Glo. The felf-fame Name, but one of better Nature.
Anne. Where is he?
Glo. Here:
Why dost thou spit at me ?
Anne. Would it were mortal Poison for thy fake. Glo. Never came Poison from so sweet Place. Anne. Never hung Poison on a fouler Toad. Out of my Sight, thou dost infect mine Eyes.
Glo. Thine Eyes, sweet Lady, have infected mine. Anne. Would they were Bafilisks, to strike thee dead. Glo. I would they were, that I might die at once: For now they kill me with a living Death. Those Eyes of thine from mine have drawn falt Tears; Sham'd their Aspects with store of childish Drops: These Eyes, which never shed remorseful Tear, No, when my Father York, and Edward wept, To hear the piteous Moan that Rutland made, When black-fac'd Clifford thook his Sword at him: Nor when thy warlike Father, like a Child, Told the fad Story of my Father's Death, And twenty times made Pause to fob and weep, That all the Standers by had wet their Cheeks, Like Trees be-dash'd with Rain: In that fad Time, My manly Eyes did scorn an humble Tear: And what these Sorrows could not thence exhale, Thy Beauty hath, and made them blind with weeping. I never fued to a Friend, nor Enemy;
My Tongue could never learn sweet smoothing Words; But now thy Beauty is propos'd my Fee,
My proud Heart sues, and prompts my Tongue to fpeak.
[She looks scornfully at him.
Teach not thy Lip such Scorn, for it was made For kiffing, Lady, not for fuch Contempt. If thy revengeful Heart cannot forgive, Lo here I lend thee this sharp-pointed Sword, Which, if thou please to hide in this true Breast, And let the Soul forth that adoreth thee, 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 dispatch: 'Twas I that stabod young Edward,
But 'twas thy heav'nly Face that fet me on.
Take up the Sword again, or take up me.
Anne. Arife, Diffembler, though I wish thy Death,
I will not be thy Executioner.
Glo. Then bid me kill my felf, and I will do it.
Glo. That was in thy Rage: Speak it again, and even with thy 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 acceffary. Anne. I would I knew thy Heart. Glo. 'Tis figur'd in my Tongue. Anne. I fear me, both are false. Glo. Then never Man was true. Anne. Well, well, put up your Sword. Glo. Say then, my Peace is made. Anne. That shalt thou know hereafter. Glo: But shall I live in hope? Anne. All Men I hope live fo. Glo. Vouchsafe to wear this Ring.
Look how my Ring encompasseth thy Finger, Even so thy Breast incloseth 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 this Happiness for ever. Anne. What is it?
Glo. That it may please you leave these sad Designs To him that hath moft caufe to be a Mourner, And presently repair to Crosby House: Where, after I have folemnly interr'd At Chertsey Monast'ry this noble King, And wet his Grave with my repentant Tears, I will with all expedient Duty see you. For divers unknown Reafons, I befeech you, Grant me this Boon.
Anne. With all my Heart, and much it joys me too,
To fee you are become so penitent. Tressel and Barkley, go along with me. Glo. Bid me farewel.
Anne. 'Tis more than you deserve:
But fince you teach me how to flatter you,
Imagine I have said farewel already. [Exeunt two with Anne.
Gent. Towards Chertsey, Noble Lord ?
Glo. Now to White-Friars, there attend my coming.
Was ever Woman in this humour woo'd?
Was ever Woman in this humour won?
- but I will not keep her long. What! I that kill'd her Husband, and his Father! To take her in her Heart's extreamest hate,
With Curses in her Mouth, Tears in her Eyes,
The bleeding witness of my hatred by,
Having God, her Confcience, and these Bars against me,
And I no Friends to back my suit withal,
But the plain Devil and dissembling Looks:
All the World to nothing!
Hath she forgot already that brave Prince, Edward, her Lord, whom I, some three Months since,
Stab'd in my angry mood at Tewksbury? A sweeter and a lovelier Gentleman,
Fram'd in the prodigality of Nature,
Young, Valiant, Wife, and, no doubt, right Royal, The spacious World cannot again afford: And will she thus abase her Eyes on me, That cropt the Golden prime of this sweet Prince, And made her Widow to a woful Bed? On me, whose All not equals Edward's Moiety? On me, that halts, and am mishapen thus? My Dukedom to a beggarly Denier, I do mistake my Person all this while: Upon my Life she finds, although I cannot, My felf to be a marv'lous proper Man. I'll be at charges for a Looking-glass, And entertain a score or two of Tailors, To study Fashions to adorn my Body:
Since I am crept in favour of my self, I will maintain it with some little Cost. But first I'll turn yon Fellow in his Grave, And then return lamenting to my Love.
Shine out, fair Sun, 'till I have bought a Glass,
That I may fee my Shadow as I pass.
Enter the Queen, Lord Rivers, and Lord Gray.
Riv. Have patience, Madam, there is no doubt, his Majesty Will foon recover his accustom'd Health.
Gray. In that you brook it ill, it makes him worse, Therefore for God's fake entertain good Comfort, And cheer his Grace with quick and merry Eyes. Queen. If he were dead, what would betide on me? Gray. No other harm, but loss of such a Lord. Queen. The loss of such a Lord includes all harms. Gray. The Heavens have blest you with a goodly Son To be your Comforter when he is gone.
Queen. Ah! he is young, and his Minority Is put unto the trust of Richard Glo'fter, A Man that loves not me, nor none of you. Rim. Is it concluded, he shall be Protector? Queen. It is determin'd, not concluded yet : But so it must be, if the King miscarry.
Enter Buckingham and Derby. Gray. Here comes the Lords of Buckingham and Derby. Buck. Good time of Day unto your Royal Grace. Derby. God make your Majesty joyful, as you have been. Queen. The Countess Richmond, good my Lord of Derby,
To your good Prayer will scarcely say, Amen; Yet Derby, notwithstanding she's your Wife, And loves not me, be you, good Lord, assur'd, I hate not you for her proud Arrogance.
Derby. I do beseech you, either not believe The envious Slanders of her false Accusers: Or if the be accus'd on true report, Bear with her weakness; which I think proceeds
From wayward Sickness, and no grounded Malice. Queen. Saw you the King to Day, my Lord of Derby?
Derby. But now, the Duke of Buckingham and I
Are come from visiting his Majefty.
Queen. What likelihood of his Amendment, Lords? Buck. Madam, good hope, his Grace speaks chearfully. Queen. God grant him Health; did you confer with him? Buck. Ay, Madam, he defires to make Atonement,
Between the Duke of Gloster and your Brothers, And between them and my Lord Chamberlain; And fent to warn them to his Royal Prefence. Queen. Would all were well
I fear our Happiness is at the height.
but that will never be---
Glo. They do me wrong, and I will not endure it, Who is it that complains unto the King, That I, forsooth, am ftern, and love them not? By holy Paul, they love his Grace but lightly, That fill his Ears with fuch diffentious Rumors. Because I cannot flatter, and look fair,
Smile in Mens Faces, smooth, deceive and cog, Duck with French nods, and Apish Courtefie, I must be held a rancorous Enemy. Cannot a plain Man live and think no harm, But thus his fimple Truth must be abus'd With filken, sly, infinuating Jacks?
Gray. To whom in all this prefence speaks your Grace? Glo. To thee, that haft not Honesty nor Grace: When have I injur'd thee? when done thee wrong? Or thee? or thee? or any of your Faction? A Plague upon you all. His Royal Grace, Whom God preserve, better than you would wish, Cannot be quiet scarce a breathing while, But you must trouble him with lewd Complaints.
Queen. Brother of Glo'ster, you mistake the Matter:
The King on his own Royal Disposition, And not provok'd by any Suitor elfe, Aiming, belike, at your interior hatred, That in your outward Action shews it felf Against my Children, Brothers, and my Self,
Makes him to send, that he may learn the ground.
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