Act 5 — [Scene IV.][694]
Reading edition
[Scene IV.][694]
Enter Queen [Isabella], her son, [Prince Edward,] Kent, Young Mortimer, and Sir John [of Hainault].
Q. Isab. Now, lords, our loving friends and countrymen, Welcome to England all, with prosperous winds! Our kindest friends in Belgia have we left, To cope with friends at home; a heavy case When force to force is knit, and sword and glaive5 In civil broils make kin and countrymen Slaughter themselves in others, and their sides With their own weapons gor’d! But what’s the help? Misgoverned kings are cause of all this wrack; And, Edward, thou art one among them all,10 Whose looseness hath betray’d thy land to spoil, Who made the channels overflow with blood. Of thine own people patron shouldst thou be, But thou—14 Y. Mor. Nay, madam, if you be a warrior. You must not grow so passionate in speeches. Lords, Sith that we are by sufferance of Heaven Arriv’d and armed in this prince’s right, Here for our country’s cause swear we to him20 All homage, fealty, and forwardness; And for the open wrongs and injuries Edward hath done to us, his queen and land, We come in arms to wreak it with the sword; That England’s queen in peace may repossess Her dignities and honours; and withal26 We may remove these flatterers from the king, That havocs England’s wealth and treasury. Sir J. Sound trumpets, my lord, and forward let us march. Edward will think we come to flatter him.30 Kent. I would he never had been flattered more. [Exeunt.]