Buck. If you refuse it,—as in love and zeal, Yet know, whe'r you accept our suit or no, [Exeunt BUCKINGHAM and Citizens. CATE. Call them again, sweet prince, accept their suit; If you deny them, all the land will rue it. GLO. Will you enforce me to a world of cares? [Exit CATESBY, Re-enter BUCKINGHAM, and the rest. MAY. God bless your grace! we see it, and will say it. BUCK. To-morrow may it please you to be crown'd? GLO. Even when you please, for you will have it so. BUCK. To-morrow, then, we will attend your grace; And so most joyfully we take our leave. GLO. Come, let us to our holy work again: [To the Bishops. [Exeunt. Farewell, my cousin ;-farewell, gentle friends. ACT IV. SCENE I-Before the Tower. Enter on one side, QUEEN ELIZABETH, DUCHESS OF YORK, and DUCH. Who meets us here?-my niece Plantagenet, ANNE. God give your graces both A happy and a joyful time of day! Q. ELIZ. As much to you, good sister! Whither away? ANNE. No further than the Tower; and, as I guess, Upon the like devotion as yourselves, To gratulate the gentle princes there. Q. ELIZ. Kind sister, thanks; we'll enter all together: Enter BRAKENBURY. And, in good time, here the lieutenant comes. I may not suffer you to visit them; The king hath strictly charg'd the contrary. Q. ELIZ. The king! who's that? BRAK. I mean the lord protector. Q. ELIZ. The Lord protect him from that kingly title! Hath he set bounds between their love and me? I am their mother, who shall bar me from them? DUCH. I am their father's mother, I will see them. BRAK. No, madam, no, I may not leave it so; Enter STANLEY. [Exit BRAKENBURY, STAN. Let me but meet you, ladies, one hour hence, [To the DUCHESS OF GLOSTER There to be crowned Richard's royal queen. Q. ELIZ. Ah, cut my lace asunder! That my pent heart may have some scope to beat, ANNE. Despiteful tidings! O unpleasing news! STAN. Full of wise care is this your counsel, madam: You shall have letters from me to my son DUCH. O ill-dispersing wind of misery! STAN. Come, madam, come; I in all haste was sent ANNE. And I with all unwillingness will go. And die, ere men can say-God save the queen! Q. ELIZ. Go, go, poor soul, I envy not thy glory, To feed my humour: wish thyself no harm. ANNE. No! why?-When he that is my husband now Came to me, as I follow'd Henry's corse: When scarce the blood was well wash'd from his hands, And that dear saint which then I weeping follow'd; This was my wish,-" Be thou," quoth I, "accurs'd, And when thou wedd'st let sorrow haunt thy bed; And be thy wife (if any be so mad) More miserable by the life of thee, Than thou hast made me by my dear lord's death!” Within so small a time, my woman's heart And prov❜d the subject of mine own soul's curse; Did I enjoy the golden dew of sleep, But with his timorous dreams was still awak'd. Q. ELIZ. Poor heart, adieu! I pity thy complaining. ANNE. Adieu, poor soul, that tak'st thy leave of it! DUCH. Go thou to Richmond, and good fortune guide thee! Go thou to Richard, and good angels tend thee! [TO DORSET. [To ANNE. [To Q. ELIZABETH, Go thou to sanctuary, and good thoughts possess thee! I to my grave, where peace and rest lie with me! And each hour's joy wrack'd with a week of teen. Q. ELIZ. Stay; yet look back, with me, unto the Tower. Pity, you ancient stones, those tender babes, Whom envy hath immur'd within your walls! Rough cradle for such little pretty ones! Rude ragged nurse! old sullen playfellow For tender princes, use my babies well! So foolish sorrow bids your stones farewell. SCENE II.-A room of State in the Palace. [Exeunt. Flourish of Trumpets. RICHARD, as King, upon his throne; K. RICH. Stand all apart. Cousin of Buckingham,— K. RICH. Give me thy hand. Thus high, by thy advice, And thy assistance, is king Richard seated: But shall we wear these glories for a day? Or shall they last, and we rejoice in them? BUCK. Still live they, and for ever let them last! K. RICH. Ah, Buckingham, now do I play the touch, Young Edward lives:-Think now what I would speak. K. RICH. Why, Buckingham, I say I would be king. BUCK. True, noble prince. K. RICH. 'T is so: but Edward lives. O bitter consequence, That Edward still should live!-True, noble prince!— Cousin, thou wast not wont to be so dull: Shall I be plain? I wish the bastards dead; And I would have it suddenly perform'd. What say'st thou now? speak suddenly, be brief. K. RICH. Tut, tut, thou art all ice, thy kindness freezes: Say, have I thy consent that they shall die? BUCK. Give me some little breath, some pause, dear lord, |