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Clar. And there's for twitting me with perjury.

[Clar. stabs him. SCENE VI.-- London. A room in the Tower. Q. Mar. 0, kill me too! Glo. Marry, and shall. [offers to kill her. King Henry is discovered sitting with a book in K. Edw. Hold, Richard, hold, for we have

his hand, the Lieutenant attending Enter done too much.

GLOSTER. Glo. Why should she live, to fill the world Glo. Good day, my lord ! What, at your book with words?

so hard K. Edw. What! doth she swoon? use means K. Hen. Ay, my good lord: My lord, I should for her recovery.

say rather; Glo. Clarence, excuse me to the king, my brother; 'Tis sin to flatter, good was little better: I'll hence to London, on a serious matter : Good Gloster, and good devil, were alike, Ere ye come there, be sure to hear some news. And both preposterous; therefore, not good lord. Clar. What? what?

Glo. Sirrah, leave us to ourselves : we must Glo. The Tower, the Tower ! [ Exit.

confer.

[Exit Lieutenant. Q. Mar. 0, Ned, sweet Ned! speak to thy K. llen. So flies the reckless shepherd from mother, boy!

the wolf: Canst thou not speak!-0 traitors! murderers! - So first the harmless sheep doth yield his fleece, They, that stabb'd Cæsar, shed no blood at all, And next his throat unto the butcher's knife.Did not offend, nor were not worthy blame, What scene of death hath Roscius now to act? If this foul deed were by, to equal it.

Glo. Suspicion always haunts the guilty mind; He was a man ; this, in respect, a child ; The thief doth fear each bush an officer. And men ne'er spend their fury on a child. K. Hen. The bird, that hath been limed in a What's worse than murderer, that I may name it? bush, No, no; my heart will burst, an if I speak : With trembling wings misdoubteth every bush: And I will speak, that so my heart may burst. And I, the hapless male to one sweet bird, Butchers and villains, bloody cannibals ! Have now the fatal object in my eye, How sweet a plant have you untimely cropp’d! Where my poor young was lim'd, was caught, You have no children, butchers ! if you had,

and kill'd. The thought of them would have stirr’d up re- Glo. Why, what a peevish fool was that of Crete, morse :

That taught his son the office of a fowl? But, if you ever chance to have a child, And yet, for all his wings, the fool was drown'd. Look in his youth to have him so cut off, K. Hen. I, Dædalus; my poor boy, Icarus ; As, deathsmen ! you have rid this sweet young Thy father, Minos, that denied our course; prince!

The sun, that sear’d the wings of my sweet boy, K. Edw. Away with her; go, bear her hence Thy brother Edward; and thyself,' the sea, perforce.

Whose envious gulf did swallow up his life. Q. Mar. Nay, never bear me hence, despatch Ah, kill me with thy weapon, not with words! me here;

My breast can better brook thy dagger's point, Heresheath thy sword, I'll pardon thee my death: Than can my ears that tragic history.What! wilt thou not? —then, Clarence, do it thou. But wherefore dost thou come? is't for my life!

Clar. By heaven, I will not do thee so much ease. Glo. Think'st thou, I am an executioner? Q. Mar. Good Clarence, do ; sweet Clarence, K. Hen. A persecutor, I am sure, thou art ; do thou do it.

If murdering innocents be executing, Clar. Didst thou not hear me swear, I would Why, then thou art an executioner. not do it?

Glo. Thy son I kill’d for his presumption. Q. Mar. Ay, but thou usest to forswear thyself; K. Hen. Had'st thou been kill’d, when first 'Twas sin before, but now 'tis charity.

thou didst presume, What! wilt thou not? where is that devil's butcher, Thou hadst not liv'd to kill a son of mine. Hard-favour'd Richard? Richard, where art thou? And thus I prophecy,—that many a thousand, Thou art not here : Murder is thy alms-deed ; Which now mistrust no parcel of my fear; Petitioners for blood thou ne'er put'st back. And many an old man's sigh, and many a widow's, K. Edw. Away, I say;I charge ye, bear her hence. And many an orphan's water-standing eye,-, Q. Mar. So come to you, and yours, as to this Men for their sons, wives for their husbands' prince! [Erit, led out forcibly.

fate, K. Edw. Where's Richard gone?

And orphans for their parents' timeless death Clar. To London, all in post; and, as I guess, Shall rue the hour that ever thou wast born. To make a bloody supper in the Tower. The owl shriek’d at thy birth, an evil sign; K. Edw. He's sudden, if a thing comes in his The night-crow cried, aboding luckless time; head.

Dogs howl'd, and hideous tempests shook down Now march we hence: discharge the common sort trees; With pay and thanks, and let's away to London, The raven rook'd her on the chimney's top, And see our gentle queen how well she fares ; And chattering pies in dismal discord sung. By this, I hope, she hath a son for me. [Exeunt. | Thy mother felt more than a mother's paiti,

a

And yet brought forth less than a mother's hope; | Re-purchas'd with the blood of enemies.
To wit,-an indigest deformed lump,

What valiant foe-men, like to autumn's corn, Not like the fruit of such a goodly tree. Have we mow'd down, in tops of all their pride? Teeth hadst thou in thy head, when thou wast Three dukes of Somerset, threetold renown'd born,

For hardy and undoubted champions : To signity,—thou cam'st to bite the world : Two Cliffords, as the father and the son: And, if the rest be true which I have heard, And two Northumberlands; two braver men Thcu cam'st

Ne'er spurr'd their coursers at the trumpet's Glo. I'll hear no more ;-Die, prophet, in thy sound : speech;

[Stabs him. With them, the two brave bears, Warwick and For this, amongst the rest, was I ordain'd.

Montague, h. Hen. Ay, and for much more slaughter That in their chains fetter'd the kingly lion, after this.

And made the forest tremble when they roar'd. O God! forgive my sins, and pardon thee! [Dies. Thus have we swept suspicion froin our seat,

Glo. What, will the aspiring blood of Lancaster And made our footstool of security.Sink in the ground ? I thought it would have come hither, Bess, and let me kiss my boy : mounted.

Young Ned, for thee, thine uncles and myself See, how my sword weeps for the poor king's Have in our armours watch'd the winter's night; death!

Went all a-foot in summer's scalding heat, 0, may such purple tears be always shed That thou might'st repossess the crown in peace; From those that wish the downfalofour house! - And of our labours thou shalt reap the gain. If any spark of life be yet remaining,

Glo. I'll blast his harvest, if your head were Down, down to hell; and say-1 sent thee thi- laid; ther,

[Stabs him again. For yet I am not look'd on in the world. 1, that have neither pity, love, nor fear.- This shoulder was ordain'd so thick, to heave; Indeed, 'tis true, that Henry told me of; And heave it shall some weight, or break my For I have often heard my mother say,

back: I ame into the world with my legs forward : Work thou the way,--and thou shalt execute. Had I not reason, think ye, to make haste,

[Aside. And seek their ruin that usurp'd our right? K. Edw. Clarence, and Gloster, love my lovely The midwife wonder'd ; and the women cried,

queen ; 0, Jesus bless us, he is born with teeth! And kiss your princely nephew, brothers both. And so I was; which plainly signified

Clar. The duty, that I owe unto your majesty, That I should snarl, and bite, and play the dog. I seal upon the lips of this sweet babe. Then, since the heavens have shap'd my body so, K. Edw. Thanks, noble Clarence; worthy Let hell make crook'd my mind to answer it.

brother, thanks. I have no brother, I am like no brother:

Glo. And that I love the tree from whence And this word-love, which greybeards call

thou sprang'st, divine,

Witness the loving kiss I give the fruit :Be resident in men like one another,

To say the truth, so Judas kiss'd his And not in me; I am myself alone.

master;

Aside. Clarence, beware; thou keep'st me from the light; | And cried-all'hail! when as he meant But I will sort a pitchy day for thee:

-all harm. For I will buz abroad such prophecies,

K. Edw. Now am I seated as my soul delights, That Edward shall be fearful of his life ; Having my country's peace, and brothers' loves. And then, to purge his fear, I'll be thy death. Clar. What will your grace have done with King Henry, and the prince his son, are gone: Margaret ? Clarence, thy turn is next, and then the rest ; Reignier, her father, to the king of France Counting myself but bad, till I be best.- Hath pawn'd the Sicils and Jerusalem, I'll throw thy body in another room,

And hither have they sent it for her ransome. And triumph, Henry, in thy day of doom. [Exit. K. Edw. Away with her, and waft her hence

to France. SCENE VII.-The same. A room in the palace. And now what rests, but that we spend the time King EDWARD is discovered sitting on his throne; Such as befit the pleasures of the court ?

With stately triumphs, mirthful comic shows, Queen ELIZABETH with the infant Prince, Sound, drums and trumpets !-farewell, sow CLARENCE,Gloster,HASTINGS, and Others,

annoy! near him.

For here, I hope, begins our lasting joy, K. Edw. Once more we sit in England's royal

(Exeunt. throne,

King EDWARD the Fourth.

Sir WILLIAM CATESBY. Sir JAMES TYRREL. EDWARD, prince of Wales,af

Sir James BLOUNT. Sir WALTER HERBERT. terwards King EDWARD V. - sonstothe King. Sir ROBERT BRAKENBURY, lieutenant of the RICHARD, duke of York.

Tower. George, duke of CLARENCE,

brothers to the

CHRISTOPHER URSWICK, a priest. Another RICHARD, duke of Gloster,

Priest. afterwards K. RICHARD III.

King

Lord Mayor of London. Sheriff of Wiltshire,
A young Son of CLARENCE.
Henry, earl of Richmond, afterwards King ELIZABETH, queen of king EDWARD IV.

HENRY VII.
Cardinal BOURCHIEB, archbishop of Canter-Duchess of York, mother to king Edward IV.,

MARGARET, widow of king Henry VI.

CLARENCE, and GLOSTER.
Thomas ROTHERAM, archbishop of York,
John Morton, bishop of Ely.

Lady Anne, widow of EDWARD prince of Wales, Duke of BuckINGHAM.

son to king Henry VI.; afterwards married

to the duke of GLOSTER. Duke of NORFOLK : Earl of Surrey, his son.

A young Daughter of CLARENCE. Earl Rivers, brother to king EDWARD's queen. Marquis of DORSET, and Lord Grey, her sons. Earl of OXFORD. Lord Hastings. Lord STAN- Lords, and other Attendants ; two Gentlemen, a LEY. Lord Lovel.

Pursuivant, Scrivener, Citizens, Murderers, Sir THOMAS VAUGHAN.

Messengers, Ghosts, Soldiers, &c. Sir RICHARD RATCLIFF.

BURY.

SCENE,-England.

ACT I.

front;

Grim visag'd war hath smooth'd his wrinkled SCENE I.-Londón. A Sireet.

And now,--instead of mounting barbed steeds, Enter GLOSTER.

To fright the souls of fearful adversaries, Glo. Now is the winter of our discontent He capers nimbly in a lady's chamber, Made glorious summer by this sun of York; To the lascivious pleasing of a lute. And all the clouds, that lower’d upon our house, But I,--that am not shap'd for sportive tricks, In the deep bosom of the ocean buried. Nor made to court an amorous looking-glass; Now are our brows bound with victorious wreaths; I, thatam rudely stamp'd, and want love's majesty, Our bruised arms hung up for monuments ; To strut before a wanton ambling nymph; Our stern alarums chang’å to merry meetings, I, that am curtail'd of this fair proportion, Our dreadful marches to delightful measures. Cheated of feature by dissembling nature,

Deform'd, unfinish’d, sent before my time But the queen's kindred, and night-walking
Into this breathing world, scarce half made up, heralds
And that so lamely and unfashionable,

That trudge betwixt the king and mistress Shore.
That dogs bark at me, as I halt by them ;- Heard you not, what an humble suppliant
Why I, in this weak piping time of peace, Lord Hastings was to her for his delivery ?
Have no delight to pass away the time;

Glo: Humbly complaining to her deity, Unless to spy my shadow in the sun,

Got my lord chamberlain his liberty. And descant on mine own deformity ;

I'll tell you what, I think, it is our way, And therefore,-since I cannot prove a lover, If we will keep in favour with the king, To entertain these fair well-spoken days,- To be her men, and wear her livery: I am determined to prove a villain,

The jealous o'erworn widow, and herself, And hate the idle pleasures of these days. Since that our brotherdubb’d them gentlewomen, Plots have I laid, inductions dangerous, Are mighty gossips in this monarchy. By drunken prophecies, libels, and dreams, Brak. I beseech your graces both to pardon me; To set my brother Clarence, and the king, His majesty hath straitly given in charge, In deadly hate, the one against the other : That no man shall have private conference, And, if king Edward be as true and just, Of what degree soever, with his brother. As I am subtle, false, and treacherous,

Glo. Even so ? an please your worship, Bra« This day should Clarence closely be mew'd up; kenbury, About a prophecy, which says—that G You may partake of any thing we say: Of Edward's heirs the murderer shall be. We speak no treason, man ;-We say, the king Dive, thoughts, down to my soul! here Clarence Is wise, and virtuous; and his noble queen comes.

Well struck in years ; fair, and not jealous :Enter CLARENCE, guarded, and BRAKENBURY. A cherry lip,

We say, that Shore's wife hath a pretty foot, Brother, good day: What means this armed A bonny eye, a passing pleasing tongue ; guard,

And the queen's kindred are made gentlefolks : That waits upon your grace ?

How say you, sir ? can you deny all this? Clar. His majesty,

Brak. With this, my lord, myself have nought Tendering my person's safety, hath appointed

to do. This conduct to convey me to the Tower.

Glo. Naught to do with mistress Shore ? I Glo. Upon what cause ?

tell thee, fellow, Clar. Because my name is–George.

He that doth naught with her, excepting one, Glo. Alack, my lord, that fault is none of Were best to do it secretly, alone. yours;

Brak. What one, my lord ? He should, for that, commit your godfathers :- Glo. Her husband, knave :—Would'st thou O, belike, his majesty hath some intent,

betray me? That you shall be new christen’d in the Tower. Brak. I beseech your grace to pardon me; But what's the matter, Clarence? may I know? and, withal, Clar. Yea, Richard, when I know; for, I Forbear your conference with the noble duke. protest,

Clar. We know thy charge, Brakenbury, and As yet I do not : But, as I can learn,

will obey. He hearkens after prophecies, and dreams; Glo. We are the queen's abjects, and must obey. And from the cross-row plucks the letter G, Brother, farewell : I will unto the king ; And saysma wizard told him, that by G And whatsoe'er you will employ me in, His issue disinherited should be ;

Were it to call king Edward's widow-sister, And, for my name of George begins with G, I will perform it to enfranchise you. It follows in his thought, that I am he: Meantime, this deep disgrace in brotherhood, These, as I learn, and such like toys as these, Touches me deeper than you can imagine. Have mor’d his highness to commit me now. Clar. I know it pleaseth neither of us well. Glo. Why, this it is, when men are ruld by Glo. Well, your imprisonment shall not be

long; Tis not the king, that sends you to the Tower ; I will deliver you, or else lie for you: My lady Grey, his wife, Clarence, 'tis she, Mean time have patience. * That tempers him to this extremity.

*Clar. I must perforce ; farewell. Was it not she, and that good man of worship, [Exeunt Clarence, Brakexbury, and Guards. Antony Wooleville, her brother there,

Glo. Go, tread the path that thou shalt ne'er That made him send lord Hastings to the Tower; return, From whence this present day he is deliver'd ? Simple, plain Clarence !—I do love thee so, We are not safe, Clarence, we are not safe. That I will shortly send thy soul to heaven, Cur. By heaven, I think, there is no man If heaven will take the present at our hands. secure,

But who comes here? the new-deliver'd llastings:

women:

Pale ashes of the house of Lancaster !
Enter HASTINGS.

Thou bloodless remnant of that royal blood !
Hast. Good time of day unto my gracious lord! Be it lawful that I invocate thy ghost,
Glo. As much unto my good lord chamberlain! To hear the lamentations of poor Anne,
Well are you welcome to this open air. Wife to thy Edward, to thy slaughter'd son,
How hath your lordship brook'd imprisonment? Stabb’d by the self-same hånd, that made these
Hast. With patience, noble lord, as prisoners wounds!
must :

Lo, in these windows, that let forth thy life, But I shall live, my lord, to give them thanks, I pour the helpless balm of my poor eyes :That were the cause of my imprisonment. o, cursed be the hand, that made these holes ! Glo. No doubt, no doubt; and so shall Cla- Cursed the heart that had the heart to do it! rence too;

Cursed the blood, that let this blood from hence! For they, that were your enemies, are his, More direful hap betide that hated wretch, And have prevail'd as much on him, as you, That makes us wretched by the death of thee, Hast. More pity, that the eagle should be Than I can wish to adders, spiders, toads, mewd,

Or any creeping venom'd thing that lives!
While kites and buzzards prey at liberty. If ever he have child, abortive be it,
Glo. What news abroad?

Prodigious, and untimely brought to light,
Hast. Nonews sobadabroad, as this at home;- Whose ugly and unnatural aspect
The king is sickly, weak, and melancholy, May fright the hopeful mother at the view;
And his physicians fear him inightily.

And that be heir to his unhappiness ! Glo. Now, by Saint Paul, this news is bad If ever he have wife, let her be made indeed.

More miserable by the death of him, 0, he hath kept an evil diet long,

Than I am made by my young lord, and thee! And over-much consum'd his royal person ; Come, now, toward Chertsey with your holy load, "Tis very grievous to be thought upon.

Taken from Paul's to be interred there; What, is he in his bed?

And, still as you are weary of the weight, Hast. He is.

Rest you, whiles I lament king Henry's corse, Glo. Go you before, and I will follow you. [The Bearers take up the corpse, and advance.

[Erit Hastings. He cannot live, I hope ; and must not die,

Enter GLOSTER, Till Georgè be pack'd with post-horse up to Glo. Stay you, that bear the corse, and set it beaven.

down. I'll in, to urge his hatred more to Clarence, Anne. What black magician conjures up this With lies well steeld with weighty arguments ; fiend, And, if I fail not in my deep intent,

To stop devoted charitable decds ? Clarence hath not another day to live :

Glo. Villains, set down the corse ; or, by Saint Which done, God take King Edward to his mercy, Paul, And leave the world for me to bustle in ! I'll make a corse of him that disobeys. For then I'll marry Warwick's youngest daughter: 1 Gent. My lord, stand back, and let the cofWhat though I kill'd her husband, and her father? The readiest way to make the wench amends, Glo. Unmanner'd dog! stand thou, when I Is—to become her husband, and her father :

command : The which will I ; not all so much for love, Advance thy halberd higher than my breast, As for another secret close intent,

Or, by Saint Paul, I'll strike thee to my foot, By marrying her, which I must reach unto.

And spurn upon thee, beggar, for thy boldness. But yet I run before my horse to market :

[The Bearers set down the coffin. Clarence still breathes ; Edward still lives, and Anne. What do you tremble? are you allafraid? reigns ;

Alas, I blame you not, for you are mortal, When they are gone, then must I count my gains. And mortal eyes cannot endure the devil.

[Exit. Avaunt, thou dreadful minister of hell !

Thou had'st but power over his mortal body, SCENE II.-The same. Another Street. His soul thou canst not have; therefore, be gone.

Glo. Sweet saint, for charity, be not so curst. Enter the corpse of King Henry the Sixth, horne

Anne. Foul devil, for God's sake, hence, and in an open cojin, Gentlemen bearing halberds, trouble us not ; to guard it; and Lady ANNE as mourner. For thou hast made the happy earth thy hell, Anne. Set down, set down your honourable Fill'd it with cursing cries, and deep exclaims. load,

If thou delight to view thy heinous deeds, If honour may be shrouded in a hearse, Behold this pattern of thy butcheries :Whilst I a while obsequiously lament 0, gentlemen, see, see! dead Henry's wounds The untimely fall of virtuous Lancaster. - Open their congcald mouths, and bleed afresh! Paci key-co'd figure of a holy king!

Blush, blushı, thou lump of foul deformity;

fin pass.

a