Thou hadst not liv'd to kill a son of mine. 'And thus I prophecy,-that many a thousand, Which now mistrust no parcel of my fear;

'And many an old man's sigh, and many a widow's,

And many an orphan's water-standing eye,—

'Men for their sons, wives for their husbands'

fate,

And orphans for their parents' timeless death,— 'Shall rue the hour that ever thou wast born. The owl shriek'd at thy birth, an evil sign; 6 The night-crow cry'd, aboding luckless time; Dogs howl'd, and hideous tempests shook down trees;

The raven rook'd her on the chimney's top;
And chattering pies in dismal discords sung.
Thy mother felt more than a mother's pain,
And yet brought forth less than a mother's hope;
• To wit,—an indigest deformed lump,

Not like the fruit of such a goodly tree.

Teeth hadst thou in thy head, when thou wast

born,

To signify, thou cam'st to bite the world:

And, if the rest be true which I have heard, 'Thou cam'st

Glo. I'll hear no more;-Die, prophet, in thy

speech;

[Stabs him.

For this, amongst the rest, was I ordain'd.

K. Hen. Ay, and for much more slaughter after

this.

O God! forgive my sins, and pardon thee! [Dies.

Glo. What, will the aspiring blood of Lancaster

Sink in the ground? I thought, it would have

mounted.

See, how my sword weeps for the poor king's death! 'O, may such purple tears be always shed

'From those that wish the downfal of our house!'If any spark of life be yet remaining,

Down, down to hell; and say-I sent thee thither,
[Stabs him again.
I, that have neither pity, love, nor fear.-
Indeed, 'tis true, that Henry told me of;
For I have often heard my mother say,

I came into the world with my legs forward:
Had I not reason, think ye, to make haste,
And seek their ruin that usurp'd our right?
The midwife wonder'd; and the women cry'd,
O, Jesus bless us, he is born with teeth!

And so I was; which plainly signify'd—
That I should snarl, and bite, and play the dog.
Then, since the heavens have shap'd my body so,
Let hell make crook'd my mind, to answer it.
I have no brother, I am like no brother:

'And this word-love, which greybeards call divine,

Be resident in men like one another,

And not in me; I am myself alone.—

Clarence, beware; thou keep'st me from the light;
But I will sort a pitchy day for thee:
For I will buz abroad such prophecies,

'That Edward shall be fearful of his life;

And then, to purge his fear, I'll be thy death.

King Henry, and the prince his son, are gone:

'Clarence, thy turn is next; and then the rest; Counting myself but bad, till I be best.'I'll throw thy body in another room,

And triumph, Henry, in thy day of doom. [Exit.

SCENE VII.

THE SAME. A ROOM IN THE PALACE.

King Edward is discovered sitting on his throne; Queen Elizabeth with the infant Prince; Clarence, Glo'ster, Hastings, and Others, near him.

K. Edw. Once more we sit in England's royal throne,

Re-purchas'd with the blood of enemies.

What valiant foemen, like to autumn's corn,
Have we mow'd down, in tops of all their pride?
Three dukes of Somerset, threefold renown'd
For hardy and undoubted champions:
Two Cliffords, as the father and the son,

And two Northumberlands; two braver men Ne'er spur'd their coursers at the trumpet's sound: 'With them, the two brave bears, Warwick and

Montague,

That in their chains fetter'd the kingly lion,
And made the forest tremble when they roar'd.
Thus have we swept suspicion from our seat,
And made our footstool of security.—
Come hither, Bess, and let me kiss my boy:-
Young Ned, for thee, thine uncles, and myself,

Have in our armours watch'd the winter's night;
'Went all afoot in summer's scalding heat,
That thou might'st repossess the crown in peace;
And of our labours thou shalt reap the gain.

Glo. I'll blast his harvest, if your head were
lay'd;

For yet I am not look'd on in the world.

This shoulder was ordain'd so thick, to heave;
And heave it shall some weight, or break my back:-
Work thou the way,-and thou shalt execute.

[Aside. K. Edw. Clarence, and Glo'ster, love my lovely

queen;

And kiss your princely nephew, brothers both. Clar. The duty, that I owe unto your majesty, I seal upon the lips of this sweet babe.

K. Edw. Thanks, noble Clarence; worthy brother, thanks.

'Glo. And, that I love the tree from whence thou sprang'st,

'Witness the loving kiss I give the fruit:

To say the truth, so Judas kiss'd his mas

ter;

'And cry'd—all hail! when as he meant

-all harm.

Aside.

K. Edw. Now am I seated as my soul delights, Having my country's peace, and brothers' loves. Clar. What will your grace have done with Margaret?

Reignier, her father, to the king of France

Hath pawn'd the Sicils and Jerusalem,

And hither have they sent it for her ransom.

128 THIRD PART OF KING HENRY VI.

K. Edw. Away with her, and waft her hence to
France.

And now what rests, but that we spend the time
With stately triumphs, mirthful comick shows,
Such as befit the pleasures of the court?-
Sound, drums and trumpets!-farewel, sour annoy!
For here, I hope, begins our lasting joy. [Exeunt.