That makes us wretched by the death of thee, [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? For these known evils, but to give me leave, Anne. Fouler than heart can think thee thou canst make No excuse current, but to hang thyself. For doing worthy vengeance on thyself, Anne. Why, then, they are not dead: But dead they are, and, devilish slave, by thee. Glo. I did not kill your husband. Anne. hand. 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, [The bearers set down the coffin. 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, man; No beast so fierce, but knows some touch of pity. (1) Example. Glo. 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. Thou may'st be damned for that wicked deed! Glo. The fitter for the King of heaven, that hath him. Anne. He is in heaven, where thou shalt never 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 eves did scorn an humble tear; And what these sorrows could not thence exhale, Thy beauty hath, and made them blind with weeping. I never sued to friend, nor enemy; My tongue could never learn sweet soothing word; [He lays his breast open; she offers at it Nav, do not pause: for I did kill king Henry ;- [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 executioner. Glo. Then bid me kill myself, 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, d'd kill thy love, Shall, for thy love, kill a far truer love; To both their deaths shalt thou be accessary. Anne. I would, I knew thy heart. [She puts on the ring. Glo. 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 designs 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.- '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? I'll have her, but I will not keep her long. What! I, that kill'd her husband, and his father, To take her in her heart's extremest hate; With curses in her mouth, tears in her eyes, The bleeding witness of her hatred by; With God, her conscience, and these bars against 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? I do mistake my person all this while: (3) A small French coin. 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 Are come from visiting his majesty. I, 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 roval 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 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!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; Held in contempt; while great promotions That scarce, some two days since, were worth a noble.+ Q. Eliz. By Him, that rais'd me to this careful height From that contented hap which I enjoy'd, of my lord Hastings late imprisonment. Glo. You may deny that you were not the cause Riv. She may, my lord; for 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, may she? marry with a king, A bachelor, a handsome stripling too: I wis your grandam had a worser match. (4) A coin rated at 6s. 8d. 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. Thy honour, state, and seat, is due to me. Glo. What? threat you me with telling of the king? Tell him, and spare not: look, what I have said 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; I dare adventure to be sent to the Tower. Glo. Ere you were queen, ay, or your husband king, I was a pack-horse in his great affairs; To royalize his blood, I spilt mine own. 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! Glo. To fight on Edward's party, for the crown; I am too childish-foolish for this world.' Q. Eliz. So just is God, to right the innocent. Hast. 0, 'twas the foulest deed to slay that babe, And the most merciless, that e'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 to see it. Q. Mar. What! were you snarling all, before 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, Thou cacodæmon! there thy kingdom is. Rir. My lord of Gloster, in these busy days, Which here you urge, to prove us enemies, We follow'd then our lord, our lawful king; So should we vou, 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. 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? Ah, gentle villain, do not turn away! Glo. Foul wrinkled witch, what mak'st thou in my sight? Q. Mar. But repetition of what thou hast marr'd; That will I make, before I let thee go. Glo. Wert thou not banished on pain of death? Deck'd in thy rights, as thou art stall'd in mine! Glo. Have done thy charm, thou hateful wither'd hag. Q. Mar. And leave out thee? stay, dog, for thou shalt hear me. If heaven have any grievous plague in store, Q. Mar. Richard! Ha? I call thee not. Glo. I cry thee mercy then; for I did think, That thou hadst call'd me all these bitter names. Q. Mar. Why, so I did; but look'd for no reply. O, let me make the period to my curse. Glo. 'Tis done by me; and ends in-Margaret. Q. Eliz. Thus have you breath'd your curse against yourself. Q. Mar. Poor painted queen, vain flourish of my fortune! Why strew'st thou sugar on that bottled spider,' Lest, to thy harm, thou move our patience. Q. Mar. Foul shame upon you! you have mov'd mine. all Riv. Were you well serv'd, you would be taught your duty. Q. Mar. To serve me well, you all should do me duty, Teach me to be your queen, and you my subjects: O, serve me well, and teach yourselves that duty. Dor. Dispute not with her, she is lunatic. Q. Mar. Peace, master marquis, you are malapert: Your fire-new stamp of honour is scarce current:2 them; And, if they fall, they dash themselves to pieces. Glo. Good counsel, marry ;-learn it, learn it, marquis. Dor. It touches you, my lord, as much as me. Glo. Ay, and much more: But I was born so high, Our aiery buildeth in the cedar's top, And dallies with the wind, and scorns the sun. Witness my son, now in the shade of death; Buck. Peace, peace, for shame, if not for charity. Q. Mar. O princely Buckingham, I kiss thy hand, In sign of league and amity with thee: Now fair befall thee, and thy noble house! Thy garments are not spotted with our blood, Nor thou within the compass of my curse. Buck. Nor no one here; for curses never pass The lips of those that breathe them in the air. Q. Mar. I'll not believe but they ascend the sky, (1) Alluding to Gloster's form and venom. (2) He was just created marquis of Dorset. And there awake God's gentle-sleeping peace. Glo. What doth she say, my lord of Buckingham? And sooth the devil that I warn thee from? curses. 4 Riv. And so doth mine; I muse, why she's at liberty. Glo. I cannot blame her, by God's holy mother, She hath had too much wrong, and I repent My part thereof, that I have done to her. Q. Eliz. I never did her any, to my knowledge. Glo. Yet you have all the vantage of her wrong. was too hot to do somebody good, That is too cold in thinking of it now. Marry, as for Clarence, he is well repaid; He is frank'd up to fatting for his pains ;God pardon them that are the cause thereof! Riv. A virtuous and a Christian-like conclusion, To pray for them that have done scath' to us. Glo. So do I ever, being well advis'd ; For had I curs'd now, I had curs'd myself. [Aside. Enter Catesby. Cates. Madam, his majesty doth call for you, And for your grace,-and you, my noble lords. Q. Eliz. Catesby, I come:-Lords, will you go with me? Riv. Madam, we will attend upon your grace. Namely, to Stanley, Hastings, Buckingham; But soft, here come my executioners.- me: That we may be admitted where he is. (3) Nest. (4) Wonder. (5) Advantage. |