Glo. Why, this it is, when men are ruled by women: 'Tis not the king that sends you to the Tower; Was it not she, and that good man of worship, Clar. By heaven, I think, there is no man secure, 'll tell you what,-I think, it is our way, Enter Hastir.gs. Hast. Good time of day unto my gracious lord must: But I shall live, my lord, to give them thanks, Glo. No doubt, no doubt; and so shall Clarence For they, that were your enemies, are his, Glo. What news abroad? Hast. No news so bad abroad, as this at home:- If we will keep in favour with the king, Glo. Now, by saint Paul, this news is bad indeed Are mighty gossips in this monarchy. And over-much consum'd his royal person; His majesty hath straitly given in charge, Glo. Even so? an please your worship, Braken- You may partake of any thing we say: A bonny eye, a passing pleasing tongue; to do. Glo. Naught to do with mistress Shore? I tell He that doth naught with her, excepting one, Brak. What one, my lord? Glo. Her husband, knave:-Would'st thou betray me? Brak. I beseech your grace to pardon me; and, Forbear your conference with the noble duke. Glo. We are the queen's abjects, and must obey. I will perform it to enfranchise you. Mean time, this deep disgrace in brotherhood, Clar. I know it pleaseth neither of us well. I must perforce; farewell. [Exeunt Clarence, Brakenbury, and Guard. Glo. Go, tread the path that thou shalt ne'er return. Simple, plain Clarence!-I do love thee so, (1) The queen and Shore. Hast. He is. Glo. Go you before, and I will follow you. By marrying her, which I must reach unto. When they are gone, then must I count my gains. [Exit. SCENE II.-The same. Another street. Enter the corps of King Henry the Sixth, borne in an open coffin, Gentlemen bearing halberds, to guard it; and Lady Anne as mourner. Anne. Set down, set down, your honourable If honour may be shrouded in a hearse,- Lo, in these windows, that let forth thy life, That makes us wretched by the death of thee, May fright the hopeful mother at the view; [The Bearers take up the corpse, and advance. Glo. Stay you, that bear the corse, and set it down. Anne. What black magician conjures up this fiend, To stop devoted charitable deeds? Anne. In thy soul's throat thou liest; queen Thy murderous faulchion smoking in his blood; Glo. Villains, set down the corse; or, by saint But that thy brothers beat aside the point. Paul, I'll make a corse of him that disobeys. 1 Gent. My lord, stand back, and let the coffin pass. Glo. Unmanner'd dog! stand thou when I command: Advance thy halberd higher than my breast, For thou hast made the happy earth thy hell, O God, which this blood mad'st, revenge his death! Or, earth, gape open wide, and eat him quick; Glo. Lady, you know no rules of charity, No beast so fierce, but knows some touch of pity. (1) Example. Gle. I was provoked by her sland'rous tongue, That laid their guilt upon my guiltless shoulders. Anne. Thou wast provoked by thy bloody mind, That never dreamt on aught but butcheries: Didst thou not kill this king? I grant ye. Glo. Anne. Dost grant me, hedge-hog? then God grant me too, Thou may'st be damned for that wicked deed! O, he was gentle, mild, and virtuous. Glo. The fitter for the King of heaven, that hath him. Anne. He is in heaven, where thou shalt never come. Glo. Let him thank me, that holp to send hin thither; For he was fitter for that place, than earth. Anne. Some dungeon. Glo. Your bed-chamber. Anne. Il rest betide the chamber where tho liest! Glo. So will it, madam, till I lie with you. Glo. I know so.-But, gentle lady Anne,- Anne. Thou wast the cause, and most accurs d effect. Glo. Your beauty was the cause of that effect; Your beauty, which did haunt me in my sleep, To undertake the death of all the world, So I might live one hour in your sweet bosom. Anne. If I thought that, I tell thee, homicide, These nails should rend that beauty from my cheeks. Glo. These eyes could not endure that beauty's wreck. Anne. Where is he? Glo. Here: [She spits at him.] Why dost thou spit at me? Anne. 'Would it were mortal poison for thy sake! Glo. Never came poison from so sweet a place. Anne. Never hung poison on a fouler toad. Out of my sight! thou dost infect mine eyes. Glo. Thine eyes, sweet lady, have infected mine. Anne. 'Would they were basilisks, to strike thee dead! Glo. I would they were, that I might die at once; For now they kill me with a living death. Those eyes of thine from mine have drawn salt tears, Sham'd their aspects with store of childish drops: These eyes, which never shed remorseful' tear,— Not, when my father York and Edward wept, To hear the piteous moan that Rutland made, When black-fac'd Clifford shook his sword at him: Nor when thy warlike father, like a child, Told the sad story of my father's death; And twenty times made pause, to sob, and weep, That all the standers-by had wet their cheeks, Like trees bedash'd with rain: in that sad time, My manly eyes did scorn an humble tear; And what these sorrows could not thence exhale, Thy beauty hath, and made them blind with weeping. never sucd to friend, nor enemy; My tongue could never learn sweet soothing word; [He lays his breast open; she offers at il with his sword. Nay, do not pause: for I did kill king Henry ;But 'twas thy beauty that provoked me. Nay, now despatch; 'twas I that stabb'd young Edward; [She again offers at his breast. But 'twas thy heavenly face that set me on. [She lets fall the sword. Take up the sword again, or take up me. Anne. Arise, dissembler; though I wish thy death, I will not be thy execution". Glo. Then bid me kill my elf, and I will do it. Glo. That was in thy rage: Speak it again, and, even with the word, This hand, which, for thy love, did kill thy love, Shall, for thy love, kill a far truer love; (1) Pittful. (2) In Bishopsgate strect. To both their deaths shalt tnou be accessary. [She puts on the ring. Gio. Look, how this ring encompasseth thy finger Even so thy breast encloseth my poor heart; Wear both of them, for both of them are thine. And if thy poor devoted servant may But beg one favour at thy gracious hand, Thou dost confirm his happiness for ever. Anne. What is it? Glo. That it may please you leave these sad dosigns To him that hath more cause to be a mourner, Anne. With all my heart! and much it joys me too, To see you are become so penitent.- Glo. Bid me farewell. "Tis more than you deserve: But, since you teach me how to flatter you, Imagine I have said farewell already, [Exeunt Lady Anne, Tressel, and Berkley. Glo. Take up the corse, sirs. Gent. Towards Chertsey, noble lord? Glo. No, to White-Friars; there attend my coming. [Exeunt the rest, with the corse. Was ever woman in this humour woo'd? Was ever woman in this humour won? me, And I no friends to back my suit withal, Hath she forgot already that brave prince, On me, whose all not equals Edward's moiety? (3) A small French coin. SCENE III.-The same. A room in the palace. Enter Queen Elizabeth, Lord Rivers, and Lord Grey. Riv. Have patience, madam; there's no doubt, his majesty Will soon recover his accustom'd health. 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. Q. Eliz. If he were dead, what would betide of me? Grey. No other harm, but loss of such a lord. Q. Eliz. The loss of such a lord includes all harms. Grey. The heavens have bless'd you with goodly son, To be your comforter, when he is gone. Q. Eliz. Ah, he is young; and his minority Is put unto the trust of Richard Gloster, A man that loves not me, nor none of you. Riv. Is it concluded, he shall be protector? Q. Eliz. It is determin'd, not concluded yet: But so it must be, if the king miscarry. a Enter Buckingham and Stanley. Grey. Here come the lords of Buckingham and Stanley. Buck. Good time of day unto your royal grace! Stan. God make your majesty joyful as you have been! Q. Eliz. The countess Richmond, good my lord of Stanley, To your good prayer will scarcely say-amen. Stan. I do beseech you, either not believe Stan. But now, the duke of Buckingham, and I, Are come from visiting his majesty. Q. Eliz. What likelihood of his amendment, lords? Buck. Madam, good hope; his grace speaks cheerfully. Q. Eliz. God grant him health! Did you confer with him? Buck. Av, 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. Q. Eliz. 'Would all were well!-But that will never be ; I fear, our happiness is at the height. Enter Gloster, Hastings, and Dorset. Glo. They do me wrong, and I will not endure it: (2) Rude, ignorant. (1) Summon. (3) Low fellow. [Who are they, that complain unto the king, Grey. To whom in all this presence speaks you 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'Cannot be quiet scarce a breathing-while, But you must trouble him with lewd complaints. Q. Eliz. Brother of Gloster, you mistake the matter: The king, of his own royal disposition, Glo. I cannot tell ;-The world is grown so bad, Q. Eliz. Come, come, we know your meaning brother Gloster; You envy my advancement, and my friends; Glo. Meantime, God grants that we have need That scarce, some two days since, were worth a noble.4 Q. Eliz. By Him, that rais'd me to this careful height From that contented hap which I enjoy'd, Glo. You may deny that you were not the cause Glo. She may, lord Rivers ?-why, who knows not so? She may do more, sir, than denying that: Riv. What, marry, may she? Glo. What, marry, mav she? marry with a king A bachelor, a handsome stripling too: I wish your grandam has a worser match. (4) A coin rated at 6s. 8d. (5) Think. I had rather be a country servant-maid, Than a great queen, with this conditionTo be so baited, scorn'd, and storm'd at: Small joy have I in being England's queen. Enter Queen Margaret, behind. Q. Mar. I was; but I do find more pain in ban ishment, Than death can yield me here by my abode. Q. Mar. And lessen'd be that small, God, I be- And all the pleasures you usurp, are mine. seech thee! Thy honour, state, and seat, is due to me. Glo. What? threat you me with telling of the king? Tell him, and spare nct: look, what I have said 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. Ere you were queen, ay, or your husband king, I was a pack-horse in his great affairs ; Q. Mar. Ay, and much better blood than his or thine. Glo. In all which time, you, and your husband Were factious for the house of Lancaster ;- Q. Mar. A murd'rous villain, and so still thou art. Glo. Poor Clarence did forsake his father Warwick; Ay, and forswore himself,-which Jesu pardon! Q. Mar. Which God revenge! Glo. To fight on Edward's party, for the crown; And, for his meed,' poor lord, he is mew'd up: I would to God, my heart were flint like Edward's, Or Edward's soft and pitiful, like mine; I am too childish-foolish for this world." Glo. The curse my noble father laid on thee,When thou didst crown his warlike brows with paper, And with thy scorns drew'st rivers from his eyes, And then, to dry them, gav'st the duke a clout, Steep'd in the faultless blood of pretty Rutland ;His curses, then from bitterness of soul Denounc'd against thee, are all fall'n upon thee; And God, not we, hath plagu'd thy bloody deed! Q. Eliz. So just is God, to right the innocent. Hast. O, 'twas the foulest deed to slay that babe, And the most merciless, that c'er was heard of. Riv. Tyrants themselves wept when it was reported. Dor. No man but prophesied revenge for it. Buck. Northumberland, then present, wept tc see it. Q. Mar. What! were you snarling all, before [ came, Ready to catch each other by the throat, That Henry's death, my lovely Edward's death, curses! Though not by war, by surfeit die your king, Q. Mar. Hie thee to hell for shame, and leave And see another, as I see thee now, this world, Thou cacodæmon! there thy kingdom is. Riv. My lord of Gloster, in those busy days, Which here you urge, to prove us enemies, We follow'd then our lord, our lawful king; So should we you, if you shoud be our king. Glo. If I should be?-I had rather be a pedlar: Far be it from my heart, the thought thereof! Q. Eliz. As little joy, my lord, as you suppose You should enjoy, were you this country's king; As little joy you may suppose in me, That I enjoy, being the queen thereof. [Advancing. Deck'd in thy rights, as thou art stall'd in mine! Glo. Have done thy charm, thou hateful wither' hag. Q. Mar. And leave out thee? stay, dog, for thou shalt hear me. If heaven have any grievous plague in store Q. Mar. A little joy enjoys the queen thereof; For I am she, and altogether joyless, I can no longer hold me patient.Hear me, you wrangling pirates, that fall out In sharing that which you have pill'd from me: Which of you trembles not that looks on me? If not, that, I being queen, you bow like subjects; Yet that, by you depos'd, you quake like rebels ?-Thy friends suspect for traitors while thou liv'st, Ah, gentle villain, do not turn away! And take deep traitors for thy dearest friends! |