Glo. But shall I live in hope? [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. But beg one favor at thy gracious hand, Thou dost confirm his happiness forever. 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 interred, At Chertsey monast'ry, this noble king, And wet his grave with my repentant tearsI will with all expedient duty see you. For divers unknown reasons, I beseech you, Grant me this boon. 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. 'Tis more than you deserve; Anne. [Exeunt LADY ANNE, TRESSEL, and Towards Chertsey, noble lord? [Exeunt the rest, with the corse. Glo. No, to White Friars; there attend my coming. Was ever woman in this humor wooed? Was ever woman in this humor won? I'll have her, but I will not keep her long. What! I, that killed 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, 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, Framed in the prodigality of nature, Young, valiant, wise, and, no doubt, right royal— That cropped the golden prime of this sweet prince, On me, whose all not equals Edward's moiety? I do mistake my person all this while; SCENE III. The same. [Exit. 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 accustomed 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 harms. Grey. The Heavens have blessed you with a goodly son, To be your comforter when he is gone. Q. Eliz. Ah, he is young; and his minority Is put unto the trust of Richard Gloster, Enter BUCKINGHAM and STANLEY. Grey. Here come the lords of Buckingham and Stanley. 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 of Stanley, To your good prayer will scarcely say-Amen. Yet, Stanley, notwithstanding she's your wife, And loves not me, be you, good lord, assured, I hate not you for her proud arrogance. 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? Q. Eliz. What likelihood of his amendment, lords? Buck. Ay, madam; he desires to make atonement 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.— I must be held a rancorous enemy. Cannot a plain man live, and think no harm, By silken, sly, insinuating Jacks? Grey. To whom in all this presence speaks your grace? When have I injured thee? when done thee wrong? or any of your faction? A plague upon you all! His royal grace- But you must trouble him with lewd complaints. Q. Eliz. Brother of Gloster, you mistake the matter. The king, of his own royal disposition, And not provoked by any suitor else; Aiming, belike, at your interior hatred, That in your outward action shows itself, Against my children, brothers, and myself, Makes him to send; that thereby he may gather The ground of your ill will, and so remove it. 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'; God grant we never may have need of you! Glo. Meantime, God grants that we have need of you. Our brother is imprisoned 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 enjoyed, 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. Riv. She may, my lord; for Glo. She may, lord Rivers?-why, who knows not so? She may do more, sir, than denying that. She may help you to many fair preferments; And then deny her aiding hand therein, And lay those honors on your high desert. What may she not? She may,-ay, marry, may she, 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. Q. Eliz. My lord of Gloster, I have too long borne Your blunt upbraidings, and your bitter scoffs. By Heaven, I will acquaint his majesty, Of those gross taunts I often have endured. I had rather be a country servant-maid, Than a great queen, with this conditionTo be so baited, scorned, and stormed at; Small joy have I in being England's queen. Enter QUEEN MARGARET, behind. Q. Mar. And lessened be that small, God, I beseech thee! Thy honor, state, and seat, is due to me. Glo. What? threat you me with telling of the king? I dare adventure to be sent to the Tower. Glo. Ere you were queen, ay, or your husband king, A liberal rewarder of his friends. 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 Grey, Were factious for the house of Lancaster; And, Rivers, so were you.-Was not your husband Q. Mar. A murderous villain, and so still thou art. Glo. To fight on Edward's party, for the crown; I would to God, my heart were flint, like Edward's, 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 urge, to prove us enemies, |