SCENE III. The Palace. Enter the Queen, Lord RIVERS her Brother, and Lord GREY her Son. Riv. Have patience, madam; there's no doubt, his majesty Will soon recover his accustom'd health. 440 Grey. In that you brook it ill, it makes him worse : Therefore, for God's sake, entertain good comfort, And cheer his grace with quick and merry words. Queen. If he were dead; what would betide of me? Grey. No other harm, but loss of such a lord. Queen. The loss of such a lord includes all harms. Grey. The heavens have bless'd you with a goodly son, To be your comforter, when he is gone. Queen. Ah, he is young; and his minority Is put into the trust of Richard Gloster, Enter BUCKINGHAM, and STANLEY. 450 Grey. Here come the lords of Buckingham and Stanley. Buck. Good time of day unto your royal grace ! Stan. Stan. God make your majesty joyful as you have been l Queen. The countess Richmond, good my lord of To your good prayer will scarcely say―amen. Stan. I do beseech you, either not believe 460 Bear with her weakness, which, I think, proceeds From wayward sickness, and no grounded malice. Queen. Saw you the king to-day, my lord of Stanley ? Stan. But now the duke of Buckingham, and I, Are come from visiting his majesty. 471 Queen, What likelihood of his amendment, lords? Buck. Madam, good hope; his grace speaks cheerfully. Queen. God grant him health! Did you confer with him? Buck. Ay, madam : he desires to make atonement Between the duke of Gloster and your brothers, And between them and my lord chamberlain; And sent to warn them to his royal presence. Queen. 'Would all were well!-But that will never be; I fear, our happiness is at the height. Ciij 480 Enter Enter GLOSTER, HASTINGS, and DORSET. Glo. They do me wrong, and I will not endure it : Who are they, that complain unto the king, Cannot a plain man live, and think no harm, 490 Grey. To whom in all this presence speaks your grace? Glo. To thee, that hast nor honesty, nor grace. When have I injur'd thee? when done thee wrong?Or thee?-or thee?-or any of your faction? A plague upon you all! His royal grace— Whom God preserve better than you would wish!— But you must trouble him with lewd complaints. 500 Makes Makes him to send; that thereby he may gather Glo. I cannot tell;-The world is grown so bad, That wrens may prey where eagles dare not perch: Since every Jack became a gentleman, There's many a gentle person made a Jack. 511 Queen. Come, come, we know your meaning, brother Gloster; You envy my advancement, and my friends: God grant, we never may have need of you! Glo. Meantime, God grants that we have need of you : Our brother is imprison'd by your means, Myself disgrac'd, and the nobility Held in contempt; while great promotions Are daily given, to ennoble those 520 That scarce, some two days since, were worth a noble. Queen. By Him, that rais'd me to this careful height From that contented hap which I enjoy'd, I never did incense his majesty Against the duke of Clarence, but have been Falsely to draw me in these vile suspects. Glo. You may deny that you were not the cause Of my lord Hastings' late imprisonment. Riv. She may, my lord; for 530 Glo. She may, lord Rivers ?-why, who knows not so? She may do more, sir, than denying that : She She may help you to many fair preferments; And lay those honours on your high desert. Glo. What, marry, may she? marry with a king, A bachelor, a handsome stripling too : I wis, your grandam had a worser match. 540 Queen. My lord of Gloster, I have too long borne Your blunt upbraidings, and your bitter scoffs: By heaven, I will acquaint his majesty, Of those gross taunts I often have endur'd. I had rather be a country servant-maid, Than a great queen, with this conditionTo be so baited, scorn'd, and stormed at: Small joy have I in being England's queen. Enter Queen MARGARET, behind. Q. Mar. And lessen'd be that small, God, I beseech thee! Thy honour, state, and seat, is due to me. 550 Glo. What! threat you me with telling of the king? Tell him, and spare not; look, what I have said I dare adventure to be sent to the Tower. Q. Mar. Out, devil! I remember them too well : Thou kill'dst my husband Henry in the Tower, And Edward, my poor son, at Tewksbury. Glo. |