William Shakespeare: King Henry VI, Third Part

ACT IV. 1. SCENE I. London. The Palace (continued)

QUEEN ELIZABETH.
My lords, before it pleas'd his majesty
To raise my state to title of a queen,
Do me but right, and you must all confess
That I was not ignoble of descent,
And meaner than myself have had like fortune.
But as this title honours me and mine,
So your dislikes, to whom I would be pleasing,
Doth cloud my joys with danger and with sorrow.

KING EDWARD.
My love, forbear to fawn upon their frowns.
What danger or what sorrow can befall thee
So long as Edward is thy constant friend
And their true sovereign, whom they must obey?
Nay, whom they shall obey, and love thee too,
Unless they seek for hatred at my hands;
Which if they do, yet will I keep thee safe,
And they shall feel the vengeance of my wrath.

GLOSTER.
[Aside.] I hear, yet say not much, but think the more.

[Enter a Messenger.]

KING EDWARD.
Now, messenger, what letters or what news
From France?

MESSENGER.
My sovereign liege, no letters, and few words,
But such as I, without your special pardon,
Dare not relate.

KING EDWARD.
Go to, we pardon thee; therefore, in brief,
Tell me their words as near as thou canst guess them.
What answer makes King Lewis unto our letters?

MESSENGER.
At my depart these were his very words:
'Go tell false Edward, thy supposed king,
That Lewis of France is sending over maskers
To revel it with him and his new bride.'

KING EDWARD.
Is Lewis so brave? belike he thinks me Henry.
But what said Lady Bona to my marriage?

MESSENGER.
These were her words, utt'red with mild disdain:
'Tell him, in hope he'll prove a widower shortly,
I'll wear the willow garland for his sake.'

KING EDWARD.
I blame not her, she could say little less,
She had the wrong; but what said Henry's queen?
For I have heard that she was there in place.