Point out, in my contempt of death, to memory,
Some miserable happiness: since, herein,
Even when I fell, I stood enthron'd a monarch
Of one chaste wife's troth, pure, and uncorrupted.
Fair angel of perfection, immortality
Shall raise thy name up to an adoration;
Court every rich opinion of true merit,
And saint it in the kalendar of virtue ;
When I am turn'd into the self-same dust
Of which I was first form'd.
Oxf.
The lord ambassador,
Huntley, your father, madam, should he look on
Your strange subjection, in a gaze so public,
Would blush on your behalf, and wish his country
Unleft, for entertainment to such sorrow.
Kath. Why art thou angry, Oxford? I must be More peremptory in my duty.-Sir,
Impute it not unto immodesty,
That I presume to press you to a legacy,"
Before we part for ever!
My heart, the rich remains of all my fortunes.
Kath. Confirm it with a kiss, pray!
I wish to breathe my last upon thy lips,
Those equal twins of comeliness, I seal
The testament of honourable vows:
Whoever be that man that shall unkiss
This sacred print next, may he prove more thrifty
In this world's just applause, not more desertful.
Kath. By this sweet pledge of both our souls, I
To die a faithful widow to thy bed:
Not to be forced or won: oh, never, never!
Enter SURREY, DAWBENEY, HUNTLEY, and
CRAWFORD.
Daw. Free the condemned person; quickly free him!
What, has he yet confess'd?
WARBECK is taken out of the stocks.
Nothing to purpose;
But still he will be king.
To a new kingdom then.-Unhappy madam,
Wilfully foolish !-See, my lord ambassador,
Your lady daughter will not leave the counterfeit
In this disgrace of fate.
Hunt.
I never 'pointed
Thy marriage, girl; but yet, being married, 、
Enjoy thy duty to a husband freely :
Thy griefs' are mine; I glory in thy constancy:
And must not say I wish that I had miss'd
Some partage in these trials of a patience.
Kath. You will forgive me, noble sir.
Hunt.
Yes, yes :
In every duty of a wife and daughter,
I dare not disavow thee.-To your husband,
(For such you are, sir) I impart a farewell
Of manly pity; what your life has past through,
The dangers of your end will make apparent;
And I can add, for comfort to your sufferance,
No cordial, but the wonder of your frailty,
Which keeps so firm a station.-We are parted.
War. We wear a crown of peace 3. Renew thy
age
The griefs.] So the old quarto. The emendation is too obvious to need any defence.
3 Wee are a crown of peace.] No doubt this reading was corrupted from that in the text.
Most honourable Huntley. Worthy Crawford,
We may embrace. I never thought thee injury.
Craw. Nor was I ever guilty of neglect
Which might procure such thought. I take my leave, sir.
War. To you, lord Dalyell,-what? accept a
"Tis hearty and in earnest.
What do you mean? My lord, your hand.
Be pleased that I may wait
you to to your lodgings. [Exeunt DALYELL and JANE, leading out Lady KATHERINE.
Enter Sheriff and Officers with SKETON, ASTLEY, HERON, and JOHN A-WATER, with halters about their necks.
Orf. Look ye, behold your followers, appointed To wait on you in death!
War. Why, peers of England, We'll lead them on courageously. I read
A triumph over tyranny upon
Their several foreheads. Faint not in the moment
Of victory! Our ends, and Warwick's head,
Innocent Warwick's head, (for we are prologue
But to his tragedy) conclude the wonder
Of Henry's fears; and then the glorious race
Of fourteen kings Plantagenets, determines
In this last issue male; Heaven be obeyed!
Impoverish time of its amazement, friends,
And we will prove as trusty in our payments,
As prodigal to nature in our debts.
Death? pish! 'tis but a sound; a name of air;
A minute's storm, or not so much; to tumble
From bed to bed, be massacred alive
By some physicians, for a month or two,
In hope of freedom from a fever's torments,
Might stagger manhood: here, the pain is past
Ere sensibly 'tis felt. Be men of spirit!
Spurn coward passion! so illustrious mention
Shall blaze our names, and style us kings o'er death.
[Exeunt Sheriff and Officers with the prisoners.
Daw. Away, impostor beyond precedent!
No chronicle records his fellow.
I have
Not thoughts left; 'tis sufficient in such cases
Just laws ought to proceed.
Enter King HENRY, DURHAM, and HIALAS.
K. Hen.
We are resolv'd.
Your business, noble lords, shall find success,
Such as your king importunes.
K. Hen. Perkin, we are inform'd, is arm'd to
In that we'll honour him. Our lords shall follow
To see the execution; and from hence
We gather this fit use: that public states,
As our particular bodies, taste most good
In health, when purged of corrupted blood.
|