Enter CLARENCE, guarded, and BRAKENBURY. Brother, good day. What means this armed guard That waits upon your grace? Clar. His majesty, Tendering my person's safety, hath appointed This conduct to convey me to the Tower. Glou. Upon what cause? Clar. Because my name is George. Glou. Alack! my lord, that fault is none of yours; 49 He should, for that, commit your godfathers. Clar. By heaven, I think there is no man secure But the queen's kindred and night-walking heralds That trudge betwixt the king and Mistress Shore. Glou. Humbly complaining to her deity 80 Brak. I beseech your graces both to pardonme; His majesty hath straitly given in charge That no man shall have private conference, Of what degree soever, with his brother. Glou. Even so; an't please your worship, Brakenbury, 90 You may partake of any thing we say: And thatthequeen's kindredare madegentle folks. Glou. Naught to do with Mistress Shore! I tell thee, fellow, He that doth naught with her, excepting one, Were best he do it secretly, alone. 100 Clar. I must perforce: farewell. Exeunt CLARENCE, BRAKENBURY, and Guard. Glou. Go, tread the path that thou shalt ne'er return, Simple, plain Clarence! I do love thee so Hast. Good time of day unto my gracious lord! must; But I shall live, my lord, to give them thanks That were the cause of my imprisonment. Glou. No doubt, no doubt; and so shall Clarence too; 130 For they that were your enemies are his, Hast. No news so bad abroad as this at home; Glou. Now, by Saint Paul, this news is bad indeed. O! he hath kept an evil diet long, And overmuch consum'd his royal person : 140 'Tis very grievous to be thought upon. What! is he in his bed? Enter the corpse of King HENRY the Sixth, borne 10 Lo! in these windows that let forth thy life, 20 Thy deed, inhuman and unnatural, 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, As thou dost swallow up this good king's blood, Which his hell-govern'd arm hath butchered! Glou. Lady, you know no rules of charity, Which renders good for bad, blessings for curses. Anne. Villain, thou know'st no law of God nor No beast so fierce but knows some touch of pity. Glou. But I know none, and therefore am no beast. Anne. O! wonderful, when devils tell the truth. Glou. More wonderful when angels are so angry. Vouchsafe, divine perfection of a woman, Of these supposed evils, to give me leave, By circumstance, but to acquit myself. Anne. Vouchsafe, diffus'd infection of a man For these known evils, but to give me leave, By circumstance, to curse thy cursed self. Glou. Fairer than tongue can name thee, let me have Some patient leisure to excuse myself. 81 Anne. Fouler than heart can think thee, thou canst make No excuse current, but to hang thyself. Glou. By such despair I should accuse myself. Anne. And by despairing should'st thou stand excus'd For doing worthy vengeance on thyself, Then say they were not slain: Glou. Villains! set down the corse; or, by But dead they are, and, devilish slave, by thee. Saint Paul, I'll make a corse of him that disobeys. First Gent. My lord, stand back, and let the coffin pass. Glou. Unmanner'd dog! stand thou when I command: Advance thy halberd higher than my breast, 40 Alas! I blame you not; for you are mortal, Glou. I did not kill your husband. 92 Anne. In thy foul throat thou liest : Queen Margaret saw Thy murderous falchion smoking in his blood; The which thon once didst bendagainst her breast, But that thy brothers beat aside the point. Glou. I was provoked by her sland'rous tongue, Which laid their guilt upon my guiltless shoulders. Anne. Thou wast provoked by thy bloody mind, That never dreamt on aught but butcheries. 199 Didst thou not kill this king? Glou. Your beauty was the cause of that effect; Your beauty, that 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. Glou. These eyes could not endure that beauty's wreck; You should not blemish it if I stood by : 130 Anne. Black night o'ershade thy day, and death thy life! Glou. Curse not thyself, fair creature; thou art both. Anne. I would I were, to be reveng'd on thee. Glou. It is a quarrel most unnatural, To be feveng'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. Glou. 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. 140 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; 16) Nor when thy war-like father, like a child, I never sued to friend nor enemy: My tongue could never learn sweet smoothing words; But now thy beauty is propos'd my fee, He lays his breast open: she offers at it 180 But 'twas thy heavenly face that set me on. Take up the sword again, or take up me. I will not be the executioner. Glou. Then bid me kill myself, and I will do it. Anne. I have already. Glou. That was in thy rage: Shall, for thy love, kill a far truer love : Glou. Then never man was true. 190 Here. She spitteth at him. Why dost thou spit at me? Anne. Would it were mortal poison, for thy sake! Glou. 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. Glou. Thineeyes, sweet lady, have infected mine. Glou. Look how this ring encompasseth thy finger, Anne. Well, well, put up your sword. 200 Even so thy breast encloseth my poor heart; Glou. That it may please you leave these sad To him that hath more cause to be a mourner, 210 Anne. With all my heart; and much it joys me too 220 To see you are become so penitent. Exeunt Lady ANNE, TRESSEL, and Glou. Sirs, take up the corse. 230 SCENE III.-The Same. A Room in the Palace. Riv. Have patience, madam: there's no doubt 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, on me? Grey. No other harm but loss of such a lord. Q. Eliz. The loss of such a lord includes all harms. 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 10 Enter BUCKINGHAM and STANLEY. Grey. Here come the Lords of Buckingham and Stanley. Buck. Good time of day unto your royal grace! Q. Eliz. The Countess Richmond, good my To your good prayer will scarcely say amen. Having God, her conscience, and these bars I hate not you for her proud arrogance. against me, And I no friends to back my suit withal, 240 Hath she forgot already that brave prince, Stabb'd in my angry mood at Tewksbury? And made her widow to a woeful bed? I do mistake my person all this while : 251 260 Exit. 20 Stan. I do beseech you, either not believe 30 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? Buck. Ay, madam : he desires to make atonement Between the Duke of Gloucester and your And between them and my lord chamberlain; I fear our happiness is at the highest. Enter GLOUCESTER, HASTINGS, and DORSET. Who are they that complain unto the king, Because I cannot flatter and speak fair, 50 Grey. To whom in all this presence speaks your grace? Glou. To thee, that hast nor honesty nor grace. The king, of his own royal disposition, Glou. I cannot tell; the world is grown so bad That wrens make prey where eagles dare not perch: 71 Since every Jack became a gentleman You envy my advancement and my friends'. of you: Our brother is imprison'd by your means, Held in contempt; while many fair promotions 81 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, 91 Glou. She may, Lord Rivers! why, who knows Q. Mar. And lessen'd be that small, God, I beseech him! Thy honour, state and seat is due to me. Glou. What! threat you me with telling of the king? Tell him, and spare not look! what I have said 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. 120 Glou. Ere you were queen, ay, or your husband king, I was a pack-horse in his great affairs, To royalise his blood I spilt mine own. Q. Mar. Ay, and much better blood than his, or thine. Glou. In all which time you and your husband Were factious for the house of Lancaster ; Q. Mar. A murderous villain, and so still thouart. Ay, and forswore himself, which Jesu pardon! Q. Mar. Which God revenge! Glou. 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. 141 Q. Mar. Hie thee to hell for shame, and leave the world, Thou cacodemon! there thy kingdom is. Riv. My Lord of Gloucester, in those busy days Which here you urge to prove us enemies, We follow'd then our lord, our lawful king; So should we you, if you should be our king. Glou. If I should be! I had rather be a pedlar. Far be it from my heart the thought thereof! 150 Q. Eliz. As little joy, my lord, as you suppose You should enjoy, were you this country's king, As little joy may you suppose in me That I enjoy, being the queen thereof. Q. Mar. A little joy enjoys the queen thereof; For I am she, and altogether joyless. I can no longer hold me patient. Advancing. Glou. 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. |