Glou. No, to White-Friars; there attend my coming. Was ever woman in this humour woo'd? Having God, her conscience, and these bars against me, But the plain devil and dissembling looks, 230 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, Stabb'd in my angry mood at Tewksbury? A sweeter and a lovelier gentleman, Framed in the prodigality of nature, Young, valiant, wise, and, no doubt, right royal, The spacious world cannot again afford: And will she yet debase her eyes on me, That cropp'd the golden prime of this sweet prince, And made her widow to a woful bed? On me, whose all not equals Edward's moiety? My dukedom to a beggarly denier, I do mistake my person all this while: 240 250 260 But first I'll turn yon fellow in his grave; Shine out, fair sun, till I have bought a glass, [Exit. SCENE III. The palace. Enter QUEEN ELIZABETH, LORD RIVERS, and LORD GREY. Rie. 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, Q. Eliz. If he were dead, what would betide of me? Q. Eliz. The loss of such a lord includes all harm. Q. Eliz. Oh, he is young, and his minority Riv. Is it concluded he shall be protector? Enter BUCKINGHAM and DERBY. 10 Grey. Here come the lords of Buckingham and Derby. To your good prayers will scarcely say amen. Der. I do beseech you, either not believe 20 30 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. Madam, we did: he desires to make atonement Betwixt the Duke of Gloucester and your brothers, And betwixt them and my lord chamberlain; And sent to warn them to his royal presence. Q. Eliz. Would all were well! but that will never be: 40 I fear our happiness is at the highest. Enter GLOUCESTER, HASTINGS, and DORSET. Glou. They do me wrong, and I will not endure it: Who are they that complain unto the king, That I, forsooth, am stern and love them not? By holy Paul, they love his grace but lightly Smile in men's faces, smooth, deceive and cog, I must be held a rancorous enemy. By silken, sly, insinuating Jacks? Riv. To whom in all this presence speaks your grace? Glou. 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 person,— Whom God preserve better than you would wish!- But you must trouble him with lewd complaints. Q. Eliz. Brother of Gloucester, you mistake the matter. The king, of his own royal disposition, And not provoked by any suitor else; Glou. I cannot tell: the world is grown so bad, There's many a gentle person made a Jack. 50 60 70 Q. Eliz. Come, come, we know your meaning, brother Gloucester; You envy my advancement and my friends': God grant we never may have need of you! Glou. 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; whilst many fair promotions Are daily given to ennoble those That scarce, some two days since, were worth a noble. QEliz. 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. 80 My lord, you do me shameful injury, Falsely to draw me in these vile suspects. Glou. You may deny that you were not the cause 90 Of my Lord Hastings' late imprisonment. Riv. She may, my lord, for Glou. 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 honours on your high deserts. What may she not? She may, yea, marry, may she,- Glow. What, marry, may she! marry with a king, 100 A bachelor, a handsome stripling too: I wish your grandam had a worser match. Q. Eliz. My Lord of Gloucester, I have too long borne Your blunt upbraidings and your bitter scoffs: By heaven, I will acquaint his majesty With those gross taunts I often have endured. Enter QUEEN MARGARET, behind. Small joy have I in being England's queen. 110 Q. Mar. And lessen'd be that small, God, I beseech thee! 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 I will avouch in presence of the king: I dare adventure to be sent to the Tower. 'Tis time to speak; my pains are quite forgot. Q. Mar. Out, devil! I remember them too well: Thou slewest my husband Henry in the Tower, And Edward, my poor son, at Tewksbury. 120 Glou. Ere you were queen, yea, or your husband king, I was a pack-horse in his great affairs; A liberal rewarder of his friends: To royalize his blood I spilt mine own. Q. Mar. Yea, and much better blood than his or thino. Glou. 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 130 What you have been ere now, and what you are; Q. Mar. A murderous villain, and so still thou art. Glou. Poor Clarence did forsake his father, Warwick; Yea, and forswore himself,-which Jesu pardon!— Glou. To fight on Edward's party for the crown; I would to God my heart were flint, like Edward's; 140 I am too childish-foolish for this world. 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 Q. Eliz. As little joy, my lord, as you suppose Q. Mar. A little joy enjoys the queen thereof; 150 [Advancing. I can no longer hold me patient. 160 Glou. Foul wrinkled witch, what makest thou in my sight? Q. Mar. But repetition of what thou hast marr'd; That will I make before I let thee go. Glou. Wert thou not banished on pain of death? Q. Mar. I was; but I do find more pain in banishment Than death can yield me here by my abode. A husband and a son thou owest to me; And thou a kingdom; all of you allegiance: Glou. The curse my noble father laid on thee, 170 180 |