Act 4, Scene 1

London. The Palace

[Enter GLOSTER, CLARENCE, SOMERSET, and MONTAGUE.]
Richard Plantagenet (Gloucester)
1874 Now tell me, brother Clarence, what think you
1875 Of this new marriage with the Lady Grey?
1876 Hath not our brother made a worthy choice?
George, Duke of Clarence
1877 Alas! you know 't is far from hence to France;
1878 How could he stay till Warwick made return?
Duke of Somerset
1879 My lords, forbear this talk; here comes the King.
[Flourish. Enter KING EDWARD, attended; LADY GREY, as Queen; PEMBROKE, STAFFORD, HASTINGS, and others.]
Richard Plantagenet (Gloucester)
1880 And his well-chosen bride.
George, Duke of Clarence
1881 I mind to tell him plainly what I think.
Edward IV
1882 Now, brother Clarence, how like you our choice
1883 That you stand pensive as half malcontent?
George, Duke of Clarence
1884 As well as Lewis of France, or the Earl of Warwick,
1885 Which are so weak of courage and in judgment
1886 That they'll take no offence at our abuse.
Edward IV
1887 Suppose they take offence without a cause,
1888 They are but Lewis and Warwick: I am Edward,
1889 Your King and Warwick's, and must have my will.
Richard Plantagenet (Gloucester)
1890 And shall have your will, because our King;
1891 Yet hasty marriage seldom proveth well.
Edward IV
1892 Yea, brother Richard, are you offended too?
Richard Plantagenet (Gloucester)
1893 Not I.
1894 No; God forbid that I should wish them sever'd
1895 Whom God hath join'd together; ay, and 't were pity
1896 To sunder them that yoke so well together.
Edward IV
1897 Setting your scorns and your mislike aside,
1898 Tell me some reason why the Lady Grey
1899 Should not become my wife and England's queen.—
1900 And you too, Somerset and Montague,
1901 Speak freely what you think.
George, Duke of Clarence
1902 Then this is mine opinion,—that King Lewis
1903 Becomes your enemy, for mocking him
1904 About the marriage of the Lady Bona.
Richard Plantagenet (Gloucester)
1905 And Warwick, doing what you gave in charge,
1906 Is now dishonoured by this new marriage.
Edward IV
1907 What if both Lewis and Warwick be appeas'd
1908 By such invention as I can devise?
Marquess of Montague
1909 Yet to have join'd with France in such alliance
1910 Would more have strength'ned this our commonwealth
1911 'Gainst foreign storms than any home-bred marriage.
Lord Hastings
1912 Why, knows not Montague that of itself
1913 England is safe if true within itself?
Marquess of Montague
1914 But the safer when 't is back'd with France.
Lord Hastings
1915 'T is better using France than trusting France.
1916 Let us be back'd with God, and with the seas
1917 Which he hath giv'n for fence impregnable,
1918 And with their helps only defend ourselves;
1919 In them and in ourselves our safety lies.
George, Duke of Clarence
1920 For this one speech Lord Hastings well deserves
1921 To have the heir of the Lord Hungerford.
Edward IV
1922 Ay, what of that? it was my will and grant;
1923 And for this once my will shall stand for law.
Richard Plantagenet (Gloucester)
1924 And yet, methinks, your grace hath not done well
1925 To give the heir and daughter of Lord Scales
1926 Unto the brother of your loving bride.
1927 She better would have fitted me or Clarence;
1928 But in your bride you bury brotherhood.
George, Duke of Clarence
1929 Or else you would not have bestow'd the heir
1930 Of the Lord Bonville on your new wife's son,
1931 And leave your brothers to go speed elsewhere.
Edward IV
1932 Alas, poor Clarence! is it for a wife
1933 That thou art malcontent? I will provide thee.
George, Duke of Clarence
1934 In choosing for yourself you show'd your judgment,
1935 Which being shallow you shall give me leave
1936 To play the broker in mine own behalf;
1937 And to that end I shortly mind to leave you.
Edward IV
1938 Leave me or tarry, Edward will be king,
1939 And not be tied unto his brother's will.
Lady Grey (Queen Elizabeth)
1940 My lords, before it pleas'd his majesty
1941 To raise my state to title of a queen,
1942 Do me but right, and you must all confess
1943 That I was not ignoble of descent,
1944 And meaner than myself have had like fortune.
1945 But as this title honours me and mine,
1946 So your dislikes, to whom I would be pleasing,
1947 Doth cloud my joys with danger and with sorrow.
Edward IV
1948 My love, forbear to fawn upon their frowns.
1949 What danger or what sorrow can befall thee
1950 So long as Edward is thy constant friend
1951 And their true sovereign, whom they must obey?
1952 Nay, whom they shall obey, and love thee too,
1953 Unless they seek for hatred at my hands;
1954 Which if they do, yet will I keep thee safe,
1955 And they shall feel the vengeance of my wrath.
[Aside.]
Richard Plantagenet (Gloucester)
1956 I hear, yet say not much, but think the more.
[Enter a Messenger.]
Edward IV
1957 Now, messenger, what letters or what news
1958 From France?
Messenger
1959 My sovereign liege, no letters, and few words,
1960 But such as I, without your special pardon,
1961 Dare not relate.
Edward IV
1962 Go to, we pardon thee; therefore, in brief,
1963 Tell me their words as near as thou canst guess them.
1964 What answer makes King Lewis unto our letters?
Messenger
1965 At my depart these were his very words:
1966 'Go tell false Edward, thy supposed king,
1967 That Lewis of France is sending over maskers
1968 To revel it with him and his new bride.'
Edward IV
1969 Is Lewis so brave? belike he thinks me Henry.
1970 But what said Lady Bona to my marriage?
Messenger
1971 These were her words, utt'red with mild disdain:
1972 'Tell him, in hope he'll prove a widower shortly,
1973 I'll wear the willow garland for his sake.'
Edward IV
1974 I blame not her, she could say little less,
1975 She had the wrong; but what said Henry's queen?
1976 For I have heard that she was there in place.
Messenger
1977 'Tell him' quoth she 'my mourning weeds are done,
1978 And I am ready to put armour on.'
Edward IV
1979 Belike she minds to play the Amazon.
1980 But what said Warwick to these injuries?
Messenger
1981 He, more incens'd against your majesty
1982 Than all the rest, discharg'd me with these words:
1983 'Tell him from me that he hath done me wrong,
1984 And therefore I'll uncrown him ere 't be long.'
Edward IV
1985 Ha! durst the traitor breathe out so proud words?
1986 Well, I will arm me, being thus forewarn'd;
1987 They shall have wars, and pay for their presumption.
1988 But say, is Warwick friends with Margaret?
Messenger
1989 Ay, gracious sovereign; they are so link'd in
1990 friendship
1991 That young Prince Edward marries Warwick's daughter.
George, Duke of Clarence
1992 Belike the elder; Clarence will have the younger.
1993 Now, brother king, farewell, and sit you fast,
1994 For I will hence to Warwick's other daughter;
1995 That, though I want a kingdom, yet in marriage
1996 I may not prove inferior to yourself.—
1997 You that love me and Warwick, follow me.
[Exit Clarence, and Somerset follows.]
[Aside.]
Richard Plantagenet (Gloucester)
1998 Not I.
1999 My thoughts aim at a further matter; I
2000 Stay not for the love of Edward, but the crown.
Edward IV
2001 Clarence and Somerset both gone to Warwick!
2002 Yet am I arm'd against the worst can happen,
2003 And haste is needful in this desperate case.—
2004 Pembroke and Stafford, you in our behalf
2005 Go levy men and make prepare for war;
2006 They are already, or quickly will be landed.
2007 Myself in person will straight follow you.—
[Exeunt Pembroke and Stafford.]
Edward IV
2008 But, ere I go, Hastings and Montague,
2009 Resolve my doubt. You twain, of all the rest,
2010 Are near to Warwick by blood and by alliance;
2011 Tell me if you love Warwick more than me?
2012 If it be so, then both depart to him.
2013 I rather wish you foes than hollow friends;
2014 But if you mind to hold your true obedience,
2015 Give me assurance with some friendly vow,
2016 That I may never have you in suspect.
Marquess of Montague
2017 So God help Montague as he proves true!
Lord Hastings
2018 And Hastings as he favours Edward's cause!
Edward IV
2019 Now, brother Richard, will you stand by us?
Richard Plantagenet (Gloucester)
2020 Ay, in despite of all that shall withstand you.
Edward IV
2021 Why, so! then am I sure of victory.
2022 Now, therefore, let us hence; and lose no hour
2023 Till we meet Warwick with his foreign pow'r.
[Exeunt.]

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Notes

TLN 1875historical topical
“this new marriage with the Lady Grey”
Lady Grey is Elizabeth Woodville, a Lancastrian widow who had petitioned Edward IV to restore her late husband's forfeited estates. Edward, charmed, married her in secret in May 1464, making her Queen Elizabeth. She was far below a king's usual match, and the marriage infuriated Warwick, who was then in France negotiating Edward's betrothal to Lady Bona of Savoy — a diplomatic humiliation that eventually drives Warwick into the Lancastrian camp.
historical Holinshed's Chronicleshistorical The Wars of the Roses
TLN 1877historical topical
“far from hence to France; How could he stay till Warwick made return”
Clarence's pointed remark reminds the audience that Warwick had been sent to France specifically to negotiate Edward's betrothal to Lady Bona, sister-in-law of the French king Lewis XI. By marrying Lady Grey before Warwick could return with the French princess, Edward publicly made his own ambassador a liar. 'Could he not wait?' is a polite way of saying his brother acted recklessly and dishonorably.
historical Holinshed's Chronicles
TLN 1891rhetorical device
“hasty marriage seldom proveth well”
Richard delivers the proverb with maximum sarcasm wrapped in apparent loyalty: he has just said 'And shall have your will, because our King,' then adds this gnomic warning as if it were merely general wisdom. The technique — saying one thing while meaning another, agreeing to the king's face while privately scorning him — is Richard's signature throughout the play. He is performing loyalty while cataloguing his brother's weaknesses for later use.
historical The Stage Machiavel
TLN 1894biblical allusion
“God forbid that I should wish them sever'd Whom God hath join'd together”
Richard quotes the Anglican marriage rite almost word for word: 'Those whom God hath joined together let no man put asunder' (from the Book of Common Prayer, itself drawing on Matthew 19:6). His piety is pure performance — a shield of Scripture to disguise contempt. The irony is thick: Richard is invoking holy matrimony to deflect any suspicion that he resents Edward's impulsive match.
TLN 1902historical topical
“King Lewis Becomes your enemy, for mocking him About the marriage of the Lady Bona”
Lady Bona of Savoy was the sister-in-law of Lewis XI of France, and the match Warwick had publicly proposed on Edward's behalf. For a reigning king to send an ambassador to negotiate a betrothal and then marry someone else before the envoy returned was a calculated insult to France and a political disaster: Lewis was publicly 'mocked' (made a fool of) and had every reason to become an enemy. This scene's later messenger confirms Lewis's furious response.
historical Holinshed's Chronicles
TLN 1913historical topical
“England is safe if true within itself”
Hastings voices the isolationist position: England is naturally protected by the sea (the 'fence impregnable' God gave it) and needs no French alliance to be safe. Montague's counter — 'the safer when 't is back'd with France' — represents the mainstream Tudor diplomatic view that great-power backing prevents attack. The debate rehearses arguments that were live throughout the fifteenth century and well into Shakespeare's own day.
TLN 1921historical topical
“heir of the Lord Hungerford”
A ward's marriage was a valuable piece of royal patronage: when a nobleman died leaving a minor heir, the crown controlled the child's upbringing and could sell or grant the right to arrange the heir's marriage. Edward granted the Hungerford ward's marriage to Hastings as a favor. Richard's complaint (TLN 1924-1928) that the heir of Lord Scales was given to the queen's brother rather than to himself or Clarence shows the brothers feel Edward is using royal patronage to enrich his wife's Woodville family instead of his own blood.
TLN 1936archaic vocab
“play the broker in mine own behalf; And to that end I shortly mind to leave you”
'Broker' here does not mean a financial middleman but an agent who arranges a marriage match — a go-between or negotiator. Clarence is saying: since Edward showed such poor judgment in choosing his own wife, Clarence will act as his own matchmaker. 'Mind to leave you' means 'intend to leave your court' — he is announcing his forthcoming defection to Warwick, whose younger daughter he intends to marry.
TLN 1943historical topical
“not ignoble of descent, And meaner than myself have had like fortune”
Queen Elizabeth defends herself against the brothers' implicit charge that she was too lowly to be queen. 'Not ignoble of descent' acknowledges she was not of royal blood but claims she was still gentry: her father was Sir Richard Woodville, created Earl Rivers, and she was widow of Sir John Grey. 'Meaner than myself have had like fortune' is a careful boast — other women of lesser rank than she have married kings — countering the charge of unsuitable match without claiming equality with the Yorkist princes.
TLN 1967historical topical
“Lewis of France is sending over maskers To revel it with him and his new bride”
Lewis's taunt that he will send 'maskers' — performers in a court masquerade, a lavish entertainment of dancing and disguise — is a sophisticated insult. Masques were courtly celebrations of weddings; Lewis is mockingly congratulating Edward on his marriage while actually promising military invasion. 'Revel it' means to make merry, but Lewis means armed men dressed as a wedding party, treating Edward's court as a stage for their revenge.
TLN 1972cultural context
“in hope he'll prove a widower shortly, I'll wear the willow garland for his sake”
The willow garland was the Elizabethan symbol of grief for an unrequited or lost love — specifically worn by someone mourning a lover who had been taken from them or who had died. Bona's message is bitterly ironic: she will wear the mourning garland now because she grieves the marriage she lost, but she hopes that Edward will soon be a widower (i.e., that Queen Elizabeth will die), at which point the garland's meaning will reverse — she will have been proved right to wait.
TLN 1979classical allusion
“minds to play the Amazon”
The Amazons were a legendary race of warrior women in Greek myth who lived without men and were feared fighters. Edward uses the allusion mockingly — 'she intends to act the Amazon' — about Margaret's announcement that she is ready to put on armour. The insult is double: it wonders at a woman taking up arms, but also recalls the Elizabethan audience's established image of Margaret as the 'She-wolf of France,' a queen who has spent the whole play in the field fighting what her husband would not.
TLN 1999historical topical
“My thoughts aim at a further matter; I Stay not for the love of Edward, but the crown”
Richard's brief aside is the scene's most chilling moment. While Clarence defects to Warwick for a wife and a cause, Richard announces he is staying only because Edward's crown is his own eventual target. He does not love his brother; he is calculating which position brings him closest to the throne. This admission — made to the audience alone — marks Richard as a figure who has moved beyond family, faction, or loyalty: his sole goal is the kingdom itself.
historical The Stage Machiavel