Of these Plantagenets, Henry, and Edward, Anne. Thou wast the cause, and most accursed effect. So I might live one hour in your sweet bosom. These nails should rend that beauty from my cheeks. Glo. These eyes would not endure that beauty's wreck, You should not blemish it, if I stood by: As all the world is cheered by the sun, 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 revenged on thee. Glo. It is a quarrel most unnatural, To be revenged on him that loveth thee. Anne. It is a quarrel just and reasonable, To be revenged on him that kill'd my husband. Anne. His better doth not breathe upon the earth. Glo. Plantagenet. Anne. Why, that was he. Glo. The self-same name, but one of better nature. Glo. Here: [She spits at him.] Why dost thou spit at me? Glo. Never came poison from so sweet a place. Out of my sight! thou dost infect mine eyes. Glo. Thine eyes, sweet lady, have infected mine. * Pitiful. Thy beauty hath, and made them blind with weeping. My tongue could never learn sweet soothing word; My proud heart sues, and prompts my tongue to speak. Teach not thy lip such scorn; for it was made I lay it naked to the deadly stroke, And humbly beg the death upon my knee. [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. Take up the sword again, or take up me. [She lets fall the sword. 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, did kill thy love, Shall, for thy love, kill a far truer love; To both their deaths shalt thou be accessory, Glo. Then man was never true. Anne. Well, well, put up your sword. Anne. That shall you know hereafter. Glo. But shall I live in hope? Anne. All men, I hope, live so. Anne. To take, is not to give. [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, And presently repair to Crosby-place; Where-after I have solemnly interr'd, At Chertsey monast'ry, this noble king, For divers unknown reasons, I beseech you, Anne. With all my heart; and much it joys me too, Tressel, and Berkeley, 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 BERKELEY. 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? I'll have her, but I will not keep her long. What! I, that kill'd her husband, and his father, The bleeding witness of her hatred by; With God, her conscience, and these bars against me, But the plain devil, and dissembling looks, And yet to win her,-all the world to nothing! Ha! Hath she forgot already that brave prince, Edward, her lord, whom I some three months since, Young, valiant, wise, and, no doubt, right royal,— And will she yet abase her eyes on me, That cropp'd the golden prime of this sweet prince, On me, whose all not equals Edward's moiety? On me, that halt, and am misshapen thus? My dukedom to a beggarly denier,* I do mistake my person all this while : VOL. III. And then return lamenting to my love. That I may see my shadow as I pass. [Exit. Shine out, fair sun, till I have bought a glass, 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 Grey. In that you brook it ill, it makes him worse: Q. Eliz. The loss of such a lord includes all harms. Q. Eliz. Ah, he is young; and his minority Is put into the trust of Richard Gloster, Enter BUCKINGHAM and STANLEY. Grey. Here come the lords of Buckingham and Stanley. Stan. God make your majesty joyful as you have been! To your good prayer will scarcely say-amen. Yet, Stanley, notwithstanding she's your wife, Stan. I do beseech you, either not believe Bear with her weakness, which, I think, proceeds Q. Eliz. Saw you the king to-day, my lord of Stanley ? 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. Ay, 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 presence. Q. Eliz. Would all were well!-But that will never be ;I fear, our happiness is at the height. *Summon. Enter GLOSTER, HASTINGS, and DORSET. Glo. They do me wrong, and I will not endure it :- Cannot a plain man live, and think no harm, Grey. To whom in all this presence speaks your grace? When have I injured thee? when done thee wrong?- A plague upon you all! His royal grace, Whom God preserve better than you would wish !— But you must trouble him with lewd* complaints. And not provoked by any suitor else; Glo. I cannot tell;-The world is grown so bad, 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; God grant, we never may have need of you! Glo. Meantime, God grants that we have need of you: Our brother is imprison'd by your means, Myself disgraced, and the nobility Held in contempt; while great promotions Are daily given, to ennoble those That scarce, some two days since, were worth a noble. Q. Eliz. By Him, that raised me to this careful height From that contented hap which I enjoy'd, I never did incense his majesty Against the duke of Clarence, but have been An earnest advocate to plead for him. My lord, you do me shameful injury, Falsely to draw me in these vile suspects. Glo. You may deny that you were not the cause Of my lord Hastings' late imprisonment. *Rude, ignorant. † Low fellow. |