No, lord ambassador; I'll rather keep That which I have, than coveting for more, Be cast from possibility of all. York. Insulting Charles! hast thou by secret means Used intercession to obtain a league; And, now the matter grows to compromise, Alen. To say the truth, it is your policy, And therefore take this compact of a truce, Although you break it when your pleasure serves. [Aside to CHARLES. War. How say'st thou, Charles? shall our con dition stand? Char. It shall: only reserv'd, you claim no interest In any of our towns of garrison. York. Then swear allegiance to his majesty; As thou art knight, never to disobey, Nor be rebellious to the crown of England, Thou, nor thy nobles, to the crown of England.— [Exeunt. Of benefit. Be content to live as the beneficiary of our king. Benefit is here a term of law. SCENE V. London. A Room in the Palace. Enter KING HENRY, in conference with SUFFOLK; GLOSTER and EXETER following. K.Hen. Your wondrous rare description, noble earl, Of beauteous Margaret hath astonish'd me: 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; So am I driven, by breath of her renown, Either to suffer shipwreck, or arrive Where I may have fruition of her love. Suf. Tush! my good lord! this superficial tale And, which is more, she is not so divine, K. Hen. And otherwise will Henry ne'er presume. Glo. So should I give consent to flatter sin. How shall we then dispense with that contract, Suf. As doth a ruler with unlawful oaths; Or one, that, at a triumph1 having vow'd A poor earl's daughter is unequal odds: Glo. Why, what, I pray, is Margaret more than that? Her father is no better than an earl, Although in glorious titles he excel. Suf. Yes, my good lord, her father is a king, Exe. Beside, his wealth doth warrant liberal dower; 1 A triumph then signified a public exhibition; such as a tournament, mask, or revel. Thus Milton in L'Allegro : 66 Knights and barons bold, In weeds of peace, high triumphs hold." See first note in A Midsummer Night's Dream. a Where for whereas, as in other places. In the variorum edition While is substituted without notice. "By attorneyship. By the intervention of another man's choice; or the discretional agency of another. The phrase occurs twice in King Richard III.— Again: "Be the attorney of my love to her." "I, by attorney, bless thee from thy mother." Not whom we will, but whom his grace affects, Whom should we match with Henry, being a king, As is fair Margaret, he be link'd in love. port, My noble lord of Suffolk, or for that That Lady Margaret do vouchsafe to come The folio 1632 inserts forth, which the regularity of the metre suggests and warrants. To cross the seas to England, and be crown'd do return, And so conduct me, where from company, [Exit. Glo. Ay, grief, I fear me, both at first and last. [Exeunt GLOSTER and EXETER. 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. Margaret shall now be queen, and rule the king; But I will rule both her, the king, and realm. [Exit. To censure is here simply to judge. "If in judging me you consider the past frailties of your own youth." • Grief, in the first lime, stands for pain, uneasiness; in the second, especially for sorrow. |