No bending knee will call thee Cæsar now,
No humble suitors press to speak for right,
No, not a man comes for redress of thee; 20
For how can I help them, and not myself?
Sink. Ay, here's a deer whose skin's a keeper's fee:
This is the quondam king; let's seize upon him.
Hen. Let me embrace thee, sour adversity, 24
For wise men say it is the wisest course.
Hum. Why linger we? let us lay hands upon him.
Sink. Forbear awhile; we'll hear a little more.
Hen. My queen and son are gone to France for aid; 28
And, as I hear, the great commanding Warwick
Is thither gone, to crave the French king's sister
To wife for Edward. If this news be true,
Poor queen and son, your labour is but lost; 32
For Warwick is a subtle orator,
And Lewis a prince soon won with moving words.
By this account then Margaret may win him,
For she's a woman to be pitied much: 36
Her sighs will make a battery in his breast;
Her tears will pierce into a marble heart;
The tiger will be mild whiles she doth mourn;
And Nero will be tainted with remorse, 40
To hear and see her plaints, her brinish tears.
Ay, but she's come to beg; Warwick, to give:
She on his left side, craving aid for Henry;
He on his right, asking a wife for Edward. 44
She weeps, and says her Henry is depos'd;
He smiles, and says his Edward is install'd;
That she, poor wretch, for grief can speak no more:
Whiles Warwick tells his title, smooths the wrong, 48
19 speak for right: crave justice
20 of: from
22 fee: perquisite
23 quondam: one-time, former
24 Cf. n.
37 battery: bruise
40 tainted: touched
47 That: so that
48 smooths: glosses over
