesty。 KING EDWARD。 I'll tell you how these lands are to be
got。 LADY GREY。 So shall you bind me to your Highness' service。 KING
EDWARD。 What service wilt thou do me if I give them？ LADY GREY。
What you command that rests in me to do。 KING EDWARD。 But you will
take exceptions to my boon。 LADY GREY。 No； gracious lord； except I
cannot do it。 KING EDWARD。 Ay； but thou canst do what I mean to ask。
LADY GREY。 Why； then I will do what your Grace commands。
GLOUCESTER。 He plies her hard； and much rain wears the marble。
CLARENCE。 As red as fire！ Nay； then her wax must melt。 LADY GREY。
Why stops my lord？ Shall I not hear my task？ KING EDWARD。 An easy
task； 'tis but to love a king。 LADY GREY。 That's soon perform'd； because
I am a subject。 KING EDWARD。 Why； then； thy husband's lands I freely
give thee。 LADY GREY。 I take my leave with many thousand thanks。
GLOUCESTER。 The match is made； she seals it with a curtsy。 KING
EDWARD。 But stay thee… 'tis the fruits of love I mean。 LADY GREY。 The
fruits of love I mean； my loving liege。 KING EDWARD。 Ay； but； I fear me；
in another sense。 What love； thinkst thou； I sue so much to get？ LADY
GREY。 My love till death； my humble thanks； my prayers； That love
which virtue begs and virtue grants。 KING EDWARD。 No； by my troth； I
did not mean such love。 LADY GREY。 Why； then you mean not as I
thought you did。 KING EDWARD。 But now you partly may perceive my
mind。 LADY GREY。 My mind will never grant what I perceive Your
Highness aims at； if I aim aright。 KING EDWARD。 To tell thee plain； I
aim to lie with thee。 LADY GREY。 To tell you plain； I had rather lie in
prison。 KING EDWARD。 Why； then thou shalt not have thy husband's
lands。 LADY GREY。 Why； then mine honesty shall be my dower； For by
that loss I will not purchase them。 KING EDWARD。 Therein thou
wrong'st thy children mightily。 LADY GREY。 Herein your Highness
wrongs both them and me。 But； mighty lord； this merry inclination
Accords not with the sadness of my suit。 Please you dismiss me； either
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King Henry VI； Part 3
with ay or no。 KING EDWARD。 Ay； if thou wilt say ay to my request； No；
if thou dost say no to my demand。 LADY GREY。 Then； no； my lord。 My
suit is at an end。 GLOUCESTER。 The widow likes him not； she knits her
brows。 CLARENCE。 He is the bluntest wooer in Christendom。 KING
EDWARD。 ＇Aside＇ Her looks doth argue her replete with modesty； Her
words doth show her wit incomparable； All her perfections challenge
sovereignty。 One way or other； she is for a king； And she shall be my love；
or else my queen。 Say that King Edward take thee for his queen？ LADY
GREY。 'Tis better said than done； my gracious lord。 I am a subject fit to
jest withal； But far unfit to be a sovereign。 KING EDWARD。 Sweet
widow； by my state I swear to thee I speak no more than what my soul
intends； And that is to enjoy thee for my love。 LADY GREY。 And that is
more than I will yield unto。 I know I am too mean to be your queen； And
yet too good to be your concubine。 KING EDWARD。 You cavil； widow； I
did mean my queen。 LADY GREY。 'Twill grieve your Grace my sons
should call you father。 KING EDWARD。No more than when my daughters
call thee mother。 Thou art a widow； and thou hast some children； And； by
God's Mother； I； being but a bachelor； Have other some。 Why； 'tis a happy
thing To be the father u