Be he unto me! this do I beg of heaven, [Embracing RIVERS, &c. K. Edw. A pleasing cordial, princely Buckingham, Is this thy vow unto my sickly heart. There wanteth now our brother Gloster here, Buck. And, in good time, here comes the noble duke. Enter GLOSTer. Glo. Good-morrow to my sovereign king, and queen; And, princely peers, a happy time of day! K. Edw. Happy, indeed, as we have spent the day: Brother, we have done deeds of charity; Made peace of enmity, fair love of hate, Glo. A blessed labour, my most sovereign liege.Among this princely heap, if any here, By false intelligence, or wrong surmise, If I unwittingly, or in my rage, Have aught committed that is hardly borne By any in this presence, I desire To reconcile me to his friendly peace: "Tis death to me, to be at enmity; I hate it, and desire all good men's love.- With whom my soul is any jot at odds, Q. Eliz. A holy-day shall this be kept hereafter:- Glo. Why, madam, have I offer'd love for this, To be so flouted in this royal presence? Who knows not, that the gentle duke is dead? [They all start. You do him injury, to scorn his corse. K. Edw. Who knows not, he is dead! who knows he is? Q. Eliz. All-seeing heaven, what a world is this! Buck. Look I so pale, lord Dorset, as the rest? Dor. Ay, my good lord; and no man in the pre sence, But his red colour hath forsook his cheeks. K. Edw. Is Clarence dead? the order was revers'd. Glo. But he, poor man, by your first order died, And that a winged Mercury did bear; Some tardy cripple bore the countermand, God grant, that some, less noble, and less loyal, Enter STANLEY. Stan. A boon, my sovereign, for my service done! K. Edw. I pr'ythee, peace; my soul is full of sorrow. Stan. I will not rise, unless your highness hear me. K. Edw. Then say at once, what is it thou re quest'st. Stan. The forfeit, sovereign, of my servant's life; Who slew to-day a riotous gentleman, Lately attendant on the duke of Norfolk. K.Edw.Have Iatongue to doom my brother's death," You straight are on your knees for pardon, pardon; 3 The forfeit,] He means the remission of the forfeit. "Have I a tongue to doom my brother's death,] This lamentation is very tender and pathetick. The recollection of the good qualities of the dead is very natural, and no less naturally does the King endeavour to communicate the crime to others. O God! I fear, thy justice will take hold [Exeunt King, Queen, HASTINGs, Rivers, . Glo. This is the fruit of rashness!-Mark'd you not, How that the guilty kindred of the queen God will revenge it. it. Come, lords; will you go, To comfort Edward with our company? Buck. We wait upon your grace.. SCENE II. The same. [Exeunt. Enter the Duchess of York, with a Son and Daughter of Clarence. Son. Good grandam, tell us, is our father dead? Duch. No, boy. Daugh. Why do you weep so oft? and beat breast; And cry-O Clarence, my unhappy son! your Son. Why do you look on us, and shake your head, And call us-orphans, wretches, cast-aways, If that our noble father be alive? Duch. My pretty cousins, you mistake me both; I do lament the sickness of the king, my pretty cousins,] The Duchess is here addressing her grand-children, but cousin was the term used in Shakspeare's time, by uncles to nephews and nieces, grandfathers to grandchildren, &c. It seems to have been used instead of our kinsman, and kinswoman, and to have supplied the place of both. As loath to lose him, not your father's death; Son. Then, grandam, you conclude that he is dead. The king my uncle is to blame for this: God will revenge it; whom I will impórtune Duch. Peace, children, peace! the king doth love you well: Incapable and shallow innocents," You cannot guess who caus'd your father's death. And with a virtuous visor hide deep vice! Son. Think you, my uncle did dissemble, grandam? Son. I cannot think it. Hark! what noise is this? Enter Queen ELIZABETH, distractedly; RIVERS, and DORSET following her. Q. Eliz. Ah! who shall hinder me to wail and weep? Duch. What means this scene of rude impatience? Incapable and shallow innocents,] Incapable is unintelligent. |