And, if I fail not in my deep intent, For then I'll marry Warwick's youngest daughter : By marrying her, which I must reach unto. When they are gone, then must I count my gains. - [Exit. Another Street. SCENE II. The same. Enter the corpse 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 load, If honour may be shrouded in a hearse, · Lo, in these windows, that let forth thy life, Than I am made by my young lord, and thee! Enter GLOSter. G. Stay you, that bear the corse, and set it down. Anne. What black magician conjures up this fiend, To stop devoted charitable deeds? Glo. Villains, set down the corse; or, by Saint Paul, I'll make a corse of him that disobeys. 1 Gent. My lord, stand back, and let the coffin pass. Gl. 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! O earth, which this blood drink'st, revenge his death! Either, heaven, with lightning strike the murderer dead, Or, earth, gape open wide, and eat him quick; Glo. Lady, you know no rules of charity, Some patient leisure to excuse myself. Anne. Fouler than heart can think thee, thou canst make No excuse current, but to hang thyself. Glo. By such despair, I should accuse myself. Anne. And, by despairing, shalt thou stand excus'd; For doing worthy vengeance on thyself, That didst unworthy slaughter upon others. Why then, they are not dead: Anne. Why, then he is alive. Glo. Nay, he is dead; and slain by Edward's hand. Anne. In thy soul's throat thou liest; queen Margaret saw Thy murderous faulchion smoking in his blood; The which thou once didst bend against her breast, But that thy brothers beat aside the point. Anne. Il rest betide the chamber where thou 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; You should not blemish it, if I stood by : So I by that; it is my day, my life. Anne. Black night o'ershade thy day, and death thy life! Glo. Curse not thyself, fair creature; thou art both. Anne. I would I were, to be reveng'd on thee. Glo. It is a quarrel most unnatural, To be reveng'd on him that loveth thee. Anne. It is a quarrel just and reasonable, To be reveng'd on him that kill'd my husband. Glo. He that bereft thee, lady, of thy husband, Did it to help thee to a better husband. Anne. His better doth not breathe upon the earth. Glo. He lives, that loves you better than he could. Anne. Name him. Glo. Anne. 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; My tongue could never learn sweet soothing word; I lay it naked to the deadly stroke, [He lays his breast open; she offers at it 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 executioner. Glo. Then bid me kill myself, and I will do it. That was in thy rage: My tongue. Anne. Glo. 'Tis figur'd in Was never true. Anne. Plantagenet. Why, that was he. Well, well, put up your sword. Glo. Say then, ny peace is made. Anne. Hereafter. That shall you know And if thy poor devoted servant may Glo. That it may please you leave these sad designs Anne. With all my heart; and much it joys me too, To see you are become so penitent. Tressel, and Berkley, go along with me. Glo. Bid me farewell. Anne. '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? Hath she forgot already that brave prince, Young, valiant, wise, and, no doubt, right royal, That cropp'd the golden prime of this sweet prince, On me, [Exit. 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 harins. Grey. The heavens have bless'd you with a goodly son, To be your comforter, when he is gone. Q. Eliz. Ah, he is young; and his minority Enter BUCKINGHAM and STANLEY. Grey. Here come the lords of Buckingham and 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 To your good prayer will scarcely say -amen. Stan. I do beseech you, either not believe Stanley? 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? 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 injured 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! matter: The king, of his own royal disposition, 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. Q. Eliz. Come, come, we know your meaning, brother Gloster; You envy my advancement, and my friends; you: Our brother is imprison'd by your means, 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, 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: What may she not? She may, -ay, marry, may she, Riv. What, marry, may she? 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 ; To royalize his blood, I spilt mine own. Q. Mar. Ay, and much better blood than his, o thine. Gio. 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. 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. Q. Mar. Hie thee to hell for shame, and leave this world, Thou cacodæmon! there thy kingdom is. Riv. My lord of Gloster, in those busy days, Which here you unge, to prove us enemies, We follow'd then our lord, our lawful king; So should we you, if you should be our king. Glo. If I should be? - I had rather be a pedlar: Far be it from tay 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? Glo. What, marry, may she? marry with a king, If not, that, I being queen, you bow like subjects; Yet that, by you depos'd, you quake like rebels? 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? Q. Mar. I was; but I do find more pain in banish ment, Than death can yield me here by my abode. Glo. The curse my noble father laid on thee, - Ready to catch each other by the throat, Though not by war, by surfeit die your king! Glo. Have done thy charm, thou hateful wither'd hag. Lest, to thy harm, thou move our patience. Q. Mar. Foul shame upon you! you have all mov'd mine. 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 lunatick. Q. Mar. Peace, master marquis, you are malapert: Your fire-new stamp of honour is scarce current: O, that your young nobility could judge, What 'twere to lose it, and be miserable! They that stand high, have many blasts to shake 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, - alas! Our aiery buildeth in the cedar's top, Q. Mar. And leave out thee? stay, dog, for thou As it was won with blood, lost be it so! shalt hear me. If heaven have any grievous plague in store, On thee, the troubler of the poor world's peace! Q. Mar. Glo. Q. Mar. Richard! Ha? I call thee not. Glo. I cry thee mercy then; for I did think, That thou had'st 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 Q. Eliz. Thus have you breath'd your curse against yourself. Margaret. Buck. Peace, peace, for shame, if not for charity. Q. Mar. Urge neither charity nor shame to me; Uncharitably with me have you dealt, And shamefully by you my hopes are butcher'd. My charity is outrage, life my shame,And in my shame still live my sorrow's rage! Buck. Have done, have done. Q. Mar. O princely Buckingham, I kiss thy hand, In sign of league and amity with thee: Now fair befal 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, And there awake God's gentle-sleeping peace. O Buckingham, beware of yonder dog; Look, when he fawns, he bites; and, when he bites, His venom tooth will rankle to the death: Have not to do with him, beware of him; Sin, death, and hell, have set their marks on him; And all their ministers attend on him. Glo. What doth she say, my lord of Buckingham? And sooth the devil that I warn thee from? When he shall split thy very heart with sorrow; |