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prithee give me leave to curse awhile。 YORK。 Curse； miscreant； when
thou comest to the stake。 Exeunt
Alarum。 Enter SUFFOLK； with MARGARET in his hand
SUFFOLK。 Be what thou wilt； thou art my prisoner。 ＇Gazes on her＇
O fairest beauty； do not fear nor fly！ For I will touch thee but with reverent
hands； I kiss these fingers for eternal peace； And lay them gently on thy
tender side。 Who art thou？ Say； that I may honour thee。 MARGARET。
Margaret my name； and daughter to a king； The King of Naples…whosoe'er
thou art。 SUFFOLK。 An earl I am； and Suffolk am I call'd。 Be not
offended； nature's miracle； Thou art allotted to be ta'en by me。 So doth the
swan her downy cygnets save； Keeping them prisoner underneath her
wings。 Yet； if this servile usage once offend； Go and be free again as
Suffolk's friend。 ＇She is going＇
O； stay！ ＇Aside＇ I have no power to let her pass； My hand would free
her； but my heart says no。 As plays the sun upon the glassy streams；
Twinkling another counterfeited beam； So seems this gorgeous beauty to
mine eyes。 Fain would I woo her； yet I dare not speak。 I'll call for pen and
ink； and write my mind。 Fie； de la Pole！ disable not thyself； Hast not a
tongue？ Is she not here thy prisoner？ Wilt thou be daunted at a woman's
sight？ Ay； beauty's princely majesty is such Confounds the tongue and
makes the senses rough。 MARGARET。 Say； Earl of Suffolk； if thy name
be so； What ransom must I pay before I pass？ For I perceive I am thy
prisoner。 SUFFOLK。 ＇Aside＇ How canst thou tell she will deny thy suit；
Before thou make a trial of her love？ MARGARET。 Why speak'st thou not？
What ransom must I pay？ SUFFOLK。 ＇Aside＇ She's beautiful； and
therefore to be woo'd； She is a woman； therefore to be won。 MARGARET。
Wilt thou accept of ransom…yea or no？ SUFFOLK。 ＇Aside＇ Fond man；
remember that thou hast a wife； Then how can Margaret be thy paramour？
MARGARET。 I were best leave him； for he will not hear。 SUFFOLK。
＇Aside＇ There all is marr'd； there lies a cooling card。 MARGARET。 He
talks at random； sure； the man is mad。 SUFFOLK。 ＇Aside＇ And yet a
dispensation may be had。 MARGARET。 And yet I would that you would
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answer me。 SUFFOLK。 ＇Aside＇ I'll win this Lady Margaret。 For whom？
Why； for my King！ Tush； that's a wooden thing！ MARGARET。 He talks of
wood。 It is some carpenter。 SUFFOLK。 ＇Aside＇ Yet so my fancy may be
satisfied； And peace established between these realms。 But there remains a
scruple in that too； For though her father be the King of Naples； Duke of
Anjou and Maine； yet is he poor； And our nobility will scorn the match。
MARGARET。 Hear ye； Captain…are you not at leisure？ SUFFOLK。 ＇Aside＇
It shall be so； disdain they ne'er so much。 Henry is youthful； and will
quickly yield。 Madam； I have a secret to reveal。 MARGARET。 ＇Aside＇
What though I be enthrall'd？ He seems a knight； And will not any way
dishonour me。 SUFFOLK。 Lady； vouchsafe to listen what I say。
MARGARET。 ＇Aside＇ Perhaps I shall be rescu'd by the French； And then I
need not crave his courtesy。 SUFFOLK。 Sweet madam； give me hearing in
a cause MARGARET。 ＇Aside＇ Tush！ women have been captivate ere now。
SUFFOLK。 Lady； wherefore talk you so？ MARGARET。 I cry you mercy；
'tis but quid for quo。 SUFFOLK。 Say； gentle Princess； would you not
suppose Your bondage happy； to be made a queen？ MARGARET。 To be a
queen in bondage is more vile Than is a slave in base servility； For princes
should be free。 SUFFOLK。 And so shall you； If happy England's royal
king be free。 MARGARET。 Why； what concerns his freedom unto me？
SUFFOLK。 I'll undertake to make thee Henry's queen； To put a golden
sceptre in thy hand And set a precious crown upon thy head； If thou wilt
condescend to be my… MARGARET。 What？ SUFFOLK。 His love。
MARGARET。 I am unworthy to be Henry's wife。 SUFFOLK。 No； gentle
madam； I unworthy am To woo so fair a dame to be his wife And have no
portion in the choice myself。 How say you； madam？ Are ye so content？
MARGARET。 An if my father please； I am content。 SUFFOLK。 Then call
our captains and our colours forth！ And； madam； at your father's castle
walls We'll crave a parley to confer with him。 Sound a parley。 Enter
REIGNIER on the walls
See； Reignier； see； thy daughter prisoner！ REIGNIER。 To whom？
SUFFOLK。 To me。 REIGNIER。 Suffolk； what remedy？ I am a soldier and
unapt to weep Or to exclaim on fortune's fickleness。 SUFFOLK。 Yes； there
is remedy enough； my lord。 Consent； and for thy honour give consent； Thy
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daughter shall be wedded to my king； Whom I with pain have woo'd and
won thereto； And this her easy…held imprisonment Hath gain'd thy
daughter princely liberty。 REIGNIER。 Speaks Suffolk as he thinks？
SUFFOLK。 Fair Margaret knows That Suffolk doth not flatter； face； or
feign。 REIGNIER。 Upon thy princely warrant I descend To give thee
answer of thy just demand。 Exit REIGNIER from the walls
SUFFOLK。 And here I will expect thy coming。
Trumpets sound。 Enter REIGNIER below
REIGNIER。 Welcome； brave Earl； into our territories； Command in
Anjou what your Honour pleases。 SUFFOLK。 Thanks； Reignier； happy for
so sweet a child； Fit to be made companion with a king。 What answer
makes your Grace unto my suit？ REIGNIER。 Since thou dost deign to
woo her little worth To be the princely bride of such a lord； Upon
condition I may quietly Enjoy mine own； the country Maine and Anjou；
Free from oppression or the stroke of war； My daughter shall be Henry's； if
he please。 SUFFOLK。 That is her ransom； I deliver her。 And those two
counties I will undertake Your Grace shall well and quietly enjoy。
REIGNIER。 And I again； in Henry's royal name； As deputy unto that
gracious king； Give thee her hand for sign of plighted faith。 SUFFOLK。
Reignier of France； I give thee kingly thanks； Because this is in traffic of a
king。 ＇Aside＇ And yet；